Peer Ministry is a student lead ministry program with leaders selected through a thorough application and interviewing process. These student leaders are to help guide the future leaders of St. Dominic and help them find their path to Christ. Once chosen, Peer Ministers lead school liturgies, organize retreats, and form discipleship groups that help their classmates encounter God in everyday life.

The impact of Peer Ministry is clear through the voices of the students themselves. Peer Ministers are trained not just to run events, but to create a culture of discipleship rooted in the Dominican pillars of prayer, study, community, and service.

“Once you see somebody come to Mass for the first time, and then you see them again the next week, you can tell there is change, they want to keep coming. My friendships have come through peer ministry, and those friendships are going to hold me accountable in my faith life. Because of our faith lives and having these experiences, it’s brought us closer together,” senior Evelyn Mueller said.

Being a Peer Minister isn’t always so easy. Seniors have to balance schoolwork, sports, and other activities with the responsibilities that come with leadership. Some students explain that is can be hard to carry their spiritual practices outside of the Peer Ministry group, but it still seems there is change happening in each and every members life through their work with God,

“Peer Ministry has been a life changing thing for me and it has only just started. I feel more and more close to God each and everyday due to the help of Father Patrick and many of our other leaders in peer ministry” senior Lucia Yates said.

This year, more students than ever applied for Peer Ministry, showing how much the program means to the St. Dominic community. It’s not just about planning retreats or leading prayers, it’s about building a culture where faith is part of daily life. For the seniors chosen, it’s an opportunity to lead, grow closer to God, and encourage others to do the same. Peer Ministry is more than a program at St. Dominic, it’s a way of life.

The program also helps underclassmen connect to their faith in new ways. Freshmen and sophomores often look up to Peer Ministers, not only because they are older students, but because they are approachable role models who make faith seem more prevalent and practical. Attending a retreat led by someone just a few years older can be more impactful than hearing the same message from a teacher. It reminds younger students that they too can live out their faith with joy and confidence.

At the heart of it all, Peer Ministry at St. Dominic shows the power of students leading students. It is proof that faith can spread most strongly through personal witness and friendship. Whether it is through a retreat, a discipleship group, or simply inviting someone to Mass, Peer Ministers are making a difference in the spiritual life of the school. Their leadership helps build a stronger, more united community where faith is lived out every day.