1. I serve to better
the community.
I serve others
because I want
to give people
hope and help
those in need.
I help others to
show appreciation.
Catholic Faith.
Welcoming Spirit.
2. Being Benedictine is about faith, service and living in community.
Benedictine University is a Roman Catholic university founded in the
Benedictine tradition. Being Catholic and being Benedictine is the identity
from which we draw strength and are encouraged to share our community
with Christians and people of other religions. We share in our common life
serving God together.
Community service is integral to the mission of University Ministry. Whether
it is reaching out to the poor and elderly of a small rural community,
encouraging students to participate in Service Immersion Experience trips
to some of the most destitute regions of the world or feeding the hungry
next door, University Ministry seeks to develop a concern for the well-being
of each person.
University Ministry is a welcoming place. We open our arms to students
of all religious traditions such as Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, Hindu, Sikh,
Christian – while at the same time encouraging our Catholic students to
deepen their Catholic identity and become active participants in their faith.
We provide opportunities for spiritual self-discovery and knowing God’s
blessings that we might share those with others.
By embracing our Catholic faith and living the Benedictine tradition,
University Ministry serves the spiritual, emotional and corporal needs of
students, faculty and staff. University Ministry extends God’s love to others
no matter who they are or where they find themselves in their faith journey.
Catholic Faith.
Welcoming Spirit.
University Ministry 1 2014-2015
Our faith guides us. Service to God and others drives us.
Living in community binds us.
3. University Ministry 2 2014-2015
St. Benedict of Nursia (circa 480-547)
St. Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy, a village high in the mountains
northeast of Rome. His parents sent him to Rome for classical studies, but
he found the life of the eternal city too worldly for
his tastes. Consequently, he fled to
Subiaco, southeast of Rome, where
he lived as a hermit for three years.
While in Subiano, St. Benedict was
discovered by a group of undisciplined
monks who prevailed upon him to
become their spiritual leader. They
soon grew weary of his rule and
plotted to poison him. When St.
Benedict blessed the pitcher of
poisoned wine, it broke into many
pieces. He soon parted ways with
these monks.
By the time he turned 50, St. Benedict had established 12 monasteries
with 12 monks each in an area south of Rome. In approximately 529, he
moved to Monte Cassino, about 80 miles southeast of Rome, where he
established his primary monastery.
It was at Monte Cassino that he wrote what would become known as
“The Rule of St. Benedict,” a practical guide to living a life in balance
– a life of virtue and true happiness. Nearly 1,500 years later, his Rule
continues to inspire and guide people of faith everywhere.
Benedictine University was established by the monks of St. Procopius
Abbey, a group of devout and dedicated men who follow the teachings
of St. Benedict.
Who is St. Benedict?
4. University Ministry 3 2014-2015
Worship
Daily Mass on Campus
Monday through Friday at 7:25 a.m.
and 12:00 p.m. in the St. Benedict
Chapel, located on the fourth floor of
the Kindlon Hall of Learning.
Sunday Student Mass
Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
in the St. Benedict Chapel.
St. Procopius Abbey Church
5601 College Rd., Lisle, IL
Sunday Masses are at 11:00 a.m.
Weekday Masses are at 4:50 p.m.
Reconciliation
Available 45 minutes prior to every Mass for 30 minutes. You may contact a
priest on campus or visit St. Procopius Abbey and ask for a confessor.
Special Liturgies
All Saints, All Souls, Ash Wednesday, Sacraments of Initiation, etc.
Daily Prayers
Hindu prayer, Aarti, is held on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. in Kindlon Hall,
Room 422. Muslim prayer is held on Fridays at 12:40 p.m. in the Krasa
Center, Room 050.
Worshipand other
Services
Worship of God is the primary focus of our community. It is through
worshipping in our tradition that we are grounded in our respect for
God and that we can come together in unity. Worship and prayer is
how we build our relationship with God, remember him and reaffirm
his importance in our daily lives.
5. University Ministry 4 2014-2015
Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Counseling
Contact Mark Kurowski at (630) 829-6029 or mkurowski@ben.edu for
spiritual direction and any University Ministry staff for pastoral counseling.
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
Contact Mark Kurowski at (630) 829-6029 or mkurowski@ben.edu.
Rediscover Catholicism Month
God wants us to thrive. He wants our future to be brighter, happier and
more fulfilling. Whatever we can dream, we can realize through Him.
Catholicism provides the road map to happiness, success and a closer
relationship with God. By rediscovering our faith, we can discover the path
to an incredible future.
