Spiritual Life

Liturgies & Sacraments: All students are invited and encouraged to participate in monthly Liturgies. All liturgical celebrations are led by the Jesuit priests of New York City. Liturgies are organized and led by student leaders from TLC (The Liturgy Club) & Schola (Liturgical choir). During the Lenten season, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered to the entire Notre Dame community. Additionally, Notre Dame encourages Catholic students to continue pursuing additional sacramental opportunities at their parishes. 

Retreat Program: Notre Dame class retreats are a top priority. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition of reflection and discernment, our retreats encourage students to pause, listen, and engage in meaningful conversation with God, themselves and their peers.  Each grade level participates in a yearly peer-led retreat guided by Senior Retreat Leaders that serve as models of accompaniment, faith and wisdom. Retreats are a required element of the Theology curriculum. The keystone retreat is held in the spring of each school year, during which all juniors attend a three-day Kairos retreat at a retreat center on the Jersey Shore. For more information about the ND Retreat Program, please contact our Retreat Director, Mr. Kevin McDonald at Retreats@cheznous.org. 

Service Program: Service at Notre Dame answers the Ignatian call to be women for and with others. Anne de Xainctonge advocated for an excellent Christian education for young women that prepares them for lives of service in the spirit of the Gospel. ND Cares, a student-led service club, offers multiple opportunities for service and social justice education. Student leaders organize book drives, canned drives, sneaker drives and raise money for partner organizations in New York City. The Notre Dame Service Program invites students to put faith into action through meaningful engagement with their local and global communities. Students are required to complete service volunteer hours as part of the Notre Dame Graduation requirements. All Notre Dame students, beginning with the class of 2030, will be required to complete 75 hours of service over 4 years. The forty-hour service requirement still applies to the Classes of 2027, 2028 and 2029. For more information about the ND Service Program, please contact our Service Director, Mr. Scott Vasey at Vaseys@cheznous.org. 

Service Immersion:  Notre Dame’s Service Immersion Program forms students into young women prepared to lead with faith, courage and love. They encounter the world with open minds, compassionate hearts, and a deep commitment to the Gospel call to serve others. We challenge students to move beyond acts of charity toward relationships built on solidarity, reflection, and justice. Through intentional preparation, meaningful engagement with communities, and guided reflection, students value the importance of prayer, community living and recognizing the dignity of every person and the responsibility to work toward the common good. At Notre Dame, we believe that transformative learning happens through encounter. By stepping outside their daily routines and into communities different from their own, students deepen their understanding of faith, expand their worldview, and discover how their gifts can be used in service for and with others. Notre Dame currently offers experiences to the Ignatian Family Teach In in Arlington, VA and the Romero Center in Camden, NJ. For more information about the Service Immersion Trips, please contact our Director of Mission & Identity, Mr. Edwin Ortiz at Ortize@cheznous.org.