Graca and La Placa are
2005 "Outstanding Students in
Campus Ministry"
by
Liesl Fores (The Catholic Advocate)

UNION - College graduates Lindsey Graca and Joseph La Placa found a spiritual home at Kean University in its campus ministry's Newman Club, the student organization of the Newman Catholic Center, an international higher education association.

The two, who have been dating since high school, met chaplain/campus minister Father Alexander Santora and discovered the richness of the ministry their sophomore year, when they happened to attend a Sunday evening Mass at the university center.

La Placa, who is a member of the Lambda Alpha Sigma Honor Society and graduated magna cum laude in May, explained that both he and Graca participated in campus ministry at Roselle Catholic High School and wanted to continue their involvement in college.

As former vice president of the Newman Club, he asserted that the organization "gives back to the community." He described some of the group's activities, such as a Giving Tree project - which was initiated by him and Graca and provided useful items and monetary contributions to the needy - food drives and, La Placa's favorite, visiting residents at Cornell Hall nursing home in Union.

"Over the years you get to know these people, not just by face but by name. They recognize you...they get excited when they see you," he said. "It feels good."

Grace, who also graduated magna cum laude and was a member of the Lambda Alpha Sigma Honor Society as well as Lambda Phi Eta, the national communications honor society, stressed that the Newman Club has helped her "so much - in every area possible."

This past year's vice president of the club explained that being raised in a household where going to Church and faith were so important, it made her realize priorities. God, she says, is "number one" in her life: "Without Him nothing is possible."

This "allowed me to concentrate on my [school] work," she said, emphasizing that campus ministry helped, because she is "living as God wants me to."

Describing the many retreats that she attended during her time with the Newman Club as particularly meaningful for her, Graca remarked that they gave her the opportunity to "really grow spiritually" and to "see what's important - it's not the material things."

She noted that especially today, organizations like the Newman Club are "essential for young Catholics to take part in," adding, "I've met so many wonderful people throughout the years."

Both La Placa and Graca commented that they have become good friends with their peers in the group - with whom they plan to keep in touch - as well as Father Santora and are hopeful for the future of the college association, though they themselves will be moving on.

Calling it a "great experience," La Placa asserted, "Hopefully the club will continue at Kean.If the group grows, it can do more and more," and stressed a goal for students to "help others and get involved in the community."

"Our group may have been small," said Grace, "but there's no limit to what people can do when they're working for God."

"Kindness is contagious," she observed, expressing her wish that the good will of the Newman Club and its incoming members may pervade. "That's what I pray for every day."

Father Santora, who has been at Kean for 10 ears, described the couple as "very devoted to the Church and their community.

"They're very active together - they always work together," he said, pointing out that besides all the service projects they worked on, the pair often would attend Sunday Mass at the university, sometimes with their families, though neither one of them lived on campus.

"They are really good kids and should be minted," Father Santora said of Graca and La Placa, who were chosen by the archdiocesan campus ministry office as this year's "Outstanding Students in Campus Ministry."

Graca, a communications major who is involved in community theater and interned at her former high school assisting on their development campaign, says she'd like to continue working in a Catholic school setting, in a public relations/communications capacity, describing it as "giving back all that was given to me."

Noting that this is a time when Catholic schools are closing, she remarked, "I feel fortunate and blessed to have had a Catholic education," and added that she wanted to help ensure its future. "I want that for my children."

La Placa, who works at Chili's Restaurant along with his girlfriend, was just accepted into the chain's restaurant management program; after training, he'll be able to manage a Chili's anywhere in New Jersey.

The business major, who plays guitar and sings in a rock band, The Dap, and is also involved in community theater, says he will try to bring his faith into his work by following "God's plan," which he believes to be "to give back to others, to be honest and true... to make sure to do the right thing, not stepping over any lines, to be true to yourself."

"It has to do with morals and ethics," he said.

The values they continued to form and the relationships they forged in their campus ministry experience with the Newman Club, Graca and La Placa concede, have been an integral part of their college days and will help and guide them in all their life endeavors.