AL+UM
March 2024
She Walks Into the Heart of People’s Stories
If someone had told her that wandering around Europe would lead her into retreat ministry, missionary alumna Sarina Stokes may have believed them. After all, she trusted completely in the providence of God during her travels.
Upon returning home, she consecrated herself fully to the Lord as His bride in a private vow and began her work at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House outside of Lincoln, Nebraska.
“I get to walk with Jesus into the heart of people’s stories,” Sarina said. “That’s where I see so much fruit and beauty, especially in spiritual direction…there’s a profound littleness in me, like who am I to be able to hear that?”
Read more about Sarina’s personal mission of mercy on the FOCUS Alumni blog.
Sarina Stokes served with FOCUS from 2019 to 2021 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She now works as the outreach and ministry coordinator at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House in Nebraska, where she lives mission through her retreat work and vow as a consecrated single person.
News
Annual Alumni Survey Launches Today
The Alumni team is looking for feedback on your lived experience of alumni events and communication over the past year. This 8-minute survey provides valuable guidance to our team as we discern how to best serve you.
We deeply appreciate your feedback!
Dallas Announced as the Next Preview Location for Michelle Duppong’s Documentary
Servant of God Michelle Duppong grew up on a rural farm in North Dakota, served as a FOCUS missionary, and heroically battled cancer before her death in 2015. Now, her cause is up for canonization. A FOCUS-produced documentary about her life is currently showing in select cities.
After packed houses in Denver, St. Louis and Washington, D.C., the film is headed to Dallas on April 3. Join us to hear this amazing story!
Conversations on Marriage Part III: “Take Up Your Cross”
Marriage makes us saints, and that isn’t an easy journey. Join other alumni for the third in a series of conversations on how we can better practice virtue and bear suffering in our relationships by following Christ’s example and the Church’s theology of marriage.
WHEN: Thursday, April 18 at 8 p.m. CT
WHERE: lifelongU
Nominate the Next St. Francis Xavier Honoree
Do you know an alum who is living a life of missionary discipleship with great zeal? Nominate them for the 2025 St. Francis Xavier Honor! Nominations are due March 31, 2024. The honoree will be announced and celebrated at SEEK25 in Salt Lake City.
Contact [email protected] with questions.
An Invitation for Alumni to Lead Discipleship Groups
With over 5,000 people in Dr. Sri and Curtis Martin’s Lenten Bible study, “Discover the Story of Salvation,” we anticipate hundreds wanting to continue their formation through post-study discipleship groups. Launching in mid-April, these remote or in-person groups will walk mission partners, family members and other friends of FOCUS through the book “Foundations for Discipleship,” launching them into their own personal mission fields.
FOCUS is currently looking for leaders for these 12-week-long discipleship groups. We’d like to invite you to consider joining us in building up these new leaders in the church by co-leading a group with another alum.
If interested, please reach out to Tyler Degen ([email protected]) to learn more.
St. Paul’s Newman Center at North Dakota State University is looking for an Events & Hospitality Coordinator!
The Events & Hospitality Coordinator at St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo, North Dakota will be responsible for coordinating weddings, running the Newman-owned coffee shop and planning other events aimed at welcoming students into the Bison Catholic community. A qualified candidate has a degree and experience in event planning, project management and customer service. A candidate should also possess a commitment to living their Catholic faith in a vibrant campus ministry setting.
Visit our job board at connect.focus.org/jobs to apply and to see employers who are specifically looking for FOCUS alumni to fill their open positions. You can also reach out to Career Services Manager Elli Schmidt at [email protected].
Get Ready for the Alumni Team to Come to You!
Join FOCUS Alumni missionaries in your city this spring! Details about these events will be sent directly to alumni living in the area. Moved recently? Email [email protected] with your updated address. Otherwise fill out this contact form to stay updated about future events in your area.
- March 21: Alumni Gathering, Kansas City, KS, [email protected]
- April 3: Michelle Duppong documentary showing, Dallas, TX, [email protected]
- April 13: Alumni Gathering at the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, Boston, MA, [email protected]
- April 17: Alumni Gathering, Philadelphia, PA, [email protected]
- April 20: Alumni Vocations Workshop, Nashville, TN, [email protected]
- Ongoing (Tuesdays): Lifelong U Virtual Group, [email protected]
Pray for Us and Let Us Pray for You!
The FOCUS Alumni team wants to unite our FOCUS family in prayer for one another. Please submit any prayer requests you have here. We pray for these intentions every Monday as a team. Save the link for future re-use!
Our team’s intention this month is for all those coming into the Church through the Easter sacraments, including those with whom our alumni family is journeying. We pray for peace and great prudence as they enter the Church, and we celebrate the great joy of this outpouring of grace. Please pray with us!
About Us
Our mission is to fan the flame of lifelong mission in the hearts of our alumni in this apostolic age.
The FOCUS Alumni Relations team exists to provide you, our alumni, with inspirational content in emails and social media. We desire to build alumni communities in various cities, connect alumni with job listings, and develop resources to support the living of Catholic mission in the world.
Get Involved
What does AL+UM mean?
AL+UM (Altum) comes from “Duc in Altum”, which means to“Set out into the deep.” This call, to set out into the deep, is the call of every person seeking after Christ. You are on a different mission now than when you were on campus, yet as you cast your nets, the Lord will certainly bless you with a great catch if you continue to trust in Him.