Dear Newman Community,

While our experience in Chicago at Campus Ministry Leadership Institute was excellent, we are glad to be back home to start our summer events! Many students return to their home towns in other parts of the state or country, but some do stay in Las Cruces to work or take summer classes. Throughout the rest of the June and July we'll gather this summer community for weekly social and prayer opportunities.

​On Monday nights at 7pm, we will gather at Baskin Robbins for ice cream then head on campus for volleyball, soccer, or other sports activity. On Thursday nights at 6pm, we will gather for different types of prayer experiences. This will likely include prayer like Lectio Divina (prayer with the Sunday Gospel), the Rosary, walking the Labyrinth at Holy Cross Retreat Center, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. If you know any students in town for the summer, please invite them to join us! 

Peace, 
Mona

Dear Newman Community,

Wow, what a great week at Campus Ministry Leadership Institute at St. Xavier University in Chicago! Our campus team, comprised of Fr. Ray, myself and five student leaders, Carla Villareal, Bre Lopez, Justine Del Castillo, Javyn Sillas, and Nick Arias returned a few days energized by the growth filled conference. I hope these photos capture some of that energy!

​A big thanks and congratulations on a job well done to Sal, who directed the Institute, coordinating a directing team of campus ministers and student leaders from across the nation. More to come about our Fellowship Team project this coming fall semester!  

Peace, 
​Mona

Top left: Our team taking a selfie with Pope Francis #pontefixpix. Top right: Our team after winning the Team Buiding activity. Bottom left: Our team with Archbishop Cupich of Chicago and Barbara McCrabb of the USCCB. Bottom right: ​Carla taking part in the choir for Masses and Prayer. 

Dear Newman Community,

Already our trip to Chicago for Campus Ministry Leadership Institute is off to a great start. As I shared last week, it's an excellent opportunity for the students going to experience a larger sense of church as they meet and connect with other young Catholics from colleges across the country. On our travel day to Chicago I realized it was also an opportunity for students to gain some practical life skills as well! One student had never flown before, another had not flown since she was seven years old.

​The hustle and bustle of announcements directing so many people as they hurriedly traveled in all directions seemed to be eye opening to the group. It was a good reminder that, as we often say in campus ministry, is more than about the knowledge and skills one gains in the classroom but also about life experiences that helps students encounter new places and people. Please continue to pray for us!

Mona  

Dear Newman Community,

Hello from Chicago! This week Fr. Ray and I are with a group of five students at St. Xavier University in Chicago for Campus Ministry Leadership Institute (CMLI). This five-day training and working institute gathers student leaders and campus ministers from across the country as campus teams.  Grounded in the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter, Empowered by the Spirit, the Institute is designed to produce effective leaders who work collaboratively to develop and implement successful Catholic Campus Ministry programs on college campuses, both private and public.
 
A large portion of our time (over 10 hours!) at the Institute is dedicated to working in our campus team on a project to bring back to NMSU in the fall. We are so fortunate, the students on our campus team all came up with innovative project ideas aimed at growing faith and community at Newman. After careful discernment, the project we decided to work on is developing a new Prayer & Fellowship Team.
 
Please pray for our campus team as well as the campus teams from other universities across the nation participating in CMLI this week. Please also pray for Sal and the students and campus ministers working hard to put on the Institute.
 
Peace,
Mona