3 minute read
A Look at Our College and Military Mail Ministry
Our Pastoral Council is always looking for positive ways of staying connected to young people in the parish. After seeing an advertisement in another parish’s bulletin about a ministry directed towards serving students and members of the U.S. Armed Forces away from home, council members discussed the possibility of bringing this ministry idea to our parish. This quarter, we are excited to officially launch the St. Benedict College and Military Ministry.
“We’ll be asking parents of college, university, and military students who are away from home to submit their names and addresses,” says Fr. Godfrey Mullen. “Then we’ll pair each one with a parishioner who is willing to write a note or email every month or two, keeping the young person up-to-date on parish happenings and providing support for them in prayer.”
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This ministry is similar to our Hallmark Ministry or our Parish Visitor Ministry — all of these are aimed towards keeping in touch with parishioners. Even further, this ministry allows for parishioners to provide guidance and care to students from our parish who are now in schools across the country — giving these students little reminders of home, the assurance of prayers, and maybe a little bit of hope when school responsibilities seem overwhelming.
“We hope to support as many young parishioners away from home as we can,” Fr. Godfrey says. “We will also encourage an occasional care package or some other touch of home for them.”
This extension of hospitality to our young parishioners is a ministry in which anyone in the parish can participate. With the occasional note and adding these young parishioners to your prayer intentions, your commitment to this ministry could have a huge impact on our students.
“Too often, young people feel disconnected from their parish and possibly from the Church,” Fr. Godfrey says. “Our goal is to build those relationships that are so crucial for young people to stay engaged. In a particular way, this ministry embraces most of the pillars of stewardship. It is service, hospitality, and praying for one another that will be the most important part of the relationship. It might be formation, too, as we learn about one another, the history of the parish, and the blessings that come from staying close to Christ.”
