CCM is more than a club, a ministry, or an organization. It is an opportunity: an opportunity to grow closer to God, form lasting relationships, and transform as a person. When I first arrived at Elon, I was a nervous, young, and intimidated freshman. However, I felt a sense of belonging and community in CCM, starting with Father Gerry’s first handshake after Mass to my first CCM retreat. My second semester of freshman year, I applied for a leadership position as the Minister of Service, a position that carried on into the next year as well. From taking trips to the nursing home and talking with residents, to cooking and carrying food to Allied Churches (not to mention burning the chili and almost setting the Parish house on fire), I worked to enhance CCM’s service opportunities. However, CCM gave me much more in return. Between Fall and Spring retreats, Wednesday Night Catholic, weekly Newman events, and intramurals, I was growing in faith and friendships. My faith has grown tremendously over the past few years. What started out as “I have too much work to go to Mass today” became a spiritual yearning to be with God, not only on Sundays, but daily. Being a part of CCM taught me more about the Catholic faith as well, in which I have become more grounded and interested. I always feel rejuvenated when surrounded by the CCM community. As a senior, it is hard to say goodbye to an aspect of Elon that I hold so dear. Father Gerry, T, the Exec teams, and the CCM community are the most uplifting and loving people I have met over the past four years. It is one of this university’s greatest blessings and I could not be more thankful for the change CCM has created in me. By Mallory Hinzman, class of 2012 It is hard to say goodbye to an aspect of Elon that I hold so dear. Senior Reflections Mallory (back row, fourth from left) and the CCM group on last semester’s Alternative Fall Break service trip. Mallory always enjoyed putting her faith into action by serving those less fortunate. ELON UNIVERSITY CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY Truitt Center Campus Box 2960 Elon, NC 27244 SUNDAY MASS TIMES: Elon Community Church 6pm & 9pm WEDNESDAY NIGHT CATHOLIC: Holt Chapel (South Campus) 7:07pm - Rosary, 7:30pm - Mass FRIDAY MASS: Holt Chapel (South Campus) 12:10pm STAFF: Campus Minister Fr. Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv. [email protected]336-278-7355 Business Manager Trung Huynh-Duc [email protected]336-446-9226 Peer Ministry Coordinator Sarah McKenna [email protected]STUDENT LEADERS: Kristen Bryar, President Chris Sainz, Vice President Mary Kate Brogan Jordan Cottle Taylor Davis Kayleigh Johnson Thomas McGuire Sabrina Urman SPRING 2012 ISSUE
Transcript
CCM is more than a club, a ministry, or an organization. It is an
opportunity: an opportunity to grow closer to God, form lasting relationships, and transform as a person. When I first arrived at Elon, I was a nervous, young, and intimidated freshman. However, I felt a sense of belonging and community in CCM, starting with Father Gerry’s first handshake after Mass to my first CCM retreat. My second semester of freshman year, I applied for a leadership position as the Minister of Service, a position that carried on into the next year as well. From taking trips to the nursing home and talking with residents, to cooking and carrying food to Allied Churches (not to mention burning the chili and almost setting the Parish house on fire), I worked to enhance CCM’s service opportunities. However, CCM gave me much more in return. Between Fall and Spring retreats,
Wednesday Night Catholic, weekly Newman events, and intramurals, I was growing in faith and friendships. My faith has grown tremendously over the past few years. What started out as “I have too much work to go to Mass today” became a spiritual yearning to be with God, not only on Sundays, but daily. Being a part of CCM taught me more about the Catholic faith as well, in which I have become more grounded and interested. I always feel rejuvenated when surrounded by the CCM community. As a senior, it is hard to say goodbye to an aspect of Elon that I hold so dear. Father Gerry, T, the Exec teams, and the CCM community are the most uplifting and loving people I have met over the past four years. It is one of this university’s greatest blessings and I could not be more thankful for the change CCM has created in me.
By Mallory Hinzman, class of 2012
It is hard to say goodbye to an aspect of Elon that I hold so dear.
Senior Reflections
Mallory (back row, fourth from left) and the CCM group on last semester’s Alternative Fall Break service trip. Mallory always enjoyed putting her faith into action by serving those less fortunate.
ELON UNIVERSITY
CATHOLIC CAMPUSMINISTRY
Truitt CenterCampus Box 2960
Elon, NC 27244
SUNDAY MASS TIMES:Elon Community Church
6pm & 9pm
WEDNESDAY NIGHT CATHOLIC:Holt Chapel (South Campus)
MISSION POSSIBLEAlternative Spring Breaks 2012When I first approached my parents and asked if I could go to Merida, Mexico
for a spring break mission trip, they rejected me immediately saying that Mexico is too dangerous with too much risk. After spending a week with Father Gerry and eight other students, I can confidently say that Merida is one of the most beautiful and unique places I’ve ever been and that all of us were changed for the better by the people who we encountered and the experiences we created. We arrived to Merida and quickly meshed as a group; turns out that games we all played in middle school were just as fun as we remembered. We went straight to work, painting at Ciudad Vicentina, a home for adults with mental or physical disabilities who had been abandoned by their family and friends. At first, we entered the home hesitant to interact and unsure of what our place was within their community; however, after a few very dramatic games of elephant master and some life-changing encouragement from an elderly woman, we all realized that the people in the home wanted nothing more than to welcome us and share their stories. We spent half the day painting over graffiti and worn down walls and the other half interacting with residents. The home was gorgeous with gardens, stray animals, loving staff, and a beautiful chapel. The only problem, for some of us, was speaking Spanish; however, it became clear from Father Gerry’s encouragement that love and the ability to care shows no language barrier and that God had brought us there for a reason. We attended Mass each afternoon and ended each day with reflection time, followed by delicious Mexican food. After our work at Ciudad Vicentina was done, we spent two days with a wonderful guide who immersed us into the rich Maya culture. We toured the governor’s palace, explored an authentic Maya village, and drove to Chichen Itza where we visited Maya ruins. After roaming the village and eating an authentic meal prepared by two women, it became clear that the Maya are incredibly warm-hearted and intelligent people. After spending a week in Mexico, we came home closer to God with amazing new friendships and a greater understanding of an incredible culture.
