World Youth Day Interview, Stephen M Hill, FCRH 2010

World Youth Day Interview, Stephen M Hill, FCRH 2010
By: Laura Veras

Dímelo recently sat down with Stephen Hill, Fordham College at Rose Hill 2010, to discuss his experiences at World Youth Day 2008. World Youth Day (WYD) is a gathering of Catholic youth from around the world, called together to celebrate, live, and preach the Gospel values.

1.What motivated you to attend WYD?

To be honest, I thought WYD would be an interesting way for me to go back to Australia. It provided me a reason to travel 'Down Under.' However, as the group formed and grew spiritually, my motivations shifted. I began to realize that this pilgrimage to Sydney would be a very important growing period in my Christian discipleship.

2.How did your family/friends respond when they found out you were going to make this pilgrimage?

There wasn't any outright hostility, nor was there any extreme enthusiasm. I found it difficult to explain the purpose of this pilgrimage and what exactly we would be doing while in Australia. I think there was a lot of confusion among my family members, and the trip was viewed in practical terms rather than in its spiritual nature. The under girding of any pilgrimage is the detachment of material comforts and trusting in God more, which got thrown to the wayside in favor of "where are you going, what will you be doing, why should I help you pay for this, etc.?"

3.How did the group prepare for the pilgrimage?

Our group extensively prepared for the pilgrimage, which is the main reason, in my opinion, why it was so fruitful. Our two Jesuit leaders provided weekly reflections on certain spiritual aspects of pilgrimage and other areas to foster reflection. We were advised to keep a spiritual journal to track our reflections and to see where the Spirit was leading us. Also, our group retreat really formed friendships, trust, and enthusiasm and was the jumping-off point for our journey.

4.What did you expect to encounter in Sydney?

Every World Youth Day has a scriptural theme and this year’s was: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). This theme struck me when I read it in the Pope's letter preparing the pilgrims, because it providentially corresponded to my current prayer focus of how to be a fully committed Christian disciple. During my preparation for WYD I was praying over the juxtaposition in my life of desiring to give more of myself to Jesus Christ and the reality of being part of a nominally Catholic family. My return to the Church has caused some tension between my family and me. Through my reflection over the weekly themes I realized my life had two sides: the enflamed Catholic while at school, and the 'same old Steve' while at home. At this time one of the Jesuits recommended asking for a specific grace to receive while at WYD. I then asked Christ to grant me the strength, courage, and perseverance in more fully living out my call to be a disciple. There is not enough room here to begin to tell you how my expectations to receive grace from Christ via World Youth Day were met and greatly surpassed. I know when on my death bed, I will look back at World Youth Day as the moment I took up the Lord's invitation to Come and See. WYD will be the turning point when the rest of my life will be the tireless pursuit of following Jesus Christ.



5.Tell us a little bit about Magis….

It was a multinational program run by the Australian Jesuits two weeks before the World Youth Day week of events. The thrust of Magis was participating in "experiments," which is an Ignatian term for experiences. Jesuit novices undergo experiments in works that put them outside of their comfort zone in order to trust more in God. For my half of the group, we teamed up with groups from India and Taiwan and an Aussie leader group and traveled 14 hours north to Brisbane. We set up a community in the Glasshouse Mountain range and hiked, prayed, talked, and ate a lot of food together. The bonds that were formed will be forever in my heart.

6.What were some of your first impressions about Australia?

I can't say I had first impressions, because I had been to Australia several years earlier to visit my Aunt who lives in Sydney. However, every person is captivated by the stunning, and heavenly, beauty of Australia and the down-to-earth people of Australia. It's the best place on earth, hands down.

7.What were your impressions of Pope Benedict XVI?

I love the man! Not only is he a brilliant theologian and has the pulse of our time, but his pastoral sense is unbelievable. I saw him at the Youth Rally in Yonkers last semester and several times at World Youth Day. Each time he drew me closer to Jesus in different ways, but he has no, and desires no, cult of personality. He wants to give us –his sheep: his fruits of prayer, reflection, and knowledge in order for us to manifest Christ to the world. He is an unbelievable man.

