Posted by admin on September 1, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday | 
There are a million ways to do a Bible Study with college students. Bible studies can be peer-led or taught by a pastoral minister or even professor, they can be focused on history, theology, faithsharing, men’s issues, women’s issues, penance, evangelism… the list could go on and on!
This year, St. John Catholic Church & Student Center at Michigan State University will present a Bible Study built around some of the most important historical events of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Fr. Joe, our Director of Campus Ministry and Bible-aficionado will offer a lesson in Biblical History every other week throughout the school year to all of the Bible Study participants (the “A” weeks). By the end of the year, our goal is for students to be capable of situating Scriptural passages in their appropriate historical & literary context.
During the opposing weeks (the “B” weeks), the participants will meet in small groups in dorms or off campus in apartments or coffee shops to do some faithsharing based on Scriptural texts discussed during the previous week’s lesson. By participating in a guided Bible Study, we hope that our students will be well equipped to start their own faithsharing groups after graduating college and moving on to regular parish life.
Our Bible Study Curriculum:
Week A1: A Guide to your Bible & Small Groups
· Where did the Bible come from?
· Which books made it into the Bible, and which were rejected?
· Different literary forms of the Bible
· Do translations matter? Which Bible should I buy?
· Dealing with issues in your small faithsharing group (skits by upperclassmen)
Week B1: Getting to Know Your Small Group
· Introductions
· Called & Gifted in Diverse Ways
Week A2: Genesis & Creation Stories of the Ancient Near East
Week B2: Created in the Image & Likeness of God
· Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139
Week A3: Abraham
Week B3: Meditations TBA for remaining “B” weeks…
Week A4: Moses, Passover & the Exodus
Week A5: Rise of the Davidic Dynasty: Judges to Kings
Week A6: The Babylonian Exile
Week A7: The Maccabean Revolt
Week A8: Wisdom Literature of the Second Temple Period
Week A9: Christ & the Gospels
Week A10: Acts of the Apostles & Paul
Week A11: The Epistles
Week A12: Revelation
Katie Diller is the Campus Minister at St. John Catholic Student Center serving Michigan State University.
Posted by admin on August 25, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Interested in starting a Catholic Men’s group at your campus ministry site? Here are some activities to get you started:
1. BBQ Like a Man- This fall, the Men’s Group kickoff event St. John Student Center will be an epic lesson in barbecue technique. Rumor has it that the Knights of Columbus are bringing a lot of firewood to the rectory… Guys may bring meats of their choice, and if everyone survives dinner, the guys will discuss ideas for future social & service events.
2. Paintball Battle- Guys will divide into two teams- those discerning a vocation to marriage, and those discerning a vocation to priesthood or religious life. Running & shooting will follow.
3. Wilderness/Camping Weekend Retreat- The University of Dayton has an excellent retreat format for a Men’s or Women’s Wilderness Retreat. Guys love camping… find a challenging trail or state park in your area, pack some gorp, sleeping bags, matches, and a Bible, and spend some time wandering in the Wilderness. (Patrick Cashio & John DeWyze)
4. Outfit the Ideal Man- The leaders put a cutout of a guy on the wall and discussed the traits and equipment that an idea man would have. Strength- a sword in his belt… wisdom- an owl perched on his shoulder… etc. After the discussion on masculine spirituality, the guys held a nerf sword tournament. (Patrick Cashio & John DeWyze)
5. First Aid Lesson- Men should be prepared to care for those around them- bring in a Red Cross First Aid/CPR trainer, perhaps read the story of the Good Samaritan. (Patrick Cashio & John DeWyze)
6. Campfire Race- Two ideas: First, divide into teams and race to see who can build a fire the quickest (without lighters, flammable liquids or matches). Then, have a competition with water balloons to see whose group can put out another group’s fire the quickest. (Patrick Cashio & John DeWyze)
7. Virtues Bracket (March Madness Style)- place the virtues in a bracket and have the guys fill it out to see which virtue would win… use this to begin a discussion on masculinity and Christian virtue. (Patrick Cashio & John DeWyze)
8. IM Sports- if your campus ministry site can participate in campus IM sports, your guys group could field a team!
9. Snow football, leg wrestling… other activities to work into Men’s Group meetings…
10. What do YOU do on campus to reach out to college guys? Leave a comment below & share your ideas!
John DeWyze is the Campus Minister at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center serving Valparaiso University (jdewyze@saintt.com).
