The Effects of the Eastern Washington Newman Center

It began with the parents. If you asked any of the children, they would attribute their accomplishments to their parents. Vocation, Spiritual Growth, and Love began in their family and from those attributes, came flooding in the gifts from Christ.

The  Newman  Center Chapel provided them an outlet, a gateway of sorts, to talk with our  Lord Jesus and grow closer to Him. The FOCUS missionaries were a constant reminder to them to allow Jesus to pursue their hearts.  Amongst  the  Bible  studies,  the  Sanchez siblings were able to grow deeper with their friendships rooted in intentionality, restless love, 
and understanding.

Daniel was the first of the three to graduate from Eastern Washington University, even though he is not the oldest. During his time at the Catholic  Newman  Center, he was able to further discover his vocation to the priesthood. He recently finished his second year of seminary at Seminario Hispano de Santa Maria de Guadalupe, the House of Formation in Mexico City. With spiritual guidance from Fr. Paul Heric, Chaplain at the Newman Center, Daniel was able to trust God further with his vocation.

Griselda was the second to graduate and the oldest of the three. She spent a majority of her life raising Daniel and Kaylee, as many older siblings do. Having a heart of a mother, Griselda grew in deeper relationships within a community of Latina women here at Eastern. Her passion for truth and being heard by Christ led her to discover her calling to be a FOCUS missionary. She is finishing her first year serving as a FOCUS missionary in San Diego, California.

Kaylee is one of our 2019 graduates. She will be going into the workforce to live out her Catholic faith and tell others about God’s love. Being the youngest one, she learned from her siblings before her and grew as a beloved daughter of Christ. Kaylee’s joy brought life to the Newman 
Center as she led Newman Nights with praise and worship with the help of friends. Kaylee will be moving back home to work and save up money for graduate school and, God-willing, become an Occupational Therapist.

Each of the Sanchez children studied at Eastern Washington University for three years. Some may say that those three years are like the three years that the apostles had as they walked alongside our Lord. Now, as they go forward to preach the Gospel, they will always remember the words, Father Paul once spoke to them: “What are you looking for?”