FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Justin Bell (303) 522-0450
FOCUS Mission Communications
FOCUS to train young missionaries
at Belmont Abbey College
This
summer, nearly 200 young adults will be trained to be Catholic missionaries at
Belmont Abbey College.
Missionaries to the far ends of the earth? In a sense.
These young adults are being trained to be sent back to arguably the
largest mission territory in the United States – college campuses. FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, will train their full-time staff
members at Belmont Abbey for five weeks starting May 31. These young adults, many of whom have
just graduated college, have made the heroic decision to share the Gospel on
college campuses for at least two years.
In addition, they commit to fast from dating for their first year on
staff, to go wherever FOCUS sends them (one of 38 campuses nationwide) and to
raise 100% of their own financial support.
ÒUnder
the leadership of Abbot Placid Solari & President Dr. Bill Thierfelder,
Belmont Abbey College is providing a strong & faithful Catholic presence in
the south,Ó said FOCUS Founder and President Curtis Martin. ÒWe are honored to host our staff
training at Belmont Abbey. The staff have rolled out the red carpet to welcome
us, and the campus will be an excellent setting to encourage prayer, community
building and formation of our staff.Ó
FOCUS
summer training is best described as one part graduate school, one part boot
camp, and one part retreat. Missionaries take courses in Scripture,
Apologetics, Discipleship, Church Teaching and Fundraising. Noted
Catholic speakers and teachers will be brought in to help teach, including Dr.
Peter Kreeft, Dr. Tim Gray, Dr. J. Reyes, Fr. Michael Keating, and Rich
Cleveland. In addition to
coursework, the missionaries will plan for the upcoming year on campus and
participate in daily prayer, daily Mass, the sacrament of Reconciliation,
practical workshops and, of course, lots of team building and fun.
Named one
of the top 50 ÒAll-American CollegesÓ by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute
(ISI), Belmont Abbey College finds its center in
Jesus Christ and believes in the development of the whole person – mind,
body, and spirit. Founded in 1876, the College celebrates its Catholic
Benedictine heritage and welcomes anyone from any background or tradition
committed to its vision of excellence and virtue. Home to more than 1,300
students from 29 states and 24 countries, the campus is located on the 650-acre
picturesque monastic property of Belmont Abbey. Located just 10 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., it is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. The Cardinal Newman Society this year named Belmont Abbey
College to their list of top 21 Catholic colleges in the US and Canada. For more information, please visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu.
About
FOCUS: Founded in 1998, The Fellowship of Catholic
University Students is a national student outreach organization serving both
secular and Catholic college campuses. Through small group Bible studies, large
group leadership training, and one-on-one discipleship, FOCUS brings the
teachings of Christ and the faith and moral traditions of the Catholic Church
to college students and gives them the tools to help share those teachings with
their friends and family. FOCUSÕ primary objective is to form communities on
college campuses nationwide where students can follow Jesus
Christ and live out their Catholic faith in environments that are often hostile
to such beliefs. www.focusonline.org
FOCUS works with the blessing of the local bishop and
the support of the local pastor and existing campus ministry(ies).
Visit the FOCUS Newsroom. Click here.
For more interviews or more information, please
contact:
Justin Bell- Associate for Media Relations
FOCUS Mission Communications
303/522-0450
jbell@focusonline.org