Fall 2021 Newsletter

COMO NEWMAN A Newman Parish publication | Fall 2021

Encountering Christ As we learn to live during a pandemic, our students are thriving as they grow towards Christ. Whether through summer experiences or back-to-school retreats, your support spreads the Good News on campus.

602 Turner Ave, Columbia, MO 65201 | 573.449.5424 | www.comonewman.org

From the Pastor: Encounter The school year is off and running…and running…and (breathe!) running! Curiously, the Newman staff is working hard precisely to make Newman a place where we stop running, and simply encounter. First and foremost, to encounter God, but our Catholic tradition reminds us that we go to God together. Encountering others in the community is essential.

I just finished a Zoom meeting with some of our international graduate students, discussing how to make Newman a greater place of encounter for them.

There are always new faces to meet, and exciting things to learn about one another. In some ways, we want Newman to be like a river, always the same (there’s comfort in that), but always changing (there’s life in that)!

The encounters here can also include with one’s self. Just recently, I facilitated our first Cor Café (with café type drinks), a relaxed evening discussion in the

student lounge on various topics—this one was on relationships. One of the students talked about the challenge of entering into relationships while also “working on myself.” It was a beautiful expression of wisdom.

Christ doesn’t wait for us to be perfect to encounter us; and we shouldn’t wait for perfection before we encounter others either. It’s precisely in the encounters that He’s perfecting us! Thank God, for the sacrament of Reconciliation, right? We go to God and the Kingdom, in the messiness of relationships.

And that’s why it’s so important for Newman to be a place of encounter…always. As Pastor, I speak for all of our staff: we hope to “run” into you here…and to stop for the encounter!

Peace and All Good,

Save the Date!

In 2020, 162 donors raised over $28,000 in support of two great projects. This year, our goal is to raise $30,000 to fund SEEK at Newman and to continue adding funds to our new Social Justice Education Endowment.

Mark your calendars for this important date!

Tuesday, November 30

We are looking for matching donors to double the impact - if you can provide a match, please contact Lori Benson (lori@comonewman.org).

YOUR GIFTS

at Work

Family Weekend

This fall, we have continued to pivot our ministries as needed during the pandemic. Knowing more now than we did last fall, we’ve been able to resume many of our ministries and watch students connect in ways that they weren’t able to do last school year.

We celebrated at the Bible Study Launch Party for students interested in attending Bible studies. Students had the opportunity to meet the Bible study leaders, participate in fellowship, and everyone got ice cream.

Your support allowed our team to welcome students back to campus at Welcome Week. New students toured Newman, met other students currently involved in Campus Ministry, and participated in fun activities.

There was lots of good food, and fellowship and we finished the week perfectly, worshiping at Mass.

Ignite

Have you heard of Ignite? It’s a 2-day retreat for incoming freshmen each fall. It’s a chance for the students to meet who want to live out their faith in college while learning more about Newman and how they can get involved in their faith community on campus. Because of you students were able to connect and share an amazing experience.

“The only problem with Ignite... it wasn’t long enough.” - Students

Summer Projects

We are so grateful, so many of you returned for Family Weekend at Newman. Parents and students worshiped with us at Mass then they were treated to lunch and dessert. Fr. Dan, Angelle Hall, Director of Campus Ministry, and Angela Resch, President of Mizzou Catholic, shared about Campus Ministry programs. Because of you, new or returning parents to Mizzou feel a sense of relief knowing their child has a place to go to continue to grow in their faith. Many parents shared they loved knowing their child had a safe place to meet and build new friendships with other students who want to keep and grow their relationship with Christ.

Welcome Week

Bible Study Launch Party

Summer Projects

Summer Projects Lightning in a Bottle Matthew Newkirk Sophomore

While attending SEEK, Matthew learned about Summer Projects. His first thought: “I’m not doing that.” But it kept popping up, until the wee hours of a morning he found himself staring at the Summer Projects website. He listened to that inner voice and took a leap of faith. “It was definitely the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s like one of those new cars that keep you in your lane when you’re drifting. I was drifting away from the idea of Summer Projects, but God kept pulling me back.”

While at Summer Projects, Matthew worked at The Broadmoor Luxury Resort in Colorado, attended Mass, discipleship, Bible studies and more. “When I started this process, I expected to have one huge awakening moment. Through my life, I’ve never been able to pinpoint when my faith took root.

During those ten weeks, what I got was a gradual series of changes. The purpose of Summer Projects is to build yourself up, to ground you in your faith.

We also had the opportunity to share the Gospel with our co-workers. I took some of my co-workers to Mass and had conversations about faith. I found out that many were fallen away Catholics. I hope by the grace of God a seed has been planted.”

