Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   LOCAL FEATURES Friday, March 29, 2002 Four journeys of faith among hundreds marked here By Susan K. Virgalitte Every year, thousands of men, women and children join the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Those who have never been baptized are called catechumens. They will be baptized, confirmed and receive their first Eucharist that night. Others, already baptized in another Christian denomination, are called candidates. They will receive Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. In the Diocese of Youngstown 653 adults and children have been preparing to become members of the Catholic Church. Of that number, 254 are catechumens, and another 399 are candidates. Every year, the Exponent interviews a few of these brand new Catholics to ask what brought them to the Church. Some of their stories are extraordinary, but most new Catholics are very ordinary people who felt it was time to recommit their lives to God and found the support and community they were seeking in the Catholic Church. We tell their stories here in the hope that they will bless lifelong or longtime Catholics, and that they will help us all to see our faith in a new way. Michelle Koch (pronounced “Cook”) stopped going to church with her Greek Orthodox parents in her teen years. “My parents would work on Sunday, and I would think, ‘I’m not going to church if they aren’t,’” she said. “I got out of the habit of going to church and having a relationship with God.” Although raised in the Orthodox Church, she attended Catholic schools until 10th grade. After marrying Philip Koch in May of 2001 and going through a crisis of faith, Mrs. Koch decided she needed to renew her relationship with God and get back into a Christian community. Koch had been raised Catholic, although he had not attended for many years. One day, Mrs. Koch announced that it was time for the two of them to go back to church, and she intended to join a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) group and join the Catholic Church. The Kochs did just that, and Koch became his wife’s sponsor in the RCIA program. She will become a member of Canton St. Michael Parish. Mrs. Koch’s crisis of faith involved the death of a loved one. She became angry with God because she couldn’t understand why God took this person from her. “It took me a long time to get past that, but through the love of my husband, my family, and the people in RCIA, I got over it,” she said. “Now I think I have more of a relationship with God than I ever did. I thank God for that every day. Every day is a new experience with the Lord.” Patricia (Tricia) Kandre was also exposed to Catholicism at a young age. In her case, one parent was Catholic and the other Protestant. She went to Mass as a young girl but was never baptized. She, too, felt the need about a year ago to get closer to God, and she sought out instruction to become baptized and join the Catholic Church. She will be baptized at Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini Parish this weekend, as will her daughters Amanda, a senior at Edgewood High School in Ashtabula, and Samantha, a fourth grader at Pierpont School, Pierpont, Ohio. Mrs. Kandre has been working with a Catholic woman for about seven years, and the two have become good friends. Mrs. Kandre had a feeling that she should go back to the Catholic Church. “It was weighing on my mind for a long time,” she said. When her friend invited her to hear a speaker at the parish, Mrs. Kandre went along and decided as she was sitting in the church that she was going to stop procrastinating and join. “I thought, ‘I have got to do this. I’m going to do this now.’” She introduced herself to Father Raymond Thomas, pastor at St. Frances Cabrini Parish, and she and her family began RCIA classes soon after. Although new to full membership in the Catholic Church, Mrs. Kandre caught on quickly to the spirit of giving she experienced at St. Frances. She was so impressed by the parish’s Giving Tree at Christmastime, she set up her own in her office at work and encouraged her fellow workers to buy gifts for the needy. “It made the holidays really special,” she said. “I always loved Christmas anyway, but it brought a whole new meaning to Christmas.” She added that her experience going through the RCIA process has been wonderful, and the parish has been very welcoming. “I feel right at home,” she said. “The first time I walked in there, I knew no one. Father Thomas introduced us to the congregation, and they have really welcomed us. It’s already my church, even before I’m baptized. There are a lot of really good people there.” Joel Yoder, who will be joining Uniontown Holy Spirit Parish, said the birth of his son last year became his inspiration to join the Catholic Church. “My wife is Catholic, and we were married in a Catholic church,” he said. “When the baby was born, we wanted to get him baptized and raise him in the Church. I wanted to have a functional family.” He added that he and his wife visited different Catholic churches before joining Holy Spirit Parish. “I always felt I was missing something because I had no idea what anything meant,” he said. “Until I went through the RCIA program, I felt out of touch.” Yoder added that he appreciates the sacraments and loves the Catholic liturgy. He was very moved when he made his First Reconciliation recently. “That was a completely new experience for me. My sponsor had two children who went to Reconciliation at the same time. That inspired me more to raise our child in the Catholic Church. I told my sponsor he should be proud.” For Erin Gill, last fall was the ideal time to join the RCIA program at East Liverpool St. Aloysius Parish and be confirmed. The 20-year-old is working and trying to decide which college to attend. “This was the perfect time. I won’t have as much time when I go to college,” she said. Although a member of the Church since birth, Miss Gill was never confirmed and stopped attending a few years ago. She, too, felt the urge to go back to the Catholic Church, finish her religious instructions, and be confirmed. Then she met her boyfriend, who is a staunch Catholic. She knew God was leading her to join the RCIA program. Because of her young age and enthusiasm for the Church, Miss Gill is often approached by parishioners with children her age. They tell her their college-aged children have stopped going to church, and they wish their children were like Miss Gill. “It tell them, ‘They’ll come back – don’t worry,’” she said. “Something happens, and God will lead them back.” She always tells parents, “God hears your prayers. Your children will come back.”   