Opening a journey to where God may be leading us
This is the opinion of Cindy Gonzalez, Director of CSB Campus Ministry and Courtney Huiras, Graduate Student SOT CSB ‘25
At the beginning of every 6 p.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Chapel, celebrated with St. Ben’s Campus Ministry, Fr. Timothy Backous, OSB, known lovingly as Fr. Timo, offers these words of welcome: “No matter where you are in your faith journey, know that you are always welcomed here.”
This simple invitation speaks to the heart of our mission in CSB Campus Ministry. We strive to welcome each person as we would welcome Christ Himself, with genuine joy and hospitality. For us, hospitality is more than an open door; it is a way of living our Benedictine spirituality, rooted in the conviction that Christ is present in each person we meet.
Each person’s journey of faith is unique. There are seasons when faith feels vibrant and alive, and others when we may wonder whether anything is happening at all. Yet even in those quiet moments, we trust that God is at work, patiently drawing each of us closer to Him.
For some Bennies and Johnnies, college has become a season to explore that invitation more deeply. They find themselves ready to begin a period of formation as they discern entering into full communion with the Catholic Church and receiving the Sacraments of Initiation.
This formation is known as OCIA: Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Through OCIA, those discerning full initiation into the Catholic Church are accompanied by catechists and a community of fellow Bennies and Johnnies as they grow in faith and prepare to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation.
At its heart, OCIA is another expression of the welcome we seek to live at St. Ben’s and St. John’s. It is an invitation to walk together, ask questions, listen for the movement of the Spirit and discover more deeply the love of Christ. Wherever someone may be on their journey, there is a place for them among us.
Pope Francis wrote, “Faith, as we have said, takes the form of a journey, a path to be followed, which begins with an encounter with the living God” (Lumen Fidei, 46). Each Bennie and Johnnie who participates in OCIA has chosen this journey freely, with the courage to ask big questions and remain open to where God may be leading. Their willingness to seek, listen and grow is itself a witness to the Holy Spirit at work among us.
As a community, we ask you to keep these Bennies and Johnnies in your prayers as they continue to discern, learn and grow. The OCIA journey begins this week of September and continues throughout the academic year, culminating in the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation at the OCIA Sacramental Masses on the Sunday following Easter Sunday.