The goal is always to share our lives on Campus with the students we serve, their families and our parishioners who support all of the efforts made to walk with Christ with the people of Southwest Minnesota State University. However, as I logged in to make an update, I realized it is December 19. Finals are wrapping up. We are saying "see ya soon" to so many of the people we have walked with this year, and it has been three months since I have taken the time to make an update. Realistically, there are two options, inundating you with a ton of separate posts or inundating you with one really long post, filled with pictures and memories of a semester well spent. I have opted for the second choice. Hopefully, next semester will be more real time, but know the reality is we are living it as it comes, and no one wants to skip the living for the reporting :)
Sunday Suppers:
Every Sunday evening, supper is available for whomever shows up at no charge to them. We are incredibly grateful to all of the parishioners who support this important ministry through their donations of food, money and time. Over the course of a semester, we average 15 students joining us for dinner, with almost 20 weeks of meals. Additionally, we provide supper on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and lunches on Tuesday and Thursday. That is a lot of meal prep and dishes!
Next up: Family Weekend!
We served homemade desserts for families who chose to stop at the Campus Religious Center during the weekend visiting their students on campus. We are grateful for our leadership team members who helped with serving the goodies (and playing games in the Fireside Room!)
Service Projects:
Serving others is a staple of campus life. This year, we were blessed with the opportunity to help Rebecca move to a new apartment. We didn't get any action shots because we were busy getting the work down, but Rebecca stopped to show her appreciation and we had one of the moving crew present, so we got a picture of her with Levi. We are equally appreciative of the labor offered in service by Ebuka, Carter, Maegan and Kevin!
Additionally, the Newman Club has adopted Justice Park for the past several years. Monthly clean-up has been a part of who and what we are! Ebuka, Levi, Abbey and Maria were a huge part of the 2024 summer/fall clean-up. Thank you to them, and all the others, who pitched in!
We had the opportunity to help distribute the donation of leftover popcorn from the Sioux Council Popcorn sale. Without hesitating, Levi, along with Mike, helped make the delivery of product from the Campus Religious Center to Holy Redeemer School for Holy Redeemer School and St. Mary School!
Service to Us!
At the same time, we have offered service to others, we have been gifted with many acts of service to us. We are immensely grateful to the parishioners who choose to share their time, talent and treasure with us at the Campus Religious Center. Check out the beautiful fall decorations that welcomed the students to their worship and fellowship space!
Homecoming!!
Homecoming is always an adventure for us at SMSU. We are grateful for the Veterans Club, who puts on the 5k we start our day with. After we race, we eat! Breakfast is served at the CRC before we put the finishing touches on the float. After the parade, we have some downtime, before the CRC is opened for food and games! Mark your calendar for next year, we always love to see new faces!
Radiating Joy!
"Radiating Joy" is the story of Michelle Duppong, who was a former FOCUS missionary who died of cancer. Her cause for canonization has been submitted to Rome. We had a small group that made a road trip to Brookings to see the movie on its one-day nationwide showing. No pictures at the theater, but you can't miss Insomnia Cookies when you get the chance! Next time you see Alex, Elaina, Emma or Maria, ask them what they thought of the movie, and the cookies!
Thanksgiving Dinner!
Thanksgiving Dinner is always a production at the Campus Religious Center! Each year, we offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to go, for FREE, for any students, faculty or staff who would need a meal, or two, over the Thanksgiving break. We cannot say "Thank YOU!" enough to the people who donate the turkeys, cook the turkeys, prep the rest of the meal, and help with service! This year, we sent out meals on Thanksgiving Day and then hosted Round 2 for the Men's Basketball Team! It takes a village to support Campus Ministry and we are so grateful for the village Holy Redeemer Catholic Church provides to envelope our students in support as they journey through college in Marshall. Extra thanks to Yvonne and her family, and Megan, who gave of their time on Thanksgiving itself to help serve our community!
Christmas Decorating at the Campus Religious Center
We always have the best volunteers for decorating at the Campus Religious Center. This year did not disappoint. We appreciate all of the efforts our Catholic Stangs put into making sure we are properly prepared to celebrate Christmas! They did a fabulous job! If you see Bennet, Emma, Levi, Maria or Theresa, please make sure to tell them you appreciate them as well!
Decorating at Hill Street Place
Another of our annual activities is decorating at Hill Street Place, which is an assisted living facility in Marshall. One of our alumni, Abbey, is their Activity Director. It is wonderful to see this come full circle as she had decorated there as a college student, and now she is coordinating the college students to assist the residents she now serves with their Christmas decorating. Bennet, Brycelyn, Buay, Maddy, Macey, and Maria, we appreciate your serving as the hands and feet of Christ to the Marshall community!
CCW Cookie Walk Baking
The Catholic Stangs has a generous donor who is willing to buy the supplies if they are willing to do the baking for the annual CCW Cookie Walk. While we didn't get pictures of all the goodies, or all the people, they did a fabulous job again this year!!! They made more than 20 dozen cookies and treats for the Cookie Walk! Thank you to Brycelyn, Buay, Emma, Maddy and Maria for all the work they did!!
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Until Next Time...
In the 2023-2024 school year, we were finally able to begin our long-hoped for Student Athlete Bible Study. For three semesters, we have met at 9pm on Wednesdays. Bennet, Buay and Will were the original members of the group who have attended faithfully all three semesters. Father Paul has consistently led the first half of the semesters Bible studies. At the end of this semester, we are saying "See ya later!" to Bennet (as he goes to Eau Claire) and Will (as he leaves us for Bethel) to continue their college athletic careers. Father Paul treated the original crew to dinner out as we send them on their way to do good things wherever they land (and to encourage Buay to stay the course here at SMSU!) (and bless their hearts! they even lined up alphabetically for the picture, completely by accident!!)
It has been a semester with unique challenges and unique celebrations. Our campus community lost a student and the ripples are still being felt throughout campus. We were grateful for the support of Catholic Charities, and their accessibility in our building, as we walked in faith with students, faculty, and staff who were grieving and struggling to understand how this situation could have happened.
We currently have seven students pursuing their faith journey through the OCIA process and anticipate welcoming them all into full Communion in the Church during spring semester. Please pray for them.
We have added students to the Mass ministry teams and are grateful to see their leadership as they lector and serve as ushers. Next semester, we will be training students as extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers for the first time in five years, and we cannot wait!
Finally, we are preparing to leave for the SEEK25 Conference, in Salt Lake City, on December 31. We are traveling with 9 current students and alumni, as well as two of our Diocese's seminarians. Please pray for us, that the will of God be done in our travels, and much fruit be borne from these opportunities.
Becki
