The year’s iteration begins Sept. 30 and gives 20 student faith study leaders from the University of Toronto the opportunity to help 100 of their peers to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
While faith studies has been a recurring offering at the Catholic chaplaincy at the University of Toronto for years, the idea of peer-to-peer teaching as a focal point is a new approach.
“This program is something that has always fluctuated in size, but this year we wanted to make a conscious decision to expand the program and make sure more students could be a part of it,” said Fr. Mark Kolosowski, pastor and executive director of the Newman Centre. “It goes back to our primary goal of empowering our students to be able to proclaim the Gospel whether it be here at the Newman Centre, at the university, when they go home and even when they go out into the workplace.”
The program has always preached the importance of student participation since its inception, with the upcoming offering to finally feature the right pieces to ensure a successful student-led initiative.
“The goal of having 100 students participate and 20 student leaders facilitating these small groups was an inspiration (that Kolosowski) received,” said Rachelle Ezechiels, Newman’s operations manager. “He is confident that we have the students who can lead the study and their peers in the right way this year.”
The program is carried out in small and personal peer-led groups that meet weekly according to a student’s availability. The fall semester will feature one session per week over six consecutive weeks.
Each session goes back to the chaplaincy’s mission of deepening students' faith and connection with Christ through elements of group prayer, Scripture readings and dedicated weekly lessons.
With 100 students expected to benefit directly from the session's content, Kolosowski reiterated the positives each faith leader is likely to receive as they begin their mission of proclaiming the Gospel to others in a leadership sense.
“Those student leaders are learning how to vocalize their faith, which aligns exactly with our vision at the Newman Centre. As they teach the other students about the faith, those participants can become leaders themselves and then, later on, continue to spread the word of the Lord through that cycle,” he said.
He emphasized that what some student leaders may lack in teaching experience, they make up for in authenticity and relatability.
“While many people open to exploring the faith have come to me or a campus minister, the students respond best to other students,” he said. “Often, they open up to each other and to the leaders a lot easier and (with more confidence). I think it allows them to go a lot deeper and to be able to ask different questions when they hear their peers talk about the faith.”
On Sept. 8, Kolosowski celebrated Holy Mass that also saw the blessing and commissioning of the upcoming student leaders — a formal acknowledgement of the student's acceptance of the call to serve within the Newman Centre chaplaincy and the authority granted to each to serve.
Student leaders also received wooden crosses that were blessed and engraved with the sign of the Newman Centre, equipping each with the power of the Holy Spirit as they prepare to go out and proclaim their faith alongside their peers.