Group Synthesis Essay

Intro (at least 5 pages)
Why Culture was Chosen
Our group chose St Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center for many reasons. On the surface, it was an easy group to research. From the beginning of the project our group showed interested in learning more about a certain religion. St Stephen's was not only an easily accessible resource in location and inside connections, but also one that was known to be very accepting and understanding. It also tends to deviate from the usual Catholic norms, which presented a unique opportunity of study for those of us who knew very little about Catholicism and for those who had had experience with other Catholic churches. St Stephen had a wide variety of events at different times throughout the week to accommodate our separate schedules. It was an organization that satisfied the needs and interests of the group, but also served a greater purpose.
There were some deeper meanings for us choosing St Stephens. Our research question was based on the idea that we have preconceptions when it comes to Catholicism (or any religion). As Juleen and Trevor Buser state in their article “Qualitative Investigation of Student Reflections on a
Spiritual/Religious Diversity Experience,” these “preconceptions were often described as negative” (166). We often fear what we do not understand, and according to the Busers there is “uneasiness that often accompanies gains in multicultural competence” (166), especially when it comes to “spiritual diversity experience[s]” (162). Our goal was to push past our apprehension and learn possible alternatives to our opinions, and St Stephen gave us that opportunity. We knew it was going to be unlike what we usually think of as Catholic, and one of the best ways to move beyond those beliefs is to witness them first hand.
One of the benefits to experiencing a new culture first hand is the intense and influential connections that are made.
Learning about a culture this way gives the lessons more integrity and makes them more real for the participants than being taught the lessons out of context (Juleen and Trevor Buser 167). The Busers describe throughout their article how “cultural immersion experiences [are] unique in that they provide a venue for interpersonal learning” (167). There is a special kind of knowledge that comes from participating in and experiencing something new and unexpected. By attending mass or meeting and conversing with people in St Stephens, we were able to not only present an interesting new perspective of practicing the Catholic faith, but also develop on a deeper, personal
level.
Brief Cultural Background The Catholic Church’s beginning is very hard to trace. Some argue that it started with the teaching from Jesus himself. Others say that it has always been; this can be true for them because they consider themselves the “church.” To the people that believe this, the church is a group and not a faith or a building. With these things taken into account, it is well-known that Jesus is the main character in the Bible (and in the lives of most Christians). In the Bible, Jesus is crucified by the Roman soldiers for being a “false prophet.” Christians in general believe that Jesus died for their sins (wrongdoings) and by doing so has cleansed humankind. The Catholic belief has a lot of differences from other denominations of the same religion. Heading into the 1900’s, the church started to become more diverse with “black churches” now being accepted in society. Segregation made it extremely difficult for both ethnic groups to be educated in the same ways. More of the Catholic views are being questioned in this time period than those in the past. People are becoming more educated; with education comes a variety of questions. Moving into the 50’s women started playing a bigger role in the religion. They would often be used in Sunday school because women had more likelihood to be school teachers. While there are a lot of things that have changed over time for Catholics, most of their beliefs have stayed the same.
First Impressions (Katie) (all)
Maggie
From the moment I walked into St Stephens I felt at ease. The church is small and intimate, and everyone was very friendly. No one judges, whether you are a regular member or you’ve never been there before. Even the priest, Father Ken Glaser, welcomed my group member and I and talked to us for a little while. Before the service groups of students were chatting with their friends and laughing in the lobby. Some people were curious to what we were doing, and cordially asked questions. Everyone was very accepting, and before long my partner and I were invited to join the procession to start mass. Throughout the mass we were treated as equals, which made the whole experience very warm, enjoyable and meaningful. Jackie I usually feel awkward and unwelcome when I attend a different church. However, this church was warm and the congregation was very friendly and welcoming. The priest visited with me and my group member before the service started and gave us a little introduction and just informed us of what was going to happen. Once we got into the chapel it was very quiet and everyone was either praying or sitting by themselves. Katie
The initial moments of being in St. Stephens were out of my element as I normally do not attend any church services, and have never been involved in one. Once I entered the chapel, the Father elaborated more on what was going to take place during a typical daily mass, as well as took the time to show me through the book that would follow the service to make sure I understood what was going to be taking place. My first impressions of Daily mass is that it was a short ritual, lasting roughly half an hour, as not many people were in attendance. Twelve people were there during my visit, most of which were adults, with a few scattered college-aged students. After Mass had ended, the Father met with me in the lobby, and asked if there were any questions for him regarding either St. Stephen's or the church itself. St. Stephens was overall very accepting and tolerant of new faces, as well as open and willing to clarify any questions or confusions. Justin
I was fairly comfortable going into the church. I know how to effectively communicate with others, and I made my intentions clear to Father Ken right away. I went into his office and asked if I would be disturbing anything by sitting in. He invited me right away to sit and even participate. I did my interview before Mass started so that I could be a part of a group going in. During Mass, I felt at ease and it went smoothly for about 45 minutes. Then it was over; I met with the group of people after and talked for a little while. I was very impressed how open they all were to new people joining in and leaving.
McKenzy
I personally come from a traditional Catholic based household and I was very curious to see how and if at all the environment, traditions, and scriptures scriptures of a student based Catholic church differ. It was apparent when I first walked it that the environment itself was very different to the standard Catholic church I knew. I immediately felt welcomed when I was greeted at the door with a warm smile. Since the church is located on campus the majority of the congregation is college students, which allows laid back conversations in the lobby before mass begins. Maggie and I were approached by Jessica Sandy, one of the Social Justice Peer Ministers that works at St Stephen's, and offered to participate in the Ash Wednesday mass by carrying up the incense. It really showed me the openness of the community and the notion that all are welcome. The scriptures themselves were very easy to understand and the mass allowed me take time and self reflect. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience at St Stephen’s and plan on returning again.