Spring Newsletter 2024

First page 1 Next page Last page

Catholic Campus Ministry at VIRGINIA TECH

2 3 4-5 6

From the Chaplain

A Tradition of Vocations

Alternative Spring Break Trips

Alumni Corner

Jesus on the Drillfield 100th Anniversary

Spring Newsletter

WWW.CATHOLICHOKIE.ORG

Want to keep in touch with our ministry? Scan to subscribe to our monthly email updates.

2024 : Issue 1

Servant Leaders

FOCUS Missionaries Kathleen Calvin, Team Director Mary Kolesar, Second Year Missionary Andy Eastman, First Year Missionary 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 & Justice Minister

From the Chaplain The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus commanding his disciples to, "go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). This commissioning is personal to each one of us. In sending our students and graduates to go forth, we recall the great work of evangelization that is the center of our Newman Community ministry. Now they go out from Virginia Tech toward a broad mission field. We offer special blessings for our graduates and a challenge to all students to continue to live the faith they have practiced this past year while at home, internships, and summer jobs. Our new graduates each leave for a new place of mission: in the workplace, in the Church, and in cities across the country. Finishing my first year here at Virginia Tech, I am grateful for all of our dedicated students who gave their time to serve the mission of our campus ministry. We have had beautiful liturgies, active bible studies, and many moments of fellowship and service. I am continually thankful for our many parents, alumni, and local community members who give of their talents and resources, which allow our ministry to serve so many people here in Blacksburg. I look forward to the continued work ahead and praise God that He has allowed me to serve as chaplain here in this wonderful community. I hope that this newsletter allows you to see a small piece of the amazing work that is happening here at Virginia Tech. Be assured of my prayers for each of you over the summer. Prayerfully,

Support our work of evangelization. Scan to give now.

Father Tom Yehl, Y.A.

A Tradition of Religious Vocations

Did You Know? Over the past 100 years, our ministry has been a rich source of vocations to the religious life.

My discernment began at the Catholic Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech. I came to Tech anticipating getting the typical 4-year engineering degree and graduating with a job lined up, but the Lord had different plans for me. I quickly realized that I was surrounded by such an amazing community that was so centered on Christ in the Eucharist. I began attending daily Mass, Adoration, and community events at the ministry. A few of us Catholic Hokie men also met regularly with a discernment group to figure out where God is calling us in life. by Eric Hassenbein Class of 2024 Answering the Call

Priests

Consecrated Lay Men

I was asked to serve on our Servant Leader Team as the Liturgy Minister, and I got to see what it looks like working for the Church. Through all of these experiences in the community, I began to hear and see the Lord calling me to discern the possibility of entering the priesthood. If it was not for the support of the ministry and my opportunities to grow closer to the Lord through the sacraments and community at Virginia Tech, I would have missed the Lord calling me to serve His Church. While I still earned the engineering degree I came here for, I will not be using it for a company; rather, God-willing, I will be using it for the salvation of souls as God calls me to the sacrament of Holy Orders. Your support has made it possible for me to hear the voice of God and to discern my vocation to the priesthood! This upcoming fall, I will be entering seminary for priestly formation for the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey. This is only possible because of the Campus Ministry I was blessed to be a part of and your support towards the ministry. God-willing, with your continued support and prayers, our campus ministry will send many more men to the sacrament of Holy Orders to serve in your parishes!

Seminarians

Religious Sister

Alternative Spring Break Trips Sharing God’s Love by Shelby Platner class of 2023, trip leader for Dominican Republic

