Campus Ministry

Welcome to University Mission and Ministry!

Dear Cardinals,

On behalf of the University Mission and Ministry Pastoral Team, welcome to the University of the Incarnate Word. We invite you to join us in our upcoming events, beginning with our Día de los Muertos ofrenda leading to the feasts of All Saints' and All Souls' days, and the celebrations of Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead, which honors the memory of deceased family members with food, treats, and other remembrances that were special to them in life).

Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda

For many years, we have commemorated Día de los Muertos with a beautiful ofrenda near the chapel, decorated with symbols and signs of the season, skulls and skeletons (reminding us that death is just part of life), and most importantly, with pictures of those whom we wish to remember. These altarcitos or “little altars,” are created to help us remember, learn about and celebrate the lives of our loved ones.

An ofrenda will be set up on Tuesday, Oct. 19, in the hallway leading to Our Lady’s Chapel. It will remain set up until Nov. 18. Here are ways you can participate in the preparation leading to the celebrations of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day:

• Place photographs of your deceased loved ones and friends on the ofrenda outside Our Lady’s Chapel.
• Please include your name, cell phone and email on the back of each photo if you wish them to be returned.
• Sign our Book of Remembrance in the hallway near the Our Lady’s Chapel.
• If you are remote, send in pictures of your loved ones to uiwmediaministry@uiwtx.edu with “Ofrenda pictures from (your name)” in the subject line no later than Sunday, Oct. 24. We will include them in our All Souls’ Day ofrenda video to be shown before Mass on Nov. 2.
• If your department or school will be setting up an ofrenda, take some pictures and let us know – especially if yours is a “public” ofrenda that others can visit! We will try to compile pictorial directory of these places of remembrance from our UIW campuses and Brainpower schools.
• All pictures should be sent to uiwmediaministry@uiwtx.edu with “Ofrenda pictures from (your name)” in the subject line no later than Sunday, Oct. 24.

If you are interested in building your own ofrenda but don’t know where to begin, here are a few helpful websites: 

Build Your Own Ofrenda By Renee Zamora

Visit San Antonio – Día de los Muertos

Texas Monthly: How to Build a Día de los Muertos Altar

For more information, please contact Lena Gokelman or Carmen Aguilera at ministry@uiwtx.edu.

All Saints' and All Souls' Day Liturgies

All are welcome and encouraged to attend Mass on Nov. 1 and 2. There is no better way to honor the memory of loved ones than with your prayers, joined with the prayers of your UIW family. Mass will be held in person in Our Lady’s Chapel and Zoom on both days. Links to register may be found on our UMM Event Registration Page.

Homecoming Alumni Memorial Mass and Monthly Memorial Mass - Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, 11 a.m. (Our Lady's Chapel and Zoom)

University Mission and Ministry and the UIW Department of Alumni and Parent Relations invite you to attend our Homecoming Alumni Memorial Mass on Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. CT. This celebration closes Homecoming weekend and is an honored tradition of recognizing the 50th Reunion Class. There were wonderful bonds created during these years and these memories are what make "coming home" such a special part of how our University family celebrates together - alumni, future alumni, faculty, staff, Sisters, parents and friends of UIW. It is also a traditional time of remembering those who have gone before us. As such, this will also be our community’s monthly opportunity to remember our beloved deceased family, friends, Incarnate Word Sisters and alumni.

We welcome you to send in the names of any recently departed loved ones or friends that you wish to be remembered. Please submit your names to our Monthly Memorial Mass submission page by the end of the day, Thursday, Oct. 28. Names received by this date will appear in the digital worship bulletin for that Sunday.

This will be a hybrid celebration – in person with limited seating in Our Lady’s Chapel and live streamed via Zoom. All links to register may be found on our UMM Event Registration Page. For more information, please contact Brenda Dimas, (210) 829-3128 or email ministry@uiwtx.edu.

New Events Registration Page

To register for the many opportunites in University Mission and Ministry, see the left navigation menu or go to Events Registration Page.

Prayer Requests and Virtual Prayer/Guidance

Prayer Requests

Virtual Prayer/Guidance: Each member of the team is available via Zoom to “meet” with you for spiritual guidance and prayer. Our individual contact information can be found on our About page.

Please join us through our social media accounts, found to the right of the page. Updates and reflections are being posted daily as we work to remain in community with you. If you have any ideas or requests, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We are on this journey together. And, together we will make it through anything and all we encounter.

The University of the Incarnate Word provides reasonable accommodation with adequate notice. To request disability accommodation for these events, visit uiw.edu/ada.