The following story, by Viviana Ochoa, is one of a series of stories that appeared in the April 16 Idaho Catholic Register about converts who were received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.
Viviana Ochoa
The following essay is by Viviana Ochoa, who is 17 and a senior at Meridian High School. Viviana tells us that the pandemic made her entire family “feel distant” from the Church and others. Her mother went to the website for Holy Apostles Parish and Meridian to learn more about that parish. Viviana and her brother, Diego, 12, enrolled in RCIC, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children. Viviana was confirmed at the Easter Vigil and Diego received his First Holy Communion.
by Viviana Ochoa
Ever since I was a little girl, I considered myself Catholic, although I never really knew what that truly meant.
I knew there was a God who loved me and sent His son to die for my sins. I knew that praying and going to church was important. However, I never took it seriously. When I did pray, it felt like it was more of chore rather than a blessing. Now, I cannot wait to talk to God in my journal every night before I go to bed!
After spending the past year mending my relationship with God, with the help of RCIC, I have realized that being Catholic is a gift. Through RCIC, my family and I not only grew closer to God, but to each other as well.
Quarantine was difficult, as I assume it was for everyone. I felt as if the world was crashing down on me and that I was in a deep dark hole, with no ladder to get myself out. Turning to God, became my ladder. Growing closer to God helped me connect with my family to the point where we now have open conversations about God and the Bible, eager to learn something new every day.
Getting confirmed was a long process, but I would not trade this experience for anything. It helped me say good-bye to the broken girl I was before RCIC.
If you are a teen-ager reading this, you may think that becoming Catholic may seem difficult or not ‘cool,’ but let me tell you God is the easiest person you will ever talk to and the coolest person you will ever meet. I consider God my best friend who has helped me understand who I am in Christ. In times where I felt no one on Earth was able to help me, I turned to God who was right by my side all along. To those wanting or considering becoming a member of the Church, I pray that you let nothing stop you, as God will be with you every step of the way.
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