Former MTV star urges college students to let faith shine

Published: 2004-01-09

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- At times energetic, slightly irreverent and comical and other times serious and contemplative, Matt Smith of "The Real World New Orleans" fame shared the highs and lows of keeping the faith as the closing keynote speaker at the National Catholic Student Coalition's 20th annual leadership conference in Orlando. In front of about 400 Catholic college students, alumni and campus ministers, the former cast member of MTV's hit reality show "Real World" and recent Georgia Tech graduate focused on the conference's theme of "Ask Me Why I'm Catholic!" "I come from a big Catholic family. My dad was a convert. He was baptized Episcopal and met my hot Catholic mama at a Newman Center dance. Then they got married and had six kids," said Smith, who is also a national spokesman for Life Teen. He described his family as Catholic hippie-types who helped launch a foster home community in North Carolina.

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