Franciscan University Visit

During my spring break last March I went for an overnight campus visit to the very Catholic Franciscan University of Steubenville. Quite a long drive to Ohio but well worth the distance. Mom and I entered Steubenville late that night and wanted to see where the school was before checking into our hotel. Fortunately, we found it very quickly and were surprised at the sight of the campus.

A sign pointed upward. Neither of us expected it to be on top of a hill. I had expected a school at a common level, but being up away from the rest of the town was actually a plus instead of a minus. In this way you're totally in Franciscan and free from the distractions of the world, so you are Christ-centered.

What an impressive school! Imagine a Catholic university where each year the professors take an oath of fidelity to the Church. Prospective students, parents, and guardians can rest assure that they will only be instructed in the truth of the faith.

Daily is mass is offered four times a day and guess what? Students and faculty actually attend! It's celebrated reverently in a pretty chapel filled with people. By no means is this boring, for in the reverence one is surrounded by the beauty of the mystery of God. A little Latin is even sung, so we have a taste of the past.

Throughout my stay there I noticed how Eucharistic centered the campus was. In the multiple daily masses, the small chapels in each residence hall where adoration takes place, and in the Portiuncula. The Portiuncula is chapel built that was remodeled after a church that St. Francis of Assisi restored and the place of the founding of the friars and clothing of St. Clare as a nun. Such a beautiful place for Eucharistic adoration! Other places for prayer include the outdoor stations of the cross, the grotto built in honor of Our Lady, and a tomb of the unborn which is in sorrowful memory of five aborted babies.

I got to sit in on a theology and catechetics (religious education class) that I must say are very impressive. Franciscan is the perfect place to study such subjects. The pre-theology program is top notch and the catechetics major is the best in the country. My mom and I even got to take a tour of the set where the television show "Franciscan University Presents" is filmed for EWTN. Another interesting thing about the school is that one can join what are called households-- a group of peers that come together for prayer, socialization, etc. Each has its own charism whether it be Our Lady, a saint, etc. They become like a home away from home for an individual.

The pro-life movement is absolutely huge at this school and there is no doubt that it is Catholic. The only place more Catholic than Franciscan University of Steubenville is the Vatican. A very different environment than my current secular college to say the least. When you pray no one thinks you're weird or gives you strange looks. Heck, they may even join you. Not that Franciscan students are holier than thou. They act like ordinary people; hang out, have fun, get involved in non-religious activities on campus, watch movies, etc. They're not perfect little angels, but they certainly do put their faith first in their lives. You may even encounter a religious sister in a classroom or spot a Franciscan friar strolling around campus. If I do attend, I'll be in a safe environment filled with people with the same set of values as me. About 2,400 undergraduate students where the classes tend to be smaller, students get the personal attention needed and are not just one of hundreds in a room.

The school's motto is, "academically challenging, passionately Catholic." Believe me, it lives up to it. So if you're looking for a rock solid Catholic campus, Franciscan University of Steubenville is the place to be.