The opening weeks of college brim with chances to find community. For students of faith, the Catholic Braves lit the way with a welcoming bonfire last Friday.
The event ran well into the night, beginning with a mass before dinner at the St. Joseph Newman Center and ending with a bonfire. Freshmen were invited to join the ministry, volunteers and community members to acclimate to a new environment.
After mass, the first group of students sat huddled around the coffee table in the communal space. On the other side of the room, organizers moved about in preparation for dinner.
Each volunteer has a story about what drew them to the Catholic Braves. Silas Mattern, a senior biomedical science major with three years of organizational involvement, reflected on his.
“I was invited by some friends that were connected to the Newman Center here. Then I was invited to a retreat,” Mattern said. “As a freshman, that kind of helped me get involved, because a lot of friendships were formed.”
At the late-night event, this year’s freshmen began to form connections and get a feel for the community.
“It’s been a great environment so far,” Abby McCasland, a freshman chemistry major, said.
McCasland hopes to forge more new connections at Bradley through events like the late night with the Catholic Braves.
“[I’m looking for] fellowship and new friends and expanding my circle.”
Mattern noted that many seek to belong on campus, and the organization served as a welcoming community throughout his time at Bradley.
“It’s different from what everybody else does—a good different—but I think it’s really meaningful and amazing to have a supportive group of people that can connect with you,” he said.
Everybody has their own battles, but many share the struggles of academic life. Friendships and support groups can offer help in difficult times.
“I would say that having this in college has…helped me find a strong community of friends within college that are here to support me and encourage me in the fun moments and the hard moments,” Mattern said.
While freshmen are still warming up to the upperclassmen, McCasland has found the support of a senior majoring in chemical engineering. She said their shared beliefs have helped them bond.
In the future, the Newman Center plans to host more events open to Bradley students, such as a trip to Tanner’s Apple Orchard on Oct. 4 and the St. Joseph Koinonia retreat, which starts on Oct. 17.
