We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

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

ESTEEM Reflection on a Homily

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

Retreatant Testimony on Boiler Awakening

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

Time for God Throughout the Week

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

1st Sunday Lenten Reflection

Every Friday of Lent we will be posting the coming Sunday’s Lenten Reflection.

 

 

February 26th 2012:

1^st Reading: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
2^nd 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

What to Give Up for Lent

“What should I give up for Lent?” When asking yourself this, often the first things that come to mind are the least challenging for you personally.  However, we are challenging you to not only give something up for Lent, but to add something too! So to help you brainstorm as you indulge yourself in Mardi Gras festivities today, we have asked Emma Ferrell to give us her insight on what she thinks giving something up for Lent is all about.

Lenten Sacrifice Through Service

New Orleans 2010 (Emma: Center with the pink sunnies)

With the start of Lent this week, I found it appropriate to discuss our responsibilities during this time. It is not that we have a responsibility to give something up, but we have a responsibility over the next 40 days to replace something in our life with God’s presence.  I personally try to find something that I enjoy, even tend to rely on, and then give that up. This year I am giving up soda, I usually rely on the caffeine to “get me through the day.” By giving up the caffeine I tend to rely on, I am also forcing myself to focus on why I’ve given it up every time I’m faced with it…which is every day, multiple times a day.  This goes hand-in-hand with dedicating time to add something to my daily routine during Lent. I know I will be turning to my prayer life to lead me through the day instead of caffeine, which will be more fulfilling. I have found in the past when I do something positive to enhance my faith and relationship with Christ that I am much more prepared when Easter comes. Spring Break falls during the Lenten season, and this is another way that I have tried to add something challenging and positive to Lent.  This will be my third year choosing to go on Spring Break Mission trips with St. Toms to serve. This giving of my time and energy has been a great way for me to not only help those less fortunate, but have provided me with opportunities to deepen my faith and discover Christ through all that I come in contact. I challenge all of you to find a way to sacrifice for Christ this Lent as he gave the ultimate sacrifice, and to also to do something that will enable you to deepen your personal relationship with God.

God Bless.

-Emma Ferrell, 4th Day Coordinator and Lenten Sacrifice Connoiseur

If you give up the same thing every year and want to try something new, or if it’s your first time giving something up for Lent, we have provided a list of creative ideas below!

Ideas to Give Up:

-Facebook or another time consuming activity like video gaming

-Complaining

-The snooze button on your alarm

-Warm water for your shower

-Wearing make-up

Ideas to Challenge Your Daily Routine:

-Listen More

-Go to Daily Mass

-Intentionally offer a silent prayer for someone different at beginning of one of your lectures everyday

-Devotional every night before bed

-Dedicate a certain number of hours you’ll give to do some form of community service

Love Has Come

We asked Kevin Andres, Purdue University senior, to guest blog this week for PCS and we’re glad we did!  Whether you have Valentine’s Day plans to go out with a special someone or stay home and catch up on homework, Kevin gives us a snip-it of good life advice we should all read and spend some time reflecting on in our own lives.

Picture: Kevin and his fiance, Audrey Harbeson this Christmas Break right after their engagement

“With Valentine’s Day upon us, we are being reminded of the love we ought to show  others as well as the personal relationships (or lack thereof) that are present in our lives. Before commercialism commandeered this feast, this day was traditionally known as, ‘St. Valentine’s Day.’

Not much is known about St. Valentine but the tradition holds that he was a priest in Rome during the third century who spent his days marrying Christian couples, something the emperor considered a crime. St. Valentine died an undoubtedly noble martyr’s death, but is nonetheless remembered with little pieces of paper adorned with tacky red and pink hearts.

I am fortunate to have found the love of my life and I am pleased that we will be expressing our love sacramentally in the sigh of God and Church in the relatively near future. I know beyond doubt that I am making the right choice and am very thankful to have been blessed with someone so wonderful.

Today’s world, with its many privations, makes it hard to distinguish what true, authentic love looks like. So, at the expense of sounding like Dr. Phil (or, Father Patrick), I want to offer a few questions that you and your special someone can examine this Valentine’s Day: Does this person bring me close to God? Can I see myself with this person for the long term? Do we share similar values, ones that help both of us grow in holiness? Does this person bring out the best in me? Am I truly happy?

