USC Catholic Campus Ministry is growing a parish
The leap from high school to college can be exhilarating, terrifying and everything in between. Suddenly, you find yourself cast into a vast new world — trading the comfort of home and familiar faces for the excitement (and occasional chaos) of campus life. It’s a rite of passage that challenges even the most confident young adults as they navigate making new friends, managing newfound independence and keeping up with rigorous academic demands. But hidden within this transition are also incredible opportunities for growth, self-discovery and shaping one’s path in life.
The leap from high school to college can be exhilarating, terrifying and everything in between. Suddenly, you find yourself cast into a vast new world — trading the comfort of home and familiar faces for the excitement (and occasional chaos) of campus life. It’s a rite of passage that challenges even the most confident young adults as they navigate making new friends, managing newfound independence and keeping up with rigorous academic demands. But hidden within this transition are also incredible opportunities for growth, self-discovery and shaping one’s path in life.
For Catholic students at the University of South Carolina, St. Thomas More Church and Student Ministry offer a form of respite from the dramatic changes going on around them. Young adults have a place to call home where they can connect with God and others.
The parish’s increase in student participation is a direct testament to the feelings of connection for which many students have hungered. It has intensified in recent years, possibly due to COVID-19 or the rise of social media that promote a physical disconnect among peers. St. Thomas More’s participation has significantly increased since 2021.
For example, the parish count had 284 students in 2021, while in 2024 they seat over 860 people. In that same time period, Mass attendance increased 180 percent for Ash Wednesday and 147 percent for Easter weekend. Plus, fall retreat participants increased by 85 people from 2023.
The numbers have increased so much in recent years that St. Thomas More saw the most ever for Welcome Weekend 2024 — 1,250 students at 15 welcome activities in the first two weeks of school. The ministry currently hosts 43 student-led Bible studies.
Father Rhett Williams, pastor, attributes this boost in participation to the open-door policy on campus. Their focus has been to spread the word about their services to potential and current students.
“We visited all the Catholic high schools and told them that USC was the place to be. Now they know us, and we have a great reputation,” he said.
They also went to the orientation fair on campus over the summer.
“People said they were looking for us and that they had heard about us,” Father Williams added.
He mentioned that the next step for the parish will be growing their alumnae population.
“Our alumni are 10,000 strong. We will be hiring someone to help us with our alumni program,” he explained.
Father Williams stated their consistency is what has helped the ministry be successful.
“Students expect Mass to be at the same time every week, and they expect dinner after the 5 p.m. Mass every week. So, we don’t want to change that,” he said.
Speaking of change, St. Thomas More is looking to build onto their campus. Father Rhett said that they are currently talking to a contracting company about the design since they acquired some land the campus owned right down the road from their current location on Blossom Street.
St. Thomas More holds weekly Wednesday night activities, service opportunities, special events during spring break, day trips, tailgate parties and retreats. The parish also pays special attention to their seniors. They offer a Development Academy that includes free headshots, interview preparation sessions, resume building, a cooking class and finance lectures. Seniors are also invited to a Senior Night at the rectory, the Baccalaureate Mass and a pilgrimage to Italy.
There are scholarships available for USC students, such as the St. Francis Xavier Scholarship that awards funds for retreats, mission trips, conferences and pilgrimages. St. Thomas More also offers a tuition-based scholarship to two students each year called the Cardinal Bernardin Scholarship.
Lorena Beltran, an alumna, said in a video about St. Thomas More that the student ministry gave her the ability to grow in her relationship with God.
“I have been able to build relationships and friendships here, but most importantly, I have been able to grow in my relationship with God,” she said.
Erin Callahan, a mechanical engineering student, was also featured in the video
“It’s incredible how much I’ve grown,” she relayed. “Whether it was through Bible study or just over coffee, I have learned so much in my time here with St. Thomas More.”