6. University Ministry 5 2014-2015
Volunteer Opportunities
• Food Packaging Event
(Kids Against Hunger)
• Community Service Fair
• Sleep Out Saturday (November)
• Christmas Drive (late November)
• West Suburban Community Pantry
(once a month)
• Service Immersion Experience Trips (Bolivia,
Philippines and Hopkins Park, Ill.)
Ecumenical and Interfaith Opportunities
• Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru)
• Protestant Bible Study
• Chinese Protestant Bible Study
• Catholic Bible Study
• Catholic-Muslim Dialogue
• MOSAIC/Interfaith Youth Core
• Gospel Choir
• Hindu Student Association
• Muslim Student Association
7. University Ministry 6 2014-2015
I help people because it
makes my life fuller.
I serve because I
have been served
all my life.
I serve people becauseI know what it is
like to go hungry.
Nobody should go
through that.
8. Ministries
University Ministry 7 2014-2015
Mass/Liturgical Ministries
All liturgies for the University, particularly the Convocation Mass, the
Commencement weekend Mass and all other Holy Days which occur when
students are on campus, are planned by University Ministry. University
Ministry also facilitates the weekly Sunday Mass and daily Mass in the
St. Benedict Chapel on the fourth floor of Kindlon Hall. Most services are
presided over by the monks of St. Procopius Abbey. Students serve as lectors,
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, greeters, altar servers
and ushers.
Catholic Board
Students take a leadership role in
planning and conducting Bible studies,
service projects, presentations and
other ministries in the areas of
Religious Education/Formation,
Catholic Life, Stewardship,
Liturgical Planning and Peace
and Social Justice.
Koinonia Retreat
“Koinonia” comes from a Greek word
meaning “fellowship.” This Catholic retreat offers
students a chance to share faith, fun and reflection with new friends (and
some old ones). Talks revolve around the life, death and resurrection of Jesus,
and how to improve your relationship with God. For some participants, it
changes their lives. For others, it gives them a loving atmosphere to help
them along the way. Open to students from other denominations, the
three-day, off-campus retreat includes good music, great food and even
better conversation. The Koinonia Retreat is offered every October and April.
For more information or to apply, visit ben.edu/koinonia.
Ministries serve as an outward expression of our love for the Father
in Heaven. They create opportunities to know, serve and praise Him
individually and collectively. They also allow us to share our faith
with others and come to know how others know God.
9. Interreligious Ministries
Interreligious Ministries seek to fulfill the
objectives of the Vatican II document, Nostra
Aetate, which is Latin for “In Our Time,” a
document that revolutionized the Catholic
Church’s approach to people of other
religions. University Ministry offers Catholic-
Muslim Dialogue every other Tuesday, and
supports MOSAIC (Movement of Students
Achieving Interfaith Collaboration), a
service ministry which unites students
of different faiths for action in
our community.
Protestant Board
Students take a leadership role
in planning and conducting Bible
studies, service projects, Gospel choir and
presentations from a Protestant Christian
perspective. For more information, contact
mkurowski@ben.edu or call (630) 829-6029.
Music Ministries
• Liturgical Ensemble
• Gospel Choir
• Cantor Ministry
• Koinonia Praise
and Worship Team
University Ministry 8 2014-2015
10. University Ministry 9 2014-2015
Service
Local Opportunities
Students can participate in service
ministries which benefit the poor and
disadvantaged of DuPage County on
weekends during the semester by
stocking the shelves at food pantries,
helping the homeless find shelter
and many other opportunities. Each
semester, students are invited to
attend the Community Service
Fair, where volunteer coordinators from
a dozen local organizations help students
find a place to serve.
In Mark 12:31, Jesus told us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Service
to others is one way by which we serve God and keep Him close in our
lives. Studies have shown that service enhances the personal and social
development of students and teaches them to treat each other more
kindly. Visit our webpage for more details at ben.edu/sie.
ExperiencesImmersion
I serve others tomake an impactin someone’s life.
11. National Day of Service
The National Day of Service, usually held on the first Saturday in April
(when it does not conflict with Easter), brings all online learners, faculty,
staff, alumni, family members and students of Benedictine University at
Mesa, Benedictine University at Springfield and the Lisle main campus
together at the same time to serve others across the
country in 13 cities. The 2015 event will be
held on April 11.
For more details and to register, go to
ben.edu/service after January 1, 2015.
Remember to post your photos from
the National Day of Service
on #BenUNDS15.
