FOCUS (organization)

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The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) is a Catholic outreach program for American college students founded in 1997 by Curtis Martin at Benedictine College.

Through small group Bible studies, large group leadership training, and one-on-one discipleship, FOCUS's goal is to bring the "fullness of life and truth in the Catholic Church to college students", and equips them to share this good news with their friends. FOCUS is working to play a vital role in the “new evangelization” called for by Pope John Paul II.

FOCUS established its pilot program in January of 1998 at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with two staff members and 24 students. At the beginning of the fall 2000 semester, more than one-third of the freshman class signed up for the FOCUS program.

At the invitation of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Denver, a FOCUS program was established in the fall of 1998 at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. Archbishop Chaput has said, "No one does a more dynamic job of reaching college students for Christ than FOCUS."

Curtis Martin met with Pope John Paul II in 1998, and shared the vision of FOCUS with him. The Pope's words to Curtis were, “Be soldiers.” In just eight years, FOCUS now extends to 27 campuses in 15 states with over 100 full-time staff members. More than 2,000 students are involved in FOCUS on college campuses. FOCUS takes recent college graduates, trains them in the teachings of the Catholic Church, Scripture and practical aspects of ministry, and sends them out typically in teams of four to serve on college campuses. FOCUS staff members make an initial two-year commitment to this full-time work on campus. FOCUS works with the approval of the local bishop and the support of the local pastor, as well as existing campus ministries.