Mateo Pallares Castro

Hey! My name is Mateo, and I am a first-year missionary at Lamar University!

Where I serve

God has called me to serve college students at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. Coming into my first year as a missionary, I am looking forward to leading Bible studies, guiding students in their spiritual and personal formation, and having some fun with them, too! But most importantly, I am excited to see how Our Lord will work in my life and in the lives of those I will encounter at Lamar!

My Story

I was born and raised in Brazil, yet Colombian blood runs through my veins. Growing up in a Catholic household, I’m deeply grateful for the foundation it provided. However, it wasn’t until my senior year in High School that I felt a calling to deepen my faith.

During this time, I devoted more time to reading Scripture and listening to homilies on Spotify. Yet, I still needed to find people my age who would help me grow in virtue and help me in my formation. It wasn’t until I arrived at Texas Tech University that I found the Catholic community that I desired.

During my time in Lubbock, I got to meet some of my best friends through the Catholic Student Center, and especially through FOCUS. Since my first semester, I immersed myself in Bible studies and retreats, and, most importantly, I started to have a life of prayer. In my second year, I already started leading a Bible study and walking others in discipleship. I also had the amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip to Peru, where I had one of the best experiences of my life. In a very short time, I saw my spiritual life skyrocket, which transformed me in ways I didn’t expect. After receiving all these graces and blessings from Our Lord, I decided to serve as an FOCUS missionary and devote myself even more to the mission Jesus left for us.

Your Impact

When I answered the call to join FOCUS, I decided to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to help me through this mission. I’ve been blessed with the most amazing people who have journeyed with me as I serve on campus. If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know the best way to reach you and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you.

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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