New FOCUS grop comes to Mount with mission in mind
Alyssa Huntley
Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: Religion
Many new faces have been introduced to the Mount's Campus Ministry Department this year. Four of them, Jared Smyth, 24, Luke Agnew, 22, Christi Rusteikas, 21, and Mariana Uribe, 23, from the Fellowship of Catholic University Students Ministries (FOCUS) have began to bring some new ideas to ministry and influence on campus.
"We want to bring vibrancy to our Catholic faith," said Smyth, a graduate of Colorado State University. "We want to help people find a friendship with God, and encourage those with one to share it with others." All four have already started to build relationships with students, helping them to find joy in the Gospel.
"When I was in college I was part of something called 'Campus Crusade', a sort-of non-denominational version of FOCUS," said Agnew, who graduated from Penn State University. "These people were really living their faith, so I went to Bible studies, got into it, and took the next step and became Catholic. Now I want to be that vehicle through which people find Christ. That's why I'm here.
"The simple conversations at lunch, and the fact that we're all building friendships already leaves no doubt in my mind that I made a good choice when I joined FOCUS," said Rusteikas, a George Mason University graduate. All four speak of having the same confidence in the choice they made to join this ministry.
Uribe, a graduate of Williams College, joined Smyth, Agnew and Rusteikas this year after having worked a year at the University of Vermont. "I want to be able to reciprocate the openness everyone has showed us since our arrival," she said, "and help to show that Christ is always open to us and loves us just as we are, not that He doesn't want higher things, but His love has no limits." The four, with Smyth as their Team Director, have began small group Bible studies and opened their doors to anyone in need of advice, someone to talk to, or simple things, like lollipops.
"We want the students to know that no matter where they are or where they've been, if they think that no one has ever been through what they are going through or been in the place they are, it's OK," Smyth said. "We have probably been through the same things, or know someone who has. Nobody can live an effective spiritual life alone. We need each other and our doors are always open to anyone who needs a hand or just wants to talk."
Their office is located in Lower McGowan between the Wellness Center and Mount Card office. For other resources and audio talks or to find out more about FOCUS Ministries, visit www.FOCUSonline.com.
"We want to bring vibrancy to our Catholic faith," said Smyth, a graduate of Colorado State University. "We want to help people find a friendship with God, and encourage those with one to share it with others." All four have already started to build relationships with students, helping them to find joy in the Gospel.
"When I was in college I was part of something called 'Campus Crusade', a sort-of non-denominational version of FOCUS," said Agnew, who graduated from Penn State University. "These people were really living their faith, so I went to Bible studies, got into it, and took the next step and became Catholic. Now I want to be that vehicle through which people find Christ. That's why I'm here.
"The simple conversations at lunch, and the fact that we're all building friendships already leaves no doubt in my mind that I made a good choice when I joined FOCUS," said Rusteikas, a George Mason University graduate. All four speak of having the same confidence in the choice they made to join this ministry.
Uribe, a graduate of Williams College, joined Smyth, Agnew and Rusteikas this year after having worked a year at the University of Vermont. "I want to be able to reciprocate the openness everyone has showed us since our arrival," she said, "and help to show that Christ is always open to us and loves us just as we are, not that He doesn't want higher things, but His love has no limits." The four, with Smyth as their Team Director, have began small group Bible studies and opened their doors to anyone in need of advice, someone to talk to, or simple things, like lollipops.
"We want the students to know that no matter where they are or where they've been, if they think that no one has ever been through what they are going through or been in the place they are, it's OK," Smyth said. "We have probably been through the same things, or know someone who has. Nobody can live an effective spiritual life alone. We need each other and our doors are always open to anyone who needs a hand or just wants to talk."
Their office is located in Lower McGowan between the Wellness Center and Mount Card office. For other resources and audio talks or to find out more about FOCUS Ministries, visit www.FOCUSonline.com.
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