Agape Latte Kicks off Year Two

On September 21, a vibrant group of students, faculty and administrators packed the University Center event lounge for this academic year’s first Agape Latte, a monthly student-faculty coffeehouse hosted by the Center for Catholic Studies and Campus Ministry. The event began at 8 pm with the traditional "opening act,"—this month, a coffee-themed Kahoot trivia game—to warm up the crowd for the night’s featured speaker, former president Joseph Nyre, Ph.D. After an earnest Q-and-A following Nyre’s talk, titled, "Conversations with the Lord", attendees lingered over their own conversations, enjoying coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks until the evening began to wind down.

Agape Latte was founded in 2006 by Boston College’s C21 Center (Church in the 21st century) and Campus Ministry and has since spread to over 50 campuses across the country. The Center for Catholic Studies first implemented this national faith storytelling initiative last fall. Since then, Seton Hall has made Agape Latte her own; previous speakers have included student-selected professors and administrators, like Todd Stockdale, Ph.D., John Laracy, Ph.D., Dean Christopher Kaiser, Fr. Colin Kay, and professors Maribel Landrau and Melinda Papaccio. Largely a student-led program, these speakers are invited to share their personal faith stories by a dedicated team of undergraduate student leaders, who then work with Campus Ministry and the Center for Catholic Studies to organize, promote, and run the event.

Through this collaborative development, Agape Latte creates a space for students to engage with beloved and respected professors as real-life witnesses to their faith—a strong encouragement for their own faith journeys. In the words of Fr. Colin Kay, "So much of teaching and learning is about connecting, about relationships, and to share our stories is a powerful way to grow closer to one another and to all that is true and good and beautiful."

Erich Sanders, a junior majoring in theology, expressed how impactful he found the experience while attending: "Listening to Nyre speak about his conversations with the Lord has inspired me to have more of my own conversations with God—and as with all good conversation, to listen more to what He has to say to me."

The energy throughout the night was palpable for all attendees, including interim President Katia Passerini who said, "I was thoroughly impressed with the vibrancy of the room. Through asking questions about faith and personal journeys, sharing stories and playing games, the students were building a community that will last a lifetime. This is a great initiative for students — and by students — from Mission and Ministry."

Building on the momentum of this strong start, Agape Latte at Seton Hall will incorporate a fresh spin for the months of November and February. The Center for Catholic Studies and Campus Ministry have partnered with the University Core to offer a unique "Faith and Travel" series, highlighting the faith experiences of university faculty’s recent travels abroad with some of Seton Hall’s exciting international programs and research opportunities. Through this theme, Agape Latte casts a wider net over the circle of Catholic Studies, bringing to life for students the meaning of membership in the Universal Church while also inviting them to open up to new travel and faith experiences in their time at Seton Hall. Drawing on the depth of Seton Hall’s sponsored trips abroad, the "Faith and Travel" series promises a robust speaker lineup: 

• November 16

• • Kelly Shea, Ph.D., Department of English, with Fr. Nick Sertich, Campus Ministry Director, and Todd Stockdale, Ph.D., University Core Fellow; Spring 2023 Rome Connection

• February 15

• • Roger Alfani, Ph.D. University Core Fellow; Summer 2023 NEH grant for research in the Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Fr. John Francis, CSJ Campus Minister; Pilgrimage to Greece in the Footsteps of St. Paul

Agape Latte takes place in the university center event lounge every third Thursday of the month through the fall and spring semesters: 10/19, 11/16, 1/25, 2/15, 3/21, and 4/18. The next session, scheduled for October 19, will feature Ines Murzaku, Ph.D., Director of the Catholic Studies Program and Professor of Religious Studies.

Categories: Faith and Service