cover photo by ANTONETTE GOLESH
“I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO INVEST IN THE HEALTH OF TOMORROW THAN IN GIVING TODAY TO VIBRANT CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRIES, LIKE THAT OF ST. MARY’S AT TEXAS A&M.” - CURTIS MARTIN, FOUNDER OF FOCUS
ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 2
contents:
one in communion 4. A Stirring to Learn More 5. Magnify 6. Changing the Course of My Life
sending aggie catholics out
7. Impacting the Youth in Our Community 8. Sacrificial, Heroic Love 9. How Can I Give You My Heart? 10. From Class President to the Priesthood 11. Baby-Blue Walls & Saints-in-the-Making
taking the faith to campus 12. Serving the Student Body Making a Real Change 13. How Can I Pray for You?
building the church 14. Annual Fund New Church Capital Campaign 15. Welcome New Staff
photo by APRIL LIGHT
letter from the pastor As the Easter season begins, I encourage each of you to recall the ways in which the Lord stretched you throughout Lent. Just as the Lord prepared the Apostles for his death and resurrection, he uniquely prepares each of us to be ready to accept the fulfillment of his promise to us - a promise of salvation, of mercy, and of a personal relationship with him. In order to see the fruit of this faithful promise, we must first learn to trust the Lord in every aspect of life; we must place our relationship with the Lord before the outcomes we desire. If we are able to see the Lord for who he truly is - our Savior, Creator, and giver of all good gifts - then we can begin to believe that he will bring about a grace far greater than anything we could ever anticipate. So as this joyful season begins, I invite you to rejoice in the Resurrection and to recognize the parts of your life that lack in trust. Keep asking the Lord to stretch you, to guide you, and to help you understand the graces of his glorious resurrection. He is the best friend of our hearts; he will not lead us astray. In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Brian McMaster ‘95
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ONE IN COMMUNION
a stirring to learn more
Before St. Mary’s, I attended a number of non-denominational churches, accepted Christ into my life, and was baptized in a church in College Station. However, I lacked a sense of belonging at times. When I came to St. Mary’s, I saw how the Catholic Church was truly different - in worship and praise. I found that I enjoyed the rich history of the Church, found beauty in the structure of Mass, and found myself desiring to know more as I didn’t quite understand the topics of the Virgin Mary and the sacraments. Eventually, a priest talked about RCIA starting the next week, so I met Kevin Pesek, the RCIA director, who I met with one-on-one throughout my first semester. Since then, my experience in RCIA has truly solidified my decision to become Catholic. As a non-denominational Christian at first, I originally had many misconceptions about the Church. These were soon clarified through talks by priests and other members of the church. The group setting has made the journey that much more fruitful; I learn more about the Faith from my table leader and other confirmed Catholics. RCIA provides a foundational understanding of the Faith, going through the basics of faith in the first semester and the sacraments in the second. Furthermore, you learn about topics such as the importance of the saints and, the topic I looked forward to the most, the Virgin Mary. The discussion style teaching encourages anyone to ask questions. When confused about the sacrament of baptism, I had the opportunity to ask a priest about how baptism is related to salvation clarifying a misconception that I had for a very long time. For those who have questions about the Church, both non-believers and believers of a different sect of Christianity, and those who are interested in committing to becoming Catholic, RCIA is the place to start. You will make friends from all walks of life and of all ages who have felt a stirring in their hearts to learn more and, hopefully, join the Catholic Church. A year ago, I did not see myself desiring confirmation or waiting in prayer to take the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. But now I know this is where the Lord has desired me to be, and I pray that he does the same for any person seeking to know him more intimately. testimony by EVAN FLORES ‘16
EVAN FLORES ’16
ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 4
students in adoration
magnify
Through the support of our donors, St. Mary’s started Magnify in the fall, a new initiative of prayer and worship before our Lord in adoration. During Lent, Magnify was held over the course of three days at St. Mary’s. This retreat allowed more than 700 students to hear from Fr. Emmanual Mansford, a visiting friar from the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in the Bronx, to go to confession, and to encounter the Lord in eucharistic adoration. Maegan Sanders ‘19, a student at Texas A&M University, shared with us her experience: “Magnify allowed me to become re-grounded in my faith at a time when I truly needed it. Being in the presence of the Lord while being surrounded by hundreds of Aggies was so awe-inspiring. The feeling of community and welcomeness was palpable, even for someone who hardly knew anyone there. Fr. Emmanuel’s message on passion really hit home. I struggle with getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, school, and other activities. Magnify allowed me to take a step back and spend time reflecting on Jesus’ passionate love for me.” photo by ANTONETTE GOLESH 5
