SEEK 2015

We went in January. 10,000 people in Nashville. All for Jesus.

FOCUS at UNC had the privilege of bringing 42 students to experience Jesus in a deeper way through talks, Mass, prayer, and a whooooole lot of JOY!

I could share stats with you, but I felt like the best way to sum up the power of your prayer and support, and the beauty of God's love would be to share some students' testimonies with you:

"God demonstrated how he loves me and how I need to let him love me. I am trying to make my own path and I am straying from his in the process. By letting him love me, I can step back and trust that he has a plan and it is better than anything I could think up myself."

"God had really opened up my eyes. I have been really shy about my faith because at my church it's only "older" people. I hadn't realized how many people my age also believed in God. I am no longer as shy and or embarrassed."

"Seek was an amazing experience for me. I went in worried that I wasn't going to get anything out of the Conference. I was excited for the talks and the 10 thousand people I knew would be there but I wasn't sure if I would get anything out of it. I thought I was pretty strong in my faith, I went to mass most days, I participated in bible study, I went to most Bear Catholic events, and overall I was the "perfect Catholic." The first day of the retreat was wonderful and I loved the speakers and I was enjoying the conference. The second day came around I felt a lot of doubt about the Eucharist. I'm a cradle Catholic so I have grown up with the Eucharist and believing in Jesus is in the Eucharist but all of the sudden I had a lot of doubt. I prayed about it the whole day and there were so many talks and different things that showed me that Jesus is truly is in the Eucharist but the main turning point was during Adoration. I was kneeling down during Adoration and I just started praying this prayer just saying the name Jesus. I said Jesus over and over again and all of a sudden I knew that it was Jesus. Jesus truly was in the Eucharist and God was with me. That is mainly my story but just a side note when I was in mass that morning I remember the bishop saying that it was the feast day of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. I never realized how much power the name of Jesus has and whenever I have doubts or I feel the devil attacking I say the name of Jesus and my doubts go away."

"I think SEEK was such a beautiful reminder that we are not alone in our faith journey, not only at UNC but in the world. We have so many brothers and sisters world wide who want to support us in our goal of heaven. Mass and adoration with 10,000 people was literally breathtaking; a sliver of heaven on earth. I think that for me, the biggest personal reminder I got from SEEK is that Jesus is constantly pursuing my heart, but it is my job to pursue him back. I have no reason to have reservations and was able to give my heart to Him fully, for the first time in my life. And to genuinely say, Jesus let my will be your will. I started this semester more motivated to pray daily and grow in knowledge of all of the churches teachings to better share my faith with others on campus. I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the people who helped make this possible, especially those who opened their wallets and donated. We really couldn't have gotten such a large group of UNC students to Nashville for this life changing event with out you!"

"God has renewed my desire for community and discipleship. I am still on a God high that i don't want to come down from! So because of this renewed desire, I have been more intentional in attending daily mass and bible study, as well as giving more attention and care to my disciples and my own discipleship process."

"I experienced God through the confessional and through the presence of the multitudes of the faithful young."

"Throughout all of the talks there was a resounding theme for me: you are not alone. Everyone carries their own cross and although each is different, all of our crosses are a burden to us. You are not alone and the people who are closest to you will (or should) understand and support you through your trials."

"Over SEEK, I really heard Jesus telling me, deep down in my heart, that I am not alone in all the struggles I go through. As I was looking at Him in Adoration, I truly felt Him lifting up my burdens to carry them alongside me. I knew, deep in my heart possibly for the first time, that I did not have to manage those difficult moments on my own. I realized how much those burdens are worth because of God's love for each soul, which I sometimes feel in my heart as well."

Glory be to GOD!

& thank YOU for your prayers and support that makes this all possible

Jorin's letter for you

To Cari and her Mission Partners,

Hello, my name is Jorin. I met Cari Devlin in August of 2014. I went to a BBQ Bear Catholic was hosting and did not know a single person there. Cari came up to me, saving me from every first year’s worst nightmare, and starting speaking to me about various topics. As our conversation progressed, we found out that we are actually from the same town and that we both dance. It was a match made in heaven for me. As the semester progressed, Cari became my friend and mentor. She encouraged me to attend Bear Awakening, a retreat that the Catholic campus ministry holds. That is where my transformation began. I encountered the Holy Spirit on this trip during adoration and truly began the healing process that I was not completely aware I needed. I come from a very irregular upbringing and had many walls and scars built up on my heart. It was time to begin taking the walls down and cleaning out the wounds that had lead me away from God for so long. I needed help and Cari was always there to listen, give me advice, make me laugh when I needed it, and to cry with me when I could not handle the memories any longer. She taught me through example of what Jesus’s kindness and love looks like and how he works through others. I personally had no idea what that love felt like for I did not believe I was worthy to have Jesus’s love. I began to fall back into old habits and drifted back to what was comfortable. Well, Cari was on me in a second.

