Students at University Catholic Center at UTD discover faith, join Church at Easter Vigil

By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic

RICHARDSON — In 2019, Bishop Edward J. Burns accepted an invitation to celebrate a Mass on Ash Wednesday for students at The University of Texas at Dallas. What the bishop discovered when he arrived shocked and inspired him, setting into motion a series of events that would lead to the opening of the University Catholic Center at UTD as part of the Diocese of Dallas Ministries Office.

“We were in a large classroom on campus, and it was absolutely packed with a line of students out the door and down the hall,” Bishop Burns recalled. “In speaking with them, I found they had to travel away from campus to attend Mass and go to confession, which was a challenge for many of them. These young people thirsted for the Lord and the sacraments, and I knew then we had to make this campus ministry happen.”

Located across the street from the UTD campus, the University Catholic Center opened in August 2022, thanks in large part to the ongoing support of generous donors throughout the Diocese of Dallas, as the first fully dedicated Catholic campus ministry building and chapel for the UTD community.

On March 30, 2024, during the celebration of an Easter Vigil Mass, the fruits of that labor were on display as friends, family, and peers packed it to witness six UTD students become Catholic.

The six are all products of the University Catholic Center’s “Discovering Catholicism” program, which includes its Order of Christian Initiation of Adults students, led from its inception by Deacon Kevin Lovett and his wife Susan.

“One of our students when we first started felt that it would be a great thing to have a space where you could come ask questions about your faith,” Deacon Lovett said. “It’s not limited to the OCIA process but is just a venue for those who are Catholic or interested in becoming Catholic to gather with a group of like-minded people to ask questions.”

The students meet weekly on Mondays. Each week, the Lovetts said between 15 to 20 students attend the meetings. This year’s OCIA classes began in September 2023

At the Easter Vigil, Father Tymo Ksiazkiewicz, chaplain for the UCC, baptized three candidates, and together with them, welcomed a total of six young adults into full communion with the Catholic Church. Those new Catholics come from diverse backgrounds, each following their own path to the Church. Five of them shared their stories with The Texas Catholic.

Called home
Tired of sitting in his dorm and watching online Masses from his home parish in Schulenberg, Texas, rising UTD sophomore Cooper Machicek began to explore local opportunities to attend Mass in person. He was surprised to find the University Catholic Center conveniently located near campus, so he checked it out and began attending weekly Masses.

“Then I was drawn into a couple of events here and there,” said Machicek, who is majoring in game animation. “In October of 2023, I joined RCIA.”

Raised in the Catholic Church, Machicek admitted his faith formation growing up was “a bit basic.”

“It wasn’t too theological or faith-based,” he explained. “I was raised in the Church, and I was baptized and received first Holy Communion.”

Machicek’s journey to fully join the Church during the Easter Vigil Mass began in the early morning hours one Sunday on the UTD campus.

“It was around 2 a.m., and God reached out to me; I started crying, and I just realized that I’ve just been saved,” Machicek explained. “I went straight out into the field on campus, and I prayed a rosary. It was then and there that I realized I’ve been called home.”

At the University Catholic Center, Machicek said he found a sense of fellowship and community that helped his faith grow.

“It’s very peaceful here, and everybody is always so full of faith,” he said. “I don’t know a single person I’ve met here that doesn’t always have a cool bit of theology to share with me.”

Those conversations have meant a lot to Machicek, who admitted that prior to his involvement with the UCC he never identified himself as Christian.

“I didn’t really have any sort of faith or anything,” he said. “It wasn’t until coming to UTD that I started to experience that faith.”

Leading up to the Easter Vigil, Machicek said he was ready to be fully inducted in the Body of Christ and receive the Holy Spirit.

“I’ve been praying for the past few weeks that the full grace of God is just poured upon me,” he said, “and that I can see the world through a whole new lens and understand parts of the whole Christian world that I never had before.

“I can finally fulfill what the deacon says every time at the end of Mass: ‘Go forth, preaching the gospel, glorifying the Lord,’” he added. “That’s something I’m really going to feel extra qualified to do because I’ve received Him in full.”

