Nick Jost
July 25, 2019
Mat Wenzel
ENC 2135
How to Cure Depression
My name is Nick Jost and I am a catholic student at FSU. There are a lot of active Catholic students at this campus, which is what I am used to since a lot of teenagers in my hometown were very active in their faith and the church. The realization about my involvement, or rather little involvement, in my faith inspired me to make a change when I got to college. Upon looking for a way to deepen my faith, I stumbled upon Florida State’s Catholic Student Union (CSU) at orientation. The members who were at the CSU booth were all extremely amicable and welcoming. From this encounter, I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me to not only grow in my faith, but to meet new people with similar interests that I could create lasting friendships with through my time at FSU. The priest, who had been at the booth, suggested that we go to mass the first Sunday that we got up here.
The CSU does most of their activities and religious events at a nearby Catholic church, St. Thomas More. I will never forget the first time I visited this church. Walking into the church, you look straight forward and see the altar about 100 feet from the door. The familiar smell of burning incense filled my nostrils as I dipped my fingertips into the Holy water to bless myself. Leading up to the altar, there are maybe 25 rows of pews. Behind the altar is a massive crucifix that is absolutely breathtaking; hung on the polished wooden wall. On each side of the crucifix are statues of Mary and Joseph, which are actually quite large and magnificent themselves. The altar has a row of seats on each side of it- one where parishioners can sit and the other is for the choir. As soon as I noticed this section, I heard the voices of about 20 people start to harmonize and a piano being played quickly but calmly. Finally, there are stained glass windows that run from the bottom to the top of the walls, which is a beautiful sight to see. The church is not small either. It is maybe 40 feet high, full of these windows. I even stood at the base of one of them at the end of mass and looked up towards the ceiling; it was like an illusion. In my opinion, these windows are what really make this specific church so unique and special. The thought had hit me that this was truly one of the most beautiful churches I have seen in my life as I sat down for the service.
After mass, I stayed and talked to a few of the people who attended the same mass. All of them said they loved the parish and the pastor, which was not surprising. Some current FSU students who attend the church also talked to me and one of them even told me about a mission trip they had taken to Jamaica earlier in the year. This is exactly the kind of community that I would like to be a part of: one that gives back to the community and one that is religion-based. It was at this moment that I knew the CSU was a community that I would love to be a part of. I quickly rushed home to get in contact with someone from the Union. The president of CSU, Delsie Borgen had been emailing me prior to this day since I had met her at orientation. I asked to set up an interview with her and she ended up redirecting me to the vice president of the CSU, Jae Williams. Through emailing Jae, I set up a time and place where we could do an interview.
In order to get a full understanding of what the CSU was about, I thought it was not only appropriate to ask Jae about the good parts of the Union, but also about the weaknesses of this community. Luckily, he was very willing to do the interview and tell me anything I needed to know. I met Jae at the library and attempted to discover as much as possible about the Union solely from our interview. Jae informed me that he was from Tallahassee and learned about CSU through his own family and friends who had previously been a part of it. He also mentioned that he, like myself, joined the community in order to “grow in faith, I want to be pushed, I want to be able to walk this walk with people who have similar values and similar goals,” (Williams). This statement meant a lot to me because I was never fully able to connect with many other Catholic people my age since I attended public school. I felt a true connection to Jae’s scenario and the Union when he told me his reasons for joining. Jae, throughout the interview up to this point, raved about the CSU and all of its benefits. He seemed very confident in the CSU, which was refreshing. However, I knew there had to be some sort of drawback; the community, in this moment sounded too good to be true. To try and get some real information from him, I asked Jae “If you could change one thing about the community, what would it be?” (Williams). He hesitated but answered “I would like to see us more involved on campus,” (Williams). Growing up in a Christian-majority town where people went door-to-door preaching “the word of Jesus,” it was only expected that I take his answer the wrong way. However, he quickly eased my mind by saying “I’m not the kind of guy to preach hell, fire, and damnation to anyone who doesn’t follow God. I just want to get to know everybody,” (Williams). So, I had my answer. The CSU was not as active on FSU’s campus as they were at the off-campus church or other events in Tallahassee, which came as a surprise, since the community is based around its student-majority body consisting of students from FSU, TCC, and FAMU.
