Catholic Campus Ministry Newsletter 2024 Issue 2

From the Chaplain Ca t ho l i c Campu s Mi n i s t r y a t VIRGINIA TECH Fall Newslet ter 2 0 2 4 : I s s u e 2 FOCUS Fruits

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Answering the Call

C o n t a c t U s : 2 0 3 O t e y S t r e e t B l a c k s b u r g , V A 2 4 0 6 0 ( 5 4 0 ) 9 5 1 - 0 0 3 2

Alumni Corner

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The McGraw Legacy

F o l l o w U s : @ c a t h o l i c h o k i e

From the Chaplain

Fr. Tom’s Faves Favorite Hokie Tradition Tailgates at the Newman House

large crowds at Mass or St. Peter’s Square, yet so much of our faith is about what goes on in personal Our faith and Church is so big that we often only think of

Favorite Dad Jokes Q: What do you call a cow with two legs? A: Lean Beef!

relationships. “Accompaniment” is a word Pope Francis uses from time to time when encouraging Christians to walk with one another, assist each other in living out the faith, and sharing the faith with others who we encounter. Our human need for quality friendships and relationships is a big part of being a healthy person and reveals what is so important about our faith.

Q: What do you call a cow with no legs? A: Ground Beef!

Favorite Album from College Joshua Tree by U2

In the Gospels, we often see Jesus working miracles and transforming lives in one on one encounters or small groups. In Mark’s story of the healing of the blind man, Bartimaeus (10: 46 - 52), Jesus waits for him to call out over the crowds, and then he tells the man to approach. It is then that Jesus engages in a conversation with Bartimaeus face to face and invites the beautiful and very human statement, “Master, I want to see.” Now Jesus could have healed him from a distance, but he desires to have a personal encounters with each of us. At Newman, our small group Bible studies are our biggest ministry outside of Sunday Masses, and they are something we are particularly proud of. This year our five FOCUS Missionaries and the students they disciple lead 45 Bible studies made up of around 350 students. These students walk with one another as peers and accompany each other on the path to holiness. This model of guided discipleship allows our students to interact, to share their lives, and to encounter the Word of God in ways that speak to their hearts. One of the most gratifying moments I get to experience as chaplain is when a student knocks on my door after having an encounter with another student on campus - a student who desires to learn more about the Catholic Church and to better live their faith. Beginning with my time as a student in campus ministry, my time in community with Youth Apostles, and even now, I’ve witnessed how small Catholic communities not only help us to practice our own faith, but they inspire us to encourage others to grow deeper in theirs as well. Please pray that our Newman Community will continue to be a source of new encounters and accompaniment in faith.

Kathleen Calvin, Team Director Andrew DeCelle, Veteran Missionary Andy Eastman, Second Year Missionary Madelyn Bauer, First Year Missionary Nicholas Pluemer, First Year Missionary FOCUS Team Servant Leaders Stephen DeCelle, Student Campus Minister Tallie McGirr, Asst. Student Campus Minister Gia Rogers, Music Minister Nick Eastman, Community Minister Ryan Hepler, New Evangelization Minister Tibby Heard, Liturgy Minister Zach Moore, Outreach Minister RaeAnna Kelly, Communications Minister Virginia Fehrer, Formation Minister Sabrina Whearty, Service and Justice Minister

Prayerfully,

Father Tom Yehl, Y.A.

Support our ministry’s discipleship and evangelization program. Scan to give now.

“I was really nervous about entering Virginia Tech because I didn’t know a lot of people. But one of the main reasons why I picked VT was because of the CCM program. I went to Adoration on Tuesday night, and I always willing to offer a helping hand or share a word of advice. This is a family, and I am so happy I get to be a part of that.” - Rachel, Freshman Fall Semester Highlights to Date felt welcomed with open arms. Everyone has been so kind and

Claire, Natalia, Caroline, Olivia, Margo, Virginia, and Mirabel (left to right)

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students attended Fall Retreat

FOCUS Fruits

hikers celebrated Mass on the Mountain

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Kath l een Ca l v i n , FOCUS Team D i rec tor

Hokies signed up for weekly Adoration

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My name is Kathleen, and I am the Team Director for the FOCUS Missionaries at CCM! This is my sixth year as a missionary and my second year at VT, and I have absolutely loved my time here. I have never seen students on a college campus who altogether work hard, play hard, and most importantly, pray hard. The students at CCM are changing this

