We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.
My name is Ben. I’m a FOCUS missionary!
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.” – Psalm 16:11
God has called me to serve at San Francisco State University. Go Gators! Coming from Nebraska, I am extremely humbled by this placement. I am excited to meet the students on campus and to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time!
I was raised Catholic, but my faith was rocky throughout high school. Toward the end of high school as I was deciding which direction to take in life, I realized that I also had to prioritize my relationship with the Lord. Getting involved at the Newman Center while attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha was the best decision I made! I met my best friends and received the sacraments regularly. Thanks to the FOCUS missionaries on campus, I was encouraged to develop good and holy habits that stuck with me even after college. After college, I continued to ask the Lord, “where am I now and who do you call me to be?” Over several months, He showed me specific desires I had but didn’t acknowledge: to walk with others and to invest in people, just like how I was invested in by a FOCUS missionary during college. This is why I said “yes” to being a missionary. Jesus changed my life, and I believe He has the desire to do the same for students on campus. My “yes” is rooted in the desire to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with students, to affirm their identities in Christ amid a world that tears people apart, and to create spaces for students to encounter authentic community. Life in Christ is abundant; my desire is to share that with the world.
Part of my “yes” to FOCUS is to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners. I am immensely grateful for those who have joined me on mission through their support. I am also deeply convicted that in order to “make disciples of all nations” and to spread the Gospel, there must be a partnership between missionaries and the Church. St. John Paul II once said, “some people give to the missions by going, others go to the missions by giving. Without both, there are no missions.” It would be an honor to partner with you on this mission that we journey on together. If you are interesting in joining me on mission, please contact me! I would love to connect with you and invite you to join me with your support. May God bless your generosity.
If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].
We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.
By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.
We teach students how to share the gospel, who in turn teach other students how to pass it on.