Building Bridges

The past two weeks have seen commencement ceremonies at St. Cloud State and the Technical/Community College.  This year in particular the Newman Center community saw a significant number of our most involved students graduate.  These students were involved as peer ministers, parish council members, liturgical ministers, regular Mass attendees and just around for a lot of our activities.  We continue to pray for them, and for all of our students moving into their summer break (the first summer academic session at SCSU starts tomorrow, so for some the break was very short!)

As I think of the final events of the year, I also think of the beginning of the year, and the fullness of their entire college experience.   How did these students come into relationship with the Newman community?  I remember one graduate who attended our first year student retreat a few years ago.  One graduate served on our parish council.  One taught our youth in our 789 program.  One sang in the choir, one served as a lector.  One was a peer minister; one went on several of our service trips.   One graduate I saw a couple times each semester at Sunday Mass, but not much else.   

Jesus tells his disciples in today’s Gospel reading, “Remain in my love…no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  As much as we keep track of how many students are attending our Masses each week, Bible study, meals, service opportunities and other events, ultimately we hope we are getting students to not only love God and each other, but to remain in that love.  We’ll do our best to get students to join us again in the fall, but not just so that we can feel good about our programs.  Ultimately we want to help students form a relationship with God that will last long after they leave us, whether it’s for a few months over summer or long after graduation from this campus. 

Statistics show that students involved in campus ministry activities are more likely to be engaged in their parish later in life.  There could be a few explanations for that, but I think the main reason is because they have had some experience of Christ in their time with us that they want to have again after they leave.  I hope it’s a realization that Christ calls them friends, loves them and calls them to love each other.  Helping students realize that is always my highlight of the year, and a reminder of what a privilege campus ministry is.

Ben Caduff