What are the Top 5 Newman Centers in the U.S.?
I'm no expert, but here's my list:
#5: University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
#4: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.
#3: University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL.
#2: Texas A&M, College Station, TX.
And the best of the best:
#1: University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
Why do I think so highly of these five Newman Centers? They are faithful to the Church, they are evangelizing students to Christ and to radical discipleship as Catholics, the Sacraments are flourishing there, they have solid Priests in leadership, they are fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life and to heroic, godly marriages.
Many of these strong Newman Centers have a chapter of FOCUS ("Fellowship of Catholic University Students") associated with them. FOCUS is an outstanding, rapidly expanding Catholic ministry on dozens of American campuses that is developing an impressive track record for strengthening the Catholic faith of thousands of college students. If your son or daughter is choosing which public university to attend, find out if FOCUS (http://www.focusonline.org/) is on campus.
What do you think? Do you know any Newman Centers or Catholic Campus Ministries on public universities that you think should crack the Top 5? Go ahead and send in your favorites and, perhaps, say a bit about why they rank so highly.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
College Students and the Parish, Part Three: When They're Back Home
Most college students return home several times each year, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Summer break. Do they find a ready welcome back at their home parish?
Here are three homecoming ideas:
1. Get the college students together with the parish youth group. High school students are fascinated by college, and by college students. They are eager to hear all about life on campus. Let's use that to the Lord's advantage. Get your returning college students over to the parish youth group, the Confirmation retreat, the high school Religious Ed classes. Invite them to speak about what their Catholic faith means to them as a college student, how they've struggled to make Sunday Mass a priority and to keep their morals and relationships in line with Christ's commandments. I guarantee that your high school students will be listening attentively.
2. Get the college students over for a home-cooked meal. Better yet, serve the meal at the home of one of your college student's parents. And be sure to get the pastor over for dinner that night as well. After a semester or two of endless feeding at the campus cafeteria trough, it is no surprise that college students return with a newfound appreciation for home cooking. They are eager to socialize with their old high school friends, but they're short on cash and, thus, quite willing to visit a real home with a real kitchen, a real fireplace, a real family.
And the pastor? He will be amazed at how much his young parishioners are eager to see Father again, to discuss their experiences at the Newman Center and in philosophy class. Parents of college students have noted this wonderful transformation for years: When formerly taciturn children come home from their first semester in college, they often surprise their elders with a maturing capacity for thoughtful conversation and even reflective faith sharing.
3. Ask them if anything's been stirring in their hearts regarding a vocation. Granted, most Catholic college students are not thinking about joining the seminary or the convent anytime soon. But many of them are thinking and praying about the big questions of life and faith, now that they are in the big world on their own. Every pastor should meet with every one of his college-age parishioners at least once a year while they are home.
Several years ago, the Knights of Columbus conducted a comprehensive study of newly ordained priests throughout the United States to examine which factors had led to their priestly vocations. Can you guess the #1 factor? The longer a pastor was serving in his parish, the more likely it was that his parish would foster vocations. It makes sense: The future priest knew his pastor through all of the ups and downs of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. When that young man finally began to consider a priestly vocation, the old pastor was still around. A wise and stable pillar. A trusted spiritual counselor. A father.
One final note: When men and women serving in our armed forces return to our parishes, I trust that we welcome them back with honor and gratitude. Likewise, many of our Catholic college students are engaged in spiritual warfare every day on their campuses as they seek to live their faith and share their faith. Let's remember them, and honor them, on the homefront.
Here are three homecoming ideas:
1. Get the college students together with the parish youth group. High school students are fascinated by college, and by college students. They are eager to hear all about life on campus. Let's use that to the Lord's advantage. Get your returning college students over to the parish youth group, the Confirmation retreat, the high school Religious Ed classes. Invite them to speak about what their Catholic faith means to them as a college student, how they've struggled to make Sunday Mass a priority and to keep their morals and relationships in line with Christ's commandments. I guarantee that your high school students will be listening attentively.
