Student Life
Student Life > Student Activities > Extra-Curricular Activities

Mater Ecclesiae College offers a variety of extra-curricular activities to meet the special interests and recreation needs of the student body.  Students have the opportunity to come together with others to develop talents, foster creativity, exercise leadership skills, and participate more fully in community life.  These groups evolve and develop spontaneously over the years according to student interests and opportunities.

Students with an interest and talent in music, whether this be singing or playing an instrument, are encouraged to participate in the choir or the orchestra. The group meets weekly and, in addition to performing for the student body on special occasions, often performs for guests. Over the past fewyears Mater Ecclesiae’s choir has recorded three CDs, with most of the songs written by students.

Chorus provides opportunities for singers and musicians to participate in a choir dedicated to thestudy and performance of choral and popular music in several languages (Spanish, Italian, French, Latin, and English). The choir has performed for students’ families and visitors of MaterEcclesiaeCollege, at national conventions and internationally at an audience with John Paul II on January 4, 2001 in St. Peter’s Square.

The Mater Ecclesiae Choir has released the following CDs: “Cast the Nets” © 2003, “Making all Things New” © 2005, “In His Presence” © 2005, “And the Word became Flesh” © 2006, “Behold Your Mother” © 2007, and “Life in Christ” © 2009 .

Mater Ecclesiae’s Art Room is always busy. Students with an artistic bent have access to a variety of mediums. They are often asked to design and produce seasonal cards and gifts, as well as programs, table settings and decorations for feast days. The year’s biggest project is to prepare a life size Nativity Scene that usually includes the surrounding town and countryside of Bethlehem, complete with inhabitants, as well as the stable or cave where the Holy Family is found. This “Christmas Room” is only unveiled after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Most of the landscaping at Mater Ecclesiae College has been done by students.  As each generation tries to leave a lasting mark before graduating, projects for further development and continued improvement of the grounds, such as work on Our Lady’s Grotto, are regularly undertaken.

Sports are necessary to preserve and increase good mental and physical health, and to foster friendship.  Sports are seen as a great opportunity to know and form your character and to exercise such valuable virtues as diligence, self-exertion, will power, generosity, charity, and openness to others.  Students are encouraged to approach sports with a great sense of charity and a desire to enjoy and help others enjoy the games.  True sportsmanship requires self-dominion, abnegation, availability, honesty, and effective participation and collaboration, which are all invaluable virtues for the mission that awaits Mater Ecclesiae College graduates.

All students regularly set aside time to play basketball, volleyball, softball, field Frisbee, or run in the open field. 

Sports are usually played daily after lunchtime.  If circumstances, such as campus or fieldwork responsibilities, prevent a student from participating at this time on a daily basis, they can always make other arrangements with their Deans of Students.   Occasionally, students will organize intramural sports tournaments and sports clinics. 

After building the library, the construction of an athletic facility is the next capital project.  The facility will have a gymnasium, exercise equipment and a swimming pool.

The entire student body and faculty benefit from those who enjoy cooking.  In addition to preparing the special Sunday lunches, the culinary team designs and prepares the menus that coincide with international feast days.  The wide variety of cultural backgrounds on campus can make this a challenge but there is usually always something new to sample.  One of the most notable events all year, of course, is the feast that they prepare for Thanksgiving.  The cooking team’s ability to prepare tasty and appealing meals within the fixed budget is admirable.