She took me to dinner one night where I told her exactly how lost, empty, and worthless

I was feeling. She took me to the Chapel and began to pray with me and for me.

The other FOCUS Missionaries came down and began to pray with me as well. I am so grateful to Cari and all the other FOCUS Missionaries for that night because I began to feel alive again. Cari directed me to Father Brady, who had done my confession on Bear Awakening and knew my story. She continually encouraged me to meet up with Father Brady for spiritual direction. Father opened my eyes to where Jesus was in these memories and the feelings that lingered after. He gave me a step by step plan and I have been using this plan ever since. As time passed, I began to feel lighter. I no longer had to carry my past and the weight of the world on my shoulders.

God is more than capable of carry them for me and he had been begging me to let him take them from me for every long but I never cared to listen. I have learned many things in the last months and I want to share them with you.

Firstly, there are no coincidences. I went to that BBQ all alone and scared but

Cari, who is from the same home town as me, was there to welcome me. Every single person is worthy of God’s love no matter how badly they feel about themselves. He is abundantly strong and can handle anything you throw at him. You don’t need to worry he is always there waiting to hear your story. You can tell Jesus how your day was or the deepest, darkest depths of yourself and he will still love you and guide you through it. Listen and wholeheartedly trust in him. I encourage everyone to ask and accept the mercy of God for when you do you will learn forgiveness and how to love again. My life has changed. I am stronger, happier, and far more present in my life today. When you are constantly running from your past, you tend to forget about today and run to the future but eventually time will run out and then there is God. Take the time to let him love you; because once you do your life will fall into perfect place. I found confidence. I found myself in God and I have never been more at peace with past, who I am, and the woman I am becoming. Thank you, Cari, for giving me the opportunity to be complete and happy. Thank you to her mission partners and those who have helped hundreds of young adults find the Lord. If it was not for you, I would have never met Cari or the Lord. This testimony does not even come close to the gratitude I feel towards all of you. 
Thank you truly from the bottom of my heart. 
I will be praying for all of you

-Jorin

"Go, Do not be afraid, and Serve"

I was there, in Rio, for Pope Francis' address- the power the message could not be held back by barriers of language. 

In my previous post, I raved about it...and continue to use it with students. So, here are his words that he spoke on Copacabana Beach that July morning...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Dear Young Friends,

“Go and make disciples of all nations”. With these words, Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: “It was wonderful to take part in World Youth Day, to live the faith together with young people from the four corners of the earth, but now you must go, now you must pass on this experience to others.” Jesus is calling you to be a disciple with a mission! Today, in the light of the word of God that we have heard, what is the Lord saying to us? What is the Lord saying to us? Three simple ideas: Go, do not be afraid, and serve.

1. Go. During these days here in Rio, you have been able to enjoy the wonderful experience of meeting Jesus, meeting him together with others, and you have sensed the joy of faith. But the experience of this encounter must not remain locked up in your life or in the small group of your parish, your movement, or your community. That would be like withholding oxygen from a flame that was burning strongly. Faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on, so that everyone may know, love and confess Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and history (cf. Rom 10:9).

Careful, though! Jesus did not say: “go, if you would like to, if you have the time”, but he said: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Sharing the experience of faith, bearing witness to the faith, proclaiming the Gospel: this is a command that the Lord entrusts to the whole Church, and that includes you; but it is a command that is born not from a desire for domination, from the desire for power, but from the force of love, from the fact that Jesus first came into our midst and did not give us just a part of himself, but he gave us the whole of himself, he gave his life in order to save us and to show us the love and mercy of God. Jesus does not treat us as slaves, but as people who are free , as friends, as brothers and sisters; and he not only sends us, he accompanies us, he is always beside us in our mission of love.

Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us to everyone. The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. It is not only for those who seem closer to us, more receptive, more welcoming. It is for everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent. The Lord seeks all, he wants everyone to feel the warmth of his mercy and his love.

In particular, I would like Christ’s command: “Go” to resonate in you young people from the Church in Latin America, engaged in the continental mission promoted by the Bishops. Brazil, Latin America, the whole world needs Christ! Saint Paul says: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). This continent has received the proclamation of the Gospel which has marked its history and borne much fruit. Now this proclamation is entrusted also to you, that it may resound with fresh power. The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you. A great Apostle of Brazil, Blessed José de Anchieta, set off on the mission when he was only nineteen years old. Do you know what the best tool is for evangelizing the young? Another young person. This is the path for all of you to follow!

