Studentpastoral

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Studentpastoral

• Its ecclesiastical dimension

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Various types of university

• Catholic university
• Secular university
• With a catholic (theological) faculty
• Without a catholic faculty
• With a majority of catholic students
• With a minority of catholic students
• Various disciplines/faculties
• All of them international!

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What is the ecclesial dimension?

• Unity in faith and pastoral care with bishop of
  Rome and spiritual relationship with worldwide
  Church(es)
• Unity with local bishop student pastoral both
  under his authority and in his mission
• Relationship with local church community as both
  receiving from this community and giving to it.
• Student pastoral care has a special
  jurisdiction as specific pastoral care
• But above all ecclesiastical dimension is the
  spiritual life of those who exercise pastoral care

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Three basic dimensions of the church (CL)

• Church as mystery
• Church as communion
• Church as mission

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Student pastoral care as mystery

• Not mysterious, hidden or esoteric, but open and
  transparant to all students
• Founded in personal relationship with Christ and
  his Spirit, leading to the Father
• Not solely as a sociological endeavour, but a
  community in the Spirit of Christ
• Living from the mysteria, the sacraments
• Having a greater selfless love than you can find
  at any other place at the university campus

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Student pastoral care as community

• Feeling at home, and welcome by community
• Openness for everyone and his or her gifts
• Openness for personal growth
• Reconciliation through sacrament of
  reconciliation
• Concrete community
• Living together in student-house/college
• Living faith in small christian communities,
  Coming together on a regular basis
• Together and compatible with local parish and
  religious/new movements as sister-communities
• One with the (initiatives of) local diocese
• One with the (initiatives of) worldwide
  community (incl. homedioceses) of churches in
  unity with church of Rome

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Student pastoral care as mission

• The essence of church is mission so is student
  pastoral care
• Special challenges intellectual and affectional
• Both inviting and outgoing
• Prayer and serving as basis
• Then loving (planned and organized) dialogue
• Requires knowlegde of faith (catechesis)
• Requires lots of love
• Requires personal skills after two years ask
  you last time when you come to our meeting
• Requires patience and perseverance

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Foreign students participating in mission

• Foreign students in the Netherlands are more
  spirit-filled than Dutch catholic students
• So initiative to let them participate in student
  pastoral care and parishlife.
• When missionary life grows, personal faith and
  unity among people will grow (R.M.).

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Actors of pastoral care

• Who is reaching out?

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Unchurched Other christians Other
religions
Borderline catholics
Faithful catholics
Evangelizing catholics
Pastoral team
Pastor
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Organogram
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Student-chaplain

• Mission by bishop
• Great faith and love
• Communicative skills
• Speaking various languages
• Academic education
• Oecumenical and interreligious spirit
• Spiritual Leadership qualities
• Organizational qualities
• Supported by board

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Boards and groups

• Professional
• Financial support board
• Pastoral advisory board
• Volunteer
• Core support group for pastoral activities

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Newman centre

• Visible Presence of pastoral care on / outside
  campus
• Can be centre of liturgy
• Facilitates all kinds of
• meetings
• education
• personal counseling
• outreach

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Student-parish (para oikos)

• Presence of Christ among students
• Presence of pastor
• Presence of worship, prayer,
• Center of catholic faith-education
• Center of diakonia
• Parish community is
• Loose, flexible community
• Crucible of international community-life
• Participation of as many student-volunteers as
  possible
• Can consist of community of communities
• Mission by being both hospitable and missionary

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Virtual student parish

• Make yourself known
• Links to many good sites
• Pastoral contacts
• The catholic community worldwide
• Programms of activities
• Chatboxes
• Webcam liturgical celebrations, virtual meetings
• Educational programms

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Student-housing

• Idea of Colleges in England for various
  categories of (foreign) students
• (In Maastricht also for Japanese)
• Easily filled (shortage of living space)
• Great advantage of personal encounter and
  possibilities of organizing things
• Take care of majority of catholic students
• Difficult to discipline (loose habits)

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Catholic student association

• Great source of reaching students by students
• Present among organization of student-disputes
• Many goals possible
• Study
• Culture
• Sport
• Fun
• Normal to communicate with associations of
  universities of other cities and nations

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Cooperation of/with professors

• Participation in studium generale or special
  courses for students
• Need to promote dialogue faith science
• Need to participate in SCCs
• Organize things at home!
• Reach out to collegues
• Invite guest lectures from abroad

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Meeting place of faith and science
Catholic university pastoral care

• Spiritual needs of students
• By special ministers, or local church

• Intellectual needs of students
• By catholic professors
• Or catholic programms outside university

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Actions
 
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Public university pastoral care

• Churchs presence should not be only pastoral,
  but also intellectual and (inter)cultural
• Sometimes university will facilitate room for not
  only psychologist, but also for pastor
• Try to infiltrate with catholic professors.
  (Present secretary general of Dutch bishops
  conference was teaching ethics at Maastricht
  university)
• Universities are open for multiculturality.
  Organize interfaith or intercultural
  manifestations with them

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Cooperation with local parish

• Many (foreign) students live in parishes
• Importance of good dialogue between
  student-chaplain and parish priests to discover
  needs and possibilities in cooperation
• Special liturgical/sacramental celebrations
  adapted to needs of students and professors
  (english mass)
• Special welcome-meetings and meeting activities
  for foreign students and local population/youth
• Possibility for students to participate in parish
  activities, also after they leave!

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Cooperation with movements/religious

• New movements especially directed towards
  students (CL!)
• Are better able to share their religious
  experiences
• Abbeys and monasteries places of contemplation
• Foreign students can participate in religious
  missionary programms at home and abroad

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H. Spirit

• Pittburg 1967 Duquenne university Professors
  and students during prayer weekend experienced H.
  Spirit. Beginning of catholic charismatic
  movement
• Evangelii nuntiandi 75
• Le tecniche dellevanglizzazione sono buone, ma
  neppure le più perfette tra di esse protrebbero
  sostituire lazione discreta dello Spirito. Anche
  la preparazione più raffinata dellevangelizzatore
  , non opera nulla senza di Lui. Senza di Lui la
  dialettica più convincente è impotente sullo
  spirito degli uomini. Senza di Lui, i più
  elaborati schemi a base sociologica, o
  psicologica, si rivelano vuoti e privi di valore
• Constant prayer to H. Spirit, since without Him
  all plans, initiatives and organizations are
  without result. (EN 75)

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Lesson from active protestant studentwork at
University of Maastricht

• Importance of preparation of students before they
  come to university bring them to faith at 18 is
  too difficult
• Family pastoral
• Elementary and secondary School-programms
• Catholic Youthwork
• Journeys to spiritual places
• Retreat work with youth

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Lesson from Marian Shrine

• Many students come to mother Mary,
• Star of the sea