“Sometimes, in order to truly understand the importance of a place, you have to leave it.”
“The best thing I did in college was leave my college to go abroad”
I am sure you have heard some variation of these borderline cliché maxims. These maxims were all put to the test this year when most of us were all sent to ‘study abroad’ from our childhood bedrooms. I wrote earlier this spring about the spiritual fruits that might have come about from this time in quarantine with one’s family. As we are now back on campus, I figured it would be wise to reflect on the unique advantages that coming back to the Heights can bring to the life of faith.
I had never really thought about the unique gift that Boston College can be until this past year, when I studied abroad at Sciences Po in Paris. To be sure, I really loved my time abroad, and would go back in a heartbeat. This time away from BC allowed me to really reflect on the past three years I have spent here.
Coming into college, I knew that I wanted to continue growing in my faith. I was admittedly a bit worried about finding the formation that I would need to grow in the Christian life at a Jesuit University. Having not interacted with Jesuits before coming into college, I had heard some cautionary tales about the Society of Jesus and their institutions that led me to fear the order was no longer at all concerned about leading all people to Christ for the Greater Glory of God.
In reflecting abroad and at home during the lockdown, I saw how my time at the university has been a great help to me in growing in the spiritual life and to more deeply know, serve, and love Christ. Certainly, there are ways in which I hope that BC continues growing in its Catholic identity and fidelity to the Church. Any Christian institution and indeed any Christian is always called to magis (more) in their relationship with Christ. As St. Ignatius says, “The more intimately we come to know Christ, the more we will love him and the more closely we will follow him.” At the same time, I believe that this apostolate of the Society of Jesus still fulfills the great commission in unique ways through sacramental ministry by the Jesuits, retreat and service offerings through Campus Ministry, faith-based fellowships through organizations like the St. Thomas More Society, the Sons of St. Patrick, Gratia Plena, Christian Life Community, The Torch, and Mass communities like the Candlelight Mass, Una Voce, and the Heights Room Mass. Speaking from my personal experience, I can say that the Sons of St. Patrick, St. Thomas More Society, The Torch, Candlelight, and Una Voce have demonstrated the importance of Christian community.
While at home, I sorely missed the opportunity to pray Evening Prayer and discuss Christian philosophy with my brothers in the Sons of St. Patrick. I missed the ability to walk five minutes at the end of the day to worship the Eucharistic Lord and hear insightful and practical advice in living the Christian life at the Candlelight Mass. It was weird not hearing freshman Perspectives students, graduate students, and learnéd Jesuits alike discuss the importance of virtuous friends of the good. I missed hanging out with the friends I made freshman year while getting into a heated argument about liturgy at the St. Thomas More Society.
The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. It is for this reason that Christ was intimate with his followers, calling them “friends,” why He highlighted the imperative role that Mary plays in the Christian life by reminding us while He hung on the cross that she is mother of us all, and why He prayed “that all might be one” the night before he suffered. While away from BC, I realized the unique ways that my friendships formed, classes taken, retreats prayed, books read, confessions whispered, and Masses attended here have, to use Ignatius’ “First Principle,” helped me in pursuing the reason for which all people are created: to praise, reverence, and serve God who is Love Himself, and by this means to save our souls and live with Him eternally.
BC offers some pretty unique and varied ways to live out the faith in community. I hope you will take advantage of some of these opportunities. Without the waters of Christian community, faith begins to wither.
- Commencement: Now We Begin - April 30, 2021
- Pilgrim’s Progress: One Day in Paris - March 25, 2021
- Pope Accepts Resignation of Liturgy Chief - February 25, 2021