When asked what his biggest takeaway was, Matthew remained silent for a moment. He responded, “My roommate told me that a typical weekend retreat is like capturing lightning in a bottle. Eventually the lightning escapes or dissipates. Being at Summer Projects was like capturing lightning in a bottle for ten weeks. My biggest takeaway... you can’t be halfway with your faith. Don’t be afraid to show your faith to your coworkers and friends. Thanks to Summer Projects,

my faith is a huge part of my identity.

God wants to have a relationship with us! During the ordinary and mundane things in life, as well as the extraordinary. It’s not in the fancy phrases. That can’t make up for a solid faith life in God. Faith needs to be shared. Faith is meant to be lived in every part of our life experiences, not only in times of stress. It’s important to remember to come back to the center, what grounds us in faith. I got a clear picture of what that is for me, and the roots have been planted.”

Giving My Summer to Jesus Jenna Sciaroni Sophomore

“I decided to do summer projects when I was on Seek, which is a Catholic conference for college students. I was sitting watching the presentation, and thought to myself, okay sure, I can give Jesus my summer. When I got to Summer Projects, it was so much of what I was expecting and so much of what I wasn’t expecting.

I expected to grow in my faith a ton, which don’t get me wrong, I definitely did that. With weekly Bible study, spiritual direction, talks, discipleship, daily Mass and adoration, I grew exponentially in my relationship with Jesus. However, I also grew as a person. I learned what it is like to balance a faith life, social life, and work life. I learned about myself in the ways I receive love, the ways in which I need time for myself, and how much I love being around people. Since being back from Summer Projects, I’ve continued a lot of what I was doing over the summer.

“Summer Projects sponsored by FOCUS is a ten week journey designed to help students grow in their faith. During the 10 week program, students work full-time jobs while balancing their faith life through attending daily mass, speaker series, bible studies, and mentoring with missionaries.”

Still weekly bible study, discipleship, and daily Mass and holy hour. It definitely looks a little different though. Now, instead of a job being my main time commitment, being a student is. It has definitely been a harder transition than I thought, but I know that God is still with me and working in it. I wouldn’t trade the things that I learned this summer and the people that I met who are life long friends.”

Qualifying the Called

Ben Borgmeyer Junior

Ben was prepared for another summer working at the golf course in Joplin, Missouri. It was comfortable and what he knew. A friend of his invited him to Summer Projects, and he was hesitant. “It’s a big leap and change.” His friend countered and challenged him, wanting to know, “why wouldn’t you do this?” Ben didn’t have a good answer. He thought about it for a while and listened for the Holy Spirit. “I knew I needed more and realized that this might be a great change and be a place to grow and foster my faith.”

Ben worked at Boyne Mountain Resort in Michigan, and as sometimes happens, students have unexpected experiences, and this was the case for Ben. “In the beginning, I felt overwhelmed, but soon I found a good balance. I attended Mass, spiritual direction, adoration, and work. I saw the blessing in it. It was important to me to be a good witness to my faith. As the days progressed, I learned that several of the students working with me were not Catholic.

Most of them weren’t practicing any kind of faith, and many of them didn’t know who Jesus was.

It ended up being a great opportunity. As the weeks progressed, several co-workers ended up attending Mass with me. They even took part in adoration, attended different FOCUS activities, and I would see them on their own in prayer.”

It’s been weeks since Summer Projects, and Ben still has revelations that he directly correlates to his time in Michigan. “Others who participated said they still have epiphanies, and it’s been one to two years later. It can take a long time to process.

For me, I learned to accept suffering then turn that into a loving opportunity to show others the love of Christ. A big thing I kept hearing was God doesn’t call the qualified he qualifies the called. That has stuck with me. No one is ever 100% ready to go out on mission, but it’ something that takes time, and we’ll never be perfect. If you’re living your faith, God will give you the gifts and grace to spread that to other people.” W

“

It is a gift that we had so many students participate from the University of Missouri because McKenna Kukla FOCUS Team Director it has launched them into deeper prayer, sacramental, and mission-orientated lives back on campus. I look forward to encouraging more students to this program to live a deep life of encounter with Christ and His Church.

”

A LEGACY of Love Gary & Wanda Winter

“G

ood morning, good morning!”

If you went to Sunday morning 9 a.m. Mass, you would be sure to hear Gary’s booming voice while you were outside - still many steps from the front doors - welcoming you to Church.

Gary loved the Lord and loved serving his faith community. At Newman, he served as a greeter, participated in a small group bible study, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

“Dad was like one of those carnival barkers at the Knights of Columbus tailgates: ‘HOT DOGS! HAMBURGERS!’ He loved volunteering and working those tailgates,” his son, Shane, remembers.

