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One of the most exciting areas of ministry in the Roman Catholic Church today is Campus
Ministry. It is a work animated by the energy, enthusiasm, and idealism of young people on
the threshold of carving out a destiny for themselves. Although often a period of exploration,
experimentation, and even rebellion-especially in matters religious, college years are also a
time when young people want to be challenged by ideals and principles that give meaning to their
lives. Catholic Campus ministry provides this challenge.
Two years ago, when I first entered
the field of Catholic Campus ministry at Howard University, I had no idea what I was getting
into! I had recently left a beloved assignment in a wonderful parish and now I was a stranger
in a foreign land. Howard University, one of the nations' premier historically black colleges
and universities (HBCU), was a different territory for a priest accustomed to working in a
vibrant Catholic parish in Southeast Texas. From the beginning I had to look for my
congregation! "Where were the Catholic students?" I asked! I was told that they were on
campus and all I had to do was find them. So that's what I set out to do. For five weeks all
I did was post flyers in every nook and cranny of the campus announcing the return of the
Newman Club. (Newman Club is the name traditionally given to Roman Catholic ministries on
non-Catholic college campuses. It is the name of John Henry Cardinal Newman, an English
convert to Catholicism who was very much dedicated to Catholic higher education.)
Finally the big day arrived. Thirteen students showed up to our first meeting. Well,
I had one more than the Good Lord started with and that was good enough for me! We began to
plan what our ministry would look like. To my great and pleasant surprise the students' first
concern was Sunday Mass. They wanted to be able to go to Mass on campus. Not only did we
schedule Sunday Mass, but we were able to have daily Mass as well as daily recitation of the
Rosary and the opportunity for confession-yes college students do go to confession! There were
seven students at our first Sunday Mass; we now average 40-45 on Sunday and we maxxed out on
Easter of this year with sixty-five! In two years we have had two students received into full
communion in the Church and two more confirmations. We are small, but alive! We scheduled a
weekly meeting, and a number of committees were formed to plan the kinds of activities that would
eventually shape our community. The students formed a choir-ours has a Caribbean flair due to
the large number of West Indian students who love to sing! Liturgical ministers were trained,
commissioned, and scheduled to assist at Mass. Retreats are planned by student committee. Our
social activities directress is a very busy body as we are a very social group. Since we hardly
do anything without eating, it's a good thing that the chaplain is from New Orleans and knows how
to cook!
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