“God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:3). Humans do an awful lot of creation, too. God commands it of us. We are inherently procreators and are granted a day of rest with our spiritual father 52 times a year. We also rest physically every day, but in modern times of endless sidetracks, distractions and excessive breaks, school should not be a second bed.

   Many times I have searched our second home in vain for a nook to slumber in. I did, however, find a worthy alternative. Campus Ministry offers a kind of spiritual rest for any willing student. The room has an unmistakable, nurturing energy to it without ever being carefree. “Campus ministry is not a naptime place but is a place to unplug” said Br. John Eustice. “We engage in deeply theological discussions. The area promotes rest, not sleep, and the couches are not even comfortable to lay in.” But as I looked around me, the abyss of candy and air conditioning unit made it clear why it may be thought of that way.

  As Sr. Barbara Mass enters the room, Mrs. Nancy Devroy and Br. Eustice conjure an ear-to-ear grin on her face. The friendship among them is unmistakable: Mrs. Devroy’s computer background of the smiling three confirms it.

Campus Ministry offers a refreshing break from the busy lives of students. “People dance in here,” said Mrs. Devroy. “Even when the doors are closed they are always open”.

  To my surprised satisfaction, neither I, nor any student can go to Campus Ministry to sleep. What we get when we walk through that door, though, is a conscious mini-retreat. The commonality of love for Jesus is certainly present as well as the resource of real Catholic mentors who know exactly what it feels like to be a young adult in high school. Go for the spiritual rest. They don’t bite.