For those of you indulging in a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates by yourself this Valentine’s Day (hey, it could be worse, right?), I want to remind you that God loves you, has a plan for you and knows that is best. Love Him, trust Him and do not despair. By being patient and holy, God will reveal His plan for you in time.”

God Bless and have a great Valentine’s Day,

- Kevin Andres

Faith & Leadership

Have you heard people at St. Tom’s talking about ESTEEM and wondered, “What is that?” We asked ESTEEM participant Melanie Papariella to tell us a little more about what it is! Check it out below.

“ESTEEM is Engaging Students to Enliven the Ecclesial Mission. Funded through the generosity of an anonymous foundation, ESTEEM is a program answering the question of how to stay involved in church (no matter where life takes me) after college. A holistic approach, the program includes theological education, practical fieldwork, and mentoring opportunities for students. In the end, participants of ESTEEM are able to bring their skills learned in classes and in campus ministry programs to their new parishes, dioceses, and local Catholic agencies. Through ESTEEM, the spirit of faith, prayer, and service can continue to grow even after graduation.

So, what it is it really like? Well, once a week, eight of us get together for a lecture/discussion presented by a St. Tom’s staff member. These lecture/discussions have ranged in topics from leadership to social concerns. In addition, we read a number of books that relate back to the topic covered each week. Yes, I will admit, the time commitment can be a bit overwhelming. Nevertheless, the program has made it worth it!

Thus far, my favorite part of this program has been the mentor-ship. Each of us has been partnered up with a resident parishioner of St. Tom’s. On our own time, we meet with our mentor to talk about ESTEEM topics, the Church, or just what’s going on in our lives. In my meetings with my mentor, I have learned how important it is to persevere when joining a new community: “Each community is unique. Your talents and knowledge are needed, but it may take some time to figure out where you have been called to serve.” Thanks to my mentor, I know I can take my energy and enthusiasm to whatever parish God intends for me to join.

Without a doubt, college has been a big part of our lives. Moreover, the community of St. Tom’s is something near and dear to our hearts. St. Tom’s has always been there for us, through the thick and the thin. But like all good books, college will end. In a few months, we will dawn on the cap and gown and walk across the stage to receive our diploma. We will soon enter the real world. Some of us are ready, but I think it is safe to say that many of us are a little nervous. However, the eight of us know that ESTEEM is the bridge between college and the real-world. Faith is always a part of the journey. Wherever we may go, the Church has called us to share our gifts and talents, especially those in leadership. We can always find a home away from home in the Church. All it takes is perseverance and faith.

Thank you Church for having ESTEEM!

-Melanie Papariella

Boiler Awakening #4 Summit of Faith

Boiler Awakening is a student lead retreat held once every semester through St. Thomas Aquinas.  The next Boiler Awakening retreat BA#4 will be held the weekend of March 2nd-4th.  Applications for BA#4 are now posted and due by February 5th!

http://boilercatholics.com/sacraments-worship/mass-times/177

BA#4′s Coordinator, Luke Hoefer, reflects here to shed insight on how Boiler Awakening not only builds community in the church and on Purdue’s campus, but is essentially a small part in everyone’s summit of faith.

“All Are Welcome”

There is a man I know by the name of Ben Fuchs. He is currently a senior in communications at Ball State University, and grew up in Pendleton, Indiana. Simply put, Ben is one of my best friends, and has been instrumental in the growth of my faith.  My home parish is filled with people as unique and interesting as Ben Fuchs, and leaving that family when I moved to Purdue nearly four years ago was the toughest part of leaving home. My parents, high school friends, work acquaintances: all child’s play compared to leaving the strong and supportive community at Our Lady of Grace.

I struggled through my first few years of college trying to find a community that could measure up to the one I had at home. I looked everywhere, and could not find one that satisfied me. I even shunned the attempt of students at St. Toms who tried to reach out and invite me in. I thought, “How could they ever measure up to the people back at home?” Well, I was soon to find out just how they measured up.

