This will be our last blog for the semester. Thank you to everyone for reading the guest blogs and for helping us to advertise it this year! We would like to say welcome to Kate Dohney and Emma Ferrell, the new Communication Interns who will be handling this site next year.
It has been our pleasure to edit this blog & cater it to you!
Have a great summer,
Nicole & Kristina 
Our second senior reflection this week comes from Joel Lugo. Here’s what he had to say about his time at Purdue University and with St. Tom’s!
“It’s hard to believe I am at the end of my fourth year here at Purdue. Where did the time go? I have been so busy with end of the year projects and finals I haven’t had time to just sit and reflect on my experiences here. It’s strange to look back at freshman year. That time so long ago feels almost dream like. Each year at Purdue offered its ups and downs but at the end of them I was always coming back for classes the next year. Now, after I graduate, there are no more classes next year. It’s a frightening thought.
One thing that has been constant my four years here was the presence of St. Tom’s. Ever since I first asked Father Patrick if I could partake in the spring break mission trip freshman year my connection with St. Tom’s has only grown. This first mission trip led to four others and involvement with St. Tom’s in many of the activities it puts on. The friends I have gained and the strengthening of my faith have helped me through rough times. I know the friendships are true and will stay with me as the years go on. Through the work performed on the mission trips I have seen the love and generosity of others and the love for God others have. These experiences have made me want to continue to help and serve those in need after college.
When I look back at college in the years to come I hope to have the same fond memories I have today. I hope to still be in contact with the friends I have spent many a Sunday Night Dinners with. Mainly, I hope I will continue my faith that has developed so much over these past four years. I thank Purdue and especially those I have met through St. Tom’s for a wonderful four years. I am surely going to miss it.”
- Joel Lugo, senior
As the semester draws to a close, we have a few final blog reflections we will be sharing with you from graduating seniors who will be moving on to the next phases of their lives. We hope you enjoy reading what they have to say about Purdue University, St. Thomas Aquinas & PCS. Our first senior reflection this week comes from Jacob Niemeier.
“So as I sit here as a graduating senior, it just does not seem real that in less than 2 weeks I will be graduating from Purdue University. I mean what has happened to the last four years of my life. They seem to have gone by in the blink of an eye; I guess that is why they say time flies when you are having fun. I, certainly, have had fun. These last four years of my life have been the best years of my life. I have learned, grown, and experienced so much that if I were to write about every single thing I could write a novel. However, as I look back on my college career there are three things that I feel defined my experiences and who I am today.
One of these things that define my time a Purdue University is my participation and involvement as a fan in attending many of the Purdue basketball and football games. Memories from these events abound, but one of the strongest ones is when we rushed the field after we beat Ohio State who at the time was ranked number seven in the nation. It is really cool to say that I was there at the game when we upset Ohio State and especially to rush the field was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
Another thing that I feel has assuredly defined my college career is being a student in the ABE department. Not only do I feel like my education and learning have prepared me for a career; I, also, feel that because of the ABE department I have been blessed with the opportunity to experience many incredible things especially this past summer my trip to Togo, Africa which was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I owe a great deal to the ABE department and will forever be thankful.
However, of all the great things that I have experienced and been a part of at Purdue the thing that has defined my time at Purdue the most and ultimately has shaped me into I am today is St. Toms. St. Toms has in a sense been my home away from home ever since I began getting involved the second semester of my freshman year. The people I have met and the friends I have made because of St. Toms are people that I will never forget and are people that have had a profound impact on my life. Having the St. Toms community to fall back on is truly something that has helped me get through rough patches in my college career and ultimately made the good times twenty times better. From Campus Renew, to PCS events, to PCE, to Boiler Awakening, to mission trips (especially the Haiti mission trip), to being a Church Mouse, my faith and relationship with Jesus has experienced incredible growth. I can honestly say that I my faith have never been stronger than it is today, and I owe much of this to the incredible community, love, passion, and fire of the Holy Spirit present in the work, atmosphere, and people of St. Toms. Everything happens for a reason and it is clear to me now that St. Toms was meant to happen in my life.
‘All these people, all these things came into my life, and they’re all blessings from God. And now that I look back, I realize that these are His fingerprints all over my story.’”
“Its been real, its been fun; hell, its been real fun!”
Peace Out,
Jacob Niemeier
This week we asked one of our PCS Communication Interns, senior Kristina Bender, to write a reflection on her time as an intern with us. Here’s what she had to say!
