Testimonials
-
- Fall 2022 Retreats
- SEEK 2024 Student Testimonies
- From our FOCUS Missionaries
- St. Albert Society
- Fall 2024 Retreat
-
Fall 2022 Men's and Women's RetreatsDuring the Fall 2022 semester, the students of CCH went off-campus to go rest with the Lord, to pray, and to enjoy one another’s company. In September, students had a Fall Retreat at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore with 22 students. In October, our CCH men and the chaplains went camping in the Shenandoah. In early December, there was a Women’s Retreat at the Mother Seton House. Read here as two students reflect on their retreat experience and why retreats are so important for college students.
Karen's Reflection
Karen, what did you enjoy most about the CCH Fall Retreat?
The retreat was really instrumental and helpful in getting to know all the amazing people that make up the CCH. I loved having this special time at the retreat to be with God surrounded by likeminded people who were so genuinely cool and nice. Having no phones also helped us connect more with everyone since talking in person was our only way of communication! (And I really enjoyed that.)What would you tell other Hopkins students to get them to go on retreat?
The amount of peace that you can get from a retreat is unlike any other. There is never a perfect time to go on a retreat (you feel like you always have stuff to do) so take advantage of it always! It will give you a sharper perspective on your faith and give you a break from the noisy world. And when you come back to campus, you are more ready to take on the challenges life will throw at you.How did the retreat help you experience Jesus’ love for you?
Adoration, prayer, Bible study, and small group discussions made it clear to me how big and impactful Jesus’s love was for me. He was blessing me especially with such a supportive and open community.
Alex's Reflection
Alex, what did you enjoy most from the Guys’ Camping Retreat?
I enjoyed the retreat because it was a great way to explore my faith through unconventional means. The small group discussions, Mass held outside, and prayers around the campfire were a unique way to explore the Catholic faith.Why did you make time for retreat with such a busy academic schedule?
The one thing I’ve learned in my two years at Hopkins is that you simply don’t have time for things until you make time. Going on the retreat was a great way to decompress from my busy academic life, while also getting closer to God.Why do you think retreats are important for Hopkins students?
Retreats are important for us since the average Hopkins student is extremely busy. Making time for a retreat is difficult, but well worth it. Retreats are a great way to explore your faith while also relaxing from the normal stresses of being a student. This is also a positive way to socialize with friends.How do retreats help you experience Jesus’ love for you?
Retreats are a unique way to experience Jesus’s love through unique opportunities beyond Sunday Mass like small group talks and prayer sessions. These activities help broaden your scope as a disciple of Christ and in turn help you reflect and experience Jesus’s love in unique ways.
-
SEEK Glory Stories
From Mary, a senior who serves on our Spiritual Life committee and leads a Bible study:
"I was invited to SEEK, not knowing what I was walking into. I promised the Lord that my heart would be open for this conference, for Him to guide me. I was always taught that one can find the Lord within oneself and that He lives in them. Even with that truth, He felt so distant from me. Everything changed when we were in adoration at SEEK. I hadn’t opened my Bible in a long time, but the Lord works in amazing ways. John 6 is the fundamental Biblical passage telling us the Eucharist is the Real Presence. I started reading it while 24,000 people around me worshiped, and I was shocked. Jesus Christ was telling me that the bread that everyone bowed down to was actually Him. The Almighty God who sits on a throne in Heaven was there, on earth, to meet us where we are, inviting us to be broken before Him, so that He may heal us. I meditated over that chapter and I heard someone cry out in this large convention center, “SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON US!” The Holy Spirit was moving everyone’s hearts in the most personal way. After a couple of days, the Lord was pushing me to make a decision. Do you believe in the Real Presence now that you have seen my glory among 24,000 people? Will you say “yes” to the fullness of truth? I couldn’t deny the truth anymore and when I said “yes,” the Holy Spirit said, “Welcome home!” After a couple of weeks, I was hungry for Him in the Eucharist and entered the Church on Easter Vigil, finally able to fulfill the hunger for the first time in the truest meaning of it all."
