From No Faith Tradition to the Priesthood

I was the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, IN. In the fall of 2007, we had our first Koinonia retreat. During the Anointing Ritual at the end, Jay, one of the students, came up to me. As I said, “Christ is counting on you,” he looked at me like a deer in the headlights.

He had no faith tradition, but was drawn to Campus Ministry.

He applied to be a Peer Minister, and though he had no formal religious affiliation, we hired him. The director and I realized he was seeking and hoped being closely connected to Ministry would help him on his journey.

Written by Sister Gayle Rusbasan, OSF Assistant Director of University Ministry University of St. Francis, Joliet IL

By the next fall Koinonia, Jay was playing Jesus in the skit. He really put himself into the role. Soon after, he approached us and said he wanted to become a Catholic.  At the time, we did not have RCIA on campus, so we sent him to a local parish. I was at the Easter Vigil when he was confirmed and received the Eucharist. His new parish embraced him as a new member, and after graduation, he became their Youth Minister.

He kept his connection with Ministry, and invited me to talk to the youth group about my religious vocation. He went to World Youth Day and had a God Moment. Jay returned and told us he wanted to become a priest. He was accepted into the seminary in the Fort Wayne/South Bend diocese. On June 2, 2018, he was ordained. I was there to see it.

I reflected back on that young man on his first retreat. How far he had come. It was a privilege and a blessing to have been part of his faith journey, and it is one of my favorite moments in my time there as a Campus Minister.