By: Mitchell Popovski
Adversity is something that every program is going to face at times, especially at a 150-year-old institution. This is no different for Canisius University’s Campus Ministry. Over the past few years, it has gone from being a small group to a large living and breathing community. Four years ago, the program was in dire need of direction. Rolling priests for Sunday masses, very few events, and the lack of a director in general left many Christians at Canisius feeling unsatisfied. That has not been the case recently however, as a dedicated director, large scale service immersion trips, two full masses on Sundays and an open Loyola Hall has helped the Jesuit community come to life.
With the dawn of a new era for Canisius three years ago came a series of changes that overhauled the university. As the institution faced declining enrollment, financial struggles and an ever more secular society, it became apparent that certain programs would have to adapt if they wanted to overcome these issues. Under the direction of Campus Ministry director Spencer Liechty, the department did just that. With an ever more diverse student population, Spencer and his office realized they would need to reestablish a program that reflected the new Canisius Community. A year after Spencer arrived, Father Fred Betti, SJ, returned to Canisius as University chaplain. Under Spencer and Father Betti, the office was able to create a community that honored the traditions of the past whilst at the same time creating a community that was more inclusive to people from all different walks of life. When asked, Spencer wrote, “Campus ministry is a crucial part of our Jesuit identity at Canisius. While being rooted in our Ignatian tradition, we aim to meet the diverse spiritual needs of our campus community. At its core, campus ministry is about accompanying students as they make meaning, discover purpose, build community and work for justice.”
This change in direction has reflected positively in the program’s performance over the past few years. The dramatic increase in attendance at mass can be directly attributed to both Spencer and Father Betti’s commitment to embracing the Canisius community. The pair can each be seen at Sunday night’s mass, as Spencer sits among the students and Father Betti connects personally with them through conversation and his weekly sermons. The pair are aided by the weekly performances by Exalt Music Ministry who, through song, help the pair foster a beautiful evening of worship for parishioners to enjoy. This performance has been reflected in the student body also, as the introduction of group Bible study, the Little Sisters of Magdalene women’s group and the increased popularity of the yearly service immersion trips show the pair’s efforts have been paying off. They extend past the Canisius community as well, as with the closure of various churches around Buffalo, Canisius has become the Jesuit hub of the city. Taking on displaced parishioners who have been impacted by the changes, a second mass had to be added to Sunday mornings to accommodate this sudden influx of the Catholic community. Showing how Campus Ministry’s dedication to meeting student’s spiritual needs has expanded to meeting the same needs of the greater Buffalo community in just three short years.
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