Retreat welcomes students to Aggieland

St. Mary's Catholic Church held its annual Welcome Weekend Friday through Sunday. Welcome Weekend is a retreat for incoming new students consisting of small groups, prayer time, socializing, eating and worship. Approximately 200 freshmen and transfer students attended, and about 150 upperclassmen served as staff.

"The function of Welcome Weekend is to give the new students a lighter dose of what occurs at the, so to say, stronger activities," said senior music major David Casper. "I thought it was incredibly successful and I was amazed at the end how responsive and energetic the students were."

Welcome Weekend is designed to help incoming freshmen and transfer students prepare spiritually for college, get acquainted with St. Mary's and meet friends.

"The retreat exposes new students to a new faith community that is the largest campus ministry in the country," said Marcel LeJeune, assistant director of Campus Ministry for St. Mary's. "With as much as we have going on at St. Mary's - 80 student organizations - Welcome Weekend provides an easy way to become a part of the St. Mary's family from the beginning."

Another retreat provided by St. Mary's is Aggie Awakening, a Catholic retreat held three times a year. Occurring in the fall, spring and summer, it consists of talks and activities advocating the "awakening" of the Holy Spirit within the students.

"I think it creates a family environment for retreaters and allows them to grow closer to God as well as growing closer to their fellow retreaters," said Sarah Vines, a sophomore agricultural communications and journalism major. "Being part of an Awakening family can be a very deep bond and the weekend itself gives an opportunity to meet other people who have the same desires as you."

There are two Catholic student associations that are ministries of St. Mary's, one for Blinn and one for A&M. The purpose of these organizations is to increase awareness of the Catholic faith among University students. These organizations sponsor socials and events for students, and

CSA is the only St. Mary's ministry recognized by Texas A&M.

The next event for St. Mary's is the Fall Kick Off Sept. 6 after all Sunday masses. It will consist of food, music and ministry displays. This Kick Off is sponsored by the Catholic Students' Association and the Knights of Columbus.

For more information, visit aggiecatholic.org.

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