“I never took the time to notice a parish was there,” Hunter said.  

He was involved on campus, meeting new friends, joining clubs, enjoying his classes and all-around quite happy— until his junior year.

“I realized that this happiness was existing, but only existing on the surface level of life,” Hunter said.

He began to ask deeper questions about life and truth. He found that the narrative presented to him by the world did not satisfy him.

“In my journey of philosophical exploration and of the Resurrection accounts, I began to experience a profound shift within myself,” Hunter said.

The shift caused a strong pull to visit a Catholic church. While looking for resources online, Hunter was surprised to learn there was a parish right on campus.

“I was nervous,” said Hunter, who had been baptized into the Catholic Church. “I hadn’t been in a Catholic parish in two or three years.”

Unsure of whether to go in, he ultimately followed the pull.

“I walked in [and] the students welcomed me and handed me a Rosary someone made,” Hunter said, adding that they encouraged him to make an appointment with Father Matthew Gembrowski, parochial vicar. He did so.

“Father Matt was the youngest priest I've ever seen,” Hunter said. “I didn’t know there were young priests. His commitment to the Gospel at such a young age—willingly choosing to sacrifice a worldly life—made me realize that there must be rational reasons behind this choice. So, I went back to ask more and more questions.”

Hidden in plain view

St. Mary is unique in that it is nestled in the middle of CMU’s campus. Still, many students walk past the church every day. Some may not realize it’s there. Others choose to keep walking.  

With more than 14,000 students attending CMU, Father Matthew—who provides the sacraments and oversees parish life—knew he needed help to extend the Church’s reach and invite more students to encounter the Lord.  

“At a parish you need someone dedicated who will go out there and hit the pavement day in and day out,” Father Matthew said.  

So, with the blessing of Bishop Robert Gruss, Father Matthew began fundraising during the winter of 2024 with hopes of bringing the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) on campus. The Catholic apostolate serves college campuses around the world by sending FOCUS missionaries—young adults who are formed in the Faith—to engage college students, invite them to grow in relationship with Jesus Christ, and equip them to lead others.  

Last fall, four FOCUS missionaries—two young men and two young women—began their outreach at CMU.  

Meet Emily 

Emily Heupel arrived at CMU in August 2024. This fall will be her fifth year serving as a missionary, and her second year as team director. However, the Iowa native has been familiar with FOCUS for most of her life.  

"My aunt became a FOCUS missionary when I was in third grade,” Emily said. “She was the coolest person ever and she’d bring me to campus with her.”  

Years later, as a college student herself, Emily interacted with missionaries at Iowa State University. She attended FOCUS’ annual SEEK conference and decided to get involved.  

"I had grown up Catholic and pretty devout, but college pulled me in a lot of different directions,” Emily said. “The conference solidified that I am made for relationship with Jesus . . .  nobody really told me that before. The year after the conference, I began to be discipled by a student who was discipled by a missionary—which is the process. The biggest thing they taught me was how to pray.”  

Emily learned what a relationship with Jesus looks like and how to lead others.  

“I began leading a Bible study my sophomore year and did that until I was a senior,” Emily said. “It was my senior year leading the young women—bringing them into discipleship and teaching them the habits of a disciple—that I started to see mission with the eyes of Jesus. I started to see how his heart breaks for those who don’t know him personally and I was like, ‘Uhhh, this is how the Lord feels whenever I choose anything besides him’ and it clicked for me.”  

When it came time to decide what to do after college—attend grad school or apply for FOCUS—the adventure of life as a missionary called to her.  

“It’s offered so much transformation in my own life and my own spiritual journey,” Emily said. “The Lord uses mission to transform our own hearts. He uses it all for our continued conversion to him.”  

Missionary Life

When Emily and the other three missionaries arrived at CMU, they didn’t know anyone, but it didn’t take long to meet people.  

“Central Michigan is such a good campus for FOCUS because it seems like the students have been aching for something like this,” Emily said.  

A typical day for the missionaries includes making a Holy Hour and praying the Rosary, meeting and planning, lunch with students, time on campus with students at the gym or coffee shop, Bible studies, discipleship small group meetings, evening Mass, dinner with students and evening Bible studies.  

One day a week, the missionaries go out on campus for intentional outreach. They may play sports and ask others to join, set up a booth and invite people to engage in conversation or pass out free stuff like hot chocolate.  

“We started an event every Thursday night that we call Unveiled,” Emily said. “It’s adoration for an hour at 9 p.m. on Thursday nights with praise and worship music. By the end of the year, we had like 40 students coming.”  

Afterwards, the missionaries encouraged young people to stick around for snacks, card games and conversation.  

“At the beginning it was awkward, because they didn’t know what good friendship looked like,” Emily said. “They didn’t know how to talk to each other. By the end of the semester, it was the highlight of their week.”  

Bearing Fruit

“St. Mary’s from my first year to my second year was like night and day,” Father Matt said. “It was awesome. Way more life in the parish.”  

CMU sophomore Elise Long—a St. Agnes, Freeland parishioner—is one of 14 students who began leading their own Bible study this past winter semester.  

“It was pretty much up to me to find girls who would join,” Elise said. “You have to be brave and share your faith. It was scary at first for sure, but it became easier. I got some ‘noes,’ but then I got some ‘yeses’ and those were truly so great. I got to see a lot of growth of faith through others, which strengthened my own faith.”  

In addition to the students who stepped out to lead a Bible study, 135 students attended a Bible study last school year, and 90 of those attended four or more Bible studies. More than 20 students attended the annual SEEK conference in Salt Lake City, and participated in The Father’s House retreat in Grand Rapids.  The parish grew from around 100 weekly Mass-goers a few years ago to 300 now, most of whom are students.  

Still, on such a large college campus, Father Matthew said there is room for many more.  

“Many students on campus … chase after things that don’t matter, and they know they don’t matter,” Father Matthew said. “They’re looking for purpose. They’re looking for somewhere they can be fed on what’s real.

“We have a winning message. The Gospel is a winning message because it’s true, and when people hear it presented in a compelling way they respond.”

Hunter responded.

After meeting with Father Matthew, he began the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).He joined parish life with other students and the FOCUS missionaries, taking part in Bible study, SEEK and witnessing the faith of his peers. Through these experiences, he said, he has begun to understand what holiness looks like in daily life.

“I’m definitely not there yet,” Hunter said.  “But I’m slowly learning what it means to walk that path.”

This past year, Hunter made his first confession and received the Eucharist. He was confirmed along with 18 individuals, including 10 students, at the Easter Vigil. Two of those students were also baptized. He graduated in the spring and now works in Holland, Michigan, in the automotive industry.

“I’m grateful to St. Mary’s for teaching me how to pray and for being a quiet refuge between classes—a place where I was able to meet that deeper layer of reality, the true narrative of life [which] is made present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar,” Hunter said.

High hopes for year two

As Father Matthew and the FOCUS missionaries plan and prepare for year two, there is an excitement about continuing to build upon the foundation laid last year.

“I’m praying there’s deeper intimacy in prayer . . . that students will not feel uncomfortable to sit in silence,” Emily said. “And also, for a natural zeal, that they’ll want to go out and invite people to come.”

If (or when) that happens: “There’s no reason there shouldn’t be like 500 students at Mass on Sunday,” Father Matthew said.

In the meantime, he and others are fired up about the growth experienced so far and confident that with the help of the Holy Spirit, students will continue to feel the nudge to walk through the doors at St. Mary and respond to invitations from others.