By Anna Schulten
Special to The Message
If you’re a college student in the Diocese of Evansville who wants to get connected to a vibrant Catholic community, one of the first places you might look is Monday Nights at Sacred Heart Church. But if you’re new to the area, like many college freshmen students, it can be intimidating to make those initial connections and friendships. This year, in collaboration with the Diocese of Evansville Vocations Office, Eagle Catholic (University of Southern Indiana Catholic Campus Ministry) began hosting a dinner and social for college-aged students on the third Monday of each month.
“Monday nights at Sacred Heart have become a staple in my schedule since my freshman year,” said Carol Staples, president and member of Eagle Catholic. “Each week, I am blown away by the number of young people coming together to praise our Lord.”
Monday Nights at Sacred Heart averages around 175 attendees, and about half of them are youth and young adults. Seeing so many young people take time out of their week to encounter Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is a beautiful thing to witness. We want to make space for them to encounter Christ through the body of Christ and the Church, too.
The first dinner and social after Mass was hosted Aug. 19 (the first week of college for USI, the University of Evansville and Vincennes University). Over 50 young people stayed for dinner and a social in the House of Discernment’s backyard.
“Monday nights at Sacred Heart have been part of my routine since my sophomore year of high school,” Hannah Seifert, a member of Eagle Catholic, said. “As a freshman at USI, I enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new people once a month after Mass at social! It is great to be able to stay around and chat!”
This outreach is hosted by Eagle Catholic, but it’s open to all young adults ages 18-23 regardless of what school you do or don’t attend. We hope to continue to grow this community in the spirit of fostering vocations and inter-parish friendships. If you know a college-aged student seeking community, invite them to join us for dinner and a social on the third Monday of each month. Upcoming dates are Sept. 16, Oct. 21 and Nov. 18.
Because USI doesn’t have a Newman Center building yet, Eagle Catholic creates a sense of “Newman community” by providing opportunities for fellowship between Catholic students on and off campus. We do this by hosting events each Wednesday, Mass and brunch at nearby St. Philip Parish in Posey County on Sundays, and bible studies throughout the week, led by and for our students. Eagle Catholic also partners with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, and has four missionaries serving the community.
As an organization, Eagle Catholic helps students and the community at large to Encounter Christ, Accompany one another, Grow faith, Love and serve, and Evangelize the world.
Witnessing the way that Christ works in each of our students’ lives is a blessing that we wish to share with you all. Whether you are a USI alumnus, you know someone who goes to USI currently or you are simply a part of the Diocese of Evansville and want to participate in this facet of young adult ministry, we would love to connect with you. Learn more about Eagle Catholic at eaglecatholic.com, or get involved in our Monday Night dinner ministry through Alumni & Friends of Eagle Catholic at eaglecatholic.com/alumni.
Anna Schulten serves as the Eagle Catholic Campus minister and director of religious life for the University of Southern Indiana.