2. Get the college students over for a home-cooked meal. Better yet, serve the meal at the home of one of your college student's parents. And be sure to get the pastor over for dinner that night as well. After a semester or two of endless feeding at the campus cafeteria trough, it is no surprise that college students return with a newfound appreciation for home cooking. They are eager to socialize with their old high school friends, but they're short on cash and, thus, quite willing to visit a real home with a real kitchen, a real fireplace, a real family.
And the pastor? He will be amazed at how much his young parishioners are eager to see Father again, to discuss their experiences at the Newman Center and in philosophy class. Parents of college students have noted this wonderful transformation for years: When formerly taciturn children come home from their first semester in college, they often surprise their elders with a maturing capacity for thoughtful conversation and even reflective faith sharing.
3. Ask them if anything's been stirring in their hearts regarding a vocation. Granted, most Catholic college students are not thinking about joining the seminary or the convent anytime soon. But many of them are thinking and praying about the big questions of life and faith, now that they are in the big world on their own. Every pastor should meet with every one of his college-age parishioners at least once a year while they are home.
Several years ago, the Knights of Columbus conducted a comprehensive study of newly ordained priests throughout the United States to examine which factors had led to their priestly vocations. Can you guess the #1 factor? The longer a pastor was serving in his parish, the more likely it was that his parish would foster vocations. It makes sense: The future priest knew his pastor through all of the ups and downs of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. When that young man finally began to consider a priestly vocation, the old pastor was still around. A wise and stable pillar. A trusted spiritual counselor. A father.
One final note: When men and women serving in our armed forces return to our parishes, I trust that we welcome them back with honor and gratitude. Likewise, many of our Catholic college students are engaged in spiritual warfare every day on their campuses as they seek to live their faith and share their faith. Let's remember them, and honor them, on the homefront.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
College Students and the Parish, Part Two: A New Effort to Bridge the Gap
The bridge between the home parish of Catholic college students and their new campus has often been washed out at each end: On the parish end, no one seemed to be tracking the graduating seniors who were going off to college. On the campus end, no one seemed to be tracking the newly arriving Catholic freshmen.
And the results are nothing to be proud of: Fewer than 20 percent of Catholic college students attend Mass after their first year.
And now, some good news: Enter the "College Connection for Catholics" (CCC) program, whose goal is to help the 1.25 million U.S. Catholic students who graduate from high school each year to find their way to greater participation in the life and mission of the Church during their college years.
Mrs. Judy Cozzens, chair of College Connection for Catholics, is dedicated, and realistic, "We're trying to increase the faith participation of young people in the Church, and in order to do that we have to fight for their attention, just like everybody else has to fight. We have to make sure we're in the game."
This past spring, members of a dozen Serra Clubs throughout Minnesota gathered graduating seniors' names, addresses, and information on the colleges they were planning to attend from their parents, parishes, and schools. The Serrans then sent each student a packet with information about the Newman Center, campus ministry, Catholic student groups, and parishes on or near that student's campus.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the "bridge," student information was compiled on a database set up through National Evangelization Teams ("NET") Ministries in West Saint Paul, Minnesota, and then was sent to the campus ministry or parish at the student's new college.
Hats off to Judy Cozzens (proud mom of Fr. Andrew Cozzens), to the ever-inventive Serra octogenerian, Mr. Donald Traxler (651-699-7827, traxlerdonald@msn.com) and to all of the folks with Serra and NET Ministries for this pioneering effort.
As I noted in my blog posting yesterday, there is a brief window of spiritual opportunity during a Catholic freshman's first days on campus. Let's pray, in these crucial opening days of the fall semester, that hundreds of thousands of Catholic college students will join with good Catholic classmates and organizations and, most importantly, will stay joined with Jesus Christ, His Church and His Sacraments.
