Redmond 

Taylor Kelly
Moreau First Year Experience
4/27/22
Faith & Heart: Fueling the Pursuit of a Holistic Existence
My mission in life is to be an engaged community member with a passion for serving those on the margins. Since I was a child I have long dreamt of one day attending the University of Notre Dame which I believed was the best first step towards pursuing my mission. I contributed copious amounts of time and endless effort to not only achieve this goal but to also succeed during my freshman year here. For instance, this past semester I took organic chemistry. This course is known as one of the toughest classes in college. Regardless, I had to learn to give up going out with my friends on some weekends in order to study. This is a study habit I will keep with me for the rest of my three years whenever I have a tough exam for a difficult course. As the well-known Notre Dame icon Father Hesburgh once said, “Whatever you value, be committed to it and let nothing distract you from this goal. The uncommitted life, like Plato’s unexamined life, is not worth living.” (“Hesburgh” by Fr. Theodore Hesburgh - Moreau FYE Week Two) This is a belief I have carried with me and will continue to do so in my future career and family life allowing me to follow out my calling. Coming from a family of faith with strong work ethics, my parents have instilled in me similar values. As my lifelong friend Aidan told me in a recent conversation, I had one of the best work ethics he had ever seen as he highlighted that I always passionately contributed 110% to projects (“Moreau Conversation” by  - Moreau FYE Week Five). For instance, growing up I participated in the Sleep Out every year where I reached out to everyone I knew and raised money for homeless teens by sleeping out in the cold for a night. I set the highest fundraising goal every year and did everything possible such as knocking on neighbors doors to achieve that goal which I did every year. My parents have always emphasized the importance of using religion as a guide to help shape me into a well-rounded, thoughtful human being. With this guidance I know I will be able to make the most out of my time here at Notre Dame to become involved with the community and support it through volunteering by engaging with the local people of South Bend. I believe the best way to go about this will be to become involved with the Center for Social Concerns as they are deeply involved with those in need in the community. Specifically within the Center for Social Concerns I hope to participate in the International Summer Service Learning Program next year so I can travel overseas and help first-person those seriously marginalized in developing countries.
Naturally, Notre Dame is well known for its strong community and faith connection. After completing my first year at this marvelous institution I can verify this understanding is true. One example that verified my belief was when I had the privilege of working with Campus Ministries Director, Fr. Pete. When I learned I wouldn’t receive a dorm next year as a gateway, I went to Fr. Pete to see what could be done. We discussed several options but he also made me pray with him. At first I was unsure of how praying with Fr. Pete would accomplish anything, but when we did that provided me with the calmness and clarity to reassess the housing situation and come away with a positive outlook. With this, I truly am in the best position to continue pursuing a life well-lived given that “I believe my education from Notre Dame that will shape both my heart and mind will propel me to succeed and not forget my true calling to serve others, especially those on the margins.” (“Personal Mission Statement” by  - Moreau FYE Week Thirteen) Additionally, coming to Notre Dame I have been exposed to a variety of new perspectives and viewpoints. One example of this I can think of is my good friend Bridget. Bridget is also a gateway but comes from a very different background as she hold concservative views and has grown up in a republican oriented community. Before knowing Bridget I always kept my distance as I hold more neutral views coming from a liberal state such as Vermont. However, after talking to Bridget we realized we actually had a lot in common which led us to become great friends. Now whenever a big political move has taken place in D.C. I always go to Bridget to get her perspective and give her my own. More often than not one or both of our initial perspectives switches after talking to each other. This exposure has allowed me to develop my own set of values which helped to shape my mission statement. Notre Dame’s own Dr. Blaschko said it best, “We should be intentional about the information we expose ourselves to, seeking out intelligent people with whom we disagree and attempting to fully understand their arguments.” (“How to Avoid an Echo Chamber” by Dr. Paul Blaschko - Moreau FYE Week Eleven) There is no doubt in my mind that Notre Dame is the best place for this intelligent conversation and development. One way I can go about this is to attend the speaker series put out by the Center for Social Concerns. They host speakers from a variety of backgrounds that are all doing work that is in service to others which is exactly what I am passionate about. Through these speakers I can learn more about the topic of service and hopefully, specifically, homelessness.
