This year, for the first time, St. Isidore’s is offering two mission trip opportunities for students. One trip is during Spring Break, and the other during the summer.

“We decided to offer these trips because of the amount of interest that college students have in serving others and traveling. It offers another opportunity for them to strengthen their faith by putting it into action,” Campus Minister Brian Ziegler said.

Ziegler is in charge of organizing the trips and will be attending both trips with the students. Campus Minister Emily Bergkamp will be joining Ziegler on the spring  break trip. The spring break trip, also known as Spring Break Alternative, will be in Denver, Colo. The two mission trips focus on serving the poor and vulnerable. During the spring break trip, students will be focusing much of their time on working with the homeless. The students will be working with the Samaritan House, Volunteers of America, Head Start, and the Denver Rescue Mission. Because of the focus on helping people who are homeless, the students will be able to cross paths with different types of people and learn about a kind of life that many people do not understand.

Steve Seiler, a junior in biological engineering from Mount Hope, Kan., is one of 15 students going on the Spring Break Alternative. Seiler said he realizes that the mission trips can help students gain a better perspective.

“All too often I live just thinking about my next assignment or my next exam or the next meeting on my schedule. Living like this, it becomes all too easy to become self-centered and to take things for granted,” Seiler said. “Sometimes I forget that it is only by the grace of God that I have a roof over my head and don’t have to worry about where I can find my next meal.”

Students who go on the mission trips will also have a chance to strengthen their relationships with God. Before the students embark on their journey, they spend time in prayer and coming closer with God so it will be easier for them to share their faith with the people they meet.

“Our mission trips are different than many other mission trips because of the way that faith is so intimately connected with what we do. Not only do we work, but we also focus a lot on prayer and strengthening our relationship with God,” Ziegler said.

This is especially true with the summer mission trip. The 10-day trip, dubbed the “Works of Mercy Tour,” is planned for the state of New York. Students will be serving the poor and vulnerable throughout the state in places like Rochester and the Bronx, as well as in locations as they travel.

Claire Thiessen, a freshman in family studies and human services from Beloit, Kan., knows that the Spring Break Alternative trip will be a challenge, but she looks forward to meeting it.

“I am most excited for the opportunity to experience a completely different lifestyle. I hope to come home from the trip with a deeper love for God by witnessing the strength of the less fortunate. I also think that I will have a greater appreciation of all that I have been blessed with in my life,” Theissen said.

As the plans for the two mission trips are finalized and the students prepare to leave, Ziegler is reminded of why the trips are so important.

“The point of these trips is to get out and serve – taking God’s love into the world and sharing His joy with others. Christ did that, so we will also,” Ziegler said.

Almost 70 senior citizens from the Manhattan community gathered at St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center on November 22 for the Annual Thanksgiving Dinner for Senior Citizens. Thirty-five K-State students signed up to serve the annual dinner that encourages college students and senior citizens to relax and enjoy a Thanksgiving feast.

Brian Ziegler, campus minister at St. Isidore’s, said that the dinner is about more than just wonderful food.

“The goal is to provide a Thanksgiving meal for the senior citizens in our community with a loving heart and not just feed a meal, but appreciate them for who they are,” Ziegler said.

After dinner, the St. Isidore’s choir performed several songs from their upcoming Christmas CD, and then students and senior citizens joined in for a sing-a-long of holiday songs.

The dinner provided an opportunity for senior citizens to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and spend time with great people.

Grace Prusik, a permanent community member at St. Isidore’s, said she attended one dinner in the past, and she looks forward to enjoying more in the future.

“I enjoy the dinner because I love the friendship of everyone and especially getting to chat with Father Keith. He keeps me coming back,” Prusik said.

Alyson Ptacek, a senior in mass communications from Allen, Texas, came to help serve the dinner. Ptacek had a special connection to the Thanksgiving dinner – her mother, Maureen, was a student at K-State and a member of St. Isidore’s when the dinner started in 1983. After mentioning the activity to her mother, Ptacek knew she wanted to take part.

“I thought this would be a really nice thing to do, and I love talking to people and hearing their individual stories,” Ptacek said. “It is great to get to know people from the older generation and hear their stories. They all have so much to share.”

Janet Peak, a junior in family and consumer sciences education from Scammon, Kan., has helped with the dinner for three years. She enjoyed helping the attendees relax and getting to know them.

“I enjoy getting to meet people who have had an impact at St. Isidore’s that I may not have known about. The people I talk to are so interesting, and I hope someday I can influence St. Isidore’s in a positive way like they have,” Peak said.

According to Ziegler, seeing the interaction among the attendees is what makes the dinner a success.

“It is so rewarding to watch students and senior citizens sit and socialize because it is great to see interaction between generations,” Ziegler said.

