Catholic Convert
I started on the journey to Catholicism in October 2014. I found my home parish, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Hyde Park, Chicago, and scheduled a meeting with the RCIA Coordinator, Jennifer Davis. Jennifer is an amazing, kind, sweet, funny, honest, real woman, who loves her family, her faith, and now, me. I am so glad I met her. I also met my new favorite monk, my incredible sponsor Fannie, and was pleasantly surprised to see one of my favorite Latin professors from UC sit down in the catechist's chair, Peter White.
Jennifer walked me up to the classroom where I met three other candidates to join the Catholic faith. On April 4, 2015, at the Easter Vigil, I was confirmed before the entire parish and received my first communion. I answered questions about why I chose Mary Magdalene through bites of cake as I opened beautiful presents from Fannie and smiled for parish pictures. I have to admit, I love being Catholic. I love Christ, I love mass, I love rituals and tradition, I love the people, I love the unity.
While becoming a Catholic Christian was an easy albeit big decision for me, I still feel conflicted at times. I agree with the church's stance on most things, especially now with Father Francis in the Vatican, but there are other controversial issues that I either don't know where I stand or am ashamed to admit where I stand. I don't want to be a "cafeteria Catholic." I don't want to pick and choose what parts of the faith and the church I agree with and will follow. I joined this faith, leaving my Baptist roots behind, because I believe in it, so I want to believe in all of it.
So now comes the extensive research! I fell in love with Jesus when I was a child, had a falling out in 11th/12th grade when I decided I was agnostic, decided I was more spiritual than religious in my early college years and tried to tap into my Native American roots, and then circled back to my first love and started going to church again, a Catholic church to be exact.
I've finished RCIA, but now I have my entire life to love Christ through the senses of a Catholic, and learning more is steps 1-26.
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| My sponsor, Fannie, and I before my First Communion Easter Sunday 2015 |
While becoming a Catholic Christian was an easy albeit big decision for me, I still feel conflicted at times. I agree with the church's stance on most things, especially now with Father Francis in the Vatican, but there are other controversial issues that I either don't know where I stand or am ashamed to admit where I stand. I don't want to be a "cafeteria Catholic." I don't want to pick and choose what parts of the faith and the church I agree with and will follow. I joined this faith, leaving my Baptist roots behind, because I believe in it, so I want to believe in all of it.
So now comes the extensive research! I fell in love with Jesus when I was a child, had a falling out in 11th/12th grade when I decided I was agnostic, decided I was more spiritual than religious in my early college years and tried to tap into my Native American roots, and then circled back to my first love and started going to church again, a Catholic church to be exact.
I've finished RCIA, but now I have my entire life to love Christ through the senses of a Catholic, and learning more is steps 1-26.
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