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February 19, 2019 | The Valley Catholic
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Bellarmine Explores Gender as Human Dignity Justice Topic
Bellarmine College Preparatory is
exploring the topic of gender as its year-
long Summit on Human Dignity, the
focus of the school’s justice assembly
and breakout sessions held during the
week of January 28.
The assembly keynote speaker was
Brandi Chastain, two-time FIFA Wom-
en’s World Cup champion, two-time
Olympic gold-medalist, coach, and
sports broadcaster. Chastain, a graduate
of Archbishop Mitty High School and
of Santa Clara University, is also the as-
sistant coach of Bellarmine’s varsity soc-
cer team. “Bellarmine is an important
Brandi Chastain addresses the Bellarmine
community at its Justice Summit assembly.
(photo by Sheila Collison).
community of who you will be for the
rest of your life,” she told the audience
of 1,650 students. “Every one of you
has a tremendous power to recognize
inequality and to make change.”
Among the goals of Bellarmine’s jus-
tice summit on gender throughout the
school year are: to describe how social
institutions and power structures cre-
ate gender expectations, identify subtle
or invisible ways in which gender bias
and sexism prevent respect for human
dignity, engage in compassionate con-
versation around gender with peers
who have diff erent experiences and
views, and reflect on God’s call for
justice and act accordingly to promote
gender equity and inclusion.
The more than two dozen breakout
session topics discussed during sum-
mit week included: “Women’s Leader-
ship in the Religious Community,”
“Sexism in STEM,” “The Business of
Advertising Sexism,” and “The Im-
portance of Communication in Under-
standing Gender.”
The justice theme is coordinated by
faculty members Katie Bauman, Emily
Rosenbaum, and Ben Sigrist. Previ-
ous justice themes at Bellarmine have
included poverty, human traffi cking,
sustainability, immigration, hunger,
and race.
Saint Athanasius’ SALT Embarks on a Spiritual Journey at Echoes of Worth Retreat
By Luis Gomez
Welcoming the Theology of Body
There were 39 Saint Athanasius
Life Teen (SALT) high school youth
group members who attended the
three-day Echoes of Worth retreat on
the weekend of Martin Luther King
Jr, Birthday in Scotts Valley, led by
Deacon Leonel Mancilla and Pastoral
Associate Rosa Mancilla. We stayed
in charming cabins in the Santa Cruz
Mountains to disconnect from the
invasive distractions of technology
and better connect with God. The
theme of the retreat is Theology of the
Body, which was new for many teens.
It centered around the lectures given
by Pope John Paul II during his papacy
on the meaning of the Body and how it
relates to the Eucharist. Through daily
Mass, songs, prayer, workshops, and
games, we were exposed to a plethora
of knowledge pertaining to the new
language of the Body and the virtue
of chastity.
Connecting through Small Groups
While at the retreat, we engaged in
small groups discussions to converse
about the meaning of authentic friend-
ship, the challenges of being a Catholic
in a world where many relationships
are rooted in lust rather than love, and
the balance of power in relationships.
“The small groups were a way for the
guys to express their thoughts and
opinions relating to what it means to
be a man and how they are supposed
to take the lead in a relationship,”
said Pedro Ortiz, a SALT student who
attended Echoes of Worth. He added
that “God wants both man and woman
to care for each other equally as they
become one in marriage.” God put
two people together in a relationship
for a purpose in order to accomplish
his will and bolster the relationship.
The unity and oneness of a marriage
mirrors that of the Eucharist.
Rediscovered the Beauty of
Eucharistic Adoration
On our last night of the retreat, we
were given the option to go to confes-
sion after the evening mass, followed
by Eucharistic Adoration, which many
agree was the highlight of the entire
retreat. We had a chance to further
connect ourselves with God in one
of the most touching ways possible.
We enjoyed the peace and tranquil-
lity of Eucharistic Adoration that we
experienced whilst singing alongside
our group. Each and every individual
present welcomed the presence of
Jesus as we see His hand in tying
together all of the topics and themes
that were discussed over the weekend.
Through the Echoes of Worth Retreat,
we embarked on a new spiritual
journey and experienced the oneness
with God through Holy Eucharist and
Eucharistic Adoration.
Thankful for the Retreat Experience
This retreat will not be possible
without the support of Father Oscar,
Father Paul, the leadership of Deacon
Leonel and Rosa and the prayers and
sponsorships of parishioners of Saint
Athanasius Church. May God bless you
and your family abundantly!