(Kristina, being her usual self)
“I remember my first mass ever at St. Tom’s. I was a freshman and it was the Sunday before BGR started. I had just gotten everything unpacked in my new “really awesome” dorm room. I had googled “catholic churches” near Purdue University, found St. Tom’s and quickly darted off (in what I hoped was the right direction) to 11am mass! I remember sitting in the back of the church thinking to myself, “How am I going to leave my mark at Purdue University?”
Last spring PCS decided to offer intern positions, specifically 2 in Communication for students interested in helping to advertise and bring new fresh advertising ideas to PCS. I was hesitant to apply at first; I can only do so many things at one time. Something inside of my reminded me of my first mass at St. Tom’s and I began to think, “This is how I am going to leave my mark at Purdue University,” and so I applied.
I have had the honor of working with awesome advisors and phenomenal leaders over my past year and a half of being an intern. I have had the opportunity to work with all different kinds of people at St. Tom’s from students, staff and resident parishioners. I’ve also had the opportunity to show campus just who and what PCS is.
Working with PCS as a communications intern was very rewarding for me because it was my chance to give back. To give back to St. Tom’s which helped me grow so much in my faith life when I needed it most, a way to give back to the Purdue community which has been my home for the past 4 years and a way to give back to all the people who do wonderful things at St. Tom’s.
I highly encourage anyone who is interested in interning with PCS either as a Communications Intern or as a Social Concerns intern to do it. Apply for the position, take a chance to change your life, to give back to a church that is your home and to realize the potential opportunities that lie ahead of you.
As for what the future holds after my internship with PCS is over, I have no idea but I will take with me all that I have learned from my peers and the professionals at St. Thomas Aquinas. The relationships I have formed and the opportunities I have had are once in a lifetime.”
Thank you St. Tom’s & Purdue Catholic Students!
Kristina
Having recently been confirmed into the Catholic Church, we asked Nick Lancaster to share with us some of his experience from Easter Vigil and deciding to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, (RCIA).
Nick Getting a Hug from Father Patrick, with His Sponsor Alex Kosiak
After about 8 months, I was able to become Catholic… officially that is. Easter Vigil was an exciting night, that’s for sure! For one, my parents actually came, that was a tad bit of a shock because the previous weekend they said that they weren’t coming. Before everything started that evening, someone on the RCIA team, (I don’t know who he was, I had never seen him before), started yelling my name. Then he came to me and said, “Father Patrick would like to do your anointing.” I found this to be pretty awesome. Father Patrick has helped me get through a few things and I consider him a really good friend. I was super happy that he wanted to do my anointing.
When the time came to go up for confirmation, I walked up to Fr. Patrick with my sponsor Alex by my side. With a huge smile on his face we were greeted by Fr. Patrick’s saying, “Its about time.” I was overwhelmed with happiness and so excited, that I didn’t know what to say. All I really could do was smile. Then it came time for communion, to be perfectly honest, at the time the best part of that was not having to sit in the pew while everyone else went up, or just go up for a blessing. I felt connected with everyone in the church in a special way being able to take the Eucharist as a member of the Catholic Church.
As these past couple of days have gone by, I have noticed something has changed in me. I’ve noticed that I am happier, deal with stress much better, and I can actually pay attention in classes again. As I was writing, I came to the realization that all of the previously mentioned are because of the Eucharist. Just having the physical reminder that Jesus is always with us can make all the difference in the world. I am truly happy that I decided to enter the church and even though RCIA was a long process, it has led me here with no regrets.
-Nick, Brother in Christ
Last weekend the Purdue Catholic Graduate Students held their retreat entitled “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight.” PCGS president, Alfredo Tuesta, writes for our blog today to share about PCGS and the retreat.
Retreatants Having Some Fun, (you can find Alfredo with the big grin in the middle of the back row!)
Coming to Purdue University after graduating from another school is like stepping onto a college campus for the first time. Like a freshman you are starting all over again, except this time you aren’t quite so concerned about dorm traditions, school spirit, maintaining a high GPA or where the next party is. Instead you have bills to pay, research to conduct, papers to write, conferences to attend, and finding your niche with a brand new group of young adults with whom you share a lab and/or a living-space.