Discovering a gift
Kevin Hall, 22, of Harlingen, graduated UTD in December 2023 with a degree in criminology and is currently attending police academy in Carrollton. The foundation for Hall’s Christian faith is deeply rooted in that of his parents. His father is a Baptist preacher. His mother, a native of Mexico, is a former Franciscan nun.

“I grew up Baptist,” said Hall, adding that as he got older, he began to research different denominations, seeking to find where he belonged. “I was just sort of trying to figure out ‘Why do I believe what I believe?’”

A close friend at UTD, Mitchell Mello, invited Hall to visit the University Catholic Center.

“I started going to Mass,” Hall said, “and that’s when I think the Lord started working on my heart a bit.”

Eventually, Hall began attending Mass almost daily at the center, growing a desire to learn more about the Catholic faith.

“The Lord was really working on me through all of it,” he said. “I think once the Holy Spirit made me understand that the Eucharist was really Jesus, I felt like I had discovered a gift.”

In September 2023, Hall began attending the University Catholic Center’s “Discovering Catholicism” sessions, preparing him to enter the Church during the Easter Vigil.

“It just helped me come to a better understanding of everything,” Hall said. “It all gave me a better sense of how I can better live out my life as a Christian.”

Though Hall graduated from UTD in December, he continues to attend the faith formation classes and other activities at the University Catholic Center.

“There’s just a lot of fellowship here,” he said. “It’s very cool to see how everyone’s faith is blossoming.”

Finding her faith
Jamie Park, 21, of Murphy, grew up in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She had struggled with her faith through much of her life. When her mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and eventually died in August 2021, Park said she walked away from her church.

“It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was her main caretaker. I would take her to her chemo appointments. I would sleep right next to her, because she needed help to do anything,” Park recalled. “When she passed away, after that whole ordeal, I just couldn’t do religion anymore.”

Her mother’s death inspired Park to attend school, pursuing a major in psychology at UTD while also working to get her elementary school teacher certification. At UTD, she joined a dance club, where she would meet Andres Uriegas. The two became close friends and eventually a couple.

Uriegas, a devout Catholic, introduced Park to his faith and to the University Catholic Center.

“I was going through a lot at the time, and I guess I was searching for something,” Park said. “Just seeing him and his family, and how they live their lives through their faith, it was very beautiful.”

Uriegas invited Park to attend Mass at the center. Eventually, the couple regularly attended Mass together. Now, Park even attends alone when Uriegas is out of town.

“Since the start of 2023, I’ve gone to Mass every Sunday and every holy day of obligation,” she said.

One weekend, Park attended Mass with Uriegas’ sister, Graciela, because he was out of town. What she saw inspired her to delve deeper into the Catholic faith.

“I went to Mass with her, and I remember we saw someone getting confirmed,” Park recalled. “I don’t know why, but it almost made me cry. Before, I had a feeling like I might want to become Catholic, but this made me truly start considering my faith.”

In September 2023, Park signed up for OCIA through the University Catholic Center. Uriegas became her sponsor. His sister would be her godmother. Park calls her time spent with the UCC group “amazing.”

“I think it helps a lot that it’s a college community. We’re all at similar points in our lives. We all grew up in the same culture,” said Park, adding that the center’s accessibility also plays a role. “I have a very busy life. I work. I go to school. I’m doing my teaching hours. I’m all over the place, so it’s nice to have this here. It’s more than just a place to go to Mass. There is fellowship and conversations. It’s a community.”

As she fully entered in the Catholic Church on March 30, Park said she most looked forward to being able to receive the Eucharist.

“When I first started faith formation, it didn’t mean anything because, you know, I didn’t grow up in the Church. I didn’t really understand it,” Park said. “As you learn more about it, you realize that this is a privilege. This is something I get to partake in every Mass going forward. That’s so exciting.”

Answering the call
Nineteen-year-old history major Frank Douglas grew up Protestant, attending services at a large non-denominational church in his hometown of Rockwall. His passion for history, his major at the university, initially led him to explore the Catholic faith.

