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Catholic campus ministry established at Lima colleges |
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Written by LAURIE STEVENS, Chronicle Writer
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Friday, 01 February 2008 |
LIMA—College students from three different campuses have access to Catholic campus ministry for the first time with the recent establishment of the Newman Catholic Association in Lima.
Campus minister Sandy Connell began promoting the organization last fall, and regular meetings have begun on the shared campus of James A. Rhodes State College and The Ohio State University at Lima. Mrs. Connell plans to launch the Newman club at the University of Northwestern Ohio, also in Lima, as soon as she assesses the needs of students from the first two schools.
“With just three meetings, we’ve done quite a bit already,” says Mrs. Connell. “I see a mixture of needs.”
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A Newman Catholic Association was established for Lima college students this year. Pictured are members Grace Perdue, Jennifer Maier, and William Zoloman, who recently participated in a poster contest. (Photo courtesy of Sandy Connell) |
The group now has about 10 active members participating in the bi-monthly faith-sharing lunches on campus and other activities, like a Christmas service project collecting canned goods for a women’s shelter in Lima. The lunchtime meeting works well on the commuter campus, where Mrs. Connell says many students leave for off-campus jobs after class.
Grace Perdue, a fourth-year student studying history at The Ohio State University of Lima, says she had never heard of Catholic campus ministry before, but was excited to find a place to share her faith with peers in college this year.
Ms. Perdue, 23, joined the Catholic Church a year ago through St. Patrick Parish in Bellefontaine, Ohio, and she says the Newman Catholic Association provides her with an outlet to celebrate her faith.
“It’s a really good way to share fellowship and give back to the community,” she adds. “It’s just a positive influence.”
Ms. Perdue also appreciates that anyone is welcome to join the group for “faith and fellowship,” whether they are Catholic or not.
In the future, she says she would like to see the group grow in numbers and plan more activities.
Mrs. Connell is already investigating the possibility of a retreat and a summer mission trip in the coming months.
She works from the parish office building of Lima St. Rose and St. John, but visits campus at least once a week to publicize the group and talk with students.
The campus minister says she has been most surprised at the diversity of members in the group so far, with ages ranging from 19-32. Through the Newman Catholic Association, Mrs. Connell hopes those students find opportunities for spiritual growth as well as support dealing with various obstacles and issues in life.
Keeping that light of faith “ignited” in young adults is essential to the future of the church, she adds.
“So many young adults drift away from their faith,” says Ms. Connell. “If we can just keep them connected, I think we can have some real strong leaders.”
The Newman Catholic Association of Lima meets the second Tuesday and fourth Monday of the month. For more information, contact Sandy Connell at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 419-222-5521.
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