Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, and Fr. John Eustice, CSV, both members of the Viatorians’ vocation team, hit the road last month in their quest to meet young people where they’re at.
Notre Dame students enjoy dinner with Fr. John and Br. Peter (taking the photo) at Legends.
This time, they spent the day on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, with some of the Saint Viator High School graduates studying there and a pair from Bishop McNamara High School. The visit was casual and flexible, offering students a chance to come for some or all of the visit, depending on when they could get away from their classes and course work.
During their time together, they attended Mass in the chapel at Sorin College, one of the dorms on campus, where Fr. Eustice celebrated the private liturgy.
From there, some of the group walked across campus to Legend’s, a popular eatery on the edge of campus, before concluding with a stop at Notre Dame’s sacred Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
“Viatorian visits to alumni at college foster a sense of community that transcends the physical campus of Saint Viator High School,” Br. Peter says. “They remind our alumni that they always have a home to return to.”
Making college visits goes back more than 35 years, back to when Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, served as President of Saint Viator High School. He made it a point to visit with graduates away at college and these visits always included a dinner out. Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, continued the tradition when he served as Director of Vocation Ministry.
Fr. Corey Brost celebrating Mass in 2014 at Marquette University
“I want our alums to know that we are committed to their spiritual growth, through college and beyond,” Fr. Corey said after visiting students at Marquette University in 2014.
Br. Peter says college visits are an important facet of vocation ministry’s outreach, as a way to maintain and renew connections with college students from Viatorian schools and parishes.
In the coming months, Br. Peter will be joining a group of administrators, faculty and staff from Saint Viator High School on visits to the University of Dayton and Marquette University. He also will be visiting Creighton University, the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
In addition, four members of the vocation ministry team will be attending SEEK, a Catholic conference for college students and young adults in January in Salt Lake City.
For Br. Peter, who directs Vocation Ministry for the Viatorians, making the effort to visit college students is an investment: “Finding opportunities to reach out to college students — beyond Viatorian apostolates — is a top priority.”