More than 225 people filled the St. Isidore’s chapel in Manhattan on December 5 for a Christmas Concert by the St. Isidore’s Choir. The 60-member choir recently recorded a CD of Christmas music that will be available in March.

“A Christmas concert during Advent is pretty different for us, but Frank (Schmeidler) had been approached for many years about recording a Christmas CD, and the choir wanted to share these songs with everyone,” said Father Keith Weber, chaplain of St. Isidore’s.

The 15-song concert featured Christmas favorites such as “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night.” The concert also included the title song for the CD “Today Our Savior Is Born,” which was composed by St. Isidore’s liturgical director Frank Schmeidler.

Schmeidler said creating a recording of Christmas music was no easy task.

“I admire and thank the choir members for the many, many hours of time they have given and the dedication they have shown throughout the semester,” Schmeidler said. “Ever since we recorded the first choir CD, many people have asked when we would record a Christmas CD. I had always answered that it would be impossible to do one, because the students are not here for Christmas, and had not sung any of the music. For the choir members to have given all the extra time and effort it took to make the CD possible is truly amazing to me.”

Chris O’Halloran, a junior in mechanical engineering from Hesston and a member of the choir, said he enjoyed working with the other members of the choir and hoped the concert helped spread the love of Christ during the holiday season.

“I really hope that we were able to warm the hearts of everyone in the audience. Hopefully everyone heard a song or two that can help them open their hearts and prepare during this Advent season,” O’Halloran said.

Kari Nap, a permanent community member and 10-year choir member, said being in the choir is her escape from everyday life.

“I love to sing with the choir. The music is amazing, and Frank is amazing, too. We’ve grown so much through the recording process – we’ve gotten so much better. And these are my favorite songs to sing, so it made it easy to practice,” Nap said.

The songs were recorded in November. The new CD, which is the fourth recorded by the choir, is a fundraiser for the choir’s trip to Italy in May 2010. The trip will offer the opportunity for the choir to sing at many sites around Italy including Rome.

After the concert concluded, Father Weber thanked the choir for the beautiful music they shared.

“The choir has spent a lot of time and put a lot of effort into this, not to mention what they do every Sunday – leading us to worship through song,” Father Weber said.

A reception followed the concert in Newman Hall, and attendees were able to place advanced orders for the CD. By the end of the evening, nearly 200 CDs had been ordered. To order a CD, please contact St. Isidore’s at 785-539-7496.

While some students were watching football games or trick-or-treating, thirty K-State students experienced a new understanding of God’s love during the Pathways Retreat October 30-November 1 in Salina.

The retreat is organized by students from St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center in Manhattan. Pathways is directed and planned by students under the guidance of Father Keith Weber, chaplain of St. Isidore’s.

This year’s retreat director, Torie Reilly, a senior in agricultural education from Cherryvale, Kan., said Pathways is unlike any other retreat she has ever attended.

“The staff members willingly pour 10 months of their time into preparation and prayer. Around every corner there are more people using their talents to glorify God,” Reilly said.

Pathways was created to help college students grow in their relationship with God and share His love with others. A team of students share reflections on trust, breaking down walls and masks, suffering, relationships, and faith and service. The weekend offers time for small group discussions, personal reflection, communal prayer, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Mass.

Zak Kinsey, a sophomore in geography from Shawnee, Kan., said Pathways provided the perfect opportunity to escape his hectic college life to focus on faith.

“Pathways helped me in ways that are indescribable. It gave me a better understanding of God and His love for me. It taught me to really see myself and others the way God sees us and to love the way He does,” Kinsey said.

While the weekend is focused on God’s love, there were plenty of opportunities to laugh and meet new friends. Laura Rose, a freshman in social work from Wichita, Kan., said she enjoyed the laid back and comfortable environment of Pathways.

“We all had the opportunity to build friendships with their foundation on Christ. We had a chance to grow together, cry together, witness love together, and pray together,” Rose said. “It was amazing.”

Reilly went on Pathways two years ago and served on the staff last year. She said Pathways came into her life at the perfect time, and she hopes every student will consider attending in the future.

“To give up a weekend to go on Pathways is to spend a weekend focused on what really matters in life: glorifying God. To attend Pathways is to find a family that will continue to support you as you chase the cross,” Reilly said.

For many students, Pathways is a life-changing experience. Caitlyn Romero, a junior in animal science and pre-veterinary medicine from Tucumcari, New Mexico, said it was amazing to be around other students who are passionate about the Catholic faith.

“Pathways really led to a few revelations for me. I learned how important forgiveness of others and yourself really is. I learned how wonderful we all are – just as God made us. I feel now that I can truly accept God’s will and can work towards following His plans rather than my own,” Romero said.