USD Magazine Spring 2026

FAITH IN ACTION

University Ministry’s Coffee House: Where Real Life Meets Faith

Inside the Monsignor Dillabough Ministry Center, a senior economics and theology double major, Grant Sobek ’26, stood at a microphone and spoke to a packed room of his peers. He wasn’t there to give a speech on a class project or to lead a University Ministry meeting. He was there to do something less formal: talk to students about how he’s navigating life and all its busyness. In the middle of his five-minute speech, Sobek played a video of his grandfather sharing a simple message on his 91st birthday: “This has been a life worth living, and I’ve loved every minute of it.” Sobek reflected on his grandfather’s words and shared how that simple message has allowed him to look at sad and disappointing days with a shift in perspective — being grateful that he got to experience them in the first place. Sobek is one of several students who have been invited to deliver a vulnerable, raw message with students at Coffee House, a once a-semester evening event organized by University

pace, and it’s really intriguing to me and powerful that people continue to want to come back to a space like that.” Rob ’88 and Aida ’89 MacKay brought the idea of Coffee House to Michael Lovette-Colyer ’13 (PhD), vice president of Mission Integration, in 2022 after the alumni couple had seen a similar concept at Boston College. The MacKays also shared that if Mission Integration was open to the idea, they would be interested in funding the programming. “What resonated with us was the power of storytelling — sharing personal experiences of faith in a way that feels approachable and nonintimidating. We believe stories stay with people far longer than lectures. Our vision was to create a low-pressure, welcoming environment, and we felt that a coffeehouse setting — with music, coffee and food — would help bring that vision to life,” shared Rob MacKay. From there, Christian Santa Maria, director of University Ministry, shared the concept of Coffee House to a group of student leaders with a vision of creating a “front porch ministry,” where students didn’t have to pay to attend and could experience deep conversations about life, the “messiness of spirituality” and, most importantly, learn from their peers that the journey of faith isn’t about perfection. The first Coffee House event kicked off in fall 2022 and was attended by about 50 students. Since then, the event has grown threefold, with close to 160 students attending the last event. The MacKays have been proud donors since the beginning. “We are incredibly proud of what USD has built with Coffee House. We attended in person during its second year in the spring and were deeply moved. Michael Lovette-Colyer now shares a video after each event, and it’s clear the program is delivering on everything we had hoped for — and more. The team has created a truly

Ministry that brings together music and

stories that connect life with faith, over a cup of coffee. “It’s really cool that for an hour and a half, once per semester in this dimly lit room… no one is on their

phone, and they’re just listening to someone be honest,” Sobek said. “And they’re being patient. It’s a slow