A Secret Wish
Ivory is a pseudonym for a young lady who grew up in a non-Catholic family. But she had cousins who were Catholic and, hanging out with them, hearing them talk about their faith, she longed to become Catholic.
Her Story
My parents were baptized in a Christian church, and so was I and my siblings. We attended church service every Sunday.
I was just a kid then, so I didn’t understand what the rites were for. But eventually, Sunday service became a habit and I looked forward to it.
In time, however, Mom and Dad became busy with work so we stopped going to church.
During my adolescent years, my heart yearned for a church I could belong to. It happened that I had cousins who were Catholic. I started attending the Mass with them—secretly. I knew my mother would not approve of it and I was afraid she’d scold me.
At the Mass, somehow, I felt a strong connection with God. And even when I already went to college and got busy with school work, I still continued going to Catholic churches to hear Mass for my spiritual nourishment.
Finding The Feast
In 2010, after graduation, I started working in an international children’s organization.
Around this time, I already found me a boyfriend— Bien. And would you believe, one of our regular dates was attending Mass at the St. Francis Church in Mandaluyong City.
You see, at the time, I already liked not only the Mass, but other Catholic practices as well, such as venerating the saints. I had become a devotee of St. Francis so I attended Mass at the St. Francis church once a week, after office hours. And Bien accompanied me.
One evening, we came early so I whiled away the time by checking out items in a book table in the church and got to chat with the lady selling the books. I found out from her that there would be a talk after the Mass. I got curious so I asked Bien if we could stay and check it out. He agreed.
The program started with Worship — people singing praise songs and raising and waving their hands. Like what we did in the church service I attended with my family when I was a little girl.
I thought, “Wow, a Christian service in a Catholic church!”
My spirit swelled with joy.
That night, the speakers, Bro. Migs Ramirez and Bro. Arun Gogna, talked about their weekly prayer gathering called The Feast.
I couldn’t contain my joy over finding about this prayer meeting and I couldn’t wait to attend it. I started researching online about The Feast and found the Kerygma Family website. I even joined the site’s chatbox to gain new friends there who could tell me more about The Feast.
Little did I know, the people I was looking for were right under my nose. In the office, I gushed about The Feast and I found out that one of my teammates, Agnes, was attending Feast Bay Area.
She told me all about The Feast and I begged her to take me there. So one Sunday in November 2011, Agnes ushered me to the Feast Bay Area being held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The first time I got to PICC was in April 2010 when I graduated. Who would have thought that I’d be back in that grand place in a year’s time and to join a prayer gathering at that!
At The Feast in the Plenary Hall that day, I must have cried a river. I really felt God’s presence there. Yes, I’d been His lost sheep— for the longest time— and finally, I’ve been found. That day remains to be one of my most cherished moments in life.
From then on, I’ve been attending The Feast regularly. I love it because I came to know more not only about God but about myself as well. I realized I’d been such a sensitive person and I’d get hurt easily. The Feast has helped me to be forgiving and loving people without condition.
Yes, The Feast has changed the way I see life, people, and situations. It has become God’s instrument for me to allow Him to take over my life, including my plans and goals.
At The Feast, I have made a lot of friends. I call them my brothers and sisters in my spiritual journey.
Today, I continue to undergo spiritual formation in my faith community.
Back to the Church
I love the Mass, everything about it. For me, it is a sacred reminder of Jesus dying for me for my sins. That He loves me that much.
I want to be baptized Catholic. I hope I get to settle this matter with my parents soon.