changing the course of my life Having grown up Protestant, I always had this negative view of what I thought the Catholic Church was. My freshman year of college, I fell out of the habit of attending church on a regular basis and ultimately felt lost. I struggled with relationships among friends, family, and God, but I became close to a couple of Ags who happened to be Catholic. Through casual conversation, I learned one very important thing: they were excited and jubilant when discussing their faith. This led me to begin looking into the Catholic Church. This desire to learn more brought me to reading literature on the Church, including the Catechism, and watching videos of Fr. Mike Schmitz. As I read and listened, things started to make sense and began solidifying some of the foundational beliefs that I had, even as a Protestant. I looked for the next step in learning more. After talking with my mom, someone who has been incredibly supportive, I decided to attend the RCIA classes starting in the fall of 2017. Obviously, I still had concerns and questions about the Church and her doctrine along with how I was going to bring this up to my paternal side of the family. As I dealt with these, I did something I hadn’t done in a long time: pray honestly. I brought my questions to God and asked for answers to be revealed. With this, I started attending Mass and immersed myself in the culture of the Church. I remember reading a quote of the Venerable Fulton Sheen, “There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” This, alongside “Rome Sweet Home” by Scott Hahn, put to rest the preconceived notions I had. And anything that I still questioned was ultimately answered through faith, prayer, and the multiple speakers at RCIA. This experience has been the greatest time of my adult life and will change the course of my life forever. As the Lenten season began, I reflected on the decisions that led me to this moment and finally the moment at the Easter Vigil where I will say “I do” to the Catholic Church and God Himself. I look forward to being in full communion with the Church Jesus set up. I plan on being a team leader for RCIA starting next fall so I may be able to share my story with those of a similar upbringing.
JAKOB JACKSON ’20
Thank you and God Bless. testimony by JAKOB JACKSON ‘20
106 adults are going through our RCIA programthis year ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 6
Sending Aggie Catholics Out
2017-2018 SMYRT members
IMPACTING THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY St. Mary’s Youth Retreat Team (SMYRT) is one place where community, spirituality, and service intersect. This ministry at St. Mary’s has been serving the Diocese of Austin, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and other surrounding dioceses since 1988. We staff four to five retreats each semester, totaling nine or ten in a school year. Our retreats can vary from 20 to 90 retreatants, from confirmation preparation to basic faith formation, and from junior high to high school aged students. We are often blessed to have parishes immediately ask us to come back the following year at the conclusion of our retreats. “Servite Domino in Laetitia” or “Serve the Lord Joyfully” was a mantra used by St. John Bosco, the patron saint of young people. When discerning our yearly theme, our leadership team felt such a strong pull towards this saying because it simply describes SMYRT. In fact, this is what initially drew me into SMYRT my freshman year. I went to the first meeting of the year a little unsure of myself, but I was pulled in by the genuine joy of the current members. I felt a tug on my heart to staff the first retreat of that fall semester. And after staffing with about 20 other college students, God gave me a glimpse into how this ministry and St. Mary’s could transform me in the next four years. 7
This beautiful ministry has been the constant catalyst for my faithfilled development in college. It has given me a loving community, the opportunity to stretch my comfort zone, and the ability to find new strengths and weaknesses. SMYRT has introduced me to a community within St. Mary’s that is challenging, exciting, goofy, and genuine. Some of my best friendships simply began through staffing a SMYRT retreat. Through the experience of working together, depending on one another, and striving for something good and holy, Christ sparks beautiful relationships. Most importantly, SMYRT gives each of its members the opportunity to increase their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. In SMYRT, we are constantly reminded that we are merely planting the seeds of Christ in these students’ hearts. We only have a small window, three days, to lead the retreatants to an encounter with Christ. Instead of letting this limitation discourage us, we use it as an opportunity to increase our faith and to trust that God will further develop those seeds. Please keep our ministry and our retreats in your prayers as we continue serving the Lord joyfully! testimony by RENÉ SCHULZE ‘18
