Sunday Sunrise Hike & Mass: Stanford Dish
Join us for a beautiful and unique experience as we celebrate Sunday Mass at sunrise at the Stanford Dish, welcoming the Lord’s Day as light breaks over campus and the valley.
We will depart on foot promptly at 6:30 AM from the Tresidder Parking Lot (near the bus station) and walk together to the Dish. The hike is moderate and accessible to most, but it will be dark and cold at the start.
Details & RSVP here: https://forms.gle/6KA3sCZaocapnipi6
The Thomistic Institute at Stanford presents "Does Science Need Faith?"
The Thomistic Institute at Stanford invites students, faculty, and members of the public to a lecture entitled Does Science Need Faith? by Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. The lecture will take place on Wednesday, January 14 at 6:00 PM in the 3rd Floor Common Room of Old Union, Stanford University. In this talk, Fr. Ramelow will examine the relationship between scientific inquiry, reason, and faith, drawing on the Thomistic tradition to address whether science stands on its own or depends on deeper philosophical commitments. The event is free and open to the public. Charcuterie will be provided, and a reception will follow the lecture. Click here to RSVP.
Week 2 Kickback - Debate Night!
Debate Night! Join us to answer this century’s long posed questions: will the iPhone 25 be the size of an iPad or microchip? Aliens on Mars? Is the Penny obsolete? Wear your least or most serious outfit to defend your position. Snacks provided!
All-Community Pasta Dinner
Join us for another community dinner on after the 4:30 pm mass on 1/18! We’ll have delicious pasta cooked by some of our Italian friends in the community. Meet in Old Union 302.
Text 425-273-8478 if you can bring a dessert or would like to cook one of these dinners in the future.
Stanford Catholic Film Study Group - Silence
Please join the Stanford Catholic Film Group to discuss Silence (2016). Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds and Liam Neeson. The plot follows two 17th-century Jesuit priests who travel from Portugal to Edo period Japan to locate their missing mentor and spread Catholic Christianity. It is the third of Scorsese’s films about religious figures struggling with challenges of faith. It was selected as one of the top ten films of the year by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.
It’s available very widely. Click here to find out how to watch.
We’ll be meeting at 7:30 on Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent the day before, so if you’re not on the email list currently, send a message stating “I’m Interested” to StanfordYRCFilm@gmail.com.
Everyone is invited!
Adult Confirmation Prep Classes Begin
If you were baptized Catholic and received your First Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, but never received the Sacrament of Confirmation, these classes are for you! Classes are Wednesday nights beginning January 21st and running eight weeks, ending on March 11.
Click here to fill out the interest form.
For more information, email Oriana at orianatp@stanford.edu.
Walk for Life West Coast
Stanford Catholic is heading up to San Francisco for the Walk for Life this year—come be part of a powerful day of prayer, witness, and community. We’ll gather at 7:45 AM at Tresidder Parking Lot and depart on our coach bus from campus by 8:00 AM with coffee and bagels for breakfast. Then we’ll make it to Mass at the SF Cathedral at 9:30 AM before heading together to the Walk for Life Rally and Walk, leaving SF to return home after the march at 3:00 pm. Boxed Lunch will be provided, a $10 donation to @Stanford-Catholic is requested to partially reimburse the cost of food and transportation. All are welcome—bring a friend and stand with us in joyful, peaceful witness to the dignity of every human life.
Family Weekend Mass
Save the Date! – Family Weekend Vigil Mass on 2/28
Happy Family Weekend! We’ll be having a special vigil Mass on Saturday 02/28 at 4 pm for all families. This Mass will count for your Sunday obligation and should help any family members traveling on 02/29. After Mass, join us for a small gathering and high-quality photos with our in-house expert photographer, Father Bart, ready take high quality photos of you with your families in front of Memorial Church. See you there!
We’d love to extend this Family Weekend invitation to your parents and loved ones! Please fill out this form to help us get in touch with your family so we can share event details, reminders, and all the good stuff. Thanks for helping us roll out the welcome mat for your people!
Spring Break Backpacking Trip: Point Reyes
(Location updated from the Lost Coast due to group regulations.)
Join the Catholic Outdoor Ministry team and Fr. Chrysostom for a Spring Break backpacking adventure at Point Reyes! Great for first-time backpackers. We’ll explore one of California’s most stunning coastlines, hiking along rugged cliffs and quiet beaches in a highly sought-after wilderness area.
Expect abundant wildlife—tule elk, seals, sea lions, birds of prey, and possibly elephant seals and migrating gray whales with their calves. Each day includes a 6–7 mile hike on well-established trails, with campsites that have running water and toilets.
We’ll celebrate Mass each evening before dinner with outdoor Adoration, begin our days chanting the Psalms, and end with Compline (Night Prayer)—often on the beach. Backpacks will be around 30 lbs, with shared gear and affordable Stanford gear rentals available.
Cost: $50/person (scholarships available)
Sign up: https://forms.gle/ZQbHGBrAZZMZcckA9
Christ in the City Mission Trip - Denver
Join Stanford Catholic for a week-long mission trip with Christ in the City, serving and living alongside people experiencing homelessness in Denver. Sign up here!
