Before becoming the director of the Office of Faith Events for the diocese, I enjoyed 30 years in Catholic education, three quarters of those years in the nebulous position as director of campus ministry! I not only “lived to tell about it”, but am blessed to have volumes of memories, happy, sad and funny, to show for it. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to accompany the high school students in my care on their spiritual journey.
Since Campus Ministry is a subject near and dear to my heart, I would like to introduce you to the directors of high school campus ministry, the unsung heroes of Catholic education. They were all asked the same set of questions, but the answers vary as much as the school communities they are part of. But as much as they are different, there is a connecting, constant thread that runs through all of their responses — which is the fabric of Campus Ministry, to live out the mission of the Church, to love and to serve others.
Let me first introduce you to Anne Derbacker, Mercy High School in Middletown (all girls); Peter Lyons, Xavier High School in Middletown (all boys); Sue Haulotte, St. Bernard High School in Uncasville (co-ed); and Maureen Fleming, Academy of the Holy Family in Baltic (all girls).
When asked about the best part of being a campus minister, all of them said the ability to openly share faith with the students and the whole school community.
“Being a campus minister at Mercy is a blessing. Mercy’s identity is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy and their foundress, Catherine McAuley,” says Derbacker. “I love holding up the mirror to our students to allow them to see the good within themselves, so they can see the image of God within themselves,” Lyons adds.
“Working with junior and senior student leaders who help me conduct retreats for the student body at St. Bernard’s,” Haulotte responds. “It is a privilege to walk alongside these beautiful, impressive young women as they are discovering who they are and challenging themselves in so many ways,” says Fleming.
When asked how they came to take on the role of campus minister, they all agreed that it was divine intervention and the role is not a job, it’s a vocation — something that they were all called to in one way or another.
“I brought a friend to Mercy for a job interview and Sister Mary handed me an application and told me to fill it out and return it to her. In August, she called me and I was hired. I couldn’t believe it. So , that’s how my Mercy mission began,” says Derbacker. “My wife and I taught baptism, religious education and pre-Cana classes. Eventually, the opportunity to teach in a Catholic school presented itself, and I jumped at the opportunity. I can honestly say I have never had a boring day at work,” adds Lyons.
“I worked in parish ministry for many years, but always felt that I had more to give. I found out about the Campus Ministry opening at St. Bernard’s and applied. I have been campus minister since 2018” Haulotte says. “Service has always been a big part of my life. Imagine my surprise when that path led me to Academy of the Holy Family, my alma mater, where I had experienced firsthand the impact this special place has on students,” Fleming responds.
What do you think the focus of Campus Ministry should be in a Catholic School?
“To me, it is important to look at the spiritual well-being of each person in the community and help each person on their individual faith journey,” Derbacker notes. “Evangelization, evangelization and evangelization! High school is a journey and we have four years to accompany them. The last message Jesus gave to His disciples was ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,’” Lyons says. “As a campus minister, I focus on providing students with varied spiritual opportunities and experiences. I also think it’s really important to be present and available for students to ask questions and/or just share the ups and downs of the day,” Haulotte adds. “I feel my role is to help our students to grow in their faith and in their understanding of how truly loving and present God is within and around them,” Fleming notes.
When asked what role Catholic schools play in young people’s lives today, the answers were very specific and varied.
“Young people are searching for a spiritual life. It is our mission to enlighten and support them on their faith journey. For some girls, this is the only ‘church’ they know, and they are blessed to be able to take part in something sacred and life-changing,” states Derbacker. “There are so many things we offer, all of which we frame as opportunities. The opportunity to serve others, receive the graces of the sacraments, to be part of a supportive community that encourages them to ‘be good and do good,’ to discover their unique God-given purpose and to experience the virtue of hope, which is such a struggle for many teenagers today,” Lyons adds.
“Academically, our smaller classes and individual teacher attention help them excel. I feel that our students feel very safe at school. They are taught the tenets of our faith, one of which is to be kind to one another,” Haulotte says. “I think that Catholic schools help to promote growth in faith, character and virtue. We all play a part in helping our students see how God through His Holy Spirit works within each of us: the sisters, lay faculty and staff,” Fleming says.
All of the campus ministers ended their interviews collectively with a huge depth of gratitude to the orders that support them in their work every day: the Sisters of Mercy, the Xaverian Brothers, the School Office, Bishop Michael Cote and the Diocese of Norwich. Catholic education, specifically the work done in the Office of Campus Ministry, is truly a team effort. Campus ministers cannot do the work alone- they need the support of administrators and volunteers — faculty, staff and parents — to give the students meaningful campus ministry experiences. As the coordinators of all of this, the campus ministers truly are the unsung heroes, making it work day in and day out in whatever way possible.
By Andrea Hoisl
