By Daniel Glass, CCM Staff Five Students Receive the Sacrament of Confirmation Congratulations! John Anderson Delaney France Bruna Rogano Rosie Ruzzi John Zimmer T his year, CCM saw five students fully enter into the Catholic Church by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. As the Peer Minister Coordinator, I had the blessing of co-leading the RCIA group with Fr. Gerry for the seven months of preparation. Beginning in October, we met weekly to discuss the faith and Catholic tradition in regards to the current culture. The time of preparation for the Sacrament was not just about learning the faith; it was about finding who we are in the faith and living as examples of that faith. The most moving part of this process was the growth and transformation that was clearly visible in each of the five candidates. Here is what John Zimmer, a first-year student, had to say about his experience: “I was one of the few students at my Catholic high school that did not get confirmed during my junior year. I heard stories from friends about them correcting their group leaders on common misconceptions about Catholic teaching and about just how boring the classes were. I decided to wait until coming to Elon to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation, and I know I made the right choice. For the past seven months, I was part of a small group that met every Tuesday evening to discuss how to live our faith in today’s society. Everybody was a little timid about sharing our faith experiences with each other at first, but by the end, we all wanted our Tuesday discussions to continue. I really enjoyed being part of RCIA at Elon, and I know that through this process, I developed a better understanding of my faith and how to live it. I also have a new group of friends that I know will always be willing to help me with my faith.” The 20 weeks of sharing deeper conversations and growing in love with Christ and the Church culminated with Elon CCM’s own private confirmation ceremony for family and friends of the candidates. On April 12th, all five candidates were officially confirmed into the faith by Fr. Gerry Waterman. Not only was it a blessed day, it was a truly blessed process for everyone. All of the newly confirmed students understand that this was not the end, but the beginning of the rest of their faith journey! SPRING 2014 ISSUE Nourishing Faith. Fostering Discipleship.
Transcript
By Daniel Glass, CCM Staff
Five Students Receive the Sacrament of Confirmation
This year, CCM saw five students fully enter into the Catholic Church by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. As the
Peer Minister Coordinator, I had the blessing of co-leading the RCIA group with Fr. Gerry for the seven months of preparation. Beginning in October, we met weekly to discuss the faith and Catholic tradition in regards to the current culture. The time of preparation for the Sacrament was not just about learning the faith; it was about finding who we are in the faith and living as examples of that faith. The most moving part of this process was the growth and transformation that was clearly visible in each of the five candidates. Here is what John Zimmer, a first-year student, had to say about his experience:
“I was one of the few students at my Catholic high school that did not get confirmed during my junior year. I heard stories from friends about them correcting their group leaders on common misconceptions about Catholic teaching and about just how boring the classes were. I decided to wait until coming to Elon to go through the Rite of Christian Initiation, and I know I made the right choice. For the past seven months, I was part of a small group that met every Tuesday evening to discuss how to live our faith in today’s society. Everybody was a little timid about sharing our faith experiences with each other at first, but by the end, we all wanted our Tuesday discussions to continue. I really enjoyed being part of RCIA at Elon, and I know that through this process, I developed a better understanding of my faith and how to live it. I also have a new group of friends that I know will always be willing to help me with my faith.”
The 20 weeks of sharing deeper conversations and growing in love with Christ and the Church culminated with Elon CCM’s own private confirmation ceremony for family and friends of the candidates. On April 12th, all five candidates were officially confirmed into the faith by Fr. Gerry Waterman. Not only was it a blessed day, it was a truly blessed process for everyone. All of the newly confirmed students understand that this was not the end, but the beginning of the rest of their faith journey!
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Nourishing Faith. Fostering Discipleship.
Throughout my life I have seen third world countries, but only in textbooks as I’ve
been protected by the bubble of opulent, first world America. I have surrounded myself and obsessed over things like: I have the iPhone 5, but I really want the iPhone 5S, so I can use my thumbprint to unlock it. Or I really want a new Tory Burch bag, but it’s $500. Or my parents only bought one car for my sister and me. Our trip to Jamaica was the first time I had ever been completely submerged into a third world country, which is really the only way to comprehend it for what it is. The simplicity of life is astounding—one room shacks on the side of the road for a family of eight, burning garbage in place of dump trucks, miniature roads diving over into un-barricaded cliffs. The children at Blessed Assurance were by far the happiest I have ever seen. Through the 35 children and a staff filled with the most inspirational people I’ve met, a community pouring over with support, patience, and
compassion is formed. The smiles on their faces, especially a girl named Jada’s, are permanently ingrained in my memory. Blissful, radiant, love-filled smiles that melt and break your heart all at once. They have found a kind of pure happiness in what I used to consider trivial things like sunglasses, balloons, or walks up and down the sidewalk that I can’t begin to find in the phone, bag, or car. Though it may sound cliché, the trip taught me to appreciate every last, little thing about my life. It made me realize how unbelievably lucky I am to have parents who support and love me unconditionally and are always just a phone call away. It opened my eyes to see how fortunate I am to have full mental and physical capacities—none of the children have both—and an education practically handed to me. It made me see that there is so much in the world bigger than me—and especially bigger than the truly trivial phone, bag, and car.