Dates: arrive 03/22 - depart 03/28.
Cost: FREE! (A $250 deposit will be collected at the time of reservation and refunded to you after you return from the trip.)
Details: CITC focuses on relational ministry, ensuring that each person they materially help is seen, known, and loved. We will fill each of our days encountering the poor on the streets of Denver, praying with them, serving meals, and living in community with fellow missionaries. This experience will deepen your love for the poor, be an opportunity to make lifelong friends, and open your heart to how God might be asking you to serve others.
Questions: diegogc@stanford.edu, bshortt@stanford.edu
SF Scavenger Hunt
Whether you missed your frosh SF Scav Hunt or want to go again and also get to see some of the best Catholic sites in SF- this is your chance!!
Leaving from campus at 10 AM, transportation and a celebratory In-N-Out dinner at the Pier will be provided! Plan to be away from campus until the evening.
Sign up!
Vision Board Night
Join us for a vision board night as we kick off the new year together!! We will be meeting in Old Union 215 from 7 to 9 pm. Come take time to reflect, set goals, and create a vision for the year ahead.
Stanford Catholic Film Study Group - Ikiru
Please join the Stanford Catholic Film Group on Monday, December 8, to discuss “Ikiru” (1952). Directed by Akira Kurosawa, the film examines the struggles of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning. The screenplay was partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s 1886 novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.” Roger Ebert called Ikiru Kurosawa’s greatest film and in 1972, a Sight & Sound critics poll named Ikiru the 12th greatest film of all time, and it’s currently the 12th highest ranked film on Letterboxd. It was remade in 2022 in the UK as Living with Bill Nighy. We’ll be meeting at 7:30 on Zoom. It’s available very widely, including for free on Kanopy. Click here to find out how to watch. A Zoom link will be sent the day before, so if you’re not on the email list currently, send a message stating “I’m Interested” to StanfordYRCFilm@gmail.com. Everyone is invited!
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is an Holy Day of Obligation.
Masses times:
8 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
8 p.m.
End of Quarter Caroling and Hot Cocoa
Get into the holiday spirit through a Christmas Caroling Singalong event immediately after the 4:30 pm Mass on Sunday, December 7th. Come to the courtyard in front of Memorial Church to sing beloved carols accompanied by the festive sounds of a brass quintet. We hope you are able to join us for an evening of music, merriment, and good cheer!
OCIA Rite of Acceptance & Welcoming
This Sunday at the 4:30 Mass join us in support of our OCIA candidates who will be taking part in the Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming. This rite is an important step for those seeking baptism and initiation into the Catholic Church as they will publicly declare their intent to become Catholic. This is a great time for our community to surround them with prayers and encouragement as they continue in their faith journey.
Hike & Mass
Join us for a day of adventure, beauty, fellowship, and prayer! This month, we are being joined be the young adults from St. Dominic’s in San Francisco! Everyone in the community is welcome to participate. We’ll be hiking the beautiful Monte Bello Preserve Loop, which winds through Monte Bello Open Space Preserve and part of Rancho San Antonio Preserve as it climbs to the summit of Black Mountain. The well-maintained trail features rolling hills, open ridges, and panoramic views stretching from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Bay. Expect a mix of shaded forest paths and sunny stretches, with frequent opportunities to spot local wildlife. Rated 4.6 stars on AllTrails.
Theology of Health - Livestream
Join the Harvard Catholic Forum for a book talk with Tyler J. VanderWeele, Loeb Professor of Epidemiology and Director of Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. In his book A Theology of Health (Notre Dame Press, 2024), Professor VanderWeele brings the fruits of his extensive research on human flourishing and health outcomes into direct engagement with Christian theology. He argues that health can be understood as the wholeness intended by God; that sin—whether individual wrongdoing, social injustice, or the fallenness of creation—can be seen as a cause of ill health; and that restoration to health may be understood as salvation. These insights carry implications for theology and religious studies, medical theory and practice, pastoral care, and public health. Livestream and in-person. Free and open to all.
Co-presented by the Harvard Catholic Forum, the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion at Harvard Divinity School, and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. Co-sponsored by the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, the Guild of St. Luke, and the Harvard Christian Alumni Society.
Opportunity Center-CANCELED
Due to a water main break and flooding at the Opportunity Center, the breakfast event has been canceled. Stay tuned for updates on future dates.
Birthday Celebration for Fr. Bart, Fr. Chrysostom, and Diego
Come celebrate the birthdays of three very special people — Fr. Bart, Fr. Chrysostom, and Diego! After the 4:30 PM Mass, we’ll have a pizza party, and all grads and undergrads are invited to join in the fun!
Liturgical Ministry Training Session
If you’re new to serving in one of our Liturgical Ministries (Lectors, Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) and missed our last session make sure to attend this mandatory training session. Those currently serving who want a refresher are also welcome to attend.
Film Study Group - La Dolce Vita
Online via Zoom.
