brief time off vacation

But that's ok...I'm off today to Lima, Ohio, to speak to the Serra Club there.  Serra is an international Catholic organization dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, religious life, etc.  They want to hear about our campus ministry--which obviously has a lot to do with vocations...how, you ask?  

Well, one of the main reasons for the existence of campus ministry, at WSU or any college/university, is to be a Church presence for the students, who are at a time in their lives when their religion, their spirituality is becoming their own.  Children, generally, take on the religion (or no religion) of their parents.  In college, the decision, rightly, becomes their own.  Unfortunately, many take what I've heard called the "Catholic sabbatical" and ignore their faith altogether.  

Campus Ministry seeks to be a place where a student can learn more about their faith, celebrate their faith and the sacraments, and find a supportive atmosphere as they naturally question their own religious believes on the way to making them their own.  

How does vocations fit in?  Every Christian has a vocation...many to marriage, some to single life, and others to priesthood or religious life.  Some men who are married or single also discern a vocation to the permanent diaconate.   That's another of Campus Ministry's aims...to help students "find their place in this world" (to borrow a phrase from an old Michael W. Smith song...).  And if some of these places happen to be in seminaries and novitiates, that's great.  In my own experience, it was my campus minister at Heidelberg College who first said to me, "Have you ever thought of being a priest?"  (Thanks, Sr. Margaret!)

As I like to say, Campus Ministry lives at the intersection of Young Adult Avenue and Vocation Boulevard!  So, that's why I'm speaking to Serra!  

Hope everyone's enjoying their break!  See you Monday!

Spring Break

I just want to tip my hat to that wonderful person who thought up the idea of a spring break!  I should also give thanks that, at 36 years old, I still get to have them!  So now perhaps you have an idea why things slowed down here a bit in the past week or so...the natural precursor to a break, the dreaded exams.  It seems everyone did well enough, as I haven't heard any horror stories yet.  A number of our students are travelling, and I hope they are doing well.

Campus Ministry will be taking a deserved rest as well...so don't expect anything here in the next week.  But I promise to have something to say once we get rolling into spring quarter.

Happy Break!

Lenten Reconciliation

In case you aren't able to make it to Reconciliation here at Campus Ministry (or would prefer to confess to someone other than me), here is some info from parishes nearby that you might be interested in:

Saturday schedules:
St. Luke: 4-5pm
St. Helen: 4-4:45pm
Mary, Help of Christians: 3:45-4:30pm

Reconciliation Services:
Tues, 3/10 (tomorrow) 8pm, University of Dayton, Imm. Conc. Chapel
Tues, 3/17 7:30pm, St. Anthony (off Rt. 35 at Steve Whalen)
Thurs, 3/26 7pm, St. Francis, Wilmington Pike, S of 675
Mon, 3/30 7pm, St. Luke
Wed, 4/1 7:30pm, Queen of Apostles (Bergamo)
Thur, 4/2 7:00pm, St. Helen

Each of these reconciliation services will have a time of scripture readings (like the beginning of Mass) and then time for individual confessions--a number of priests will be present.

Of course, you are always welcome to make an appointment with me for the celebration of Reconciliation here at Campus Ministry--just call or email! This sacrament is a great way to sacramentally celebrate God's great love for us, no matter what we've done. God is always, always ready to receive our remorse and intention to do better. As Pope John Paul used to say, "Be not afraid!"

What if Starbucks marketed like a Church?

Found an interesting video on youtube...What if Starbucks marketed like a church?

A bit of a parody on some of the megachurches of today, but it says something to those of us in the Catholic Church too.

Monday...*yawn*

I have never liked Mondays, as they just seem so daunting...for me, usually a full weekend (Sunday is a workday in my world!) followed by the regular work week. Today is no different.

Anyway, we're nearly at the end of the quarter, and I think everyone is glad. Winter term is always a hard one to get through...but we're nearly there.

Last night, our students who are journeying through the RCIA process accompanied me to Immaculate Conception Church in Dayton for the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion. This is a ceremony at which all those who are going to be baptized or received into the Church this Easter come before the entire Church (represented by the Archbishop) so that he may admit them to their final preparation in the name of the Church. We had front row seats to the ritual, and I think that our group enjoyed it--they were certainly amazed by the number of people there...according to the Archdiocese, over 11oo people are coming into the Church this Easter. Not all were at this one ceremony...there were three other ceremonies just like it, one earlier in the day here in Dayton, the other two at the Cathedral in Cincinnati.

Of course, I forgot to get a picture!

Well, we've got Bible Study tonight, along with our leadership meeting--so that's all for now. Hey, Monday's almost over!

Interesting Scientific and Ethical Breakthroungh

Spotted this on a British news website...could be very promising:

Find it here.

The Church has been opposed to embryonic stem cell research because of the means of obtaining the stem cells: first, embryos had to be destroyed in order to be used--in other words, a potential life was ended--and, second, the embryos were obtained, I believe, from IVF facilities, in which the natural method of procreation was taken from its proper place between a man and a woman and instead conducted in a laboratory. (That, of course, is another debate for another time.)

The Church is not opposed to stem cell research per se--it simply ought to be done on adult stem cells, so that embryos need not be destroyed.  

Ash Wednesday--Oh my!

Ash Wednesday is a big day here at Campus Ministry--along with All Saints Day, its an important day in the life of the Church, and we're actually here for it.  Christmas and Easter are great, but everyone's gone home to be with family...so we celebrate Ash Wednesday with gusto. 

Yesterday was no exception.  We held a noon-time Mass on Campus so that it would be easier for faculty and staff to attend on their lunch hour (and fit more people than we can at our place).  We had a good turnout--about 110.

Then there was the 7pm here at Campus Ministry...what a crowd!  We can fit 80 reasonably well (not great, but they fit).  Ninety gets to be a real headache--not enough chairs, and nowhere to put them anyway.  Well, we had 123 last night!  Here are the pictures to prove it!

Found a part of the book of Isaiah that says something about what Lent is all about...from chapter 58, starting at verse 6:

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, 

to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, 

and to break every yoke? ⁷Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, 

and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, 

to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

⁸Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall 

spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the

Lord shall be your rear guard. ⁹Then you shall call, and the Lord will 

answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove 

the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, 

¹⁰if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, 

then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. ¹¹The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs

 in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like 

a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

¹²Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations 

of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, 

the restorer of streets to live in."

Just a thought...