2. Do not be afraid. Some people might think: “I have no particular preparation, how can I go and proclaim the Gospel?” My dear friend, your fear is not so very different from that of Jeremiah, as we have just heard in the reading, when he was called by God to be a prophet. “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth”. God says the same thing to you as he said to Jeremiah: “Be not afraid ... for I am with you to deliver you” (Jer 1:7,8). He is with us!

“Do not be afraid!” When we go to proclaim Christ, it is he himself who goes before us and guides us. When he sent his disciples on mission, he promised: “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20). And this is also true for us! Jesus never leaves anyone alone! He always accompanies us .

And then, Jesus did not say: “One of you go”, but “All of you go”: we are sent together. Dear young friends, be aware of the companionship of the whole Church and also the communion of the saints on this mission. When we face challenges together, then we are strong, we discover resources we did not know we had. Jesus did not call the Apostles to live in isolation, he called them to form a group, a community. I would like to address you, dear priests concelebrating with me at this Eucharist: you have come to accompany your young people, and this is wonderful, to share this experience of faith with them! Certainly he has rejuvenated all of you. The young make everyone feel young. But this experience is only a stage on the journey. Please, continue to accompany them with generosity and joy, help them to become actively engaged in the Church; never let them feel alone! And here I wish to thank from the heart the youth ministry teams from the movements and new communities that are accompanying the young people in their experience of being Church, in such a creative and bold way. Go forth and don’t be afraid!

3. The final word: serve. The opening words of the psalm that we proclaimed are: “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 95:1). What is this new song? It does not consist of words, it is not a melody, it is the song of your life, it is allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus, it is sharing his sentiments, his thoughts, his actions. And the life of Jesus is a life for others. The life of Jesus is a life for others. It is a life of service.

In our Second Reading today, Saint Paul says: “I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more” (1 Cor 9:19). In order to proclaim Jesus, Paul made himself “a slave to all”. Evangelizing means bearing personal witness to the love of God, it is overcoming our selfishness, it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.

Three ideas: Go, do not be afraid, and serve. Go, do not be afraid, and serve. If you follow these three ideas, you will experience that the one who evangelizes is evangelized, the one who transmits the joy of faith receives more joy. Dear young friends, as you return to your homes, do not be afraid to be generous with Christ, to bear witness to his Gospel. In the first Reading, when God sends the prophet Jeremiah, he gives him the power to “pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (1:10). It is the same for you. Bringing the Gospel is bringing God’s power to pluck up and break down evil and violence, to destroy and overthrow the barriers of selfishness, intolerance and hatred, so as to build a new world. Dear young friends, Jesus Christ is counting on you! The Church is counting on you! The Pope is counting on you! May Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always accompany you with her tenderness: “Go and make disciples of all nations”. Amen

Perhaps a bit cliche

There are not enough "O's" to express how much I LOOOOOOVE Pope Francis. I always sounds silly expressing my admiration of our Church's Shepherd, as it sounds so cliche. But I do. I love love love him and "I don't care who knows it!" 

One time I read a silly post on the FOCUS blog about Catholic womanhood and #18 quotes, 

"Feeling slightly disrespectful because every time you see Pope Francis, you react as though you just saw a baby panda in a party hat."

-this is me- 

I mean, can you blame me?? The Holy Father is like the sweetest, cutest man you could ever ask for- and he's our Pope! I think he beats out the baby panda, even...

Not only has my love and respect for him infiltrated my dreams (I think I am at 3 dream cameos and counting...all in which we were basically buds)...but he has been inspiring me in mission, helping me to pass on the passion to students as well.

I HIGHLY recommend reading Evangelii Gaudium/Joy of the Gospel or ordering a copy for your convenience...because it is spectacular! I found myself highlighting phrases simultaneous to reading them, because I knew I would probably want to reference it later. I was right. I had always been hesitant to read papal documents and encyclicals, thinking they'd go way over my head beyond my comprehension- but I was wrong. Pope Francis' words cut to the heart and speak straight to the mission of the Church: spreading the Joy of the Gospel! 

Also, a document I have visited and revisited time and time again with students is his homily for the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2013: Go, Do not be afraid, and Serve. Here, he addresses all concerns or hesitations we have...and excuses we use for not evangelizing. This has been super helpful in expressing the truth to students that responding to Jesus' Great Commission is not just "a FOCUS thing" but the whole Church's "thing" and we are not alone.

Sharing the joy that the Gospel brings; the truth and fullness of life found in Jesus Christ -once we have experienced this ourselves- is then our obligation and joyous opportunity to share it with others! How can we keep such a love to ourselves?!  