Please join the Stanford Catholic Film Group on Monday, November 3, to discuss "La Dolce Vita" (1960). Directed by Federico Fellini, and starring Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg, it’s considered one the greatest films ever made, winning the Palme d'Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for four Oscars. It also gave us the word “paparazzi.”
The film was initially perceived by the Church as an objectionable parody of the second coming of Christ, but has been reconsidered since. Part of our discussion will be whether the film deserved that criticism, as well as its overall place in the canon of great films.
Everyone is invited!
[ Read more on how to watch, how to join the group » ]
Dia de Los Muertos
On November 2nd , everyone is invited to our Dia de los Muertos celebration outside of MemChu after the 4:30 Mass! We will have Champurrado and Pan dulce, and please bring photos of your loved ones! Make sure to put your name on the back of the photo so we can return it to you later.
Grad Students Fall Retreat
Memento Mori. Memento Vivere. “Remember you will die. Remember to live.”
This Halloween weekend, embrace the deeper spiritual roots of the season through the traditions of All Saints (All Hallows) and All Souls. These days remind us that every person is called to sainthood - to be fully alive. Yet in Christ, new life comes through death. To truly live well, we must live with death in view.
Join us for a retreat that blends adoration, chant, silence, social time, and transformative talks to ground you spiritually and help you grow in faith throughout the year at Stanford. Saturday evening will include time for fellowship and connection. This is a perfect opportunity for newcomers to meet the broader Catholic community. Can’t arrive until Saturday? No problem. Cost is $75. Scholarships are available upon request.
Register here.
Undergrads Halloween Catholic Kickback
Oct 31st from 3-6 in OU 215 is our weekly Catholic Kickback for undergrads! We
will be decorating pumpkins and enjoying some classic Halloween movies.
Thomistic Institute Retreat for Undergrads
Join other students of the Thomistic Institute for an Intellectual Retreat! Undergrads will have the opportunity to attend talks about the saints and their role in Catholic Social Teaching, participate in Mass, attend Eucharistic Adoration, pray the Divine Office with the Dominican community, and attend socials with students and friars throughout the weekend. Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, meals and housing will be provided free for accepted applicants. Limited travel scholarships are available upon request.
Schedule:
● Begins with check-in from 3:00 - 4:00 pm on Friday, October 31
● Concludes with check-out at 1:30 pm on Sunday, November 2
Find out more here: https://thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events/saints-and-state. Please contact Ariana Duduna if you apply, to coordinate transportation logistics (aduduna@stanford.edu or 650-248-7275)
Triumph of the Heart: The Passion of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Don’t miss this opportunity to see a special screening of this truly inspiring film about St. Maximilian Kolbe.
St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room
Volunteer to prepare and serve hot meals to those in need.
Hike & Mass
This month, we’ll be hiking part of Montara Mountain along the Old Colma Road Loop - a stunning oceanside ridge often wrapped in coastal mist, with sweeping and dramatic views. The trail follows historic routes once used by the Ocean Shore Railroad, and passes near a World War II military lookout. Indigenous peoples once traveled this same ridge as part of the original Old Colma route.
Trail on All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/old-colma-road-loop?sh=aswv5g&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality
- Distance: 4.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 967 ft
- Estimated Time Hiking: 3 hours
SCHEDULE
- Meet at Tresidder Parking Lot near Starbucks: 8:20 AM https://maps.app.goo.gl/Rs5Fuh3K7o174WkA6
- Depart from Tresidder: 8:30 AM. (trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sgnn5sjrdVQ41wfHA)
- Drive time: ~45 minutes (arrive at trailhead ~9:15 AM)
- Begin hiking: 9:30 AM
- Finish hike: ~12:30 PM
- Return to Stanford (Tresidder lot): ~12:45 PM
Cost: Please bring $5–10 to chip in for gas or Zipcar expenses. If there aren’t enough drivers, we’ll ask individuals to organize a Zipcar.
It’s common for some of the cars to stop at a café or quick restauraunt on the way back. Some people switch cars for the return if they want to join (or avoid) the stop for food .
WHAT TO BRING
- 2L of water
- Snacks & Lunch (you’ll want something during the hike!)
- Sun protection (hat and sunscreen)
- Sweater/jacket in case of fog or cool breezes.
- Hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers
- Any personal medication (e.g. inhalers)
- Do NOT bring speakers or music devices
Bring-a-Friend to Mass
This Sunday is Bring a Friend to Mass! After the 4:30 PM Mass, there will be a delicious home-cooked dinner for grads and undergrads in Old Union 3rd Floor Common Room.
Artificial Intelligence and the Soul: Can Computers Be People too? Presented by The Thomistic Institute at Stanford University
A lecture by Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P. of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. This lecture is free and open to the public.
Opportunity Center
Are you looking for a way to help local low-income individuals? Volunteering at Opportunity Center in Palo Alto with fellow Catholic Community at Stanford members is a great way to be the light of Christ to others. Click here to sign up. To stay up-to-date on this and other service opportunities at CC@S, join the “Service” chat in our WhatsApp group.