I first came to the Newman Center at Angelo State University in the Spring Semester of 2013. I deeply valued having Mass easily available to attend every Wednesday (which was the only Mass we had during the week). I also enjoyed the meals that followed. The director at that time, Sister Kathy, was always very pleasant to be around and renewed a sense of peace, prudence, and prayer in an otherwise hectic, worldly college life. The student following then was a smaller group, but we had a very intimate and thoughtful experience as we engaged in the many sacred acts of our Catholic Faith.
With the arrival of our new director, Father Francis, we have built on that humble but strong foundation and begun to spread that experience to more and more students, multiplying the number of lives that are touched. People are reached by a persevering devotion to Catholic spirituality in a time when many disconnect. The Newman Center is a great place to calm down, reflect, refocus, dine in fellowship, and give service to others. I’m more involved now as I’ve become a student leader and helped during this time of transition. This new effort has done wonders to sharpen confidence and leadership skills in me that had long been unattended to. My desire is to help increase fellowship and attentiveness to spiritual life, and that is exactly what Father Francis is making happen. New friends, new experiences, music, worship, and fun are a given. We now have Sunday and weekday Masses: Sundays at 6:30 pm; Mondays at 6:30 pm; Wednesdays at noon, and Fridays at 12 noon. We have Confessions and Eucharistic Adoration available one hour before every Mass. We have three free meals that follow our weekday Masses. We have Wednesday praise and worship Adoration at 7:00 pm (a.k.a the ROCK). We have weekly faith-sharing and spiritual activities, and many recreational and service events.
It truly renews inspiration and hope to see so many young adults holding their faith in such high regard — by choice. I cherish the fact that these sacred sacraments that are truly treasure for any man or woman are so easily available now. They are eternally impactful yet cost not a cent. This is why my favorite part is now having Mass four times a week. I tend to get a restless, racing mind that gets confused with what direction I want my life to go. This exacerbates when I’m challenged with the demands of academics. So on a day that I am mentally restless and tired, I find renewal with participation in the Divine Liturgy. Participating in these sacraments and other events with fellow students spawns a meaningful love between people who were just strangers not long ago. For example, being trained along with some others and becoming an extraordinary Eucharistic minister has largely increased my capacity to love and connect. It’s really about the connection. The opportunity to be together with people of all backgrounds is made possible with the Catholic faith and its extension to college students through the Newman Center.
Nathan Castro is a junior nursing student at Angelo State University.