Something that Jae said after this had really caught my attention. He explained to me that you do not have to be Catholic to be a part of this community. In fact, the CSU is accepting of anyone of any religion, even atheists. I asked him “Isn’t it nice to be able to connect with other young adults who are Catholic and have similar interests?” (Williams). His response really caught me off-guard. He said to me “Oh hold on. Not everyone who is in the Union is Catholic, you know. We accept people who are Protestant, Jewish, atheist you name it,” (Williams). Although completely unexpected, it actually put a smile on my face. His remark reminded me of an article that I had recently read online about how accepting Catholics are of Islam. The author of the article said something that I would have never expected to hear from an American Catholic. She said that Catholics should have such a mutual respect with Muslims because they “worship the one God, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty…” (Okwara) exactly like Catholics. Growing up in America, especially being born around the time of 9/11, I was always taught to not hate Muslims, but to be wary of them. Obviously, as I grew older, I learned that this was simply a stereotype and I have nothing to worry about. However, Jae’s words really shocked me at the time of the interview, and I appreciated that the CSU is so open and welcoming to anybody, no matter their beliefs. From his answer, I was eager to go to a CSU meeting and be able to connect with these students from other backgrounds. The CSU is also very supportive towards students that have psychological stress or mental health issues that can result from college. I asked Jae, “Are there any support groups within the Union that help out financially unstable students or anything like that?” (Williams). He replied with “There are a few support groups that meet in the church’s parish hall that usually help out students who suffer from depression and anxiety, or anything of that nature. The students that I’ve spoken to that have attended these meetings usually seem to be doing pretty well after the first few meetings,” (Williams). This was very important to hear, especially since I suffered from depression in high school from being overworked. This is a time in my life when I really turned to religion to help me get through school and further. From religion, I became a happier person and I excelled in academics. This is not just for me either. There was a study done by Santa Clara University came to the conclusion that there is a “benefit of religious faith on mental and physical health outcomes,” (Plante). The author does mention that there is a clear nationwide issue of stress and mental health problems directly linked to college work. However, this study took participants from over 342 universities, both religious and non-religious, and the results showed that religious students had a more optimistic, positive outlook on life, which in turn, makes them more mentally healthy and much less likely to become suicidal or depressed. Overall, Plante believes that the rate of depressed or mentally unhealthy college students in America could decrease drastically if they took some part in religious activities. So, hearing this from Jae really meant a lot to me in this sense. Lastly, Jae told me that St. Thomas More, partnered with the CSU, raise a ton of money for less fortunate and for good causes. Most of the money that the church collects goes towards people who need the money, which is why I personally believe that donating to the poor is one of the things the Catholic church is the best at. This is supported by an online source I found that claims that Catholics are willing to do anything they can to help out the poor in any way possible (Clydesdale). The author specifically mentions that “In recent years, studies have shown that Catholic churches have an increased tolerance for the less fortunate shown by the increasing amount of funds each year donated to various charities and programs,” (Clydesdale). Besides collecting money at the masses, the CSU is active off-campus in fundraisers like a carwash that I saw the Union held last year that donated the collected money to a local homeless shelter. I used to do a lot of volunteer work like this back home, which I actually thoroughly enjoyed, so obviously I was all on board for volunteering with the CSU here to help out anyone that needs it.
