When people think of religious organizations, they don’t often consider the possibility of finding community in a faith they are not a part of. However, Drake University Bulldog Catholic is a religious organization at Drake focused on creating a welcoming community for students to share their faith and make lasting connections. St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Student Center serves as DUBC’s hub and hosts activities such as mass, bible studies and community nights.
At 9:15 p.m. every Thursday, DUBC holds a candlelight mass at the Catholic Student Center that is open to all students, regardless of their connection to Catholicism and DUBC. After mass ends around 10 p.m., DUBC holds Thursday After Mass community night, where attendees can chat, play games and enjoy snacks. It is through events such as this that DUBC hopes to expand its reach on campus and in the general community.
“Our mission is inviting people into [our] community,” said Matthew Bell, president of DUBC. “Bulldog Catholic, as a Catholic organization, is really just about walking with people on their journey and faith, helping them discover more about their purpose and the relationship with God that they can have. That’s something that’s very important to us.”
DUBC encourages students to get involved in this community through sponsored events, on-campus activities and sharing their faith with one another. Students wanting to be involved can specifically look forward to DUBC’s weekly events, including the Thursday candlelight mass and regular mass at 5 p.m. every Sunday, which is followed by Student Supper.
However, while these events are religious at their core, their main focus is to create a feeling of togetherness and genuine care. DUBC wants to provide a safe space for everyone who comes to their events, regardless of their background. And by providing this for everyone and not restricting access to only those practicing the faith, the community only benefits.
“Our expectation is never, ‘I want you to get through the door so that you become Catholic,’” said Megan Schultz, campus minister at St. Catherine’s. “I want to meet you so that I can just care for you…[It’s] just a group of people that wants to make sure everyone has a friend, bare minimum.”
DUBC has also been recently working on a vision statement focusing on the future of the organization and what it can do to better serve both students and the community of Des Moines. This vision statement is a relatively new point of discussion in DUBC and is being driven by students and faculty in leadership positions, offering their own perspectives on how to move forward. DUBC Faculty Adviser Lindsay Gilbert shared her opinion on the importance of this topic.
“It’s really important that they are thinking bigger than just what is our organization here on campus. They are thinking about what impact we can have on campus and how we want this to look long term.”
From Jan. 1 to Jan. 5, DUBC will be attending a five-day conference in Salt Lake City, Utah called SEEK. Attendees will be able to meet and greet thousands of other college students from across the nation, participate in mass prayers and hear vibrant talks from guest speakers such as Fr. Mike Schmitz and Sr. Josephine Grant. To sign up for the event and find out more, see the DUBC Instagram page in their bio @dubulldogcatholic.
