Welcome!! We're glad you're here!
Catholic Campus Ministry ("CCM") at St. James Church is a student-led organization ministering to students at Illinois Tech, VanderCook College of Music and Illinois College of Optometry. We are dedicated to creating people who are prepared to love and serve Jesus Christ. We provide a place where all are given the opportunity to deepen their relationship with God, neighbor and self through community, worship, formation and service.
Upcoming events/dates to note:
- Coffee and Conversation - March 12th (continental breakfast) and March 26th (cook brunch) after 9:30AM Mass at the rectory
- On-campus Mass and Meal - March 19th 5PM at the God Box, Meal afterwards at the ST house.
- Seeking to Become(me) - March 21st 7PM at ST House and Zoom
- Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation - March 28th 7PM at ST House
- Do Not be Weary CCM Spring Retreat - Mar. 31st - Apr. 1st. Register here.
Make sure to keep in touch with us by following us on Instagram, signing up for text reminders with Remind and signing up for our CCM newsletter. You can subscribe to the CCM calendar in a web browser here or other applications here.
Calendar of Events
Opportunities for formation, community and service
Mass - Sunday Masses are in the Church at 29th between State and Wabash at 9:30am. Mass is also celebrated Monday through Friday at 7:30am in the St. James rectory (2942 S. Wabash). Mass is celebrated both in-person and on Zoom. You can join St. James for Mass on-line on Sundays at 9:30AM and Monday through Friday at 7:30AM by clicking on the links under Mass Times on the right.
Once a month we celebrate a student-led Mass at 5:00PM on campus in the God Box at Illinois Tech. These Masses are followed by a free meal and conversation at the ST House. On-Campus Student Masses for Spring 2023 are on January 15th, February 26th, March 19th and April 16th. We will also have a Mass on campus at 12:50PM on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd.
We like having students serve as readers, greeters and Eucharistic ministers on Sunday. Please consider serving in one of these ministries and let your Campus Minister know that you're interested.
For a map to St. James, click here.
Midweek Mindfulness (formerly Evening Prayer) - 7:00pm Tuesday beginning on January 17th when Illinois Tech is in session. These are opportunities to find spiritual nourishment during the week and discuss questions of life and faith with your peers. The format varies from week to week and includes experiences such as Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration, discussions of scripture, and reflections on poetry and art. Open to people of all faiths or seeking to deepen their spirituality. We meet at the ST House. The sacrament of Reconciliation is available on evenings that we have Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration or by appointment with Fr. Nick or Fr. John.
Seeking to Become (me) - begins January 15th. We are excited to offer a new opportunity in Spring 2023, Seeking to Become (me). Using the Enneagram, an ancient self-discovery tool, we will meet periodically throughout the term to discover the persons that God created us to be. The Enneagram helps us to better understand and accept our strengths, recognize our struggles and transform ourselves into whole, integrated person. If you missed our Introductory session but are interested in participating, email Amy.
Eucharistic Adoration/Reconciliation at St. James Church is on the first Friday of every month. Spend time in quiet reflection with our Lord, present in the Eucharist. 8:30-9:30am and 6-7pm on the Tolton Chapel at the St. James Rectory. Confession is available from 6-7PM or by appointment. Fr. Nick is also available for confession and/or conversation by appointment.
Retreats - Each Fall and each Spring, we hold a single-day retreat for college students. We also offer two single-day retreats for parishioners which are open to students. These are great ways to nourish your spirituality and to become more a part of the St. James Community. The Spring 2023 retreat is on March 31st - April 1st. For more info and to register, click here.
Service Opportunities - Students help in our food pantry, visit our elderly parishioners, and help with Sunday School. You don’t need to be Catholic to volunteer with us!
Bible Studies with Fr. John Edmunds, S.T. - Fr. John offers Bible Studies throughout the year, either in-person or on Zoom. See the St. James calendar for more information. Fr. John's next Bible Study begins March 15: What Does the Bible Tell Us About the Scrutinies Gospels? Wednesdays from 7-8:30PM on Zoom. Register here.
Adult Confirmation Classes and RCIA - Are you a Catholic who never received the Sacrament of Confirmation? Are you a Catholic who has been away from the Church and would like to reconnect? Are you interested in becoming a Catholic? Contact Amy for more information.
Become Active in the CCM Student Organization! Catholic Campus Ministry is not just a ministry of St. James Church. It's also a recognized student organization at Illinois Tech, VanderCook and ICO. This is a great way to get to know other Catholic students and to have a voice in the kinds of programs we offer.
Are you receiving our student newsletter? If not, please sign up here.
Contacts and addresses:
Your Campus Minister is Amy Pellettiere. You can reach her at (312) 842-1919 x212 (office), (312) 896-1910 (direct) or 872-703-4337 (cell), apellettiere@StJamesWabash.org. Her office is located in the St. James Parish Office and Food Pantry at 2907 S. Wabash. Amy is not in the office on Fridays or Saturdays.
Fr. Nick Barille, ST is available for confessions and conversation. You can reach him at nbarille3@gmail.com and (714)328-0126. Fr. Nick is located at the Missionary Servants House (ST House) at 3347 S. Michigan Ave. across from U Farm and the Greek Quad.
