A PUBLICATION OF CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY AT ST. THOMAS MORE NEWMAN CENTER | SPRING 2019 602 TURNER AVENUE, COLUMBIA, MISSOURI 65201 | 573.449.5424 | WWW.COMONEWMAN.ORG
Finding Answered Prayers
Your support brought Jack into his faith community
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fter getting burned out in high school, stepping through the doors of the Newman Center was the last thing Jack Sellenriek wanted to do when he came to Mizzou. “I followed my sister to Mizzou in search of that ‘perfect college life,’” Jack shared. For him, that meant getting involved in Greek life and figuring out his faith life on his own. Jack, now a senior from Wildwood, Missouri, spent the first two years of college going to Mass and occasionally praying in the Chapel, but not seeking any faith community. “I remember telling myself that I was having the best time of my life, but I was always looking for a mentor that would help me to be more.” It wasn’t until the second semester of his sophomore year that Jack was sitting in Mass with a friend and saw the Awakenings promo video created by the student retreat leaders. After Mass, the two decided to sign up to attend. “Awakenings for me was the foot in the door. After the retreat, I realized that we are called towards community. Individual prayer is significant, but we can’t truly experience the Lord outside of a faith community.
In meeting with my FOCUS missionary and working through these things, I realized God answered that prayer for a mentor; it was just a few years later than I thought!” Even with the foundation for community laid during Awakenings, it took Jack until his junior year to jump in. He then joined a bible study and attended Greek Night as well as the FOCUS Legacy Conference. Though Jack had always seen himself heading directly to optometry school after graduating, Jack began to listen to the Lord’s call in his life and he accepted a position as a FOCUS missionary post-graduation. “Looking back, I had to ask myself, ‘God, how did I get here?’ Two years ago, I swore I would never get involved and now I’m saying ‘yes’ to being a missionary!” Jack knows God was with him throughout his four years, but he just didn’t want to hear what the Lord had to say. Campus Ministry seeks to create spaces where students can encounter Christ through Christian community. Your support makes their efforts possible for so many students, including Jack. “Being a Greek, I would look at myself in my early college years and think that I was ‘too far gone’ to be accepted at the Newman Center. That they wouldn’t want me. Newman helped me experience the mercy of Jesus Christ and the importance of having a community that’s going to pick me up and drag me to heaven.” Above: Jack preparing to leave for the Awakenings #36 Retreat where he served on Music Staff. Left: Jack (on the far left) with his bible study members, Dan Davis, Austin Klarsch, Nathan Raymer, David Roche, Brandon Chac, and Caius Gillen at the SEEK conference in Indianapolis this past January.
From the Pastor: Intentional Discipleship
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ow do we foster a culture in which all Catholics see themselves as disciples of Jesus, living according to His will and sent to proclaim His message to others? It starts through an awakening of our hearts so that we may transform our local communities, the Church, and the world. This awakening, in essence, is an ongoing conversion process where we trust in the Lord, seek a deeper relationship with Him, and make a conscious commitment to follow Jesus as an obedient disciple. Our students sometimes experience this conversion in a dramatic and immediate way, not unlike St. Paul getting knocked off his horse. Others, however, experience this process through a series of conversations and encounters
with Christ that slowly form their hearts toward His Love. Jack’s story from page one is just one example of the slow work of God in the lives of our students. Catholic Campus Ministry is present in the midst of these conversion moments as our college students grow into the intentional disciples the Lord calls them to be. Your support makes this accompaniment possible, providing the prayer experiences, dynamic liturgies, and faith formation which feed our students the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your commitment to our students and to supporting this generation of Catholics who seek an authentic relationship with the Lord. In Catherine & Dominic,
Winter Welcome
New semester, new opportunities for community
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hough the fall is often seen as the time for welcoming, the start of the spring semester also brings new opportunities for students to find their faith home at Newman. After evaluating their fall semester or perhaps in response to a new years resolution, students often make it a priority to engage in their faith journey in new ways in January. Current student leaders take the lead in welcoming these new students. This semester, two events in particular created this environment of welcome. First was the Student Lounge Open House during the first week of classes where students could stop by for snacks, meet new people, and play a board game or two. Dozens of students made their way through the lounge, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones as well.
During the third week of classes, students coordinated the annual trek to Jefferson City for ice skating. As usual, time in the car plus time on the rink forged new friendships! Students already invested in the community take ownership to making sure new students are welcomed into the Newman community. Your support helps to train and foster their evangelization skills and enliven their prayer lives!
Left: The Campus Ministry staff join a group of students at the Lounge Open House in “The Catholic Card Game,� a Catholic version of the popular game Apples to Apples. Above: Students traveled to Jefferson City for the annual ice skating social. Your investment allows our student leaders to coordinate these community building events!
WHY WE GIVE Why Ted & Kim Kelley support Catholic Campus Ministry
“W
e feel that our children are the future of the church. We support the St. Thomas More Newman Center so that these young, prayerful leaders are enabled to share His love and message now and into the future. We know that our support goes directly to providing our college students a place where they can go that will help them navigate the challenges and obstacles they face while away school. We see the good work that Campus Ministry does on campus and in the community and we are honored to do our small part to contribute.” Ted & Kim Kelley | San Antonio, Texas
The Kelleys have been monthly supporters since their daughter, Elizabeth, started at Mizzou as a freshman in 2016. Elizabeth is now a junior and has served on Awakenings staff as well as attended Emmaus, a weekly faith formation institute. She also participates in a bible study. From left: Catherine, Kim, Ted, and Elizabeth Kelley.
Students Encounter Christ at SEEK 2019 With the help of your generous funding for the buses to Indianapolis, 112 Newman students journeyed to SEEK 2019. Many were attending a Catholic conference for the first time and were deeply impacted by the dynamic speakers and beautiful liturgies. Your prayerful support energized these 112 students to come back to campus and share the Good News with their classmates!
“SEEK was incredible. My heart was radically transformed that week by love that Jesus Christ has for me. I know that I am His Son, and He has called me to do radical and wild things with my life. He’s challenged me to live my life joyfully and transform the lives of others. SEEK helped me realize that I am made for something so much greater in my life; I am called to sainthood.” Ryan Schnitker | MU ‘21
View Mizzou SEEK experience via video at: https://bit.ly/2GbZjkJ
Yes! You have my support!
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In response to the gifts the Lord has given me, I want to invest in the students and their faith life while in college! Name: ___________________________________ Street: ___________________________________ City, State Zip: ____________________________ Phone: ________________________ (cell home) Email: ___________________________________
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Thank you to our ‘18-’19 business sponsors Knights of Columbus Council #7231 Mpix.com Stringcreek Lawn & Landscape Peckham Architecture Asbestos Removal Services, Inc. Central Missouri Auto Body Rolling Hills Veterinary Clinic
Our Faith Our Mission Knights of Columbus Council 7231 Proudly serving St. Thomas More Newman Center since 1979
THANK YOU for your generous support! Last year we raised over $8500 to support 17 different charitable activities, including distributing Coats for Kids in partnership with the other two Columbia councils.