Kate, a senior and long-time member of our community shares her reflections:
"Last year I went to SEEK for the first time as I was studying for the MCAT. It was a great way for me to reconnect with my faith and a reminder of truly what matters in life: God. One of the most impactful moments for me was reconnecting with Cardinal Timothy Dolan from New York. I first met him when he was the Archbishop of Milwaukee, where I’m natively from.
When I was an infant, I contracted a strep A bacterial blood infection that left me hospitalized and unexpected to recover. Cardinal Dolan visited me multiple times over the course of my three-month stay, providing much needed spiritual support for my parents. He even came to my “Welcome Home” party where the picture of him holding me was taken.
Roughly 20 years later, I attended SEEK in St. Louis. I couldn’t believe that Cardinal Dolan was presiding over one of the Masses there.
I immediately told Fr. Josemaría, and he helped me see the Cardinal after Mass. When I approached Cardinal Dolan, I cried as I told him how we knew each other and how his love and support of me as an infant led to who I am today. That because of my health struggles and the importance of faith throughout it all, I was able to stand there as a proud Catholic who wants to use my experiences to become a great doctor. And all of that can be traced back to a bishop visiting a dying baby girl’s hospital room.The Holy Spirit truly guided me to that moment, and I will be eternally grateful for it. Amidst MCATs and financial barriers, God knew what I needed and led me to a great reminder of the power and importance of faith."
-
From our FOCUS Missionaries:
From Kevin, a second-year missionary (2024):
"I’m Kevin, a second-year FOCUS missionary from Seattle, and my faith journey was profoundly transformed during my time at the University of Washington. The FOCUS missionaries and Dominican Friars there helped me grow in a much deeper relationship with Christ. Now, serving at Hopkins, I’ve been blessed to witness similar transformations through our ministry here. Since arriving at Hopkins last year, I’ve seen remarkable growth in our campus faith community. Despite the rigorous and often overwhelming environment, many students are eager to seek meaning and purpose in their lives.
One of the greatest blessings of serving here has been working alongside the Dominican Friars. Their presence, especially through daily confession and the sacraments, has created countless opportunities for students to encounter Christ in profound ways.One story that stands out is Devon’s. We met him during freshman orientation week. Devon, a Protestant, was immediately curious about who we were and what we believed. He joined a Bible study early on and began asking deep questions about the Catholic faith. With support from our team and the friars, Devon began RCIA and, last Easter, was confirmed and received the Eucharist for the first time. It was a joy-filled and unforgettable moment. Now, Devon is one of the most passionate members of our community, sharing his story and actively inviting others to explore the faith.
Another incredible story is Jack’s. Jack was a practicing Catholic when we
met him but wasn’t very connected to CCH. Over time, he started going to confession regularly, drawn by its consistent availability here. The sacrament became a source of healing and renewal for him. As he grew in faith through discipleship and community events, Jack stepped into leadership. Today, Jack leads a Bible study for his peers and has become a driving force for evangelization on campus. His transformation has inspired so many others to take their faith seriously.It’s been a privilege to see our students encounter Christ, grow in faith, and take on leadership roles that continue to build the community."From our team director, Ally Rice (2023):
"My name is Allison Rice and I am serving as a third year missionary and team leader for the FOCUS team at Johns Hopkins University. I grew up and attended college in Virginia and after graduation served for two years with FOCUS at the University of Maine in Orono. I’m excited to be back in my home of the Mid-Atlantic and at a campus where students are searching for the Truth. The goal of FOCUS is to introduce and invite students on campus into a relationship with Christ. One way we do this is through weekly Bible studies where students can fall in love with Jesus in His word. We’ve already had 50 students come to a Bible study! Please pray for God to nudge students to join and for students to grow deeper in relationship with Jesus through the Scriptures and our community.
