Longhorn
Catholic
Ministry Team
Director
Fr. Dave Farnum, CSP
ext. 14, frdave@utcatholic.org
Associate Directors
Fr. Ed Koharchik, CSP
ext. 12, edcsp@utcatholic.org
Michelle Goodwin
ext. 18, michelle@utcatholic.org
Pastoral Staff
Fr. Bob Scott, CSP
bscott@staustin.org
Deacon John De La Garza, Jr.
john@utcatholic.org
Director of Development
Amber Fogarty
ext. 20, amber@utcatholic.org
Business Administrator
Tom Johnson
ext. 11, tom@utcatholic.org
Receptionist
Beth Boren
ext. 10, frontdesk@utcatholic.org
Administrative Assistant
Brandon Kraft
kraft@utcatholic.org
Phone: 512.476.7351
Mass Schedule
Sunday Mass
9AM 11:30AM, 5PM & 8PM
Daily Mass
Mon, Wed, Fri: 12:05PM
Tues, Thurs: 12:30PM
Vol. 2, Iss. 3 • November 2006
University Catholic Center
MEET THE LONGHORN
SEMINARIANS
At present, there are four University of Texas grads in the seminary
for the Diocese of Austin: Kevin Jackson, Mark Lavergne, Matt
Mumaugh and Jonathan Raia (profiles on page 5). We are very proud of
our Longhorns who have chosen to pursue a vocation to the priesthood.
Father Mike Sis, the Vocation Director for the Diocese of Austin, tells
us, “All baptized members of the church are called by God to the vocation
of holiness, whether that call is lived as a married or single person, a priest or deacon, or a
member of a religious community. Fostering vocations to the priesthood is the responsibility
of all of us.”
Fostering vocations of holiness is a call I take seriously as director of Campus Ministry at
the University Catholic Center. Each month I, along with my associate, Paulist Father Ed
Koharchik, host a dinner or event with a group of UT students to discern vocations. Regularly
20-25 men come together to talk about priesthood, the permanent diaconate, marriage, and the
single life. One month we will invite a guest speaker like seminarian Jonathan Raia or Father
Mike Sis, or Deacons John De La Garza and Tom Johnson. Another month we will meet with
Bishop Gregory Aymond at Project Andrew or attend a dinner hosted by the Paulists in their
residence at St. Austin Church. Every Catholic man and woman is obligated by their baptism
to consider God’s desire for them. That’s what discerning a vocation is all about.
According to Mark Lavergne, a current seminarian: “It was at the University Catholic Center
that I first discovered what a joy it is to fellowship with and to serve other members of the
Mystical Body of Christ. I’ll never forget giving a talk on Awakening and just being up
there proclaiming, and thinking
to myself, ‘Ya know, I could Longhorn
Seminarians
do this for the rest of my
life.’ But ultimately I think
it’s the friendships you make,
the people you get to know
that causes you to realize the
Church isn’t just a building.
It’s the people. I couldn’t be
a priest for a building. But for
these people? Heck yes.”
—Fr. Dave Farnum, CSP
Turn to page 5 for profiles on each
Longhorn seminarian.
 Longhorn Catholic

UCC Exes
A MESSAGE Debra Watson (’73) works as an acting

from the Director... coach in California and Texas. Last year,

she recorded her first CD with her band,
“The Smokin’ Aces.” The new CD can be
heard online at CDbaby.com/dwatson.

Things are hoppin’ here at the UCC! Erika and Johnny Vargas (’96) wel-
Longhorn Awakening #41 was a huge success comed baby girl, Alexa, on September 27,
with 60 retreatants and 100 staff praising 2006. Alexa is preceded by J Christopher
Fr. Dave Farnum, CSP God as the Body of Christ on fire. STRONG, born in December 2003. The Vargas fam-
our youth retreat team, is bringing the Good ily now calls New Braunfels home and
makes a living with several Internet-based
News to middle and high school students throughout the Diocese of
businesses.
Austin. Mu Epsilon Theta and Lambda Omega Alpha have record numbers
of pledges this Fall. Deacon John and his wife Dorothy worked with a host Matt (’98) and Christina (’97) Soder-
of UCC members to produce an excellent marriage preparation weekend berg welcomed a baby girl, Macy Chris-
for 25 engaged couples. Father Ed and Michelle Goodwin hosted a dinner tina, on August 15th, 2006.
for our Muslim friends during their holy month of Ramadan—over 65
Vanessa Luna (’00) recently became li-
people attended. I convened a Visioning Day with students and resident censed to practice law in Texas. She now
community to discover shared dreams for the future of the UCC. So many resides in Chicago and hopes to become
opportunities to celebrate the Catholic faith at The University of Texas! licensed to practice law in Illinois as well.
Vanessa is making wedding plans for De-
In the whirl of all this activity, I read the words spoken recently by Pope cember 30 in Houston.
Benedict XVI. The Holy Father warned of the danger of falling into
“hardness of heart” as a result of excessive daily occupations. Do you want to share your news with
Longhorn Catholics? If so, email your up-
date to amber@utcatholic.org.
On August 20, Benedict spoke of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) as

