LETTER FROM LETTER FROM FATHER WADE FATHER WADE
FYSH (FIRST YEAR FYSH (FIRST YEAR STUDENT HOMES) STUDENT HOMES)
MUSTANG MUSTANG AWAKENING AWAKENING
Campus life this Fall semester was markedly improved and a gift to yours truly. A low Covid-19 incidence rate led to the lifting of the mask mandate in early October, and no one was happier and more relieved than I!
The staff and I prepared this past summer for a more typical semester and, thank God, it did not disappoint. Influenced by a summer course sponsored by the University of Notre Dame, we grounded our preparation for the academic year in activities that build a “Eucharistic culture.” A Eucharistic culture aims to help people better connect the liturgy with life—the Eucharist with evangelization—Christ with college. Our planning resulted in the promotion of intentional encounters with students and of the students with Christ, especially in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist.
We have had some amazing outreach and programs for students, which you will read about in the coming pages. Of note, I was particularly grateful when working side-by-side with students during our new “Service Saturdays” ministry. Receiving Christ in the Eucharist and then seeing His face in the faces of the homeless and elderly we served was a gift. The reflections of humility in our discussions after these service events helped me know the ministry better prepares students for servant leadership founded
Other opportunities to build a Eucharistic culture are on the horizon, including programs of intellectual formation, initiatives designed to promote living our Catholic faith in the workplace, and the promotion of vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and the
As I have finally experienced a typical semester, I have gotten comfortable with the fast pace and demands of the young adult population at SMU. I am truly grateful for the ministry’s presence on campus and for the opportunity to serve them. Their spiritual needs are great, and we work hard to engage and support them in times of joy and sorrow.
As we continue to strive to do God’s will at SMU, please pray for us! So many of you have generously supported our various campaigns that allowed us to purchase new furniture, keep our Catholic student center in good shape, and support the students’ lives through food, quality programming, and a committed staff. As we look toward the future, please keep an eye out for information about our 90th Anniversary Celebration on April 23, 2022!
May God bless us all as we seek to ignite our culture with the grace Christ gives His Church in the Holy Eucharist.
Fr. Wade Bass
"We grounded our preparation for the academic year in activities that build a “Eucharistic culture.” A Eucharistic cultureaimstohelppeoplebetterconnect the liturgy with life—the Eucharist with evangelization—Christwithcollege."
Christina Roncal, Associate Director for Ministry
The annual back-to-school BBQ brought a crowd to the Catholic Center for a night of fun and deepening of friendships that launched us into a busy semester! We welcomed newcomers to the Lone Star State with traditional Texas barbecue for dinner, which everyone enjoyed immensely. The students were particularly excited about the chance to engage with a small petting zoo in our parking lotcomplete with a miniature horse named Geronimo! The members of the Servant Leadership Council were hard at work that night meeting new students and sharing the events and initiatives that the ministry had planned for the following weeks. Students also had the chance to express interest and sign up for various opportunities such as Bible studies, service projects, and liturgical ministries. We debuted our new ministry T-shirt for the year and had plenty of takeaways, including magnets with our Mass times and travel-sized hand sanitizer with our logo! The barbecue was a great connection point to welcome our new students and a happy reunion for those returning to the Hilltop.
Our fall outreach did not end there! We continued with various initiatives to get out on campus and make our ministry more visible. Over the first two weeks of school, our students and staff spent time operating a table and engaging passers-by outside the university’s Hughes-Trigg Student Center. The FOCUS missionaries also ran a very successful (free of charge) lemonade stand in front of the Neuhoff Catholic Student Center. Additionally, Fr. Wade and the campus ministers have been dropping by on-campus dining halls for lunch to connect with students during their daily routines. These efforts have resulted in great conversations and a more substantial presence on campus!
