The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:25
The Warmest Welcome
Going to the Newman Center is like going back inside your warm house after playing in the snow. Playing outside is nice for a while, but then you get too cold and wet to stay in the snow for any longer. So you come inside your home into the warmth where you can rest with your loved ones and feel yourself again.
My first visit to the Newman Center is one that I’ll never forget because from the moment I opened the door, I felt surrounded by warmth and welcome.
At first, the chapel was the only place in the Newman Center where I would go, but one day after Mass, I heard an announcement about a women’s night that would take place at the Newman Center in the lounge. As a freshman looking for some Catholic fellowship and some ladies to be friends with and grow in faith with, I decided to go to women’s night.
I made a short trek from one of the dance studios to the Newman Center one September evening. It was cold and dark and I didn’t know what to expect from this women’s night. I also didn’t know anyone there, but I didn’t let that stop me. I actually didn’t even know which door to go in until a girl named Stephanie who quickly became one of my first Newman Center friends showed me where to go in.
I remember vividly how I felt the second I opened the door to the Newman Center that evening. The cold was quickly replaced by warmth, and I couldn’t help but smile as I felt the much-needed heat. When I heard the chatter and laughter of about two dozen women, and when a few women met me at the door to welcome me and introduce themselves, I knew that I was home. I immediately felt welcomed and wanted in that place. From the moment I opened the door, I felt happy and at peace. I spent that evening helping to make snacks and meeting other Catholic ladies navigating college with the Lord.
Becoming my Second Home
The Newman Center became a special place to me that night, and I knew from that moment that it would be my second home full of hospitality and people who loved me and cared about me.
The Newman Center has been one of my biggest blessings throughout my college years. It’s always warm, welcoming, and full of people that I love. It’s my favorite place to go after a long day. I know that at the Newman Center, I always have a place to study or relax. There’s always tea and coffee and snacks. There are comfy couches to nap on. There are always friends to study with, eat dinner with, hang out with, or pray with.
Most of all, I can always spend time with the Lord in the Newman Center. In the big Mass chapel or in the tiny Adoration chapel, I know that I can always come home to Jesus and spend as much time with Him as I need. I can easily find the Lord in everything that goes on in the Newman Center. When we gather for Mass, for our Rock Catholic meetings, for Bible studies, or just to talk about life, He’s there and He’s pleased that we came together to help each other run towards Heaven.
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The Place I’ll Miss the Most
Out of every place in Slippery Rock, I love the Newman Center the most. It’s the place that I’ll miss the most when I graduate in just a few months. It truly has become my second home, and I’m so grateful to have a place that has become so special to me that it’ll be so difficult to leave.
This blog post is dedicated to everyone I’ve met because of the Newman Center at Slippery Rock University. Thank you for your friendship, hospitality, and love in what has become my beloved second home. You and the Newman Center will always have a special place in my heart.
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