Jesus is Best Shared on Campus by Students Themselves

Leading a Bible study, sharing the Catholic faith with students, forming authentic friendships and being mentored are all part of the outreach provided by FOCUS missionaries at St. Albert the Great University Parish.
 
FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, is a college outreach that shares the hope and joy of the gospel with students. Through Bible studies, events, mission trips and one-on-one discipleship, missionaries inspire and build up students in the faith, sending them out to spread the good news and to make disciples of all nations. St. Al’s has four FOCUS missionaries who serve the parish and campus community.
 
Colleen Morrall, a FOCUS missionary who served at St. Al’s from 2016-18, says FOCUS prepares students for what they are going to do with the rest of their life. “We teach the students to know and live the mission of Jesus,” she says.
 
One way FOCUS missionaries do this is through discipleship, also known as mentoring. “Just like Jesus went out and found the apostles, this is what we do on campus. We each invest in two to four students, teach them how to pray and to lead missions and teach them how to teach other people to do that.”
 
This past year, Colleen mentored three women at St. Al’s. She spent time with them each week teaching them how to evangelize, grow in virtue, and lead others to Christ.
 
“We spend time in prayer and read scripture, and we discuss mission skills such as how to lead a Bible study, how to share the Gospel with others, and how to talk to your professor about Christ when something is brought up in the classroom,” Colleen says. “It’s the job of every FOCUS missionary to work yourself out of your job so the students can be the missionaries spreading the gospel. I spend time with these young women, walk with them, and help them in their spiritual journey. This is what Jesus did as well.”
 
The students are then sent out to lead a Bible study, share the Gospel with others and become leaders within their church community. In FOCUS, this is known as spiritual multiplication; a FOCUS missionary mentors three people and then each of those people each mentor three people and the Gospel is shared with others in the ordinary, day-to-day of life.
 
Zoé LaLonde, a junior at Michigan Tech, said she felt God calling her to take part in FOCUS discipleship at St. Al’s.
 
“I didn’t know fully what I was getting myself into,” she says. “I am so happy that I said yes to His invitation because it has truly changed my life. God has changed so many things in my heart and has used me to reach others with his love.”
 
She says FOCUS taught her what it means to be a disciple. “We are called to go out and make disciples of all nations. Having FOCUS on campus is a great foundation for us so we can be leaders of our faith in our communities while at college and after.”
 
Zoé attended Catholic school from grades 1-12, and was active in her church youth group, but she says she was not taught how to share her faith with others. “FOCUS emphasizes that discipleship and evangelization starts with your personal relationship with Christ. In order to reach others, you must never forget to keep Christ at the focus of everything.”
 
Moving outside of her comfort zone and strengthening her faith has come from Zoé’s involvement with FOCUS. She describes herself as a quiet person and not one to start a conversation or to lead a meeting. That changed when she said yes to FOCUS discipleship.
 
“God always calls you outside your comfort zone, because when you are weak He is strong, and His glory shines forth. I've learned to trust in Him, especially when he has placed a person in my life to reach out to with his love. I've had to be bold in my faith and confident in God's will and his love for me and others.”
 
Madi Hollman, a sophomore at Michigan Tech and a member of St. Albert the Great parish, learned about FOCUS and wanted to share her faith. “Through discipleship I am not only able to be accountable for growing in my faith but I have also learned practical ways to invest in others.”
 
Madi has done this by leading a Bible study and starting to disciple another student. She says having FOCUS on campus provides her with the right resources and the momentum to evangelize.
 
“I know I would not have had the confidence or organization to start a Bible study without guidance from the missionaries and upperclassmen. They are leaders by example to everyone they encounter by living virtuously and investing in true friendships. At St. Al's I have been encouraged to go deeper just as much by the fellowship and by example as by any formal teaching of prayer or how to share our faith.”

-written by Sarah Williams