By
Stacie Ramthun
Jacob Daulton - FOCUS Missionary
This is the first in a four-part series on Missionary Discipleship in young adults from Saint Patrick Parish. At Saint Patrick Parish we are invested in building up a culture of missionary disciples*. We are highlighting four young people of our parish who have responded to that call and are living missionary discipleship in their daily lives.
Jacob Daulton is entering his second year as a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) at Ohio State University. Jacob’s story, however, started here in Hudson, WI. He shared that his parents, Ron & Jolene, gave his siblings and him a solid family foundation in the Catholic faith. He attended Saint Patrick Catholic School from Pre-K through 8th Grade. Yet throughout middle school and high school he said that he felt that he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. When he went to college at Mankato State he started with the goal to simply attend weekly Mass. Early in his collegiate career, God used a few virtuous men to pull him out of the Godless culture that many college students so easily fall into. That is when he encountered the Newman Center on campus, real authentic friendships, and a deep desire to rediscover this faith. He became connected with the FOCUS missionaries on campus, which helped him to become more involved in campus ministry. He chose to say “yes” to the opportunities to encounter Jesus presented to him (Bible studies, SEEK, Exodus 90, retreats, etc). He noted that there were many “yes” moments that let him know that Jesus was actively pursuing him. Through these experiences, he was prompted to start leading Bible studies within his football team which ultimately led to his bigger “yes” to join FOCUS as a missionary following graduation in December 2023.
Since becoming a FOCUS missionary, Jacob’s daily life is centered around the Sacraments. He attends Mass, a Holy Hour of Adoration and prays the Rosary. The remainder of his day flows from his intimate relationship with Jesus. As part of a FOCUS team, his responsibilities are to pour his joy out to college students through Bible studies, formative events, discipleship groups, retreats, etc. FOCUS uses the ‘Win-Build-Send’ model to support missionaries to share the life of Christ with students:
The FOCUS motto is, “To know Jesus and to make Jesus known!”
All of Jacob’s and his team’s work is made possible solely by partnership gifts. He must fundraise to support his ministry, which is how he spends his summer – raising money and cultivating relationships. His ministry partners are updated regularly on what their financial gifts are doing in the lives of students across the country. None of the work FOCUS does is possible without the ministry partners’ resources and support. As FOCUS states on their website, “We’re all here for the same reason. Because of Jesus, our ordinary lives have been transformed in extraordinary ways—and we can’t help but spread that joy. That’s what it means to be a missionary. Together, we can help everyone experience a personal, intimate relationship with Christ through real, life-giving friendships.”
To learn more about Jacob’s story, the FOCUS ministry on campuses all over the country, or how to support Jacob’s ministry financially, check out the FOCUS website: https://focus.org/missionaries/jacob-daulton
*“Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries’, but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples’.” – Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, para. 120
Saint Patrick Parish's mission is to joyfully proclaim, share, and celebrate the love and mercy of Jesus Christ through Word, Sacraments, prayer, and ministry.