(See Susan Klemond's article in The Catholic Spirit, "Serra program keeps college students connected to faith": www.thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3275&Itemid=134)
And the results are nothing to be proud of: Fewer than 20 percent of Catholic college students attend Mass after their first year.
And now, some good news: Enter the "College Connection for Catholics" (CCC) program, whose goal is to help the 1.25 million U.S. Catholic students who graduate from high school each year to find their way to greater participation in the life and mission of the Church during their college years.
Mrs. Judy Cozzens, chair of College Connection for Catholics, is dedicated, and realistic, "We're trying to increase the faith participation of young people in the Church, and in order to do that we have to fight for their attention, just like everybody else has to fight. We have to make sure we're in the game."
This past spring, members of a dozen Serra Clubs throughout Minnesota gathered graduating seniors' names, addresses, and information on the colleges they were planning to attend from their parents, parishes, and schools. The Serrans then sent each student a packet with information about the Newman Center, campus ministry, Catholic student groups, and parishes on or near that student's campus.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the "bridge," student information was compiled on a database set up through National Evangelization Teams ("NET") Ministries in West Saint Paul, Minnesota, and then was sent to the campus ministry or parish at the student's new college.
Hats off to Judy Cozzens (proud mom of Fr. Andrew Cozzens), to the ever-inventive Serra octogenerian, Mr. Donald Traxler (651-699-7827, traxlerdonald@msn.com) and to all of the folks with Serra and NET Ministries for this pioneering effort.
As I noted in my blog posting yesterday, there is a brief window of spiritual opportunity during a Catholic freshman's first days on campus. Let's pray, in these crucial opening days of the fall semester, that hundreds of thousands of Catholic college students will join with good Catholic classmates and organizations and, most importantly, will stay joined with Jesus Christ, His Church and His Sacraments.
(See Susan Klemond's article in The Catholic Spirit, "Serra program keeps college students connected to faith": www.thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3275&Itemid=134)
Monday, August 23, 2010
College Students and the Parish, Part One: Off to College, Off the Radar?
This week I will be discussing the place of the parish in supporting the faith of its members who are away at college.
First, the obvious, and unfortunate, fact: Most parishes take little interest in the spiritual growth of their college-age parishioners, especially those who are residing at a university away from home. "Isn't that what those Newman Centers are for?" Well, yes ... if the student ever finds his or her way to the Newman Center. Many a young Catholic who was dragged to church in high school by his parents has not developed the initiative, or the moral conviction, to keep going to Sunday Mass when no one is dragging them. (And we will wait until next week to consider the growing percentage of Catholic parents who don't require their high school-age children to attend Mass.)
August Urgency: This very week, even as we type, there is a narrow "window" of time across America's universities, typically lasting just a few days, when freshmen are willing to make new friends in the residence hall, add new texting addresses, check out a campus club, ... and put Mass into their regular Sunday schedule. By this time next week, the window will be closed, the basic rhythm of weeknight studies and weekend partying will be set and, if Mass is not yet in the Sunday routine, it most likely never will be.
Tomorrow: Good news! Some creative initiatives to keep our college-age Catholics alive in the Faith.
First, the obvious, and unfortunate, fact: Most parishes take little interest in the spiritual growth of their college-age parishioners, especially those who are residing at a university away from home. "Isn't that what those Newman Centers are for?" Well, yes ... if the student ever finds his or her way to the Newman Center. Many a young Catholic who was dragged to church in high school by his parents has not developed the initiative, or the moral conviction, to keep going to Sunday Mass when no one is dragging them. (And we will wait until next week to consider the growing percentage of Catholic parents who don't require their high school-age children to attend Mass.)
August Urgency: This very week, even as we type, there is a narrow "window" of time across America's universities, typically lasting just a few days, when freshmen are willing to make new friends in the residence hall, add new texting addresses, check out a campus club, ... and put Mass into their regular Sunday schedule. By this time next week, the window will be closed, the basic rhythm of weeknight studies and weekend partying will be set and, if Mass is not yet in the Sunday routine, it most likely never will be.
