Recently, college campus ministry students, diocesan music ministers, and more than a hundred people were inspired by the Sarah Hart events in the Diocese of Green Bay thanks to a Catholic Foundation Advancing the Mission Evangelization Endowment grant.
Held at Holy Cross Catholic Parish in Bay Settlement on February 8-9, 2025, Sarah Hart showed how people could share Jesus through music ministry training, a concert, a Charism retreat, and Mass with students at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Hart’s visit used song to connect UWGB campus ministry students with people from all around the sixteen counties of northeastern Wisconsin.
“It was so incredible just to hear the beautiful singing because everyone in that room could sing so well. But also, just to see the community being built, the camaraderie, the people who may not have known each other before coming together and getting to know each other. That was really special,” shared Hart.
Participants were inspired to share their faith as missionary disciples in their parishes and beyond, seeing how they can bring Jesus to others. Sister Laura Zelten, Director of Campus Ministry at UWGB, thanked the Catholic Foundation for supporting the event and for also supporting their college students through the Bishop’s Appeal and Raising Vocations Collection.
“I want to say thank you to the Foundation and all those donors. We could not do our ministry at UWGB without you. My students are very aware of where our funding comes from and who our donors are, so we just want to say thank you to you for this opportunity,” said Zelten.
In addition to Zelten, Jennifer Poehlmann, Music Ministry Director for Phoenix Catholic at UWGB, was also overjoyed to see so many people gathered in worship with the students. A year prior, this was just a dream.
Poehlmann was looking for ways to enhance worship for students in Phoenix Catholic, so they could see how their musical gifts could help them share Jesus with others during and after college. Poehlmann discussed options with Zelten and Becky VanKauwenberg, Phoenix Catholic’s Campus Ministry Coordinator.
“One day, Becky, Sister Laura and I were talking about different things we could do to enhance the learning about what music ministry is for the students of UWGB campus ministry. We were talking about things we could do that maybe have not been done, if not in a while. And, one of the thoughts I had was bringing an artist to Green Bay,” said Poehlmann.
After some reflection, Poehlmann had a realization. Hart’s music was often used in Mass on campus and was a big hit with the students. So, Poehlmann asked herself: why not invite Sarah Hart to Green Bay?
However, to make this dream a reality, campus ministry needed help. Poehlmann attributes the event’s existence to the grant awarded to Phoenix Catholic by the Catholic Foundation.
“Thanks to the Catholic Foundation Advancing the Mission Evangelization grant, we were able to bring Sarah Hart to Green Bay for three main events. It started with a musician’s workshop. It then was a concert, and it followed by a retreat day,” explained Poehlmann.
Throughout the weekend, Hart shared stories of her time in music ministry: meeting a Baptist in the music industry who tried to convert her on a plane ride. Singing with a men’s choir in a prison and feeling peace flooding her soul as she joined them in song. Being invited to the Vatican to sing for Pope Francis and giving him a big hug as she yelled, “Papa!” and holding him so tightly the Pope laughed.
Each story and song she shared pulled at the heartstrings of everyone in attendance. They laughed. They cried. And they praised God in song—together.
“We were able to hit an innumerable audience of people who were just so excited to come together. The musicians’ workshop sold out twice—it was amazing. We had to expand the capacity of the event and our preparations of the event to be able to fit everyone that we possibly could. It was beautiful the amount of joy in the room and just the joy, the companionship, and the community we found with one another in that music ministry workshop was an amazing thing to behold,” expressed Poehlmann.
The event formed more missionary disciples on the UWGB campus and in our Diocese, connecting people through worship and song. One college student joined the Phoenix Catholic choir, and multiple UWGB students discovered campus ministry and decided to join thanks to Sarah Hart’s visit.
“I continue to get messages from people who attended the events over the weekend just saying how grateful they were for the opportunity not only to see Sarah Hart—who many were already familiar with her music—but then they were introduced to additional music that she has which was so beautiful. And also, just to come together as community. It was very, very beautiful,” said Poehlmann.
Similar to Poehlmann, Hart was also moved by the witness of the attendees—especially from the college students as they used their musical gifts to share Jesus with others.
“It’s so refreshing to me to hear young people singing, to see young people becoming music directors, who want to write music, who gather in their faith and song. It’s a very powerful witness, and I don’t think that young people often think of themselves like that. They don’t think of themselves as a powerful witness to others when they use their gifts, but they really are. And I know these young people have witnessed to me this weekend,” expressed Hart.
When reflecting on the impact of the weekend, Poehlmann shared her gratitude for the Catholic Foundation’s support of college campus ministry.
“Thank you so much to the Catholic Foundation for awarding this grant to Phoenix Catholic and campus ministry for UWGB through the Diocese. It meant so much to our students. It meant so much to those who were able to attend the event, and it meant a lot even to those who were not able to attend the event, but are going to reap the benefits from those who have grown in all of the offerings from Sarah Hart’s event here in Green Bay,” shared Poehlmann.
In addition, Hart also noted how the work of the Catholic Foundation is so critical for events like these and for furthering the mission of the Church.
“It has been such a joy and such a privilege to be here, and I recognize that my being here wouldn’t be possible without a grant from the Catholic Foundation, and it’s so important the work that the Catholic Foundation does. I just want to simply say thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you for supporting this, and thank you for supporting all these people and their ministries,” Hart said with thanks to the Catholic Foundation.
For more than 25 years, the Catholic Foundation has been impacting lives within the sixteen counties of northeastern Wisconsin which make up the Diocese of Green Bay. In this Jubilee Year, there are so many ways Catholics are bringing hope to our Diocese and beyond.
Hope is found in our parishes as faith formation leaders are trained to share the building blocks of faith with our children. Hope shines as young people hear God’s call for their vocation. Hope is shared through the more than 350 funds and endowments that support our Catholic parishes, schools, ministries, and organizations. Thank you for everything you do to bring hope to others!
The Catholic Foundation encourages financial stewardship and generosity through faith-based giving, supporting events such as the Sarah Hart Music Ministry Training thanks to endowment funding.
To learn more, please visit www.catholicfoundationgb.org or contact us at 920-272-8197 or [email protected] today.