For the most part, this was the case for me and in the process I found the Purdue Catholic Graduate Students at St. Tom’s was an easy-going group of people sharing the same concerns at a similar state in their lives. We practice our faith together and share experiences that help us grow in Christ. This is particularly true in our Lenten Retreat which we have a week or two before Easter at a cabin-like house 20 minutes away from campus. Surrounded by hiking trails and wildlife, it is a perfect opportunity to leave work and research behind to reflect on our relationship with God.
This year’s theme was “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight” and was inspired by the upcoming Year of Faith. Our talks focused on our Baptismal calling to do Christ’s work on earth, Kenosis and what it means to purify your body and soul, and biblical stories of redemption and how God accepts us even in our lowest points. Together we prayed, cooked, ate, walked the Stations of the Cross, and participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Mass. I am very happy to have attended this retreat for the past three consecutive years. Every year’s retreat is different from the previous year and always has a soothing effect on me as I prepare myself for Easter. This is a retreat I would highly recommend to anyone seeking some time for themselves and for God.
-Alfredo, PCGS president
Like PCGS on Facebook: Purdue Catholic Graduate Students
This is our second installment of blog posts from Engaging Students to Enliven the Ecclesial Mission (ESTEEM). Our February 6, 2012 post shared with you an introduction to ESTEEM and what it means to senior Melanie Papariella to be a part of the the leadership program. Today, graduate student Emmanuela Ohaeri will share her response to a reflection question prompted to her during an ESTEEM meeting.
I challenge you to spend the time reflecting on this same question.
Reflect on a homily that had an impact on your faith life and why did this particular homily have such an impact?
The parable of the lost sheep was one homily that I always struggled with comprehending and believing as a teenager. This parable, which is one among the trilogy of redemption, appears in Matt 18: 12-14 and Luke 15: 3-7.
Matthew 18: 12-14 “Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the nighty-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy then the nighty-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
Luke 15: 3-7 “So he told them this parable. ’Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the nighty-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost.’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over nighty-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.’”
The level of care that the Father has, identified here as the shepherd, was difficult for me to understand. I always imagined the Father as caring for all His children and not necessarily on an individual, personal, and intimate level. I understood God as Transcendent, but I did not fully comprehend him as an Imminent God. Once I understood that a “good shepherd” does not rest until all his sheep are safely with him, and I saw and acknowledged God as the utmost Good Shepherd, I began to believe in my heart that God cares about me specifically. He desires to protect my heart, my well being, and my struggles as an individual. There is no good I can imagine for my life that will be greater than that my heavenly Father has in store for me. He will not forsake me when I stray away through sin or neglect, though He has other ‘sheep,’ He will not rest until I am safely back in His arms and with His flock.
In the end, there is a particular element at the root of this parable that speaks to the Paschal Mystery and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is difficult to reason out and understand why the God of the universe would leave His throne and enter into human form, just to suffer a most humiliating death. He did this in order to save His creation, you and I, from eternal damnation, and love is truly the only explanation for this. Love does not act based on merit or value, nor is it boastful or proud. For God is love and He sent His dearly beloved son as atonement for our sins. It is through the mystery of the incarnation, the sorrowful passion and resurrection of Christ, that we are freed from the chains of sin that enslave. We are free to love without condition.
Continue to love one another as Christ has loved us!
-Emmanuela Ohaeri, Purdue Catholic Graduate Student
Boiler Awakening #4: Summit of Faith
This past weekend the St. Tom’s Boiler Awakening retreat took place at Central Catholic. It was a weekend filled with prayer, worship, small group sharing, and a bunch of crazy retreat shenanigans. We’ve asked Erin Pollock, one of the retreatants on Boiler Awakening #4, to write a brief testimony to the weekends events and feeling as a whole. If you have been on Boiler Awakening we hope this will give you time to reflect, and for those readers who have never gone on Boiler Awakening, we hope this will get you excited about participating in the future!
