FOCUS

Fellowship of Catholic University Students

I just found out about this and am looking for information. They seem like a solid group.

Masculinty on Campus

We need Priests, and we need real men to be Priests.
What's so intriguing? The report shows that college men are pressured to be stereotypically "masculine" without doing the hard work of getting a good college education. In other words, they are expected to be Rambo and Steven Hawkings by nature not effort. In fact, any effort they might put into becoming Well-educated Men is seen as decidedly "gay" or feminine by themselves and their struggling peers.

How did this happen? The report is fuzzy on this question. My guess is that there is a combination of factors.

First, the feministization of college campuses places men in a position of repressing their masculinity publicly and overemphasizing it privately (dorms, frats, etc.). Men are oppressed into being "feminist" in class by ideologue profs and campus administrators. Then, the more extreme forms of outrageous masculine behavior (binge drinking, fighting, sexual aggressiveness) are indulged when the nannies aren't around.

Second, part of the feministization of our campuses involves the repression of classically positive male virtues (virtue means manliness, not that virtue is exclusively masculine, of course!). Courage, temperance, fortitude, etc. are cast as overly intellectual and anti-emotional. This leaves courage to be practiced as bravado. Fortitude becomes aggression. Temperance becomes weakness.

Third, for the most part adolescent males have no one to teach them how to be virtuous men. Who do they have in the popular culture to look up to? Rappers, professional wrestlers, ambiguous superheroes, gangsters, rapist/drug addicted/narcissitic athletes?

http://hancaquam.blogspot.com/2009/05/for-sake-of-our-young-men-its-time-to.html

Southeastern University of Louisiana

Small university
Large Catholic center
Daily Mass, Exposition, reconciliation
Catholic Student Association
Visionary Priest
Large staff for the size
"Starving Student Fridge"
Huge potential
Big plans for this year
They used to have a Catholic dorm.

One of the campus ministers challenged my views (which I have not yet posted)considering the ideal.

Should a Catholic center be focused inward or outward?
Should we be "a people set apart "or "a part of the world but not of it"?
Probably both, but how much to either side?

Bold Idea

What if the Catholics of a university undertook a bold endeavor? Make one rosary for every person on campus, pray one rosary for every person on campus, and then hand that rosary to every person on campus with an explanation, an encouragement, and an invitation. It would take work. It would not, however, be impossible, and I feel it would have tremendous impact.

Kansas University

From what I hear on the streets KU is one of the premier Catholic campuses. Let me present "Ask me Why I'm Catholic."

“I thought it was a very non-threatening way of evangelization, and I liked that.” -Father Steve Beseau
...
Some (questions) are tougher than others — like the one from a Muslim student trying to understand how a human Mary can be the mother of God. Others are far less challenging, like the student who walked up and said simply, “I’ve got a question for Catholics: What’s your favorite candy bar?”
The questioners are as diverse as their questions, ranging from devout Catholics to cynical atheists, and include students and professors alike.
...
“That’s why we have our catechetical classes here,” added Father Beseau. “The students are coming in and they don’t know their faith when they get here. So we have these classes where they can learn their faith, and they’re able to put that into practice immediately.”
...
By any measure, Red Tuesday has been a phenomenal success. Thirsty for knowledge, college students are sometimes finding their classes are leaving them with more questions than answers. An open invitation to dialogue in the heart of campus is, well, a godsend.
“We’re really amazed at the amount of discussion of religion on a secular campus,” said Father Beseau. “It’s brought into classes all the time. What’s even more amazing is how misunderstood the Catholic Church is. And it’s not even a difference of opinion — it’s just factually wrong what these professors are literally pontificating on in the classroom.”
...
Father Beseau said Red Tuesday’s success has far exceeded his expectations. It has satisfied the goal of bringing visibility to the St. Lawrence Center. But it has also proven a great teaching and sharing tool and has built community among Catholic students who are growing in faith as they witness to others.
“Campus ministry on a secular campus is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the church,” he said. “This is where 90 percent of our future parents, teachers, and priests are coming through.
“There are still a lot of young people out there that haven’t turned against the faith as much as they never learned it or experienced it. This is an opportunity for us to invite people to come back or to learn more.”

http://www.theleaven.com/V30/v30n36jayhawker.html

Texas A and M again

I mentioned briefly Ask a Catholic a Question, a New Evangalization approach of St. Mary's at Texas A and M.

http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2009/03/ask-catholic-question.html