A few months ago, I was thinking a lot about the impact that my years at ValpU have had on me in my post-college life, when I marked 10 years since starting there. Those initial days on campus were marked by a series of good decisions that positively impacted my life. And it started even before my first day of classes, when I joined the community of St. Teresa's. I encountered God through the vitality of the community there, and I continued to participate in what St. Teresa's had to offer me throughout my 4 years at ValpU. Truly, August 23 has annually become a day of celebration for me, one of those days that's nearly as important and celebratory as my own birthday, because it is the day I first attended Mass at St. Teresa's. What happened on August 23, 2009, speaks to what I celebrated on May 19, 2013, earning my degree and the personal growth I attained, especially in renewed zeal for faith.
And that's the spirit of celebration I felt within me when I went back to Valparaiso last year on August 25 to celebrate 10 years since my start at ValpU. I made sure to attend Mass at St. Teresa's. While Father Kevin has moved on to another parish in Northwest Indiana, the community is vibrant as ever, with Father Chris offering so much to the community as pastor.
And I was back at St. Teresa's 6 months later, in February. The student-focus Mass that used to be at 9 PM was moved earlier in the evening to 5 PM. When I heard about this in August, I realized it would be a great opportunity for me to go to St. Teresa's and help prepare and serve the meal for the students.
I made the arrangements, and I was there on Sunday, February 16 to do just that. It was a special time to be back in this community, paying it forward, and connecting with the students who are participating in the St. Teresa's community, just like I did. (It's also nice that I had at least one connection with the students because in my pilgrim group for World Youth Day 2019 was a current ValpU student.)
There's also no doubt that my Religious Education students have benefitted from the impact of St. Teresa's in my life, because leaving college with renewed zeal for faith has made me eager to do my part in handing on the gift of faith. I have made a point each year with each new group of students to share the story of my faith journey, and I make very clear how St. Teresa's influenced my life.
The impact is immense, especially when I think about how, upon the conclusion of yet another RE year, I can now say I've been the teacher of all the siblings in multiple families.
Back in December, one of my students gave me a photo greeting card her family created. As I looked at the photo with this student, and her older brother and sister, I became marvelously aware of the reach of the impact I've had by investing in the lives of my students.
That's my way of keeping that flame burning that appears in the ValpU Shield of Character. Because the flame stoked by others is something I keep burning so that I may do my part in God's work of enlightening the way for others.
Here are links to read the blog posts on my graduation, and my reflections for One Year, Two Years, Three Years, Four Years, Five Years, and Six Years.
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