National conference gives college students chance to explore faith

Published: 2004-01-09

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Ask most Catholic college students today why they are Catholic and many of them look to their family background, but many also are on a quest to discover a deeper answer for themselves. "I think asking 'why am I Catholic?' is a very difficult question to answer," said Jeanne Collins, a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "I'm Catholic because of my parents. I'm embracing my Catholic faith now because of the tradition and I like the social justice aspects of the church, but I'm also trying to answer that question for myself," she told The Florida Catholic, newspaper of the Orlando Diocese. "Ask Me Why I'm Catholic!" was the theme set forth for the 20th annual leadership conference of the National Catholic Student Coalition, an organization of Catholic students from colleges across the county. Collins was one of more than 350 college students, alumni and campus ministers from about 50 colleges who attended the Dec. 31-Jan. 4 conference in Orlando to explore aspects of their Catholic faith with others on the same journey.

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