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2002   Christmas letter from El Salvador missions thanks diocesan Catholics   Bishop shares views, discussion with Central students   ETC slates Christmas specials throughout the season   My Favorite Christmas Memories   Guidelines on religious ed homeschooling are issued   Local Catholic radio station targets Feb. 1 date   HMs end 98-years of service to Salem St. Paul Parish   Learn ‘language’ of young, youth meet speaker urges   Bishop Tobin: Meeting in D.C. on norms was ‘anxious, tense, difficult’   Priests must ask one another the tough questions, speaker says   Catholic death and funeral rites   Deacons mark 25th with Mass, dinner, memories   Diocesan Ministry Convocation Speaker: Global solidarity, not globalization, should be aim   Jusseaume inaugurated as sixth Walsh president   Diaconate marks 25th anniversary with Oct. 27 fete   New norms sent to priests, deacons on Communion under both kinds   Ashtabula parishes are ‘one Catholic community’   Jusseaume to become Walsh’s sixth president   Charismatic speaker: ‘Church being tested in faithfulness’   Lutheran/Catholic covenant event draws 140 to Walsh   Canton St. Joseph Parish observes centennial celebration   HMHP CEO Michael Rowan   Stewardship speaker: It’s about gratitude and thanking God first   Imagination is key to resolving crisis, priests told   War with Iraq? Expo readers opposed by 81-19%   Newspaper columns didn’t give complete story, official says   Diocesan Ministry Convocation set Oct. 26 at YSU’s Kilcawley   New year brings new faculty, changes at diocesan high schools   Mont St. Michel, Avignon’s papal palace are treasures   Preparing for the priesthood   Entering well-earned retirement, Sr. Marcella’s not slowing down   Warren St. Mary observes 100th year for church building   Lay Ministry Formation program attracting new audience   The cathedrals of France: Monuments of faith in stone   Executive summary of the ad hoc commission on athletics in diocesan high schools   ‘No widespread abuse’ found   Milburn leaving pro-life post to pursue grad studies   Return to France yields history, memories, surprises   Two new members appointed for Diocesan Finance Council   Former SS. C&M school razed, but memories remain   Pastor, 80, keeps busy with ‘lots of interests’   Ravenna IC boasts 5 high school valedictorians for ‘02   Humility Sister Sandy Pedone to profess perpetual vows July 21   NRLC convention filled with good news   ‘Capture the Romance’ is theme for NFP Week   Question of moral evil discussed at Walsh symposium   Notre Dame Sisters will celebrate jubilees July 14   ‘A great lady’ retires   Statement of Bishop Tobin on the meeting of the U. S. Conference   Haladej, Celuch ordained to priesthood, diaconate in Slovakia   Bishop plans implementation of norms on sexual abuse   Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Miller are newest priests   Theologian: ‘Behave toward others as though God were there’   Fr. Bonnot: Use good judgment for TV, movie viewing   MOMS: ‘A place to claim yourself’   Storm ‘changed lives forever’ for Jackson Twp. family   Bishop will ordain Miller, McCaffrey at May 25 ceremony   Update on child abuse   Vicar general addresses issue of not giving priest names to media   New Middletown St. Paul youth — called to be ‘witnesses’ for Christ   New Ursuline Sisters leadership team elected to 6-year term   Two receive first pastorates; two pastors change parishes   Abuse coverage   Walsh University dedicates new ‘David’ campus center   Sisters’ HIV/AIDS ministry critical, heartbreaking   Bishop visits St. Peter’s as rebuilding process begins   Chrism Mass theme: Priests can’t afford discouragement   Bishop’s Appeal stresses meeting needs, funding ministries   Diocese OKs closing Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini K-8; preschool stays   St. Stan’s marks 100th year   Canton St. Joseph choir enjoys ‘incredible trip’   New schools superintendent   Four journeys of faith among hundreds marked here   DPC considers direction, importance of youth ministry   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Pro-life dinner heralds new beginning in Stark County   Kids at church   Religious day studies resurrection amid culture of violence   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Keynoter: Eucharist should change us   Speaker: ‘Truth’ key concept in Gospel of John   Parishes offer Lenten missions for spiritual enrichment   Parishes offer Lenten missions, speakers series   Working in Medjugorje   TV anchorman finds faith not incompatible with journalism   Action alert on cloning set in diocese for Feb. 2-3   Austintown parishioner finds fulfillment in El Salvador   ‘Where Faith and Knowledge Meet’   Resisting TEMPTATION: It’s worth the effort, teens say   4th annual Diocesan Pro-life Mass set Jan. 26   Catholic/Lutheran dialogue, death of Walsh president top news   Diocese helping Afghanistan relief   Past Articles From 2001