Christian Union: The Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 40

the spiritual climate on campus
COLU M B I A | On Campus
Jesus Week and More
C O L U M B I A C AT H O L I C M I N I S T RY E N J OYS F R U I T F U L S E M E S T E R
By Nathan Barlow, Columbia ’20
T
he Columbia Catholic Ministry,
a fixture of campus spiritual life
for nearly a century, made its presence
known with a variety of events that
proclaimed the Gospel in the spring
semester.
This was especially true during
Jesus Week, the days leading up to
Easter when campus ministries at
Columbia collaborate for ecumenical
prayer and worship events. During
Jesus Week, Columbia Catholic Min-
istry sponsored a morning prayer on
Spy Wednesday (the day on which
Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhe-
drin). Later that night, the ministry
thing so often demeaned—the rela-
tionships between men and women.
The spring semester also featured
a conference at the Villa Maria Gua-
dalupe Retreat Center in Stamford,
Connecticut and day trip hikes for
spiritual recollection. The retreat cen-
ter is run by the Sisters of Life, a re-
ligious order of women dedicated to
promoting the sanctity of life.
In a joint statement, co-presidents
of the ministry Rachel Dziatko (Barnard
’18) and Alex Chen (Columbia ’18)
said the retreat was quite memorable.
“Retreats are always special be-
cause it’s a weekend away from school
In addition to weekly mass and student-led Bible studies,
Columbia Catholic Ministry had a slate of other large
events during the spring semester.
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invited campus Christians to its week-
ly Family Dinner in the Merton Cen-
ter at Corpus Christi Church.
In addition to weekly mass and
student-led Bible studies, Columbia
Catholic Ministry had a slate of other
large events during the spring semester.
In a popular St. Valentine’s Day tradi-
tion, the gentlemen of the ministry
cook brunch and serve it to the ladies.
In a culture where chivalry is nearly
dead and Valentine’s Day has a less
than wholesome reputation, this
brunch is a powerful example for the
Columbia community, serving as a
reminder of the gentleness and civility
that God calls men to nurture, and it
brings formality and reverence to some-
that gives the opportunity to immerse
yourself in your faith and do so with
friends,” said Dziatko and Chen.
“This particular retreat was all the
more rewarding because of the Sisters’
presence. They really made everyone
feel welcome and would talk about
anything with you.”
In addition to their large student
board, the ministry has a number of
adult leaders and is tied to the Co-
lumbia chaplain’s office, as well as the
Corpus Christi parish. The Columbia
Catholic Ministry (CCM), which has
a graduate student presence and
co-sponsors nearly every lecture event
in the Merton Center, is a member
of the national organization FOCUS
(Fellowship of Catholic University
Students).
In the 2016–2017 school year,
CCM hosted a total of four missionar-
ies, recent college graduates who serve
as spiritual guides for undergraduates
and ambassadors for the ministry.
Memorably, FOCUS missionaries
handed out Mardi Gras beads to Co-
lumbia students who passed college
walk on Fat Tuesday.
Chen has noticed that Columbia
students are often receptive when it
comes to matters of faith.
“I’ve found that when you talk to
people about your faith, they’re more
often open and respectful than not,”
he said. “Everyone is searching for
something and a lot (of students) sim-
ply haven’t considered a life of faith.
College is a time where young adults
are exploring their world and identity
and we have the singular opportunity
of being a positive voice of faith.”
It has been a busy year for Colum-
bia Catholic Ministry, which is not
atypical. With a faithful presence and
a passion for outreach, the ministry
is a venerable witness of the Gospel
in Morningside Heights. And the
goals for next fall are even greater.
“We are encouraged by our
growth,” said Dziatko and Chen, “and
we want to share the joy of God’s love
with as many people as possible.” | cu