At first it was just a hobby. But that summer, while I was home with more free time, I began investing in it. I cleaned up the design, bought the domain acaffeinatedcatholic.com, and started writing more regularly, sharing posts on my personal Instagram and sending people to the full version on my website.

In September 2019, I attended a high school retreat, not knowing it would change everything. For the first time in my life, I didn’t just know about God, I felt the Father’s love personally. That moment rewrote the direction of my life.

During that Mass, I truly felt the presence of Christ in the Church. Unlike anywhere else I had been. Seeing the Eucharist for the first time, the tradition, the veneration, everything about it felt right.