Cherish Every Gift

In my 3rd year of being a part of this ministry, now as the Coordinator of the team, I still very much am impacted by what we do and how I am being formed. Here is an excerpt of an article I recently wrote for our newsletter about the gifts that this ministry gives to us:

IMPACT!
I vividly remember Christmas as a child and being the first to run downstairs and see all the gifts.  At first sight, some of these presents were magnificent, extraordinary, but alas, only to be forgotten by me, and set aside days later.  I have since learned to not set my gifts aside and to always cherish those little gifts as well.

On SPIRITUS, we are challenged to grow closer to Jesus and unwrap the gifts He has for us.  If you are like me, you might wait for that big present in an answered prayer or a revelation or a sweet feeling, but I think it is the little signs of His love that help me grow closer to Him.  Through SPIRITUS, I witness team members, youth and young adults growing closer to Jesus and unwrapping new life.

In our Inspire and Teen Disciples bi-monthly gatherings, the youth and young adults are challenged to take their questions, and find the answers through the Scriptures, and teachings of our Church.  Sometimes it can have them reaching really deep inside confronting personal struggles.  One young adult recently expressed the struggles he faced.  SPIRITUS encouraged him to stay strong in faith and not to be discouraged for that is what Satan wants.  The new life that rushed into him was like a breath of fresh air.  This new awareness was a gift for this young man and a gift for the team to witness the new life that God gives.

The team recently traveled two hours away to give a daylong retreat to 3rd-5th graders and then back home in time to go to three different locations to give evening programs.  The team was tired and worn out, but you could see a definite sign of the Holy Spirit working in them filling them with life.  With new life they inspired teens and young adults to unwrap the gift of Jesus in their lives.  So let us anticipate with great joy the little gifts God wants to grant us and to experience His life in the Holy Spirit.

God Bless,

Mark Rose, SPIRITUS Coordinator

Lifelong Wait, Eternal Reward

Merry Christmas!

Yes, it is still Christmas. Like Easter, Christmas lasts for an octave--8 days. The season of Christmas lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 13th. Yet, much of the secular world has already moved on. We live in a culture that can think of nothing but Christmas as soon as (or even before) Thanksgiving ends, but ends the celebration and starts planning to put away the tree and take down the lights as soon as the day is past. How different this is from our Catholic Faith!

Many of the students who come to us on retreat have fully bought into our culture of instant gratification and pleasure-seeking. They simply don't know any other way to live. Everything around them seems to say, "Do what makes you feel good now, and as soon as it stops making you feel good, find something else." A lot of them are, quite simply, not truly happy. One of the things that is missing is a sense of anticipation, of waiting for a great good rather than grasping at a lesser good.

When I was a child, Christmas was a day that the whole family anticipated. I couldn't WAIT to see what toys would be under the tree. (Yet somehow, I did.) And when I got those new toys, I kept playing with them for a long time. But then I got older, and realized I could sneak into my parents' room and find the toys before they were wrapped. Much of the anticipation was ruined. I started to put aside old toys more quickly. If that's growing up, suddenly Christ's command to be childlike makes so much sense.

Our Faith is very much a lifetime of waiting, waiting to enter into a joy that will last forever. Nobody is going to decide, after getting to Heaven, that it's already time to start shopping for Valentine's Day. But our Faith does not just consist of waiting. We wait in joyful hope, already possessing, in some mysterious way, the great good that we anticipate. Students see this in us, and they want it!

The key is often found in the discipline of waiting. Advent is a great opportunity to practice waiting in joyful hope, and celebrating Christmas throughout the entire Christmas season is a good opportunity to remind ourselves of just what it is we are supposed to be waiting for. A lot of pressure is placed on teenagers today to do anything but wait. By the witness of our lives, let's give them a reason to stand up against that pressure.

It has been a great four months here on SPIRITUS! I can already see how being a part of this ministry has impacted me.  I am learning so much from students on retreat, and I have a lot of fun with them.  I have also learned a lot from the other team members.   It has been great being surrounded by so many people who put their Catholic faith as a priority in their life. Being in an environment that helps nurture my own faith has really helped me to grow more in love with Jesus, and with being Catholic.

The opportunities for prayer that we have are amazing.  I love being able to go to Mass daily, and being in a community that prays together.  I really see how important personal prayer is to this ministry.  Being in closer communication with God has given me a stronger sense of who I am, and how I am meant to live my life.

One thing that helps me on this journey of SPIRITUS this year is seeing the difference in the students we see on retreat.  We get to spend time with students in smaller groups, and this is where we see the magic happen! Most students have a really strong desire to have a deeper relationship with God, and it is really inspiring how willing they are to share about their experiences, their prayer life, and their love of God!  I can’t wait to continue on in this ministry this year

The Blessings From These Past Four Months

I am not sure if I can put into words just how SPIRITUS has impacted me. It has only been four months but I can honestly say that I have found myself transformed in a more dramatic way than the other twenty two years of my life. I came into SPIRITUS hesitant that this ministry could make a difference in my life and that I could make any impact on the students that I would meet. Boy, was I wrong. SPIRITUS has helped me grow in ways that I didn’t think were imaginable. Our busy schedule filled with prayer, retreats, Bible studies and team bonding has rejuvenated my spirit and filled me with such joy. I find myself at a peace that I have never experienced before. Living and working in community has helped me to develop a servant’s heart and see Jesus in my wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. Being on retreats has been such a blessing because they have made me rely on the Holy Spirit when I feel unprepared or at a loss for words. The Holy 

Spirit always knows exactly what the students need.

One of the biggest impacts of SPIRITUS on me is seeing how our retreats can be that place where students encounter Jesus in a unique and personal way. I have seen many students leave our retreats with a new glimpse of who Jesus is and how much they are loved. I cannot tell you how many students, after having watched a portion of The Passion of the Christ, have come up to me saying that they can’t believe that Jesus would endure all that pain and suffering for them. Many students do not realize that they are loved with such an overflowing love by God. I know the Holy Spirit is working so immensely when a student walks away from a SPIRITUS retreat knowing that Jesus really does love them. I think that the most important thing a student can take away from a retreat is a personal relationship with Jesus where they find in Him a friend to help them weather whatever may come their way.

