October 29, 2008

Guests: RyAnne Folck, Jenny Witt, David Daro and Craig Sanger, the FOCUS Missionary Team at Loras College
Featured Saint of the Day: St. Narcissus of Jerusalem

Today Deacon Rick and Jenny were joined in studio by the FOCUS Missionary Team at Loras College: RyAnne Folck, Jenny Witt, David Daro and Craig Sanger. Craig is from Newton, Kansas. He went to school at Benedictine College before going to Conception Seminary College and then Mount Saint Mary Seminary. He decided to take a temporary leave from the Seminary and was encouraged to check out FOCUS during this time of further discernment. David is from David City, Nebraska. He was introduced to FOCUS through his final year at college. His final year of college was FOCUS's first year there. RyAnne is from Peoria, Illinois and went to Illinois State for college. She became involved with the missionaries there and was planning on becomign a Junior High teacher. After visiting a friend who was a FOCUS Missionary she changed her plan a little. This is her second year as a FOCUS Missionary. Jenny is also from Peoria, Illinois. She worked as a nurse for two years before visiting her friend, RyAnne, and falling in love with the mission of FOCUS.

FOCUS was started by Curtis Martin in 1998. The first FOCUS Missionary team was at Benedictine. It started with two staff members and now, ten years later, there are over 200 Missionaries. FOCUS has a presence on 39 College Campuses across 29 different States. The Missionaries give two years of their life to FOCUS and are sent to campuses in teams of 4. As a team they have a strong commitment to prayer, they come together for holy hours, mass, as well as praying a daily rosary.

Jenny spoke of her FOCUS experience. Their first priority is their personal relationship with Christ, because you can't give what you don't have. The most work they do is during their daily holy hour. As a nurse before becoming a missionary she often struggled with her daily prayer life. Loras offers Eucharistic Adoration, and Jenny finds her joy before the Blessed Sacrament. "To go before the Lord and draw souls there with us," as she phrased it.

Craig told us about the variety of students they encounter at Loras. Loras has 1,500 sudents adn is an NCA division 3 school. A lot of the students go to Loras for athletics, not necessarily because it is a Catholic Campus. FOCUS helps these students recognize the treasures found in their faith. His favorite experiences are to watch the light turn on within the students as they realize that there is hope. When they meet their peers who they can find support from the deception of our culture fades to the background and they are able to draw closer to Christ.

In Dave's experiences as a FOCUS Missionary he finds joy in the gift of bringing students into a relationship with Christ. Teaching students a vision for life that includes Christ. One of his favorite Bible verses is 1Thessalonians 2:8 "Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us." Through living life with students, taking interest in them, he hopes to lead them to choose greatness.

RyAnne spoke of FOCUS's mindset as they approach a college campus. The goal of a FOCUS Missionary is to find two people they can invest in. Jesus had twelve disciples adn three that he took deeper with him. Through FOCUS Bible Studies they find two people they want to invest more time in. Inviting them to spend an extra hour a week with them as Accountability Partners. Through this they build solid friendships based in Christ. These two that the FOCUS Missionaries take time with are then sent out to draw others deeper into the Life of Christ. The Bible Quote of FOCUS is: 2 Timothy 2:2 "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. "

FOCUS has already impacted the nation. Over 3,000 young peopel gathered for the FOCUS Nationwide Conference this summer along with six Bishops and over 100 Priests. Focus has brought 142 Men to Seminary and 42 Women into Religious Life: both from the Staff and the Students.

To learn more about FOCUS or to get in touch with the Loras FOCUS Missionary Team you can follow the links below:
www.focusonline.org
www.loras.edu