To Catholics on Call and Beyond

I’ve attended Catholic schools for elementary, middle, and high school. It wasn’t until I attended a large, secular university when I suddenly realized that I was poorly catechized. I realized this after I took my first philosophy class, in which my classmates and I discussed everything from God, to sexual ethics, to the afterlife. And so I searched for Truth, and Truth found me.

I remember that on the last day of class, my classmates and I debated key questions that we had previously considered. I remember that when the debate ended, one of the first things that I thought was, “Truth—Jesus—found me. Now I have to lead others to Him, so now I have to be a priest.” Little did I know what Jesus would do once I gave Him the most precious thing we all can give Him: our Yes, our little fiat, our love.

First, I met other Catholic students who hung out at the university’s Newman Center. Second, I got involved with the pro-life group on campus, Students for Life. Third, I learned—and still am learning!—Catholic apologetics. Fourth, I learned how to pray. (I knew my basic prayers, such as the Apostle’s Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Rosary, but, for the first time, I began to pray regularly in the morning, afternoon, and evening. In time, I understood how exciting prayer is—and how can it not be when we’re spending time with the God who created puppies, roller coasters, and thunderstorms?). Fifth, I did what I had told myself that I would do once I entered college, but had never done: I began volunteering at a detention center where I had volunteered a few times during high school.

This last decision was the most important because I met a Norbertine priest through some summer classes that I was taking. It was in the second class when he asked me if I had thought of being a priest. I hesitated, but I told him the truth, “Uh, it’s run through my head.” Well, I never would have guessed that this priest would introduce me to another Norbertine priest, the vocations director and a Catholics on Call alumnus, and that I would go to Chicago for the 2015 conference of Catholics on Call.

During this conference, I was immensely inspired by everyone. Everyone was peaceful, joyful, and on fire for Jesus. I have been greatly blessed by Catholics on Call and am still discerning a religious vocation. Even if I decide that I am not called to have a religious vocation, I know that I will be blessed by the memories I have made at the Catholics on Call!