Dear friends,  

It's hard to believe we've arrived at another year-end! I've heard many of you say you don't know what happened to this spring semester....it went by so fast!

In reflecting on this year, I am once again amazed at how committed you are to keeping your faith life vibrant and alive. This is evident in the growing attendance at the daily, evening and Sunday Masses, the weekly CLC groups, retreats, and participation in campus groups committed to social justice issues across a broad spectrum of life. I am grateful to those of you who stepped up to the plate and responded to leadership opportunities to make these events happen.

I especially want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who shared your desires for new campus ministry programming and sacramental needs with us during the year. We take very seriously those requests and, after review, implement those that we can as quickly as we can. This year, in particular, we were able to see several new "beginnings": the first-ever Silent Retreat in the fall that was offered again in the spring due to popular demand; a Men's Bible Study Group, a Men's Day of Reflection (already we've heard from the women wanting a corresponding "Women's Day of Reflection" next year); a newly formed Student Liturgy Advisory Team; the formation of the C.I.A. (Catholics in Action) group; and the formation of a musical contemporary ensemble to enhance monthly liturgies through praise and worship musical selections. Listening and responding to each other keeps our Campus Ministry Program alive and enriched! As you've heard me say many times before, we, as campus ministers, grow so much more in our individual faith lives by our interactions with you: the challenging conversations, the dreams of the future, and the realities of the present.

Commencement is always a bittersweet time of the year for us as campus ministers. Those students who we met four years ago and shared many of life's joys and sorrows are now moving on to a new chapter in your lives. Although we are so happy for how you've grown and what you have accomplished while at Rockhurst, we will miss having you in our everyday lives.  Just know you will always remain in our hearts and in our prayers!

For those returning students, we hope you get a lot rest and relaxation this summer so you come back in August re-charged and ready to ROCK! With the new class of 2016 joining you, we're ready for a lot of energy and excitement on our campus, and especially in our CM events.

May you have safe travels wherever you land and always keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as we will keep you in ours.

Maureen

AMDG

Sunday, May 6th

at 7:30pm

in Mabee Theatre

FREE of Charge

Co-sponsored by the Ignatian Spirituality Center and Visiting Scholars Lecture Series, Fr. Joseph Tetlow, SJ will offer his lecture titled "Our Deepest Desires Reveal What God Hopes in Us".

All are welcome to join us for

food, fellowship and a break from finals!

As the academic year closes, the final 6pm student Mass of the year will be celebrated on May 6th. 10:10 evening Masses will end on Monday, May 7th.

Those of you staying in Kansas City over the summer, please note St. Francis Xavier's Mass Schedule:

Tuesdays - Fridays: 7am and 11am

Saturdays: 4pm

Sundays: 8am and 10:30am

Thank you to the many students wrote weekly reflections on your experiences of finding God in all things.

For those interested in reading the reflections emailed each Wednesday throughout the academic year, check out this blog.

Also, thank you to all who shared where they found God this year through recording it on the bulletin board outside of the chapel.  Grateful for the many ways in which people glimpsed God, we wanted to share the list generated with all of you.

Next year, as a university community, we will engage the value of reflection and discenment in a variety of ways.  Like this year, the year's theme will be the topic of weekly email reflections written by students throughout campus.  The theme was also used in the selection of the freshman reading book.  The book, Wine to Water, is a story of a bartender who uncovered his passion in working to address the world's water crisis. 

Friday, May 11th

2:00pm

Doors open at 1:00pm

St. Francis Xavier

Graduates:  Meet at 1pm in front of Conway Hall to line up.  Wear your cap and gown.  Graduate students, do not wear your hood.