New Munich woman focuses on igniting faith in Catholic youth

Last March, Ashley Maus was looking forward to her graduation from South Dakota State University, getting a job and starting the next phase of her life. But she struggled with what she wanted to do. Each job she applied for seemed wrong — something in the job description didn’t fit with what she was looking for, or the culture in the workplace didn’t seem right.

Then the idea of being a missionary was planted during a “Seek” young adult conference she attended. The idea stuck with her and then, out-of-the-blue, a friend suggested she consider being a missionary.

Curious, she checked a few options she knew about — NET Ministries in St. Paul and Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) on campus in Brookings, South Dakota — but the application deadlines for both had passed.

She prayed about it, saying, “Jesus, if this is what you want me to do, I need your help.”

Soon after, she was at the Newman Center on campus and saw a SPIRITUS Ministries pen on a table. A brochure and application were there, too. She did some research about the organization. The application window was still open, and she decided this must be where God wanted her.

A member of Immaculate Conception Parish in New Munich, Ashley joined SPIRITUS Ministries in August. She is one of 12 young adults currently serving with the Menasha, Wisconsin-based organization.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”16″]“There have been various retreats that I have been on where the students are going through a lot. They are often stressed about their home lives and have pressure on them from school, sports and other activities. After going on a retreat, they seem like they are more at peace and are in a better relationship with God.”[/perfectpullquote]

SPIRITUS Ministries aims to evangelize Catholic youth and young adults throughout Wisconsin with retreats, parish youth ministry, and college campus ministry, according to its website.

“Our mission statement is, ‘Igniting Faith in Catholic Youth’ and we do that by putting on retreats for kids in first through 12th grade,” Ashley said. “Our most common one is probably the confirmation retreat.”

A highlight of the confirmation retreats is one-on-one prayer, where a small-group leader prays with each person individually.

“Then they have the opportunity to bring any prayers or intentions they have to Jesus,” she said.

Sometimes during the retreats, the students need a little extra guidance or help knowing how to pray.

“You show them, and you just put words to it,” she said. “It’s just a super beautiful opportunity for them to encounter Jesus.”

After five months of service, she sees how the retreats are benefiting youth.

“There have been various retreats that I have been on where the students are going through a lot,” Ashley said. “They are often stressed about their home lives and have pressure on them from school, sports and other activities. After going on a retreat, they seem like they are more at peace and are in a better relationship with God. They often experience joy, are happy and have a desire to learn more about Jesus and what he has done for us.”

Although some retreats are done virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, most parishes choose to have retreats in person because it creates a better atmosphere for the youth, she said.

“We just follow whatever the parish guidelines are,” she said. “So, if they want us to be socially distanced, we’ll be socially distanced. If they want us to wear masks, we’ll wear masks. But the main thing is that we’re still able to go out and do those retreats.”

Ashley Maus (photo submitted)

Outside of presenting retreats, the SPIRITUS missionaries also have opportunities for their own formation.

“Team members are formed as lifelong missionary disciples through routines of prayer, spiritual direction, service and weekly formation courses,” said Catherine Wallace, the organization’s retreat coordinator. “During their nine months of service, Ashley and the other missionaries will spend 534 hours in prayer, 152 hours in leadership formation, 132 hours in ministry training and 421 hours in direct ministry to our Catholic youth.”

Their day starts with morning prayer and Mass and includes a holy hour sometime during the day, Ashley said. Weekly presentations and discussion groups are also part of their formation.

“Being able to do all of those things just really creates that relationship with Jesus,” she said. “And just being able to take that with you to remind you that he’s always there for us.”

Leaving friends and family to live and work with a group of people you have never met can be stressful, but Ashley said she has been pleasantly surprised at how easy it has been.

“The community that I live with is awesome,” she said. “It’s like [Jesus] definitely hand-picked our team to come together this year. It’s just such a gift to be with each and every one of those people that are on team with us.”

The missionaries need all the support they can get from the community, she said, and there are many ways to support them — with prayers, helping to spread the word about the SPIRITUS organization and financial contributions.

“While the SPIRITUS missionaries are doing all they can to promote the Catholic Church by inspiring the youth to rejoice in the beauty of their faith and to find their peace in God, the work isn’t always easy,” Catherine said. “Spending almost a year away from family and friends while working six days a week can take its toll.”

“Prayers would be awesome,” Ashley said. “Not just for us, but also the students that we’re going to encounter, that their hearts may be open to receiving whatever it is that God wants to share with them.”

As far as what happens after her nine-month commitment is over, Ashley says she’s not thinking that far ahead yet.

“I want to stay focused on the mission, igniting the faith in Catholic youth,” she said. “I just want to make sure that I can give my all to that and not be concerned about what’s going to happen afterwards.”

Whether Ashley, who represented Stearns County in the Princess Kay of the Milky Way competition in 2018, continues doing something in ministry or goes on to use her degree in dairy production and dairy manufacturing, she is glad the idea of working as a missionary was planted.

“This has just been a really, really cool experience, she said. “They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I completely agree with that. I’m not the same person that I was when I came in August, because God has changed me and I’ve recognized that.”

For more information about SPIRITUS Ministries, visit www.spiritusministries.org

Author: Dianne Towalski

Dianne Towalski is a multimedia reporter for The Central Minnesota Catholic Magazine.

Leave a Reply

*