St. Paul's Newman Center at 1141 North University Drive, Fargo, ND 58102 US - Services

What We Do:

Small group Bible studies

"And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well." 2 Timothy 2:2

Scripture is systematically studied according to the Church's guidelines. Bible study leaders are either FOCUS campus staff or student leaders who have been trained in our program and demonstrate depth of faith. The goal is two-fold: 1) to know Jesus Christ better and to understand and love the Church he established, and 2) to establish and deepen Christian friendships.

Large group leadership training

"But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Our large group events are a place for brand new students to get a non-threatening introduction to the Christian life, and a place for student leaders to be challenged. FOCUS missionaries invite those students who show leadership potential to organize large group events on campus, featuring skits, music, testimonies and a short teaching by a FOCUS missionary.

Fellowship

"Every day they devoted themselves to the to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart." Acts 2:46

Fellowship is essential in the Christian life, and it naturally brings others in. Take the example of charcoal: when the coals are all together, they glow with heat for hours and hours. Pull one coal away from the pile, and it quickly cools off. Intramural sports teams, ski trips, BBQs and conferences are opportunities to deepen bonds of friendship and help keep the fire burning.

FOCUS - A Short History:

Curtis Martin founded FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) in 1997. The intent was to design a campus-based ministry that would foster among college and university students a deep conversion to Jesus Christ within the framework of the Roman Catholic Church. We established the pilot program in January 1998 at Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas, with two staff members and 24 students. At the beginning of the fall 2000 semester, more than one-third of the freshman class signed up for the FOCUS program. At the invitation of Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archdiocese of Denver, a FOCUS program was established in the fall of 1998 at University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. In the fall of 2000, FOCUS began work on the campus of University of Denver. Archbishop Chaput, who is supportive of the program, recently said, "No one does a more dynamic job of reaching college students for Christ than FOCUS." FOCUS is now established at 22 campuses in 10 different states, with plans to expand to several additional campuses next year.