Celebrating Our Centennial
This summer, I tackled John Paul II’s Biography, Witness to Hope. The author, George Weigel, spends significant time recalling John Paul II’s preparation for the Holy Year of 2000. For a long time, the Church has placed special emphasis on the turning of the centuries and marked them as Holy Years, that is special years set aside to mark not only the passing of time but the great things that God has done during that time. The Holy Year of 2000 was even more significant as it marked not just the passing of a century but a millennium.
This year, we celebrate 100 years of Catholic Campus ministry at the University of Louisiana. Thanks to students who led the effort to charter the Newman Club, a Catholic presence was rooted on campus twenty-five years after the university was founded. Our centennial year presents an opportunity to reflect on 100 years of ministering to college students, 100 years of supporting the faith of those who are leaving the safety net of their parents, and 100 years of providing a home away from home for those striving to further their education and give back to the community.
I am grateful for the many students, alumni, pastors, and ministers who have stewarded our mission on campus throughout our rich history, and I ask you to prayerfully consider how you can be a part of the legacy of Catholic Campus Ministry and help to strengthen the strong foundation we have been building since 1923.
In Christ,
Fr. Patrick Broussard