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Freshmen Meriel Engran (left) and Grace Winhoven hold hands while praying the Our Father during Mass in Sage Chapel on the campus of Cornell University in 2014.
With guidance from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, these ministries strive to be the Catholic Church’s presence to all involved in higher education. Their objectives, as de ned by the USCCB, are to form the faith community; foster an ever-deeper understanding of the faith; form Christian conscience; educate for justice; facilitate personal development; and develop future leaders for society and the church.
Campus ministries ful ll these goals by offering such spiritual activities such as Masses, devotions, prayer, evangelization on campus, and interfaith dialogue opportunities, faith sharing and Bible study groups. College students are challenged to reach greater understanding of Catholicism through such opportunities as speaker series, workshops and book clubs, including one campus ministry that conducted book discussions at a local monastery.
Justice education takes place through such opportunities for service, outreach and advocacy as jail ministry, alternative spring-break retreats and mission trips. Personal development is facilitated through retreats, vocational discern- ment and discussions about dating and marriage. Campus ministries also seek to encourage leadership through participation on parish councils, internships and program coordination.
The Basilians founded St. John Fisher College in Pittsford in 1948 and in 1976 took over priestly staf ng at Christ the King Church in Irondequoit. The Basilians began covering additional churches in Irondequoit in 2010 when pastoral planning led to the formation of Blessed (now St.) Kateri Tekakwitha Parish.
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