International Opportunities
Students travel to places like Bacolod, Negros
Island Philippines, and Sucre, Bolivia to serve the
poor and homeless by building homes and visiting orphanages, soup
kitchens and hospitals. Students raise their own funds
to participate in these trips.
University Ministry 10 2014-2015
I serve others because I feel
like it’s my duty as a fellow
community member.
12. University Ministry 11 2014-2015
Ministries
Daily Meditations and Podcasts Reflections
Daily reflective meditations are provided to the community via email and a
downloadable reflection on the Scriptures for Sunday Mass is available online.
Both of these electronic ministries are hallmarks of our approach to adults and
professionals, the fastest growing segment of the University. They are available
at ben.edu/inspire.
Internet Ministry
University Ministry offers a YouTube Channel at youtube.com/user/BenUMinistry
and you can “like” us on Facebook at facebook.com/BenUMin. Follow us on
Twitter@BenUMinistry.
to
through
AllMediaMore students and adults get their news and information through
nontraditional means such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Reaching out to
the community and amplifying the gospel message via new media
helps University Ministry reach out to a broader – and busier – audience.
13. University Ministry 12 2014-2015
General
Spiritual Direction
Want to know more about how God works in your life? University Ministry
staff members offer Spiritual Direction, a centuries-old practice of the
Catholic Church.
Pastoral Counseling
Want to apply the principles of Catholic life to mending broken
relationships with others? Speak to a member of the Pastoral
Counseling team.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care can provide a comforting prayer at a funeral, a kind
word to the loved one who is in need and help and direction to those
who are homeless or hungry. To submit a prayer request, please
visit ben.edu/prayers.
Ministry
Services
True change, true growth and true comfort are the result of God’s work
in the human heart. The responses and remedies to life’s problems can
only be achieved through the understanding God’s truth and how He
works through us.
For more information
about places of
workship, please visit
ben.edu/worship.
For a select listing of
religious holidays, please
visit ben.edu/dates.
14. University
Mark Kurowski, M.Div. ……………… (630) 829-6029 or mkurowski@ben.edu
Director of University Ministry, Coordinator of Retreats
Carrie Roberts …………………………....(630) 829-6028 or croberts@ben.edu
Pastoral Associate for Outreach
Fr. Philip Timko, O.S.B. ……………...……(630) 829-6030 or ptimko@ben.edu
Minister of Sacraments
Anne Madden ……………………...……(630) 829-6024 or amadden@ben.edu
Pastoral Associate for Liturgical Music
Maureen Romero …………………….…(630) 829-1310 or mromero@ben.edu
Office Assistant
Fr. James Flint, O.S.B. ………………..………(630) 829-6405 or jflint@ben.edu
Vocation Director of St. Procopius Abbey
Office of University Ministry
Benedictine University
Kindlon Hall, Room 419
5700 College Road
Lisle, IL 60532
(630) 829-1310
Email: ministryrequests@ben.edu
Website: ben.edu/ministry
University Ministry 13 2014-2015
MinistryStaff
The University Ministry staff welcomes you and is here for you with a listening
ear, an understanding heart and an encouraging word. No matter what you
believe or where you are on your journey of faith.
15. University Ministry 14 2014-2015
Do you truly seek God?
If the answer is “Yes,” then you have made the first step
toward the sincere practice of Christianity and perhaps
the particular expression of the Christian
life known as Benedictine monasticism.
How does one know whether one
has a monastic vocation?
St. Benedict begins his Rule with the words:
“Listen, my son, to the precepts of the Master;
incline the ear of your heart.”
Consider the Monastic Life as a Benedictine
Sister at Sacred Heart Monastery
Do you feel that God is calling you?
Would you like to discuss how you are
feeling with someone?
Learn more about how you can do this by
contacting Sr. Christine Kouba, O.S.B., at
ckouba@shmlisle.org, (630) 725-6080
or (630) 977-9225.
Website: shmlisle.org
Social media: facebook.com/shmlisle
Sacred Heart Monastery — 1910 Maple Ave. Lisle, IL 60532-2164
Consider the Monastic Life as a Benedictine
Monk of St. Procopius Abbey
One discovers one’s calling in life by opening oneself to
God in prayer and listening for His response. Often a priest
or other spiritual advisor can be of assistance in discerning
God’s will. Not everyone has a vocation to monastic life, but
if you do, God will offer you the means to recognize it.
St. Procopius Abbey
5601 College Rd.
Lisle, IL 60532
(630) 969-6410
vocations@procopius.org
procopius.org
