Ministry en lo Cotidiano - MLC is a new leadership development and faith formation program for undergraduate students interested in experiencing faith-based service in the Latino community in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Mission to the Mound - Mission to the Mound is a retreat for students interested in learning more about the life of the Sinsinawa Sisters and the history of Dominican University while reflecting on their own sense of call and mission in light of the heritage of their institution.
Format
- Audience: The Ministry target audience is sophomore, junior, and senior students who self-identify as Latino/Latina. The Mission on the Mound program targets any undergraduate student who has never visited the Sinsinawa Mound Center and is interested in a communal exploration of the history, mission, and values of our Dominican University community.
- When: Ministry: Academic Year: August – May; Mission: a single retreat held over three full days during spring break each year with one, one-hour pre-trip session prior to the retreat.
- Frequency: For Ministry, participants commit to 10 hours each week – 9 hours at internship site, and 1 hour discussion time. The Mission program is a single 3-day long spring break event.
- Approximate Number of Participants: Ministry: 8-12 participants; Mission to the Mound: 18-20 participants.
- Focus of Programs: The Ministry program seeks to strengthen university partnerships with local community organizations serving the Latino population and to provide students with a rich opportunity for vocation exploration, leadership development, and guided, group theological reflection around themes of acompañamiento (accompaniment), pastoral care, identity, values, popular religiosity, relationships, vocation, and lo cotidiano (everyday life). The Mission retreat is built around shared experiences of and reflection upon the Four Pillars of a Dominican way of life – community, service, prayer, and study.
Funding & Operations
- External Support: Yes; we received funding from a foundation which wishes to remain anonymous for the Ministry program. We receive no external funding for Mission to the Mound.
- Operations: Operating budget for the Ministry program is $50,000 yearly because the Ministry en lo Cotidiano is a paid internship program for Latino and Latina students. The Mission program costs $2,000 annually.