ELON UNIVERSITY

CATHOLIC CAMPUSMINISTRY

Truitt CenterCampus Box 2960

Elon, NC 27244336-278-7355

www.elon.edu/ccm

SUNDAY MASS TIMES:Elon Community Church

6pm & 9pm

WEDNESDAY NIGHT CATHOLIC:Holt Chapel (South Campus)

7:07pm - Rosary, 7:30pm - Mass

FRIDAY MASS:Holt Chapel (South Campus)

12:10pm

STAFF:

Campus MinisterFr. Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv.

gwaterman@elon.edu336-278-7355

Business ManagerTrung Huynh-Duc

tduc@elon.edu336-446-9226

Peer Ministry CoordinatorMatt Merry

mmerry@elon.edu

STUDENT LEADERS:

The Catholic PhoenixSp

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Kati HenryKayleigh Johnson

Nick MartinChris Sainz

Lauren Sandberg

Jackie SeranyErin Strosnider

Ruth SturmMeg Taylor

Katherine Wise

amaica is known for many things: its beautiful beaches, a tropical climate we all

long for in the winter months, succulent jerk chicken, steel drums, the Olympic performances of a sprinter named Usain Bolt, and a historic bobsled team. However, when I visited the tropical island as a missionary with Catholic Campus Ministry alongside Fr. Gerry Waterman and 11 other students over spring break, my view of the country was turned upside down. After ascending into the mountains to St. Mary’s Above Rocks, we were greeted with no electricity, no running water, and windows

without screens. Living simply, we learned to shower with buckets, stay up late talking by candlelight, and quickly learned bug-spray is our best friend. Despite these supposed “hardships,” something really special happened

at St. Mary’s that week. Every day, we taught the most joyous children I’ve ever met at Brain Camp, a tutoring program run by St. Mary’s Parish as a supplement to their school. I tutored two amazing boys named Kristoff and Tajay, who, at 10 years old, still struggled with their multiplication tables and writing coherent sentences, but what they lacked for in skill, they made up for in sheer energy and enthusiasm in living the moment. They loved to play and joke around, and they visited the porch area where we missionaries relaxed every day after school. As I got to know them better, I realized

they were just ordinary 10 year old boys who loved to play soccer, tease girls, and complain about doing their work. They weren’t ashamed of their

poverty; they were humble but proud. These joyous people lived their lives in simplicity and in the vision of God. Nobody embodied this better than anextraordinary man named Mr. Joe, who walked

FaithLiving Our Spring Break Mission Trip to JamaicaBy Greg Zitelli, Class of 2014

J

“...my view of the country was turned upside down.”

(Continued on page 3)

2 Catholic Campus Ministry

Catholic Campus Ministry: My Faith FamilyGetting involved in anything as a

freshman can be intimidating. With over 140 clubs and organizations, Elon presents a dizzying number of opportunities. For me, however, one stood out from all the rest: Catholic Campus Ministry. Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) offers something that no other club at Elon can: a faith-based support system for Catholic students. College is an important time in every person’s life and the ability to find strength in a community is important. I have found that community in CCM. From the very first day, I was welcomed open-heartedly into this group of students and I believe I have created life-long friendships. The first retreat, CCM’s Annual Beach Retreat, showcased how different CCM really is. The retreat was run, to my surprise, entirely by the student leadership. This meant student-created, student-oriented activities designed specifically for us. The excitement the student leadership demonstrated for their faith inspired me to search for that faith for myself.

Throughout the year I have grown closer to many of the people I met on that first trip and am now a member of that same leadership team. As we plan this year’s Annual Spring Retreat I have come to value the work of the student leadership even more. Beyond that, I am now an active member of a faith-sharing “Small Group” that seeks to provide peer support as we grow and develop in our faith. This year I also went on a CCM Mission Trip to Jamaica over Spring Break. Getting to know my fellow missionaries was wonderful and working with the Jamaicans was a truly life-changing experience. The hope and strength of faith demonstrated by the people with whom we worked, especially the children, was inspiring and unforgettable. CCM has become a crucial part of my daily life and I could not imagine my college experience without it. It truly is a community of acceptance and I would encourage any student who has not yet gotten involved to come check it out! It is never too late to join this faith family!

By Erin Strosnider, Class of 2014

“CCM has become a crucial part of my daily life and I could not imagine my college experience without it.”

During his time as Pope, John Paul II devoted a large portion of his teaching to what he called the “Theology of the Body.”