“This past weekend I attended Boiler Awakening 4, and to be truthful I went into it with a different mindset than most people. Instead of being super excited, like I felt all the other retreatants were, I came into the retreat absolutely dreading it and quite honestly, a little frustrated with it because of all the secrecy. This semester I began the Right of Catholic Initiation for Adults (RCIA), and therefore I am still in the process of getting to know people at St. Tom’s. So on top of dreading the retreat, I was also extremely nervous about coming because I didn’t really know very many people. I found this had me being very closed off to the retreat in the beginning. I had heard so many great things about it though, and eventually figured if I was already there then I may as well get out of it what I could. I was upset I couldn’t loosen up. At some point, I decided to just do my best to enjoy the retreat as much as possible, and I am so happy that I did!!! Once I opened myself up to the retreat, I got so much out of it. I was able to meet some amazing people, be encouraged by others, and really experience the amazing community at St. Tom’s. I have never in my life felt so at home with a group of people I hardly know! It is amazing the transformation I felt over the weekend, and I can’t say enough good things about it. Boiler Awakening has helped me to find a home with the beautiful and wonderful community at St. Tom’s and allowed me to be changed into a better person by the grace of God. The best advice I have is if you have never been on it please GO! It is a wonderful experience that I will NEVER forget. Please do not pass up on this retreat, and most importantly if you go, have an open heart.”
God Bless,
Erin, Boiler Awakening Fanatic
March is already approaching and, although it’s the same month as Spring Break, we know that classes and activities can become stressful this time of the semester. During stressful times we can allow ourselves to become absorbed in the distraction, or we can focus on finding peace. There are many opportunities where we can choose to allow God into our weekly routine. John Seifert writes today about how he found that choosing to go to 9 p.m. mass every Wednesday has given him exactly this, peace in spending weekly time with God.
Over 100 Students at Wednesday Night 9 p.m. Mass
Before really getting involved at St. Toms, there would be many times throughout the week I would get frustrated with school, work, and my roommate. I lost focus on the things that were truly important and often approached stressful situations in a less than saintly manner. I realize now that I was dissatisfied with my weekly routine because I was living two separate lives. On the one hand I was an unhappy student angry at everything. On the other, I went to mass every Sunday and believed that by fulfilling my weekly obligation as a Catholic I deserved an easier time through life and classes then I was being presented with. See, it wasn’t bad that I only went to mass on Sundays, however this was where my time with God ended every week. I wasn’t allowing God to renew my spirit throughout my week. This realization came to me when a friend of mine invited me to go to a weekday mass at St. Tom’s. It was during that time I saw mass in a new light. Before I knew it I was going every day to mass. In setting aside a moment for God, I noticed my unhappy moments diminishing, with my approach to struggles becoming clear and kind. I have found that surrounding myself with a hundred of my closest friends at 9 p.m. mass every Wednesday has turned my life into something much better than I could have planed on my own. It’s not just going to mass for me anymore, because the community I have found at St.Tom’s is one I can share my faith with, eat lunch after mass with, or even just get a warm and welcome hug every time I see someone. Once I got in the habit of going to mass and dishing out awesome hugs, I began to see God at work all around, even outside of St. Toms. I went from dreading Sunday mass, to looking forward to it more then just on Sundays. Daily mass is how I remember God throughout my week, and how he reminds me to live my faith every moment of every day. I will use this opportunity to personally invite everyone and anyone reading this, and friends, to join the St. Toms community for a Wednesday night mass…there’s usually ice cream in the gather space after mass too! The Lenten season is the perfect time to find what draws you closer in your personal relationship with Christ. Whether it’s through a daily mass, or 10 minutes every night in the Word, it pleases God when we take anytime to seek him.
Peace & Hugs,
John, PCS Enthusiast
Every Friday of Lent we will be posting the coming Sunday’s Lenten Reflection.
February 26th 2012:
1st Reading: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
2nd Reading: Rom 5:12-19
Gospel: Mt 4:1-11
Today’s Gospel reading from Mark 1:12-15 marks the first Sunday of our Lenten season. It is a time for us to reflect on our personal lives and our relationship with God. As I reflected on not just this Gospel, but with today’s other readings as well, there was a powerful line that has stuck with me for a while: the line from Genesis 9:8-15, “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you”. For me, family is a huge part of my life. My main motivation for being in college is to set up the right foundation for the family that I one day wish to have. That includes making the right choices, meeting the right people, and understanding who I am and what I want for them. We are all part of God’s family, he understands all of that. He has set up a foundation for us to follow, and to be part of. Not just ourselves though, but for our families and descendants after. Lastly, there was a strong sense of commitment that I felt from God. Each day our commitment to God is challenged, but it is never challenged harder than it is during the Lenten season. As we go through Lent together as a parish and with the Catholic Church as a whole, understand that you’re not alone. God’s commitment to us all is very strong. As you go through Lent push yourself to stand strong in your commitment to him.
- James Douglas K “Nalu” Camanse, Student Parishioner
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