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“Getting to know the members of the CCM@VT was the highlight of my opening week. From getting to play volleyball, to attending Benediction, to hopping on the D2 train for Sunday Brunch, the fellowship that I experienced has been amazing.“ - Andrew, Freshman

campus by living a Catholic life that is attractive through and through. They have personality, joy, and above all, a growing relationship with their Lord and Savior! This is all because of the leadership of the amazing staff here and the fortitude of our students to embrace the cross with joy in their prayer, classes, communities, and in their mission fields: bible studies, servant leader team, etc. Some junior women who embody this very well are Caroline, Virginia, Olivia, Mirabel, Margo, and Natalia. Their bible study leader, Claire, led their study freshman year and helped build Christ-centered friendships in the group. Last year, four of these women started bible studies of their own to reach others! This year, Caroline, Virginia, Olivia, and Mirabel are walking with their disciples to help them start their own bible studies. What started with one student, Claire, has led to eleven new bible studies in just two years. I have absolutely loved growing in friendship with these women the last two years and am inspired by their desire to know Jesus Christ and fulfill his Great Commission!

Thank you for your support of CCM because it allows my teammates and I to be on the frontlines with these incredible students. God bless you and go Hokies!

Answer ing the Cal l : Real

Deacon Jordan Evans

I always knew that I wanted to make an impact on the world. God had given me great academic talents and a great opportunity to study in a prestigious engineering program. Innovation was how I thought I would make a difference. But by the time I graduated, I was on a different path. I had always planned on continuing to go to Sunday Mass on campus. At the end of my four years, I was participating in bible studies, planning ministry events, and even attending daily Mass. I had always looked forward to making new friends and having the time of our lives together. When graduation rolled around, the greatest friendships I made were rooted in Christ. “I had a dream of attending Virginia Tech since I was ten years old. Today, I look back at my time in Blacksburg as a dream come true. The only thing is, the dream that I lived was different from the one I expected.”

l i z ing a Di f f erent Dream

Catho l i c Hok i e , c l ass of 201 7

These friends were with me at Lane Stadium on Saturdays but more importantly at Mass on Sundays. They saw me and knew me at my best and at my worst. These men and women genuinely inspired me to be holy. The life I lived in college was not what I planned – it was a gift from God. At the Newman House and, in a special way, in a humble chapel with a flickering red candle, I met Jesus Christ in a personal way. As my faith grew through bible studies, friendships, and the frequent reception of the sacraments, the Lord planted the seeds of a vocation to the priesthood. It was the first time in my life where the thought of being a priest was not only reasonable but also attractive.

I will be forever grateful for the Catholic Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech where the Lord revealed himself to me in a personal way and where a new way of life began.

“By the grace of God, next year I will begin to live another dream that first began at my dream school: I will be ordained a priest of Jesus Christ.”

Alumni Corner

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I answered Christ’s steady call to live all in for him and his Church during the onset of the pandemic in 2020. It completely changed my junior and senior years at Virginia Tech. My ideal of a “balanced life” where I attempted to ‘serve both God and mammon’ (Matthew 6:24) was obliterated by the freedom that came from a life ordered with Christ alone as my head.

During a time when my classmates were deep in their isolated woes, I was surrounded by authentic friendship and the grace of the sacraments at the Newman House. I soon became the New Evangelization Minister on the Servant Leader Team, giving me VIP access to biweekly meetings with Chris Hitzelberger. Chris guided me as I wrestled with a heart consumed by apostolic zeal on a campus that was shut in and far from God. One day, presented with either plans of attack or wails of discouragement, Chris reminded me that the best thing I could do for our Virginia Tech student body (or, really, any apostolate) was not a program or event but to simply be a saint. Upon graduation, I moved to Belize to work with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) Missionary Volunteers where the simple sanctity of the present continued to fill me with peace and freedom. Even when faced with challenges unlike any I had experienced before, the lessons I learned at the CCM to stay close to the sacraments, prioritize authentic friendship, and above all, strive for sainthood carried me through trials and into a life filled with more love than I ever thought possible. I hold onto these truths as I face my greatest challenge yet: leaving behind the days of driving a truck full of students and friends through the jungle and instead driving within a sea of hurry and pretension in Northern Virginia traffic. While I wish two years in Central America would turn into a lifetime, he has currently led me to a small nonprofit called Contigo where I still aspire to live the life of a missionary, serving the youths of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. I am overwhelmed with gratitude when I think about how God used the CCM@VT to fill me with the tools I needed to live a life of abundance even while sitting in NOVA traffic. Please pray with me that our CCM will continue to form the saints this world so desperately needs. It begins with you and me.

