Rutgers, Seton Hall students deepen faith at three-day retreat

Correspondent

PITTSTOWN — Twice a year, students from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, take time away from their busy workload to spend time on a mountaintop with the Lord. The Catholic Center at Rutgers empowers its student members to plan and execute all aspects of the retreat, held Feb. 17-19. This year, they added a new twist by joining forces with Seton Hall University, South Orange.

Saint Paul’s Outreach is alive and well on both campuses. Brother Joe Donovan, a member of the Brotherhood of Hope and one of the assisting staff, said, “A larger community of people gathered together here helps to encourage them [the students] a little more. They think it’s not just me experiencing this, but 170 of my peers are experiencing this, too.”

At the retreat, held at Camp Tecumseh, students had an opportunity to share fellowship with their Catholic peers. Talks were given by alumni, invited guests and Catholic Center staff members. Witness talks were given by members of the student retreat team. Some of the other highlights of the weekend were adoration, small group sharing, Masses, confession and prayers for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The name “Fan into Flame” is a pre-formatted retreat that introduces the students to the person and the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their lives. One evening, the participants were given a chance to pray for a deeper gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The talks and activities of the weekend were geared to help everyone mix together not just by school but as one community. For some, it was their first experience being on a retreat. For others, it was their ninth or 10th time.

Jesus Our Hope Sister Anna Palka, who graduated from Rutgers in 2015, participated in the retreats as a student. She now serves full time as part of the Catholic Student Association. “This is a new moment for campus ministry and the are two campuses coming together, wanting to bring new life out of this,” she said.

Each year, the retreat is directed by four students who work as co-directors to plan events. This year, since there were two schools involved, they had two students from Rutgers and two from Seaton Hall.

Jessica Leguizamon, one of the directors from Rutgers, said, “We came together because there is a conviction that the Lord wanted to do something here in New Jersey. There is just something about bringing us together. We want unity and community.”

The team spent time praying together and planning. The hope is for the same Holy Spirit that they received at Confirmation to engage with them. “For a lot of us, we receive Him and then nothing really happens afterwards. This is helping us go deeper into our sacraments as Catholics and learning to speak to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, the advocate,” she said.

“I know there has been this really deep craving to go further. We wanted to make it about this state and allow the Holy Spirit to be awesome here. We want to give that to everyone so they can bring that home with them.”

The campus ministry sought to bring people together to give a concrete notion that there are other colleges who want to know God and want to find the way to him.

“Our people, the universal Catholic Church, are coming out. There is some thing rumbling. It’s happening and it’s so good. I think we all feel it and we are excited,” Leguizamon said.

Brother Brennan Robinson, who serves with St. Paul’s outreach, noted, “What is amazing is you have two very different schools -- a big public univer sity and a private university -- but that is the beauty of the moving of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t just bring it to us in our personal life. It’s a unified life in Christ. There are real friendships emerging here.”

Many activities sparked playful competition between the schools, but they with the face of the Church. Campus ministry from both schools included religious, priests, married couples and single adults all engaging one another and sharing their love for the Lord while connecting each other to the broader church.

As students returned to campus life, Sister Anna said, “Many walked forward from the retreat with strengthened faith and trust, a removal of fear of proclaiming His name, and a definitive encounter with our God who is love.

“We can have great hope for the Church in New Jersey as we send forth these young adults who boldly proclaim

Above, students and staff of the Catholic Center at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, pose for a photo at their biannual retreat. Also in the photo are students from Seton Hall University, South Orange who joined the retreat held at Camp Tecumseh, Pittstown. Below Father Jason Pavich, Administrator, St. Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, New Brunswick, blesses the retreatants with the Blessed Sacrament; on the bottom are: (far left and far right) Rutgers students Gabriel Galvez and Jessica Leguizamon. In the center are Seton Hall students Jackie Ballard and Roger McCurdi. —photos courtesy of The Catholic Center at Rutgers