I grew up in a quintessential New Orleans Catholic household. My mother, born and raised in the Lower Ninth Ward, is quite possibly the most holy woman I know who is closer to “Gawd” than probably anyone else. My father grew up in Metairie, graduated from Jesuit High School and LSU Medical school, has been the ideal male role model for me in living the faith, and is the most generous person I know. I have three older sisters, all of whom are married with kids and give me three examples to follow when I start a family of my own. I have a grand total of six (and one on the way) nieces and nephews whom I love more than life itself. It is fair to say that since before I was even born I had the foundation laid for me to develop an intimate relationship with Christ and live out the faith.
I went to Jesuit, where with the help of some talented Theology teachers, I was able to build on the teachings my parents instilled in me. As a young teenager, I was stubborn and inquisitive; and I asked so many questions for clarification on pretty much every Church teaching in the Catechism. These men took my doubts in stride and were able to answer my questions in a clear, logical, and, most importantly, convincing way. With that, Jesuit gave me the tools to explore the reasoning behind Church teaching, so I could be educated and pass those teachings onto the world.
Between high school and college, I began going to Daily Mass; and that is when I really discovered the power of the Eucharist in my life. I initially forced myself to go to Mass as a way for self-improvement. What first was an act of will power turned into a habit which then turned into a necessity. The Daily Bread became essential for me because it gave me the strength and peace of mind that no worldly thing could supply. The more I went to Mass, the more I internalized one important fact: you are just as close to Jesus at the Mass as you would be if you were with Him in Heaven.
Once I got to Spring Hill College, I had the gift of having a chapel which offered Daily Mass at the center of campus. Having this option right within shouting distance was a blessing I did not take for granted. I also had a great Jesuit who lived literally down the hall from me my Junior year who served as an in-house spiritual advisor. I also had a great group of friends whom I could lean on for support.
There have been several times when life has brought me challenges. Going through them seemed like the end of the world. It was with that foundation from my early life that got me through some of the toughest times in my life. It was those trials that evolved my faith from a cradle Catholic into something more. Life has a way of bringing us to our knees sometimes, but God is always there to bring us back up and make us stronger from those experiences. That is, for me, a great source of consolation. The Eucharist has consistently served as my rock, the very essence of my foundation. My desire for the Eucharist was only exacerbated during the COVID pandemic when, for the first time in my life, it was not readily available to me. I will never forget the unprecedented yearning I had to receive the Eucharist, as I could only receive spiritual Communion as I watched Mass on a laptop screen. Now that churches are open, I will always appreciate the Eucharist on a different level than I would have pre-pandemic. The day is coming again when we can receive the Eucharist literally anywhere in the free world. How awesome is it that the greatest gift God can give is so readily available to us?!
I am in the “real world” now, and I am trekking through it with God by my side. I truly do not know how I would do life without Him. During my upbringing, I have always learned that the people of the Church must be in “in the world, but not of the world.” That is, it is our duty to carry forth Christ’s teachings into our day-to-day activity. We must be a living testimony of the Catholic faith in everything we do. God gives us the Eucharist as the ultimate tool to accomplish this. We must be God’s shining light in a world that seems to be filled with darkness. Not only that, but we also need to be an example for the generation that comes after us. For me, that means leading my nieces; nephews; and, one day, even a family of my own, by example.
About two years ago, Fr. Andrew began the Young Adult Ministry at St. Catherine; and he asked me to get involved and to lead. Even though I did have the foundational faith in me, the task seemed daunting. While I had always been a practicing Catholic my entire life, this was a huge step up for me. I have always been someone who lived the faith, but I was never explicitly outward about it. I never thought of myself as one to lead things like Bible studies. He asked me to lead formation series consisting of Bible Studies, Lenten and Advent preparations, and book studies. I prayed hard about this while going to Adoration and Mass. I realized something. I have always been ready to do this. It was a leap of faith in myself, but with the Holy Spirit by my side I knew anything was possible. It has now been two years since my first book study, and it has been the most life-giving thing I have ever done. I would not trade my experiences of getting to know the great young adults of this parish for the world.
My favorite Bible quote is 2 Timothy 4:7, which says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” This is what being a Christian is all about. Each day the devil gives us a different set of temptations, and it is up to us to fight the good fight to make the world better. I use the fuel that the Eucharist gives me to treat everyone as best I can with the love of Christ. I wake up every morning offering each day to God and go to bed each evening examining my conscience. Life isn’t easy, but it’s awesome. As Christians and with the fuel that the Eucharist gives us, it is our moral obligation to make the world a better place than we found it.