Religion
By Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh
Known to the public as "Oregon's Catholic University," the University of Portland is home to many Catholic students as well as students from other religious affiliations and traditions. With 3,597 students from many different backgrounds, the University of Portland is host to many different religions and beliefs.
According to the UP Office of Institutional Research, 45 percent of the fall 2008 freshmen considered themselves to be of the Catholic faith. That same freshman class consisted of students from 20 different religious affiliations.
In comparison, Lewis & Clark College, a private nonsectarian school in Portland, lists five different religious affiliations for its 2008 freshman class. Its institutional research department found that 4.5 percent of its incoming freshmen considered themselves Catholic, whereas 16.5 percent of the students considered themselves Protestant. Lewis & Clark has an enrollment of 3,565 full time undergraduate and graduate students.
The University of Portland, under guidance of the Congregation of Holy Cross since 1901, offers students non-Catholic as well as Catholic worship and fellowship opportunities through Campus Ministry, which plans four retreats for students as well as residential hall retreats. In addition, there is a fellowship group for students who are Latter Day Saints as well as an on-campus Muslim prayer chapel.
Academically, students on The Bluff are required to take three theology courses and many professors and administrators are members of the clergy.
Senior Paul Senz, who grew up in a Catholic household, has participated in many Campus Ministry events. For the past two years, Senz has lived in the Faith & Leadership-themed house in Tyson.
Senz, along with his nine housemates, participates in a weekly house prayer and a one-credit course called "Theological Reflection Seminar."
The students in the Faith & Leadership House are also assigned a spiritual director, a UP faculty or staff member.
"The spiritual director checks in how everything is going," Senz said. "Rather then leading, it's kind of like 'walking together' through the spiritual process."
Although Senz is one of the students who chose UP for the religious aspect, other students were not influenced by the Catholic affiliation. Junior Katie Yochim chose to attend school here for the small community and the nursing school.
"I actually don't think that a lot of students have a religious affiliation," Yochim said. "I think that a lot of students come from religious families, but students don't follow that as much."
According to Institutional Research, 86 freshman students from 2008 had no religious affiliation while 89 students were listed "unknown."
Yochim, who did not grow up in a religious household, attended FISH meetings on campus her freshman year. FISH is a Christian group with no church affiliation. Recently, Yochim and her housemate have started attending the "Church with No Name", a nondenominational Christian-based church off Hawthorne in southeast Portland.
Yochim chose this church because of how comfortable she feels with the service and the people.
"Instead of feeling like another face in the crowd, it's smaller and we all have a chance to talk to each other," Yochim said "It's much more personal, and I love the people I've met there."
While students are busy enriching their minds with three credit classes and heavy textbooks, some students have also made the choice to explore their own individual beliefs.
"I feel like this has been a good place for me to be for my formative years because the environment has both fostered and challenged my spirituality," Senz said. "It has made me stronger."
