The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life – the primary expression of community and source of our union with Christ. Mass is offered twice daily Sunday through Thursday and daily on Fridays by the Basilian Fathers and priests of the faculty and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
View the full Mass and Confession schedule
The Chapel is open for private prayer and devotion during University business hours. Campus Ministry also offers weekly Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament during the academic year. All are welcome to come and gaze upon the Lord. Students are invited to commit to a weekly 30-minute prayer time during Exposition.
Feasting with the Saints is a series offered monthly through Campus Ministry. Each month, we highlight a different Saint and celebrate through Mass, music, feast food, and a reflection on the Saint’s life and influence in the Church.
The Chapel of St. Basil is available to reserve for private Masses, for both internal and external groups. To make a reservation, please email our Wedding and Chapel Event Coordinator, Abi Bielstein, at abielst@stthom.edu. Catholic weddings can be celebrated in the Chapel of St. Basil for current students, faculty, staff, and alumni ONLY. For more information, contact weddings@stthom.edu.
It is good from time to time to pause from the work of day-to-day life for rest, leisure, and time with God. We offer a variety of retreats to accommodate students’ schedules and spiritual needs.
Welcome Retreat
The Welcome Retreat is a day retreat for all incoming first year and transfer students offered every August before classes begin. This retreat is the perfect option for those wishing to reflect spiritually on the transition to UST and to begin growing in your faith community before classes begin!
Overnight Retreats
We offer 3-day, 2-night overnight retreats in the fall and spring semesters. These retreats are a great way to get away from campus, build community with fellow Celts, pray, rest, and enjoy leisure.
Busy Student Retreat
Offered every year during the season of Lent or Easter, the Busy Student Retreat is a self-guided retreat for students, faculty, and staff. Participants are given prayer and reflection materials for individual prayer, and students are paired with a faculty or staff mentor who serves as a spiritual conversation partner throughout the retreat. Typically, prayer guides include daily meditations, and most students meet with their mentors about 3-4 times over the course of 6 weeks.
Men’s and Women’s Retreats
Day-long and overnight men’s and women’s retreats are offered 1-2 times per year, inviting deepened reflection on the spiritual life with fellow men and women. Members of religious communities and lay ecclesial ministers within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston offer reflections and spiritual direction as part of these retreats.
Retreats in the Archdiocese
There are a number of excellent retreats offered through the Archdiocesan Office of Vocations and Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry, including silent retreats, discernment retreats, Charis retreats, and Bayou Awakening. Information on upcoming retreats is shared in the Campus Ministry newsletter and social media.
Campus Ministry provides a variety of opportunities for students to deepen their spiritual lives through small groups, engaging talks, and opportunities for prayer and fellowship.
Small Groups
Small groups are peer-led and focus on growing deeper in relationship with Christ and with one another. Typically comprised of 4-7 people, small groups provide a welcoming and safe atmosphere for prayer, discussion on Scripture, asking questions about the faith, and living a life of discipleship. Each semester, 15-20 small groups meet weekly for 1 hour. Both in-person and hybrid small groups are offered at a variety of days and times throughout the week. Co-ed, women’s, men’s, and Spanish small groups are available. Sign up here.
Households
Households, a type of small group, are intentional communities of men or women striving to grow in their faith and particular charisms. Learn more about our households here.
Encounter Speaker Series
Encounter is a Catholic speaker series aimed at the cultivation of the intellectual life. Students are invited to come and encounter Christ and his teachings through an engaging talk, Q & A, and candlelit Adoration in the Chapel of St. Basil. This year‘s theme is “Love and Longing,” a series inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body.
Praise and Worship
Offered monthly by our Peer Ministry team, Praise and Worship with 30 minutes of food and fellowship, followed by an hour of praise and worship music on the Crooker patio.
Fellowship
The lounge in the Student Life Center is a space for fellowship, open for all students to hang out with friends, eat lunch, and study. Every week on Tuesday mornings, come grab breakfast at Coffee and Donuts hosted by Campus Ministry student leaders.
As Catholics, we believe that love of God goes hand-in-hand with love of neighbor. Within Campus Ministry, there are many opportunities to serve Christ through serving others in the local Houston community. Service focuses on relationship building and accompaniment of the poor and vulnerable. Previous and current service sites include: Angela House, Casa Juan Diego, Buckner Family Home, St. Dominic Village, and parishes in collaboration with Adore Ministries.
Service Break Experiences
Service Break Experiences are opportunities for students to immerse themselves in the life and work of communities across the country and world. SBEs are typically one week long and students are invited to theological theological reflection as they serve on the following five pillars: justice, solidarity, simplicity, community, and spirituality. Past and future destinations include Laredo, TX, Rochester, NY, and Basilian missions in Mexico and Columbia.
March for Life
Campus Ministry journeys with Celts for Life on their pilgrimage to the annual March for Life in D.C. Students attending the March attend pre-trip formation sessions planned and facilitated by UST faculty and Campus Ministry staff members.
CRS Ambassadors
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Ambassadors are students interested in learning more about Catholic social teaching and the ways in which college students can make an impact in the global community. CRS Ambassadors educate their peers on local, state, and national legislation and empower them to advocate for those bills that will promote the dignity and life of the poor and vulnerable around the world. Learn more about how you can impact the global community through CRS Ambassadors.
