Catholic speaker and abuse survivor Maura Byrne will share her story of overcoming abuse through the lens of Christianity in the event "Courage and the True Value of Beauty", which will be held Wednesday in Pruis Hall.
The event will be hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) in conjunction with the St. Francis of Assisi Newman Center.
Byrne will pass on her message as a survivor of over 15 years of abuse, an eating disorder and about how she broke the cycle of abuse. She currently writes a blog titled "I Fight Him With Love" and has a book, Choosing to See Beauty, which will be published this winter.
"I will be sharing my story of recovery from abuse and sharing with men and women about their duty as sons and daughters of God," Byrne said.
FOCUS director Nick Meyer said the event is not just for Catholic students, all of campus is invited and encouraged to attend.
FOCUS reached out to other religious organizations on campus, hung posters in residence halls and passed out flyers at the Scramble Light on Tuesday to promote the event.
"The point of bringing her is to talk about the struggles of college life," Meyer said. "Her story is really pertinent to women in college because of the abuse that she experienced and her healing and the integration of her faith and how it really helped her overcome those things."
St. Francis of Assisi campus minister Sarah Striebich, who was also involved in the planning of the event, stressed Maura's message is important for males to hear as well.
"It's important for [men] to know how to approach women, how to treat women," Striebach said. "And [abuse] is a really important thing to keep in mind that affects a lot more people than they may think."
Byrne said she encountered personal struggles in college, and college is a good time in life to hear her message of self-worth and dignity.
"When I was in college, a lot of deep issues from my childhood resurfaced," Byrne said. "In college a lot of students are by themselves and it's really important to realize they are worth more than grades and activities. I want to instill in them to have an outlook on life to be a leader in society."
The event, which is open to all students, is free and will take place at 8:30 p.m.
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