As a team we quickly learned that Saints Philip and James is known for beautiful liturgies and great parties. We have prayed with CCH students and other parishioners at Mass, Adoration, Newman Night Compline and retreats throughout the semester. I love watching my teammates sit next to a new student at Mass or with members of their Bible study. Our parish also has a reputation for fun socials. This semester, we had to move from the Newman Center to the Parish Hall to accommodate the growing number of students at our Sunday Family Dinners! The students, SSPJ parishioners, and friars have worked over the past several years to build up this community. I have loved seeing the joy on the students’ faces when their Catholic friends come back to Sunday Mass with them and we get to be a part of welcoming them again to Christ’s Church in this wonderful parish.Thank you for your prayers and support of CCH and FOCUS at Johns Hopkins. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be with the students here and to accompany them as they give their lives to Christ!"
-
Testimonies from our Monthly Donors
Sioban's Story
"I became acquainted with the Catholic Community at Hopkins when my oldest daughter, Caitlin, started college in the fall of 2019. All of my children attended Catholic school from kindergarten through high school, and their academic education was coupled with a strong faith formation. When Caitlin decided to attend a secular university, I was concerned that she might drift away from the church. However, I was reassured when Caitlin went to Mass the first week of school and found a welcoming community of students who were passionate about growing in faith and friendship together. Over the next four years, she participated in Bible studies, service opportunities and retreats, forming lifelong friendships and deepening her faith. Even during COVID, CCH hosted virtual events, including game and rosary nights.
My youngest daughter, Claire, is now a sophomore at Hopkins and has been involved in the CCH since her freshman fall. From 2019 until now, I have seen the CCH grow, from first by increasing the number of Bible studies offered by training students to lead Bible studies with their peers, to having a full team of FOCUS missionaries to support the CCH and spread the Gospel on the Hopkins campus.
As a parent of CCH students, I always feel welcome and a part of the community. Parents are encouraged to attend Mass at Saints Philip and James, and the CCH hosts multiple events each year, including family weekend brunches, for families where they are able to meet the priests and families of other students. I have been reassured by the way that the CCH supports Hopkins students, caring about their academic, emotional, and most importantly, spiritual well being. I give to the CCH because I have witnessed the impact it has had on the Hopkins student’s lives in college and beyond. My daughters have been supported by the community and chaplains at CCH, and their friends have as well. Both Caitlin and Claire have been able to continue to learn about the faith and how to live it out in college and as young adults. They have both found support and community from both the students and the chaplains at Hopkins. The chaplains continue to minister to the students even after graduation, and alumni are always welcome at Saints Philip and James. Both Fr. Josemaria and Fr. Mannes, the previous CCH chaplain, concelebrated Caitlin’s wedding, and members of the bridal party were friends that Caitlin met through the CCH.
Even though Hopkins is a place with significant academic pressure, the CCH allows students to keep Christ at the center of their lives as they discern where God is calling them, and support from parents and former students will allow the CCH to continue to do this for years to come."
Brandon and Sara's Story
Click the button below to watch this CCH couple's video testimony about why they support the campus ministry with recurring gifts!
Brandon and Sara's Video
-
Fall 2024 Retreat
Amanda's Reflection
"Being a student is, for me, sometimes a constant battle of trying to get everything on my to-do list done. I try to cross things off as they come up, but it always seems that the list gets longer, never shorter. There is never a shortage of things to do. I'd always said to friends who asked about college "it's busy, but I would rather be busy than bored," without mentioning that the constant go-go-go is exhausting physically, mentally, and (as I learned on retreat) even spiritually. On retreat, I was able to find time to surrender my worries (about internships, assignments, emails, laundry, text messages, and all of the other nonsense that somehow seems so important) and accept that I do not belong to myself, but I belong to the Lord. And, what a wonderful thing that is!'
'When in a loving community, I am able to let down my guard and be at ease. Laughing with true friends is such a blessing. I love that retreats are time away from everything else aside from God, prayer, and fellowship :) "