Unexpected Graces

As our Christmas break approaches, it seems like an appropriate time to look back on my time with SPIRITUS. When I started my first year, I didn’t really know exactly what to expect. I only knew that I would have an opportunity to serve, and through that service, to grow in my faith. What I didn’t realize was that in my first year with SPIRITUS, I would become more joyful, more open to the Holy Spirit, and more confident.

In my second year, I’ve seen growth as well. I’m learning more about the Church and more about how best to reach the youth. I’m continuing to develop skills that help me better minister to others. I’m finding an ever deeper desire in my heart to spread the Faith.

I’ve also seen a great response from the youth this year. Last year, learning and growing took up a lot of my focus, but this year I feel a little freer to really see what is happening in the hearts of the youth we minister to. On one retreat, a young woman in my small group expressed that she had no belief in God and did not feel like she could trust any of her peers. But she was willing to share her opinions, and just from that openness, God was able to break down some of the walls she had built between herself and others.

Transformed From The Inside Out

This Ministry is impacting students in so many different ways. Each retreat has left me in awe of how God works in incredible ways, seeing the changes in the students faces, in their attitudes and most importantly a change of heart. I see so much potential in the youth today, so much passion, and a craving for change in the world we live in, that's where this ministry has it biggest BAM! This ministry is full of variety with the personal stories of the team members, small groups (students opening up and sharing a little bit of their life with us), 1:1 prayer (allowing the Holy Spirit to be with us, letting Him guide us through prayer), praise and worship (allowing the students to be silly, and out of their comfort zone), in these essential ways of using our faith in everyday life. One student mentioned, "being here has been a wonderful experience, it has taught us how our faith really is." That right there is very necessary telling the truth about our Catholic faith, sharing the stories, those real personal stories, letting them see that they are not alone, there are others in their classroom, in this world that have similar struggles. There is hope, and most importantly life does change when you let Jesus into your heart.

Now where to even begin, on how this ministry has impacted me, its been 4 months with SPIRITUS, it has been busy-wonderful four months of my life thus far. It has been challenging in so many areas but very trans-formative in others. I have grown so much, in prayer, ministry, community, formation, direction and most importantly, I've experienced a change of heart. This is why I am such an advocate for experiences from Jesus’s heart to our own.  I've been changed from the inside out as we say on retreat. I am more open, I am letting people in (in community and students on retreat), I am more determined, peaceful, courageous, joyful and confident. In allowing Jesus to work in me, He is molding me with a heart for Ministry. For that I am eternally grateful. I'm here because of Him, to bring others to Him and our faith. 

Spiritus transformation for me and the youth

What has my life been since I started with this ministry?  It has been a struggle no doubt about that, but as the fourth month starts with SPIRITUS I am very glad that I am here.  This ministry has forced me to go deeper within myself then I have ever had to do before.  I am no longer afraid to speak to the youth which is a very big plus for me.  Also through prayer, ministry and community life I can tell that Jesus is challenging me to become the man Christ made me to be.  

I am very excited with this ministry.  Already I can see the difference of what we do in the hearts of these youth.  At the very least they come to us with a little flame for Christ so when they experience these retreats most of them literally transform in front of our eyes to a blazing furnace for Christ.  This ministry is definitely needed in our times to combat the Culture of Death that pervades every aspect of our society so I just want to a big "Thank You" to all of our supporters.  With your support we can ignite the flames of love for Christ in these youths as well cultivate leaders in nine young men and women for the armies of Christ.

May God bless you this Christmas,

Robert Jennings, SPIRITUS Team

The Most Fulfilling Four Months of My Life

When I first read about SPIRITUS on the internet, I really didn't know what to expect. Now that I have been able to be a part of the SPIRITUS Team, I can say with certainty that what has happened over the course of this Fall semester has been greater than I could have ever thought possible.

SPIRITUS has provided me with an opportunity that is extraordinary: I can center my life wholly and completely on Jesus Christ. From the time I wake up in the morning until the time I fall asleep at night, all that I do is centered on becoming closer to God and imitating Jesus in my life.

There have been struggles on the path, but these struggles are what help me grow so I can become closer to Him in my life. Living in community has kept me accountable for how I live and has helped me maintain my focus on Jesus.

I have grown tremendously as a result of continuous spiritual development and living in community with others who share the same Catholic faith as I do. From daily Mass, to reciting the Liturgy of the Hours, to participating in formation and spiritual direction, I have had the opportunity to grow in Christ and learn to let my soul "magnify the Lord."

And this is what our ministry is all about. While we could never live up to Mary's "magnificat" in its purest sense, we learn to grow closer to God through her and to imitate her in virtue and her devotion to God. By magnifying the Lord, we deliver the message of Christ to the students we meet on retreat, in youth ministry, and Bible study.

We show students an example of how to live an alternative life than the one's preached by the world. We ignite the faith in Catholic youth and kindle the flames for God within their hearts. And for those who do not know Jesus, we introduce them to Him through intellectual, spiritual, and personal experience.

Through evangelizing the youth, I am able to fully live out the Gospels and imitate Jesus Christ like I have never had the opportunity to do before. And for that, I am ever grateful!

Life Changing

When I applied for Spiritus, I had no idea how life-changing it truly would be.  Even to this day, it amazes me how transformed I'm really becoming by being apart of this ministry.  Not only does this ministry give us, the team members, a chance to meet and witness to students all throughout the state, but it calls us on to do even more with ourselves--to truly open our hearts to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

I am so grateful to be apart of this ministry! It has truly transformed me into the person I feel God wants me to be.  By being apart of formation days, meetings with my spiritual advisor, living in community, and daily prayer my love for Jesus Christ has truly grown to a depth that I never thought could exist.

What I learn and attain through formation and prayer on the team, I am able to attend to the needs of the students we see on retreat.  At the end of the day, the students are really craving for a real and true witness.  They want to see what "normal" people have gone through and why Jesus is so important.  They need something they can hold on to and grasp.  And that's what I try to do. I try to be completely and totally real with the students. I tell them the experiences I faced growing up and why I needed God in my life.

