‘Jericho,’ breaking down barriers to God’s love

Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Newman Center director Daniel Rosa says that “a culture of invitation has begun to take root” at the university. “These invitations come from a desire for every student and community member to know, love, and serve God and neighbor.”

Such was the case of a recent event called “Jericho,” A Night of Worship held at St. Martin of Tours Church. The event’s guest speaker Dylan Browning, a missionary from Ablaze Ministries in Bryan, shared his experience of spiritual healing by tearing down the walls he had built around his heart and his life.

“Maybe tearing down our own walls is part of your mission because God works through you and not through the best part of you. Not through the prim and proper Facebook, or Instagram version of you, but the messiest part, because that’s the stuff you want to block,” Browning said. It’s the stuff that makes you feel alone and isolated.”

Father Alfredo Villarreal, the pastor of St. Martin of Tours, offered the Sacrament of Confession, presided over the Mass and adoration. Father Francis Medanki, the pastor from St. Joseph Church in Alice, was also available to hear confessions.

Truley Nguyen, an Ablaze missionary and musician, led the singing with her soulful voice while playing the keyboard during the entire night of worship. Carissa Reyes and Rosa provided the accompaniment.

Ablaze Ministries is “young” focused. On their website are the words, “Rethink Youth Ministry.” Their approach is to “build disciples by serving youth, ministers, and parents.” The Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities across the world. In 2021, there were 57,704 Connections – that is, young adults who are about to enter college who went onto the Newman Center website and created an account to get “connected” with a campus. It is heartening, and it is inspiring. 

TAMUK Newman Center sponsored the event. Rosa said over 100 students were invited to attend “Jericho” by: student interns; seminarian Jim Craig; FOCUS missionaries Samantha Ayers, T.J. Jakubowski and Mariana Quetzeri; Ablaze missionaries Browning, Nguyen, Maddy Hammer, Matt Rice, and P.J. Lozano; and members of the Catholic Student Organization from TAMUK. They all broke bread with the students at the Thursday luncheon earlier that day.

That night about 50 students and community members attended “Jericho.” It was a powerful gathering in which walls were torn down in each of the attendees just like at the battle of Jericho,” Rosa said.

Julie Stark contributed to this article.