Upcoming Events
an example of how to balance prayer with activity. The saint wrote in a
letter to Pope Eugene III: “See where these accursed occupations can lead
you, if you continue to lose yourself in them—without leaving anything of
yourself for yourself.” Benedict XVI said: “It is necessary to pay attention
to the dangers of excessive activity, regardless of one’s condition and JANUARY 19-20, 2007
occupation, observes the saint, because—as he said to the Pope of that Mu Epsilon Theta 20th Anniversary
time, and to all Popes and to all of us—numerous occupations often lead For more information, email:
to ‘hardness of heart,’ ‘they are no more than suffering for the spirit, loss of MuEp20@utcatholic.org
intelligence and dispersion of grace.’”
JANUARY 27, 2007
“This admonition is valid for all kinds of occupations, including those Annual Date Auction
inherent to the governance of the Church,” the Pope added. “How useful benefitting the UCC
for us also is this call to the primacy of prayer!” The Pope continued, “For For more details, email:
him [St. Bernard], love is the greatest force of the spiritual life. God, who is dateauction@utcatholic.org
love, creates man out of love and out of love rescues him.”
FEBRUARY 14, 2007, 3:30PM
While the University Catholic Center is a center of holy activity, it strives Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ
also to be a house of prayer. In the midst of busy schedules and “burn the Speaking about the death penalty; Sister
candle at both ends” mentality of some college students, the UCC and Helen is the author of #1 best seller, “Dead
its designated spaces and times of prayer help call us all to the primacy of Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the
prayer. May God bless us all with a rich experience of prayer. Death Penalty in the United States.”
ALL are welcome!

University Catholic Center

 November 2006
 Longhorn Catholic

welcome week 2006 - 2007

Imagine you set foot on the University
of Texas campus for the first time. With
hundreds of students in a single class
and dorms that hold thousands, UT can
be an intimidating place where new
students often feel lost in a crowd. The
University Catholic Center provides a
much-needed home away from home
where students can worship, study,
and make friends within a supportive
community of faith. The UCC kicked-
off the academic year with Welcome
Week, a jam-packed week of events to
bring students, new and old alike, into
the community and show-off all the
UCC has to offer.
Starting on the first day of class when
so many students are looking to get
involved in new organizations, the
UCC sponsored an information table
on campus to hand out everything
from candy to Mass times and ministry
brochures. All the UCC student groups
participated with flyers and volunteers
and actively engaged UT students on
their way to class. Several students
also handed out 850 cold water bottles
over two days with Mass times printed
on the label to provide relief to students
during the hot Austin days.
Welcome Week, this year September
4-9, started with a bang as the
Catholic fraternity, Lambda Omega
Alpha, hosted a Labor Day BBQ and
pool party to say goodbye to summer.
Tuesday featured a casual dinner and
game night sponsored by Compass
Bible Study, giving active students
and new faces a chance to relax and
get to know each other better. Even
the ministry team, Fr. Dave, Fr. Ed,
and Michelle Goodwin grabbed a
bite to eat with the new students.
Couples for Christ Youth, a new group
to the Center this year, organized
an amazing night of praise and
worship music on Wednesday, while
the Catholic sorority, Mu Epsilon
Theta, put on a Bunco game night on
Thursday. Welcome Week culminated
in the annual Welcome Retreat which
literally filled the building with
students. Organized by STRONG,
the resident youth ministry team, the
retreat was a rousing success with 55
participants and over 70 members of
the student community on staff.
All of the events were a success with
20-30+ new students attending any
given night. By the end of the week,
students were hooked on the UCC
with all organizations enjoying a huge
spike in participation. New people
crowded the Center’s halls and study
rooms at night, attended daily night
prayer, and bonded with each other in
community. With an energetic start
to the year, UT’s Catholic community

Stewardship Corner
welcomed another generation to the
University Catholic Center!

—Stephanie Maher, Class of ‘07

...offering gifts of time, talent & treasure

First Ever Matching Gift Sunday a Huge Success

On Sunday, November 5th, the University Catholic Center held its first
ever matching gift Sunday. A generous benefactor offered to match the
offertory collection, up to $5,000. A typical Sunday collection at the UCC
is between $2,500 and $4,000.

On November 5th, the generosity of the UCC community shined once

again. The total amount given during the Sunday collections at the four
Masses totaled $14,876. With the $5,000 benefactor gift, the UCC raised
$19,876 in one day. Thanks to all for your support.

If you’re interested in matching a Sunday collection in the Spring, please contact

Amber Fogarty at 512-476-7351 x20 or email her at amber@utcatholic.org.