Tomorrow: Good news! Some creative initiatives to keep our college-age Catholics alive in the Faith.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A Not Unimportant Side Point from Last Night's Mission Appeal Homily
In his Mission Appeal Homily on behalf of the wonderful "Voluntas Dei" institute of Catholic seminarians in India, Father James Burns briefly mentioned the parish churches of India that are packed for Mass on Sundays.
Many of us are aware of the very high rates of Mass attendance by Catholics in the Kerala region of India, as well as the large numbers of priestly and religious vocations there. Until recently, it was not unusual to have nearly 100% of the parish present at every Sunday Mass and, if a parishioner did not show up, the congregation would go to his or her home afterwards to see if they were ill. As recently as 20 years ago, it was estimated that 1 out of every 50 adult Catholic men in India was a priest or religious brother. (By that reckoning, my Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis would have nearly 4,000 priests and brothers, which is, well, a few more than we currently have...)
Do the Catholics of Kerala have a secret that we don't know about? Not really. In fact, these astounding statistics, sadly, are in decline much like those in the United States over the past 40 years, due especially to secularizing tendencies and a steady decline in the size of Indian Catholic families.
Nevertheless, there is a salutary custom that we should discover, or rediscover: the home visit. Indian Catholics report to me that nearly every Catholic family could expect a weekly visit by their parish priest. If he did not visit their particular home each week, he would visit a neighboring family, and the nearby families would also gather at that home for an evening of prayer, catechesis, and informal hospitality.
Consider the impact this has had on vocations! Even here in the United States, I can often tell the difference between families who have had priests visit their homes and those who have not. There is a relaxed yet respectful tone, the children are confident and attentive in the priest's presence, the parents find it natural to steer the conversation toward topics that will be interesting and spiritually beneficial to their sons and daughters.
It can be a challenge for parish priests to make regular home visits. But it can also be an enormous blessing. Just ask the Catholics of India.
[To listen to Father Burns' Homily, click www.transfigurationmn.org/worship/Audio.Homily.htm.]
Many of us are aware of the very high rates of Mass attendance by Catholics in the Kerala region of India, as well as the large numbers of priestly and religious vocations there. Until recently, it was not unusual to have nearly 100% of the parish present at every Sunday Mass and, if a parishioner did not show up, the congregation would go to his or her home afterwards to see if they were ill. As recently as 20 years ago, it was estimated that 1 out of every 50 adult Catholic men in India was a priest or religious brother. (By that reckoning, my Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis would have nearly 4,000 priests and brothers, which is, well, a few more than we currently have...)
Do the Catholics of Kerala have a secret that we don't know about? Not really. In fact, these astounding statistics, sadly, are in decline much like those in the United States over the past 40 years, due especially to secularizing tendencies and a steady decline in the size of Indian Catholic families.
Nevertheless, there is a salutary custom that we should discover, or rediscover: the home visit. Indian Catholics report to me that nearly every Catholic family could expect a weekly visit by their parish priest. If he did not visit their particular home each week, he would visit a neighboring family, and the nearby families would also gather at that home for an evening of prayer, catechesis, and informal hospitality.
Consider the impact this has had on vocations! Even here in the United States, I can often tell the difference between families who have had priests visit their homes and those who have not. There is a relaxed yet respectful tone, the children are confident and attentive in the priest's presence, the parents find it natural to steer the conversation toward topics that will be interesting and spiritually beneficial to their sons and daughters.
It can be a challenge for parish priests to make regular home visits. But it can also be an enormous blessing. Just ask the Catholics of India.
[To listen to Father Burns' Homily, click www.transfigurationmn.org/worship/Audio.Homily.htm.]
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Lord, I Am Not Worthy that You Should Enter under My Roof
Do our parishioners celebrate Mass humbly? An unusual question, perhaps. We more typically discuss liturgical participation in terms of reverence or prayerfulness or piety. Nevertheless, the question remains: Do the liturgies at our parish have a humble, and humbling, quality? Are parishioners brought to greater humility by attending Mass? Should they?
