Finding Jesus Online

It’s crazy to think that in less than a month, I will be living in Paris, France. I have dreamed of studying abroad in Paris since I started taking French in 8^th grade. It is such a blessing to realize that this dream is finally coming true.

My excitement to go abroad doesn’t come without hesitations. Will I be homesick? Will I get lost in a new city? Will I be able to cook for myself? Will I pass my classes taught exclusively in French? This week, we had a mandatory pre-departure meeting for all Notre Dame students going abroad. They raised another really important question- How will you keep up your faith life while abroad

Notre Dame makes faith life easy. With a chapel in every dorm and countless masses every day, it takes little thought and planning to carry out your faith life. Abroad this obviously isn’t the case- while being surrounded by some of the most architecturally rich churches in the world- many European countries lack a robust faith life. Being involved in the church and going to mass isn’t a popular trend among European youth. Last year when I attended daily mass on mornings during my Fall Break trip to France, I was the youngest person there by a good 10 years. Another difficulty is the language barrier. While I speak French, it is not nearly as good as my English. There is no way to get as much out of a mass fully in French, as I do from mass in English.

As a way to supplement my experience in France, I’ve started looking for resources to keep my faith life alive and active while in France… by searching for ways to find Jesus online.

Podcasts- Part of my life in Paris will be a daily commute on the metro for at least 20 to 30 minutes from where I’m living to the University of Paris. So why not use that time to reflect on this Sunday’s Scripture passages? While there are tons of great podcasts out there, my mom recommended to me the awesome Podcast of The Lanky Guys. Think of witty repartee you’d find on an episode of vlogbrothers or “Car Talk” and then add the upcoming Sunday’s scripture. It’s hosted by a campus minister/dad and a priest, who are both hilarious. Plus, each of their podcasts are around 50 minutes, so perfect for a full round trip on my public transit commute!

Prayer- Making time for prayer is definitely going to be difficult with so much going on in such a bustling city. The amazing website Sacred Space, helps gives you the guidance and space for prayer in your life. Guided by the Jesuit practice of the examens, this site guides you through a rich and reflective prayer experiences based on the daily scripture reading. This is perfect to do as you drink your morning coffee (and croissant) or as a way to reflect just before you go to bed.

Rosary- Part of studying abroad can be isolating. Being far away from family and friends can make you feel disjointed and lost, not to mention culture shock to make you realize how very little you fit in. Come Pray the Rosary [KM1] can help remind you how universal the church is. This is a website I’ve loved since high school. You can join in on a world-wide rosary and pray alongside people around the world. It reads the prayer out loud for you so all you have to is pray along and realize that no matter how big the world is, God is bigger.

Music- I’m a little bit addicted to Spotify. I love to use it to find new playlists and create my own. They have a great collection of music playlists for whatever you are looking for. When I miss my choir family and Notre Dame, I love to listen to some Notre Dame Folk Choir playlists. When I need some music for thoughtful meditation or prayerful yoga, I use the “Christian Folk/Indie” playlist. When I need some good instrumental tracks for quiet studying or praying, I like to use “Instrumental Inspirations.”

Apps- I hope to travel around in Europe while abroad, so I’m sure I’ll be on the go a lot, but luckily there are lots of apps that make it easy to keep on your prayer life. The ND Daily Faith App is a great way to stay connected with the thoughts and prayers of ND students and staff while being away from campus. It has daily gospel reflections written by members of the Notre Dame community as well as prayers and daily gospel readings.

There are honestly countless resources to find online that will help you grow in your faith life. However, the most important thing is to explore all kinds of options and find what fits you. Everyone’s faith life is unique, so we’ll each be drawn to resources that fit our unique prayer lives. With all of these online applications it’s important to make them a part of your daily life so that you can develop better prayer habits. It’s also important to remember to unplug (seeing as I am a blogger I might be the worst ever at this) and find God in the new faces, places, and experiences all around you.