“I like to think campus ministry meets anyone where they’re at... it’s not a space that’s gonna kick you out. I think students need that, and they need to know that.” Gabbi Jones, Campus Minister at Purcell Marian High School takes her word literally, as dozens of kids cut through the campus ministry office.

Decorated with pictures of the Virgin Mary, scripture quotes, inspiring posters and photos of past retreats, the 2nd floor space on campus has seen its share of changes - from basketball balcony, to chapel, to counseling offices. The campus ministry space connects the north and south sides of the 2nd floor, and provides a convenient breezeway for students getting from class to class.

Jones smiles as students walk through saying hello. Where others might find students walking through one’s work space disruptive, she encourages the shortcut because she wants faith life to be accessible. Her door is quite literally always open even if it’s just for a kid getting from one side of the building to the other.

A Dayton native, Jones discovered her path to religious education as a high school student herself. Attending a youth group helped her to find her own spirituality, she shared, for the first time owning her faith life herself. She felt called to do the same for others.

As a student of Theology and Religious Education at Xavier University, she student-taught at Purcell Marian, and “fell in love with the place.” A few years later, she was hired at Purcell Marian full-time as a religion teacher, teaching freshmen and seniors. Last year, she was hired as full-time Campus Minister.

“I miss the classroom, but I also feel that what I’m doing in campus ministry is what’s needed for this school.” What Jones has begun to build with students is admirable: planning all-school Masses with student-led participation, hosting a morning Muffins & Ministry event, supporting colleagues in welcoming students to pray the rosary together, planning retreats for each class level, building in student-led prayers in the morning and afternoon announcements, and community-wide faith events that connect spiritual life with the daily life of Purcell Marian.

“All teachers at Purcell Marian come in with the understanding that every student has a different background. You really have to own it and use that as a strength. When we approach faith, it’s an open dialogue, and by being in an open dialogue, everybody can grow from the conversation. It doesn’t matter who it is. We’re all able to find common ground, but also we emphasize people’s differences and uniqueness.”

Differences and uniqueness in high school can sometimes come across as challenging. Jones recalled a student, known for being a goofball, who surprised her by asking if he could read scripture at an upcoming Mass. “Sign yourself up!” Jones encouraged him, referring to the sign up sheets hanging up in the campus ministry office for the upcoming liturgy.

He did. From there, the so-called goofball continued to get more involved in campus ministry. In July, this student was one of only six students to represent Purcell Marian at the Marianist LIFE retreat, a national faith-formation retreat for Marianist high school students to learn from one another.

Upon returning home, coaches and mom noticed a difference. “At the teacher’s night, his mom came up to me, and she was
like, ‘that was a different boy that I took home!’ The football coach said ‘this kid has completely changed.’ He went from barely showing up to practice to being ‘on it,’” Jones shared proudly. She didn’t know encouraging him to sign up to read at Mass would lead him to such a transformation, but that is what she loves about campus ministry.

Her hope, she explains, is very simple: “My goal is to make campus ministry known to every single person.” That simple goal is achieved in small moments and interactions that grow into lasting impact. Sometimes, over years.

Jones recalls a freshman student she taught who was respectful, but argumentative, wanting to know all the answers. “With faith, there’s some point where there’s not always going to be answers.” The student had a hard time accepting that there might not be a definitive answer to every
question he had, but Jones was able to witness his growth from freshman year to senior year. On Kairos, the annual three-day senior retreat, she was present when the same student, four years later, had a profound moment where he reflected on truly feeling God’s presence.

For Jones, the very students that test boundaries and challenge her, often bring the greatest joy to her work. “I think those are always my favorite students, the more challenging ones because they challenge our whole entire class to think, but theyalso challenge me to think too.”

Their questions and struggles, she says, are reminders that faith is never simple or straightforward, and the work of campus ministry is an ongoing, ever-changing path, one she feels blessed to walk alongside students.

“Faith is not black and white. It really is a journey. And so being a teacher here, you’re able to be on that journey with them. And that’s probably the coolest thing to see.”