February 2019

   My name is Logan Mark Puissegur and I am currently a senior at Holy Cross High School. I am the captain of the varsity bowling team and am a coach for the middle school flag football team. I am also an all-national singer, student council member, Eucharistic minister, campus minister, member of Teen Cross and an E-board member of St. Catherine of Siena’s CYO.

   I started my life in St. Charles Parish attending a public school with no religious life other than saying “One Nation Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. I then moved into Metairie in 2010 and attended St. Francis Xavier for my fourth-grade year. There I celebrated the Eucharist and received God’s grace in Reconciliation for the first time. This was the starting point for my relationship with the Lord, but I still had very little desire to pursue anything further than the very basics. I then made the transition to Holy Cross in fifth grade and a few years later, I started attending Sunday Vigil Mass with my brother. Receiving the body of Christ on a weekly basis helped me see the importance of Christ and being Catholic, but I still did not know what that fully meant.       My thoughts and want for the Lord changed when I started attending CYO meetings. Ms. Mary Bielski, the SCS CYO Director, helped me understand what it means to have a relationship with the Lord. At the end of my sophomore year, I began to form this relationship. As this occurred, I spent more time with him and prayer and scripture lead to my trust in him increasing dramatically. A few months passed and life became so much less stressful and much easier to enjoy.
    I then faced a difficult time in my life that caused my faith to go into a repeating cycle of growth, sinning, and asking for God’s forgiveness. While all Catholics are called to be forgiven of their sins, I did not see the importance of avoiding sin after being forgiven for my wrongdoings. I was merely going to Reconciliation to “get on terms with God.” What I was doing did not hit me until the 2018 CYO Fun trip to New Braunfels, Texas. On the trip, I experienced Eucharistic Adoration for the first time. In that moment, my eyes were opened to Jesus and all I could think about is how much love he has for human life. This was the best and most meaningful experience of my life, as I heard the Lord calling me to do his will in a more prominent way than ever. Ever since then, I have been strongly living out my faith through participation in mass (usher, lector, Eucharistic minister), Teen Cross, Campus ministry, and encouraging all (including myself) to choose God over anything else.

   Once I felt like I had everything figured out, God threw another curve ball at me. Only this time it was a good one as he was challenging me to do more. Two weeks ago, I went on the March for Life with St. Catherine of Siena CYO. That was hands down, the most satisfying and strengthening experience of my life. Seeing so many other people show their faith and make a stance on the importance of life made me realize the true importance of life. If I had to describe the trip in one word, it would be thankful. I’m now more thankful for the man above those I have around. Moving forward, I now find myself thanking the Lord thanking him for anything as I owe all my life to him.