Majority of the time, I feel like the one being ministered to on retreat. I look at the students we see and it calls me on to love God even more. I am truly honored and blessed to be apart of this life-changing ministry!

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

True meaning of Christmas

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception :) the first week of Advent came and went by so quickly. What did you do? Did you take the time to slow down? Did you take that first step in growing closer to Jesus Christ? Did you take a moment to reflect on all the blessings the good Lord has blessed you with? As the new year is starting I've made a promise of my own, to grow deeper in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Allowing Him to lead me, to seeing things as they are beautiful, treating people with kindness and respect,  growing in obedience, growing in patience with my brothers and sisters, re-establishing the relationship with our Blessed Mother. Now I know that's a long list, but little by little it'll become apart of me. I've already taken the first step, the rest will be easy with the help and grace from God. After all Advent is the season of changing, learning, growing and molding us into the person Jesus wants us to be.

Happy Feast and Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother

 This week we've been blessed with busyness and Christmas decorating around Mount Tabor :) the week started off with Inspire/Teen Disciples on Monday we discussed 'Marian Apparitions' speaking about the importance of having a special relationship with our Blessed Mother for she is the way to her Son, the different areas where she appeared. Tuesday we were honored to have a luncheon-Celebrate with the Board Members and some of the Benefactors of SPIRITUS, they were a wonderful group. Shout out to TOM, thanks for the delightful conversation. Ended the great day, going to the YMCA, connecting the body and soul in exercise :) 

Nothing like playing Pictionary  with the brothers & sisters!

Wednesday night was spent at Nativity Parish in Green Bay with 6-8th graders, where they learned the importance of being the superheros in this world we live in. Following the example of those whom walked amoung us, the Saints, how each of us are called to be just that a Saint. Thursday brought Formation with Sr. Mary Ann and Sr. Julie Ann they spoke and walked us through the journey of Our Blessed Mother, noticing a pattern here? It was fantastic, and so needed, giving me that extra push in the right direction. Followed by Spiritual Direction where more goals were set, good discussions, prayers, beginning to stretch this soul of mine. Ending the night with ushering at Xavier High School and seeing Christmas Stars, full of Christmas spirit. Yesterday, Friday was filled with laughter, Christmas decorating, Christmas music on full blast, putting up the tree, and preparing this home for Jesus. Oh, and some of us got to spent the afternoon at Drop In (after school funnness, 6-8th graders from Seaton Middle School spend Friday afternoons from 3-5pm hanging out with members from the SPIRITUS team). Mass and Adoration at Fr. Carr's Place 2 B, concluding with playing Pictionary with the brothers and sisters (pictures below). Sounds like a wonderful, ever so blessed week to me. Happy Saturday and Happy Second week of Advent. Peace and God Bless! 

"Its a soul sister kind of thing."

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful...... -Colossians 3:12-17

Uncovering Mysteries of the Eucharist

As of late, I have been diving deeper into the Catholic faith, uncovering mysteries that lie within the Sacraments. Today, I would like to discuss a few points about the source and highpoint of our faith: the Eucharist. CCC 1324.

We know that we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. But what, exactly does this mean? For much of my life, I have been drawn to the Eucharist, but only recently have I began to understand more about what it means for us.

A passage that has really helped put into perspective my attitudes toward the Eucharist comes from John's gospel.

Jesus says, "I tell you solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day." John 6:53,54.

When receiving Jesus, we take on His divine nature. CCC 1374. God cannot be present in the state of sin, and so when we receive the Eucharist, we receive His great mercy and are cleansed of venial sin. Free of sin, Jesus resides in us as we go forth into the world. CCC 1394.

Furthermore, While celebrating the Mass, we are not just celebrating with others at our parish or even all the faithful around the world. We are also celebrating the same Mass with the angels and saints in heaven.

"Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding in his hand a live coal which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. With this he touched my mouth and said:
         'See now, this has touched your lips, your sin is taken away, your iniquity purged.'" Isaiah 6:6,7.

There is only one Mass and that Mass is praised in heaven. When we go to Mass, we are joining in on the Mass of Heaven. When we receive Jesus, we experience heaven. CCC 1370.

"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me." Jn 6:56,57.

Heaven abides in Jesus and when we receive Jesus, we receive the Communion saints in heaven. CCC 1396.

Discussing this Communion in his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul states, " The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."

After discovering this reality, for me it brought ever more meaning to the Lord's prayer. I began to have a better understanding of what the Father means by "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven."

Jesus calls us to center our lives on Him and live as Saints on Earth. We are not supposed to wait until we die before experiencing His glory and being Saints. That life begins here and now.

In a way, we often separate our lives between this life and the next. However, for me, I can no longer think this way. We only have one life and that life is eternal. We cannot wait until Purgatory before we cleanse ourselves and seek heaven. This is something that we should seek to do now. Because now is heaven and heaven is now, and failure to seek God on Earth is a failure to seek His Glory in heaven.

FIRST TEAM 4 VLOG UPDATE!

VIDEO BLOG! Who would've thunk that Team 4 could do video updates?! Anyway, this is Callie updating for Spiritus. I got too lazy to type and decided uploading a video might be fun!

Happy Feast of Christ the King! Viva Cristo Rey!

Blessed are the pure of heart...

"Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God."
Matthew 5:8

God has a HUGE plan for every single one of us!! As Pope Benedict XVI says, "we were not created for comfort, but for greatness." God calls us on to greatness, he wants to see us do awesome and magnificent things.  I absolutely love this quote by Pope Benedict XVI, but sometimes I don't really feel strong enough to do what God calls me to do.

This ministry is extremely rewarding in the sense that I get to spread God's message to students all throughout the state of Wisconsin, but I also have taken so much from the students themselves.  I have truly discovered God's presence in each person I see on retreat. And it blows my mind the way God works.

