FOCUS Missionaries Growing, Bonding at Ave Maria

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Published on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 19:45

There was a certain amount of apprehension by many of the staff at the Fellowship of Catholic University Students about holding their five-week summer training in Ave Maria, recalls the group's director of formation, Brian McAdam.

"We feared it would be really hot, really isolated," he said, "but it has gone really well, exceeded our expectations. We appreciate how we have an ability to build a strong base and build our community. We're one big happy family here."

" But it IS hot," he added.

More than 400 missionaries in the first and second year of their work with FOCUS are in Ave Maria until July 6, joined by about 100 others who are part of the organization's leadership or involved in other ways. Ave Maria is the group's ninth training location in the last 14 summers.

It's not a vacation, but a vital part of the missionaries' development of the skills they need to reach out to Catholic students on campuses at scores of secular and Catholic colleges in the United States.

The new staff spend a large part of every day in the classroom, working on four key areas of personal development, Mr. McAdam said: "Human formation – character building, virtues; spritual formation – growing closer to the Lord; intellectual formation – teachings of Christ and the Church; and apostolic formation – skills to do the job well, how to form relationships, approach people."

Character formation, he said, stresses that "some people don't have great gifts, but they can lead through their examples of character, honesty, integrity and temperance."

"Moses wasn't a gifted speaker," Mr. McAdam said, "but he was chosen by God because of his character."

The staff also get training in what the organization calls "mission partner development" – essentially raising funds because all FOCUS missionaries must support themselves at their college campuses through donations from supporters.

The training is "rigorous, but it challenges us to grow," said missionary Ann O'Brien, who graduated in the spring from the University of Nebraska and will be heading to work at the University of Colorado, Boulder, in the fall. In picture, Miss O'Brien is on the right, with fellow missionary Shelby Randel.

She decided she wanted to work for FOCUS after her own experience with the group.

"I was searching for something more," she recalled. "I was raised Catholic but was not practicing the faith. I met some FOCUS missionaries in my sophomore year, and they brought me in. I couldn't get enough of it."

University of Nebraska classmate Shelby Randel, also rediscovered here Catholic faith through FOCUS after she said she "felt a tug on my heart to go to daily Mass." By her senior year was leading Bible study groups.

Miss Randel and Miss O'Brien, along with FOCUS leaders Steve Pries and Thomas Wurtz, told The Ave Herald that overall, the choice of Ave Maria as their summer training location has worked out better than many though it might.

"It helps us stay focused on why we're here," said Mr. Wurtz, who heads the group's outreach efforts to college athletes.

"It sure is humid, though," said Miss Randel. "And those insects are huge," added Miss O'Brien.

Ave Maria University, the town merchants and the residents have been "great hosts," said Mr. Pries, who is FOCUS's western regional director of campus outreach, adding that the town has special qualities he's come to appreciate.

"It's a beautiful place -- true beauty in architecture, landscaping, natural beauty. It subtly brings your mind to God."