Jake Downing

“You will be reborn with compassion and forgiveness.”

Those were the exact words I heard as Jesus placed His hand over my heart.

Growing up, no one taught me about Christ. I went to church a few times with my grandmother when I was 4 or 5, but at that age, your concept of God is just “some nice guy in the sky with a beard.”

With no foundation in Christ’s love, I entered a traumatic and desolate childhood that shaped me in painful ways. I remember having a childlike wonder about God. I also remember the moment I rejected Him.

My family struggled financially and was plagued by addiction. At 8 years old, I became a victim of abuse—emotional, physical, and spiritual—in a home no child should ever live in. It was in those moments I came to hate and deny the existence of God.

The pain didn’t end there. Death after death robbed me of any joy or hope I had left. For over a decade, I lived in silent suffering, masking depression, anxiety attacks, and suicidal thoughts behind a false smile.

Between 19 and 23, I threw myself into self-improvement. I read psychology, trained in the gym, and explored various religions. I was searching desperately. Then one day, I had what I can only describe as a mystical experience with Christ.

It was the most real moment of my life.

The same God I had cursed came to me and said, “You will be reborn with compassion and forgiveness.” In that instant, I knew it was Him. And He gave me a choice.

I said yes!

I became a Protestant shortly after. For over a year, I walked with Christ, but something in me longed for more. I wanted depth—truth. Being obsessive in my learning, I dove into Church history and the formation of Scripture. I wrestled with questions, misconceptions, and theological roadblocks.

At one point, I even believed Catholics didn’t make it to Heaven.

But the deeper I studied, the more I fell in love with the Church Christ Himself established. And on Easter of 2025, I said “yes” again—this time to His Church—and was confirmed Catholic.

Becoming Catholic is the greatest decision I’ve ever made. But I would never be here without Jesus Christ.