Before retiring, Gary worked at the VA Hospital.

His wife, Wanda, worked at Boone Hospital Center.

Their sons, Shane and Jeremy, remembered how the worked hard, volunteered often, and were incredibly thrifty. Jeremy, his son, remembers what his Dad used to say: “You learned to never leave spare change on the kitchen table. Mom would swipe it up and have it deposited in the bank the next day!”

Gary and Wanda started coming to Newman when they moved to Columbia from Fulton in 1990.

“We picked the Newman Center because we had two teenage boys and hoped the influence of college students would help them realize the importance in keeping God in their lives,” Gary shared in a 2018

“

E

very time I do a little more, I find myself getting closer to God. -Gary Winter, 2018

testimony to the parish.

When they were both retired and Wanda was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, they spent their time volunteering – Wanda at a therapeutic horseback riding center and Gary and the hospital.

They also volunteered together at the local Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. In their free time, they also enjoyed line dancing. In 2009, Wanda passed away after a long fight with cancer. Losing Wanda was tough for Gary, but he found solace in continued volunteering at the hospital. He traveled with friends, was often found at Newman, and also purchased a karaoke machine because he loved singing, especially to George Strait songs.

His friend and fellow parishioner, Wayne Walter, was glad to have known Gary: “What struck me was his comfort with the Lord. Not just searching, but really being at home with the Lord.

As a retiree, he was able to go to daily Mass more.

Despite the fact he couldn’t carry at tune, he sang out with joy! I think anyone that knew Gary knew

a person at peace.”

Gary passed away in November 2020. Prior to his passing, Gary shared that he and Wanda had chosen to include Newman in their will. Gary shared, “I made sure that in my will and trust that Newman is in it – not as my church, but OUR church. Every time I do a little more, I find myself getting closer to God.” Gary and Wanda are one of the founding members of Newman’s Cor ad Cor Circle as they have left a legacy gift in the form of a charitable estate gift.

“He was just so generous to everyone,” Wayne remembers, “I wish I could have known Wanda because she was a person he talked about a lot.”

Shane said that Gary and Wanda’s ability to give came from a lifetime of good habits: “Mom and Dad never made six figures, but they did watch every dollar. They were intentional with their actions - not just about money, but about parenting and all the interactions they had with people in their life.”

We are thankful that we could share our gratitude before Gary’s passing. Gary and Wanda’s generosity have allowed Newman to launch – ahead of schedule – our new Martha Trauth Social Justice Education Endowment Fund, which now has just shy of $400,000 invested. Dividends from this endowment will provide for social justice education at Newman, instilling the values that Gary and Wanda lived throughout their lives. We hope that Gary, Wanda, and Martha Trauth (for whom the endowment fund is named after) would be proud of these efforts to further educate the Newman community on Catholic Social Teaching.

The Cor Ad Cor Circle recognizes those who have made an investment in the future of St. Thomas More Newman Center by including a gift to Newman in their will or trust, naming Newman as a beneficiary of retirement assets or life insurance, or some other type of planned gift.

In is 2018 testimony, Gary shared words of wisdom that are still relevant today:

“I know many in our congregation have young children, and it’s their duty to take care of raising these young people so they have an understanding of the importance of God in their lives. I do hope each parent still finds time to talk with God. He is always there to listen.

Remember God and our children are watching and listening to us. I hope we can also always remember that, as a Newman Center, this great parish would not be here if it was not for the students. It is our obligation to show them the importance of faith through our actions. These students will go out in the world and spread the Catholic faith.”

Thank you Gary and Wanda for your gift of faith that you shared with us during your time at Newman and for countless generations to come!

Before his passing, Gary shared with us his intentions which allowed us to thank him for his generosity - what a beautiful conversation!

If you have already included Newman in your will, or are interested in doing so, contact the Development Office at 573.449.5424 x205 or email lori@comonewman.org.

Encounters Your faith and support set the foundation for students to jump in with both feet at Newman, and encounter Christ in many different ways. This year at Welcome Week many students found their faith community here at Newman.

Knights of Columbus Council 7231 Proudly serving St. Thomas More Newman Center since 1979

Our Faith

Our Mission

Thanks to your support of our activities, in 2020-21 the Mizzou Knights Council gifted over $7,200 to 11 causes, including: Catholic Campus Ministry The Food Bank Meet Life Campaign CPS-Coats for Kids Military Chaplain Scholarships Seminarian Support Special Olympics & More!

THANK YOU for your generous support! mizzouknights.org | mizzouknights@gmail.com