MISSIONARY DISCIPLES FORMING MISSIONARY DISCIPLES
I tried something new for Lent! I gave up alcohol and a lot of KU basketball, but the most dramatic thing I tried was to open my calendar for any random KU student to come in for a spiritual check-in. I have become more convicted that one on one, heart to heart conversations change one's faith and relationship with God forever, and that we can't afford to live without them!
Boy am I glad I did. The stories that are out there just blow me away, and they just keep coming. Heartbreaking, yet inspiring and full of hope! I can feel my heart getting stretched as I yearn to be a better spiritual father to these Jayhawks. I used to think I was too busy for these chats. Turns out I was wrong.
We all care deeply about the same thing - that our young people can integrate their Catholic faith and relationship with God into the learning, experiences and relationships they have on this Holy Hill we all love Thanks for the privilege of being here to receive the kind of conversations that lead to real conversion and new life!
With your faith this generation of Jayhawks will write the best stories yet. Let's keep winning, Jayhawks!
He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! A Rock Chalk Happy Easter to you and yours!
1,017 STUDENTS REACHED
63:1 STUDENT-TO-STAFF RATIO
48,000 HOURS SPENT WITH STUDENTS 206 BIBLE STUDY PARTICIPANTS
FR. MITCHEL ZIMMERMAN DIRECTOR & CHAPLAIN
Students from colleges across the sate of Kansas gathered at the St. Lawrence Center the weekend of February 10-12th for the annual Kanas Catholic College Student Convention.
The three day conference included Mass, Adoration, guest speakers, talks, small group sharing and activities for the ministries to learn from one another.
For many ministries, the most important part of this conference was the community and collaboration.
For multiple embers of the St Lawrence staff, this was their first conference and they were able to re-focus on their why for ministry.
"We aren't just doing evangelization out of obligation but because we have encountered the living God and want that for other people," Good Co Campus Minister Alli Petty said.
While the conference was focused on ministry, they were also able to run a 5K, go on a scavenger hunt and celebrate at the rectory.
"There is nothing that reflects the fullness of life better than watching college students come together to engage the Spirit in order to lead our campus ministries more boldly towards Christ," Grosser said.
Sara Grosser, a sophomore in communication studies, said, "Witnessing other campus ministries was enlightening to see the ways in which we truly are one Church. While we may be pursuing many varieties of ministry, we are all seeking one thing: to bring others into relationship with God."
"Dear brothers and sisters, the Church loves you! Be an active presence in the community, as living cells, as living stones."
-Pope Francis
If there is one word to describe my time in Ecuador, it would be joyful! I have been blessed to be on mission three times now, but I have never laughed nor been so entertained before on mission. I deeply love mission and serving people, and serving the community of La Alianza in Ecuador was incredible
I went with fellow students that attend the St. Lawrence Center, four of our FOCUS
Missionaries at KU, and our chaplain, Fr. Mitchel. I loved the people that I went with. Serving with them was an absolute joy and pleasure, so many memories were made. I got the great opportunity to get to know these wonderful people through serving with them, eating with them and overall just spending time with them.
The local community that we served welcomed us with open arms and smiles. The entire time during the mission, I was humbled to see how this community lived and what I have been blessed with in my life But more than that, I was deeply humbled by these
people welcoming us into their homes, purely because they were so filled with joy knowing that we were there. We had the opportunity to have Catechesis with the children and adults, work with them, pray and have Mass with them and play soccer with the children. While there was a large language barrier, the love that we all showed each other was amazing and completely went beyond spoken word
One of the best parts of the mission was spending an hour every day in front of the Blessed Sacrament and having daily Mass. To encounter the Lord in this place was surreal and reignited my joy and zeal for Christ, and a deeper understanding that He desires to share in His divine life with me. I am not alone, and that His love is unchanging and always so fervent!
PHOTOS BY HECTOR DELEON II
“Love that leads to “Love that leads to marriage is a gift from marriage is a gift from God and a great act of God and a great act of faith toward other faith toward other human beings.” human beings.”
--JPII JPII
Being a student involved at the St. Lawrence Center has given me knowledge and truths that have readied my heart and prepared it for the Sacrament of Marriage. Through the St. Lawrence Center, I have reexamined first what it means to be a Christian on my own which is to love, to take up my cross and lay down my life for love From that place of sturdy foundation, I have been able to reexamine my understanding of marriage and asked myself what this looks like as a Christian vocation.
Although there will be immense joys, just as you see in the life of
Jesus, I know that I will also share in the Passion of Jesus Christ. This is an essential piece of the Christian life, and it is essential to understand and unpack during the season of engagement as well. At the end of the day, there is no greater love to love with than the love of Jesus from the cross.
My fiance, Cale, and I will both graduate this May We will enter into marriage together this June in Rome, Italy. We’re excited to see where the Air Force takes us and begin living out the beautiful sacrament of married life.
I am an English teacher in rural Japan working at five elementary schools and one junior high school for grades 3-9 through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. I live on a subtropical island in Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto.
During my time at St Lawrence, I was involved in various ministries One of my favorites iwas the Institute of Faith and Culture (IFC). My favorite class during my time at KU was in my very first semester: Professor Elizabeth Kirk’s “Who am I?” course, which set the foundation for my spiritual growth in college. I also participated in and led several student retreats. Additionally, it was a great honor to be able to serve as a reader and EMCH at the celebration of the Mass
perspectives and backgrounds I came back to the sacraments and the people of St. Lawrence when my well ran dry, and I needed to be re-energized and continually formed in how to evangelize. You cannot give what you don’t have, and through St. Lawrence I was able to receive what I needed to love others well.