FYSH (First-Year Student Homes) is a group of first-year students led by four second-year students who meet weekly to support each other throughout the academic year. The second-year student's role is to help first-year students transition to college and help them learn more about the Catholic faith. The ministry provides a meeting time for two groups, one on Tuesday evenings and another on Wednesday evenings. The two different meeting days expand the opportunities to meet in the first-years' busy schedules.
As a first-year student during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, I knew I needed to find a place where I could have a consistent group to hang out with, especially given limitations with masking and social distancing that were in place. FYSH allowed me to meet new people and pursue my Catholic faith among people trying to do the same thing. Through FYSH, I was introduced to many other people who were also involved at “the C,” which allowed me to become a part of the Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU community.
Being one of this year's FYSH leaders has allowed me to participate in the fruitful and important work FYSH actively brings about for students. This semester we cooked a homemade family dinner consisting of fajitas and peach cobbler, hung out with the other FYSH group, met with Fr. Wade, and continued our weekly meetings discussing topics such as managing school and understanding prayer.
This semester the women’s ministry organized three great opportunities to bring our female students together and strengthen connections with each other and the Lord! The first women’s event of the semester was a movie night with pizza and popcorn featuring a fan-favorite film, “The Princess Diaries.” It was especially fun to see some of our first-year women get to connect with our upperclassmen! In October, we had a visit from Sr. Mara Grace, OP, and Sr. Ann Thomas, OP, from the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia. They spent a wonderful evening with us sharing a meal and leading a fruitful conversation on prayer - exploring especially how the feminine heart relates to God. We rounded out the semester with a Bob Ross painting night, which brought some new faces to the Catholic Center and also uncovered some hidden artistic talents! All three of these events provided important points of connection for our women to deepen relationship with one another and feel at home in the Catholic community on campus.
This semester our Men’s Outreach chairs, Gabe Rauen and Kaegan Cowan, focused on reaching out to more men at SMU - the goal was to build bridges on-campus that quickly lead people to Christ. Sometimes, before we can lead someone to Christ or even talk about faith, we have to gain the trust of our peers. This goal came to fruition this fall through a men’s formation night with our former Chaplain Fr. Arthur, where we talked about how our physical health can lead to a healthy spiritual life. We also hosted a few poker nights to foster friendships between the men at the Catholic Center and those on campus. We invite you to please pray for the men at SMU that they desire an encounter with Christ and that the bridges we build will be fruitful.
Home is Where the Heart is: Like for many, coming to college was a transitional period in my life; I was leaving behind friends, family, and the familiarity of home. But my time in FYSH has redefined what home is. Everyone has heard home is where the heart is, but FYSH has helped shape what home means to me. Home is where the love of Christ is and is found in opening our hearts to fellowship and prayer. Gaining this perspective every Tuesday night has become a tethering anchor when life/school gets hectic. My FYSH family has brought peace, comfort, and support in my spiritual and academic endeavors. FYSH is the perfect way to incorporate scripture and fellowship into my weekly schedule. FYSH isn’t merely a club, FYSH is a family in Christ, FYSH is home away from home.
- Regina Moreno Vera
MustangAwakening14wasallaboutencounter-encounterwithJesusChristandencounterwith community.WeaccomplishedthiswithhelpfromtheHolySpirit.Wespenttimeinprayer,received sacraments,listenedtostudenttestimonies,andhaddiscussions.Thegoalwastostartpeelingopen theheartsofourretreatantsandhelpthemfindtheiridentityinChristwithstaff,students,alumni, andmissionariessupportingthem.SMU'smottois"WorldChangersShapedHere",andwewantto beapartofthatprocessofshapingworldchangers.
WeseektogiveourstudentsaCatholicworldviewthatcanstaywiththemfortherestoftheirlives. Awakeningisapartofasignificantjourney,ultimatelyajourneyhometowardsheaven.Weatthe CatholicCenterwanttobeacomfortablehomeforstudentsonthatjourney.Wewerehappyto returntoanoff-campusin-personretreat.Weputawayourcellphonestocreateatrulypresent experienceoff-campus.Wehad20studentsattendfortheirfirsttimeandalmost50otherswho helpedorganizeit.
