Meanwhile, on many other campuses across the country, students gather in their own worshipping communities. Surrounded by their peers, they feel a sense of connectedness. They hear their needs and experiences addressed in homilies and know, perhaps for the first time, that the Church cares about what they are going through. They feel welcome in a setting that has probably always seemed more interested in “grown-ups” than in them.

At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, however, students have had to find their home in the only Catholic parish in town. In many ways this has been a tremendous blessing. While exclusivity can be a harmonious experience, it is also a limiting one. Removed from the ordinary rhythms of broad-based parish life, students can become myopic about their faith. Removed from direct contact with children, the elderly and young families, students can lose sight of the thriving diversity of the Church. This student-only environment, while usually a positive experience, can also lead to difficult transitions into parish life after graduation. Nurtured in a setting tailored to their particular needs and interests, it is not surprising that students are often shocked when they enter an environment that seeks to meet the needs of a much broader population.

At Whitewater, in the absence of a university parish, students have an opportunity to view their faith life in the context of a Church that is larger than their circle of peers. Catholic campus ministry operates out of an ecumenical center near the university. In order to minister to the university community, Catholic campus ministry works in partnership with the local parish of St. Patrick.

By connecting with St. Patrick as the worshipping community, students get the best of both worlds. From campus ministry staff, they get special ministerial attention to their needs - but within the context of a larger parish community. Students organize to form their own university-recognized groups, such as the Catholic Student Coalition or the student chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Those organizations receive support from the local parish. They use the parish hall for student retreats and other events. They use the parish kitchen to bake the thousands of cookies they sell on campus as a fundraiser.

Students receive more from the parish than permission to use the facilities, however. The pastor of St. Patrick’s, Fr. Jim Godin, is a former campus minister himself and sensitive to the special needs of students. He often mentions life in the dorms and the stress of student life in his homilies. The more permanent parishioners of St. Patrick welcome and support students. They pray for student activities, prepare meals for retreats, and generously support student fundraising efforts. The presence of a long-term campus minister also facilitates communication and collaboration with parishioners. As students come and go over the course of a few years, the campus minister provides a consistent contact to the parish.

As students receive from the parish, so do they also give back. St. Patrick estimates that fully one third of the members are students, faculty, or staff. Many of them regularly serve as liturgical ministers and religious education instructors. RCIA participants — both candidates and sponsors — often have some association with the university. The Catholic Student Coalition maintains a liaison to the parish council who reports on student activities and who even coordinates a fellowship dinner for council members and students. In addition, by their presence and interaction with the broader parish community, students give other parishioners an opportunity to encounter young people in a positive way — one that can break down negative stereotypes about university students.

This ministry approach, though born of necessity, has served to empower students to become more active in parish life in the future. The integration of students into the broader worshipping community brings vitality to both campus ministry and the parish. The people of God are a diverse bunch. Parish collaboration in campus ministry ensures that the Church can be home to a wide variety of people.

Brian Zanin serves as the Catholic campus minister for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Whitewater is located in Walworth county, about an hour’s drive west of Milwaukee. The university comprises about 10,000 students and draws primarily from a 60-mile radius around Whitewater. About 4,000 students live on campus.

For more information contact Brian Zanin, Campus Director, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 262-473-5555 or e-mail bzanin@idcnet.com.