Como en Casa: How Latina/o College Students Thrive in Catholic Campus Life
Grounded in the students’ own perspectives and in their own words, this report seeks to build understanding about Latina/o students in Catholic campus ministries.
The PASOS Network, housed in Dominican University’s Division of Mission and Ministry, partnered with Springtide to explore how Latina/o college students define and experience spiritual thriving within Catholic campus ministries across the United States. Based on surveys and interviews with students and campus ministers from diverse Catholic and secular institutions, Como en Casa: How Latina/o College Students Thrive in Catholic Campus Life centers the voices of Latina/o students to understand how they cultivate meaningful faith lives in college.
Key Findings
Our findings reveal that Latina/o students and campus ministers often understand “thriving” differently. Ministers tend to emphasize regular sacramental participation, involvement in campus ministry, and a mature relationship with God. Students describe thriving as an ongoing process involving four key elements:
-
Exploration, questioning, and growth
Latina/o students describe thriving as a lifelong journey of spiritual development rather than a destination to be reached. Students experience their campus ministries as safe spaces to explore faith and ask questions. Trusting relationships with ministers are key to creating these spaces.
To be thriving in my faith life . . . I feel like it means to understand my strengths with faith but also my weaknesses and realizing I’m not perfect. I am heavily involved in campus ministry and at my home parish, but I don’t think that defines fully just how much my faith is. I think if it truly is thriving, I understand that there’s still time for growth.
-
A personal relationship with God
Latina/o students see a personal relationship with God as key to thriving. Many students say they deepen their relationship with God by participating in the sacramental and ritual life of the Church. Campus ministries often help these students discover (or recover) this connection in a meaningful and personal way.
-
Living one’s faith
Latina/o students, a key marker of thriving is the extent to which their faith shapes their everyday lives—how they live their faith through their daily choices, relationships, and habits. College students, busy as they are, find support for living the faith through friendship with other students involved in campus ministry. Service and leadership, too, help students put their faith into action.
[Thriving] means to be consistent in one’s intentional way of living. It includes Mass, Communion, and constant prayer to grow as an individual but also in community. It means showing up even when it isn’t always easy. It means having a desire to keep coming closer to Christ and wanting to resemble Him.
-
Expressing faith latinamente, como en casa
The ability to express one’s faith through cultural rituals and traditions is linked to thriving for Latina/o students. Cultural expressions of faith help these students feel connected to their families, heritage, and to other Latina/o students. Campus ministers recognize the importance of culturally responsive ministry, but some face uncertainty or structural barriers that prevent its implementation. Still, Latina/o students overwhelmingly say they feel their cultures and identities are respected in campus ministry spaces.
You can view the full free report, Como en Casa: How Latina/o College Students Thrive in Catholic Campus Life here.
