Modern culture teaches that life is all about being financiallysuccessful, Catholic speaker Matthew Kelly said Wednesday night atthe St. Francis of Assisi Newman Center.
"But God wants us to wake up," Kelly said. "[Life is about]becoming and celebrating the best version of yourself."
Kelly, an internationally renowned author and speaker fromSydney, Australia, recently published his book, "RediscoveringCatholicism." The book emphasizes that Catholicism is not a set ofrules for living, but a way of life created by God to inspire everyperson to live his or her life to the fullest.
Debi Skurow, campus minister at St. Francis of Assisi, said sheinvited Kelly to speak at Ball State as part of his North AmericanSpeaking Tour.
Kelly will speak at more than 100 events in 50 cities throughoutNorth America this year. Ball State was Kelly's third stop thismonth.
Following the theme of his tour, Kelly's speech Thursdayemphasized that who a person becomes is more important than what heor she has or does in life. Kelly said everybody has a personalobligation to improve the physical, emotional, intellectual andspiritual components of his or her life.
Many people already know this, but ignore it, trying to findhappiness in other things, Kelly said.
"Our modern culture is not interested in our legitimate needs,but in our illegitimate wants," he said. "Because you can never getenough of what you don't really need, no one in the modern cultureis [ever] satisfied."
In North America, doctors prescribe more medicine for depressionthan for any other illness, Kelly said. In fact, cases ofdepression have tripled every three years over the past 20 years,he said.
Kelly said many people, even Christians, do not experiencefulfillment in life simply because they do not understand God'swill for their lives.
"That is the fundamental missing piece in modern Catholicism.We've lost sight of what we've been really called to do," Kellysaid. "The world and the church [need] you to play your role, andthat is the main purpose of the Christian life."
Kelly said he discovered God's will for his life while he was incollege. He began his Catholic ministry in 1993 at age 19 and hasspoken to more than two million people in 50 countries.
Graduate student B.J. McKay said he has read two of Kelly'sbooks and enjoyed Kelly's speech Wednesday.
"His message was so simple, but it's about something none of usrealize is happening in our daily lives," McKay said. "The mostincredible thing is that he doesn't challenge you; he challengesyou to challenge yourself."
Senior Joe Kunkel said he also liked the simplicity of themessage. He said he especially appreciated how Kelly's message canapply to people of any faith.
"Even though he's a Catholic teacher, there's fundamental truthto what he's saying," Kunkel said. "And its truth for anybody, nomatter what religion."
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