Owen Kilpatrick
I grew up in Mobile, AL, in a Catholic family.
I went to Catholic school, participated in youth groups, was an altar server, and from the outside I was a model Christian. However, for much of my life I struggled to fully accept my place in God’s Kingdom. I wrestled with many bad habits and my identity as a Catholic.
The hypocrisy in my life drove me further and further away from God and deeper into my addictions and sins–so much so that when I left high school I stopped believing entirely. Freshman year I hit my limit. My life was not where I wanted it to be in the slightest.
Thankfully, my roommates invested in me. They helped me to talk through things and invited me to go to an Evangelical church with them. The more I attended, the more open I became to learning about Christ and the more curious I became about my Catholic upbringing.
As time went on, I eventually returned to Mass and started getting involved with our Catholic student organization. While I am still growing, through a steady prayer life, daily Mass, and my relationships with practicing Christians, I began to understand Jesus’ deep love for me and the depth of His mercy.
I now serve as an inner-city missionary for Vagabond Missions and, when I fall or start to revert to my old ways, I know that Christ hangs on the Cross for those moments so that I can be reminded that He will never abandon me or the young people I serve.