Campus Ministry

As a Catholic school, faith is our cornerstone. We are guided by the gentle and practical Salesian Spirituality of Saints Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal as we enrich each student’s life with a optimistic, holistic approach to her spiritual life.

Along with our Religion classes and Christian Service Program, our Campus Ministry Office supports students’ spiritual development through a range of activities. These include Masses, prayer services, in-class talks, and retreats, all aimed at helping girls strengthen their relationships with God, self, and others.

While there are many opportunities for students to deepen their faith, graduating seniors often say that some of their most profound, life-changing experiences were the retreats they participated in at Visitation. Junior Retreat, a classwide event held at Camp Maria on scenic Breton Bay, is usually among girls' most treasured memories, and the Kairos Retreats are often referred to as "incredible" and "life-changing."

Little Virtues. Immense Impact.

Christian Service

All students are required to complete 80 hours of Christian service before graduating, but many far surpass this goal. In fact, our average senior class offers an average total of 16,000 hours before they leave our gates!

Caring for others is a fundamental part of our Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, and our academic and co-curricular programs work in tandem to reinforce this important virtue. While our Religion classes and Campus Ministry programs help students build the intellectual and spiritual foundations for a lifetime of service, our robust Christian Service Program provides girls with opportunities to put their knowledge and beliefs into immediate practice.

Each year, we sponsor dozens of service projects in the local area, across the country, and beyond our borders. These programs might include reading to children in Peru or breaking bread with the homeless here in DC. Though the school offers a diversity of service projects, students are also encouraged to find their own, with the approval of our Christian Service Director. Either way, these experiences cultivate and energize our girls’ understanding of their potential to be agents of positive change in our Church, our community, and our world. Students walk away with broadened perspectives and stretched comfort zones and a heightened sense of purpose.