DIOCESAN NEWS
03/05/10
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'Prodigal story’ resonates with college students
By Fabvienen Taylor
        DURANT — The inspiration for the theme of the 2010 diocesan campus ministry retreat, “Lessons on Love — Our Prodigal Story,” came to Fran Lavalle last summer.
On private retreat at the time, Lavalle, diocesan director of campus ministry for the Diocese of Jackson, read Henri Nouwen’s book, “The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming.”
        Nouwen, she said, wrote the book after studying Rembrandt’s painting from the parable and then analyzing each character.
        “We often identify with the first son, the prodigal, who left and came back,” said Lavalle on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Holmes County State Park, during the lunch break at the Friday-Sunday retreat.
        But Nouwen goes on to explain, she said, how at times, “we can see ourselves in each of the roles from the parable, not only the prodigal son, but also the son who stayed and is resentful of the love the father shows for the son who left, squandered everything and then returned.”
        Lavelle said Nouwen breaks down all three roles to enable his readers to reflect on and see themselves in each of them.
        “Nouwen’s epiphany was (the thought that), in our lives we are all the characters in the painting but hopefully, we eventually become like the father who is capable of loving without having an expectation of getting something in return.”
        After the retreat theme was decided upon, Lavelle and the retreat planners lined up speakers to talk about a character from the parable.
        “During this retreat we want the students to reflect on all perspectives, all aspects of the story of the prodigal son. We are trying to give them something tangible with each talk. And then we give them an activity to flesh out what they learned,” she said.
        After each talk the students formed small groups and were encouraged to talk about any realization or inspiration they got from it.
        “That way they are not just sitting there saying to themselves, ‘Wasn’t that a nice talk,’ and then forgetting about it. We want them to discuss how to put their thoughts into action,” Lavelle said.
        About 55 students and six adults from four universities attended the retreat.
        Half of the students were from Mississippi State University (MSU) in Starkville where Lavelle has been campus minister for over a decade.
        The rest of the students were from Delta State University (DSU) in Cleveland, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in Hattiesburg and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford.
        Lavelle noted the coincidence of six sets of siblings from different campuses attending a retreat where sibling issues were a major part of the discussion.
        “I just love the theme of this retreat,” said USM senior Hannah Bolner, 21, who urged her younger sister, 19-year-old MSU freshman Sarah, to attend. The sisters last saw each other at Christmas.
        “It just rings clear with everybody but especially siblings,” Hannah said. “We are close but we have our normal sibling rivalry, little fights, that kind of thing.”
        When Sarah read about this year’s retreat and its theme, she thought of Hannah.
        “Sometimes I’m mean to Hannah. I want to better our relationship. When I found out she would be here I got excited because we could do this together,” she said.
        Andrew Brennan, 22, said all of his eight sisters and brothers seem to be on the right path as far as their relationships, education, careers and other things are concerned.
        “But I am sure, now and again, we have all gone down a wrong path and then returned and asked for forgiveness,” said the USM graduate student.
        “I know at times I have felt a sense of entitlement, a feeling I deserved something. But later I realized in was just random weakness or pride.”
        His younger brother, Joey, 21, a USM junior, planned to attend the spring retreat before he found out Andrew would be there too.
        “I went to the fall retreat and it was spiritually overwhelming. I really liked it so I decided to come to this one as well,” he said. “It was good also to be able to see my brother.”
        The atmosphere at the retreats makes Joey feel comfortable about expressing not only things in his life he has overcome, but how to spiritually relate to those experiences.
        “I feel free to communicate and I am open to the thinking of others,” he said.
        “Anyone can come to this retreat. All faiths are welcome and all perspectives. Everyone here is learning something. Even the more experienced people can learn from the younger people here,” Joey said.
        Bert Picard, 27, and his wife, Leigh, were at the retreat as volunteers for the group from DSU.
        “I was a prodigal son,” he said. “There was a time in my life when I veered off, when I wasn’t very involved with the church and I didn’t have a relationship with God. But I came back and I have really taken steps to get my relationship right with God.”
        His sister Jessica, 23, a MSU senior, thought differently about the prodigal son theme.
        “I was thinking about forgiveness and how we all, in our family, love each other. And how, at the time when people are trying to help, you may not want it. You may think of it as interfering in your life. But then you realize, we’re family and we’re going to love and forgive each other.”
        Their sister, Natalie Picard Hardesty, 25, and husband Darrin, 23, also volunteered with the DSU group.
        “It is all about love,” she said. “We know the most important thing is to help each other to get to heaven. It is about what we can bring to each other when one of us may be lost.”
        In the Jackson diocese, campus mininstry programs receive funding from the annual Catholic Service Appeal (CSA) collection/pledge scheduled Saturday and Sunday, May 1-2.
        “One Family in Christ” is the 2010 theme of the CSA.
        Other areas receiving funds are: priest retirement/clergy assistance, Catholic Charities, evangelization, seminarian education, and mission parishes and schools.

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