ANNUAL CELEBRATION
Save The Date
Join us on May 2nd at 5:30 PM for this year’s Annual Celebration, featuring a Cinco de Mayo theme.
As of April 29th, we are 87% to our $205,000 goal!
An Evening to Celebrate & Support Our Mission
Every year, we come together as a community—students, alumni, parents, and friends—to celebrate what God is doing through Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU. Our Annual Celebration Fundraiser is an opportunity to support the mission of forming young Catholics into faithful disciples and celebrate our outstanding Servant Leaders.
Our Annual Celebration Fundraiser plays a vital role in supporting ongoing programs and sustaining the Catholic Center at SMU.
College is a time of deep searching—intellectually, socially, and spiritually. In the midst of this, Catholic Campus Ministry is a home away from home where students encounter Christ through the sacraments, community, and formation. Your support helps us provide the spiritual and practical resources they need to grow in faith during college.
Supporting a Home for Faith
Each year at the Annual Celebration, we recognize individuals with the Servant Leader Award who have gone above and beyond in living out their faith and serving our ministry.
These honorees reflect the heart of our mission, living as true servant leaders in our community. We look forward to celebrating their impact and witnessing how God has worked through them!
Honoring Servant Leaders
2025 Servant Leader Award Recipients
Mary Catherine McDermott (‘25)
Mary Catherine is currently a senior in her final semester at SMU, where she will graduate in May with a B.A. in Religious Studies and a B.B.A. in Business Management. Since the first week of her freshman year, Mary Catherine has been actively involved in Catholic Campus Ministry, taking on various roles. She has served as a lector at Mass, chair of our annual Awakening Retreat, and most recently, as the Women's Ministry Chair. Hear how she has experienced the sentiment of "it is in giving that we receive" (St. Francis) at The C:
My friends at the Catholic Center constantly amaze me by their hunger for relationship with Jesus, their willingness to serve, and their constant support throughout the college years. Our community is lively, and there is always something going on at the Catholic Center. There is a tangible joy in the air each time I walk into the The C, and I truly believe it comes from the love of Jesus that we all receive.
I have come to understand that what we do for others, we ultimately do for Jesus. Service is not just an action but a way of encountering Christ in those around us.
Studying the lives of the saints has given me a tangible example of what holiness looks like on earth. Their lives have shown me what it means to love Jesus completely and to dedicate everything to Him. Most importantly, encountering Jesus in the Scriptures and the sacraments has revealed to me the true meaning of my life: to serve Him and to serve others with all my heart.
- Mary Catherine McDermott (‘25)
Tres Gaiser (‘25)
Tres is an enthusiastic and dependable presence at The C, always ready to say "yes" to helping in any way he can—whether it’s loading his truck with boxes for a retreat or waking up early to set up the chapel for morning adoration. Since his sophomore year, he has been joyfully involved in many different programs through Catholic Campus Ministry. He hosts weekly Bible studies, leads men through the FOCUS discipleship program, serves as an Altar Server, and holds the position of Men's Ministry Chair. Tres also played a significant role in organizing and planning our first-ever Eucharistic Procession.
In his own words, Tres shares the graces he has experienced through the ministry, which ultimately influenced his decision to pursue a path toward the priesthood:
I am currently applying to seminary down in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. I truly believe I would not have discovered this desire on my heart without the prayer, support, and opportunities offered me by Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU.
I started my time at SMU in a very secular way, and it wasn’t until my sophomore year that God placed the most influential person in my life. John Harris, at the time a FOCUS missionary at SMU, invited me into something greater than myself. John asked me into friendship with Christ.
Since that fateful day during August of my sophomore year I have sought to let Christ embrace every facet of my life. Through leading men in Bible studies, discipleship, and men’s groups I have experienced the joy of spiritual fatherhood. It is only through these experiences that I have come to know my greater desire and love for the priesthood.
