Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Retrievers, also known as the UMBC Catholic Group, is a Catholic campus ministry program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Led by Father John Rapisarda, the group aims to establish a Catholic subculture on campus and provide a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith for its estimated 2,000 Catholic students. The group is based out of a Methodist church near campus and offers Mass and other opportunities for Catholic students to practice their faith.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Catholic Retrievers |
| University | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| Chaplain | Father John Rapisarda |
| Chaplain's Position | Part-time UMBC chaplain |
| Chaplain's Pastoral Assistant | Deirdre Horne |
| Chaplain's Church | Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City |
| Chaplain's Goal | Establish a Catholic subculture on campus |
| Target Group | 2,000 Catholic students at UMBC |
| Secular Counterpart | The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being |
| Secular Counterpart's Purpose | Honour religious and spiritual diversity |
| Secular Counterpart's Composition | 28+ religious and belief student organisations and 20+ Religious Council members |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Retrievers
Father Rapisarda, who is also an associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City, took over the campus ministry program in July 2011 when it had a dwindling membership. Together with his pastoral assistant, Deirdre Horne, and a group of enthusiastic students, he has been working to strengthen the program's foundation and expand its outreach. The Catholic Retrievers offer Mass on and near campus, making it more accessible to the estimated 2,000 Catholic students at UMBC.
Schnaude Dorizan, the Catholic Retrievers' president and a college senior from Brooklyn, NY, shared that having Mass available on campus has kept her faith vibrant. She noted that the closest Catholic church is two miles away and not easily accessible without a car. Through her involvement with the Catholic Retrievers, she has learned that she can practice her faith anywhere.
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Catholic chaplain, Father Rapisarda
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Catholic chaplain, Father John Rapisarda, is working to strengthen the campus ministry program at the Baltimore County school. Father Rapisarda is an associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City and a part-time UMBC chaplain, positions he assumed in July 2011. Before he entered the seminary, Father Rapisarda attended the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio, where he experienced an authentic Catholic culture. This knowledge drives his ministry today.
Father Rapisarda is working to re-energize a once-undeveloped outreach and establish a Catholic subculture on the honors university campus. He estimates there are 2,000 Catholic students at UMBC and is trying new ways to reach them. On UMBC's secular campus, Catholic students seem eager for a deeper understanding of their faith. Father Rapisarda noted that "the students have wanted somebody to say this (the practice of one's faith) is worthy of your sacrifice." He is motivated by statistics outlining the trends Catholic Retrievers is facing. According to a Pew Research Center study released in 2009, 79% of people who were raised Catholic and are now unaffiliated with a church stopped practicing their Catholic faith before age 24.
The campus ministry program had a dwindling membership when Father Rapisarda took over. He and his pastoral assistant, Deirdre Horne, are working to strengthen its foundation and expand its outreach. Their work to fortify the program, called "Catholic Retrievers," coincides with UMBC's transition from a commuter school to a residential campus. The closest Catholic church, Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus, is two miles from campus and not easily accessible without a car. Having Mass available on and near campus has kept the faith vibrant for many Catholic students.
The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being (The Gathering Space) at UMBC serves as the hub for religious, secular, and spirituality identities. This space is home to over 28 religious and belief student organizations and 20+ Religious Council members. It provides a place for students, staff, and faculty to meet, worship, discuss, and celebrate their faiths and philosophical worldviews. The UMBC Religious Council partners with local religious and spiritual leaders to provide support, organization, and a forum to better serve students and the campus community.
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Pastoral care and spiritual guidance
The UMBC Religious Council, comprising a diverse group of religious and spiritual leaders, plays a pivotal role in providing pastoral care. They work alongside student organisations and Religious Council members to offer support, organisation, and a forum for open dialogue. This collaborative effort ensures that individuals from all backgrounds can explore their faith, engage in meaningful discussions, and seek guidance when needed.