8.Did you witness any changes among the group/other pilgrims as your journey progressed?

Our group became like family while on pilgrimage. We had shared the discomfort, the bad food, the Spirit-filled prayer, the people, and experiences and we came together more and more as the days went by. Also, the first couple days we were all reserved in reaching out to fellow pilgrims from places as varied as France, India, Taiwan, Hungary, Germany, Bolivia, Kenya, and [America], but as the trip progressed and the Spirit was moving among us, we made lasting friendships with many brother and sister Christians from around the world.

9.How was Christ present to the WYD pilgrims?

I can only speak for myself, or rather how I experienced Christ at World Youth Day. First, I came to the realization that Jesus’ exhortation to the Apostles at the end of Matthew's Gospel "to go out and make disciples of all nations" had been accomplished. I met people and saw flags from France and England, China and Taiwan, India and Pakistan, Spain and Brazil, Kenya and Madagascar, the United States and Iraq; Different languages, cultures, food, fashion, and songs, but one Creed, one Lord.
Secondly, Christ in the Eucharist was deepened for me while at World Youth Day. Our group hosted an all night adoration chapel for the pilgrims at the school where we were staying. An overnight exposition of the Blessed Sacrament requires at least one person in the chapel at all times, so I volunteered both nights for the 2am-3am shift to experience this powerful time of prayer. One of the nights I stayed beyond my shift and there came a point around 4am where I wanted to go back and crawl in my sleeping bag, but the Eucharist in the golden monstrance on the altar was so attractive I couldn't leave Jesus. I always believed Jesus was present in the Eucharist, but it was in that moment of attraction and desire for Jesus that His presence became real.
Lastly, Christ's presence through His Spirit was extremely powerful throughout the pilgrimage. The people I met, the prayer times, certain lines sticking out in the Pope's homily, and spiritual conversations with my fellow pilgrims all contributed to the Spirit incarnated in many people and events during World Youth Day. The Jesuit mantra "finding God in all things" went from a cliché to a reality.

10.Is there any message you were entrusted to bring back to your community and peers?

Jesus Christ is alive in our world today! There is hope, there is a way to love, there is purpose, and there is truth in a world which denigrates each of these necessary aspects of humanity. Our hope, our love, our purpose, and our truth is Jesus Christ. Please whoever reads this interview, go to Mass and meet Jesus. Do not be afraid to lose yourself for Jesus, He gives to each of us what we truly need to be happy beyond all imagination. Do not be afraid to be a voice proclaiming a different message. Do not be afraid to move outside [of yourself] for others. Do not be afraid to look past money, power, and prestige. Trust in the Lord, and you will arrive victorious. Do Not Be Afraid!

Interview with Jamie Rocha, FCRH 2010, Assistant Director, St Jude Up Til Dawn - Fordham Chapter

Interview with Jamie Rocha, FCRH 2010
Assistant Director, St Jude Up Til Dawn - Fordham Chapter

...this organization can be found at Rose Hill

1. Tell us a little bit about St Jude's and Up Til Dawn (UTD).

St. Jude is the leading center for the research and treatment of catastrophic illnesses affecting children in the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer center where families are never asked to pay for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. UTD is a student-led, student-run fundraising initiative on college campuses across the country. UTD unites the college campus under a common goal of raising money for the children of St. Jude through fun and creative fundraising events and initiatives.

2. How and why did you and Lauren DeStefano decide to establish UTD on campus?

Fordham had a very small UTD initiative last year, of which Lauren was the only returning member. I was a long-standing intern for St. Jude at that time and the two of us got together and decided that this year we would make UTD a real presence on campus. I had experience with other UTD programs, having worked on them during my time as an intern and Lauren had seen the challenges and successes of an UTD program on Fordham's campus. With the two of us working together, and the great executive board that we recruited, UTD will be HUGE this year!!