Patrick Cashio is the Graduate Assistant for the Center for Social Concern at the University of Dayton (patrick.cashio@gmail.com).
Katie Diller is the Campus Minister at St. John Church and Student Center serving Michigan State University (kdiller@elcatholics.org).
Posted by admin on April 27, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Blessing of Graduates
Before you were even formed, God knew you.
While you were still in your mother’s womb,
God named you.
At your birth,
God’s breath filled you with life.
Today, we celebrate what you have
become at this moment in time.
And so we pray…
God of our beginnings,
We thank you for the gifts of these graduates;
their excitement, their awesome wonder and curiosity,
their open speech and encouraging words.
Their contributions have blessed and challenged us,
and we have become a richer and more diverse community
because of them.
As they step forward into the world that awaits,
comfort their fears with the full knowledge of your divine presence.
Strengthen their resolve to walk in the footsteps of Jesus
as modern-day disciples in a world that needs their spirit.
Guide their feet as they move through life,
protecting them from the pitfalls of darkness
while they help to lead future generations
into the warmth and promise of your light.
We ask this blessing upon each of them,
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Life After DeSales: A Starter Kit for Graduates
At the annual “Thank You ” dinner for all those involved with Campus Ministry, the Seniors are given the Life After DeSales Starter Kit. The “kit” is a small gift bag, labeled “Life After DeSales Starter Kit” It is filled with the following items which reflect the University’s Salesian spirituality and reminds them of our ministry to and with them over the past four years. The items in the bag can easily be changed to reflect your school or ministry’s charism.
1.) Bee or a small letter “B”—a small figure found at any craft store
2.) Mirror
3.) Small container of honey
4.) Salt
5.) Matches
6.) Clown Noses or “Groucho” glasses
Each senior is called up by name and a brief listing of their contribution to campus ministry over the four years is read. They are each given a kit and asked not to open their kit until all have received theirs and returned to their seats. Then the following explanation (also found in the kit) is read:
“Bee“—A reminder to “Be who you are and be that well so as to give praise to the Divine Artisan whose work of art you are.”
“Honey“—DeSales explains that a bee has to work on the bitter pollen she collects to transform it into honey that is both sweet and nourishing. The devout life calls us to bring our faith and love to the ordinary and difficult demands of life. By doing so, we can transform those demands from bitter to sweet, from barren to fruitful, from ordinary to divine, from God-less to God-filled.
“Mirror”—A call to humility-to see yourself as you truly are and to recognize who and whose you are.
“Salt”—DeSales tells us that love is seeking the good in another and choosing and acting to draw that goodness out and make it grow. Just as salt draws out the goodness in food, so may our love towards others do the same.
“Matches”—”I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49) The devout life calls us to imitate Jesus’ burning passion to do the Father’s will. We will do this by doing the ordinary, extraordinarily passionately well.
-Clown Noses or Groucho glasses with moustache—a truly humble person, according to DeSales, takes life seriously but not himself seriously. The clown nose (Groucho glasses) also reminds us that an optimistic, happy character draws more people to God.
When the reading of the description is finished, the seniors are asked to put on their clown noses (Groucho glasses) and assemble for a group picture. If possible, we send them a copy of the picture before they leave campus. We also frame one of the copies and hang it in the Campus Ministry Office area as a way to remember that class.
Submitted by Rev. John Hanley, OSFS, Director of Campus Ministry at DeSales University.
Posted by admin on March 21, 2010 under 1. Media Monday, 3. Program Swap! Wednesday, About the Blog |
Looking for a way to incorporate art into your prayer life or the lives of your students? Check out Perfect Intimacy at http://www.lilialmog.com/New_Site/Perfect_Intimacy.html. What you will find is a photo exhibition by artist Lili Almog featuring a series of photos taken at three Carmelite monasteries over two years. The images will inspire you and give you a unique window into the lives of these extraordinary women. An artist whose body of work has focused several times on the private lives of women, makes these Carmelite communities a focus in a new way. The communities - Mt. Carmel in Haifa, one in Bethlehem and one in Port Tobacco, MD allow her an unusual amount of access considering the Carmelite started as hermits!
Katie Byrnes is an Assistant Chaplain at Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel Center at Yale University.
Posted by admin on March 10, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Again this Lent the Province is offering audio reflections by Fr. Pat McGrath, SJ. Please visit our website ( www.jesuits-chgdet.org ) and click the Lent “ad” in the lower right to be directed to the Lent podcast page.