Pastoral care at UMBC extends beyond traditional religious boundaries. The Gathering Space, for instance, welcomes those who identify with specific religious traditions as well as those who do not. It provides programming such as Mindfulness Monday and Gathering with Gratitude, which offer opportunities for individuals to connect with spirituality and mindfulness practices. This inclusive approach ensures that everyone can find a sense of community and explore their beliefs in a safe and supportive environment.
The Catholic Retrievers, led by Father John Rapisarda, is a notable example of a student organisation dedicated to pastoral care and spiritual guidance within the Catholic community at UMBC. Father Rapisarda, a part-time chaplain, is committed to establishing a robust Catholic presence on campus. With the support of his pastoral assistant, Deirdre Horne, and a dedicated group of students, he aims to provide a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith and create a vibrant Catholic subculture. Their efforts include strengthening the foundation of the campus ministry program and expanding its outreach to engage more of the estimated 2,000 Catholic students at UMBC.
In addition to pastoral care, spiritual guidance at UMBC is enhanced through dialogue-focused initiatives such as Bridge Builders. This semester-long programme, sponsored by Student Belonging and the Gathering Space, fosters relationships and skills for constructive dialogue around contemporary issues connected to religion and spirituality. By engaging in restorative practices, participants learn how to respond and interact after experiencing harm, promoting pluralism and cooperation across diverse beliefs.
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Catholic students at UMBC
Catholic students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) can find a spiritual home in the UMBC Catholic Retrievers, the Catholic campus ministry program. The Catholic Retrievers is named in homage to the school's mascot and Maryland's state dog, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
The Catholic Retrievers is led by UMBC's part-time Catholic chaplain, Father John Rapisarda, who is working to strengthen the campus ministry program and expand its outreach. Father Rapisarda has estimated that there are 2,000 Catholic students at UMBC, and he is trying new ways to reach them and offer them a deeper understanding of their faith. He is supported in this work by his pastoral assistant, Deirdre Horne, and a group of enthusiastic students. Together, they are working to fortify the program and establish a Catholic subculture on the honors university campus.
The Catholic Retrievers offer Mass on or near campus, providing a convenient opportunity for Catholic students to practice their faith. The closest Catholic church, Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus, is two miles from campus and not easily accessible without a car. Having Mass available on campus has helped Catholic students like Schnaude Dorizan, the Catholic Retrievers' president, to keep their faith vibrant during college.
In addition to the Catholic Retrievers, Catholic students at UMBC can also find spiritual community and dialogue through The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being. This space serves as a home base for over 28 religious and belief student organizations and provides a place for students of all religious, spiritual, and non-religious worldviews to find community and connect with spirituality and mindfulness.
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The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being
The Gathering Space serves as a home base for numerous religious and belief student organisations and religious council members. It provides a physical location for these individuals to meet, worship, discuss, and celebrate their faiths and philosophical worldviews. This space is intentionally inclusive, welcoming those with religious, spiritual, and non-religious identities to connect and engage in meaningful conversations about spirituality and mindfulness.
The Gathering Space also offers specific programmes such as Mindfulness Monday and Gathering with Gratitude, which provide structured opportunities for individuals to explore spirituality and mindfulness practices. Additionally, it sponsors Bridge Builders, a semester-long dialogue series. This series focuses on contemporary issues related to religion and spirituality, encouraging participants to develop relationships and skills for restorative practices.
The UMBC Religious Council, comprising diverse religious leaders and volunteers, plays a vital role in supporting the Gathering Space. They provide secondary support to religious and belief student organisations, offering pastoral care, counselling, and spiritual guidance. The Religious Council strives to create a safe and inviting environment that encourages spiritual exploration and fosters dialogue and relationships.
Overall, The Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being at UMBC is a vibrant and inclusive community that honours religious and spiritual diversity. It provides a much-needed forum for individuals to connect, learn, and grow in their spiritual journeys, contributing to a holistic sense of well-being within the UMBC community.
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Frequently asked questions
The UMBC Catholic group is called Catholic Retrievers.
The chaplain for the UMBC Catholic group is Father John Rapisarda.
The UMBC Catholic group, Catholic Retrievers, aims to establish a Catholic subculture on campus.
