Story by Catholic Editor Faith Addington and Guest Editor Chris J. Curry
As we begin this new school year – being in a new environment – expressing our faith can become a difficult challenge, especially in facing external, societal, and cultural pressures. There are hundreds of new influences on a college campus: new friends, new experiences and new feelings. While on campus, there is a twofold expression of faith: Personal and Communal.
The first is our personal expression of faith. We do this through prayer. It is important to maintain a regular and purposeful prayer routine. Studying scripture, praying the rosary, sitting in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and keeping a prayer journal are just a few ways we can maintain a routined prayer life.
Furthermore, we can express our faith in our studies. Following the important Dominican tradition at Aquinas College, the full pursuit of truth is one of the main goals of our education. As students, the ultimate end of our studies is to acquire knowledge, in particular, knowledge of the truth. The ultimate and highest truth – namely God – then is the end of our study. All of our academic work then should be oriented to this basic principle. In our studies, we can come to know the great revelation of God’s love and mercy in the world around us.
The second form is our communal expression of faith done through the imitation of Christ in our interactions with others. On Aquinas Campus, there are many opportunities to grow and support your faith. Campus Ministry, Catholic Student Fellowship, Catholic Studies, and AQ L.I.G.H.T. are just a few organizations who foster the Catholic community on campus. They offer opportunities such as mass, prayer night, prayer hikes, adoration, and praise and worship to help us grow spiritually. In terms of fellowship and building relationships, events such as ice cream socials, game nights, men’s and women’s groups, volunteer opportunities, and bible studies aid students in finding a community which fosters growth in faith.
One of the most important parts of communal expression is worship. We worship God in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass participating in communal prayer on behalf of the living and dead. We convene and commune, receiving Christ in His Body and Blood. It is in the Eucharist that we find the “source and summit” of the Catholic Faith (CCC, 1324). We cannot stray far from the mass, as it is the lifeblood of our faith.
It is necessary that we develop a personal relationship with Christ that flows outwards into the community around us by imitating the very act of Christ’s outpouring love for us. There are many different ways we can go about this, and ultimately it lies in loving thy neighbor as thyself.
The Saint 