Humility towards God has sometimes been described as a virtue by which we know who we are, and know Who we are not, and then proceed to live accordingly. The Mass is a sublime encounter with the thrice-Holy God, and in that encounter we acknowledge our sins before Him, we praise Him, we listen to Him and obey Him, we offer ourselves to Him through the Perfect Offering and Sacrifice of Christ Jesus to God the Father. We receive Him under our roof, unworthy as we are.
"Unworthy"?
A congregation filled with parishioners who have not bothered to go to Confession for a long time cannot but feel a jarring contrast between the contrition implied and required within the Liturgy, and the resistance they have offered towards God's rich mercy waiting for them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To relieve this tension, some parishes simply downgrade the humble, suppliant aspect of the Eucharist, presuming that a "celebration" by its very nature must steer clear of humility, lest it be dampened by a gloomy, even emotionally unhealthy, tone.
And the less-than-felicitous result? Fewer and fewer Catholics showing up to celebrate.
Humility towards God has sometimes been described as a virtue by which we know who we are, and know Who we are not, and then proceed to live accordingly. The Mass is a sublime encounter with the thrice-Holy God, and in that encounter we acknowledge our sins before Him, we praise Him, we listen to Him and obey Him, we offer ourselves to Him through the Perfect Offering and Sacrifice of Christ Jesus to God the Father. We receive Him under our roof, unworthy as we are.
"Unworthy"?
A congregation filled with parishioners who have not bothered to go to Confession for a long time cannot but feel a jarring contrast between the contrition implied and required within the Liturgy, and the resistance they have offered towards God's rich mercy waiting for them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To relieve this tension, some parishes simply downgrade the humble, suppliant aspect of the Eucharist, presuming that a "celebration" by its very nature must steer clear of humility, lest it be dampened by a gloomy, even emotionally unhealthy, tone.
And the less-than-felicitous result? Fewer and fewer Catholics showing up to celebrate.
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Daily Mass Readings as an Examination of Conscience
The Word of God is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). That sword is more than capable of piercing our sinful minds and hearts, shedding light upon the spiritual and moral darkness of our souls.
Today's Responsorial Psalm for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Psalm 119, is an extended meditation on fidelity to God's word: "How shall a young man be faultless in his way? By keeping to your words. With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands" (Ps 119: 10-11).
There are many fine ways to make an examination of conscience. Certainly a review of the Ten Commandments is the most common one. A consideration of our thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the virtues and vices is another. Let us approach the daily readings at Mass as yet another trustworthy way to prepare ourselves for a good Confession.
As I taught seminarians over the past few years, I discovered something that every teacher has long recognized, namely, that there is great power in the statement, "This will be on the exam." Suddenly, as if awakening from slumber, the students reach for their pens to jot down the words just uttered. "Uh, Father, would you mind repeating that?"
On Judgment Day, God's Word will be a most relevant topic for examination. Let us examine ourselves now in the light of that Word, and hasten to Confession.
Today's Responsorial Psalm for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Psalm 119, is an extended meditation on fidelity to God's word: "How shall a young man be faultless in his way? By keeping to your words. With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands" (Ps 119: 10-11).
There are many fine ways to make an examination of conscience. Certainly a review of the Ten Commandments is the most common one. A consideration of our thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the virtues and vices is another. Let us approach the daily readings at Mass as yet another trustworthy way to prepare ourselves for a good Confession.
As I taught seminarians over the past few years, I discovered something that every teacher has long recognized, namely, that there is great power in the statement, "This will be on the exam." Suddenly, as if awakening from slumber, the students reach for their pens to jot down the words just uttered. "Uh, Father, would you mind repeating that?"
On Judgment Day, God's Word will be a most relevant topic for examination. Let us examine ourselves now in the light of that Word, and hasten to Confession.
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