Many students strengthen their faith at FUS by participating in campus households, which are student groups that offer a pattern of living with group prayer, teaching and fellowship.
Some households are years old; others are less than a year old. Two of the newer ones are Apprentices of St. Joseph, for men, and Stella Mariae, for women.
Apprentices of St. Joseph, on the first floor of Marian Hall, was founded with the purpose of learning “the ways of manhood in all things,” as he (St. Joseph) taught our Lord,” Tomas Fuerte, co-founder, said.
Fuerte said his household began while meeting over pizza to discuss what it meant for Catholic men to prepare for marriage.
The vision of this household is to follow the examples set by Our Lord and St. Joseph to be men of virtue, prayer, service and action, Fuerte said. It also strives to honor Our Lady as they did, he added.
“It is St. Joseph who is the model for all male virtue, because it was he who taught Our Lord to be a man.,” he said. “God, becoming incarnate man, chose to empty Himself for all mankind, thereby submitting Himself as the first apprentice of St. Joseph.”
The members want their household to be for all men on campus, so they too might strive to be Apprentices of St. Joseph, Fuerte said.
Stella Mariae, on the second floor of St. Thomas More Hall, strives to follow Maryýs example. April Womback [Womack] and Chrissy Tomini, the householdÕs founders, said Stella Mariae began as a prayer group. They said they looked into other households, but discovered something special when their group met to pray.
“We felt God guiding us, and we knew there was something special God was calling us to.”
The name, “Stella Mariae” is meant to describe how Mary is the perfect reflection of Jesus, as celestial bodies reflect the sun.
This group of women is still working on their vision Tomini and Womback said, but they strive to follow the example of Our Lady, and they said they firmly believe that “sisterhood comes before commitments; that is, laying down your life for each other and practicing the virtues together.”
“We are soldiers in Our Ladyýs army,” said Womback. “We are Lights of Christ, and we always come back to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Presently, Stella Mariae meets to pray, waiting for God to reveal His plan for them.