Shannon Murphy, a graduate student at the Boston College School of Theology & Ministry, has joined the Saint Columbkille community for the 2021-2022 school year as a Campus Minister. She is currently a graduate assistant for Multifaith Programs with the Boston College Campus Ministry and will finish her Master of Arts degree in Theology & Ministry degree in 2022. Murphy will be volunteering her time as part of her graduate school practicum for up to eight hours a week at Saint Columbkille.
Murphy’s main goal is to help support the spiritual and religious education needs, as well as faith formation, at Saint Cols. She’ll be working alongside pre-K 2.9 teacher Ms. Anne Krane, who also leads the school’s Catholic Identity Committee. Specifically, she will work with teachers on lesson and curriculum support, sacramental preparation and service projects, among other things.
“I’m so excited about her and the work she’s doing,” says Ms. Krane, who was introduced to Saint Cols more than 10 years ago through the same practicum program with BC’s School of Theology & Ministry. “She’s going to be a huge asset to our school.”
For students, Murphy hopes to take students to see St. Columbkille Church and take a tour. Her aim is to get them comfortable with the church setting and to provide context for attending Mass. She also wants to ensure that families of all faith backgrounds feel welcomed from a religious perspective.
“I love stories and knowing how people have arrived at where they are [in a religious sense],” says Murphy. “I stay curious, listen and ask questions. Because of this, I hope that I am able to share my faith in ways that are helpful and supportive to those I encounter in the community.”
Murphy’s placement at Saint Cols is yet another example of the strong relationship between the school and Boston College. Additionally, she hopes to share the journeys of the soon-to-be priests in formation at BC, discussing with students what they wear, what their commitment to the faith means, how they celebrate a Mass and more.
Before starting her master’s degree at BC, Murphy served with AmeriCorps, which helped solidify her desire to work with youth and shaped her interest in multi faith efforts. She is originally from the West Metro suburbs of Minneapolis and she loves soccer, cooking, and pangolins. About the “scaly anteaters,” she says she’s a big fan of quirky creatures that God creates among the many amazing things in God’s universe.