Three St. Bonaventure students attended a faith conference, Agape Latte, at Boston College on Nov. 3 and 4 in order to learn more about the conference so that it may come to Bonaventure.
According to conference attendee Jessica Laursen, junior journalism and mass communication major, the program started in 2006 and occurs monthly at the college. Students involved in Boston College’s Agape Latte invited Bonaventure students to attend this month’s Agape Latte meeting in an effort to expand the program to more universities, said Laursen. The program, which began at Boston College, has grown to other universities in the country since it began.
“Agape Latte is a monthly event designed to strike conversation about life, faith and their intersection,” said Laursen. “[Agape Latte] brings in one member of [Boston College’s] faculty or staff each month to talk about specific points in their life and share their beliefs on how it has impacted their lives.”
According to the Boston College Agape Latte website, “‘Agape’ is a Greek word for a kind of love that seeks nothing in return.”
Laursen said she and the other Bonaventure students that went to Boston were convinced to begin holding their own Agape Latte meetings at Bonaventure.
“We’ll be attending our own conference [at St. Bonaventure] next semester,” said Laursen. “BC’s Agape Latte helped us picture where and how we could pull this event off here at Bonas.”
Laursen said the Bonaventure students only attended one lecture at the conference but were convinced to host their own Agape Latte event sometime next semester.
“I love that Agape Latte does not exclusively throw religion in people’s faces. It is very difficult sometimes for people to openly share their faith experiences and questions,” said Laursen. “Agape Latte is a starting point for a lot of these conversations, and it is enlightening to see the effect these talks have on people.”
Laursen looks forward to next semester’s Agape Latte event at Bonaventure, she said.
“I don’t want to give too much information away, so just know Bonas’ Agape Latte will not disappoint,” she said.
mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
