The budding Catholic Campus Ministry at Shenandoah University fired up the grill and hosted lawn games, raffles and Sunday Mass to open the fall academic semester last month in Winchester.
Mike Filamor, campus minister, said it was the first time the CCM hosted opening week events in its approximately 15-year history.
A tropical-themed luau, modeled after the successful annual event hosted by George Mason University Catholic Campus Ministry in Fairfax, Aug. 22 attracted 150 first-year students — approximately one-third of the entire class. They enjoyed grilled burgers and hot dogs, an ice cream truck and outdoor games including cornhole, big Jenga and volleyball.
Three days later, the ministry hosted the first Sunday Mass of the academic year on campus Aug. 25 in the Goodson Chapel Lobby. Approximately 60 first-year and returning students attended Mass, celebrated by Youth Apostles Father Jack Peterson. Afterward Dec. 31 came early at a new school year’s eve party with pizza, dessert, party favors and fizzy drinks to ring in the new year. Ministry leaders handed out t-shirts and other swag and raffled away prizes.
“We at CCM are very blessed by the success of these events, and with God’s grace and the hard work of our student leaders, we hope to continue to grow together as a community and in our faith in Christ,” Filamor said.