This ministry also does have some costly side effects to it: lack of sleep, maybe some stress, and most of all spiritual warfare. We are going out and being Jesus to students that may have never experienced Him before which does not make Satan a happy camper.  So we face certain battles and struggles we need to overcome. But this is our Catholic faith!! Jesus overcame the cross, and we are called to fight these battles, whether physical or spiritual.

But I have found the only way you can truly be strong in fighting this type of warfare is by being pure of heart. Purity is our strength and our weapon! Which is why Satan has been attacking it and reducing it to a meaningless idea in society.

Purity, especially in today's world, seems to be an outdated and bizarre concept. "Just do what makes you feel good," or "YOLO" have become the anthem cries of our modern world. But as Catholics we are not called to be in the world.  Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds." As Catholics, we are called to be different!

Saint Joan of Arc, (one of my patron saints and my home girl), was 19 years old when she was called by God to lead the French army into battle. 19 years old! Even from a young age, she felt a strong and huge desire to remain pure of heart her whole life, this was the only way she truly felt close to God. Even after her father made plans for her to marry, she refused and said the only person she is fit for is God. This purity is what lead her into battle.  This purity is what kept her strong as she was martyred by being burned at the stake.  This purity is why allowed God St. Michael, St. Margaret, and St. Catherine appear to her and give her words of counsel and guidance. This purity is why Joan of Arc is a saint! She was called for greatness by God and her purity allowed her to accomplish this.

Our world is growing darker by the day. But we are called to be that light. We are called to be so much more than another generation in this society. We are called to live a life of greatness for our God. And the only way for us to accomplish this is through purity.

So my challenge for you is to pray for this virtue. Pray for the strength to live out purity. Pray to understand why this is such an awesome weapon in time of battle.

God can only speak to us if we are pure at heart. We can't accomplish His will if we do not live out and understand this wonderful virtue.

St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!

The Beauty of Busyness!

I am writing this post in the midst of a busy week for SPIRITUS. We are so blessed to see a ton of students on many different retreats throughout this week! This past weekend the team traveled to Kaukauna, Plainfield, Neenah and Manawa to lead retreats for some wonderful students! 

It is during weeks like this, filled with many retreats, that I realize what a blessing this ministry is. The opportunity for our team to reach out to over a hundred students in the span of a week is awe-inspiring for me. We are given so many moments to teach students what God has so graciously taught us about His love and mercy, and also to listen to the joys and sorrows that each student is facing in their own life. There are so many opportunities to connect with students whether it is talking about deep faith issues, or through fun activities and song. While long days of retreats can be draining, I have found that the more time that I spend with students, the more energy I have and the more confident I am that SPIRITUS is exactly where I need to be. It is truly a blessing. May God keep blessing our team with amazing students on retreat and continue to show us the beauty of busyness!

The Perks of Living with Priests

Tonight was quite literally awesome.

The men of SPIRITUS live in a rectory with two priests, Fr. Don Zuleger and Fr. Andrew Kurz. Getting up and walking across the parking lot to go to morning Mass at St. Bernadette Parish in Appleton is great for us, since it means we can sleep late (which some of us really enjoy doing on occasion). But the real perk of living with the priests is nights like tonight.

Mark, our coordinator, scheduled some "House Adoration" time this evening--time for the men and the women to pray in front of the Eucharist as separate households, rather than as a whole community together (which is how we normally do our weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration). For the men, this turned out to be rather providential, as Fr. Andrew arranged to preside at private Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for us in the side chapel at St. Bernadette's. During our Holy Hour, we also prayed Evening Prayer and Night Prayer, concluding our time with Benediction. Thank you to Fr. Andrew for bringing us Jesus and leading us in prayer!

What Is Discipleship?

During our team formation last week we looked deeper into the topic of discipleship. It seems like a common idea among Christians is that you need to be "a disciple of Christ". But what does that really mean? That has been a question I have been asking myself lately and, essentially, I believe that being a disciple means simply to follow what Jesus said and did. That may seem like the easy, obvious answer but if we really think about it, it's something that we have to keep being reminded of every single day. Not just follow the commandments of Jesus that we think are easy or convenient, but those actions and commands of Jesus that make us cringe or stretch us outside of what we are comfortable with. More so than just following Jesus, we need to help others follow Him too.

What is at the center of all that Jesus said and did on this earth was to help others become His hands and feet that would do His work after He left. That is where discipleship really comes into play. We are to follow Jesus' example by guiding and supporting people we meet so that they can spread Jesus' teachings. Hopefully they will lead others into this chain of discipleship that reaches all the way back to Jesus himself. Jesus taught the apostles to proclaim His message who, in turn, taught others. This process has continued throughout the centuries and is still working today. We are all called to this type of discipleship. Now if you're anything like me, you might be doubting your ability to disciple someone. Many times I do not feel equipped to help someone else in their faith. I don't know enough about the Church, I haven't read enough books or I don't have all the new translations of the Mass memorized. In reality, all those reasons are exactly why you would be perfect to disciple someone. Because you are broken. Because you still need to learn. Discipleship is about working together with others to make Jesus the center of your life. When you teach someone else how to be a disciple of Jesus, you will learn more about yourself and about faith than you can even imagine. I find the thought of having an all-knowledgeable, perfect person that wasn't struggling with anything teaching me about Jesus as rather unappealing. I can't relate with that. So it's okay to not know everything because it is through that that we can relate to others, grow ourselves and encourage others to do the same. Discipleship is something we all need to take seriously because it is all our calling. We are all called to spread the teachings of the Catholic Church and to help others in the same journey. We must follow what Jesus says in John 13:15, "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do".

As God's children, let us remain in the peace of God.

Here is a piece by St. Cyprian on the Lord's Prayer

As God's children, let us remain in the peace of God.

"Christ has clearly added a law here, binding us to a definite condition, that we should ask for our debts to be forgiven us only as much as we ourselves forgive our debtors, knowing that we cannot obtain what we seek in respect of our own sins unless we ourselves have acted in exactly the same way to those who have sinned against us. This is why he says in another place: By whatever standard you measure, by that standard will you too be measured. And the servant who had all his debt forgiven him by his master but would not forgive his fellow-servant was cast into prison: because he would not forgive his fellow-servant, he lost the indulgence that his master had granted him.

