Jesus Looked at Him and Loved Him…Then Taught Him
by Rosie Chinea Shawver, MDiv
Appropriating the Faith: Continued reflection on CALLED25
At CALLED25, Katie Prejean McGrady gave us a challenge and a reminder. She reminded us that the transmission of faith is not primarily about facts. It’s about love. Doctrine, tradition, and theology only become real when they are received in the context of relationship, when they are embodied in love.
“Appropriating the faith is done best by loving.” - Katie Prejan McGrady
This wasn’t just a heartwarming soundbite, it was a pastoral reality. Students today are not hungry for lectures. They are hungry to be loved into truth.
What Does "Appropriating the Faith" Really Mean?
In Empowered by the Spirit, the second aspect of campus ministry is described as helping students “appropriate the faith.” That’s more than just learning it. It’s making it their own, interiorizing it, integrating it, and choosing it freely.
“Students should be encouraged to accept and make their own the beliefs and values of the Catholic faith.” (Empowered, no. 46)
But as Katie reminded us, appropriation doesn’t begin with intellectual mastery. It begins with experience. With relationships. With love. Just as Jesus first called His disciples into friendship before explaining the mysteries of the Kingdom, we too must begin with encounter before explanation.
In today’s world, where many students are skeptical of institutions and wary of doctrine, love becomes the bridge. Love is what gives doctrine context. It answers the question students are too afraid to ask out loud: Does any of this actually care about me?
Doctrine Comes Alive Through Relationships
In her keynote, Katie used the story of the rich young man in Mark 10 to illustrate her point. The Gospel says that Jesus looked at the man and “loved him.” Before He taught or corrected, He loved. And that love was the foundation for everything else.
It’s the same in campus ministry. If we want students to wrestle with the Church’s teachings on morality, identity, or purpose, we must first assure them they are seen and loved. Not in spite of their questions but right in the middle of them.
“In the context of the academic community, students must be able to bring their questions and struggles into conversation with the Gospel.” (Empowered, no. 47)
Katie reminded us that love is not soft or sentimental. It is what gives courage to the truth. When students know they are loved, they are more willing to face hard teachings, revisit assumptions, and let Christ reshape their worldview.
Walking With Students as They Make Faith Their Own
Appropriating the faith is a process. It’s often messy, nonlinear, and unpredictable. It rarely happens during a retreat or at a single event. Instead, it unfolds gradually, across conversations, small group discussions, and late-night coffees where real questions emerge.
And that’s okay.
“Campus ministers must be patient and respectful as students struggle with questions of faith and belief.” (Empowered, no. 47)
Our role is not to rush the process, but to accompany it. To trust that the Spirit is at work even in the wrestling. To believe that the student who’s “on the fence” might be closer to a real encounter with Christ than we realize.
Creating Environments Where Love Makes Faith Possible
So what does this look like practically?
It looks like leaders who are willing to listen without judgment.
It looks like programs that don’t just teach what the Church believes, but why it matters and how it heals.
It looks like ministers who model lives of joy, prayer, and integrity, not perfection, but presence.
Love creates the safety that makes surrender possible. And that surrender is where faith becomes real.
So Where Do We Begin?
We begin by renewing our commitment to walk with students, not ahead of them.
We begin by remembering that love is not the opposite of truth, it’s what makes truth stick.
And we begin by asking ourselves: Do our students feel known and loved enough to make the Church their home?
“Faith that is appropriated becomes faith that is lived.” (Empowered, no. 48)
Our work isn’t just to share information. It’s to form disciples who choose the Church not out of obligation but out of love.
Next Steps for Campus Ministers
Create space for hard conversations.
Host an open Q&A night where students can anonymously ask questions about Church teaching and feel heard.Train student leaders to accompany with empathy.
Equip your team to prioritize listening over fixing, and to reflect the love of Christ in their interactions.Make faith personal in your messaging.
Whether on your website, in social media, or in small group materials, share stories of real people who have come to love and live their faith, not just memorize it.