In short, I love our Holy Father! I didn't want to keep these beautiful, wise words to myself. We are so blessed to have his leadership to the heart of Jesus, and he continues to encourage me in my mission. 

We are ALL called to mission by being a follower of Christ. Enjoy the words of our Holy Father, and "Go, Do not be Afraid, and Serve!"

little suprises

I am weak!

To be honest, there are definitely days when I feel like I've had enough and need to hide in my room to be alone for a while. It typically comes after some double-booked appointments, a list of too many "To Do's", and failed attempts to multi-task. Other times, however, there isn't a reason.

Yesterday fit into the latter. I guess it was a typical full day, but there wasn't any apparent reason for me to dread Bible study. 'Dread' may be a strong word in this case, but needless to say- I wasn't in the mood. I didn't think I could be enthusiastic or prepared enough for my freshmen girls....but I couldn't consider cancelling- we were completing the 5th chapter of the Crux study! The Crux is an initial 5 week study on FOCUSequip that lays down the foundation of Jesus. Many students enter in already knowing about Jesus...but usually have never considered the Gospel message before and why Jesus matters in their lives. The fifth chapter is the end: the most important tie-it-all-together chapter. The plan is to finish the Crux and individually recap with the students- making a specific invite to them to pursue a relationship with Jesus....and there I was prepping for Bible study not really wanting to go.  ....What?!

I went....and only one girl showed up. Another temptation to call it quits- but we carried on!

Our study started with her sharing how she had been implementing a new method of prayer I taught them last week. She was so excited about it and even shared it with her roommate! (uh...she's a little miss evangelizer and she doesn't even know it!) From there, we had the beautiful opportunity to talk about Jesus being "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) and where her relationship with Jesus is. If Jesus is who He says He is...and if He is the way to Heaven, then wouldn't we want to follow Him?? What are the repercussions if we don't? Who is He, what did He do...and why does it matter?? A lot of times we become desensitized to this very reality- thinking we are too far removed in time and space from the pivotal moment that someone proved His love for us by dying in the most embarrassing and gruesome way...and who would have done it still even if you were the only one alive.

wow. Wait, I almost considered passing this up?! hold the phone!

Our conversation went well beyond the typical question-answer-awkward-silence that comes with fresh Bible studies. Last night, my lone attendee was hungry to learn how to be in relationship with Jesus and not just go through the motions anymore. Our time together was full of "aha!" moments, connections made from previous discussions, and resolutions to move forward.

Thank you, Jesus, for leading me to study!!

I left the University Center repeating praise to God, while realizing the attacks of war the evil one wages on campus and this mission. Whether that be through my own concupiscence or the trials of a hard day- God's grace is sufficient for me- His power is made perfect in my weakness  (2 Corinthians 12:9)  I should never trust my bad moods amidst the mission; they are fleeting- and typically a sign that God has great plans in store!



Thank you God for having mercy on me. I am weak and simple-minded, and can't lead anyone to you without your help...as I can't even love you without your help!  Thank you for bringing others to yourself and letting me be your little missionary, allowing me to play a small role in it all. This is how disciples are made, Jesus- how exciting! Please help us follow you along your path to Heaven!

I caved...

I've always enjoyed English & writing, but whenever I came to the idea of blogging- it was a fleeting thought. It's definitely a trend, so I'm going to be honest: my pride was keeping me from ever making what was fleeting a reality. But here I am. I caved. 

I'm okay with it- I am going to give it a fair try. As I am in my third year serving as a missionary on
campus with FOCUS- The Fellowship of Catholic University Students, the fleeting thought to begin a blog started to stick around. My motive is not to captivate your attention or daily devotion with all the interesting and not-so-interesting ramblings of my life- but mostly, I want to be more active in sharing the mission and action on campus with family, friends, and mission partners across the country! Believe me, there is a LOT more that goes on around here than what fits on a two-sided newsletter every 3 months and I want to share it with you! I hope to share about students, events, random things and thoughts of my life- but mostly as it pertains to what I do! I live and work on campus to engage college students in a relationship with Christ and His mission of "making disciples of all nations." (Matt 28:19) Why keep it to myself...and limit the good stuff only to students?? 

MEET PRAY LOVE is the title of my quarterly newsletter with FOCUS, so I found it only fitting to make it the name for the blog as well. You may know the movie/book "EAT PRAY LOVE" that I am using for my wordplay...which doesn't quite reference the same praying and loving I do on campus (or the eating, praying, and loving that Jesus does in the pic) -but regardless- I enjoy that the sequence succinctly explains what my mission is: to meet students (not eat students), pray for & with them....and to LOVE them- to share the great love of God in the person of Jesus Christ! 

So here we are, on my very own blog. Welcome!