University Catholic Center

 November 2006
 Longhorn Catholic

ministry
spotlight
Catholic Longhorns for Life Celebrate
“Respect Life” Month

This year’s Respect Life month kept Catholic Longhorns for Life
on its feet! The group’s activities including running the UCC’s
baby bank fundraising campaign, hosting prayer vigils and movie
screenings, bringing in guest speakers from the Diocesan Office
of Pro-Life Activities, the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, and the Texas
Coalition to End the Death Penalty, and attending a benefit dinner with guest
speaker Father Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life. To wrap up the month,
Longhorns for Life members presented the UCC black bag collection to the
Annunciation Maternity Home at their March for Moms fundraiser (see picture,
right) and participated in Austin’s 7th Annual March to Stop Executions (see
picture, top right). Catholic Longhorns for Life is a pro-life group that works to
instill respect for human life at all stages of existence through education, activism,
spiritual growth, and volunteerism in our community. For more information on
the group, please contact Maria Frederick at clfl@utcatholic.org.

Interfaith Progressive Dinner Hits the UCC UCC Catholic / Muslim “Iftar” Dinner
On October 18th, the UCC On Thursday, October 5, the UCC hosted a community-
participated in the annual wide potluck dinner to honor our Muslim brothers and
University Interfaith Progressive sisters during their holy month of Ramadan. During
Dinner. The Longhorn Catholic Ramadan, Muslims fast throughout the daytime and break
students joined their Jewish, their fast at sundown with a special “Iftar” dinner, a feast
Lutheran, Episcopalian, Baptist, to be celebrated with family and friends. Approximately
Mormon and Muslim brothers sixty-five people participated at this event, with wonderful
and sisters in this great evening food and fellowship being shared.
of food, fellowship, and prayer.
There were approximately 120
students in attendance. The
evening began at Texas Hillel, the
center for Jewish life at UT, for
the first course of the meal. Then
the students proceeded to the UCC for the main course. The
Latter Day Saints Institute hosted dessert, and the evening
ended with an ecumenical prayer service. It was an honor
for the UCC to host the main course of this wonderful event
and to be a part of encouraging dialogue with our friends of
other faith traditions.

University Catholic Center

 November 2006

OUR FAITH~OUR LEGACY † LONGHORN SEMINARIANS
KEVIN JACKSON
Holy Trinity Seminary
Pre-Theology
Kevin holds a degree
in government from the
University of Texas at
Austin, where he was
very active in a Christian
fraternity. He interned for
State Senator Jane Nelson
during his college years
and then worked on her
staff for several years.
“Working in the Texas
Senate taught me a lot
about leadership and
dealing with difficult
situations,” he said. His
favorite cartoon character
is Homer Simpson.
University Catholic Center
Longhorn Catholic
MARK LAVERGNE
Holy Trinity Seminary
Pre-Theology
Mark holds a journalism
degree from the University
of Texas at Austin and
enjoys writing; he most
recently worked for
the diocese’s Pro-life
Activities Office.
Three years ago he spoke
with Bishop Aymond
about his discernment. The
bishop asked “What is your
heart’s deepest longing?
What energizes you? What
makes you come alive
inside?” After nearly three
years of pondering those
questions, Mark decided to
enter into formation.
 November 2006
MATT MUMAUGH
St. Mary’s Seminary
II Pre-Theology
Matt said that his most
recent and profound call
to discern the priesthood
happened on the first
Sunday of Advent 2005,
at St. Cecilia Cathedral in
Omaha. “I was moved to
tears of joy in receiving a
sense of God’s purpose in
my life,” he said.
Matt enjoys theater and
has played the role of
Prince Charming and the
Mad Hatter in children’s
musical productions in
Austin. He also played
rugby while a student at
the University of Texas in
Austin, where he received
a bachelor’s degree in
philosophy.
JONATHAN RAIA
St. Mary’s Seminary
Pastoral Year
A Houstonian, Jonathan
graduated from UT with
a double major in Plan II
(Liberal Arts) and Spanish
in May 2002. He has
coached summer league
swim teams and been a
private swim instructor
and says he is a “huge fan”
of the television sitcom
“Seinfeld.” He was very
active at the UCC, and it
was during those years that
he really “came of age”
as a Catholic. “Through
the friendships I made and
the ministry opportunities
I had at the UCC,” he
reflects, “my faith was
deepened and I was able to
discern in my heart God’s
call to the priesthood.”
He entered seminary for
the Diocese of Austin in
the fall of 2002 and will,
God willing, be ordained a
priest in June 2009.
 Longhorn
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID

Catholic
Austin, Texas
Permit No. 311

2010 University Avenue

Austin, TX 78705
512.476.7351

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

See what’s inside!

University Catholic Center • Austin, Texas

Diocese of Austin Seminarians

www.utcatholic.org
Catholic Longhorns for Life