TORONTO - For Lucy Schmidt, getting involved in the faith groups available on campus at Toronto’s University of St. Michael’s College has made her university experience incredible.

A second-year student at the Catholic college on the University of Toronto campus, Schmidt stays busy outside the classroom as president of the university’s pro-life club, a member of the liturgical choir, part of campus chaplaincy and an Out of the Cold program co-ordinator.

“Choosing a Catholic university adds a whole different level to your university experience,” said Schmidt, a Christianity and Culture major in the concurrent education program. “I know when students are applying they’re thinking about their academic experience but a huge part of it is student life. And a huge part of student life is growing in faith and finding like-minded people who can help you do that.”

TORONTO - This Christmas, high schools in Toronto are doing their part to spread Christmas cheer in the city.

At St. Michael’s Choir School, students have been using their voices throughout the month to spread the Christmas message.

On Dec. 2, about 60 students performed a benefit concert at a toy drive run by the Toronto Firefighters at the Shops at Don Mills. And on Dec. 15, a student benefit choir sang for patients at Sunnybrook Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children to make patients’ holidays a little bit happier.

Natalie Achonwa graduated from a Hamilton, Ont., high school to the University of Notre Dame and went right into the record book.

The budding basketball star is the first international player to suit up for Notre Dame’s varsity basketball team in the 34-year history of the women’s program. And, although she just turned 18 last week, she is already a two-year veteran of the Canadian women’s senior national team.

The Friars' essay contest contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is now open.

Co-sponsored by the The Catholic Register and the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement-Graymoor in Toronto, the top prize is a 32 GB iPod touch.

The theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is: “One in the Apostles’ Teaching, Fellowship, Breaking of the Bread and Prayer.”

TORONTO - From Oct. 1 to 3, pro-life students from across the country will gather for the National Campus Life Network’s annual national symposium at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto.

“For a lot of students, it’s a pivotal moment where they come to a new level of commitment when it comes to pro-life work,” said Rebecca Richmond, executive director of the National Campus Life Network, an organization that exists to educate, network and support pro-life students at post-secondary institutions across Canada.

“Then they’re inspired and motivated to go back to their campus and share what they learned with members of their club or to get a club started and impact their campus.”

TORONTO - While university and college students heading back to school often join campus groups and organizations to alleviate the pressures of academic life, there is one area that is often overlooked: campus chaplaincy centres.

“A lot of Catholic students may know we’re here but they have a job, they live in Markham, they’re busy with school and may be involved with something else at school — and that’s enough for them,” said Kim Gottfried Piché, director of chaplaincy services at the Ryerson Catholic Chaplaincy Centre.

TORONTO - Justin Lam entered the work force after graduating from graphic communications management at Toronto’s Ryerson University a couple of years ago.

But despite his current job as a customer label estimator, Lam finds something is missing in his life.

“There’s this feeling of emptiness from time to time where you go to work, get off work, go home, take a shower, go to bed and do it all again the next day,” said Lam, a member of Chinese Martyrs parish in Markham, Ont.

TORONTO - Robert Mezzavilla carries around a Bible with him wherever he goes — and it doesn’t weigh an ounce.

That’s because Mezzavilla, a third-year environmental studies student at Toronto’s York University, has a Catholic Bible application (or app) on his iPhone.

While he bought the app because it’s a huge space saver, he said it helps connect him to his faith.