Joe Lyons - FOCUS

Joseph Lyons

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” – Psalm 23:1

Hello, my name is Joe Lyons, and I am a FOCUS missionary!

Where I serve

God has called me to serve at THE University of Maine in Orono! I am so thankful and excited to be serving alongside three amazing missionaries! GO Black Bears!

My Story

One fun fact for you! I was born on November 2nd, which is All Soul’s Day!

I was enrolled in Catholic school all the way from pre-school to my senior year of high school. During these times, I never really took my faith seriously and did not understand much of what the church taught. My eyes were opened in January 2019 at FOCUS’ SEEK19, and I truly felt Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. From that moment on, my desire to be a witness for Christ has grown in leaps and bounds. It has not been a steady journey, but by the great grace of God, He has chosen me to live in joyful service to Him.

The mission of FOCUS is so vital nowadays as more and more young people arrive at college with little or no faith. I can relate, as I was once in that same place. However, the beautiful thing about being a FOCUS missionary is that with the help of God, my team and I will be able to bring Christ in the Gospel to campus.

“‘I thirst’ is something much deeper than Jesus just saying ‘I love you.’ Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you—you can’t begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.” – (March 1993, Letter to the Missionaries of Charity) – St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta

On the Cross, Jesus thirsted for souls. He thirsts for all those far from His reach to hear His cry and give Him relief, a relief flowing from a hopeless soul who makes an act of trust in his mercy. God’s thirst for each of His sons and daughters knows no bounds. The mission of FOCUS is to show others the infinite love of God and to lead them to Him.

Your Impact

When I answered the call to join FOCUS, I made the decision to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to help me live out Christ’s mission. Your support would allow me to reach a multitude of college students. I can personally attest to the fact that college is a difficult time, as it is full of rejection, heartache, and loneliness. With God as my guide, I will accompany students as they navigate daily life and to lead them to Him. Together, you and I can bring Christ’s love to them in a pivotal period. I would be honored to serve them with you on my team!

If you want to join me on my mission for Christ, you can reach me by cell (413) 726-8665 or my email, [email protected].

Know of my prayers, and please pray for me!

In Christ,

Joe

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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