By Sam Aitchison
The Church is alive
A few years ago, while touring Catholic universities such as Creighton, Saint Louis and St. Thomas, I repeatedly heard the Latin phrase cura personalis, meaning, “care for the whole person.”
Admission coordinators and tour guides used this phrase, which I also saw posted on signage and social media. The concept didn’t fully register with me as a 17-year-old. Now, reflecting on my college experience at Saint Louis University, and hearing similar sentiments from friends at other institutions, I appreciate and strive to put this ideal into practice.
For me, cura personalis means paying attention to and actively working towards growing spiritually, academically, socially, personally and physically, in terms of physical wellness such as exercising and eating healthily. I’ve set specific goals in each area:
Spiritual: Make weekly Mass a priority, aim for daily Mass once a week, dedicate 15 minutes daily to prayer and engage in the corporal works of mercy through volunteering.
Academic: Focus on learning and growing in classes, not just earning grades. Attend seminars, guest lectures, and make use of office hours to expand beyond coursework.
Social: Intentionally connect with friends for coffee, sports events or visits to museums and parks.
Personal: Manage stress through walks, seek support from friends and mentors and set limits on social media and email.
Physical: Exercise five days a week, sleep eight hours a day, stay hydrated and maintain a well-balanced, healthy diet.
I’m far from perfect in achieving these goals and fall short often. However, having these aspirations keeps me striving to become my best self. While these goals might resemble New Year’s resolutions or a secular self-improvement plan, I believe that holistic self-care and well-being is a way to live out the Gospel.
Attending to my physical health by exercising and to my mental health through stress management allows me to be kinder, gentler and present in a greater way to others. When I view my studies as an opportunity to learn for enrichment, I gain depth in understanding the world in which I live. When I pray, I grow in awareness of Christ’s presence in my life and in each person on this earth.
The late Pope Francis, in a video message to a Catholic health care conference, commented that mind, body and soul, “nowadays all too often disjoined, are in fact profoundly and inseparably interrelated” (Francis, 2021). The Holy Father demonstrated that caring for our spiritual health is an essential component, but not the only component, of living Christian lives.
I also take inspiration from 1Thessalonians 5:23: “May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The term cura personalis is fitting for Catholic universities because their mission and purpose go beyond serving as excellent educators preparing students for career success. They strive to inspire students to discern their authentic purpose and passion, engage in respectful dialogue amongst different viewpoints and beliefs, and to be well-rounded people who care for others.
This has been my experience in Catholic higher education, for which I am grateful. I also offer thanks to the many supporters and donors who help offset the cost of Catholic education. They have affected my life and allowed me to take part in wonderful opportunities and organizations.
With the academic year wrapping up and the summer months to look forward to, I’m reflecting on the ways in which I can more fully and authentically live the Gospel — mind, body and spirit.
(Sam Aitchison is a junior at Saint Louis University. Contact him at samaitchison6@ gmail.com.)
