Spiritual Growth

At Archbishop Shaw High School, we are committed to forming young men who encounter Christ, grow in their Catholic faith, and live as missionary disciples. To this end, we offer a wide range of spiritual opportunities designed to nurture each student's relationship with God, guided by the Salesian charism and the pastoral frameworks of Renewing the Vision and Listen, Teach, and Send.

Liturgical Life

  • Daily celebrations of Holy Mass are offered during lunch for students, faculty, and staff who wish to encounter the Lord in the Eucharist more regularly.
  • School-wide and House-level Masses are celebrated throughout the academic year, especially during liturgical seasons such as Advent and Lent, and on major feast days of the Church and the Salesian tradition.
  • The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available regularly, including during scheduled lunchtime confessions and communal penance services in August, Advent, and Lent.

Prayer and Devotions

  • Eucharistic Adoration and prayer services are offered during key moments in the liturgical year and incorporated into retreat experiences.
  • Daily and seasonal prayer experiences include school-wide morning prayer, Stations of the Cross, the Rosary, Marian devotions, and prayer services led by students and peer ministers.

Retreats and Days of Recollection

Each student participates in a Day of Recollection Retreat at each grade level. These intentional days offer prayer, reflection, small group sharing, and community building.

Our retreat program includes:

  • Five grade-level day retreats, tailored to students’ stages of faith and life development.
  • The COR Retreat, an overnight experience for juniors and seniors that focuses on conversion, discipleship, and peer witness.
  • The Senior Campfire Retreat, an overnight retreat for seniors preparing for life after Shaw, emphasizing discernment, transition, and mission.

Salesian Leadership Retreats

Select students are invited to participate in Salesian Leadership Retreats at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Stony Point, NY. These national gatherings bring together students from Salesian high schools across the country for leadership development, prayer, and community rooted in Don Bosco’s charism. Juniors are nominated to attend and may return in their senior year as part of the retreat’s young team.

Missionary Outreach and Involvement

Youth Ministry invites students to go beyond the classroom and participate in the Church’s call to mission and service through:

  • School-wide and class-level Service Days, where students engage in hands-on service with local nonprofits, parishes, and community partners.
  • In-house service programs, coordinated by student leaders in each grade and house, offering regular opportunities for Christian service throughout the year.
  • Pro-Life Pilgrimages, including the March for Life in Washington, D.C. and the Louisiana Life March South in Baton Rouge.
  • Pro-Life Ministry at Shaw, which promotes the dignity of human life through prayer, education, and action.
  • Salesian Gospel Roads Retreats, immersive service-learning trips rooted in faith, fellowship, and justice.
  • Domestic and International Mission Trips, including our Puerto Rico Mission Trip, where students serve communities in need while growing in cultural awareness and spiritual depth.
  • The Oratory Series, formation trips based on the four pillars of the Salesian Oratory—Home, School, Church, and Playground—that provide unique opportunities to encounter God through community, joy, learning, and worship.

These experiences are integral to our mission of walking with the young, helping them discover God's plan for their lives, and preparing them to live as leaders in the Church and society.