  And Christ makes this point even more strongly in his teaching: When you stand up to pray, he says, if you have anything against anyone, forgive it, so that your Father who is in heaven may forgive your sins. But if you do not forgive, nor will your Father in heaven forgive you. On the day of judgement there are no possible excuses: you will be judged according to your own sentence, and whatever you have inflicted, that is what you will suffer.

  For God commands us to be peacemakers, and to agree, and to be of one mind in his house. What he has made us by the second birth he wishes us to continue during our infancy, that we who have begun to be children of God may abide in his peace, and that having one spirit we should also have one heart and one mind. Thus God does not accept the sacrifice of one who is in disagreement but commands him to go back from the altar and first be reconciled with his brother, so that God may be placated by the prayers of a peacemaker. Our peace and concord are the greatest possible sacrifice to God – a people united in the unity of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

  Not even when Abel and Cain were making the first sacrifice – not even then did God pay attention to their gifts. He looked into their hearts, and the gift that was acceptable was the one offered by the one who was acceptable in his heart. Abel, peaceable and righteous in sacrificing in innocence to God, taught the rest of us that when we bring our gift to the altar we should come, like him, with the fear of God, with a heart free of deceit, with the law of righteousness, with the peace of concord. He sacrificed in such a way, and so he was worthy to become, afterwards, himself a sacrifice to God: he who bore witness through the first martyrdom, who initiated the Lord’s passion by the glory of his blood, had both the Lord’s righteousness and the Lord’s peace. Such are those who are crowned by the Lord at the end; such are those who will sit and judge with him on the day of judgement.

  But he who quarrels and stirs up discord, he who is not at peace with his brethren – the Apostle and holy Scripture together testify that even if he meets death for the sake of Christ’s name, he will still be held guilty of fraternal dissension, for it is written,whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and the murderer cannot attain the kingdom of heaven or abide with God. No-one can be with Christ who preferred to imitate Judas rather than Christ."

Sharing the Faith with St. Mary Central's Sophomores

SPIRITUS hosted St. Mary Central's sophomore retreat at Mt. Tabor Center on Tuesday, Oct. 23rd. The SPIRITUS Team had a wonderful time sharing the Catholic faith. We had great discussions about how the students live out their faith in high school, including the struggles and barriers that exist that keep us from developing a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and a deeper Catholic faith.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of the retreat for me was praying with individual students regarding their specific needs. Mt 20:18 states that where there are two or more gathered in His name, there He is among them.

I felt the presence of God on this retreat. The SPIRITUS team will continue its prayers for the students of St. Mary Central and wish them all the best as they continue the school year.

Life Is For Loving

Happy Sunday! This weekend was too good for words. Yesterday we had yet another wonderful retreat experience with All Saints Parish, the day started off busy with 20 students, they were quiet at first but as the day progressed they turned into a lively bunch. As the team members gave their sessions I noticed a change in atmosphere and how comfortable the students had gotten. The students began to open up more. One thing that really stood out from this group was their desire for life, and a desire to go deeper with our Lord, it simply blew my mind.

I can not believe it has been TWO months since we started our journey with SPIRITUS, I remember coming in scared, missing my family in CO, with a list full of questions, to taking that leap of faith. So far on this journey I have learned vulnerability, confidence, patience, and a hunger for understanding. Patience learning how to be patience with myself, others around me. Patience with the different personalities of team members, the different retreat groups (3rd-12th graders). Confidence, I'm learning to be okay with the gifts that I have been given to me, learning how to live with amazing brothers and sisters, learning to cook, speaking in front of tons of students, performing dramas, singing, and really being stretched out of my comfort zone. Vulnerability, allowing people to see me to the depths of my core. I have heard stores that have incorporated themselves into my soul. The struggles that the youth have had to endure, the pain in their eyes, their enormous hearts, seeing inspiration in every corner, it has opened my eyes to so many different things. It has allowed me to listen to each story and let them change my life, my view, and my heart. These two months I've had the chance to get to know this vibrant ministry that is now apart of me. I am in awe of what SPIRITUS, God, the youth have done to a small town girl like me, I have learned from my brothers and sisters, the youth, Jesus Christ, and all the challenges. How being vulnerable allows us to be human, it gets us to the rawest of emotions, it’s a glimpse of the soul on fire. Now this hunger for understanding, I am hungry to know more about Jesus, the youth we'll continue to encounter, my brothers and sisters, this ministry, the struggles, more stories, to change me, to mold me. There is more to come, but for now ponder on this quote from Mother Teresa. Remember life is for loving.

"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it." -Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

OOOOOHHHHH and welcome to the family of saints :)

Saint Pedro Calungsod!
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha!
Saint Marianne Cope!
Saint Jacques Berthieu!
Saint Giovanni Battista Piamarta!
Saint Carmen Salles y Barangueras!
Saint Anna Scheffer!

Retreats: Bringing Out the Child in All of Us

We had two retreats earlier today: first, the freshman Challenge Retreat for St. Mary Central High School in Neenah, WI and second, a Faith on Fire at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manawa, WI. The Faith on Fire was particularly interesting, because there were students from grades 4-11 all at the same event.

First of all, it can be a bit challenging to present a message that is accessible to such a wide age range. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit empowers us to do whatever is necessary, if we only stay open to His inspirations! I can confidently say that the students at Sacred Heart have learned a great deal about their faith, particularly about the Communion of Saints.

Second, working with a range of grade levels all at once gives us a great perspective on a topic that appears frequently in the Gospel: childlike faith. I was privileged to stay with the younger grades this evening while the older students broke up into small groups with some of my SPIRITUS teammates. The openness of the younger children is absolutely incredible! They may have learned more than even the older students, simply because they were willing to accept us as teachers without being "too cool" to be there.

Finally, I think it was good for the older students to see the openness that the young ones have. During praise and worship, we really get a chance to see whether or not students are open to the Holy Spirit based on whether or not they are able to step out of their comfort zones to sing songs for Jesus and even do some silly hand motions. The younger kids don't have any problem doing this, but the older ones tend to struggle a little. However, being around younger students really helps them to rediscover a bit of that childlike openness that they've lost over the years. I think it really made a difference tonight!

