From the end of October through December, St. Louis U. High was blessed to have Jesuit Novice Manuel Luna Vega helping out around the school in many different ways. 

Originally from Puerto Rico, Luna Vega stayed at SLUH for a stage of the Jesuit Novitiate called the experiment; where the Jesuit experiments with different ministries to find the fit that God is calling him to. 

Assigned to SLUH by his Novice master, Luna Vega was to experiment teaching at a Jesuit high school; the St. Louis region was chosen based on Luna Vega’s skills of teaching theology and playing chess. While at SLUH, Luna Luna Vega assisted in teaching Spanish and theology classes, worked with Campus Ministry, and helped with the chess club. 

“Teaching them to look for the essential that is love, that we are loved by God, is one of the things that gave me a lot of consolation,” said Luna Vega. “Bringing the gift that God gave me, and sharing with the students is just really my experience of mission bringing me a lot of consolation and a lot of peace.”

“Teaching them to look for the essential that is love, that we are loved by God, is one of the things that gave me a lot of consolation. Bringing the gift that God gave me, and sharing with the students is just really my experience of mission bringing me a lot of consolation and a lot of peace.”

Manuel Luna Vega

Luna Vega, who is bilingual, assisted Spanish teacher Maria-Paz Campos with her four Spanish classes. He also gave a presentation on Puerto Rico in Spanish teacher Magdalena Alvarado’s AP Spanish class. 

“It was nice for the students to have around a Jesuit who could connect with them about his calling,” said Campos. “I think it was great for the students to see a conversation between two Spanish speakers in the class and to hear different accents.”

Luna Vega also assisted Jesuit Scholastic Michael Mohr in teaching Junior Theology classes. Luna Vega led a few sessions, helped work in small group discussions, and spoke about his vocation to the students.

Campus Ministry and the chess club gave Luna Vega the opportunity to directly connect with students and to share his experience and energy with others. Luna Vega led the annual Drive for the Homeless, helping organize the drive, sending out emails and reminders about the drive to students, and assisting with collecting and counting the donations. Luna Vega also helped out with retreats during Thanksgiving week. Never missing a chess club meeting, Luna Vega played against students and showed patience working with and teaching virtual and in-person students.

“I think this counts as prudent to my heart seeing the power of this kind of environment of this campus ministry that you are forming students to be men for others,” said Luna Vega. “One of the things that I enjoy the most is playing chess with the students, and just seeing that tool, discernment, because you know our charism is about discerning, making decisions.” 

Despite spending only a short time here at SLUH, Luna Vega has had an impact on the SLUH community. As Luna Vega learned about a possible ministry of teaching, his presence helped students learn about his experience and calling, allowing students to reflect on their own vocation and calling. 

“There is a lot of energy, there are a lot of different people, and a lot of happiness and joy that I felt through these past months,” said Luna Vega. “It was a really good experience.”

 After SLUH and his continuation of experimenting, Luna Vega will continue his process of Jesuit formation with first vows and then first studies. Luna Vega also hopes to spend a year in ministry back in his home of Puerto Rico and to then return to St. Louis to use chess as a way of engaging and teaching about the role of discernment, and to help others see God in all things. 

Although Luna Vega will leave on Dec. 29, he wants to convey his gratitude for the welcoming community of SLUH.

“First of all, I just want to give thanks to the SLUH community for making me feel at home. Each one of the faculty, each one of the students, each mouth gave me a lot of consolation in dealing with these uncertain times. Thank you for giving me that sense of peace, that sense of community that we are part of a great mission, a mission of the society that’s creating men for others, human beings for others to serve for the greater glory of God.”