The Academy Campus Ministry has notified students of their acceptances into the Living in Faith Experience (LIFE) program. Juniors Nadia Busekrus, Erica Cadiz, Nicole Corpuz, Gabrielle Jan Del Rosario, Dominique Dold, Seyeranne Lat, Jacqueline Medrano, Caitlin McCarthy, Giselle Redila, Tiare Sadarananda, Kara Takahashi and Noelle Yee were chosen to be next year’s LIFE team.

The twelve students will travel to this year’s Marianist LIFE Pacific summer program from Jun. 16 to 21 at the CYO Camp and Retreat Center in Occidental, Cali. with moderators Toni Normand and Mary Ellen Miller.

“I feel blessed because it is such a huge honor to be chosen as part of our school’s LIFE team,” said Del Rosario.

“I am so excited to grow in sisterhood with the other girls on the team and I also feel really blessed and honored to get to do God’s work in this way and have an opportunity to share His love with girls at school even more as a member of LIFE,” said Busekrus.

The Academy LIFE team is one of five from Hawaii. Other participating schools are Maryknoll, St. Louis, St. Anthony’s School and St. Anthony’s Parish. Hawaii students will join teams from California and Missouri.

The responsibilities of the LIFE team at the Academy are to organize retreats for the high school and junior high, to head Liturgical Corps, which plan monthly school masses and paraliturgies, and Lancer Christian Communities (LCC), monthly gatherings for religious activities and building friendships.

“I am definitely looking forward to everything that the LIFE team has to offer. I am ready to devote my time and effort into this program to not only increase my faith but the faith of others,” said Corpuz. “I am ready to see my relationship with God grow in the best ways and I can’t wait to see the relationships of others grow as well.”

The LIFE program is a national faith formation program, rooted in Catholic and Marianist practice, for high school students and moderators to further build and model their faith. Students gather to pray and develop leadership skills while learning more about social justice issues.

Through the program, students and moderators are encouraged to reflect the Marianist skills of active listening, self-acceptance, self-disclosure, affirmation, trust, reconciliation, growing in Christian communities, discipleship and commitment to Christ.

In 1982, Sacred Hearts Academy was invited to join Marianist Pacific as the sister school of St. Louis and to create a LIFE team.

“Being a Lifer, I hope that I will grow in faith, help others to grow in faith and be able to connect with people in a different way than how we usually connect with others in daily life,” said McCarthy.