Catholic Campus Ministry Newsletter

Top Left to Right: Deacon Christopher Colville (alum), Deacon Chris Barrett (former campus minister), Fr. Michael Isenberg (alum) Bottom Left to Right: Fr. Thomas Yehl, Y.A. (chaplain), Fr. Ramon Dominguez (alum and former chaplain), Fr. James Griffin (former chaplain), Fr. Richard Mooney (alum and two-time chaplain) Not Pictured: Bishop Barry Knestout, Bishop Adam Parker (alum), Bishop Bernard Shlesinger (alum), Deacon Mike Ellerbrock (professor), Deacon Jordan Evans (alum)

A Century on the Mountain: from the Chaplain

How great are the blessings that God has placed upon us! In 2024 we celebrated one hundred years of the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry. I continue to be in awe of all that is happening now on campus and, in a greater way, all that God has done these past hundred years in the lives of so many generations of students and community members. What began as a small mission with the first Newman Club has steadily ascended, culminating in a magnificent summit of blessings over the past century. I am grateful for all of our alumni who have participated in the building of this ministry, and I look forward to seeing how God continues to grow our ministry and our outreach on campus and makes Virginia Tech a source of new life in our local Church and beyond. The always beautiful fall days in the mountains of Blacksburg were especially brilliant around our Sunday October 20 centennial celebration (helped by a Thursday night football victory). Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond celebrated a special Mass in Burruss Auditorium, where he asked for new blessings from God for our ministry. Joining the students for the Mass were many alumni and parents as well as Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III, auxiliary bishop of Atlanta, and Bishop Adam J. Parker, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore: both Catholic Hokies! Having 500 people for Mass with the bishop is always special, but it was particularly poignant to see alumni bishops, priests, and deacons. Bishop Knestout spoke about many of the vocations to priesthood and married life that have been formed here — several of which we have highlighted in this issue in honor of our momentous milestone. After Mass, many of the alumni gathered with the bishops for lunch at the University Club. Gazing out over the south end zone of Lane Stadium, I was particularly grateful to be a Hokie and to have the means to serve our students. I am grateful that the university is supportive of our work with students and allows our continued use of War Memorial Chapel. I am grateful for our Newman House, a place where the spiritual and social lives of students can come together. I am grateful for chaplain predecessors like Fr. Mooney, Fr. Griffin, and Fr. Grace who can speak to much of the past 50 years of our history. I am grateful that my community of Youth Apostles has been helping to lead this ministry since 2013 with Fr. David Sharland, my immediate predecessor, and Chris Hitzelberger, our current director. Most of all I am grateful for the grace of God, and I look forward to seeing this ministry continuing to ascend the mountains of faith, community, and service. If you are reading this, you were part of the past hundred years and now can be part of the next hundred years. We continue to grow and need your prayers and support. Every day I ask myself “What do we need to reach more students?” Our house is bursting at the seams with joyful students, and we regularly send them out to bring even more in. Pray that God may help us to discern his plan to build upon our ministry and serve our Hokie community in new ways. We hope you enjoy this special edition newsletter to commemorate the lasting legacy of our ministry and ask that you prayerfully discern supporting us as we continue inspiring new disciples with faith that moves mountains. Prayerfully,

Father Tom Yehl, Y.A.

“Heaven is a city on a hill, hence we cannot cast into it; we have to climb.” — Venerable Fulton Sheen