Students,ifyouhaveneverbeentoMustangAwakening,wewanttoinviteyoutobeapartofthis encounterinthefuture!PleaseemailDanielPorting,dporting@smu.eduformoreinformation.
This year, as a senior at SMU, I had the opportunity to coordinate Awakening for the second time. Last year I also had the honor of organizing it and compared to this year, it was very different. In Fall 2020, we had to improvise over zoom to bring people closer to Christ during a digital retreat. This year, we went off campus to the Sabine Creek Retreat Center in Royce City, Texas.
Weputourphonesawayandcenteredthewholeweekendoncommunity,healing,andChristwith St.Josephasourpatronsaintfortheretreat.Duringthesemester,studentsarefocusedsomuch ontheirstudiesthatleavingcampuscreatesaconsiderablechangeofpaceandallowsustofocus solelyonourrelationshipwithChrist.MustangAwakeningisalwaysaniceresettotherestofthe semester.AwakeningremindsmehowmuchIdesireandneedGodinmylife,evenwhenIputHim onthebackburner.
Beforetheretreat,Ididnotseeasmanyfirst-yearstudentscomearoundtheC,otherthanfor dailyMass,Adoration,orotherministryevents.However,morefirst-yearstudentsstartedvisiting theCatholicCenteraftertheretreat.IfeelasthoughAwakeningisagreattimetosolidifythe communityattheCatholicCenterandhelpthefirst-yearsfindtheirhomeawayfromhome.
"Awakening is just a tiny part of a more significant journey, ultimately a journey home towards heaven, andweattheCatholicCenterwanttobeahomeaway fromhomeforstudentsonthatjourney."
Over the Fall 2021 semester, the service committee worked to provide opportunities that connect our SMU Catholic community to the Christ-given commitment to serve those around us. Every Service Saturday began with Mass and lunch, followed by the service activity, and wrapped up with a group reflection time at the Catholic Center. We served by restocking supplies at Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store, called bingo for the senior citizens at Juliette Fowler Communities in Dallas, and served food to the homeless at the Stewpot. We also hosted a mental health talk night led by Maribel Laguna from In His Image Counseling.
These service opportunities gave students a chance to understand how the Eucharist connects to our lives outside of Mass. Beginning each Service Saturday with the celebration of Mass allowed students to reflect on how they can sacrifice their day to serve the community in Dallas. Service Saturdays have opened my eyes to how we can build fellowship through acts of service with a community together on campus. I've met and become friends with first-year students through these events. Next semester, I will continue to bring new opportunities to serve the Dallas community while bringing the SMU Catholic Community together. I hope to make the moments of fellowship through service a common practice at the ministry!
The SMU Catholic Ugly Sweater Party (affectionately referred to as SMUCUS) is the Catholic Center’s annual student Christmas party. After a virtual event last year, it was exciting to have the event in person and welcome students from across campus into the Catholic Center. The event included food, fellowship, a bake-off between Bible study groups, and of course, an ugly Christmas sweater contest.
SMUCUS serves as a great way to bring students together to share in fellowship, celebrate and reminisce over the Fall semester, and fully enter into the Advent season to prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas. The Catholic Center functions as not just a spiritual home but also as a physical and emotional one for many students during their time at SMU, myself included. Events like SMUCUS continue to make that home a welcoming place where everyone can celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with friends and classmates. Most importantly, we remember that Christ’s birth is at the center of the season and experience the twofold joy of celebration of the season with those close to us and anticipation of the coming of Christ.
Olivia Arratia '22, Director of Communications
A sizeable population of Spanish-speaking students at SMU led us to reflect on how we could further our mission of creating a Home Away From Home for students far from their familiar home and culture. The ministry recognizes the importance of building community with Catholics who speak multiple languages. Creating a space for Spanish Mass remains an opportunity to invite students into the Eucharist in a familiar way with support from students and SMU faculty members. In Fall 2021, we decided to add a crucial element to forming a community: FOOD!
