The campus Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) programs has representatives on college campuses across the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and across the country, to help students maintain and grow their faith in God, especially if they may have drifted away. The University of Oklahoma (OU) in Norman is no different and works with Catholic college students in their walk with God. They also take advantage of the work of students themselves, as they seek to keep God as the focus of their students.
Sarah Lau is one of those students who is assisting with the FOCUS program. A senior, she expects to graduate May 2024, and also works for the university parish, Saint Thomas More Catholic Church.
“Saint Thomas More (Catholic Church) is the parish on campus, but it is also a big parish within the Norman community,” Lau said. “I also work with two other students for the campus ministry. We work for the office.”
Working with Catholic students begins at the very start of the school year with the incoming freshman class.
“Me and two other students coordinate a lot of the events that are geared toward the students,” Lau said.
They quickly get busy as the school year begins, a full first week of meeting with their Catholic students and getting them ready for a new college career.
“The first week of the school year, there are a number of activities for the freshmen to see how many are involved,” Lau said.
They also help with Sunday Supper, a meal served to the community.
“Sunday Supper is a free meal we provide for our parishioners after the 5 p.m. Mass,” Lau said.
That particular Mass is performed by students themselves.
“Students run the Mass- lectoring, ushering, they do everything,” Lau said. “It is candle-lit, and really brings our students in.”
The students working at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, and many of the students they minister to, work closely with the FOCUS program to reach out to the Catholic community on the OU campus.
“We work closely with FOCUS. They have resources for college students to have Bible studies, go into discipleship, more involved in a relationship with God,” Lau said. “It centers students around learning about God, as opposed to shallow friendships.”
Lau herself is involved in student development on the OU campus.
“I lead a Bible study in FOCUS,” Lau said. “Students involved with the student center at OU likely means being in a bible study.”
Lau sees the FOCUS program doing great things at the university in its work with the students on campus.
“I think the FOCUS program is doing amazing things. A lot of the students leading the students are students first, but also want to bond,” Lau said “It gives students a reason to be led, and lead in accordance with the Catholic faith and Catholic church. I think it is doing awesome things.”
She is also seeing it change herself, as well, all while improving students’ faith through FOCUS.
“I think it is helping me see that everything good comes from God,” Lau said. “It has made my life a lot happier.”
Everett Brazil, III, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.