Based off of his book, Man and Woman He Created Them, John Paul gave a more clearly developed view of what the Catholic Church teaches about human sexuality how we can use that understanding to better know, love, and serve God. During our series of TOB debates, students discussed the topics

of chastity, abortion, contraceptives, and same-sex marriage, which are all hot-button issues, especially on a college campus. Along with Matt Merry, CCM’s Peer Ministry Coordinator, students would volunteer to join one of the two panels that debated either side of the argument. Far from exhausting the topics, the series of debates gave an introductory level look at these controversial issues from the perspective of the Catholic Church. Students from all different parts of campus were invited to come and voice their opinions as a number of different panelists attempted to back up their views from either side of each topic. With each being only one hour and dealing with such important topics, the debates were left open ended, but gave necessary information for both sides to talk about. We can only hope that Catholics, as a part of the greater body of Christ, will continue to foster such open-minded discussions in an attempt to foster discipleship through apologetics and a greater understanding of those whose thoughts differ from Catholic doctrine.

Theologyof theBody

Online GivingThrough our partnership with Elon University, Catholic Campus Ministry is able to accept online donations via a credit card, debit card, or bank account. As a recognized organization at the university, all donations are credited as a gift to Elon University, with designation for use by Catholic Campus Ministry. We hope that you will prayerfully consider supporting Catholic Campus Ministry at Elon with a recurring online gift that would automatically be drafted from your account at time intervals that you set.

www.elon.edu/ccm/donate

Catholic students comprise 24% of the total undergraduate population at Elon University. Catholic Campus Ministry relies on our donors as our primary revenue source to fund our student programs, events, supplies, and personnel. Unlike parishes that have weekly income from collections, our congregation is comprised of students with limited ability to give at this time in their lives. With your support, Catholic Campus Ministry will be able to nourish our students’ faith, empower them to work for justice, and help them develop into inspired leaders not only for our Church, but for the world.

Serving Elon University 3

40 minutes to church every morning for Mass. We quickly came to anticipate that during intercessions, Mr. Joe would recite a nearly three minute long prayer thanking God for everything imaginable, from the food he ate, the family with whom he lives, to the beautiful country that surrounds him. I was struck that a man with so little was so gracious for all of the gifts he’s been given. When I’ve been overwhelmed by the stresses of school as this spring semester winds down, I’ve been praying for Mr. Joe and that I can be as grateful for everything I’m given, and not to get caught up in the little things that bring me down. God has given us many gifts, and we need to embrace and enjoy them to their fullest.

LIVING OUR FAITH, continued from page 1A

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See more photos from both of our Spring Break

trips online! Visit:www.elon.edu/ccm/photos

Enthusiasm and positive energy represent powerful components in

life. When paired together in any given environment, they construct a wave that flows through the atmosphere, providing a breath of inspiration. Service trips overflow with these passionate and emotional experiences that leave extensive memories. Hugging a child in need, laughing with a family struggling to make ends meet, greeting someone who has no home, and making new friendships are only some of the many moments shared. During my spring break, I chose to dedicate my time with

Catholic Campus Ministry to surfing God’s wave filled with opportunities to serve a community, make a difference, and mature in faith. Jacksonville, Florida provided an array of wonderful service opportunities: Second Harvest Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and the Hubbard House. Each provided insight into a different component of service exposing me and my five fellow students to new opportunities and new people. Hearing others’ stories by stepping into service provided an opportunity for me to open my mind and grow. Reflecting,

I realize that each interaction left a compounding impression on my mind as to how my faith relates everywhere. How often do we have exposure to exceptional poverty, dire homelessness, or widespread suffering? After returning to Elon, my mind continues to remember the countless number of individuals I encountered, and I reflect upon their stories. I intend to get involved in another service trip as soon as possible. As a college student, I highly encourage others to get involved in a similar service opportunity. Start your own wave of positive energy!

By Brandon Brown, Class of 2013Surfing God’s Wave in Jacksonville

The Catholic PhoenixCCM Newsletter

Catholic Campus MinistryCampus Box 2960Elon, NC 27244-2010Phone: 336-278-7355

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 1

Elon, N.C. 27244

Look Inside!All the articles in this newsletter can also be found on our website, including additional photos. Just visit www.elon.edu/ccm and click on the “Newsletters” link!

Living Our Faith: Spring Break Mission Trip to Jamaica by Greg Zitelli

Theology of the Body

Catholic Campus Ministry: My Faith Family by Erin Strosnider

Supporting the Faith: Online Giving

Surfing God’s Wave in Jacksonville by Brandon Brown

Follow CCM on our new page at www.facebook.com/ElonCatholic Make sure to hit the LIKE button!

Follow us online!

V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e : w w w . e l o n . e d u / c c m

Catholic Campus Ministry had the honor of welcoming 10 new students to the CCM Executive leadership team in February. They recently planned and executed CCM’s annual Spring Retreat in the NC mountains. The largest one yet, the Exec team is excited to lead the CCM program and evangelize on Elon’s campus!

Welcome!

Jackie SeranyPresident

Kayleigh JohnsonSpirituality

Nick MartinVice President

Chris SainzCommunications

Erin StrosniderLiturgy

Lauren SandbergCommunications

Meg TaylorService

Kati HenryCommunity

Katherine WiseService

Ruth SturmCommunity