Campus Ministry has seen some remarkable changes this academic year. In the past, Campus Ministry has been primarily associated with community service events.
This year, however, perceptions and reality are changing.
The Alta Via Program, which started in 2020, currently has more than 40 students enrolled in theological courses.
According to Father Stephen Waruszewski, Director of Campus Ministry, there are now over 100 students involved in Bible studies on campus, and there are currently eight students in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.
The eight students in OCIA will be confirmed as Catholics in the spring.
“Campus Ministry Community” – a familial group of close, Catholic friends – has grown threefold in recent months.
“Over the past few years, we have seen growth in Campus Ministry, thanks to the openness of students to the faith,” said Father Stephen.
“In addition, FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries are working hard to invite people to encounter Jesus.”
Sanctus Men’s Group is a cohort of devoted male students committed to prayer, small sacrifices and accountability in various areas, including chastity and sobriety. It is led by FOCUS Team Director Mark Weakland and several students.
At one of the group’s recent meetings, 18 men were in attendance.
Damian Tobias is a Business student who joined the Campus Ministry Community in the spring of 2024.
“FOCUS helped transform me from the inside out,” said Tobias. “Today, I’m deeper in the faith than I ever imagined, and Campus Ministry is a huge part of that.
“If you asked me a year ago, I couldn’t have imagined leading such a joyful and fulfilling life. I pray that other students around campus have the same experience: growing closer to God.”
There has also been an increase in the number of faith-based women’s groups and activities, and women’s Bible studies, on campus. Women gather each evening for prayer in the Carlo Acutis Chapel, and a weekly women’s group for accountability, spiritual reading and prayer was recently created.
Father Jason Wooleyhan, a priest and instructor in the Shields School of Business, leads a Divine Mercy Chaplet every Friday in the Immaculate Conception Chapel. Those who attend pray for SFU students over the weekends.
The weekly Divine Mercy Chaplet started in the fall of 2024. A year ago, it was only Father Jason and one other student who attended regularly. This year, the weekly gathering consistently draws around 20 attendees.
“This University is changing,” said Father Jason. “I’ve had multiple students come up to me and say ‘just from being here, I feel like I should be going back to church, because my friends are going to church.’”
Within the last two weeks, women in Campus Ministry have organized a weekly Divine Mercy Chaplet. The group prays for students throughout the week.
Father Jason said that in the past year, he and other friars on campus have started leading regular “spiritual direction” sessions.
This is not pastoral counseling, but rather personalized direction for individuals who are committed to daily prayer and deliberate faith.
“Within the last year, I went from zero to 10 student directees,” said Father Jason.
Altar serving was introduced last semester, with most of the servers coming from the Sanctus Men’s Group. There are approximately 11 regular altar servers at the weekday and Sunday Masses on campus.
