COSDU TURNS 20 TODAY!

On this day 20 years ago, the Catholic Overseas Students Down Under officially became an affiliated club of the University of Melbourne. Because most international students graduate and return to their home countries within 3 years, it can be a challenge to see a continuous line of this extended family-away-from-home. Therefore to commemorate Cosdu's 20th anniversary milestone, we've managed to find an alumni Cosduan, Terence Kesavan, to share his memorable experience with us. To find out more about Terence, check out his blog in the sidebar.

I arrived in Melbourne in Feb 2001, and one of the first things that I did at the Uni clubs and societies day was to look for a Catholic group to join. My intention was fundamentally self-centred. Firstly, because I knew that at that point in my life, without Catholic friends to go for mass with, I would find it so easy to just lapse in my faith. Secondly, being in a foreign land, I naturally wanted to find a bunch of friends to hang out with, and surely Catholics will make the best friends.

So I found the COSDU booth. At first I was thinking that the Catholic group would be one with mostly Aussies, so I was quite surprised to find that the group was all Asian. That made it a whole lot more welcoming and easier to fit in. I still remember going for the first group mass, being greeted by Wen Kit who was the president then, and more surprisingly discovering that he wasn't even baptised yet.

COSDU was a major part of my life in Melbourne Uni, both socially and spiritually. After enjoying my first semester in COSDU, I found myself elected to the post of Sessions Co-ordinator. This was a real challenge for me, as back in Singapore, I was always on the receiving end, at most helping out with some logistics. But to be organising the spiritual input for the whole year was really a whole new experience, and forced me to focus on the spiritual aspects of sessions.

Despite my short stay of one and a half years in melbourne, COSDU definitely played a part of not only keeping me going to church, but in challenging me to grow in faith and discovering myself. Coming to Melbourne pulled me out of the comfort and familiarity of home, but COSDU made the stay so much more enjoyable, a place where I could feel at home and loved. And it was a group of people not gathering for any other reason, than to share our common faith, and love of God.

I am currently in the seminary in Singapore, undergoing my formation to the priesthood. Something quite ironic, seeing that during the session on vocation that I organised, I purposely brought in a married couple to try to show that marriage was also a vocation. But God works in His mysterious and wonderful ways, just as He guided me to COSDU, He has also guided me down this road, to serve His people. And looking back retrospectively, I will definitely say that my time in COSDU, the appointment of Session Co-ordinator has given me much valuable experience and confidence for my future ministry.

My wish for COSDU as we celebrate its 20^th Anniversary, is that it will continue to be a place which welcomes everyone, and gives them an experience of the Love of God. And that it will be where all who are on this journey towards God, will find support, encouragement and a place to both give and receive.

May God pour forth His grace to all the members past, present and future, and use them for the building of His Kingdom and the Glory of His name.