Emma Finder

Hometown, State: Lincoln, Nebraska

What would life at KU look like without St. Lawrence?: My life would look dramatically different if I had not had the SLC community. Community events like Koinonia and Supper Chill led to relationships with some of my closest friends and my boyfriend, spiritual direction allowed me to grow in relationship to Christ and understand discernment more, being a member in RISE band allowed me to grow in the gifts God has given me, and just having a place to call home in Lawrence allowed me to feel safe, welcomed and loved. The mentorship that I received from Mr. Kuckelman and Sr. Raffaella honestly changed my life, and I am forever grateful for them and the ways God worked through them. I would not be as confident in my faith or in my own identity as a daughter of the Father without the Saint Lawrence Center. I am going to miss it very much!

What is the biggest risk of faith you took at KU?: The first thing that comes to mind when I consider the biggest risk of faith I took was honestly just transferring here. I didn't know anyone in Lawrence and definitely didn't really have any connections at the Saint Lawrence Center. Coming to the center to study alone and introduce myself to people was probably the riskiest thing I ever did. Once I was more involved, I would say the second biggest risk of faith I took was giving a talk at Koinonia...that was terrifying, but the Lord was present and it really was such a prayerful and beautiful experience.

How would you describe your experience of community at St. Lawrence?: The community at St. Lawrence is authentic and welcoming in every sense of the word. Not only is almost everyone open to meeting new people, but there are so many different things for people to get involved in that it makes it easy for people to feel like they belong. The diversity of ministries and activities that allow for friendships to form and for intellect to expand are so beneficial and easily accessible to students from all walks of life.

How are you called to build community after college?: Right after college, I am going to an internship where I will be working with clients of all ages and diagnoses in a hospital. Although it will be hard for me to build a community at the hospital, I intend to fully practice the Catholic principles that I have formed during my time in college with each and every patient that I encounter. Additionally, I may get involved with Iowa's Catholic community on campus and would love to help create some praise and worship nights if it's possible. Lastly, once I graduate and am able to move back to Kansas, I hope to volunteer with the youth through parishes and helping with music ministry. I do feel called to use my voice and the musical gifts that I have been given to help guide others and bring them to the heart of Christ.

Who has been one of your greatest guides at St. Lawrence? How did they guide you?: I mentioned this earlier, but Kyle Kuckelman and Sr. Raffaella both have influenced me in outstanding ways at the Saint Lawrence Center. Sr. Raffaella helped to guide me through some tough life experiences and played a huge role in the establishment of a consistent prayer life. If not for her, my relationship with Jesus would not be the same. Kyle, on the other hand, was always there whenever I needed practical (and sometimes brutally honest) life advice. He has helped to form me to be a more confident, understanding and selfless woman. It was a huge help to have spiritual direction while also having someone to reach out to for practical, every day life and relationship advice.

How have you grown in interior freedom?: I think there are a lot of ways in which I have grown in interior freedom. In some ways, my relationships with others have really led to a lot of growth and interior freedom. I have also discovered it on my own through reading books and spending quiet time with the Lord. That being said, I do think that this past year, I have learned a greater sense of interior freedom through Dr. Murray's course. For me, learning about different philosophies and Catholic ethical teaching was just what I needed to solidify my faith on an intellectual level before graduating. This formation has granted me increased confidence in the Catholic teaching amongst our very secular culture. The course has allowed me to see areas in my life where I need to detach from material desires and latch onto Christ, the source of all goodness. I am continuously learning how to do this, but it really convicted me of living out the teachings of the Church and continuing to discover how the Lord desires freedom for me in my life.

Where do your deepest commitments lie at this point in your life?: I believe that I am deeply committed to using the gifts I have been given in order to intentionally love every person that I encounter on a daily basis. I deeply desire to share the joy, peace and love of Christ whether it's in my work place, with my friends or family, or just out in public at the grocery store. If I can learn to hear the small ways in which the Spirit is asking me to do his will daily, and learn to be bold in the ways that I am willing to encounter others in my life, I think I could really live out a beautiful Christian life. The Saint Lawrence Center really emphasizes the point of taking the time to see and get to know others. This is what I aim to do in every aspect of my life. Additionally, I really want to be better at giving up control of all aspects of my life to the Lord so that He can work his magic. I have realized that the more I try to control things, the less good actually results from them. The more I let go, the more I am able to see how God is actively at work in my life and the lives of others. So in summary, I am committed to living out a life of encountering others and letting go of my desire to control.

Describe a situation where your faith impacted someone else.: During my junior year at KU, I was fortunate enough to be in an opera through the KU School of Music. I was double casted with a girl who I really only knew through choir and theory class. She and I got to know each other more during our rehearsals, and eventually she found out that I was a devout Catholic. She shared with me that she grew up Christian, but hadn't been practicing in any way throughout her college experience. One day I invited her to RISE and said I would sit with her. She ended up coming and felt called to go to a prayer team where she was prayed over. I was thankful that she went, and invited her more times, however she never went again so I figured maybe it was a one-time deal. Interestingly enough, the other week (2 years later) she stopped me on campus. She said that she had been thinking about me the night before and how grateful she was that I invited her to RISE two years ago. She continued on to tell me that after that experience, she committed to re-establishing her relationship with Christ and got involved in a Christian student ministry on campus. She has a new Christian community now and has been falling deeper in love with Christ ever since. She said that she gives me credit for her renewed faith...and although it truly was the Lord who inspired our conversations and the invitation, I am extremely thankful that He used me and my involvement in the opera to reach her heart.