In so in many ways, the region is vastly different from Kansas. However, I find the spirit of Kansas and Kamiamakusa to be quite similar: one of friendliness and laid-back attitudes
Because of the St Lawrence Center, I have discovered my passion for learning and teaching the faith to others, whether it is formally through a seminar for Catholics or casually through a discussion with a curious friend of a different religion. The University of Kansas was a particularly fruitful place to put this lesson in practice, as I was able to engage with and respectfully converse with people from a wide variety of
Because I live in a rural area, it takes me an hour to drive to Mass on Sunday The parishes are often small and have few options for Mass times and sacraments As a result, I never take the Mass or sacraments, especially reconciliation and the Eucharist, for granted. I am often moved to tears whenever I do have the chance to sit in a chapel and pray in the presence of Christ.
At the same time, I am deeply moved by the Catholics in Japan, whose faith I have found to be strongly devout and humble
Catholics make up around 0.3% of the population of Japan, yet my JET Program placement was providentially located in the area where Christianity has historically flourished
St. Francis Xavier evangelized to many people in my region who converted to Christianity. Christianity was outlawed by the government who viewed it as a threat. Hundreds of thousands of Christians were martyred, 20,000 in my area alone. The few who survived were forced to hide their faith To their surprise, a miracle occurred
They found a small group of Hidden Christians who had
continued to carry on Catholic traditions and prayers. I have met descendents of these people at the parishes I attend and the places I work Their faith and the faith of the presentday Japanese Christians gives me great hope, and I desire to strengthen my trust and relationship with God to be like theirs.
I plan to stay in Japan until the summer of 2024, before returning to the US and pursuing a career and Master’s in global affairs and public policy, working to improve the lives of ordinary Americans and to build peace throughout our communities
"THEIRPHOTOS BY LILY NGUYEN
MOLLY MCKEITHAN
A few months back, I stopped and chatted after Mass with the priest at my home parish. We got talking about work, life as a newlywed, my family (he has known my family for 30+ years) and what it meant to be a good Catholic.
I mentioned that I didn't always feel like the best Catholic because I don't make enough time for prayer, I am not a loud evangelizer like my coworkers and sometimes I question why I work at a Catholic Student Center. Voicing those feelings and stating how I felt opened up the door for a beautiful conversation.
It helped me realize that I don't have to fit into this perfect box I can be meeven if it is outspoken, business driven and sometimes against the status quo, which is exactly what we hope our students will see and learn from. Our experiences help shape who we are as people, as Catholics, and how we treat those around us.
So, if you've ever questioned how you fit into the mission
I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU! EMAIL ME AT MMCKEITHAN@KUCATHOLIC.ORG
of St. Lawrence, the answer is probably easier to find than you might expect. Your support as an alumni, parent, grandparent, benefactor or permanent community member matters.
You have the opportunity to directly impact the course of these young individuals' lives So find what you can do- big or small- and commit to it
St Lawrence has some pretty amazing students who are all puzzle pieces in the mission of the Catholic Church at KU.
Your love, prayers and support are are incredibly important to the mission of St. Lawrence. I hope you understand, too, that your investment in these students is, and will continue to change the lives of the next generation of the Catholic Church
Derek Engel and Paige (Klimas) married October 22, 2022
Gracie (Horvat) and Connor Bickford married November 11, 2022
Francesca (Pack) and Taylor Whitlow married November 23, 2022
David Bohler and Libby (Reazin) married December 10, 2023
Teresa (Killian) and Matthew DeWitt married December 31, 2022
Drew Kanne and Karoline (Lane) married January 21, 2023
Audrey (Thomas) and Michael Gorman married January 28, 2023
David Henri Menager and Erica Menager married February 25, 2023´
EmilioMiguelAugustineofTinaandMychalAugustinebornSeptember21,2022
AudreyGraceBryantofAndreaBryantandJeremyBryantbornSeptember29,2022
AdaThereseFrancoisofMoeandPhilFrancoisbaptizedOctober2,2022
NoraElizabethCristofMeganAllenCristandTravisCristbornNovember17,2022
SamuelAlfonzoPopeofEmily(Vallejo)andAJPopebornDecember16,2022
LeahThereseDeLeersnyderofConnerandChrisDeLeersnyderbornJanuary6,2023
JulietteLourdesSchmeidlerofRoyandEmilySchmeidlerbornFebruary18,2023
OliviaAgnesJennifer(Schmitz)GravemanandMichaelGravemanbaptizedFebruary26,2023
LorettaFrancesofofSteveandShireen(Kukereja)bornFebruary28,2023
JosephJohnSorrentinoofThomasandVictoria(Godfrey)bornMarch20,2023
Kanne Wedding
Francois Baptism
Whitlow Wedding
Bohler Wedding
Graveman Baptism
Fr Mitchel Zimmerman
Fr Dan Morris
Stacy Cretors
Molly McKeithan
Nick Labrie
Ellen Flood
Misty Stephenson
Madison Abbott
Jesse Henkensiefken
Mark Wertin
Brenna Dillon
Alli Petty
Sarah Wessel, FOCUS
Sean Clennan, FOCUS
Erin Kasprowicz, FOCUS
Kellie Flemming, FOCUS
Ethan Caligur, FOCUS
