National Campus Ministry Conference Inspires C.W. Post Students

Campus Catholic student group becomes first delegation from Long Island to attend Campus Ministry Leadership Institute at Notre Dame

From left: Peter Derway, Daniel Resch, Matt DiCarlo, Father Ted Brown, Tiffany Church, Kristin Legge

Brookville, N.Y. – The Newman Catholic Community at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University has a long tradition of charitable service. Now, its members have a better grasp of the theological foundation of charity and justice – and the skills to run more effective programs.

The Newman Club adopted a plan to refocus its activities as part of its participation in the Campus Ministry Leadership Institute at the University of Notre Dame June 16-21. It was the first time a delegation from a college or university on Long Island had been among the 20 campus catholic organizations taking part in the institute, which is sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In their presentation to the institute, Newman Club members proposed to organize activities based on the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church, an official but relatively unknown set of principles. Working as long as 14 hours a day, five Newman Club members learned the nuts and bolts of organizing programs. “Everything they learned was very hands-on,” said Father Ted Brown, director of religious life at the C.W. Post Campus.

In particular, the Newman Club will focus on three principles, Brown said – solidarity with all humankind, working for the common good and caring for the poor.

Newman Club members travel annually to Mexico to help the underprivileged build homes, and regularly bring emergency food and clothing to the homeless in New York City, as well as organizing social and spiritual events on campus.

“Now they’re equipped with some pretty good theology, and having the theology has really charged them up,” Brown said. New programs the group is planning include a lecture series on the social teachings.

Attending the institute were C.W. Post students Peter Derway of Argyle, N.Y., president of the Newman Catholic Community; Tiffany Church of Mastic, N.Y.; Matt DiCarlo of Holtsville, N.Y.; Kristin Legge of Lake Grove, N.Y. and Daniel Resch of Bethpage, N.Y.

Fees and travel costs for the Campus Ministry Leadership Institute were paid from the Newman Club’s operating budget and by a gift from a benefactor who wished to remain anonymous.

For more information on the Newman Catholic Community, call the C.W. Post Office of Religious Life at (516) 299-2416 or visit www.liu.edu/catholic or www.cwpostcatholic.org.

Posted: July 10, 2007