Document Type

Marquette Only

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

Sometimes it takes the radical intrusion of silence to truly listen. This genuine kind of listening is not simply an engagement in the repetitive transfer of sound waves. Instead, this listening demands an immersion into a deeper act of presence, one that requires both the giving and accepting of self. This sort of listening is rarely easy because it forces us to rescind some control. When we listen with our hearts, we are no longer the sole authors of our thoughts. For in the heart, it is the Spirit who penetrates our musings. The impending insights can be uncomfortable. They can be jarring. They can be challenging and enlightening and so incredibly beautiful. This is an essay about what I heard in my heart. It is an essay about forming the future leaders of the Church, a challenge that is certainly uncomfortable and jarring and so incredibly beautiful. How do we invite college students to be excited about the liturgy, the life-giving celebration of all that is good, in today’s demanding world? Though difficult, I believe it can be done. It needs to be done. Despite a stimulus-driven college culture that makes community-building challenging, college campus ministries can strengthen their local liturgical communities by consistently promoting Masses, offering regular liturgical formation opportunities, and emphasizing hospitality.

Comments

An award-winning paper completed for the Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society competition, 2014. Access to this paper is available at Marquette University only.

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