Making a Home in Little Rome

The Catholic University of America (CUA) is often referred to as “Little Rome” and reasonably so. Between the DC and National Basilica tourists, the priests and religious who either teach or study on campus, and the college students who are here from all walks of life, there are many different groups of people all packed into one campus.

There are many joys about life at St John Paul II Seminary, and campus life is definitely included in the package. Oftentimes guys will mention the fraternity within the seminary as one of the greatest joys, and it’s true. There’s simply no replacement for the brotherhood we have. So, when I go onto campus and make friends, I do not see them as a sort of ‘fallback friend group’ when I want a break from spending time with the guys here. The friendships on campus do not replace the bonds shared with my brother seminarians. So why is it so great having friendships on campus?

I love spending time with the friends I have made on campus for several reasons. For one, a lot of them are funny or athletic. Some have truly gifted minds and talk about thought-provoking topics. Some have incredible backgrounds or hobbies and tell cool stories. But really, if that was all I was after, I could just be with the guys in house. There’s something different about spending time with people on campus because each of them reveals a different part of God’s heart in a way that no one else in the history of the world will ever or has ever revealed. It is such a joy encountering the living God within His sons and daughters. My friends are people whose gifts and love of the Lord help me to be more joyful and inspire me to love the Lord more. There’s no doubt my CUA friends and I have a lot of fun together, but we are also encouraging one another through each of our individual gifts and personalities to love the Lord more.

In addition to making friends on campus, life at Catholic University has another dimension to it. Catholic U’s campus is also a mission field. I think all of my brother seminarians can relate to the walk onto campus and being moved at how many people are clearly longing for love, ultimately for God’s love. We can see this emptiness because we’ve seen it in our hearts as well. However, we have met the One who heals hearts, but not everyone there has. Hence the mission work. Whether I am talking to someone who does not have a prayer life or to someone who goes to daily Mass, I desire for them to burn even more with love of God and to be more aware of how much He loves them. I hope Catholic University will be known as a place filled with students confident in their identity as beloved sons and daughters of the King. When I walk onto campus, I want to help bring that about by being someone who is clearly marked by the presence of God. This only happens through His grace and mercy, but through it, we are missionaries walking on that campus.

Between the friendships that make the University feel like a home and the mission work that orients us toward our Heavenly home, campus life is a blessing from God and one that I hope has not passed me by. Thank you, God, for the gift of Catholic U!

Jack Domark is a College II seminarian for the Diocese of Richmond