What important texts exist in this community that I am drawn toward? A prevalent working text that I researched in this community is the Scripture, or verses from the Bible. However, this is very specific Scripture. At the beginning and end of every CSU meeting, the priest or leader of the meeting will read a verse from the Bible that relates to that specific meeting. These verses are never very long, but they are always deep in meaning. This is an important text not only because our religion is based around the Bible, but also because the priest makes the Scripture seem alive. Not only this, but all of the masses held at the church are based around the Bible and its readings. Verses from the Bible that are read by the priest at our meetings or mass always teach members morals and how to live as better Catholics. I believe that this is one of the most important parts of the Union itself. What makes this text a working text is how we, as members of the Union, carry out the message that the Bible tells. We are supposed to act in our best manner and live as genuinely good people, because that is what God created us for. In the eyes of Catholics, the Bible is God’s direct message to us on how to live as good Catholics and it feels really personal. This text is the perfect reinforcement of morals, which shapes the members of the CSU in a way where we all can live according to God’s plan. However, there is a text quite possibly even more important that the Bible. This working text is prayer. Not a day goes by in my life that I do not pray, and the CSU is huge on praying with everything we do. Before we eat during our Wednesday meetings, we always pray, as well as praying to open and close each meeting. Praying along with other members of the CSU is really bonding and empowering to me. Whenever, I feel down or upset, I just close my eyes and pray for a minute, because even when no one else is there for me, I know that God always is. Prayer is a very important piece of my religion that I cannot go a day without. Even my youth group back home did not pray as much as the CSU. I consider myself lucky that I was able to stumble upon a community that I can express my religion in freely.
There are a few genres found within this community that I was able to identify. One of the most important, in my opinion, is the CSU’s official Instagram account, which could be considered a collage, since there are photos of everything relating to the Union. This is also a digital location of the Union, because anyone can get a good understanding of the CSU’s activities and goals purely based on this social media account. The owner of this account uses ethos to appeal to a younger audience and show them specific This account helps the CSU reach out to younger Catholics out there who would like to be more involved in the church. A lot of the account consists of pictures of FSU students doing various activities around campus and taking part in religious events that the Union holds. This community takes part in marches, holds retreats for students looking to deepen their faith, take mission trips to foreign countries, and many other activities that draw everyone closer together as a community. Every member has a smile on their faces in the pictures and looks happy to be a part of such a great community. This type of evangelization is one of the most prominent ways to grab the attention of Catholic youth and give them a feeling of belonging to this community. An article that I read online suggested that social media “can be used for dissemination of the Gospel,” (Nduka). The author of this article made multiple claims with regards to how effective using new media would be on the sudden drop in rates of youth identifying as religious.
Another notable genre from this community is an informative document, better known as a bulletin. The bulletin is also considered a working text since it allows everyone to know what is going on with the CSU and when their various events are. These bulletins are given out after every mass, and they provide a plethora of information regarding the CSU. This is such an important text in the community since it informs all of the members about the specific events and gives the itinerary of the CSU to maximize their participants. The bulletin is even reviewed at the end of the weekly meetings to ensure all members can take part in the multitude of events that CSU has to offer. A significant part of the bulletin is the priest’s column, which includes various stories, Bible verses, and announcements that are basically imperative for members of the CSU to read in order to keep updated with the parish and CSU as a whole.
There are a couple sources that I researched online prior to attending any of the CSU meetings so that I could learn a bit about the Union before going. One source was a video on YouTube of the 2017 men’s retreat where men of the Union went on a camping trip over the weekend and obviously incorporated religion into it. A clip from the video shows the members sitting around a bonfire singing songs and eventually the priest comes out and reads Scripture while the members roast marshmallows. This is exactly the type of activities I would love to partake in. I love camping and it would be great if I could grow in my faith at the same time. Another source that I looked at was the CSU’s Instagram account, which gave me a brief view of what I should expect from the CSU and I even looked to see if I recognized anyone in the photos, which I did not.
Overall, I truly believe that this was the perfect community for me to join, not only to become a more religious person, but to also meet a bunch of new people who are like me, go on adventurous trips, and volunteer to give back to the community. After attending Church numerous times and going to a few meetings, I can tell I will be very involved in the CSU for the rest of my college career and I will make my time there worth it. So far, I have met a ton of new people that I can tell I will have lasting friendships with and even met people that are so different than me that I get along with very well. I have no regrets in joining this community. I feel so fortunate not only that I was able to discover the Union and have them be more welcoming than anyone I have met in my life, but I see no flaws in this community. It seems like a dream that I can be myself around these other students and not get judged and I do not have to act like I am someone else. The CSU feels like home to me.
