With the start of another school year comes the onset of endless commitments. From homework, to sports, to jobs and multiple other activities, high school students often devote themselves to individual tasks which fill their daily lives.  It may seem, at times, that little time remains to reach past ourselves and focus on the community. Cathedral Catholic’s new Light Groups are here to redirect that focus.

The idea for Light Groups first came into play last winter when the CCHS faculty participated in two days of local service in San Diego. The experiences shared by the faculty during these events inspired Mrs. Brannman, head of the service program at Cathedral, and Principal Deely to find a way for students to become more actively involved in service as a community.

Starting with the class of 2015, students will engage in Light Groups as a four year program, with each year focusing on a different group of people to serve.

Through trips to St. Vincent DePaul’s Soup Kitchen and several other locations, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, respectively, will serve the homeless, youth, and the elderly.  It is also the hope of Principal Deely and Mrs. Brannman to have future seniors participate in a week-long immersion trip during the school year.

Regarding what students can expect from Light Group meetings, Mrs. Brannman said that sessions will be held once a month for half an hour, with the lighting of a candle and a prayer to start each meeting.

As for future meetings, she said, each will “be based on themes that help us grow as people,” and will be filled with activities described as “interactive, interesting, and fun.”

Because the Light Groups are still in their initial phases, goals the CCHS administration may have are anything but concrete.  Still, Mrs. Brannman said, “God is guiding this endeavor; it is in serving one another that we come to serve God in a more profound way.”

Aside from their original purpose as outlets for community service, Light Groups are transitioning into a school-wide support system. This is especially true for the underclassmen, who can use Light Groups as a way to bond before their class retreats.

As Mrs. Brannman said, “Light Groups are a place for people to build relationships and share their faith.”

Many students seem to share this view. According to senior Campus Minister Karlyn Murphy, the freshman in the small group she led were open to bonding and serving others through their Light Groups.

“When they were told about how they would go to St. Vincent DePaul’s together for a service day, they were all very excited,” Karlyn said.  “Light Groups will help people get to know each other on a more personal level and will create more of a family feel on campus, a stronger sense of community.”

When seeking the purpose of Light Groups, one can always look to 1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us all.”