Cardinal Tobin visits ‘Kean Catholics’ community
The members of the Kean Catholics community always look forward to their weekly Monday afternoon Masses. However, the March 31 liturgy was even more highly anticipated than usual because a cardinal was coming to campus.
When campus minister Lucia Pasternak attended the SEEK25 Conference in Washington, D.C. in January, she and some students from the Archdiocese of Newark had an informal dinner with Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., who was also in attendance. “I invited him then to Kean to meet with the students,” Pasternak said. But knowing he had a busy schedule, “I was surprised when he said yes!”
A man of his word, Cardinal Tobin arrived at Kean this past Monday and celebrated Mass with around 25 students, faculty members, and staff. He also stayed afterwards to meet each of those present. Lingering for over an hour, he prayed with the students, blessed them, smiled and made jokes, but mostly listened as they introduced themselves and spoke about their lives, faith, and daily challenges.
A collaborative endeavor
Kean Catholics is a collaborative outreach effort composed of the Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Campus Ministry and the school’s Catholic Newman Club.
“We’re in a place where things are distracting us from God,” said Newman Club president and second-year student Mariana. “Having a club here is a way of keeping us in our faith.”
Another student, Jadiel, said he participated in the community “to grow my faith in Jesus Christ.” He explained that his relationship with Christ had been tenuous until recently, “but now I’ve put my full faith in him, and he’s truly blessed me with people around me here that can guide me closer to him in fellowship.”
As with any college campus, many young people at Kean University hunger for something more from life. Kean Catholics provides these students with numerous opportunities to find God through worship, Bible study, moments of prayer, and cultural events.
“Sometimes students will come in and say, ‘Oh, I’m just looking for a way to grow closer to the Lord,’” Mariana said. “A friend here showed up for the Rosary one time, then she started attending Mass, then Bible study, and now she’s constantly coming to our events.”
A “very fulfilling” opportunity
Mariana said that she and the other students are grateful for the active presence of Lucia Pasternak, as well as for their school chaplain, Fr. Peter Volz. “We have a really good relationship with Fr. Peter. Whenever we need advice or to confess, he’s very open.”
This is the first time Fr. Volz has served as a campus chaplain, and he loves it. “You get direct access to a specific age group that you don’t find in the Church anymore, unfortunately,” Fr. Volz said. “These are young adults actively seeking the truth at a higher level, which is huge. It’s a chance to minister to people who are sinners like me, going through a time that I also went through. Helping to guide those who want guidance is a unique opportunity. It’s very fulfilling.”
Lucia Pasternak agrees. “Being a campus minister is my dream job,” she said. “I love seeing the joy of the students and how much they are on fire for the Lord at a secular university.
When Pasternak began her ministry in 2021, only one student showed up for the first Mass the ministry offered. The situation has changed dramatically over the past four years. “This past Ash Wednesday was our biggest ever, with about 150 – 160 people showing up. It’s wonderful. The Holy Spirit is truly moving here at Kean.”
“Absolutely ecstatic”
For one student, Ezekiel, the Kean Catholic community has been essential to his faith journey. A few years ago, he started exploring the early Church and the Scriptures. “After a while I realized, ‘Man, I need to become Catholic!’”
He started attending Holy Mass in 2024, “but I didn’t have many friends who were Catholics, because I grew up Pentecostal.” That changed when he discovered the campus ministry as a freshman. “It allowed me to meet people of like-minded faith and to delve more into his Word, and helped me grow spiritually. It’s been a blessing.”
Ezekiel said that the Kean Catholics ministry and its activities have become “a foundation for my faith.” He especially enjoys the Tuesday night Bible study sessions, which are led by a fellow student. “Each week we go through a chapter of the Gospel of Mark. Having this community allows us to discuss, delve into the minutiae and detail, and try to understand Christ’s intention for our lives. It’s really enriching. And afterwards we go out to eat!”
Ezekial will be entering the Church this Easter. “I’m absolutely ecstatic!” Later, he spent several private minutes with Cardinal Tobin talking about his faith journey and received a blessing.
Pineapple pizza and group chats with the Pope?
As happy as the students were with Cardinal Tobin’s presence, he was equally delighted to be with them. After speaking individually with students and a few faculty members, the cardinal sat down to answer a few uncommon questions posed by students who couldn’t attend, like “Is pineapple pizza acceptable?”
Cardinal Tobin’s diplomatic answer: “I’m kind of a ‘plain’ pizza guy,” but he held back from making any definitive pronouncement.
Another question, “Have you ever been on a group chat with the Pope?” prompted a moving story about how Pope Francis called the cardinal on his cellphone after he lost his mother in 2021. “He said, ‘I heard your mother died,’” Cardinal Tobin recalled. “When I said yes, he said, ‘Well, tell your family I feel very close to them right now and I’ll offer Mass for her tomorrow.’ The Pope knew she prayed for him.”
When the round of questions finished, Lucia Pasternak presented Cardinal Tobin with a “Kean Catholics” T-shirt on behalf of the community. He beamed as he held it up.
You can find more images of Cardinal Tobin’s visit to Kean University here.
For more information about Kean Catholics visit their website. The Office of Campus Ministry can direct you to ministries on other campuses. The campus ministries are also offering an Intercollegiate Lenten Retreat at Montclair State University’s Newman Center on Saturday, April 5 starting at 10 A.M. You can register here.
Featured image: Cardinal Tobin visits Kean University on March 31, 2025, to celebrate Mass and visit with the Kean Catholic community (Photo by John Touhey, Archdiocese of Newark)