I am so honored to receive the Servant Leader Award, and I am so thankful that I could serve this community for the past three years. This community has been the largest part of my life at SMU. My graduation is a bittersweet goodbye to a community that I love, but I know that they will continue praying for me as I move onto the next phase of my life. The students and staff at the C will be in my prayers for years to come, and I look forward to hearing the wonders God works in their lives.
- Tres Gaiser (‘25)
Jeff Snoyer
Jeff has been a dedicated support of Catholic Campus Ministry for over 10 years. His commitment to the ministry is evident, as he consistently embodies a spirit of service. He frequently attends our Daily Masses, participates in Jericho Adoration & Worship Nights, and takes on projects aimed at enhancing our space for the glory of God.
This academic year alone, Jeff generously created a light-up Nativity scene to display outside during Advent, bringing joy to all who passed by our building. Most recently, he transformed an outdoor nook into a beautiful Marian prayer garden for students to pray in.
Below, Jeff shares a reflection on his experience serving at Catholic Campus Ministry:
I am deeply grateful to have been given the opportunity to do a small part in enhancing the Catholic Campus Ministry’s exterior.
Inside the Center, the welcoming atmosphere and the students’ sincere faith and dedication are evident. I see lifelong Christian values and friendships being formed. I see a dedicated staff led by a truly gifted priest. Daily Mass, adoration, and a welcoming spirit create a place that is very special. It is literally a home away from home for many, right in the center of campus.
Supported by a small group of contributors, each effort, no matter how small, significantly impacts the ministry’s mission. There is room for everyone’s talents and gifts at the”C”.
I can only imagine the profound difference these students will make in the world as they go forth. What a great start they are getting by being involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry!
- Jeff Snoyer
What Your Support Makes Possible
Full-Time Ministry Staff & Spiritual Direction
Catholic Campus Ministry provides students with the guidance they need to navigate their faith journey through the challenges of college. Our full-time chaplain is a steady presence, offering the sacraments and meeting with students daily. Our campus minister organizes over four events each week, creating opportunities for students to learn more about Christ and build lasting friendships. We also invite religious orders and offer spiritual direction, helping students discern God’s unique call for their lives.
The cost for full-time ministry staff & spiritual direction is $178,000 per year.
Student Formation & Programming
A college student’s faith journey isn’t meant to be walked alone. First-Year Student Homes welcome freshmen into a community of faith and friendship, while Senior Talks prepare them to live as disciples beyond graduation. Each month, Jericho Nights unite 70+ students in praise and worship. Through OCIA, 30 students are preparing to receive the sacraments at Easter Vigil, fully entering the Church. In addition to retreats, FOCUS Missionaries, and counseling services, which are also part of our formation efforts, these programs help students encounter Christ and grow in their faith daily.
The cost for ongoing student formation & programming is $16,200 per year.
Music Ministry & Liturgical Supplies
At Catholic Campus Ministry, worship is at the heart of everything we do. With daily Mass, three Sunday Masses, and nine hours of Adoration, over 250 students gather each week to meet Christ in the sacraments. Sacred music also plays a vital role, enriching our worship and drawing students into deeper prayer. Led by Dave & Lauren Moore, our music ministry elevates these moments, helping students grow closer to God. Your gift ensures we have the Bibles, liturgical supplies, and musicians needed to make worship possible.
The cost for music ministry & liturgical supplies is $38,000 per year.
How You Can Be Part of Our Annual Celebration
This ministry exists because of the generosity of people like you—those who believe in the power of faith to transform lives. Here’s how you can help:
Make a Gift: Every donation, large or small, makes an impact. Click here to help us reach our $205,000 goal.
Join Us for the Celebration on May 2nd: A joyful evening with good company and a shared mission.
Pray for Our Students: That they may grow in their love for Christ and His Church.
We are so grateful for each and every one of you who make up our community. If you have any questions about the Annual Celebration, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Katie Quinn at katieq@smu.edu.