William Thorne

Everything is grace!

Where I serve

I’m serving at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. I have the blessed opportunity to reach students who desperately need the Good News –scratch that– the GREATEST news. With Jonathan, Lauren, Mack, Annaliese, and Audrey, we help reach out to hundreds of students and show them something more than what they have been promised from the secular world.

Ever since our campus invited FOCUS to St. Thomas More at USC, there has been an amazing increase in:

Mass attendance

Students going to confession

Retreat attendance

Interest in Religious Vocations

Students that become full-time missionaries

Students share with us their testimonies all the time, and evidence of the Holy Spirit moving is EVERYWHERE. Students live in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness more than they ever have before. These are American college students… some of the craziest, saddest, and most anxious people in this day and age. True Love is permeating their existence, and they want to share He who is Love. This is just some of the fruit of walking with students in the life of Christ, living out true discipleship in every aspect of life.

My Story

In high school, I was crushed by the weight of addiction. I searched for everything I could to take away this pain and give me peace. Just like many high school and college students, I was deep in sin and depression, I was in the dark. It wasn’t until I was invited on a Catholic Christian mission trip in college that I encountered the person of Jesus Christ and His Spirit. Overcome by the mercy and love of Christ, my life was completely transformed. Once I was shown the light, I couldn’t imagine a life without it. I’m a full-time missionary because there is nothing as transformative as the Gospel.

Your Impact

With your help, I’m being sent out to be a friend, a brother. You have the awesome opportunity to change students’ lives, to move them from a life of running from the dark to running towards the light. You are able to provide hope to students who struggle with depression, anxiety, and the intense struggles of the world. Our university students in America need Christ now more than ever, and it could not be a more exciting time to preach the Gospel. With your financial help and prayers, even more students have the chance to hear the Gospel. More students will be walked with intentionally. More students will choose God in their future careers as doctors, scientists, business men and women, lawyers, and artists. Don’t you want to live in a world that is led by people who choose the Good above what they can gain?

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:18

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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