On a Sunday evening in March, I returned home to my quiet apartment in South Carolina after a beautiful trip to the Dominican Republic with Catholic Campus Ministry. After participating in Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trips during my time as a Catholic Hokie, the quiet evening felt strange compared to the usual treasured reunion at Sunday 8 p.m. Mass. There, students gathered after their time on mission to share the encounters, joy, and memories from the last seven days with a new sense of community. That night, I bet the students on my trip shared about Fr. Ligondé – the pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Villa Gautier – his kind heart, and how he lives his fatherhood so well. I am sure they talked about the children we danced and colored with at the country chapels, or when we played baseball together with a sugarcane bat and rubber duck ball. I know they laughed as they retold stories of the sea urchin “attack” or “Flo,” the beloved water delivery driver. But I am also confident that they heard more stories from other ASBs than they shared that evening, just as we received more than we gave on that trip. The Lord cannot be outdone in generosity, and He truly gives abundantly. Although my evening was quiet, I reflected with hope on my responsibility to share the experience with coworkers, family, and friends who did not go on an ASB, trusting that the Lord will plant seeds through these conversations. It was a gift to witness the profound beauty of the Haitian and Dominican people and their island and experience the Lord’s love in new ways. I grew closer with my co leader, Tallie McGirr, and other current students on the service trip and contemplated on what faith, service, and community look like post-grad. ASBs were one of my favorite experiences at VT, and I am sure many Catholic Hokie alumni agree. What a blessing to serve and give back to the CCM which has given me so much! Fr. Ligondé left us with the charge to “love the Lord with all your ALL.” While the meaning of that call is unique to each of us, I pray that we may each answer with our life and share this love as we go into the world and serve our communities, trusting that our Good Father has placed us right where we are meant to be.

Emmitsburg ASB

“Being able to support the work of Catholic Charities for refugees in the Louisville area brought with it graces and experiences not as easily accessible outside of ASB, especially teaching ESL classes. Additionally, the community I fostered alongside this work helped to strengthen my faith through prayer and open conversation with one another; you haven't truly experienced the Newman Catholic Community until you have experienced ASB!” - Gobran Hanna, Louisville ASB Student Highlights “The VA beach ASB was a really unique opportunity to connect with students from other universities who have a deep love for service and a desire to grow in their faith. We were able to bond and form new friendships as we served the community, and I know I will remain friends with those people for a long time into the future!” - Sabrina Whearty, Virginia Beach ASB “The trip to Emmitsburg was a trip that I will remember for a long time. Being able to live in and serve the community of Emmitsburg, meet the Daughters of Charity, and experience a day in the life of a Mount Saint Mary’s seminarian are experiences that I will cherish forever. The little ways we were able to immerse ourselves in the Emmitsburg community and to work to help those in need were together a unique experience that I haven’t gotten anywhere else.” - Zach Moore, Emmitsburg ASB

A S B

u i

s a

Alumni Corner

Executive Director of the Office of Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries: Diocese of Arlington, Class of 1994 When I arrived at Virginia Tech, I remember the feeling that one chapter in my life had just ended, and another big one was just about to begin. I can’t explain why, but I felt the strong desire to turn a new page and go to confession. I had not been to confession in several years, but on my first full day in Blacksburg, I went looking for the Newman house, and the rest was history!

I became very good friends with a group of the other musicians from the music ministry during my senior year. We spent a lot of time together volunteering at Sunday Supper, hanging out at the Newman House, and practicing music. One very clear memory that I have is of Lent during my senior year. It was perhaps the first time I entered into all of the liturgical and prayerful practices of Lent: praying the

Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at Shepherd University, Class of 2022 Without the CCM at Virginia Tech, I certainly would not be as serious about my faith, nor would I have found my current job. During my four years involved in the CCM, I began going to daily Mass, building a consistent and fruitful prayer life, and became comfortable speaking to others about the Lord. All of these things have aided in my role as Campus Minister. In my first year here, two of my students entered into the fullness of the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil, and one of the young men in our group began his first year of seminary! One of my favorite parts of this job is having the ability to be spontaneous with my students. For example, we started a podcast one day and recorded once a week for about a year. Our podcast is called “Catholic Coffee in the Morning.” Check it out if you want to learn a few things about the faith and have a few laughs! My other favorite part of my job is being able to meet my students where they are and to help them realize the true beauty of living a life close to Christ! I feel called to support the ministry as a monthly donor because I know how much of a difference the CCM can have on a student’s life. I give what I can to the organization that helped me to better be the woman God created me to be so that they can continue this with many more generations of of Catholic Hokies! rosary together on a weekly basis in my dorm room, preparing for the Easter Vigil, and even a midnight run to Macado’s after a day of fasting on Ash Wednesday! Those now 30-year-old friendships are part of the reason that I am in ministry today. Newman allowed me to remain rooted in my faith during my college years, and it became my first faith community. Upon graduating, my first engineering job required me to leave my hometown and relocate to Fredericksburg. My positive experience and the fellowship I had enjoyed in the Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech encouraged me to go straight to the Campus Ministry at the University of Mary Washington to get involved. Within a few years of volunteering at UMW, I discerned to leave my engineering job and go into youth ministry full time. Twenty-five years later, I am still finding joy and fruit in youth ministry. I pray that the Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech continues to be a strong, vibrant, faith-filled community for the students there!

