As Director of Vocation Ministry, Br. Peter Lamick, CSV, and Pre-Associate Dan Masterton, Coordinator of Pastoral Ministries, hit the road again, in their quest to meet young people where they’re at.
Fr. Brendan McAleer celebrates Mass.
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. 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 Fisher Hall, one of the dorms on campus where Fr. Brendan McAleer, CSC, is a priest in residence. Fr. McAleer is an Arlington Heights native and a childhood friend of Br. Peter’s.
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.”
Br. Peter Lamick attends Mass with SVHS alumni.
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.
“It was a way to reconnect with our graduates,” Fr. Bolser says, “and let them know that no matter where they were, we were still concerned about them. We wanted them to know that they were still part of the Viatorian family.”
Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, continued the tradition when he served as Director of Vocation Ministry as well as the most recent Vocation Minister, Br. John Eustice, CSV.
Visiting Notre Dame is the first a few college visits planned by Br. Peter and Dan. In two weeks, they will travel to Omaha to visit alumni attending Creighton University, with more stops at Midwestern campuses in the works.
Dan describes the visits not only as ones of accompaniment but of affirming young people on their faith journey.
“Living out their faith in a new place in college or adult life can be different and sometimes challenging,” Dan says. “We hope we can help young adults hang on to their Viatorian identity and use it to sustain their lives of faith. We know that maintaining these connections and relationships can potentially renew all of us.”