Blessed Assurance, Jamaica
By Allison Russo, class of 2017
ELON UNIVERSITY
CATHOLIC CAMPUSMINISTRY
Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
Numen Lumen Pavilion
Campus Box 2960Elon, NC 27244
SUNDAY MASS TIMES:Elon Community Church
4pm & 6pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT CATHOLIC:Holt Chapel (South Campus)
7:07pm - Rosary, 7:30pm - Mass
FRIDAY MASS:Numen Lumen Pavilion
12:10pm
STUDENT LEADERS:Thomas McGuire, President
Kristen DeMaria, Vice PresidentGrace AhleringVictoria CallusJordan Cottle
Sitting in the back of a jam-packed van at the start of a five-hour drive down
to Charleston, SC, I was unaware of the incredible experience I was about to have working as a volunteer with Habitat For Humanity and Catholic Campus Ministry. I was one of nine Elon students who had been accepted to participate in CCM’s alternative spring break trip to John’s Island, SC, to work with Habitat. Our group was small, which allowed us all to really get to know each other over the course of the trip. Whether it was singing along to 105.5 The Bridge on the radio, working together on the worksite or discussing various topics during evening reflections, each day brought us closer together. Throughout the week we worked with Sea Island Habitat for Humanity. Our group along with a group of students from North Central College in Chicago worked on three homes in a Habitat neighborhood. The three homes were at different stages in the building process, which made every day was a new and exciting experience. From cocking baseboards, to shingling a roof, to attaching siding panels, to painting window frames, there was never a day that I was bored with the work I was doing. After each day of hard work, I went home exhausted, but no matter how tired I was or how badly my feet hurt, I woke up the next
morning eager to get back to the worksite. Construction is a secret passion of mine, and throughout the week I couldn’t help but smile every day because I was doing work that I love to do, and I was doing it for something that was bigger than myself. I was building Habitat houses that would become a home for a family, a place where memories would be made, love would be given, and laughter would be shared. This was my first spring break that I spent away from my family, but I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made to spend my spring break working with Habitat and CCM. I was given an incredible opportunity, an opportunity
that has given memories that will last a lifetime. I met new people, I learned a lot about myself and about the people around me, and I gained new perspectives on the meaning of service and helping to make the world we live in a better place. Thank you so much to CCM for conducting such a successful trip, to Sea Island Habitat for leading a safe and productive worksite, and for all of the volunteers that helped out during our week in Charleston and for the many volunteers that are yet to come. Habitat for Humanity is making a big difference in our world today, and I am happy to have been a part of making this change!
By Allison Forhan, Class of 2016
Building Homes, Making Memories
CCM Alumni Spotlight
Kristin FeeneyClass of 2011
Kristin Feeney, known fondly to us as Kricket, was an active member
in Catholic Campus Ministry during her time at Elon. Always warm and outgoing, she served up many smiles to her fellow students while serving on CCM’s Exec student leadership team. Now living in Boston, she recently completed her
Masters in Public Health program at Boston University and, earlier this year, accomplished her goal of finishing in the Boston Marathon! Wanting to give back to CCM, Kristin established this year the James Leo Feeney Servant Leader Scholarship, providing one student with the full cost of CCM’s domestic Alternative Spring Break program each year. The scholarship is named after James Leo Feeney, Kristin’s grandfather, a first-generation American and devout Irish Catholic. He served in the US Navy in World War II and went on to have a 35-year career with the IRS. He was an exceptionally hardworking and generous man. This scholarship in his honor is dedicated to allowing others to
Kristin and her grandfather, James Leo Feeney.
continue to perform service to the world, an ideal held by Kristin and Catholic Campus Ministry.
Serving Elon University 3
As Catholic Campus Ministry at Elon University prepares to celebrate our
25th anniversary as an official Student Life Organization on campus this fall, I have had some time to reflect my own 25th anniversary as an ordained Franciscan priest four short years ago. My dear late Mother, who was solely responsible for this event, referred to it as my Silver Jubilee. Webster defines “jubilee” as a time or season for rejoicing, and believe me, rejoicing was exactly what we did!! The day began with a festive Mass of Thanksgiving, concelebrated by my Franciscan
brothers, in the presence of my family, friends and extended family. What followed was an exuberant festivity of food and drink, laughter and conversation, stories and memories, dancing and singing. What can I say, I’m half Italian! It was a wonderful day! It was a joyous celebration of life and love! Our “CCM Silver Jubilee” will also be a time for rejoicing! It will begin this fall, on Family Weekend, September 19-20, 2014. It will launch with a Mass of Thanksgiving with the Bishop of Raleigh, Michael F. Burbidge, presiding. Concelebrating priests will be former campus ministers and other priests of the Diocese. A short “meet and greet” will trail directly after Mass, followed by a ticketed benefit dinner with what the students, staff and I hope will be for all those present, many moments of laughter and memory-sharing. These occasions and opportunities come around but once in a lifetime!!! Our festivities will continue during Homecoming Weekend, Oct 17-19, 2014, with more events for all our alumni. Please consider being a part of our celebration of life and love on Elon’s campus for these past 25 years! You can stay up to date on these events on our website or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ElonCatholic)!
