Religious Activities

DeSales High School places a strong emphasis on the faith-component of its education, presenting a wide array of opportunities for spiritual growth.

For its work, the school has been recognized by the Archdiocese of Louisville with the Thomas Duerr Award for excellence in catechesis.

The following programs enhance the spiritual development of the young men at St. Francis DeSales High School:

Retreats
A program of retreats is provided for all students at DeSales. Freshmen and sophomore "Days of Renewal" are mandatory for all students, while the junior and senior retreats are optional.

School Mass
St. Francis DeSales High School celebrates Mass throughout the year. The liturgies are listed on the School Calendar.

Joseph of Arimathea Society
This program was created to help provide a greater sense of dignity and reverence to the funerals of the poor and indigent. The Society is supported by the Jefferson County Coroner's office and takes place at the River Valley Cemetery. Students serve as pallbearers and assist in a prayer service.

Abstinence Program
The Abstinence Program is sponsored by the Pregnancy Resource Center. This co-curricular program instructs students about the purpose of marriage and the Christian call to sexual abstinence before marriage. Four class periods are used in religion class, while two classes are used for the program during the upperclassmen religion classes.

Dinner with the Archbishop
This gathering of young adults from around the diocese offers us an opportunity to celebrate our individual vocations and to pose the question, “How is God calling me?” The dinner is usually held during the fall semester, and students are sent to represent St. Francis DeSales High School.

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Pro-Life Rose Mass commemorates the lives of the millions of unborn children killed by abortion and is dedicated to praying for the practice of abortion to end. The Rose Mass is held at St. Martin of Tours Church in January. Two students are sent to represent DeSales High School.

Catholic Schools Week
Each school is responsible for creating activities that encourage students to celebrate their identity as Catholics.

Outside Programs

CrossWalk Retreat
CrossWalk retreat is a week-long justice pilgrimage through the heart of Louisville. It is sponsored by CrossRoads Ministry, an affiliate of St. William Church. Juniors who have demonstrated a mastery of the outcomes in the Social Justice course are strongly encouraged to attend. This program is typically held in June.

Notre Dame Vision
ND Vision is committed to helping young people recognize God's call in their lives and respond to that call with courage and faith. For more information, you may visit their website at www.nd.edu/~ndvi/.

CLI: Christian Leadership Institute
CLI enhances the leadership potential of each individual and heightens their awareness of Christian leadership responsibilities within their parish or school community. The DeSales Student Council President and Vice-president are required to attend. Other students who are interested should contact their parish youth minister. This program is typically held in July.

One Bread, One Cup
Students who are interested in learning more about being a leader in their parish are encouraged to attend the “One Bread, One Cup” conference at Saint Meinrad. The conference is a five-day liturgical leadership conference for parish and school teams of high school students and their adult leaders. These conferences bring a greater understanding of involvement in and enthusiasm for the liturgy to today’s teenagers. For more information, please visit their website at oboc.saintmeinrad.edu/.

National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)
NCYC is held every other year. Students from DeSales High School are encouraged to attend this youth conference through their parish youth groups. For more information, please visit the NCYC website at www.nfcym.org.