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Campus Ministry Response
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What's Been Happening- From Campus Ministry
Saturday, February 18 - Sunday, February 19
God provides! How crazy is it that after this awful week at MSU, our Spring Undergrad Retreat was providentially planned for this weekend at Bethany House!
We weren’t sure if students- many of whom went home for the week- would still want to attend. But 75% of those registered replied YES without hesitation that they wanted the retreat to go on! So our campus ministry team rallied and made a few adjustments, and here we are together
Bishop Boyea was gracious enough to pop by with some words of support and encouragement for our Catholic Spartans… and offered a prayer and blessing to kick off the retreat!
#CatholicSpartansRetreat
#PrayforUs
Friday, February 17
Students are leaving for the Undergrad Retreat this evening. Of the original 58 registered 45 are attending. Many students, especially upperclassmen, are communicating that they desire to use the retreat as a way to process the traumatic events of the week or transition back to the student community before returning to class on Monday. We are so grateful for the timing of Spring Retreat, so that we can provide this opportunity for healing, sharing, and encounter with Christ's love with our Catholic Spartans. Please Keep the students, retreat team and speakers in your prayers this weekend. I am sure this will be an intensly emotional retreat for our students.
Thursday, February 16What Can You Do?
Attend the Public Vigils & Memorial Services
There have been a number of vigils already, and the funerals / memorial services are coming as you've likely seen in the newspapers. Like the Vigil at the Rock last night, let's encourage folks to be present when possible at the community gatherings so that an STA / SJSC presence is felt. This Sunday, Phi Delta Theta will host a 4pm vigil for Brian Fraser at 626 Cowley Ave. I'll be present to lead the assembly in prayer.
Pray for Mercy
The whole world and all of us sinners need mercy. We need conversion and forgiveness to overcome our anger, hatred and violence. Let us call mercy upon our wounded world--the suffering, dying and despairing, the victims & the perpetrators of violence. To get ready for Lent and Divine Mercy Sunday, please pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for our MSU Community and for all who suffer such violence or persecution.Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy (Diary of St. Faustina, #300, cf. 699).
Attend Lenten Events as a Sign of Solidarity
Let's come together as a parish community this Lent and gather for Fish Fries, Stations and more to pray and support one another as a sign that we stand united in faith. Let's have the best attendance ever! And as our best student attendance of the year is always on Ash Wednesday, please wear your Spartan Spirit Wear on Ash Wednesday as a sign of solidarity as we engage this season of dying and rising together.
Donate to Campus Ministry / the Parish at large
As parish collections have suffered in recent years, a great way to support our students is by supporting our staff and parish budget. A healthy offertory keeps our programming strong. We've had to make cuts to our campus ministry interns, and putting these positions back in the budget for next year would increase our outreach to the student body at MSU.
Getting Involved
This is a time to put mourning and grieving ahead of political actions, and yet we know that there is much to be done across our state and nation to improve gun safety laws, mental health services, school safety regulations and the like. The Michigan Catholic Conference represents the bishops, dioceses and parishes across Michigan in such legislative concerns according to Catholic Social Teaching. You can support their efforts, be informed of pending legislation, and easily contact your state representatives through their Catholic Advocacy Network. Sign up today! Similarly, the Catholic bishops across America have a platform called Voter Voice for you to follow these political actions on a national level.
Fr. Gordon
Wednesday, February 16- Ministry of presence with counseling and snacks continues- we continue to see students depart campus for the comfort of home. We expect an uptick in requests for group or one on one counseling as students return to campus next week.
- Accompanying students at the MSU Vigil at the Rock on Wednesday evening- and distributing candles to students who desired to bring candles to the event.
- Of the 58 students originally registered for Spring Undergrad Retreat, we have had 45 confirm their RSVP's. Many students, especially upperclassmen, are communicating that they desire to use the retreat as a way to process the traumatic events of the week or transition back to the student community before returning to class on Monday. We are so grateful for the timing of Spring Retreat, so that we can provide this opportunity for healing, sharing, and encounter with Christ's love with our Catholic Spartans.
- As such, in addition to providing counseling and ministry of presence, our campus ministers are also re-working the retreat schedule and communicating with our guest speakers to accommodate the unique needs that will be met by this retreat.
- Responding to the media, diocese, and many volunteers or messages of support that we have received from alumni, parishioners, colleagues in ministry, and individuals interested in helping us respond to the trauma of the incidents on campus.
Katie Gleason
Director of Campus Ministry -
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Tuesday, February 14
At this point this evening, we have had a few dozen students visit St. John Student Center for support and counseling. An enormous number of students have departed campus and returned to their families for the remainder of the week. Throughout the day, we have offered group and one on one counseling, snacks, and prayer. A group of students offered to chalk the neighborhood with messages about St. John being open for prayer, comfort and snacks. A student-led group walked over to campus and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm near the MSU Union.
We expect that we will offer a ministry of prayer, presence and counseling throughout the week, but that we will see much larger groups of students early next week when they return to class. Any unused snacks will be kept to welcome them back- particularly since we usually have a large turnout for Mass on the evening of Fat Tuesday. That usual gathering will be a blessed opportunity to encounter our students as they return to campus and continue processing their grief.
Our clergy have done an amazing job - Fr Gordon was on campus overnight, assisting in ministry at the MSU Pavilion. Fr Mike has been posted here at St. John Student Center all day, present to students in need and responding to media requests. Fr Peter is on campus this afternoon, assisting at one of the Crisis Centers set up by the university.
We are grateful for the tremendous support of our colleagues at the Diocese of Lansing and the coordination and safety efforts of MSU's Administration, Student Services, Religious Advisor's Association, and most of all, MSU Police and other first responders. All of this support has freed us to do what we do best: minister to students.
Please continue to keep the MSU and East Lansing Community in prayer, as we know that this traumatic event stretches from campus into many families and homes through the closure of elementary and high schools, community activities and alumni connections. We hope you will join us for our regularly scheduled Masses throughout the week and especially this Sunday!
Katie Gleason
Director of Campus Ministry -
Tuesday, February 14
Dear East Lansing Catholic Family,
I am sure you are wondering, How could this happen? What can we do?
Katie Gleason, Director of Campus Ministry has gotten texts, calls and emails all night from other campus ministries and the diocese offering support as well as lots of students. Katie and Taylor encouraged Small group leaders to check in with their small group members. They ask for your prayers.
Beyond kids who might have known victims, the long lockdown will be the worst experience for most, especially if they were still in class. We had a lot of kids in evening classes stuck for 4+ hours in classroom building basements. That’s the scary part for them - Parents calling frantically, cell phone batteries dying, and not being able to leave until very late.
We don’t know what to expect yet… We think a lot of kids will go home for the week. We might get overrun, we might not. We are preparing for anything.
1) We have hospitality for any students who find their way here – coffee and donuts for now.
2) At 10:00am, we will begin adoration at St. John Student Center so that students can come and draw close to Jesus. Adoration will last all day up until the 8:45pm Mass.
3) Mass is happening at St. Thomas at 9:00am and 10:30am. There is a rosary at 10:00am. (The Senior Luncheon however has been canceled.) If you can, please come and pray together as a community.
If you are wondering what you can do, please pray for students and their families, our first responders, police and medical people, and for God to send His healing spirit.
We would also happily accept snack packs and cans pop for students who may show up here later today. We may even need soup later, but please call first.
Your prayers are most important and most appreciated. We hope you are able to join us at Mass at St. Thomas or at the Rosary to pray for MSU and our community.
May God watch over all of the broken hearted,
Fr. Gordon
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18