In an effort to share these reflections widely, we’ve shared the link with the other provinces throughout the country, as well as benefactors, family/friends, Jesuits, and Jesuit ministries of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces. We’re happy to report that many websites are featuring our Lent programming. Please feel free to post the link to our Lent 2010 web page, located at http://jesuits-chgdet.org/lent2010/ . For your convenience, we’ve included 2 versions of a designed “ad”/link that you can use. If you or someone you know would prefer the original Photoshop files, they can be obtained by clicking the following link and downloading the .zip folder, which includes a Read Me file: http://jesuits-chgdet.org/lent2010/Lent-2010-Banner_Button.zip. Contact Jeremy Langford for more information.
Posted by admin on March 4, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Liturgical Resources
St. Louis University has a great website that contains a great deal of helpful information for planning and preparing for Sunday liturgy. There’s everything from exegesis of the scriptural texts to pronunciation guides to homiletical resources. The website also includes suggested petitions for the prayers of the faithful. To find these great resources, please visit http://liturgy.slu.edu.
Post your favorite liturgical websites or ideas for liturgy!
Posted by admin on January 26, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Happy Wednesday! Check out some great footage from the March for Life last Sunday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Q2nj1CSLQ
Posted by admin on January 20, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
The following resource was submitted by Sarah L. Heiman, M.Div., from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
St. Louis University has a great website that contains a lot of helpful information for planning and preparing for the Sunday liturgy. There’s everything from exegesis of the scriptural texts to pronunciation guides to homiletical resources. The website also includes suggested petitions for the prayers of the faithful as well. To find these great resources, please visit http://liturgy.slu.edu.
Posted by Chrysta Bolinger, CCMA Director, Member Services and Communications.
Posted by admin on January 13, 2010 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
Tragedies too often fall on those least capable of dealing with them. This is truly the case with the earthquake in Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries. In addition to the heartbreaking loss of life and the disruptions to an already fragile society, the earthquake destroyed thousands upon thousands of homes. Please read below the letter from Catholic Relief Services and consider how you might help.
____________________________________
Dear Friends,
A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti just before 5 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, January 12. The epicenter of the quake was 10 miles southwest of the impoverished nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which has more than 2 million inhabitants.
Catholic Relief Services has permanent offices and ongoing projects in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Eighty percent of Haitians are Catholic. Right now we are quickly mobilizing our pre-positioned emergency relief supplies including: kitchen kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, bedding, water containers and other lifesaving assistance. CRS has made an initial commitment of $5 million to help with immediate needs.
Please support CRS in their efforts to rush relief to the earthquake victims in Haiti. Your help is urgently needed. Please donate now.
• Text RELIEF to 30644 on your cell phone and follow the instructions.
• Mail checks to Catholic Relief Services P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
• Call CRS at 1-800-736-3467 between 8a.m. and 11p.m. EST
• Online at https://secure.crs.org.
CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.
Posted by admin on December 2, 2009 under 3. Program Swap! Wednesday |
It’s In The Bag
Retreat “Ice-Breaker” Opening Activity
This activity is best done as one of the first things you do as a retreat begins. Give each person a paper bag, pens, pencils, crayons, and markers. Have each person print their name on the bag and decorate it with pictures, symbols that help to describe themselves to others in the retreat group. After they have all decorated the bag, you may have the participants in some way describe the bag to the whole group.
Once everyone has done the above, distribute the following handout, “It’s In The Bag.” Ask them to privately complete the questions, stick the questions in the bag, fold the top and place the bags in a designated place where they are accessible, noticeable but out of the way for the remainder of the retreat. You may even place a sanctuary candle near the area where the bags are to represent the presence of Christ.
Explain to the participants that, in answering the questions and putting them in the bag, they are letting go of those concerns for the duration of the retreat and entrusting them to God. Let God take care of them during the retreat. They will be there for them to take back at the end. They might find that God has taken care of some of those questions during the retreat.
Another option is to suggest that the retreat participants write notes of encouragement to one another during the retreat and to put their notes in the person’s bag during the retreat.
Make sure to give each participant their bag at the conclusion of the retreat.
Questions:
What has been on my mind most lately?
What is up in the air in my life right now?
What question(s) do I want answered?
What distracts me most each time I try to get quiet?
What relationship am I worried about ?
What do I fear now?
What is making me angry?
What would I like God to handle right now?
Submitted by Rev. John Hanley, OSFS, Director of Campus Ministry at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.
