Bedding and toiletries? Check.
New clothes and shoes? Check.
Your Catholic faith? …
Thousands of families across the Commonwealth are packing up their college freshmen and taking them to school for the first time. Will these students continue to live out their Catholic faith once they dive into life as an undergraduate?
The Bishops of Pennsylvania wrote to college and university students in Your Catholic Faith on Campus, “During the college years, students often struggle with questions about their faith…The Church encourages you to persevere in searching for the Truth. Know that many Catholics before you have struggled with these same questions and found the Church to be the ‘pillar and bulwark of truth’ (1 Timothy 3:15). We encourage you to be patient, honest, and courageous in your search. Trust that the Lord has provided you with a faith that is rock solid and a Church that is true.”
This personal letter from Bishops to students is a must read for the college student in your life. You can read it here or call (717) 238-9613 to order copies.
Sure, last minute prayers before an exam are pretty commonplace on college campuses. But the entire Catholic community can offer their support for first time and returning college students by praying for them during this back to school season, asking the Lord to bless them during this time of transition.
Doctor of the Church and prolific writer St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint for college students, so join us in saying:
St. Thomas Aquinas, Pray for Them!