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 January 28, 2010 under 4. Thursday's Spiritual Smoothie |
Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of all Catholic educational institutions. In the midst of our roles as advocates for faith and spirituality on university and college campuses, one of our greatest gifts and biggest challenges is promoting the link between faith and reason. Aquinas, of course, is a great example of how faith and reason are both important and compatible.
Below is a prayer from Saint Thomas Aquinas that we can use ourselves and share with our students:
O Lord, my God, direct my study,
ensure my perseverance,
and set your seal upon its completion.
You who are the fount of wisdom,
shed light upon the darkness of my understanding
and dispel the twofold darkness of sin and ignorance.
Grant me a keen understanding, a retentive memory,
method and ease in learning, fluency in speech and writing.
Finally, set me on a way of life that is pleasing to you
and grant me confidence that I will embrace you at the end.
Amen.
Sarah Heiman is Campus Minister for Education and Spiritual Life at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.
