Olivia Rathbun

“A single act of love makes the soul return to life.”

– St. Maximilian Kolbe

Where I serve

I have been called to serve the students at St. Francis University in Pennsylvania. Though I will miss my New England roots growing up by the beach in Rhode Island, I am excited to live life alongside the students at St. Francis and walk alongside them in their faith journey.

My Team!: Joe, Elizabeth, Olivia (Me), Mark

My Story

It is through God’s grace and the radical love and perseverance of FOCUS Missionaries that I am Catholic today. Although I grew up Catholic, I did not understand the depth of the relationship Jesus desired to have with me until I saw it modeled by FOCUS Missionaries.

During my first years of college, I was pursuing the typical college experience and slowly drifting further away from God. Even though my life seemed great from the outside, I was deeply unhappy. At FOCUS’s annual conference, SEEK2024, I was invited back into a relationship with Christ. There, I encountered the richness of God’s love and realized that He alone truly sees, knows, and loves me.

It became obvious that everyone needed to know this truth. The things of the world that I thought would fulfill me didn’t, but Jesus did. If that was true for me, it had to be true for others as well.

In college I witnessed people’s lives change, including my own, simply by being mentored and cared for by FOCUS Missionaries. I felt called to become one myself and go beyond leading a Bible study in college to full time mission work which allows me to be radically available to students. Through the ways I have been loved and brought back to Christ in college, I hope to do that for others, God willing.

Your Impact

Part of answering the Lord’s call to join FOCUS was the decision to rely completely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners. My team and I have the honor of being able to walk in person with students at St. Francis University, but it is only with the spiritual and financial support of mission partners that we are able to commit our full selves to serving the Lord in this way. I’d be honored for you to join us, bringing more people to the love of Jesus and forming faithful leaders.

If you’re interested in partnering, I’d love to meet you. You can give me a call or text at any time at (401)632-8050.

Give Now

If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].

Find other missionaries

FOCUS brings the joy of the Gospel to colleges and parishes across the United States (and beyond)!

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FOCUS Find A Missionary Know Love Serve God Monstrance

Know, Love and Serve God

We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

Build Virtuous Friendships

By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.

FOCUS Find A Missionary Teach Others Share Christ Smiling

Teach Others to Share Christ

We teach students how to share the gospel, who in turn teach other students how to pass it on.

Host	Retreat Type	Start Date	End Date
Tulane University	Way of the Disciple	09/05/24	09/07/24
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Sanctifier	09/13/24	09/15/24
Parish Outreach	The Father’s House	09/16/24	09/18/24
Kansas State University	The Father’s House	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of Delaware	Rec	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of South Carolina – Columbia	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24
St. Francis University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Nicholls State University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Northwestern State University	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
University of Memphis	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
Ohio State University	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
University of Dallas	The Sanctifier	10/24/24	10/26/24
Central Connecticut State University	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Universidad de Monterrey	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
California State University – Fullerton	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Sts. Anne and Joaquim, Fargo, ND	Way of the Disciple	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Krems	Men’s	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Mary	The Father’s House	11/08/24	11/10/24
DePauw University	Rec	11/08/24	11/10/24
Philanthropy Engagement	Way of the Disciple	11/15/24	11/17/24
University of Passau	Rec	11/21/24	11/23/24
Texas A&M University	The Sanctifier	02/07/25	02/09/25
FOCUS Greek Southeast	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Midwest	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	The Sanctifier	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Southwest	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
Wayne State University	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
University of Illinois-Chicago	The Sanctifier	02/21/25	02/23/25
Queens College of the City University of New York	The Father’s House	03/07/25	03/09/25
Nicholls State University	Way of the Disciple	03/07/25	03/09/25
Grand Valley State University	The Father’s House	03/28/25	03/30/25
University of Northern Iowa	Way of the Disciple	04/03/25	04/05/25
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Father’s House	04/04/25	04/06/25
Arizona State University	Men’s	02/07/25	02/09/25
University of Nebraska at Kearney	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24