Works Cited
1. Williams, Jae. Personal Interview. 15 Jul. 2019
2. Okwara, MariaOlisaemeka Rosemary. “The Renewal and Reform of the Catholic Church’s Relationship with the Religious Others: Prospects and Challenges for a Theological Humanistic Turn in Christian‐Muslim Dialogue.” New Blackfriars, vol. 99, no. 1080, Mar. 2018, pp. 206–218. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/nbfr.12348.
3. Plante, Thomas G., et al. “The Association Between Strength of Religious Faith and Psychological Functioning.” Pastoral Psychology, vol. 48, no. 5, May 2000, pp. 405–412. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1023/A:1022040605141.
4. Clydesdale, Timothy T. “Toward Understanding the Role of Bible Beliefs and Higher Education in American Attitudes Toward Eradicating Poverty, 1964-1996.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 38, no. 1, Mar. 1999, pp. 103–118. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2307/1387587.
5. Nduka, Emmanuel-Lugard, and John McGuire. “The Effective Use of New Media in Disseminating Evangelical Messages Among Catholic College Students.” Journal of Media & Religion, vol. 16, no. 3, July 2017, pp. 93–103. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/15348423.2017.1361707.
Annotated Bibliography
1. Okwara, MariaOlisaemeka Rosemary. “The Renewal and Reform of the Catholic Church’s Relationship with the Religious Others: Prospects and Challenges for a Theological Humanistic Turn in Christian‐Muslim Dialogue.” New Blackfriars, vol. 99, no. 1080, Mar. 2018, pp. 206–218. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/nbfr.12348.
This article discusses the relationship between the Catholic Church and various other religions like Islam and Protestant forms of the Christian religion. It pays special recognition to Islam in the idea that it is a “vital religion,” (Okwara). Catholics look upon Muslims with dignity and respect because they “worship the one God, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty…” (Okwara). An important piece of information in this article is when Okwara talks about Catholic article author, Jacques Dupuis, is mentioned in the article, states that he believes that new age religions are starting to no longer be based on the theological idea that we are basically all part of God’s plan and he will grant us all salvation. Although these ideas challenge the traditional beliefs of Catholicism, most of these religions root their faith in God and have some sort of moral code.
2. Erickson, Debra. “Adjunct Unionization on Catholic Campuses: Solidarity, Theology, and Mission.” Journal of Moral Theology, vol. 8, Jan. 2019, pp. 51–74. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=136193840&site=ehost-live.
This article is about unionization of students on Catholic campuses. According to the author, Debra Erickson, Catholic campuses (private Catholic schools) are having problems with regards to participation of students in Catholic social teaching. Erickson refers to this problem as an “adjunct crisis” (Erickson). She claims that this is a direct result of the role of the religious faculty (priests, nuns, etc.) In the eyes of the author, there is a clear problem with the ratio of faculty to students. In fact, she mentions that for Catholic universities in the US, “fewer than 10 percent have faculty union representation,” (Erickson) and even cites the Catholic Labor Network, which is a reputable source. Another key point discussed in this article is a legal matter. Since these universities are exercising their right to religion, it is almost impossible for the unions to gain any legal recognition at all.
3. Nduka, Emmanuel-Lugard, and John McGuire. “The Effective Use of New Media in Disseminating Evangelical Messages Among Catholic College Students.” Journal of Media & Religion, vol. 16, no. 3, July 2017, pp. 93–103. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/15348423.2017.1361707.
