The West River Catholic sat down with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students team at Black Hills State University to meet the new team members, find out what their new goals are and to get to know them better. FOCUS was founded in 1998 and uses campus missionaries to invite college students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, equipping them for a lifetime of Christ-centered evangelization, discipleship, and friendships in which they lead others to do the same. The goal is to have students take the skill, formation, and encounters with Christ and share them for the rest of their lives. Missionaries are college graduates that range from newly graduated, to families, to adults who feel a call in their lives. Look for the missionaries at the Newman Center — Sunday Mass is at  6 p.m. followed by dinner — and around campus promoting Jacket Catholic or the Newman Center. Want to reach out? Email Andrew at andrew.noah@focus.org.

Andrew Noah, Team Director
Years with Focus: 9
What is your vision for this year? I’ve had the joy of serving here at Black Hills State University for eight of my nine years on staff with Focus. Our whole goal, our whole mission is an increase in faithful communicants of Holy Communion and Mass which necessitates people  being brought into the community through fun social events, Bible studies, and discipleship — entering into life of the church through the sacraments. We have a lot of students here at the start of the year that we’re really trying to get plugged into our community.

We focus the first two weeks of the school year on launching Bible studies. This year we’ve had the most successful Bible study launch of any year that I’ve been here. Things are up and going right away which really sets the precedent for the rest of the year. That is really encouraging to see, and we hope to continue to capitalize on that.

How many returning leaders do you have, and how do you see them stepping up to help with your big incoming class? We didn’t lose a lot of leaders last year and that’s exciting. We have a lot of mature individuals who are just hitting the ground running. They are helping with all the social events and willing to help invite students to come join for Bible studies or country swing dancing nights, or like Newman nights, which we have every Thursday.They’re bold, more excited, and understanding what our mission is here. Father Max has done a great job of casting the vision for the Newman center to our student leaders and they have taken that and are running with it and leading the charge. 

You have a brand-new team this year. Yes, it’s very exciting. My favorite thing about being a team director is forming missionaries. It’s a joy to have three first year teammates who bring their own unique experience of life on their respective campuses with different missionaries. They got to see how different Newman centers operate and work. I’m very excited to learn from them as well. 

What is your message to parents and the community as this school year begins? Parents, especially parents who have young adult children who are far away in their faith — pray for your children. It’s a humbling and honoring thing to know that the Lord is using us either directly or through some of the students to answer those prayers of parents. We are the ones making invitations to these young adult men and women back into a life of communion with the Church, into community here, particularly at the Newman center. And that’s a joy and a real honor.

As a team we have some big goals. One is to reach the ends of the campus. We know that we can’t do that on our own. There’s only so much intentional time we can give every person if we were to do that all by ourselves. Please pray for us. 

Jolie McMinn
Years with Focus: First year
How did you become involved in Focus? I’m from Kansas City, Mo, and I went to school at Lindenwood University. I knew that I wanted to still be involved with my faith and I encountered the Newman center. They had four missionaries that were awesome and invited me into Bible study. The first week I was on campus they picked me out of the crowd right away. Before that I didn’t know what Focus was or anything but got involved early and stayed involved.

I had a great relationship with the missionary. Through discipleship, she taught me how to be a disciple of Jesus, and to follow his footsteps and invited me to lead others.

In my junior year, I started a Bible study with female athletes. It was a great group of girls from all different teams. We all grew together, and I grew in my leadership skills. I didn’t think I could ever do it, but it was just a great experience.

My missionary said to me one day that I would make a great missionary and that I should consider applying. It was the same week I applied and I went to go on an interview weekend with Focus.

God placed me here at Black Hills State, and it’s been a great experience. I played softball in college, so I’m really excited to work with the athletes here. My passion is walking with athletes, and especially within the struggles with team culture and the stigma that athletes have. It’s hard to incorporate your faith into sport, but it’s very possible.