Natalie, second from the top left, with her college bible study.

The McGraw Legacy: 5 Catholic Hokie Siblings

“It’s not often you get to go to college with one sibling let alone two. My freshman year, when Tim was a senior, holds some of my favorite memories as brothers. Caeli coming to Tech and then getting to make memories with her was the cherry on top. My time at Tech showed me the importance of choosing to make God the most important person in one’s life. If he is number one, everything else falls into place. It was countless friends, acquaintances, and student leaders at Newman who set this example for me: God first.” - Joe, Class of 2022

“My two older brothers were super involved in the CCM at Virginia Tech. I attended VT with my older brother Joe and my younger brother Dan. I really enjoyed getting to share in the sacraments with them, play volleyball at the Newman Center, and go on rosary walks around campus. The CCM had a profound impact on my relationship with my brothers. I transferred in my sophomore year and wanted to meet some friends that shared my same love for Jesus. I began attending daily Mass which became part of my daily routine. That is where I built so many Catholic friendships, which I valued most. The community fostered growth in faith, hope, and charity. These virtues are at the core of being a Catholic. The CCM showed me the importance of trusting in God, relying on his strength, and loving “I was the first of my siblings to attend Tech. It was exciting to see others in my family follow in my footsteps, making our connection to VT even more meaningful. Being part of such an active and thriving campus ministry was a privilege. Over the years, it’s been incredible to witness its growth and lasting impact. I first felt drawn to the Newman community as a high school senior. Seeing students in line for confession at War Memorial Chapel deeply moved me. It was clear that students here weren’t just going through the motions - they were actively pursuing their faith and frequenting the sacraments.” - Tim, Class of 2019

Top (left to right): Tim, Joe, and Danny Bottom (left to right): Caeli and John The McGraw Family

“It was such a blessing to go to Mass with Caeli and now John everyday. I value daily Mass and the strong community aspect of CCM. That is something I will never forget or want to lose. Daily Mass added such a peace and steadiness to my life, which is something I really needed. The strong community was something that made life such a joy. Knowing there was always a place I could go and something I could do was a blessing to have. I also value the people I met and all the memories I have made through the ministry. I think these experiences will influence my future because they leave long-lasting impressions on you as a person. With the things I’ve learned, the people I met, and the beliefs I formed, I hope to continue becoming a better man.” - Danny, Class of 2025 “ My siblings who came before me inspired me to get involved with the CCM@VT. I remember they always came home from college on break, introducing me to some of their new friends from the ministry or telling me stories of fun adventures. Having to constantly choose to make my faith stronger without anyone else’s input is definitely a different type of challenge. However, because of the availability of Mass, confession, and Bible study, this is possible. In this way, I am very thankful to God for supplying all of us with this wonderful CCM that has increased our faith little by little each day. “ - John, Class of 2027

him above all things.” - Caeli, Class of 2024

Ma r go t E l l e r D i r e c t o r o f De v e l opmen t de v e l opmen t@c a t ho l i chok i e . o r g D i r e c t o r o f Campu s M i n i s t r y d i r e c t o r@c a t ho l i chok i e . o r g F r . Tom Yeh l , Y . A . Chap l a i n chap l a i n@c a t ho l i chok i e . o r g Ch r i s H i t z e l be r ge r

Fall Retreat Reflection: The Power of Accompaniement

“I attended Fall Retreat for the first time, not knowing what God had planned for me. Over the summer and into the start of the semester, I felt distant from him and struggled to hear his voice. During a free period at the retreat, I felt an unexpected pull to speak with the missionaries - a step I’ve always been hesitant to take. Not knowing what to say or even how to pray with the missionaries, I pre-planned the conversation, thinking that it would only last ten minutes. After what seemed like a speech about what I was struggling with, I was asked, ”How do you think Jesus looks at you?” This question overwhelmed me with unexpected emotion and allowed me to share deep-rooted feelings that I have never vocalized. That conversation was truly life-changing and allowed me to feel God’s presence and love after months of spiritual desolation.” - Meredith, Junior

Save the Date: First Annual Newman Weekend

Mark your calendars for the First Annual Newman Weekend next spring. Reconnect with your Catholic Hokie friends, participate in service projects at the Newman House, and enjoy the sacraments like you did as a student! You can also register for Virginia Tech’s Alumni Weekend to enjoy university programming in addition to the ministry’s free events.

JUNE 5-8

Ensure the next generation of Catholic Hokies can share this life-changing ministry; become a monthly donor.