I pray that God will help all of us to trust in Him with childlike faith, not worrying about what others will think, but doing whatever He asks of us with enthusiasm, joy, and complete trust.

Trusting in God's Providence and the Lourdes Freshmen Retreat

The SPIRITUS Team traveled to Oshkosh on Wednesday for a Freshmen Retreat with Lourdes High School. We enjoyed interacting with the students and sharing the Catholic faith with them.

The most memorable activity for me was a trust activity that involved blind folding partners and guiding them. It reminded me of a time when I encountered a blind man waiting to cross a busy street in Minneapolis. He had miscounted the number of streets he had already crossed and when I came to him, he should have crossed the street to his left instead of going straight.

When I began to converse with him about where he was going, he began to panic because he realized that he went too far. I was new to Minneapolis, but did my best to help him find his bus stop.

When the walking signal turned green, I guided him back across the busy street with my voice (he was too proud to let me actually hold his arm) and helped him find his way to a bus stop that would take him to the right place. Half way across the street, a car turning left did not yield, but blew on passed us. The man became petrified. I could see the car wasn't going to hit us, but the blind man could only hear a car coming at him.

I was a complete stranger to him, and yet he had to trust me with his life.

The activity on the retreat did not put the students in such an extreme position, but it does provide an important point about our relationship with God. Oftentimes, God asks us to go on paths completely blinded. Sometimes we are pushed out of our comfort zone, put in stressful situations, and the path God is taking us on doesn't seem to make sense to us. But we must trust Him and let him guide us on His path, despite not knowing where we are going. It is difficult to let go of our own crafted plans and to blindly surrender to God's Providence. It takes great faith and it is what God asks of us.

Laughter Filled The Air

This past Sunday, September 30th we had our eleventh retreat of the year so far with SS Mary & Hyacinth, Antigo. We had 28 seniors join us at Mount Tabor, it was a wonderful experience. As the retreat started rolling, the students were fully engaged. Leading ice breakers for the first time and small groups on my own without a co-pilot was a whole new experience on its own.

As I gave my session towards the end of the retreat, the room was filled with laughter and they taught me something important that afternoon, learn to embrace the awkwardness and laugh at yourself a little. Enjoy the little things in life, for those are the ones that matter most.

This past week was oobber busy and there are more retreats coming, but with this busy schedule I have had lots of time to reflect on all the good things in life, how privileged we are to have this life. I dare you, find those bits of happiness in stressful/busy times, in those moments where you think gahhh I just can not do all of this, think again you can!

Happy feast of the Guardian Angels may they be watching over you.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoice and with my song will I praise him. - Psalms 28:7

Faith on Fire at St. Edward in Mackville

On Saturday September 29, SPIRITUS visited St. Edward Parish in Mackville for a short retreat for high schools students. Team members shared stories about their faith journey and led discussion and brainstorming with students about creative ways to live out the Catholic faith.

The team also discussed taking knowledge learned about the faith and removing barriers that may keep the knowledge of the faith from being put into practice through acts of charity.

So exited!!!  We are going to start our Inspire/Teen Disciples in three locations tonight.  Hope to see you all there. :) Here is a description of it:


Your Questions - God's Answers
Tackling Real Issues!

1st & 3rd Mondays from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM

Three Locations!

Mount Tabor Center
522 Second St.
Menasha, WI 54952

St. Matthew Parish
130 St. Matthew St.
Green Bay, WI 54301

Holy Family Youth Center
678 Western Ave.
Fond du Lac, WI 54935


Make friends in faith! Get answers to YOUR questions! Discover who Jesus is calling you to be! Grow as radical Catholics! Hang with the SPIRITUS team!

FREE FOOD!!! This is our kick-off meeting, so that means it's time to PARTY! Join us for food and socializing as well as an opportunity to give us your input about what topics we should cover this year!

(This is event is for Young Adults. Please invite any young adults (19-39) you know in the area who might be interested!)

What to do before you pray

St. John Cassian's thoughts about what to do before you pray."To be able to offer our prayer with that earnestness and purity with which it ought to be offered, first, all anxiety about carnal things must be entirely got rid of.

Next, we must leave no room for not just the care but even the recollection of any business affairs, and likewise must also lay aside all backbitings, vain and incessant chattering, and buffoonery. Anger above all and disturbing depression must be entirely destroyed, and the deadly taint of carnal lust and covetousness be torn up by the roots.

Then there must be laid the secure foundations of a deep humility, which may be able to support a tower that shall reach the sky; and next the spiritual structure of the virtues must be built up upon them, and the soul kept free from all conversation and from roving thoughts, so that thus it may little by little begin to rise to t he contemplation of God and to spiritual insight.

Whatever our mind has been thinking of before the hour of prayer, that thought is sure to occur to us while we are praying--for the mind in prayer is formed by its previous condition. When we are applying ourselves to prayer, the images of the same actions and words and thoughts as in our previous condition will dance before our eyes. They will make us angry or gloomy, or recall our former lust and business, or make us shake with foolish laughter at some silly joke, or smile at some action, or fly back to our previous conversation.

So if we do not want anything to haunt us while we are praying, we should be careful before our prayer to exclude it from the shrine of our heart."

Lack of Prayer is Lack of Love

From one of my favorite books, Weapons of the Spirit, concerning The Lack of Prayer is Lack of Love.

"The want of love for God shows up in a distaste for prayer and the exercises of devotion. Prayer is looked upon as pietism, idleness indulged in by those who have not the stomach for more strenuous activity.

Prayer -- mental prayer or meditation -- is our most direct way of expressing love for God. It is a union of our minds and hearts with Him, the beginning of that union with Him that will be consummated in heaven. 'Prayer is true happiness in this life,' said St. Jane Frances de Chantal. And of course she meant to be taken quite literally. To find prayer tedious and distasteful is to find God tedious and distasteful.

