With the addition of several more Summit Nights and weekly adorations, students join in the masses in ways that help students connect more with Christ and their relationships with faith.
Students share their experiences with Christ while explaining how going to catholic schools their whole lives has impacted them. Junior Kenya Diaz Gallegos expressed that she believes struggles have come from society on the media and on phones, which can distract peers from faith and God.
“A lot of the time I know a lot of people my age prioritize their phones more than God, it honestly makes me lazy and tired to the point I don’t think about God.” Diaz Gallegos said.
According to theology teacher Steve Koesterer, students have struggled with faith all of his 27 years of teaching here. Koesterer shared that the biggest factor is the cultural changes in the young minds that develop more and more throughout the years.
“I think that cultural influences have a profound effect on how young people view their religion,” Koesterer said. “Today’s cultural trends of expectancy, instant gratification and relativism has caused young people to think more culturally than religiously.”
Coming back to Christ and going to Summit Nights and adoration, junior Lucy Watson shared how she pushes to overcome hard times through faith. According to Watson, one of her most difficult struggles with faith was when she was going through the lowest times of her life mentally. Going to masses and adoration often and feeling God’s presence, in general, has helped Watson get to where her faith is today.
“When I went to adoration for the first time in a while, it was the first true feeling of peace that I hadn’t had in a long time,” Watson said.
Watson and senior Aryanna Rodriguez both expressed how they have helped one another connect and talk about Christ at the center of their friendship. According to Rodriguez, her connection with God grew when she lost people in her life, struggling to understand why God allowed them to leave.
“I came back from that because I realized that sometimes you only see one perspective of a story and the other perspectives show a different story,” Rodriguez said. “I learned that God truly never leaves you even for a moment and He always has a plan that if you trust in it you will be happier.”
Daily mass is also a key factor in Diaz Gallegos’ faith, which to her includes hearing more about God’s story, especially when she feels as though she is inconsistent with Christ and her relationship. Diaz Gallegos shared how she took steps to see where her faith took her, which included kneeling when receiving the Eucharist.
“I have felt God’s presence in several ways but a time that sticks out to me is when I started kneeling for the first time,” Diaz Gallegos said. “I could physically feel his love around me to the point where I started crying, so I have continued to do it.”
Although some students have not felt separation from God like junior Luke Nelson, who shared that the main way he remains connected to God is knowing he is always there with him through the highs and the lows.
“Do not be afraid of God,” Nelson said. “He wants a relationship with you, loves you and guides you.”
According to Diaz Gallegos, although people might feel disconnected when struggling with religion and keeping consistent with God, he is always there waiting for them to come back.
“Of course, there is always improvement needed in my relationship with God,” Diaz Gallegos said. “But know that he will always love you and it is truly one of the greatest things to have a relationship with him.”
