Peter Bedford

Hi! My name is Peter! I’m a FOCUS missionary!

Verso l’Alto!

“To the Heights!”

-St. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Where I serve

I am excited to be serving as a campus missionary in my first year at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville (Go Cougars)!

My Story

I was raised in a big Catholic family, and growing up I knew about God, but it wasn’t until college that I deeply encountered Him. When I came to Purdue University for undergrad (Boiler Up!), I was searching for purpose, identity, and fulfillment in all the wrong places. Although faith had always been a part of my life, I had not yet encountered the depth of God’s love and the relationship He desired to have with me.

Everything changed when I attended SEEK. There, I encountered Christ in a profound way and began to see that He was inviting me into a deeper relationship with Him. What had once been simply a part of my life became the center of it.

As I returned to campus, I began to notice something: there were countless students asking the same questions I had asked and carrying many of the same struggles I had experienced. I saw myself in them. Purdue does not have FOCUS missionaries, and I often found myself wishing I had someone intentionally walking with me, challenging me, and helping me grow in my faith. Over time, the Lord transformed that desire into a calling. I wanted to become that person for other students.

After graduating from Purdue, I felt the Lord inviting me to put aside other career opportunities and dedicate my life to helping college students encounter the same love, hope, and purpose that I found in Him.

Your Impact

When I answered the Lord’s call to join FOCUS, I chose to rely completely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners. Your partnership makes it possible for me to dedicate my time and energy to reaching college students with the Gospel.

Because of your support, students will have opportunities to encounter Christ through authentic friendships, Bible studies, discipleship, retreats, conferences, and the sacraments. Together, we can help students discover their identity in Christ, grow in their faith, and become missionary disciples who will impact their families, workplaces, parishes, and communities for years to come.

Thank you for considering joining me in this mission. Please know that I am deeply grateful for your support and will be praying for you and your intentions.

Give Now

If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].

Find other missionaries

FOCUS brings the joy of the Gospel to colleges and parishes across the United States (and beyond)!

GET STARTED

FOCUS Find A Missionary Know Love Serve God Monstrance

Know, Love and Serve God

We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

Build Virtuous Friendships

By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.

FOCUS Find A Missionary Teach Others Share Christ Smiling

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