Misa y Comidas (Mass and Food) was created as the new name of our time for Spanish Mass and sharing a meal. Mass is an opportunity to encounter the risen Christ in the Eucharistic feast; through a post-Mass meal, we encounter the same Christ in the students and help them encounter Christ in each other. With the help of Luisa del Rosal, a member of our advisory board, an alumna of SMU, and a native of Mexico, we welcomed in over twenty new students who found a place at the Catholic Center to call home. With the growing population of Hispanic and international students at SMU, we are finding ways to include the Hispanic culture, and the Spanish language into the Catholic Center and liturgy. Please pray for the success of this evangelical endeavor on SMU's diverse campus!
Fr. Wade Bass
Chaplain and Director wbass@smu.edu
Olivia Arratia '22 Director of Communications catholiccommunications@smu.edu
Annie Velasco FOCUS Missionary annie.velasco@focus.org
Susan Wynne Office Manager swynne@smu.edu
Tammy Grady Spiritual Direction tgrady@cathdal.org
Ken Swinson Musician Lead for 9AM Mass
Fr. Wade Bass
Win Bell
Patrick Carew
Karen Carney '82
Franklin Diaz '13
Joy Godvin, Chair
Kim Hanrahan ‘92
April Jordan
Mary Blake Meadows '74
Ricardo Mier '14
Beverly Mendoza Director of Development beverlym@smu.edu
Russell Pier FOCUS Team Director russell.pier@focus.org
Dave & Lauren Moore
Musician Lead for 5PM Mass
Christina Roncal Associate Director for Ministry cbax@smu.edu
Sarah LeBlanc FOCUS Missionary sarah.leblanc@focus.org
Emmeline Miles '16, '21 Musician for 8PM Mass
Daniel Porting Campus Minister dporting@smu.edu
Nolan Hill FOCUS Missionary nolan.hill@focus.org
Mark Miller '97
Susan Piot '91
Luisa del Rosal ‘08, ‘16
Alec Stewart
Smokey Swenson '71
Carolyn Thompson '85
Gonzalo Venegas, MD
Mike Willick
Dr. Matthew Wilson
Honorary Advisors:
Kathy and Tony Herring
Brenda and Joe McHugh
Judy and Tommy Neuhoff
February2021’sTexas-widefreezebrokeawaterpipeinthebuilding,whichrequiredrefurbishmentofthemain communityroomincludingreplacingthefloor.Withthenavycarpetremoved,wewereabletoinstalllightneutralcoloredcommercialgradelaminateflooring,whichbrightenedtheroom.Therefurbishmentimprovedtheroom, butalsohighlightedthewearandtearthatourfurniturehasenduredovertheyears.
Asthestaffreviewedhowtheministryusesthefirstfloor,wedeterminedthatcommercial-grade,flexiblefurniture wouldbettermeetstudentlifeneedstoday,includingsocializing,dancing,parties,studying,playinggames, meetings,andSundaySupper,tonameafew.Withtheassistanceofacommercialdesignfirm,weidentified affordable,durable,andcomfortablepieces.
- April 23
Join us on Saturday, April 23, 2022, when the Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU will celebrate the ministry’s 90th anniversary on the campus at SMU. The evening will bring together friends old and new to reconnect and raise funds for the ministry that helps form servant leaders. Young adult ministry continues to be an essential part of the Church and its mission of sharing the teachings of Christ. Mark your calendar today!
We launched a fundraiser in September to raise $37,000 fo the new furniture. Thankfully, we met our goal and placed the order. The furniture arrived during the Christmas break We have painted some stylish blue accent walls and installe a new wall-mounted glass board across from the elevator t keep everyone up to date on ministry activities. The finishin touches will be completed in Spring 2022!
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