“The Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (1 Jn 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast.” – His Holiness Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium

This year, I have the awesome privilege of serving the students of Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland! Please pray for myself, my team, and my students as we run toward Christ together, and GO MOUNT!

“The most beautiful and stirring adventure that can happen to you is the personal meeting with Jesus, who is the only one who gives real meaning to our lives.” – Pope St. John Paul II, 1979

The Lord has always been present in my life, a wonderful gift of being brought up in a faithful Catholic family, but called me infinitely deeper into participation in the life of His Church and relationship with Him during my second year of college. I was a busy and successful student-athlete at the University of Virginia, living my dream; and even still, I felt a longing deep in my heart for something more. In following this call and growing in friendship with a wonderful FOCUS missionary, I found community and joy beyond all telling, the delight of being in close relationship with the Lord.

From then on, I was all-in: I had found what I didn’t know I was looking for, and encountering Jesus in the Eucharist and Living Word continues to transform my heart more each day. As an upperclassman, I began to lead a FOCUS Bible study and in inviting and investing in the members of that study I encountered the fire of the Holy Spirit and the love of the Father in a new and radical way. It’s my desire to continue making that same invitation into authentic friendship and relationship with the Lord with more college students as a FOCUS Missionary, and to walk beside them in each of their unique journeys back to the Father, who I know is desperately excited to welcome them home.

When I accepted the call to join FOCUS, I trusted in the Lord’s Providence and made the decision to rely fully on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners through fundraising my salary, which allows me to invest full-time in students and be fully available to them. It was such a blessing in my college life to have FOCUS missionaries on my campus, and its only through your generosity and the goodness of the Lord that I can do that for someone else. If you are interested in partnering with me, or would like to know more about just how important mission partners are in our ministry, please let me know the best way to reach you and we will schedule a time to chat! I can be reached at 703-635-8773 and [email protected]. I’d be honored to share this mission with you.