Kevin with a group of fellow Catholic Hokies on the pilgrimage he led to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal.

Jesus on the Drillfield

by Stephen DeCelle class of 2025, Student Campus Minister

A little rain could not stop our Eucharistic procession from the Newman House to the heart of campus on the Drillfield, where a large, dry tent was prepared to hold Adoration for the next 24 hours. Over 50 students took shifts to ensure that Jesus was never left alone from noon on April 9 to noon on April 10. Being able to take time between classes and encounter our Lord in such a unique setting was such a gift to me, Catholic Hokie students, and members of the campus community. The event was an incredible witness as countless students, faculty, and tour groups passed right by our tent, exposing the beauty of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist to hundreds of people – many for the very first time. However, my favorite moment came when my 4 a.m. time slot finally arrived. I was joined by one other student at the beginning of my holy hour; by the time I left that candle-lit tent at 5 a.m., there were a dozen students – including numerous freshmen – adoring Jesus before the sun came up! Watching so many students give the first fruits of their day to God brought me so much joy, and it was a perfect display of how the Holy Spirit continues to work in this wonderful community.

100th Anniversary

Save the Date: October 20

We welcome all alumni, parents, and community members to join us in celebrating 100 years of faith, community, and service on the Virginia Tech campus. Join us for a special Centennial Mass with Bishop Knestout on October 20 to reconnect with your fellow Catholic Hokie alumni, share memories of your time in community, and learn more about the plans for the next 100 years of the CCM@VT.

Scan the QR code to learn more and RSVP

Margot Eller Director of Development development@catholichokie.org Director of Campus Ministry director@catholichokie.org Fr. Tom Yehl, Y.A. Chaplain chaplain@catholichokie.org Chris Hitzelberger

Senior Send Off: The Ministry’s Impact on Seniors

“My time with the Newman Community has gotten me ready for my career and life in general. My growth as a Catholic has been fueled by Adoration, daily Mass, and this great community. I’ll be teaching middle school English at a Catholic school in NOVA and have been given lots of opportunities to work with young people and to teach religious education through the CCM. I even met my future wife because of Newman. Nearly every facet of my life to come has been made better by the people here; it’s a place I’ll always be grateful for.” - Joe Clement “The Catholic Campus Ministry impacted my life in so many ways. I met a lot of amazing people who were on fire about spreading the love of God. This community helped me grow closer in my relationship with God in the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. I am so blessed to have been part of the CCM. One of my favorite memories is Mass on the Mountain. It was beautiful to celebrate the Mass close to Heaven above!” - Caeli McGraw

We are excited for Caeli and Joe (left) and Nick and Megan (right) as both couples will be getting married this year!

“As a part of the CCM, I was given a place to grow, lead, and learn, where my faith was deepened and challenged but never compromised. I cannot express how grateful I am to have been surrounded by a community that cared for me so well. CCM@VT was home away from home for me from day one. Through the CCM, I got involved with the Knights of Columbus where I got to do everything from building a patio and renovating a chapel, to barbecues and fireside talks. The men I met and the experiences I had as a member of the council are among the best of my four years at VT. To say that the CCM changed my life is not an understatement, but the Lord did not stop there. The most rewarding part of my time at the VT CCM was discovering how the Lord had used me to change the lives of other men in the community.”- Nick Keifer

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR

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

Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator