What do you make of FOCUS - Fellowship of Catholic University Students?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ericcantona71
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

ericcantona71

Guest
What do people make of this group?

focusonline.org/

I ask because I am thinking of working for them, but wonder if they are solidly Catholic.
 
I would say that FOCUS is pretty darn solid, having gone to a FOCUS National Conference this past January, going to school where a FOCUS team is present, and having interviewed for a staff position myself 😃 . All staff members are required to make a profession of faith and take an oath of fidelity to the Magisterium and the Church.

Now, that being said (and since this is posted in the TC forum), if your definition of “solid” equals “traditional” the answer is slightly different. FOCUS is concerned with orthodox, but not necessarily traditional. Yes, you will find praise and worship in FOCUS. Yes, you will find FOCUS appreciating Novus Ordo. In fact, I think I actually asked this question during the interview weekend, regarding how FOCUS deals with the variety within the faith (the P&W, the Traditionalists, chant-lovers, charismatics, etc.). Their response (if I remember correctly) was pretty much “We’re concerned with orthodoxy. All of those have a place within the faith, and as long as they remain orthodox and faithful to the Church, we accept it.”

But the bottom line is: I will say that FOCUS is quite orthodox and “solid”, at least given my experience. If you’re interested in a staff position, I strongly recommend it (esp. if you’re a guy, since they need guys) - the only caveat is that their “recruiting” happens mainly in the winter/springtime. Hope that helps!
 
marchoi said:
I would say that FOCUS is pretty darn solid, having gone to a FOCUS National Conference this past January, going to school where a FOCUS team is present, and having interviewed for a staff position myself 😃 . All staff members are required to make a profession of faith and take an oath of fidelity to the Magisterium and the Church.

Now, that being said (and since this is posted in the TC forum), if your definition of “solid” equals “traditional” the answer is slightly different. FOCUS is concerned with orthodox, but not necessarily traditional. Yes, you will find praise and worship in FOCUS. Yes, you will find FOCUS appreciating Novus Ordo. In fact, I think I actually asked this question during the interview weekend, regarding how FOCUS deals with the variety within the faith (the P&W, the Traditionalists, chant-lovers, charismatics, etc.). Their response (if I remember correctly) was pretty much “We’re concerned with orthodoxy. All of those have a place within the faith, and as long as they remain orthodox and faithful to the Church, we accept it.”

But the bottom line is: I will say that FOCUS is quite orthodox and “solid”, at least given my experience. If you’re interested in a staff position, I strongly recommend it (esp. if you’re a guy, since they need guys) - the only caveat is that their “recruiting” happens mainly in the winter/springtime. Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Great thanks for your thoughts, this is real helpful…

Some questions:

You said you applied for a post, may I ask, if you are in the know, are their positions salaried? Do they pay ok?

Do you have to apply for a specific post, or should I just send a resume and allow them to place me?

Thanks again.
 
Well, to address the issue of salary first… The staff (known as missionaries - and for a good reason) are required to fundraise their own salaries. This is usually the biggest concern for most applicants, and rightly so. The idea is that every missionary will develop a support network of “mission partners” who, because they support the mission but are unable to commit the time or the energy, choose to contribute financially to support the missionary. Yeah, it’s a challenge, I suppose, considering that’s indirectly the reason for my not accepting a staff position - my parents nixed the idea once they learned I had to fundraise my own salary. But the idea is that the Lord will provide. Yes, you can’t expect to be living a luxurious life, but I have yet to hear of a missionary who wasn’t fundraising enough to live an adequate life.

Secondly, with regards to the actual application… FOCUS operates out of several regions (East, West, Great Plains, etc.) and you apply to the specific region in which you live. Generally speaking, in February-ish there is a Regional Interview Weekend where they have a number of applicants come together and spend the weekend in interviews, prayer, fellowship, etc. There’s an application form you fill out, as well as two references you need. Filling out the application is itself quite an exercise - it makes you really reflect on your faith. Now, I have heard of “early hires” who did the entire interview process before the interview weekend. I’m not sure how they pulled it off - probably because they were students at schools where FOCUS was already present.

The reason for their timing is that, being a college ministry, they have summer training (part boot camp, part retreat, part grad school in their own words) and then “report” to their assigned campuses for the school year. So if you’re looking into doing FOCUS this upcoming school year, it’d probably be too late to apply. But you could contact FOCUS and inquire as to whether you could apply for the next school year (2009 - 2010). Also, there is a two-year commitment for FOCUS, as well as a first-year dating fast.

Hope this helps!
 
Any idea whether missionaries (who are not on their first year dating fast) can date students?
 
Wow this is an old thread!

I have found FOCUS to be wonderful. We contributed to one missionary from our home parish and now contribute to the FOCUS team at our daughter’s school. Very orthodox and devout.

As for dating students, I think that is a very bad idea while you are an active missionary at that school. If you were already dating before you FOCUS assignment, that’s one thing, but to look around at the girls/boys on campus and seek out someone to date sounds like a recipe for trouble!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top