Father's Reflection 1.15.23

25 years ago, Curtis Martin, Dr. Edward Sri and co launched what is known today as Focus (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) on the campus of Benedictine College.

It has since gone on to become one of the brightest shining lights of the New Evangelization in this country and that is not an exaggeration. Curtis Martin is now on the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization in Rome. Focus now serves over 400 college campuses around the country and has even gone international in South America and Western Europe.

What is their mission? To create missionary disciples of Jesus Christ who are fearless in carrying out the mission of the Gospel. In short, to change the world. And not in some in your face door to door awkward approach, but in ways that are truly breathtaking. How do they seek to accomplish this mission? By following the same approach to relationship ministry Our Lord and Savior practiced i.e., small groups.

Now each year the largest event on the Focus calendar is Seek, a weeklong conference which has a way of changing people’s lives. Take for example, the 10 parishioners who came with me from Sacred Heart and St. Augustine this past week. Each one of them named at the end of the conference that their lives were changed. That Our Lord had shown up. That there was no going back to the way things were. No more status quo in my interior life. No more maintenance mode as a parishioner. No more keeping my faith secret and safe and all to myself. The time has come to become a missionary disciple.

More on this in the coming weeks!