This article is about spreading the Catholic message through a new way that the Catholic church has never seen before- modern technology. This is something that is aimed mostly at American Catholic youth because, as the author mentions, “the use of new media… can be used for dissemination of the Gospel,” (Nduka). Nduka refers to a survey done by the Pew Research Center about how more and more young people (30 and under) are losing belief in God. However, the author finds hope that this will start to rise again soon through spreading God’s message through modern means of communication like social media and television. Nduka even claims that “communication is not simply one dimension of evangelization,” but “without communication, there can be no evangelization,” (Nduka). Overall, the author believes that most effective method of spreading the message of God is for college students to use new media to evangelize and get the percentage of religious youth as high as it used to be.
4. Plante, Thomas G., et al. “The Association Between Strength of Religious Faith and Psychological Functioning.” Pastoral Psychology, vol. 48, no. 5, May 2000, pp. 405–412. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1023/A:1022040605141.
This article is about the relationship between religious faith in college students and their mental health. More specifically, a study done by Santa Clara University came to the conclusion that there is a “benefit of religious faith on mental and physical health outcomes,” (Plante). The author does mention that there is a clear nationwide issue of stress and mental health problems directly linked to college work. However, this study took participants from over 342 universities, both religious and non-religious, and the results showed that religious students had a more optimistic, positive outlook on life, which in turn, makes them more mentally healthy and much less likely to become suicidal or depressed. The author also mentions the procedure and methods of the study, which gives more information regarding the actual participants and how religion affected them based on their gender, age, race, etc. Overall, Plante believes that the rate of depressed or mentally unhealthy college students in America could decrease drastically if they took some part in religious activities.
5. Clydesdale, Timothy T. “Toward Understanding the Role of Bible Beliefs and Higher Education in American Attitudes Toward Eradicating Poverty, 1964-1996.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 38, no. 1, Mar. 1999, pp. 103–118. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2307/1387587.
This article is about the close relation of the Catholic church and helping out the poor. The author finds that this has some correlation to higher educated Catholics, and even, in particular, conservative Catholics. Clydesdale recognizes that those who are ideologically liberal hold the view that conservatism “reduces tolerance towards the poor,” (Clydesdale) due to the conservatives favoring capitalism. However, the claims of the author show a clear difference, even a polar opposite. Having a higher education usually is related to being more economically stable, which explains why they would not have a monetary issue with helping the poor. Another explanation for this is Catholic people mostly are ideologically conservative, based on their religious beliefs. A key point in this article is not only that Catholics are especially willing to help out the poor in any way possible, but also to find the causes of poverty and solve this national issue.
6. Union, Catholic Student. YouTube, YouTube, 14 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRnEuGLOlJU.
This video is about the men’s retreat from 2017 that was hosted by the Catholic Student Union. The retreat goes from Friday to Sunday and acts as an escape from the stressful life of a college student and even helps those who attend grow in their faith and have some fun while doing it. It is clear from this video that the men that went on this retreat all had a great time and enjoyed themselves. The group did numerous activities like hiking, praying, singing, having barbeques and even had mass services every night before bed. Even though there is a lot going on during the day, they do not fail to keep religion in the retreat. A priest even joins the men on their retreat and, from the video, it portrays that he reads Bible verses from time to time by the camp fire, while everyone is gathered around.
7. “Catholic Student Union at FSU (@Catholicnoles) • Instagram Photos and Videos.” Instagram, Catholic Student Union, 21 Sept. 2013, www.instagram.com/catholicnoles/?hl=en.
This source is the official Instagram account of the Catholic Student Union. It is evident that members of the union do a lot of travelling, not only for recreational purposes, but for religious purposes as well. One of the posts is a picture of the priest and two members of the union with their table set up at FSU orientation, which already gives a lot of information. All of them have smiles on their faces, which shows that they are willing to go out and find new members, with caring looks on their faces. Another post is a picture of a group of people playing the game, “tug of war.” Although they have competitive looks in their eyes, you can always see a smile on their faces and the enjoyment in their eyes as they take part in recreational games with their friends. Overall, the Instagram of the Union shows that the members are always having a good time in their activities and are always welcoming to everyone who wants to participate.