“Indeed, it was another and more finalized “YES” that had marked the trinity of “yeses” that solidified that my heart, mind, and will were surrendered to God despite my own faults and failings.”

“Who am I? “You are MINE.” Am I loved? “More than you could ever know.” All my life, I had been seeking my identity, my worth and meaning in all the wrong places. For the first time, 6 years ago, I found out- I AM BELOVED.”

“Some people have profound moments of prayer that convince them to join the church, but for me, it was more intellectual. By nature I am a skeptical person, so I think God reached out to me in a different way.”

“I had no other explanation for why this crowd of 1.2 million teenagers were silent other than the fact that for those few hours they were sitting, standing, and kneeling face to face with their Saviour.”

“There were some nights, when I didn’t have anywhere else to go, I’d find myself sitting alone in the church, watching the tabernacle. I knew that His presence was there in the Eucharist somehow, and I was able to find peace there.”

“Confession was terrifying. I hadn’t been in 20 years, and I only decided to go because we were in Adoration just before and I felt a tug on my heart, and praise God I listened.”

“Experiencing Adoration and a powerful sense of His unconditional love pushed me to begin this journey of discovering that God is real, tangible and alive in the world.”

“I don’t think I had ever come face-to-face with a man who was so unapologetically Catholic. Looking back to that grade 12 class, my teacher answered every question I had about the Catholic faith without my needing to ask.”

“I am the only Catholic in my family. I often say that there is absolutely no reason that I should be Catholic. I was never exposed to it, it was never something I knew about - but somehow, here I am.”

“While praying in a chapel in Omaha, Nebraska, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and I experienced a knowledge of God’s love that was communicated to my mind but especially to my heart. At that point in time it gave me the strength I needed to say yes to being ordained a deacon in a few short months.”

“Jesus, take the wheel” was a struggle, I wouldn’t let go... it was more like “Jesus, just might break the wheel... trying to pry it from my white-knuckled grip”. My wandering away from Him had more to do with fear and lack of trust.”

“On my knees in prayer, God showed me the clearest image of me sitting in my hospital room, and again I felt the absolute conviction I had when I felt God had forgotten about me. And then, there Jesus was, sitting on the end of my hospital bed. Looking at His beloved, withered away daughter, with sadness, grace, and so much love in His eyes.”

“There is one prayer that has completely changed my life and always served as that reminder for me. “God, show me how you see me.” I pray that every time I feel lost or overwhelmed, and God in His mercy and love always brings back the same image to me. I am His little girl.”

“As I prayed with these revelations, the 3 words that God spoke to Francis began to echo in my ears: “Build, my, church”. I didn’t at all know what it would look like, but it became clear then that God had called me to give my WHOLE life to Him - whatever form it takes. Sainthood was now the only thing that mattered.”

“I remember that moment... the moment that I encountered Jesus for the first time. It was magnificent. Best moment in my life, hands down. I felt whole. Full. Like someone had coloured in my heart. I found the love and fulfilment that I had been seeking in all these other faulty places.”

“The more I would attend these youth groups, develop friendships, go to Mass, experience the sacraments, develop fraternity and serve in the community, the more I shed the old, dead layers that had bogged down my heart.“

“The song that did it was called ‘All I Need’ - YouTube it. I spent the second half of the night on my own reflecting on my life, what and WHO I needed, and where I needed to be as a man, as a son of God.”

“The past 10 years have been exhilarating; I do not live for worldly pleasures (they come and quickly go), but for God who created me to love Him and to spread that love throughout the world.”