Film on FOCUS missionary who served at UNL
Southern Nebraska Register
A new film will premiere Nov. 12, in celebration of a young American in consideration for Catholic sainthood: “Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story.”
The movie was created by a partnership of Fathom Events, eCatholic and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).
The film will be released in theaters nationwide Nov. 12. Showings are planned in Lincoln, Bellevue, Elkhorn and Omaha. For more information visit FathomEvents.com and Focus.org.
The canonization cause for Michelle Duppong was opened in 2022 in the Diocese of Bismarck, N.D. Duppong was one of six children and grew up on her family’s farm in Haymarsh, N.D. She studied horticulture at North Dakota State University in Fargo, and graduated in 2006. She then joined FOCUS a student missionary for six years, serving at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D.
After her time as a missionary, she became the director of adult faith formation for the Diocese of Bismarck in 2012. Duppong died at the age of 31 on Christmas Day 2015 after a yearlong battle with cancer.
During her time as a FOCUS missionary at UNL, Duppong met and became friends with a number of people from the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln.
Father Robert Matya is currently pastor of St. Mary Parish in Ashland, but he previously served as director of the Newman Center at UNL for 25 years. He knew Duppong from her time at the Newman Center and spoke about Duppong’s character with the Register last year.
“Her holiness of life was pretty obvious,” he said. “She was a very beautiful soul, but not in a flashy kind of way. She was easy to engage, kind, loving, and in some ways reserved.”
Maria Benes, co-founder of Before Gethsemane and a member of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, was discipled by Duppong during her senior year at UNL through FOCUS. Discipleship is a one-on-one mentoring program where the mentor meets regularly with the mentee to discuss how to grow closer to Christ.
“Michelle challenged me to not be so concerned with the things of this world that I lose sight of my ultimate mission to go to Heaven,” Benes told the Register. “I still carry that reminder with me today, that worldly success is nothing compared to the treasure of eternal life with God.”
Duppong’s holiness touched many lives during her short time on earth, but those who knew her are confident that her influence will only grow as people learn about her life.
Father Matya encouraged people to ask for her intercession.
“She is inspiring people by the way she lived her life, but she is also inspiring people who are facing challenges and suffering themselves, to respond to them as she did.”
Josh Simmons is the founder and CEO of eCatholic. Two eCatholic employees were friends and colleagues of Duppong and eCatholic hopes to inspire their network of influence toward her life and witness as an example of authentic holiness in today’s contemporary world.
“When we learned about a film on the life and holiness of Bismarck native Michelle Duppong, our team knew we had to get involved,” Simmons said.
“Her life communicated love,” said Abbey Nagel from eCatholic. “I knew Michelle when she was a missionary on my campus and later I worked with her when I was assistant to the local bishop at the Diocese of Bismarck. She was an intentional and faithful friend and always made time for those that God placed in her path. I am deeply moved by her life and witness and I believe the upcoming film about her will show the Church how to be holy in ordinary life.”
