At 10 year mark, Catholic campus ministry FOCUS opens new office

By John Gleason

On Aug. 8, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), held an open house at their new national headquarters in Northglenn.  Highlight of the event was the blessing of the facility by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

The new office has actually been in operation since January, when the organization moved its headquarters from Greeley. Over the last few months, the new facility has undergone some remodeling as the organization has expanded to take up most of the fifth floor of the CityWide Bank building at 11990 Grant St. in Northglenn. 

With workspace for more than 50 people, the headquarters features office space, common area, meeting room and a chapel.  Bringing all staff together under one roof has been a goal of the organization for some time, according to founder and president, Curtis Martin.

“Our staff was all over,” Martin told the Denver Catholic Register. “We had people working out of their homes in Parker, others in Greeley.  Getting everyone together for meetings was not easy.  So we sat down with a map to determine what the most centrally located place for an office was and this is where God led us. And today is the opportunity to thank the donors and volunteers who have made our work possible.” 

The new facility is a fitting way to mark the 10th anniversary of the fast growing ministry. FOCUS has been described as a national outreach to college students to help them live a Catholic life.  Its goal is two-fold: to help young adults know Jesus better and to enable them to establish and deepen Christian friendships, according to Sarah Keller, FOCUS director of mission programs and events.

“Students go through so much change when they go to college,” Keller said.  “Many of them are looking for something stable.  FOCUS seeks to help them to continue their relationship with Jesus.”

During the ceremony, in which the offices were blessed with holy water, Archbishop Chaput praised the missionaries, who serve on 39 campuses across the country where FOCUS has a presence, pointing out how evangelization has changed over the years.

“There was a time when the old evangelization was done by priests and sisters,” he told the audience.  “Today the new evangelization is done not just by religious, but by laity as well.  Our baptismal grace calls us to be missionaries; we all have this in us.”

Also at the event were two students, Ted Mast and Rachel Ritter, who talked about FOCUS and how it made an impact in their lives.

Mast, 22, is a senior studying journalism at the University of Colorado.  He said that when he first arrived on campus, he felt very alone.  One day, he was invited to play soccer.  It was a day that changed his life.

“It turned out that these guys were missionaries,” Mast told the Register.  “We started hanging out and talking.  It gave me a real sense of community.  I began attending Bible study classes and then by the end of the year I was invited to be a disciple.”

Mast said that as the months past, he saw his faith in a different perspective and soon was leading his own Bible study.  But he wants to do more and has applied to become a missionary after he graduates in December.

“I see the freshmen on campus and know exactly how they feel,” he said. “Alone in the middle of thousands of others.  I want them to know that there is an anchor out there that will keep their faith with them.”

Rachel Ritter is a 19-year-old math major at the University of Northern Colorado.  She said the day she moved into her dorm, she met some missionaries.

“I knew about FOCUS before I arrived at school and wanted to know more about them,” she said.  “The missionaries invited me to play volleyball, then to a picnic where we had the chance to talk about faith and how Jesus is in all parts of our lives.”

Ritter said that what surprised her most was the number of other students who were looking for the same thing she was—direction in her faith.  She found that through FOCUS.

“FOCUS helped give me the foundations of my faith and the tools I needed for a personal relationship with Jesus,” she said.  “As a result I am filled with joy and have a sense of community, which had been lacking in my life.” 

The testimonials of Mast and Ritter are just two examples of the vitality and sense of community that can be found in FOCUS students, said Martin.

“We get to meet these young people who are growing and maturing—it’s thrilling,” he said.  “God has been good to us. It’s an exciting time to be a Catholic.”

In the ten years since its inception, FOCUS has worked to play a vital role in the “new evangelization” called for by Pope John Paul II.  It’s done this with the Win-Build-Send philosophy: win new students to relationship with the Catholic community, build up those already following Christ by study and practice of the faith, and send out as his ambassadors those who are ready and available to win others.

“We’ve done great things in the past 10 years,” Martin said, “and firmly believe that it’s only the beginning. ‘”