FOCUS Greek Bible studies at UNO helping students grow in faith and leadership
Greek life: it can be a notoriously dark aspect of campus culture, (cue images of drinking, all-night partying, etc.), but Greeks are also some of the most motivated and dedicated leaders on the college campus. While life in a fraternity can be a stumbling block to living the Christian life, it can also provide the perfect conditions and support to grow in faith and leadership. The latter was certainly the case for Lucas Sullivan. Sullivan, a senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO), is the president of one of the largest fraternities on campus – Sigma Phi Epsilon. Lucas got involved in a fraternity almost as soon as he started college, but he wasn’t always Catholic – in fact, he was only received fully into the Church this past August. Until last year, he described himself as an atheist. In the fall of his junior year, Lucas met a FOCUS missionary, Nick Poretta, at a ballroom dancing class. As their friendship developed, Lucas finally accepted Nick’s repeated invitations to join him at his Bible study, but said he didn’t expect much. “The first time I went completely opened my eyes, so I decided to go another week,” he said. A series of small coincidences started happening after that, and eventually I said, alright, maybe there’s something more to this. It started getting me to think and open up more to faith.” Over the next few months, Lucas began to go to Mass more frequently with one of his Catholic fraternity brothers, and eventually decided to go through RCIA. During that time, he also went to the FOCUS Student Leadership Summit in Baltimore in January 2012. “I met great people. It opened my eyes, sparked my faith and the rest is history.” Lucas is now actively involved in the FOCUS Greek Men’s Bible study and discipleship with a FOCUS missionary. He emphasized the impact that being in a Bible study with his fraternity brothers had in leading him to the decision to become Catholic. “This Bible study is made up of two fraternities, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Phi Kappa Alpha. We all get along great and it’s eye-opening to see the quality of men at that table,” he said. “We have the support of each other not just from a fraternity standpoint but from a faith standpoint. If it hadn’t been for the support of my fraternity brothers, I probably wouldn’t have even considered Bible study or joining the Church.”
The community built within the Bible studies is expanding throughout Greek life at UNO, specifically between the two biggest fraternities, Pi Kappa Alpha and Phi Epsilon. “Traditionally, those two houses have always been competing against each other, and now they actually have a more unified front,” said Adam. In addition to Lucas, who is President of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Schuyler Dougherty, President of Phi Kappa Alpha and the Intrafraternity Council at UNO, is also involved in FOCUS Greek. He said he has found a lot of support in Bible study to become a better person and a better leader. “It helps me make sure to make decisions more seriously. It’s not just myself, it’s thinking of the chapter as a whole, or Greek life as a whole and understanding we all have a common ground as far as faith and understanding each other’s problems,” said Schuyler. “I’d never known others on that level and opening up to people. When you start opening up you realize others go through the same things. There’s no judgment at all, everyone is open and supportive.” Lucas found the support to grow in his faith extended outside Bible study to his fraternity brothers, some who aren’t even Catholic. “We all have a pledging model called the Balanced Man Program,” said Lucas. “The Balanced Man ideal meant challenging yourself in any way, shape or form to be of more sound mind and body: learning and trying new things to become well-rounded in the development of social, personal and professional skills.” Lucas said it was this ideal held by all the men in his fraternity that started opening his eyes to other things, especially the Catholic faith. “A lot of my brothers were very supportive of me looking into the Church, even if they didn’t have the same beliefs,” he said. The work FOCUS Greek is doing is so important because of the combination of students who are driven leaders, and the propensity to give in to the darker aspects of campus culture. “Adam has told us before that living a Greek lifestyle and a life of faith are two of the most opposite things in the world,” said Lucas. “The people who choose to do both are more or less infantry on the front lines, going deep into enemy territory to fight evil, to fight sin.” So do these soldiers on the front lines of Greek culture at UNO have any advice? Schuyler Dougherty acknowledged the temptations of alcohol and parties. “Being in a leadership position, you can help set the example. People look to you more and listen to you,” he said. “Actions speak louder than words: live by what you believe in.” He recommended that students take every opportunity to be involved on campus and in groups like FOCUS. “Don’t only do it, but do it well,” he said. “Do it right with the right decision making, do it for good reasons and to help others. When you don’t make everything about partying, you’ll end up benefitting yourself and finding out what you want to do and what your calling is.” Lucas emphasized the importance of finding a supportive group of people to help students become the best people they can be. “The ‘Big Three:’ chasity, sobriety, and excellence could be the kryptonite for men and women in fraternities and sororities – that’s what the stereotypes are all about,” said Lucas. “Everyone falls. It’s about falling and recognizing you fell and learning to combat that in the future. Many Greeks think, well I’m just acting this way in college. But to get the most out of college and the Greek experience, you need to challenge yourself to live as high a moral and faith life as possible. This is what fraternity is about, college is about, finding yourself and what you truly are. Your brother and sisters have your back whether you think they do or not.” FOCUS Greek is a division of FOCUS that exists to specifically reach out to men and women in fraternities and sororities, revolutionizing the Greek culture for Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, and raising up a transformed generation of leaders convicted to bring truth to the world.
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Only in its first semester at UNO, more than thirty young men and women are involved in two FOCUS Greek Bible studies. Adam Ybarra, a FOCUS missionary specifically assigned for outreach to the Greek community, says the growth is due largely to the enthusiasm of the students. “They’re inviting brothers and growing. They are literally chasing down guys in their house, whether or not they are Catholic. But what happens when we get to twenty or thirty guys?” said Adam. “The students recognize that they’ll need to break off and branch out to other houses. They understand what we’re trying to go for – to teach them how to lead their own brothers and sisters in Christian discipleship.”