3. What makes UTD unique on a campus with dozens of organizations and clubs?

UTD is a unique program on Fordham's campus because of the direct impact that the money raised has on, not only the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, but on children in local hospitals as well. St. Jude is the ONLY charity that guarantees [that] 85% of every dollar raised goes directly to the current and future needs of St. Jude’s patients. This money goes directly towards finding a cure to childhood catastrophic illness and these cures/findings are then shared with the entire medical community. So, in supporting UTD on Fordham's campus, you are not only having an impact on the kids down at the hospital, [but] you are directly contributing to cures for children all over the world.

4. What can we hope to see from UTD as the semester progresses?

Fordham will be seeing A LOT from UTD throughout the semester. We will have an UTD awareness week during the beginning of the school year, where the executive board will be out on campus spreading the word about St. Jude with some fun activities and some yummy treats. We will be having our letter-sending party in the fall, where students come armed with names and addresses to whom we send St. Jude fundraising letters, while enjoying food, music, games and FUN! We also hope to host an eat-up at the famous "Pugsley's Pizza" and even more great stuff planned for next semester. So keep an eye out for Fordham UTD!!

-by Laura Veras

Mi Experiencia en Global Outreach o Cómo Aprendí a Parar de Juzgar y Comenzar a Querer mis Amigos (With English Trans.)

Mi Experiencia en Global Outreach o Cómo Aprendí a Parar de Juzgar y Comenzar a Querer mis Amigos

Por: Laura Veras

Recientemente almorcé con un viejo amigo de la escuela secundaria, y le estaba contando sobre mi viaje de servicio durante la semana de vacaciones de primavera a la ciudad rural, victima de la pobreza, de Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Cuando él me preguntó cuál fue la mejor parte del viaje, inmediatamente dije: "Familiarizándome con mis compañeras", y ¿cómo respondió mi amigo? Se rió. Conociendo bien su naturaleza cínica, no me enojé mucho, pero sí me hizo pensar. ¿Desde cuándo es algo malo querer conocer a otras personas? Como alguien que viaja a la universidad todos los días y con una carga pesada de cursos y responsabilidades extracurriculares, encuentro que se me hace difícil conocer a mis compañeros de clase. A pesar de esto, el programa de Alcance Global (Global Outreach) es una oportunidad increíble para todos los estudiantes, y sí, mi parte favorita del viaje fué conocer a mis compañeras y a mí misma. No solamente pude ayudar en la construcción de las paredes para una casa de tres habitaciones (diez paredes grandes para el exterior y quince o más paredes de diferentes tamaños para el interior), sino que también conocí a unos dueños de una casa hecha por Habitat. Y déjeme decirle que en una sociedad donde trabajamos, trabajamos y trabajamos por placeres futuros, ésta experiencia fue increíblemente gratificante.

Me parece a mí que Global Outreach, junto con varias otras organizaciones y clubes de la universidad, es rehuido por los estudiantes cínicos y apáticos de Fordham Lincoln Center. Odio decirlo, pero el entumecimiento que existe en nuestra sociedad se esparce al corazón de nuestra comunidad. Esto es fácilmente aparente en acontecimientos de club, donde el cebo de alimento gratis es a veces la única manera de asegurar la asistencia. Por supuesto, muchos de nosotros tenemos horarios increíblemente ocupados que nos forza a ser muy seleccionados en cuanto a los eventos que podemos asistir, pero ¿cómo podría ser posible que fuera de 4.000 estudiantes sólo una fracción asiste regularmente a las reuniones de club y/o eventos? Durante mi orientación, hace dos años, yo me asombré de los líderes que hicieron malabares con varios clubes inmediatamente. Pero ahora que ve todo por dentro, puedo ver por qué. Sí, estas personas nos asombran, pero ellos son los únicos que aparecen. Usted sabe de quién yo hablo- ese grupo de más o menos quince estudiantes que usted ve corriendo dentro y fuera del cuarto 408, yendo de un evento al próximo con una botella de agua en una mano y un montón de volantes en la otra. ¿Si ellos no hacen el trabajo, quién lo va hacer?

