Canisius High School has shifted its approach to educating students this school year. Unprecedented measures have been put into place to provide additional safety for the students, faculty, and staff in the building. Canisius has been able to open the campus to students for a full, five-days a week, schedule of learning.


The campus ministry department of the school has also adapted with new safety considerations while staying focused on its mission to serve others in need and to help develop faith. All of the aspects of the campus ministry program have been altered including retreats, school Masses, service trips, and required services hours.


Required service hours for individual students have been directed towards helping community members. Normally, students would serve at non-profits, churches, or other organizations that help those in need. However, students’ service hours can now be geared towards their own communities. Students can now serve by helping an elderly neighbor, or shoveling snow during the colder months.


Additionally, each of the six Houses within the Canisius House system will adopt a non-profit. One way that students can serve the elderly within our Western New York community while not putting them at risk, is by writing letters to nursing home residents for Thanksgiving. Students will also have the opportunity to write cards to alumni from the classes of 1945-1959.


The retreat schedule looks a bit different this year as well. The freshman class will have its retreat on Friday, November 20 rather than in late winter as has been the case in recent years. The sophomores, who missed out on their freshman retreat last year, will have a retreat on October 30. Kairos retreat trips are cancelled for this school year, but Campus Ministry is introducing a new retreat program for juniors called John 1:5. Additionally, several seniors will be taking part in a Wilderness Retreat at Allegany State Park this fall.


School Masses have also changed. For each school Mass, there will be four separate Masses -- one for each of the class years. The next Mass will be the Mass for American martyrs.