The insufficiency of prayer points to an even deeper trouble. It shows that such workers regard God's part in their projects as of less importance than their own activity. Almighty God is considered a sort of spectator along the sidelines, whom, by our prayers, we can perhaps change into an enthusiastic rooter for our private projects.

Prayer and a fervent interior life are not just graceful ornaments for the life of the apostle -- they are the instruments necessary for making his work spiritually fruitful. Failure to recognize this explains why the most frantic activity of Catholic organizations produces no spiritual results. St. Anthony, who spent whole nights in prayer, was more effective in his work for souls than the greatest of the modern go-getters, who are equipped with all the latest methods of doing things but have "no time to pray."

The person who has no time to pray is not doing God's work. We do not stint our time with those we love. The apostle who does not have time to pray has no ardent love for God. Yet since all human activity is finally motivated by some kind of love; apostolic activity, if it does not come from love of God, can only come from love of self."

As we claim to love God above everything else, do we take time to talk to Him? Do we include Him in everything we do or do we push Him aside and only look to Him when we are really in need? Do we praise Him for being who He is? Do we thank Him for our life and all the gifts that we have received? Where is God in your life?

Girls' Faith Sharing Night

Living together as a community can be difficult at times; however, this past weekend, the ladies of Spiritus were able to come together and share some important aspects of our faith.  Our evening started out by breaking some hefty loaves of garlic bread.  Afterwards, we were able to gather together with lovely pieces of melty chocolate, a crisp bottle of pink Moscato wine, a few beautifully lit candles, and copies of Pope John Paul II’s Genius ofWomen. 

This was our time to discuss the importance of our feminine nature and also discuss the complementarity of men and women—which is an important aspect of living in community. We are always discussing the antics of the boys and how crazy they are. :P

Pope John Paul II, in his teaching on the feminine genius, highlighted the importance of identifying the dignity that all women deserve.  As women of God, our group of girls discussed how important it is for us as women to spread this news to other women—especially in today’s society.

All I can say is how fortunate I am to live with a wonderful and spiritual group of women.  Being able to discuss the importance of being a woman and understand what our genius is is essential to in our efforts to minister to girls of all ages but especially the youth.

So this blog post is basically my way of shouting out to the girls of Spiritus. Thank you so much for being awesome! 

Faith on Fire at Resurrection Parish in Green Bay

The SPIRITUS Team had a great time traveling to Green Bay and meeting with middle school and high school students who are apart of Resurrection Parish in Green Bay. The parish gave the SPIRITUS Team a memorable welcome before beginning the Faith on Fire.

We began with praise and worship, and then several of the SPIRITUS teams gave witness to the richness of the Sacraments and other aspects of the faith. I found the students to be very welcoming and interested in their faith. I had great conversations about many exciting aspects of the Catholic faith.

St. Mary Central Senior Retreat

On Wednesday, SPIRITUS put on a retreat for seniors of St. Mary Central High School at Homestead Meadows. The team connected with seniors about how they envisioned the coming year and how God fits into their lives.

I headed one of 9 small groups and enjoyed discussing the different kinds of graces that we receive from God. I was also glad to be able to connect with the seniors with regard to where they are at in their faith and how they see themselves living out the faith in the future.

You are alive!

        If you are reading this then I congratulate you because that means you are alive. YAY!!!! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Sometimes we get caught up in our everyday lives that we forget to take time out to appreciate what really matters. Have you thank God yet for this day because you know you could be dead?

        I forget many times to stop and smell the roses, but then again that might be because of my fear of getting stung by bees. Anyways, as a Catholic we don’t believe in that theory of Reincarnation where you keep coming back over and over again in different states of life to finally get it right. Nope, we believe in the linear model. You were born, raised, die and then judgment. The past is in the past, let us learn from it, but don’t dwell on it. We can’t change it. And the future is not here so we can’t do anything about that either. All we have is the present so let us gird up our loins and become followers of Christ. Practice the virtues today. Go to Mass today. Pray today. Read a spiritual book today. Do the Corporal Works of Mercy today. There are many things you can do to start living as a better Christian. What is your excuse for not doing so? St. Augustine is famously known for his statement ‘Make me a saint but not yet’. Are we in that mindset too?

        What are we waiting for? Are your sins that fun that you rather be with them than God? Think about it. So like my dad always says, “Do it right. Do it quick. Do it now. Don’t do it wrong. Don’t do it slow. Don’t do it tomorrow” because like I said before you just might not be here.

St. Clare - Greenleaf Confirmation Retreat

The SPIRITUS Team hosted a Confirmation retreat for St. Clare Parish of Greenleaf at the Mt. Tabor Center on Sunday. The new members gave sessions for the first time and did an excellent job.

The team prays for all those involved with the retreat and wishes the students the best this year. May the Spirit be with them as they make their journey toward Confirmation!

First Retreats for 2012-2013 with Spiritus

So it's official: SPIRITUS has started kicking off retreats already this 2012-2013 school year! SPIRITUS has had the opportunity to share God's love already with the confirmation candidates of St. Pius X in Appleton and St. Clare in Greenleaf, the Senior Class of Lourdes High School in Oshkosh, and on a "Faith on Fire" over in Whitelaw. All four retreats have been a great way to see how the Spirit of our Lord is alive in the world. The nine members of the team have already been graced to share their personal witnesses and love for the Catholic Faith with over 100 students.

This year's nine months of witnessing, sharing and growing in our faith with our brothers and sisters has just begun, but it feels like we have already experienced an eternity's worth of grace as God has been pouring it out on us all from the very start. Let us all remember to pray for our brothers and sisters, for everyone we have met and for the ones who have passed. And especially pray with us for all of the students SPIRITUS will encounter this year and for all those who are searching for God's love. Spreading the word and the love of God is truly something everyone should have the opportunity to take part in!

St. Paul the Evangelist, pray for us!

In the Cross is Salvation

Last week we were left with the challenge to imitate Jesus. So what does that mean? In His own words Jesus tells us: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (see Luke 9:23). Look around you! Suffering is everywhere and it will happen to you. No one can avoid the Cross. It can either be a burden or a blessing.

