Editor’s Note: Many delegates from the Diocese of Trenton who attended the Convocation of Catholic Leaders July 1-4 in Orlando, Fla., took time to write heartfelt reflections upon their return home. Following, Jeff Schaffer, director of Campus Ministry for Georgian Court University, Lakewood, shares his thoughts.

By Jeff Schaffer

Attending the Convocation of Catholic Leaders was a truly enriching experience.  As a member of the delegation from the Diocese, I had the opportunity to meet servant leaders from around the Diocese and across the nation.  I met lay, religious and ordained ministers serving at chanceries, universities, parishes, and a vast array of other ministries – all serving God’s family with commitment and joy.  

What inspired me most was the fact at each of these leaders had responded to Pope Francis’ call to become missionary disciples:  to share, by word and deed, the joy of our encounter with Jesus.   The joy of this encounter was evident in the good humor, the positive energy and the beauty of our time together.  The convocation was an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to energize the Church to live its mission more authentically.

One of the speakers that most inspired me was Dr. Carolyn Woo, who until recently served as the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services.  CRS carries out the commitment of the U.S. Bishops to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. It is motivated by the Gospel of Jesus to foster charity, and embody Catholic social teaching.   Dr. Woo spoke of evangelization as making God’s love real.  She insisted that we make that love concrete by the way we listen, the way we serve, and the way we spend our lives for others.  This necessarily includes care for the poor and marginalized.

Indeed, in “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope Francis says that “to evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in our world” (par 176).  He insists that “each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society” (par 187).

As the director of campus ministry at Georgian Court University, the convocation helped me to better appreciate the connection between our university’s mission and that of our Church.  Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, service and justice are at the core of our identity.  Our mission statement speaks of our desire to nurture in students “the will to translate concern for social justice into action.”   Put simply, GCU seeks to make God’s love real by building the kingdom of God.

For example, the university recently began a student organization called Salt and Light.  This new group of energetic students is affiliated with Catholic Relief Services through their Student Ambassadors Program.  These students are committed to advancing global justice, peace and human dignity.  They have advocated for the fair treatment of workers, care for immigrants and the protection of the environment.  After just a few months, they have already made an impact.  They are evangelizers who make God’s love a little more concrete for those who suffer injustice. 

We have been reminded by Pope Francis that we are all missionary disciples.  As a Church that has encountered the Lord and experienced his abundant love, we are to share the joy of the Gospel with all people, including those on the margins.