Maintaining Your Faith at College

In both Proverbs and the Gospel of Matthew, we hear God calling us to seek a pure heart:

The LORD loves the pure of heart; (Proverbs 22:11). Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. (Matt. 5:8)

Whether you're away to college or commuting to a local University, the transition from Chaminade student to college student can be a difficult one. Between balancing your studies and social life, it can be particularly difficult to maintain your faith and religious roots. That's why our dedicated Campus Ministry team put together this guide to help you through it.

• Going to Mass
  • Going to Mass regularly is one of the easiest things to let fall to the wayside in college. Be sure to make a conscious effort to build time for Mass into your new busy schedule. You can take this a step further by getting involved in some parts of the Mass. Volunteer to give a reading or become a Eucharistic Minister. If you don't feel comfortable joining a choir, simply join in with the congregation and sing.
• Research Campus Resources
  • Look into your school's Campus Ministry department or local Newman Centers. These places will be home to like-minded people. Also, many campuses have other groups like FOCUS and Knights of Columbus that you can get involved in.
• Attend a Religious Retreat once Per Year
  • Chaminade offers a variety of retreats for alumni every year. In January, the Office of Advancement hosts a day of recollection at Meribah. Twice per year, Bro. Stephen organizes a multi-day retreat for college-age alumni either to Meribah or Founders Hollow. Look out for information on these programs.
• Get Involved
  • Take part in activities and organizations that do good for others. For example, tutoring, Habitat for Humanity, and other community service-oriented projects bring people together for a good cause. Whatever you choose, be sure it is something that involves working with other people.
• Pray Daily
  • Create a regular time each day where you pray quietly for at least five minutes. This could be in the morning or during a gap between classes. It could also include attending daily Mass, before going to dinner, before bed, or stopping in at chapel during the day. It is important to thank God for all of the things you have and ask for His guidance and blessing for what is to come.
• Make Use of Church Resources
  • Consider using the prayer of the Church (for example, the liturgy of the hours). The monthly Magnificat Magazine has a shortened version plus Mass readings. Contact Bro. Stephen if you'd like to receive monthly mailings.

• Set a 3 P.M. Prayer Reminder on your Phone
  • Say the 3 o'clock Prayer at the Foot of the Cross. Know the power of prayer and that each day you will be saying the prayer with the entire Chaminade community back home. Knowing you are never alone in your faith is very important.
• See God in the Small Daily Things
  • God puts people in your life for a reason — be open to them.
• Follow Catholic Organizations on Social Media
  • Having Catholic oriented posts show up your feed is a great way to be reminded of feast days, liturgical seasons, and faith in general. Word on Fire (@wordonfire_catholicministries), ChurchPop (@churchpop), and FocusCatholic (@focuscatholic) are all a good place to start.
• Make Use of the Spiritual Survival Kit that you Received
  • Both in good times and trying times — the book of the Gospels, the rosary beads, and the statue of Mary are all meant to help and assist your prayer life.

If you find yourself straying from the path of righteousness, or just want some one-on-one guidance from a familiar friend, please feel free to reach out. That's what families do.