From Curiosity to Devotion
"I grew up in a family that did not practice their religion. I was only Catholic by name.
Going to church was not forced upon my siblings and me; however, my grandmother attended Spanish mass at the nearby church. Occasionally I would go with her, but not on a regular basis.
When I was 14, I made my first Holy Communion. I was very excited and a little nervous. Taking this step was important as it meant that I could now receive Jesus like other people, which made me happy. After my first Holy Communion, I went to mass regularly.
Fr. Tom always invited the children to sit up front. Since I was intrigued by the order of the mass, it was easy for me to acknowledge the invitation. I remember one Christmas he invited my sister and me into the sanctuary after mass to give us presents. He did this because we always came to mass by ourselves, and he was happy to see us.
After graduation from high school, I was accepted to Mount St. Mary's, a predominantly women's Catholic college. During my second year, the feelings I had at 14 returned, and that led to my being confirmed. I began to practice my faith and became more involved in my local parish -- I became a Eucharist minister, joined the confirmation team and sang in the choir.
Even though I was not raised in a "typical" Catholic family, I was still able to find God and have a personal relationship with Him. So don't be discouraged if you have not been raised in the traditional Catholic way. And even if you have, listen to your heart, follow your feelings and search for your answers. If you keep your heart open and allow God to speak, perhaps you will hear the message God has in store for you.
Jesus said, "Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened, ask and you shall receive." This is what I did, and He answered. As a result, I have made my first vows. However, many questions were asked and answered from the time I was confirmed until I made those vows. First, I became an interested woman and studied with others for two years, and after that process I became a candidate.
I learned about the congregation while living and participating in a local community. Still more questions were answered, and I continued to say yes to God's will. The next step was two years of novitiate. I went to Denver and Los Angeles, where I continued to learn about the congregation and to develop my spiritual life.
I'd like to share an experience I had in Denver -- it brightened my life. During my novitiate year I had the chance to see the Pope. He was at McNichols Arena, and more than 20,000 children, teenagers, young adults and adults attended. It was an electrifying experience, the presence of the Holy Spirit among all of us. I was deeply moved and felt renewed in my faith and my personal relationship with God. It wasn't just what the Pope said to us; it was knowing that all present were as one body.
When I left that event, I was glad that I had knocked at 14, had sought and found Him in college, and had answered His call. I didn't let the lack of a Catholic background cloud my way."
Sister Irene Najera, 31, from East Los Angeles, CA, just took her first vows to be a nun. She won't see Pope John Paul II on this visit, but she remembers his last one with great fondness.
Today, I'm a student at Mount St. Mary's College, completing my BA in Liberal Studies, in preparation for my teaching ministry. I live with four other sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and hope to renew my vows for three more years next summer.
