Becky Frybarger, Missionary with the Culture Project

Becky Frybarger, 2015

   Our neighbors, John and Evelyn Catano, mentioned during a recent conversation that they were taking a young woman, Becky Frybarger, to dinner to find out more about her involvement with the Culture Project, an organization whose purpose is to restore the culture by proclaiming the value of the human person and the richness of living out sexual integrity. Becky was finishing up a year interning at SCICON and was getting ready to move from Springville back to her home in the Reno/Sparks area where she would be raising support for a one year term as a missionary with that group.

    The Catanos were my link to meeting Becky just before she left the area. I was curious to find out more about her and to learn about the Culture Project. So Becky came over to our house one morning and graciously spent over an hour sharing her story with me.

    Three undergrad years were spent at the University of Nevada, Reno, where after witnessing and being involved in the college culture of parties and relationships, Becky was tired of broken hearts and drama. Something had to change, but with herself first. That is when she felt the Lord nudging her to something greater: a close personal relationship with Him.    

    Becky came to work at SCICON (Clemme Gill School of Science and Conservation, Springville) in August of 2014 after graduating from the Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio with a degree in Biology.  After spending time thinking about what she wanted to do with her life, Becky eventually felt God calling her to become involved with a new Catholic faith-based movement called the Culture Project.

     Missionaries with this project are put on a team based in Los Angeles, Philadelphia or on the Travel Team, which gives talks around the country. Becky was selected to be on the Travel Team, beginning in Toledo, Ohio. She and several teammates will be going to middle and high schools speaking about the dignity, worth and God-given potential of each person, the richness of living out sexual integrity and the hope that we can all obtain authentic love. While doing this, she along with the other team members will be making a commitment to daily prayer, Mass and living a “life of virtue,” which includes no dating for one year with all first year missionaries.

    “The culture project missionaries commit to a year of intentional community life: living together, praying together and working together.” They are given the opportunity to “grow in virtue and rich friendships through intentional community life—a remedy to today’s culture of isolation.” The goal is restoring culture through “encounters of the heart,” promoting an environment where people can learn to love and relate to one another through Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

    Becky shared that this is her passion. “This is what I’ve wanted to do, teach guys and girls to respect each other and know that they are worth the wait! Listening to one of these talks changed my life and that is why I want to do this. People ask ‘why don’t you get a real job?’ I’m helping save souls and giving hope to our culture that true love is possible.  What every person has in common is that he or she wants to love and be loved. God can heal the past. It’s never too late to start over.” It’s a strong message of love, affirmation and hope, one which our society and young people need to hear. Thank you Becky, for helping spread His message of love!

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ” Romans 12:2 NIV