New Jersey’s Benefit Banquet: Relive the Night!

New Jersey’s 3rd Annual Benefit Banquet took place on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at Nanina’s in the Park, Belleville, NJ. SPO NJ welcomed 200 guests who witnessed twoinspiring testimonies, heard first hand from John Miller (a member of the SPO Board of Directors), and experienced the encouraging support and presence of Archbishop John J. Myers, Auxiliary Bishop Edgar da Cunha, and Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Donato. The Saint Paul’s Outreach Servant Leadership Award went to Archbishop John J. Myers, who addressed the guests and shared that: “I have found great joy and success stemming forth from the ministry of Saint Paul’s Outreach. I am delighted by the fervor of the young men and women associated withSPO, and I believe that the work of the missionaries and staff is truly needed on each and every college campus across the country.”

Click on the links below to hear (and see) more about our banquet!

View our photographic coverage of the event, complimentary of Paul Francis Photography here!

View our Catholic Advocate feature with a recap of the night here!

View or download the video of the Archbishop’s Address here!

Ms. Angelica Mowery – SPO New Jersey Benefit Banquet from Saint Paul’s Outreach on Vimeo.

Mr. Peter DeMarais – SPO New Jersey Benefit Banquet from Saint Paul’s Outreach on Vimeo.

Thank you to all of our generous donors who helped to make this night such a success!

SPO is hiring!

Are you interested in working in a Christ-centered environment that is united in mission and vision?  Want to be part of a ministry that is bringing Catholic faith to college campuses around the country?  Look no further – Saint Paul’s Outreach is hiring!  Please see information below for more details.  Note: please submit your resume and cover letter by May 15, 2013.

Please contact Mark Archibald, Director of Operations, with questions or to submit your resume for any of these positions.

marka@spoweb.org

651-451-6114 x115

110 Crusader Avenue West

West St. Paul, MN 55118

 

Local media seeks perspective of SPO missionaries

Minnesota Catholics talk about what they hope to see in next pontiff

St. Thomas student celebrates Pope Francis in Vatican City

On the evening of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, a local news reporter from NBC KARE 11 interviewed Saint Paul’s Outreach students and staff at the University of Minnesota. These young people were among several Catholics interviewed by NBC, asking their opinions on the Pope’s resignation and what they were looking for in his successor.

KARE 11 has continued following the papal announcements, and most recently interviewed SPO student Anna DeMarais, who is currently studying abroad in Rome for the semester. Anna commented on the announcement of our new pope, His Holiness, Pope Francis, over a skype interview.

Click on the links above to read the articles and watch the video report. Saint Paul’s Outreach members are featured at about 0:45 seconds into the first video. Anna’s interview is in the second link.

Download the 2012 Annual Report!

Click here to download the 2012 Annual Report!

Relive the Moments: 2013 MN Benefit Banquet

View a slideshow of pictures here

Read a Catholic Spirit article with a recap of the night here

View or download the video of the Archbishop’s Address here

 

Support the Arizona Initiative!

 

Brian Fischer, Saint Paul’s Outreach Expansion Director, was interviewed on the Bishop’s Hour for the Diocese of Phoenix, AZ. Brian spoke about our newest Mission Center in Arizona, based at Arizona State University. Also in the interview was Ryan Hanning, Director of Parish Leadership for the Phoenix Diocese. The show aired on Monday, November 5^th at 11:00 a.m. on 1310 AM, Immaculate Heart Radio in Phoenix. The show will also be available online at www.thebishopshour.org. Click here to support the initiative as we expand in Arizona!

Ohio Banquet Overflows with “Everlasting Joy”

Thursday, October 18^th was a night full of joy and the sounds of praise as more the 450 people gathered in the heart of the Ohio State University campus to celebrate the ministry of SPO Ohio. We in SPO were blessed to host this, our 8^th Annual Benefit Banquet, with the theme of Everlasting Joy. It seemed such an appropriate focus as the joy of SPO was present through the Missionaries, Alumni, parents, students and Mission Partners gathered at the Ohio Union that night.

The night began as we heard from SPO Ohio Mission Director Andrew Kebe, sharing about SPO’s mission of evangelization through reaching students, calling them to greater holiness, forming them through life-changing communities and sending them forth to spread the Gospel message to others.

Following this presentation, the Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell, Bishop of the Columbus Diocese, shared a special keynote address on Christian joy. Bishop Campbell spoke from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans saying “What can separate us from the Love of Christ?” sharing that our closeness to Christ makes us “a fundamentally blessed and happy people.” How true that sentiment is – and it was even more evident in the testimonies shared that evening.

