Spiritual Life

The Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College echoes the call of Our Blessed Lord, which is a universal call to holiness, and invites its students to combine their studies with a spiritual renewal.

Vatican Council II stated in Optatum totius ('8), that "spiritual formation should be closely associated with doctrinal and pastoral formation . . . in such a way that the students may live in intimate and unceasing union with God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit."

The program of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College (NDGS) takes this statement as the guideline for developing its spirit, so that the time of study may be simultaneously a time of spiritual renewal.

Our Lady Queen of Angels Chapel at the Alexandria campus provides students with opportunities for visits to the Blessed Sacrament and quiet prayer. Mass is celebrated there according to a schedule that changes each semester. Daily Mass and Confession are available at our host parish, Queen of Apostles.

Those who would proclaim the love of Christ to others must first encounter it in their own lives. This naturally involves a person's coming to know the Lord intimately, His life, His death, and His Resurrection. The legacy of His gifts of salvation and sanctification is sealed by the hope of everlasting life in the kingdom of His promise. "I have come," Jesus said, "that you may have life and have it more abundantly." This sharing in divine life begins at baptism and increases as a person grows spiritually by becoming more Christ-like.

During the NDGS Summer Program, when students live in residence at the Front Royal campus, a full program of spiritual development is offered. Daily Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer, frequent Confession, and a nightly Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction form the heart of this program. The college chaplain is available for consultation or spiritual direction. The addition of the Vita Consecrata Institute to the NDGS Summer Program greatly increases the opportunities for growth in the spiritual life.

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