Category: Top Stories

Beginning Monday, Nov. 2, Our Lady of the Lake University will implement a swipe-in system to better monitor weight room usage. All students, faculty, and staff must bring a valid OLLU ID to access the facility.

Weight room hours are Monday–Thursday, 6 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Remember to bring your OLLU ID and plan your workouts accordingly. Go Saints!

Costumes, candy and colorful displays mark the arrival of Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Behind these familiar traditions are connections to Catholic faith, remembrance and hope—offering the OLLU community opportunities to celebrate while reflecting on those who have gone before us.

Halloween, celebrated Oct. 31, takes its name from “All Hallows’ Eve,” the evening before All Saints’ Day. “Hallows” refers to holy people, or saints. On Nov. 1, the Church honors the saints in heaven; on Nov. 2, All Souls’ Day, Catholics pray for the faithful departed. Together, these days invite reflection on lives of holiness, our own mortality and the promise of eternal life.

According to Vatican News, Halloween customs such as dressing in costumes can be enjoyed in a Catholic spirit. The article cites Bishop David Konderla of Tulsa, who encourages Catholics to preserve the celebration’s connection to All Saints’ Day and avoid practices contrary to their faith. Participating in seasonal fun can coexist with prayer and reflection on the example of the saints.

Día de los Muertos, generally observed Nov. 1–2, also brings families together to remember the deceased. Although it is a cultural observance rather than an official Catholic feast, many Catholics celebrate through cemetery visits, shared meals and home prayer altars displaying photographs of loved ones.

Writing for Catholic Answers, Father Charles Grondin explains that these traditions can express the Communion of Saints: the spiritual connection among the faithful on earth and those who have died. Catholics may participate, he writes, provided the celebration’s elements remain consistent with Catholic belief. Remembering loved ones and praying for them can give the observances a meaningful expression of faith.

For OLLU, where Catholic identity and Hispanic heritage are central to university life, this season offers an invitation to bring faith and culture together. Enjoying a costume celebration, sharing family stories, remembering a loved one or offering a prayer can each create space for connection. Celebrated thoughtfully, both holidays can encourage gratitude for the lives that have shaped us and reflection on how we live today.

See What’s Happening on Campus for activities that celebrate and remember Halloween, All Souls Day and Dia de Los Muertos.

An extra hour is on the calendar for the OLLU community. Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m., when clocks move back one hour to 1 a.m., marking the return to Central Standard Time.

Before heading to bed on Saturday, Oct. 31, remember to set manual clocks back one hour. Many smartphones and internet-connected devices adjust automatically, but check their settings to ensure your Sunday schedule stays on track.

The shift to standard time in autumn gives you an extra hour of sleep but leads to much earlier sunsets, which can trigger seasonal sluggishness or mood drops.

To ease the transition, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends allowing at least seven hours of sleep each night for adults and gradually adjusting sleep schedules before the change. Keeping consistent bedtimes and wake-up times can also help your body settle into the new schedule.

Other tips for the “fall back” transition of darker evenings include:

• Maximize morning light: Seek out bright sunlight immediately upon waking. This resets your circadian rhythm and boosts daytime alertness.
• Gradually delay bedtime: In the days leading up to the switch, push your bedtime and meal times 15 minutes later each night to help your body adapt.
• Stay active in the afternoon: Exercise or go for a brisk walk during your lunch break or early afternoon to combat the “sunset slump” when darkness hits.
• Keep indoor spaces bright: Turn on overhead lights at home in the late afternoon to mimic daytime and prevent early melatonin production that causes premature drowsiness.
• Supplement mindfully: If you experience significant mood shifts due to early darkness, consult a healthcare provider about using a 10,000-lux light therapy box or taking Vitamin D.

So, fall back, Saints! Set those clocks, enjoy the extra hour and head into November ready to shine—even when the sun clocks out early.

Did you know OLLU’s yearbook was titled The Margil? Nearly a century later, its namesake’s connection to the university lives on through art, historical collections, and a tradition of honoring San Antonio’s mission heritage.

Venerable Antonio Margil de Jesús (1657–1726), a Spanish Franciscan priest, founded Mission San José in 1720. Often called the “Father of the Texas Missions” and the “Patron Saint of Texas,” he referred to himself with remarkable humility as “La Misma Nada,” or “Nothingness Itself.” Although popularly associated with the patron saint title, his formal designation is Venerable.

OLLU’s Special Collections holds a portrait of Father Margil painted around 1770 by Nicolás Enríquez. The university loaned the painting to the San Antonio Museum of Art for its exhibition Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús: The “Patron Saint of Texas,” which ran from October 2013 through March 2014.

The university’s connection also includes La Semana de las Misiones, an annual celebration first held on Aug. 6, 1978, the anniversary of Margil’s death. The inaugural celebration was a collaboration between the Old Spanish Missions of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and OLLU’s former Institute for Intercultural Studies and Research.

Today, OLLU helps preserve access to mission history as steward of the Old Spanish Missions Historical Research Library collection. Original documents remain in convent archives in Zacatecas and Querétaro, Mexico. In the 1970s, Father Benedict Leutennegger, OFM, Father Marion Habig, OFM, and Sister Maria Carolina Flores, CDP, helped make those records accessible through photography and microfilm. A $350,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant will support the Sueltenfuss Library’s preservation of mission records and related collections beginning in January 2027, making high-resolution images searchable online with tools to help researchers worldwide transcribe and translate the documents.

Together with books and documents in OLLU’s Texana and Spanish Colonial collections, these resources connect the university community with Father Margil’s legacy and the history of the region.

Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) has been ranked No. 5 in Texas for its Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) master’s program by MastersInCounseling.org in its Best MFT Master’s Programs in Texas for 2027 guide. This marks the second time in five years that OLLU has earned this distinction.

The ranking recognizes OLLU’s Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. Of the 13 Texas institutions included in the guide, OLLU is one of only five whose programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the gold standard for MFT program accreditation.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty and our commitment to preparing professionals who serve with both clinical skill and compassion,” said OLLU President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, Ph.D. “Our students learn to recognize the strengths within individuals and families and to respect the cultures and experiences that shape their lives. They carry that preparation into communities where their work can strengthen relationships, support healing and make a lasting difference.”

OLLU’s 60-credit-hour program emphasizes cultural and linguistic competence, ethical practice, and strengths-based psychotherapy. Students gain practical experience through supervised clinical training at OLLU’s Community Counseling Service and approved community sites.

While classes at the main San Antonio campus are held in the evenings Monday through Thursday, classes in Houston follow a cohort model, with most meetings held on alternating Saturdays. These flexible structures appeal to working adults. The COAMFTE-accredited specialization provides a foundation for pursuing licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas.

The program also offers training opportunities at satellite locations, including Houston and the Rio Grande Valley, as well as a certificate that supports students who speak Spanish and serve Spanish-speaking populations.

The program has a 100% graduation rate, with more than 90% of graduates achieving licensure and employment. Graduates work in private practice, nonprofits, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other community settings.

For more information, visit OLLU’s Marriage and Family Therapy program page.