Julie Gardner, SPO Household member and senior at OSU, and Brent Diller, SPO Mission Leader and OSU Alumnus, shared testimonies that evening, speaking to how their relationship with Christ has left them full of joy. Both spoke to the way in which the SPO community called them on to that personal relationship with Christ, and how their peers encourage them in their mission to spread the Gospel to all they meet on campus.

The night ended with a rousing chorus of “God of this City”, sung by the SPO Missionaries and the more than 40 Alumni in attendance. It was quite a moving sight, especially when our guests were asked to join in the song as well!

If you weren’t able to make it to the Banquet, or if you’d like to relive this amazing night, watch videos of the evening here. Thanks to all those who attended, SPO was blessed to reach our fundraising goal for the night, and spread the word about SPO to even more individuals in the Diocese.

A big, heartfelt THANK YOU to all who were able to attend! Thank you for sharing in our joy!

-Submitted by Sarah Deak, SPO Ohio Development Coordinator

Cast into the Deep: Alpha Retreat in Minnesota

Nearly 120 students and staff throughout our Minnesota Mission Center were exhorted to cast out into the deep on Saturday, October 20. Representing eight universities, Minnesota students encountered the person of Christ through talks, adoration, confession, and Holy Mass. Guest speakers included Patrick Quillan, youth minister at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Ham Lake, and Fr. Michael Keating, a professor at the University of St. Thomas. Two of our own Mission Staff delivered talks as well.

Quillan opened the day for us with a humorous take on the mundane lives we lead. He asked the question, “Why are we here?” and responded with the powerful answer: to receive all that God has for us.

Fr. Keating spoke about the story of the rich young man, who went away sad when Christ told him to sell everything and follow Him. He said, “Christ tells us, ‘I love you. Change.’” He doesn’t leave us in our wickedness to imagine ourselves as wonderful things. Rather, he shows us our fallenness and loves us anyway. He loves us enough to want to transform us. And why did the rich young man go away sad? As Fr. Keating explained, “He could not love. He did not wish to empty himself as a total gift of himself for others and for God.” That is what brings us sadness. Conversely, if we pour ourselves out to the Lord and for Him, our hearts are transformed and we are filled with joy. When we cast out into the deep and love Christ freely and totally, we will pull in many fish, that is bring many souls to Christ.

It was beautiful to see how students allowed the Lord to transform their hearts that day. During adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, students had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation from one of the four priests present.

This retreat was intended as an initial “re-conversion” experience for Catholic college students and an introduction to Saint Paul’s Outreach. The Lord truly worked in these students lives. May this experience challenge students to cast their nets into the deep waters of the Lord’s love through the community of Saint Paul’s Outreach.

Texas Mission Center Launches Formation Program

Our Texas Mission Center, having officially begun evangelizing students at Texas State University last year, has launched their Formation Program this year. Mission Director Jimmy Abreu is taking charge, and focusing the content on identity as sons or daughters of God. 25 students from Texas State are participating in the pilot program.

Every other week, the students gather to worship together, and receive separate talks as men or women, in order to learn more about their specific identity in the Lord. Topics include living in accountability with one another, and battling the lies of the world about where to find our identity.

Rachel Lackups, a student missionary at Texas State, says “I love Formation because it’s wonderful to get together with all of our community every other week and draw closer to the Lord. I also love just sharing my life with my sisters in my Formation small group on the weeks we don’t have a large group talk. It is a beautiful balance of sharing life together and being fed in the truths of my faith.” May the new Formation Program continue to bear fruit in the lives of Texas State students!

A Deeper Call to Holiness for Students in New Jersey

60 students, new and returning, attended One Gospel at Seton Hall University, NJ on October 17^th, 2012. Dynamic guest speaker, Brian Fischer, spoke about how essential prayer is in our lives. Brian’s talk reminded the students that we are nothing without the Lord and we need prayer in order to grow in holiness.

Hannah Quense, a sophomore student missionary, gave a witness of how charismatic prayer has worked in her life to be a bold person for the Lord, “If I’m willing to clap and raise my hands for other people, why would I not do it for the Lord who is so much better than that?” Student Missionary Joe Buganski and the worship team led a time of teaching and praise and worship on how to praise the Lord who made us and step outside of ourselves for even just a few minutes. Overall the night was a beautiful time dedicated to the Lord with great fellowship that followed.

The September One Gospel kicked off this year to a great start: half of the 50 students attending were new to Saint Paul’s Outreach! Overall, One Gospel has had a positive impact at Seton Hall University this fall and we only hope that it will bring more students together to commit themselves to Christ.

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