¡USTED! No se siente en su cuarto mirando programmas de television repetidas que usted ya ha visto treinta veces, o pierda tiempo escuchando a su compañero de apartamento quejándose sobre de su novio o novia. Tan pronto como usted termine de leer este artículo (no pensaría que yo le diría que pare de leerlo de una vez?), encuentre un club en el que usted esta interesado y ¡vaya! ¡Si usted no puede encontrar un club, consiga a algunos amigos y empiece uno! ¡Sí, requiere mucho dedicación y mucha persistencia, pero no es imposible! ¡Este periódico que usted esta leyendo en este momento tomó varios meses de trabajo por un grupo dedicado de personas que quisieron hacer un cambio en la comunidad de FCLC…y aquí esta!!! Así que empiece, y recuerde que hay muchas personas allí que lo apoyarán. De hecho, si a usted le falta una firma para empezar su club, páreme en el pasillo y yo estaré contenta de firmar!

* *Denegación: Mi firma no significa necesariamente que asistiré a las reuniones. Por ejemplo, si usted desea empezar un club de amantes del sushi, yo realmente no soy la persona a la que usted querrá acercarse. El chocolate, por otro lado….eso es otra historia…

English Translation:

[My Global Outreach Experience or How I Learned To Stop Judging and Start Loving My Teammates
By: Laura Veras

I recently had lunch with an old friend from high school, and I was telling him about my spring break service trip to the poverty-stricken rural town of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. When he asked me what the best part of the trip was, I immediately answered, “Getting to know my teammates,” and how did my friend respond? He laughed. Knowing his cynical nature, I didn’t get too mad at him, but it made me think. When did it become a bad thing to want to get to know other people? As a commuter with a heavy course load and extracurricular responsibilities, I find it difficult to get to know my classmates. Yet Global Outreach is an incredible opportunity open to all students, and yes, my favorite part was learning about my teammates --and myself. Not only did I get to help build a complete set of walls for a three-bedroom house (10 large exterior walls and 15+ interior walls of varying sizes), but I met some of the homeowners currently living in a Habitat house. And let me tell you, in a society where we work, work, work for future pleasures, this experience was incredibly gratifying.

It seems to me that Global Outreach, along with several other campus organizations and clubs, are being shunned by the cynical and apathetic students at Fordham Lincoln Center. I hate to say it, but the numbness that exists in our society is spreading to the heart of our community. This is readily apparent at club events, where the lure of free food is sometimes the only way to ensure attendance. Of course, many of us have incredibly busy schedules that force us to be very picky about what events we attend, but how could it be possible that out of 4,000 undergraduates only a fraction regularly attend club meetings and/or events?

During my orientation two years ago, I was amazed at the leaders who juggled several clubs at once. But now that I’m on the inside, I can see why. Yes, these multi-taskers are amazing, but they are also the only ones showing up. You know who I’m talking about –that group of fifteen or so students that you see running in and out of 408, going from one event to the next with a bottle of water in one hand and a stack of flyers in the other. If they don’t get the job done, who will?

YOU! Don’t sit in your room watching Friends reruns that you’ve already seen thirty times, or waste time listening to your roommate complaining about his/her significant other. As soon as you finish reading this paper (you didn’t think I’d tell you to put it down right away, did you?), find a club you’re interested in and get going. If you can’t find that perfect fit, get some friends together and start one! Yes, it takes hard work and much persistence, but it’s not impossible! This paper you’re reading right now took several months of work by a dedicated group of people who wanted to make a change in the FCLC community…and here it is!!! So get started, and remember there are a lot of people out there who will support you. In fact, if you’re missing that one tiny signature to get a club started, stop me in the hall and I’ll be glad to join up!*

*Disclaimer: My signing up does not necessarily mean I will attend meetings. For example, if you wish to start a sushi-lovers club, I’m really not the person you’ll want to approach. Chocolate, on the other hand…. ]