Caught Up in the Faith

Volume 6, Issue I December 2010

C AUGHT UP IN THE F AITH V OLUME 6, I SSUE I

D ECEMBER 2010

“O UR KNOWLEDGE OF J ESUS IS IN NEED ABOVE ALL OF A LIVING EXPERIENCE :

A NOTHER

PERSON ' S TESTIMONY IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT , AS IN GENERAL THE WHOLE OF OUR

C HRIS-

TIAN LIFE BEGINS WITH THE PROCLAMATION THAT COMES TO US FROM ONE OR SEVERAL WITNESSES .

B UT WE

OURSELVES MUST BE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN AN INTIMATE AND PROFOUND RELATIONSHIP WITH J ESUS .”

- P OPE B ENEDICT XVI, R OME , O CTOBER 4, 2006

F RESHMAN R ETREAT B Y C HRISTINA L ONGOFONO ,

CLASS OF

2014

My personal experience of the retreat was phenomenal. I had gone on a few retreats similar to it in middle school, but after dropping away from the faith in high school, I had forgotten what it was to connect with God one-on-one. When we arrived at the house in Deep Creek Lake, MD that Friday, we were tired but the fun was only just starting. We had a short Mass in the living room, and proceeded to play games and get to know our fellow retreat-ers until the wee hours of the morning.

The next morning started with Mass again, and then we were off to indulge in hours of white water rafting until, thoroughly soaked, we had lunch and went back to the house for sports, group discussions with the missionaries, and dinner.

That was when the fun really started. After dinner, we were allowed a little more free time before Adoration. Now Adoration was something I had done before, but never actually participated in. I had no clue what I was doing or what I was supposed to do, so like everyone else, I knelt and prayed, but I felt something missing. At the end of Adoration, Fr. Greg did Benediction, and said he would hear confessions for anyone who wanted to make one.

Continued on page 2

C AUGHT

P AGE 2

UP IN THE

F AITH

At that point I knew I would have to confess, but I didn’t yet get it. The first in line, I went in to make the second confession I’d ever made, and the first in ten years. It was an emotional and deeply profound moment when for the first time in my life, I could actually feel God’s forgiveness. I maintain even now that I walked out of that room a different person than when I walked in.

We spent the rest of the night making s’mores around a campfire and playing more games in the house, having already signed up for our shifts for all night Adoration. Each pair who had signed up for the half hour Adoration slots woke up groggily throughout the night to go spend time with God. During my own slot, I walked in in my pajamas, knelt again before the monstrance, but this time was so overwhelmed by the joy and peace I felt that I began to cry as I prayed. When the hour was done, I went back to sleep until the flurry of Mass, packing, and travel that was Sunday morning. We arrived back at GW rested, whole, and ready to continue the year in what has been, at least for myself and the people I know from the retreat, a fun, work-filled, faith-filled first semester, and I am thankful I was able to have the experience.

RCIA... LEADING OTHERS TO C HRIST B Y T AYLER L OFQUIST ,

CLASS OF

2011

Every year, the GW Neman Center offers RCIA classes for students and members of the community. RCIA, which stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is the process through which interested adults are gradually introduced to the Catholic Church’s teachings and way of life. This may include those who were raised Catholic but need to receive the sacraments, non-Catholics who desire to join the Church, and even practicing Catholics who just want to learn more about their faith.

There are ten students who are going through the RCIA process at GW this year. Though they come from all different walks of life, they share in common a hunger to grow in faith and knowledge of the Catholic Church. It is inspiring to see how eager these students are to learn the truth and apply it in their daily lives, especially in college!

I went through RCIA at the Newman Center two years ago, and it was absolutely a life-changing experience. My conversion to Catholicism has brought so much joy to my life and has led to my continued involvement in the RCIA program. I help to assist the local seminarian who is teaching the class this year, and he has done an incredible job! The class meets once a week from September until Easter, and lessons this semester have ranged from proofs of God’s existence to the meaning of the Mass.

At the Easter Vigil Mass, all who have completed the RCIA course with the object of receiving the sacraments will be confirmed.

Observing the students’ journey home to the Catholic Church is an incredibly powerful witness to the faith, so this celebration at Easter is especially joyous for all who experience it. As we continue with RCIA this year, please pray for all of us who are involved in the program, especially the GW students to be confirmed this spring!

V OLUME 6, I SSUE I

P AGE 3

“Y OUNG PEOPLE , THE C HURCH NEEDS YOU .

T HE WORLD NEEDS YOU , BECAUSE IT NEEDS C HRIST AND YOU BELONG TO

C HRIST .”

- P OPE J OHN P AUL II, N EW Y ORK C ITY , 1979

T UESDAY N IGHTS B Y J OSE P ULIDO ,

CLASS OF

2012

What we do here in the Newman Center for Tuesday night is to create an environment were students from all walks of life can get together and explore Catholicism. We begin the evening by inviting our close friends to partake in our 5:30pm Mass. After the Mass we move on to the next stage of our night and eat dinner. The moments leading up to the dinner involves us doing our weekly announcements about other programs and of course, Father Greg leading us in the blessing of the food. We then eat our dinner that is cooked by students in our very own kitchen, which gives it a home cooked taste.

Then we go up to the all-purpose room to enjoy each other’s company. Our relaxing night culminates with a talk, led by either Fr.Greg, Amy West, or a guest speaker. Guest speakers have included Fr. Bill Byrne, Msgr. Panke, Sandy McMurtrie (close friend of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta), Msgr. Stuart Swetland, and Tom and Glory Sullivan . Our talks have covered a range of things, including what is a life of prayer, how should one venerate the Eucharist, and what is sexuality in the proper Catholic context. All of these talks have benefitted a great number of students walk with Christ. Definitely, Tuesday Night dinners make a very cozy place for students to come and relax in college while being fed spiritually.

GW Newman Center 2210 F Street NW Washington D.C. 20037 Fr. Greg Shaffer, chaplain chaplain@gwcatholic.com Amy West, Campus Minister amy@gwcatholic.com

T HEIR FAITH IS ALIVE B Y A MY W EST , C AMPUS M INISTER Since my arrival at the Newman Center about a month ago, I found myself thanking God on a daily basis for allowing me to participate in His work here at George Washington University. As Campus Minister, I get to witness the daily effort of the students to balance God, studies and their social life. They do a wonderful job of being a true Christian witness to the world by prioritizing what’s most important in life and radiating a joy that comes from putting God first.

As Pope Benedict XVI states, “Changing the world for the better does not come from leaders making grandiose promises or calling for a violent revolution. It comes

from the humble individuals who silently carry God’s light and love to everyone around them.”

Another wonderful grace has been to see the students enthusiasm for Eucharistic adoration.

Our chaplain, Fr. Greg Shaffer, continually emphasizes the importance of building a personal relationship with Christ in the Eucharist and encourages the students to spent time in adoration whenever possible. I can see how this gives them the strength and grace to remain firm in their faith.

Please keep us in your prayers as we strive to be faithful to Christ everyday and you can count on our prayers too!

V I S I T U S O N L I N E AT W W W . G W C AT H O L I C . C O M