SACRIFICIAL, HEROIC LOVE The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) has soared at St. Mary’s, especially with our five current missionaries and student intern. To accommodate the 1,000 students estimated to be participating in FOCUS at Texas A&M, our missionaries train student “disciples” to engage in outreach and evangelization with their peers. These 79 leaders are essential in a program as vast as FOCUS itself. One such disciple, John Michael Lucido ’18, shares his unique vocation story of romantic and spiritual love: “‘When two baptized persons are joined in marriage, they enter into the mystery of the Trinity together, and live out the universal call to holiness in a new, unique way. In their union, they become icons, or images of the Trinity.’ -Anne Hanincik On February 17, 2018 I asked my absolutely beautiful, surprised, stunned girlfriend to marry me at a Catholic Marian shrine that sits on a hill overlooking the city of Austin. While I apologize to Ags everywhere who might be concerned about JOHN MICHAEL LUCIDO ’18 and EMILY EVERETT ’18 my proposing in the “enemy’s city,” they would understand if they saw the chapel and the view. When she said ‘yes,’ we both said yes to a commitment to become icons of the Trinity, as the quote says, and to ‘live out the universal call to holiness.’ Emily (my fiancé) and I discerned over three years of dating that we were first called to marriage, then we discerned that we were called to marry each other. Emily and I knew that, if we were to get married, our marriage would not just exist for one another, but to fulfill Jesus’ command to us in Matthew 28 to ‘go make disciples of all nations.’ We discovered that marriage would be way more than just loving each other, but loving those around us through our marriage. This led to my decision to become a full-time missionary with FOCUS. After graduating in May, I will begin my job working for an organization that attempts to bring the love of Christ and discipleship into the dark and dreary place that is today’s college campus. With 50% of couples getting divorced, over 50% of students suffering from mental illness, and over 75% of men giving up their faith in college, students desperately need to see Christ-centered, sacrificial, heroic love between a man and woman. This is how Emily and I will fulfill our greatest vocation - to experience the love of the Father in our marriage and then attempt to share the same love with countless college students searching desperately for such love.”
ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 8
currently, 10 are involved and 84 coupl through mar at St. Mary’s
000 students in FOCUS les are going rriage prep
RYAN BINDEL ’18 and NATALIE MOORE ’19
HOW CAN I GIVE YOU MY HEART?
When I attended the Connect retreat my freshman year, the Lord began a stirring in my heart for more. At the time, I did not know how hardened my heart was to the vocation of marriage. It was not until I began exploring the possibility of religious life that my heart was broken open and my fear of both vocations came to the light. While at daily Mass one day, I asked the Lord how I could give him my heart. At the end of Mass, I heard him gently ask me to be open to all vocations. This scared me. I jumped to conclusions and got mad at God assuming that he was telling me I was not called to marriage. When I listened to what he was saying, I realized that he was not commanding me to do anything, but he was patiently and gently inviting me to a greater openness to his will. I began to ask him about my vocation, went on discernment retreats, and spent more time with the sisters (the Apostles of the Interior Life). Through all of this, the Lord uncovered a fear that I had - that I could not have both Jesus and marriage - that the spiritual depth that I sought only existed in religious life. Yet, as I prayed and continued to seek counsel, I felt at rest with the idea of marriage. But I did not believe that this desire and peace could come to fruition in a person until I met my fiancé, Ryan, at Aggie Awakening 107. Our dating relationship was the most free I had ever felt; discernment had led me deeper into the Lord’s heart but also my own. I was made aware of my own desires and was unwilling to settle for a vocation that would not fulfill the desires of my heart. I never expected a relationship with another human being to expose and heal wounds, to draw me into God the Father’s love, as closely as this relationship has. The formation I have received at St. Mary’s has given me the knowledge and freedom to discern a vocation, but to also prepare my heart for marriage - to love God and my future spouse while inviting others into that love. testimony by NATALIE MOORE ‘19
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FROM CLASS PRESIDENT TO THE PRIESTHOOD Coming to Texas A&M has many perks, one of which is the special community found underneath the white steeple on Church Avenue. Deacon Paul-Michael Piega, an ordained transitional deacon serving in Austin, found such a bond with this church that he has chosen to celebrate his first Mass as an ordained priest at St. Mary’s. He will be ordained on June 23, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Austin. I invite you all to witness his first Mass as a priest on June 24, 2018 at St. Mary’s at 10 AM. Pictured above is Deacon Piega serving as the Deacon of the Word with Pope Francis at the Solemnity of Our Lord’s Epiphany.
Deacon Piega was pursing pre-dentistry before attending a silent retreat that led to a deep conversion experience. At this retreat, he fell back in love with his Catholic faith and began to discern a vocation towards the priesthood. Deacon Piega graduated from Texas A&M University, where he served as class president, in 2011. He has a passion to draw others to the heart of God and believes that one can encounter God through the beauty of our faith, especially through the Church’s liturgy and through an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He enjoys praying for others, graphic design, making videos, singing, drawing, painting, and playing ultimate frisbee, but above all enjoys sharing God’s joy and love with others. His hope is that you strive to become a saint and that you know that there is a God who loves you. Know of his prayers for you and he humbly asks that you please pray for him.
ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 10
there are 75 Aggie Catholics (64 men
DEACON PAUL-MICHAEL PIEGA ‘11 at Mass with Pope Francis
BABY-BLUE WALLS & SAINTS-IN-THE-MAKING Howdy, my name is Briana Santiago. I am from San Antonio, but I currently live in Rome where I am in my fourth year of religious formation with the Apostles of the Interior Life. I grew up in a Catholic family and was very involved with the youth ministry at my parish in high school, but I never considered discerning my vocation until I came to A&M and happened upon St. Mary’s. I am slightly embarrassed to share what originally drew me to that beautiful white steeple, but I first came to St. Mary’s because I desired a free meal and to be able to sing at Mass. I kept coming afterwards because I met a joyful group of people enthusiastic about a God who loves and desires to be loved…and who provides a meal that satisfies infinitely more so. In the end, I realized there was nothing of the “typical” college-life experience that could have made me happier than what St. Mary’s had to offer. At St. Mary’s,
I was encouraged to try out different service groups that peaked my interest, theological courses that could deepen my faith, and it was there that I also met a bunch of wholesome young men and wonderful religious communities. In time, and after getting to know the Lord in prayer, he made clear to me the path that I must take. Though I am now physically far away, there is still a place in my heart immensely full of gratitude for all that the Lord did for me, and for many like me, within those baby-blue walls and surrounded by hundreds of saints-in-the-making. May God continue to bless all the students and the staff who make it possible to encounter the Lord, and to follow him, every day. testimony by BRIANA SANTIAGO ‘13
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and 11 women) in religious formation
BRIANA SANTIAGO ’13 (second from left) with her AVI sisters
TAKING THE FAITH TO CAMPUS serving the student body
Nearly a year ago, I was debating whether or not to apply for the role of Memorial Student Center (MSC) President. Through prayer and discernment, I felt that the Lord was calling me to serve him and Texas A&M through this position, although I didn’t understand quite why. However, during the past year, I’ve found that it has been the greatest gift and the greatest blessing to serve Christ on our campus. Scripture tells us “when you give, give generously and not with a stingy heart; for that the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your works and undertakings” (Deuteronomy 15:10). In this role, the thing he asked me to give generously of has been my time in forming relationships with others across the university, state, and nation. In forming these relationships, Jesus has graced me with the opportunity to share the Gospel with others and to glorify him through my campus involvement.
Through words, actions, and invitations, God has allowed me to share him with the people I have encountered because of my involvement in the MSC. He has shown me that any leadership role, any involvement on campus, any job, and really anything we do is simply a vessel for sharing his love. He calls each of us somewhere specific and unique because he calls each of us to share the Gospel in that place. He called me to the MSC, and I invite you to ask him where he is calling you. As you ask him to make his invitation clear, my prayer for you is that wherever you are and whatever you do, you will give generously in the ways that the Lord calls you to give so that your work -and those who your work touches - may receive his abundant blessings and graces. testimony by ANNIE CARNEGIE ‘18
making a real change
Last fall, I had the opportunity to start my own organization at Texas A&M called Project MARC: Making a Real Change. We are affiliated with a nonprofit in Bryan; we do a lot of outreach with people in our community who live under the poverty line, and we also raise awareness on campus about homelessness and poverty by visiting different student organizations. Our mission is simple: we want to help people feel known and valued, regardless of their socioeconomic status. The creation of this organization was inspired by the Holy Spirit and through St. Mary’s; God has given me all the tools I’ve needed in order to make this organization a reality. Jesus has slowly convicted my heart - through the sacraments, priests, and various events at this church of the need to go out into the community and serve and, more importantly, invite others to come with me. testimony by KAREN LEAL ‘18
~17,000 Catholic college students are in Aggieland
JACK LATTA ’21 and ABIGAIL GWOSDZ ‘20 at the prayer bench
ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTER / spring 2018 / 12
FR. RYAN and ANNIE CARNEGIE ‘18
KAREN LEAL ‘18
how can I pray for you?