“I know why Protestants believe what they do, but I didn’t know why Catholics believe what they do,” explained Douglas, adding that something was missing from his faith life. “I wanted something more. I wanted a traditional style liturgy.”

He explored both Lutheran and Episcopal churches, but ultimately was drawn to Catholicism.

“I wanted to go deeper into my faith,” he said. “To do that, I eventually had to go to a Catholic church.”

It was summer when Douglas discovered his faith but he still wanted to check out the University Catholic Center at UTD. He started attending Masses at the UCC a few weeks before the fall semester started. In September 2023, he joined the center’s “Discovering Catholicism” program.

“I’ve loved it. The sessions have really helped to deepen my faith and my understanding of it,” Douglas said. “I’ve really enjoyed the program, the videos, and really being able to talk about everything. We actually can delve deep into faith conversations that I believe helps all of us.”

For Douglas, the campus center has become somewhat a second home, a place where he comes to Mass, faith formation, and weekly Bible study as well as to find fellowship with other young adults interested in growing their Catholic faith.

“I think the community is a big part of what makes this place what it is,” he said. “It’s pretty awesome.”

As his faith journey continues, Douglas said he thinks about finding community through a vocation in the priesthood or possibly even monastic life.

“I think community is one of the greatest things God gave us,” he said. “Being able to live for God in that way, to give myself entirely to Him, contemplate and work for Him, those are things that really interest me.”

A long journey
Though not raised Catholic, Hunter Matthews, 26, of Lindale, grew up attending Catholic schools in Tyler, first attending St. Gregory Catholic School from the fourth through eighth grade and then graduating from Bishop Gorman High School.

“I was one of the few non-Catholics who went to school there for a time,” Matthews recalled. “I took the theology classes. I went to Mass every Wednesday. I did it all.”

Everything but receive the sacraments, which for a time, bothered Matthews.

“Maybe it was immaturity. Maybe I couldn’t let go of humility. I just could never understand why I had to take a year’s worth of extra classes just to become Catholic if I was already doing what all the other students were doing,” Matthews admitted. “It was a roadblock for me, and, for the longest time, I just couldn’t get past that.”

Then, while attending community college in Austin, Matthews met Maryan, a Chaldean Catholic and a student at St. Edward’s University.

“She helped bring me to the Catholic faith,” Matthews said. “She got the idea planted in my head that, ‘Hey, Jesus is calling you for a relationship with Him.’”

The couple began exploring different communities to attend church, but even then, Matthews admits his pursuit of the faith wasn’t fully committed. It was not until Matthews began to make a regular commute from Waco to UTD while his girlfriend attended law school that he began to develop that relationship with his faith.

“I found the Catholic center here, and I just started going,” he said. “I felt the good community they were building here, and I guess maybe you could say it was divine intervention or something. I just knew I was ready to make that effort.”

Matthews, who is pursuing a double major in mathematics and computer science at UTD, now lives in Dallas, which made it possible for him to begin the OCIA process in September 2023.

He enjoys the “Discovering Catholicism” group at the UCC because it allows him the opportunity to grow in his faith among his peers.

“I think it’s really important to have a group of people who are of a similar age group,” he said. “You can relate to them better. You share the same struggles, both with school and your social life. It makes it all much easier.”

After being confirmed Catholic at the Easter Vigil, Matthews said he most looks forward to seeing how his faith changes him.

“Will it be something that you can easily see and feel, or will it be a deeper change that requires more reflection and discernment,” asked Matthews, adding that his confirmation also fulfills another, personal goal. “My dad has told me for several years that his only remaining goal for me in my life is to see me baptized. It means a lot to me that he wants that for me, and I’m glad I’m making that happen.”

As he embarks on the newest part of his faith journey, Matthews intends to avoid falling into the same mistake again.

“I want to keep learning. I don’t want to get stuck in that trap of ‘I know everything’ again,” he said. “There’s obviously plenty more to discover.

“This is where my journey begins,” Matthews added. “I’ve laid the bricks. Now, I need to start walking the path.”

To learn more about the University Catholic Center at UTD, please visit www.catholicatutd.com.