“Country roads, take me home…” emember the old John Denver hit “Country.
Roads”? It's a well-loved tune out here in West. Virginia. It goes: “Country roads ...
D E C E M B E R
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From Convert to Missionary Blazing trails for Christ at West Virginia University
“Country roads, take me home…”
R
emember the old John Denver hit “Country Roads”? It’s a well-loved tune out here in West Virginia. It goes: “Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain momma Take me home, country roads.” Since coming here I’ve heard the song many times and I think it’s a great image for what Saint Paul’s Outreach is building in our first years here at WVU. Here’s why. Imagine you’re among the first settlers in West Virginia. The land is rough, and you have to blaze the first trails to make it livable. At WVU, this is only the second year that Catholics have had a missionary presence. There’s room to build in order to make the Church at WVU the best that it can be. But we’re not discouraged. The first trailblazers knew the value of their work amidst its challenges. Like them, we see on the horizon what God will do by our prayer and perseverance. We’re paving the spiritual “country roads” with the hope that one day, by God, every WVU student, faculty, and staff will encounter Jesus Christ and find their home in the fullness of the Catholic Church.
“I believe we always need time to lay the foundations for real, effective change.” - Pope Francis
Oh, and like those first trailblazers, we have joy. Joy from experiencing the breakthroughs and challenges of every worthy adventure. But most of all, we’re joyful knowing that God has won victory over sin and evil, and that we get to announce it to the world.
Highlights from the Fall
Breaking Ground
Real Relationships
Forming Men
We kicked the year off right with In college, you can be connected This world is lacking strong men, a beloved WVU tradition – couch to more people than ever and still and we’re changing that. burning! be deeply lonely. We’ve launched small groups in … I’m kidding. 2013 marks the That’s why every week we which we challenge each other to partner with the university parish live godly lives and to be first year for SPO houses at for Mountaineer Catholic Night examples for others. Right now, WVU. Matt and Jason (on the we’re learning to build prayer into right) are growing in fatherly where we gather for dinner as a our busy college lives. virtue before entering the community, experience real workforce. Jason is a great cook, relationships, and grow in our These groups are foundational for so he’s got a leg up. faith while in college. a culture where authentic manhood is lived and taught.
Always forward! Pope Francis, in his new letter Evangelii Gaudium, said “every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization.” At WVU, we’re rising to this challenge. Each week, students and our missionary staff head to the student union to share with our peers about Jesus and the Catholic faith. We got in the student newspaper on our first day out!
We hope to create a culture in which students are excited to share with their friends the freedom they’ve found in Christ.
Thank you!
I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and generous support of me and this mission. Because of your help, God is changing many lives and is preparing many more to hear the Gospel. May God bless you and your family! You are in my prayers.
Ryan O’Shaughnessy
Prayer request:
For students to commit to daily quiet prayer