My good friend Zach Haselhorst, who also hails from Our Lady of Grace, was a Co-Rector for St. Tom’s Boiler Awakening #2 last spring. He convinced me to attend the retreat, and I made it a goal to open myself to this new community and meet some new people. I didn’t have a huge circle of friends here at Purdue at the time, as I had been struggling to find that community at school. I figured this was a good opportunity to see what St. Toms had to offer, at the very least.

I remember very distinct parts of the weekend: Zach calling me out at different parts of the retreat, after already telling me what was coming next. Telling stories of pranks I had pulled at other retreats to Perry, Liz, and Sarah. Wearing leather pants for a skit. Reflecting and hearing other’s stories during small group time. It was an incredible weekend of spiritual growth for me; I was able to work through some issues that I had been dealing with for years. But more important than that was the community that Awakening built for me.

The core of my faith has always been centered on the idea of community. This is the forefront of my love for the Catholic Church. I share my faith not only with my friends, but all those in the congregation, all those in this country, and all those that celebrate the mass across the world. From the Vatican, to my home parish, to St.Tom’s sister parish in Haiti, St. Francis Xavier, every Catholic on the planet is connected through Christ and the Catholic Church. Awakening brings you into this, and shares it with you on a local level.

The people I now share my life with are those that I have met because of Awakening. I am truly blessed to be leading this retreat with Anna Lauer, who has become one of my closest friends because of Awakening. Because of the relationships that are formed at Awakening, our goal is not only to bring new people into the community of St. Toms, but also to strengthen the bonds of the relationships that are already there. That community and those relationships are the foundation of the Church. The mass is a celebration; a party. And you can’t have a party without other people.

Boiler Awakening is an invitation to that party.

-Luke Hoefer, Boiler Awakening #4 Coordinator

Alternative Spring Break

St. Toms offers 5 Spring Break mission trips for students.  Wether you have already decided to sign up to go on one this year, or are just hearing about these exciting opportunities, it’s not too late to sign up!

Two Purdue Catholic Students have profiled their experience on Spring 2011 missions here to help you decide if an alternative spring break is right for you too!

Pensacola, FL

I went to Pensacola, Florida for spring break in 2011. Myself, fifteen other students, two chaperones, and Fr. Patrick lived in a beautiful pink house on the beach, cooked together, cleaned together, worked together, and played together.  We built a house through Habitat for Humanity, prayed the rosary on the beach, celebrated mass at dawn, and threw Father Patrick a birthday party. While on the trip, Fr. Patrick asked us to really think about what we would say about our trip to our friends when we got back. Not “Oh, it was a lot of fun.” Or “It really made me appreciate what I have.” But something concrete. I used the word “life-changing.” Not only did the experience strengthen my spiritual life and inspire me to get more involved at St. Tom’s, I discovered what a wonderful community the Purdue Catholic Students truly have. The mission trip was the catalyst that plugged me into St. Tom’s, and now, I cannot get enough!

-Elizabeth Schwartz

Guyan Valley, WV (Appalachia)

Last spring break I travelled with a group of 28 students to Guyan Valley, West Virginia for a week that contained hard work, laughter, prayer, and a chance to live and work together in a Christian community. Guyan Valley is remote and run-down, one of the many towns left behind in the rise and fall of the coal industry. It is located in the heart of the mountains, meaning the scenery was incredible! My fellow Purdue students and I began every day with morning-prayer and then headed out to worksites where we did everything from re-building a front porch, to replacing rotting floors, to inserting insulation in a mobile home.  We became truly immersed in the mountain culture of West Virginia by talking with and learning from the people that we served. We even got to listen to a legitimate bluegrass band! It was an incredible experience that I will never forget!

-Audrey Harbeson

 

Full List of Mission trips for Spring Break 2012

-New Orleans, LA

-Pensacola, FL

-Guyan Valley, WV (Appalachia)

-Johnson City, TN

-Joplin, MO

Applications for Spring Break 2012 Mission Trips is due this Wednesday by 5:00.  Applications are available in the St. Toms office, or can be downloaded from the Boiler Catholics website @

http://boilercatholics.com/pcs/service/mission-trips