You can either act like the "bad thief" or the "good thief" because there is no other choice. The bad thief who died on the cross represents all the people who see the cross as a burden and a punishment for the sins that they have committed. They do not draw any profit from it. Conversely, the good thief represents all the people who have merited their cross, but have embraced it as a loving companion. They share in Jesus’ sacrifice and draw many graces from it. They can say with St. Paul in Colossians that they rejoice in their sufferings because they are building up the Church. We are all one family. We are the Body of Christ, and because of this we can help build each other up in the love of the Lord. If the Cross is going to be upon us, we should embrace it instead of running away from it. So let us turn that frown upside down and embrace the challenges that come our way.

Here I leave you with a nice meditation from The Imitation of Christ on the importance of the Cross: “In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of souls or hope of everlasting life but in the cross.”

WWJD

Hi everyone,

      I just want to wish all you guys a happy start to a new year of SPIRITUS.  My name is Robbie and I am very excited to be part of this wonderful experience of the New Evangelization that Blessed Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI have called for.  Please keep all of us in your prayers so we can serve the youth with that love that Christ has called us to live.  We strive to follow in the footsteps of Christ so all the support is much appreciated.  At this time what I would like to do is to give you a challenge piece that you can implement in your life to get closer to Jesus Christ.  


“What Would Jesus Do?”

     This phrase might sound cliché to our egocentric, power-hungry, sex-crazed society, but these four words could literally transform this world. In the book, In His Steps, Charles Sheldon writes a fictional story about some people doing a challenge that is for a year they will have to make every decision of their lives based on what would Jesus do in this situation and then carry it out no matter the consequence.

     As the story unfolds the town starts to transform itself from a self-righteous Christian community to a community that actually practices core Christian values. By the time you come to the end of the book you find that this movement has crossed the nation and is spreading. This story does not need to be just that: a story.

     Look around you. Do you really think that Jesus would approve of what you are doing and how you are living? We sometimes forget that Jesus was human too. He already experienced everything that we experience. "For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that ye should follow in his steps." (1 Pet 2:21) He should be our example on how we live our lives for Jesus says “learn from me for I am meek and humble” or “take up your cross and follow me”. What is sad is that we have become complacent with our lives as Christians and pat ourselves on the back when we give that second collection to the poor believing that we are living the Gospel message and changing the world. Hogwash!

     To change the world, we need to live Christ’s message. Just like Sheldon says, "Are we ready to make and live a new discipleship? Are we ready to reconsider our definition of a Christian? What is it to be a Christian? It is to imitate Jesus. It is to do as He would do. It is to walk in His steps." Can you take the challenge?

First Faith on Fire and Upcoming Retreats

The SPIRITUS team had our first Faith on Fire on Wednesday! We spent a couple hours at St. Michael's Parish in Whitelaw (well, specifically at the St. Mary School campus). The SPIRITUS team led high school students in praise and worship, as well as activities centered on raising their awareness of the Faith in their lives.

Individual team members gave talks on several aspects of the Catholic Faith. My talk was on why I LOVE the Eucharist! My SPIRITUS teammates discussed Reconciliation, Scripture, and how Mary and the saints inspire us in our journey toward holiness.

We will also be doing two retreats this weekend. We have a retreat for the seniors from Lourdes Academy in Oshkosh and a confirmation retreat hosted at Mt. Tabor Center for St. Clare Parish (Greenleaf). Pray for us and those attending the retreats. May the Holy Spirit work through us!

SPIRITUS Team Four

As you may have noticed, SPIRITUS has already begun retreats this year, kicking off with a Confirmation retreat last weekend and continuing with a Faith on Fire last night. But we still haven't officially introduced ourselves, so without further ado, SPIRITUS Team Four:

Hi! I'm Mark Rose from Hudson, WI. I graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Philosophy. This is my third year evangelizing with SPIRITUS and I am the Coordinator of the team. I am blessed to have this opportunity to lead the team in growing in holiness and evangelizing. I believe it's going to be an amazing year!

I'm Julie Escobar from Brush, Colorado. I graduated from McPherson College with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. I am ecstatic to be a part of the wonderful journey of SPIRITUS and look forward to working, growing and learning with Jesus Christ and the youth!

I'm Jared Cunio. I joined SPIRITUS last year after graduating from the University of South Florida. I grew up in Titusville, Florida, near the Kennedy Space Center. I am very excited about my second year of SPIRITUS and I am looking forward to growing in faith, love and service as a Servant Leader.

Hey! I'm Callie Kowalski from Mountain Top, PA. I graduated from Franciscan U. in Steubenville with a Bachelor's degree in Multimedia Communications. Music is my passion and the Lord has called me to use it with SPIRITUS. I'm excited to grow in faith and witness to the youth.

Hi, I am Robbie Jennings from San Jacinto, CA. I received a Master's degree in Theology from Franciscan U. in Steubenville. I'm honored to be doing the Lord's will by carrying out the mission of SPIRITUS. I pray I grow deeper in my relationship with Jesus & bring His love to the youth.

Hi! I'm Rachel Van Handel and I'm from Appleton, WI. I graduated from the UW-Madison with a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies and Sociology. I have an enormous heart for the youth and I am excited to show them the amazing love of God through working with SPIRITUS!

Hi, I'm Aaron Lang. I enjoy playing volleyball, basketball, and basically anything outside that's active. I grew up in the Appleton area and have been graced by God to be given the opportunity to work a second year on SPIRITUS as a Servant Leader.

Hi, I'm Kate Ruth. I grew up in Port Washington, WI and just graduated from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with my Bachelor's degree in Social Work. I'm excited to be able to share my faith with all the students we will be working with this year!

I'm Michael Servis. I graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Affairs. I have lived in many places and have spent much of my life traveling devoted to Christ and His church. I am excited to bring the Word of the Lord to His youth.

I'm Karissa Tousignant from Pewaukee, WI. I graduated in Music Theory from UW-Waukesha with an Associate of Arts degree. I love singing, playing guitar & clarinet, and sharing faith. I am back for my second year of SPIRITUS and I am super excited to share the love of God with all the youth.

We have a great team this year and God will use us to do great things! Stay tuned!