Tara Lauderdale

Hi! My name’s Tara, and I’m a FOCUS Parish Missionary!

Where I serve

20201009 STAG CathedralPhotos 060 — Photo by Nick Castelli Photography

20201009 STAG CathedralPhotos 025 — Photo by Nick Castelli Photography

I am so thrilled to begin my eighth year as a FOCUS missionary! I began my time with FOCUS at Towson University in Maryland and then served at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts as the Team Director for two years. After three years of campus, I decided to join FOCUS Parish and moved back to my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma to serve at Christ the King Parish making missionary disciples. Following three years of parish mission, I joined the Formation Department serving as a Formation Specialist for the parish team. After serving with Formation, I decided to make the leap back into the mission field. I now serve as the Team Director at St. Agnes Cathedral Parish in Rockville Centre, NY as the first ever parish missionary in New York. I serve alongside amazing priests and am so happy to be back on the east coast! If you’d ever like to hear the rest of my story or just hang out, just reach out to me!

My Story

As a missionary, my greatest desire is to lead all people to Christ. My life has been transformed by Jesus, and I want nothing more than to bring this joy to others and introduce them to the life-changing message of the Gospel. I encountered this Gospel message in a real way for the first time when I was in college through the help of another FOCUS missionary. I had a profound encounter with the merciful heart of Jesus, and that encounter changed everything. I knew that I could not keep this relationship to myself, but that I had to go out and share it with others. It’s what I was made for. In His ministry on earth, Jesus humbled Himself to meet us, taking on our humanity, and He spent most of His time investing deeply in a few. In order to share the life-changing message of the Gospel, I look to Jesus’ own example to find the best method of reaching the world.

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 through this mission. I’ve been blessed with the most amazing people who have journeyed with me as I have served on campus and in the parish. If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know of the best way to reach you, and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you. Come and join me on this incredible and breath-taking mission of winning souls for Jesus Christ!

email contact: [email protected]

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

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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.

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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