“And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs” - Mark 6:7 I remember starting out on Prayer Bench. I imagined it would be this cute thing where we could invite people into prayer twice a week. And no doubt, it is adorable. I mean, it’s two people sitting under a tree smiling with a sign that says “Free Prayers.” But what we have found is something so much deeper “Free Prayers” is a point of entry. It’s cute and approachable (we hope), but what often follows is an encounter with the very depths of a person’s need of the Father’s love. It can quickly move from cute to profound and beautiful. One woman I encountered seemed like she was doing just fine as she walked by. She was in tears moments later as she explained that she had just been broken up with and thought she could be pregnant. How often do we assume everyone around us is just that - fine, okay, good? On more than one occasion, I’ve had the opportunity to share both the joy and the hurt with people I’ve met. I love hearing what people love; what they are excited about; their hobbies, passions, and dreams. And, even more beautiful, when we meet someone willing to be vulnerable with what scares them. We are, after all, scared too. That’s why we pray! We’ve prayed with hundreds and hundreds of people on campus already and, by the grace of God, we hope to open countless souls to the graces he offers us. testimony by AUSTIN MILLER ‘19
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Building the Church ANNUAL FUND
How does one church serve the diverse needs of over 17,000 Catholic students at Texas A&M and Blinn? It takes on a new FOCUS missionary to reach more students on campus, invites esteemed speakers to share their light, creates a new counseling program to provide emotional healing, and expands already existing student programs. These are just some of the initiatives launched in 2017, thanks to your continued support, in order to better serve these students. We are grateful that you and your family choose to support this ministry and hope the stories in this newsletter show you the fruitfulness of your investment. St. Mary’s would like to thank you for your prayers and financial support as we have received $1.2 million in gifts towards our $2 million goal for this fiscal year. A special thanks to the 1,200 members of the Living Faith Society (our recurring online giving program) for providing 60% of this funding through their sustained gifts. We hope you and your family will prayerfully consider joining us as co-missionaries, by praying for our ministry and supporting our immediate needs in these ways: 1. Make a leadership gift of $5, 000 - $10,000 in advance of our Spring Matching Collection (April 14-15) and St. Mary’s Gives (April 26). With our fiscal year ending in June, we will need these and many other gifts to fulfill our $2 million goal. 2. Sign up for monthly gifts by joining the Living Faith Society, our recurring online giving program. These gifts will provide support for all of the student programs and organizations at St. Mary’s. (community.aggiecatholic.org/give) Please contact the Development Office for more information or additional ways to give.
NEW CHURCH CAPITAL CAMPAIGN With increasing numbers of gifts of all sizes, the New Church Campaign total, as of this writing, is $11.2 million. The current working goal for construction costs is $20 million, and a comprehensive building plan initiative is soon to be undertaken by a new planning and building committee to assure our stated values of Beauty, Encounter, and Tradition are achieved while still keeping within our budget. The focus of the campaign is currently directed towards San Antonio and Austin through special events and personal contacts. We are reaching out to former students, parents and friends of
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St. Mary’s. Campaign committee members in these areas are assisting us in engaging interested benefactors by encouraging them to help us in the following three ways: through prayer, pledging, and introductions. If you are interested in assisting the campaign in any way, please contact our staff. After contractual delays, the Saint John Paul II addition to the student center is back on track to begin in about a month. This will add much needed meeting space, including a new event center almost twice as large as the current activity center, for our expanding student ministries. Thank you for your patience and support in this project.
WELCOME NEW STAFF
ALY CONRAD ’16 and her husband
to learn more, please contact our staff:
My name is Aly Conrad, class of 2016, and I’m the Campaign Coordinator for the New Church Campaign. I grew up here in College Station and was born and raised to be an Aggie! I loved my time at Texas A&M and at St. Mary’s in college. My husband, Cash, and I were married here about a year ago. It has been such a blessing to work for a place that has been so near and dear to my heart for such a long time and to see the vast impact it has on both students and benefactors. I am incredibly thankful to be on staff at St. Mary’s, and I am eager to be a part of the future of this phenomenal parish.
FRANK SHANNON Executive Director of Development fshannon@aggiecatholic.org (979) 224-2437 ALY CONRAD Campaign Coordinator aconrad@aggiecatholic.org (979) 846-5717 LIZETT HAWKINS Development Officer lhawkins@aggiecatholic.org (979) 324-3623
LIZETT HAWKINS ’99 and her family My name is Lizett Hawkins, class of 1999, and I’m the newest Development Officer focusing on major gift fundraising for the New Church Campaign. I have spent the majority of my career in donor relations and special event planning at Texas A&M’s 12th Man Foundation. My husband, Jason ’99, and I have been married for 18 years and have two
sons, Casey, 13 and Noah, 9. We are active parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas in College Station. I am thankful that I answered God’s call to be a part of the ministry at St. Mary’s and look forward to a successful capital campaign while continuing to grow in my faith.
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ALLISON SEIBERT Director of Annual Giving aseibert@aggiecatholic.org (979) 846-5717 KARLEY WREN Coordinator of Annual Giving kwren@aggiecatholic.org CARMEN ESPITIA Coordinator of Gift Processing cespitia@aggiecatholic.org
ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CENTER 603 Church Avenue College Station, TX 77840 (979)846-5717 www.aggiecatholic.org