College has not only helped to shape my mission statement but it has also exposed me to many realizations in which of the ways I can best serve those on the margins. An important realization I was able to draw from Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez in Professor Steve Reifenberg’s book was, “‘Solidarity with the poor means not to try to be the voice of the voiceless,’ he said at the workshop. ‘This is NOT the goal. The goal should be that those who have no voice today will have voice and will be heard.’” (“Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg [Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez] - Moreau FYE Week Nine) This point is crucial because instead of assuming what those who are struggling want or need, we must go to the source of the issue to best address the issue. With this newfound knowledge, I will make sure to go out into the South Bend community and learn or verify their needs so I can best serve them. I plan to serve people over the next three years in the South Bend community who are homeless and don’t have a seedy job. Similarly, the wonderful Fr. Greg Boyle emphasized this point by highlighting how crucial it is to join hands with those struggling in the community rather than send support from afar. A sense of togetherness is so important in order to truly help. This can be accomplished by actively engaging with these people firsthand by going out into the community. One way I can go about this is to get involved with the Hope Ministries in South Bend. They are a homeless shelter where I can stop by and talk with folks who are trying to get back on their feet and find a steady home. As Fr. Boyle articulated, “Alone, they didn’t have much, but together, they had a potful of plenty.” (“Tattoos on the Heart” by Fr. Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven) Furthermore, the final major realization I came to this semester that will best help me to follow my mission in serving the vulnerable was expressed by Pico Iyer. As he stated, “‘Half the confusion in the world comes from not knowing how little we need.’” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) Here, this perspective from Iyer allowed me to understand why a big theme of my mission statement is dedicated to providing my service and resources to others. I have been lucky enough to be born into a family that has supported me both emotionally and financially my entire life. I well know this is not the case for much of the world and this theme is reflective even in South Bend. By using the skills and resources I have been given I can begin my own program to provide assistance to those who truly don’t have basic life necessities or join Notre Dame’s Catholic Relief Services Club. This club will educate me on how I can best serve those living in poverty.
Looking to the future, there are many steps to take, in regard to living out my mission in my career. As Notre Dame’s career center pointed out, “This reinforces the need to consider all four aspects - values, interests, personality, and skills - when making a career decision.” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by ND Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four) This is an excellent point as I will need to consider a variety of aspects including my mission in order to decide on and follow my future career path. One club I could join at Notre Dame to help me with this decision is the Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations Club. This club is centered around advising and spending time with nonprofits to assess where the most help can be provided to those in need. This very much aligns with my mission and could help me to discover a career in the nonprofit sector which would allow me to dedicate myself to serving those in need. Although it is important to reflect on this point made by Fr. Michael Himes, “This joy may lead you in many, many directions, and it may lead you to further questions.” (“Three Key Questions” by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three) The joy of helping those in need and discovering my career path may lead me into a different career with a different mission. It is critical to keep an open mind and be prepared for whichever way God might guide me.
Regardless of my future career, God will always be at the forefront of guiding me along my destined path and helping me pursue a well-lived life. Even at times when my path does not appear clear I know I must always rely on God. This goes the same for when tough times occur. The question may be asked, “If God is good, why does he allow suffering in my life?” (“5 Minutes” by Grotto - Moreau FYE Week Six) I realize that at many times it feels as if God has abandoned me, but I always come out of these obstacles and reflect on the strength these difficulties provided me. For instance, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during the end of my junior year of high school I struggled with not being able to see friends and missing out on my high school sports season. With this struggle I often questioned my faith in God, which only increased when I wasn’t able to attend mass. However, after praying on these difficulties I realized how important it is to rely on God. This helped to ground me and significantly shifted my perspective on the pandemic isolation to a positive one as I was able to become closer with my family. It is important to realize that God is always there supporting us even when it doesn’t appear that way. Jacob Walsh said it well in his article, “‘You can’t convince yourself God loves you, but you can ask Him to show you.’” (“Growing up Gay and Catholic” by Jacob Walsh - Moreau FYE Week Ten) God will show himself and provide answers if I am ever in question or doubt reading my mission. 
	Aside from my mission statement, I believe in order to truly live a well-lived life, family is at the center of it all. I will always be there to help others and strengthen my community, but my family will come first as I hope to one day raise kids that have their own strong values. Dean of Notre Dame’s Law School, G. Marcus Cole, told a story of a racial discrimation encounter where he and his sons were threatened by violence. As he reflected, “At that moment, I remember thinking that the most important thing I could do for my sons was to survive the encounter.” (“'I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something.'” by Dean G. Marcus Cole - Moreau FYE Week Twelve) Although I have never encountered racial discrimination towards myself, this is the same mindset I hope to hold for my children as their wellbeing and success should be put before my own if threatened. In terms of being away from my family over the next three years I want to make sure that I continue to keep a strong connection with my parents. I plan to maintain this bond by calling my mom and dad every weekend, this is a habit I have kept over my first year and I will certainly keep it.
At the end of it all I hope one day my family can look back and exclaim, “I encourage you all to live like Liam did and to always embody his values.” (“A Calling to Serve the Vulnerable - Eulogy” by  - Moreau FYE Week Eight) While it is impossible to know what the future holds, I believe I have best set myself up to follow along the path that God has so far guided me on empowering me to pursue a life well-lived serving those around me.