You mentioned that you lead a Bible study with athletes. Were you looking to lead athletes or did that happen organically? When I was a sophomore, I was asked to lead, and I did not feel ready. I didn’t feel it was the right time, and then my junior year I wasn’t asked to lead again, but I was asked to start praying about it. These athletes need somebody to walk with them, and there are no opportunities or Bible studies that were even happening at that time. The Lord put that group of ladies in my path. 

What was your reaction when you were replaced in South Dakota? I did not expect it at all. I was just surprised. It’s a long away from home, but it’s been great. I love it here.

What are you most excited for? I’m looking forward to sharing life with the students and supporting them. I’m fresh out of college, which is a cool place to be, because we are immersed in it. We know the struggles. We know the life. We know how much of a commitment it takes and it is possible.

Victoria Mock
Years with Focus: First year
How did you become involved in Focus? I’m from Minnesota, and I went Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas for a year and then I transferred to University of Minnesota — Duluth. After I transferred, I was feeling a little lost in the transition, and in my life as well. I was trying to find my place and my faith. 

Right before winter break, I was invited to go with the Duluth campus to SEEK. I didn’t know anyone. My friend who attended the Newman center encouraged me to go. She ended up backing out, and so I had to go alone, but I met all these amazing people who are now my best friends and encountered the Lord.

I let the Lord call me back to his Church. When we got back we all were on fire and started going to daily Mass and praying every day.  It was neat to see these people who already spent a week with me, and I became friends with, running towards the same goal. I was now plugged in and felt at home.

Also, while at SEEK I met all of the Focus missionaries and became friends with them as well. And one of the missionaries, Katie, invited me to lead Bible study, into discipleship, and friendship.  She poured into me very intentionally and specifically. It was the first time someone walked with me, wanting to grow my faith with Jesus. 

I became more of a core part of the Newman Center helping put on events. I was on the leadership team. I was doing fall Outreach and putting on events and leading Bible study.

What was your reaction to your placement?  It was a shock. I never thought I was going to go to South Dakota. I didn’t even know Spearfish existed. Now that I’m here, it’s great. I’m glad I’m in Spearfish. I love the hills and the outdoor.

What are you most excited for? Just being friends with them. Just having that relationship with them. My missionary poured into me, and now I have a good friend in my life. I think it will be fun to see them through the year — meeting them on the day they move in and then at the end of the year and seeing how much they’ve grown in love for Jesus.

Ryan Watermann
Years with Focus: First year
How did you become involved in Focus? I am also from Minnesota. I went to Minnesota Duluth and played baseball there. My brother was a senior when I was a freshman, so I wanted to play a year of college baseball with my brother. 

I didn’t take my faith very seriously until the middle of my sophomore year when I was invited to a Focus Bible study. Fast forward to junior year, I also went to SEEK. It was a very transformative time for me. At the time, I was Lutheran. I didn’t know that SEEK was a Catholic conference. That was the first time I got to hear about the Catholic Church teachings. It opened my eyes and made me want to look into things. Ask a bunch of questions. I looked for answers and was fascinated by the answers that I got. That was very comforting for me. I went through OCIA that spring and getting confirmed in the fall of my senior year. 

I was quickly encouraged to apply to be a missionary and go to an interview weekend and explored becoming a missionary. I didn’t have very high hopes of saying yes going into it. After hearing about the life of a missionary and praying about it I thought I can do this.

How do you see being a convert to the Catholic faith helping you? I think I can relate to so many people now — those who are already Catholic and people who are thinking of becoming Catholic, people who aren’t Catholic with no intention to become a Catholic. I listen and relate to them. I don’t know very much, so they get to see my true self when they ask me questions, and I say, “I don’t know. But I’ll get back to you.”

What was your reaction to your placement? I didn’t really get a chance to think for myself, because when I found out I was in the room with somebody from Spearfish. They saw I was going to BH, and started screaming. I was kind of confused at first. He explained what was going on and was super excited. 

What are you most excited for? I’m excited for everything that’s been listed already. Father Max is leading a pilgrimage to Rome over spring break and I’m excited to go on a pilgrimage with our students.