FOCUS missionaries at GW!

Our four FOCUS missionaries have arrived at GW! FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) is an extremely effective and fruitful outreach to Catholic college students across the country. These amazing missionaries are fresh out of college and are spreading the New Evangelization. They have been here less than two weeks and have already engaged several GW students in conversation about the Newman Center and what we’re offering. To our students, please stop by Newman to meet Lauren, Becca, John, and Dan shortly after you arrive this weekend. Also, check out our website for information on how to get involved with them; it will be posted soon.


Here is some info about FOCUS from their website (http://www.focusonline.org/) which you can access by clicking on today's post.


Why do we need to reach college students?

College years are some of the most pivotal of a young person’s life. Without the support of family and friends, the majority of freshman students fall into the party culture, swallowed by promises of happiness from destructive influences. What most of these students don’t realize is that true joy is closer than they think. At FOCUS, we introduce young men and women on the college campus to a relationship with God. With encouragement from our campus missionaries, thousands of students are overcoming the harsh reality of campus culture:

o 85% of Catholic college students do not attend Sunday Mass

o Binge drinking, sexual promiscuity, moral relativism and academic hostility towards the Catholic faith

o General lack of knowledge or understanding of faith

o Scarcity of faithful young people to lead the Church into the future

How do we reach college students?

Our Model

o Win them over through genuine friendships.

o Build up their personal relationship with God and equip them with tools needed to thrive in college and beyond.

o Send them out and share the Faith with their peers.

Our Methods

o Large Group Outreach: We host events, conferences and retreats that provide opportunities for college students to respond to God’s love, foster relationships and grow spiritually.

o Bible Studies: By facilitating small group discussion, we aid students in understanding and applying Sacred Scripture to their everyday lives.

o One-on-One Mentorship: Through personal investment in the lives of our students, we model Christ’s love and guidance; teaching them how to live their faith in the midst of life’s everyday demands and distractions.

o “I am so grateful that God gave me the opportunity to become involved with FOCUS to learn more about His love and His desire for me.”

o College is the time when young adults are searching for truth and answers. Questions like, “Who am I?” and “What is my purpose in life?” begin to tug at their hearts. It is here where FOCUS meets them, reaching out to the individual offering hope, direction, and purpose in Jesus Christ. Through one-on-one invitation and mentorship, FOCUS missionaries offer themselves with radical availability, allowing the Holy Spirit to do with them what He will to bring each college student to the heart of Jesus Christ and His Church


“FOCUS allowed me to see that the youth in the Church are ALIVE!”

A solid community of friends is one of the most important pieces of a student’s college years. FOCUS engages students in weekly Bible studies and large group events as a way to help them find Christ-centered fellowship with their peers.The love and support found in a joyful, vibrant community of friends helps carry students through the challenges of college with confidence and trust in God.

“I came to FOCUS out of curiosity, as I am not Catholic. The speakers, conferences, and fellow peers were amazing in answering my questions and encouraging me. Thank you for opportunity to look into your amazing faith!”

The beauty of a Christian community is that its joy is infectious. In mentorship and Bible study, FOCUS students cultivate their personal prayer lives, but they also live the Gospel, spreading Christ’s love to their classmates and neighbors. In the past 12 years, FOCUS has reached tens of thousands of college students on hundreds of campuses. At our most recent National Conference, 265 colleges were represented; 220 of those schools did not have FOCUS on their campus. The word is out, and students across the nation are seeking out the type of extraordinary fellowship that only the Holy Spirit can inspire.