Between 2004 and 2008, I was enrolled at Elon University, hoping to find a niche and a sense of belonging. While I
got off to a good start becoming a Resident Assistant in Smith Dormitory and found a good group of friends, the true sense of “home” evaded me. That all changed when I found Catholic Campus Ministry. Don’t get me wrong, I had been a raised a Catholic since birth and went to church throughout my upbringing, so attending Mass on Sunday evenings wasn’t new to me. In fact, I had been doing it all my life. Instead, what was new was the sense of belonging and the sense of community that enveloped me as I became more and more involved in CCM. Regardless of other organizations in which I found myself involved, CCM served to bring together different people with one goal in mind: faith. So when the opportunity to become involved in CCM at Elon became available again, I jumped at the chance knowing the positive impact that I could make on its future. And while being
involved in CCM during my undergraduate years proved to be invaluable, nothing would make me happier than helping to guide CCM in being a mainstay for students and becoming that “home” where other lost souls like myself can find comfort. It is with this hope for the future that I became involved on CCM’s advisory board, the Leadership Council. The CCM Leadership Council is formed of alumni, parents, Elon faculty/staff, and community members who have a strong, vested interest in Elon Catholic Campus Ministry. The Council advises Fr. Gerry Waterman and the CCM staff in advocacy, assessment, and strategic planning for the future of the organization. Our goal is to assist CCM in achieving financial sustainability and becoming a stronghold at Elon for future generations. Could I have successfully gone through Elon University and been led down the same path without being involved in CCM? It’s quite possible. But I wouldn’t bet my money on it.
By Nolan Wildfire, class of 2008 alum
2 Catholic Campus Ministry
Johns Island, SC
Without a doubt being able to experience the amazing feeling of service, especially with an organization as established and influential as Habitat for
Humanity, I feel that I can speak on behalf of our entire group when I say that no one felt like we were “giving up” our Spring break. Instead, the entire group left after a week in Charleston, feeling renewed and excited through the relationships we created with each other, as well as with the very deserving recipients of Habitat for Humanity’s generous work. Working with Habitat for Humanity showed us how sometimes people simply have fallen into a rough economic situation, usually not as a result of their own actions, but more so by an unexpected circumstance, and that these very people could not be more grateful for the help that Habitat and its volunteers selflessly provide. In our introductory video at the beginning of the week, they made that great point that Habitat for Humanity is not a “hand out” but rather a “hand up” as it truly provides hardworking, deserving individuals with the help they need to continue to be successful and impactful in their life. This theme is incredibly evident when you see that many of the regular volunteers consist of Habitat recipients who may have received their homes multiple years ago, yet continue to return and help provide for others. Our week was incredibly exciting as everyone in the group was able to learn new skills at the construction sites every day, as well as growing closer to God and with each other in our reflection periods every night. Being able to talk with our peers about issues many college students face truly had a positive impact on each of us as we grew in our faith and as individuals. I can confidently say our entire group had a fantastic time this week from building on the site, preparing dinner together for each other, enjoying the beautiful weather at the beach, exploring the amazing city of Charleston, to playing with the local neighborhood kids after a day at the build site. It was a truly blessed week.
By Chris Sainz, class of 2012
CCM is gearing up for our 2012 Spring Retreat! The retreat, which takes place April 20th-21st, will be held at Laurel Ridge in the North Carolina
mountains. Students are excited about the retreat, entitled “Behold, I make all things new,” and for the opportunity to reconnect with God. Friday night will consist of getting to know one another, dinner, a talk about what keeps us from God given by Jordan Cottle, adoration and confession, and yummy s’mores. After breakfast on Saturday morning, I will give a talk about how to live with God in college and Kristen Bryar will give a talk about helping others to see that God is within us. There will also be time for solitary prayer and activities that correspond with the talks. As the retreat draws closer, it is clear that the Lord has big things in store for us. We pray that we may grow individually in our relationships with God and that we may grow closer to one another as we seek a loving and supportive Catholic community at Elon. We ask for your prayers for a safe and God-filled weekend!
MISSION POSSIBLEAlternative Spring Breaks 2012
- Revelation 21:5
“Behold, I make all things new.”By Taylor Davis, class of 2015
V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e : w w w . e l o n . e d u / c c m
- Senior Reflections- Mission Possible: Alternative Spring Breaks 2012 to Merida, Mexico, and Johns Island, South Carolina- CCM Leadership Council- Behold, I Make All Things New
The Sacred Triduum
Look Inside!
Catholic Campus Ministry’s Sacred Triduum services welcomed many students, faculty, staff, and parents who were still on campus during the brief 2012 holiday break. The Mass on Easter Sunday had almost 300 people in attendance! The CCM community is grateful to have worshipped with so many of the faithful during this most important time in our calendar.
