DENVER, May 7, 2018 — As 600 young missionaries converge later this month to start New Staff Training with the Fellowship of Catholic University students (FOCUS), the organization will welcome well-known Catholic theologian and author Dr. Edward Sri as Vice President of Formation.

Dr. Sri helped found the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) with Curtis and Michaelann Martin in 1998. His continued involvement over the years has assisted with the growth of the apostolate. Finishing up its 20th anniversary year, FOCUS has more than 660 missionaries serving on 137 U.S. and international campuses and five parishes.

“Dr. Sri has had profound influence upon the growth and development of FOCUS,” said FOCUS CEO and Founder Curtis Martin. “Having him come aboard as VP of Formation signals a dramatic investment in our staff, our leadership and continued improvement in our formation efforts. We could not be more thrilled. We are excited about the anticipated impact Dr. Sri’s presence will have upon FOCUS’ efforts to serve campuses, parishes and the wider Church in evangelization and forming missionary disciples.”

In this new role, Dr. Sri will oversee the integrated development of all formation aspects of various initiatives in the apostolate, including staff training, curriculum, mission trips and retreats. He will also oversee the training, resources and workshops FOCUS makes available for alumni, parish leaders and all Catholics who desire to grow as missionary disciples.

“FOCUS is recognized as one of the most impactful organizations at the front lines of evangelization and raising up missionary disciples in the Church today,” said Dr. Sri. “It is an honor to serve these young people and the thousands of graduates and friends of the apostolate who are now leaders on campuses and in parishes, dioceses and other ministries. I pray that as we continue to expand and deepen our formation, the Lord will bless their generous efforts and help them bear more fruit for evangelization.”

Dr. Sri’s new role with FOCUS begins July 1, 2018. He will continue to teach occasional classes at the Augustine Institute, where he taught for the last 12 years and served as the content director for several of the Institute’s faith formation programs, including Symbolon, Beloved, Forgiven and Opening the Word.

“I am thrilled that Ted has accepted this role to oversee all of our formation efforts,” said FOCUS President Craig Miller. “His leadership has always been present in FOCUS. In addition to consulting on our training and curriculum, he has served on our Board of Directors and spoken at most of our national events. We are blessed to have his expertise and enthusiasm for encouraging others to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission.”

Dr. Sri holds a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He has written several best-selling books, including A Biblical Walk through the Mass (Ascension), Walking with Mary (Image) and Who Am I to Judge?–Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love (Ignatius-Augustine Institute). He is also the presenter for several faith formation film series used in thousands of parishes around the world, including Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother (Ascension Press); and Follow Me: Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John (Ascension Press). Dr. Sri resides with his wife Elizabeth and their eight children in Littleton, Colorado.

 

About FOCUS

The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) was founded in 1998 and invites college students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, inspiring and equipping them for a lifetime of Christ-centered evangelization, discipleship and friendships in which they lead others to do the same. During the 2017 – 2018 academic year, more than 660 missionaries are serving full-time on 137 college campuses, located across 38 U.S. states and at four international locations (two campuses in Austria, one in England and one in Ireland). More than 24,000 students have been involved with FOCUS, who after graduation have the opportunity to move into parish life to continue their missionary work. Within this number, 674 have made decisions to pursue Catholic religious vocations. By 2022, FOCUS expects — God willing — to have 75,000 students transitioned into many of America’s 17,000+ Catholic parishes. FOCUS missionaries are typically recent college graduates who devote two or more years of their post-collegiate lives to reach out to peers on campus. To learn more, visit us at www.focus.org.

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