Finding Faith on Campus

May/June 2008 Issue | Posted by Joseph Pronechen in Everyday Apostles

Compass Points to Christ

Luke Zumo, Loyola University

Growing up in a Catholic family, Luke Zumo was already involved with his faith before college. As a senior at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La., he was a student minister, mentoring a small group of freshmen by learning and applying virtues and Gospel values.

But adjusting to classes, basketball, and campus life in his freshman year at Loyola University New Orleans left no time for anything. Then in his sophomore year, he was invited to a meeting of Compass. That’s a Catholic organization whose motto, “Take College Life in a New Direction,” did just that for him. Now a senior, he’s this year’s Compass vice president.

“It definitely provided a faith community here at Loyola,” says Luke. “That sense of community has provided me the opportunity to use the time and talent to spread Christ to others.”

He has done that in many ways, like planning the annual Compass retreat — “a good opportunity to pray for the Holy Spirit to work through me and the other members” — to joining Mission Hope one weekend to help gut houses to clean neighborhoods after Hurricane Katrina.

Last year, he and other Compass members traveled with Legionary Father Patrick Murphy to Santa Ana Zirosto, a little Indian village in the mountains of Mexico, to help the people patch their tin roofs and to build one entirely new home.

During the mission, Luke became a member of Regnum Christi, the Legion’s movement of apostolate. He was moved “to see how grateful these families were, offering us food and water all the time. It didn’t matter how little they had; they kept giving. There was definitely an experience of Christ in Mexico.”

“I remember coming back home being changed — my whole perspective on life,” he reflects. “In Mexico, these people have little but are so happy because they have their faith. We went to Mass with them and received Communion with them and saw how happy they are. At the core, I realized what makes them happy and sustains them — and what sustains us — is the faith they have in Christ.”

And receiving Christ at daily Mass. “Without that,” he finds, “it would be hard to bring Christ to others.”

Campus Legion of Mary

Joshua Kenz, Thomas Aquinas College

When Joshua Kenz first arrived at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, Calif., as a freshman and stopped at a recruitment table featuring campus clubs and apostolates, the Legion of Mary immediately caught his eye because it focused on the Rosary and works of mercy.

The former Boy Scout felt that while studying it was also important to keep active in service projects, like visiting nursing homes every Sunday. He felt the same way about devotions.

“The only real prayer I did as a kid was the Rosary,” he says. “That’s probably what kept me in the faith because my connection to the Catholic Church was the Rosary.”

Not only did he join Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Praesidium at Thomas Aquinas, but by sophomore year he was their treasurer, and during junior year he was president. Now as a 22-year-old senior, he is also president of the Legion’s Ventura County Curia, the supervisory board in charge of several praesidia.

Still, Joshua gives credit to others in the Legion of Mary for supporting and inspiring him. “Some put me to shame at times with their enthusiasm,” he says, in admiration of their commitment to serving Christ through Our Lady. “And that has spurred me on to keep up my devotional practices and service in an apostolic spirit.”

He finds spiritual anchors in the Rosary and works of mercy that emphasize personal contact with people. Every week in pairs or groups he and other Legion of Mary members carry out assigned apostolic activities. One such activity is visiting a nursing home to speak to the residents, pray the Rosary with them, distribute Miraculous Medals, and sometimes bring along a priest to hear confessions and give anointings.

“That’s one of the more beneficial works for me,” admits Joshua. Over time, the residents develop personal relationships with members and receive such comfort from the regular visits.

“Some of the residents who were resistant to praying the Rosary and talking to us when we first visited have started talking, then have started showing up and praying with us,” he says. “It takes a long time to notice the difference, but it shows up if you’re patient enough.”

Focus on the Faith

Kristen Fausey, Campus Leader

“I was a sponge, soaking it up and hearing the basic tenets of the Catholic Christian faith.”

So says Kristen Fausey of the women’s Bible study she joined in her junior year at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., when a member of Focus (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) arrived on campus to start it. Today, 26-year-old Kristen is Focus’ national coordinator of foreign missions.

“What struck me about the Focus missionaries was they truly lived what they were preaching,” says Kristen, then non-Catholic and “church-shopping.”

While at the 2002 Focus National Leadership conference, she describes a profound encounter with Jesus Christ at Eucharistic adoration, even though before that she didn’t even believe in the Eucharist.

“It was like nothing I experienced before,” she explains. “If that was truly Jesus, this must be his Church and it must be true. Right after that conference I made a decision to be Catholic — right away.”

While attending RCIA in her senior year, she became a Focus leader for the freshman women’s Bible study, started praying the Rosary with them, and filled her car with people for daily Mass.

After graduation, Kristen wanted to continue as a Focus missionary, helping college students “see what a beautiful gift we have in our Catholic faith,” she says. “I gave Jesus a simple Yes, and he gave me the whole Church.”

At the University of Nebraska, Kristen met Jena, a sophomore struggling, questioning, and about to leave the Catholic Church. Jena questioned Kristen about life issues.

“Led by the Holy Spirit, I laid out the Church teachings on contraception for her,” says Kristen. Jena walked out. But a week later she returned to thank Kristen. And God had a bigger plan.

“When I met her she was walking out of the Church,” says Kristen. “Now she’s entering the convent, the Sisters of Life, in August. Not anything I did was unique or profound. All I had to do was be there when she needed to ask the questions.”

Another woman, Amanda, had left the Church completely when Kristen got her to a Focus conference and Euchar­ istic adoration. Amanda is now working for natural family planning pioneer Dr. Thomas Hilgers, founder and director of the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha.

Says Kristen, “I got to sit there in front row seats to watch their lives change. It’s such a privilege.”E

Staff writer Joseph Pronechen

writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.

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