Christina Giordano
Toward the end of high school, I felt my once-strong faith starting to wane. I had been a cradle Catholic and found myself confused and saddened at how I felt myself falling away from my faith. I decided to write my college admissions essay on St. Therese of Lisieux, my patron saint, and I entered Harvard in the fall of 2006. I had a definite aversion to the Catholic Students Association from the get-go. I considered them all to be religious fanatics with whom I didn’t want to associate myself, yet I told myself that my own personal faith was strong and I didn’t need the Church or any organization to build that faith. I didn’t understand why I attended weekly Mass when I considered it to be just a “check-up,” yet I felt markedly guilty for not attending if I was sick or busy.
I had joined an a cappella group my freshman year that simultaneously gave me a community to belong to, and made me feel like an outsider. I never attended parties or drank alcohol before college, but felt uncomfortable in both of these new situations as I was ushered into these communities. It was my sophomore spring that a friend sent me an invitation via email to a Catholic Students Association Retreat, and I accepted, figuring that he had been so friendly in inviting me, and remembering how great the retreats were back in high school. I received the Sacrament of Confession for the first time in years on that retreat, and decided that I wanted more of this CSA – I felt myself moving closer to Christ for the first time in a long time.
Since then, it has been a battle of growing in virtue, becoming ever closer to the Church and to the community of Catholics both here and everywhere, and discovering God’s love in the little things all around us every day. What a blessing it is to know Christ and to have been saved by His Infinite Mercy!!! I can only react with the utmost gratitude!!!
Student Stories
- Christina Giordano
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After attending a Catholic retreat during her sophomore year of college, Christina felt herself growing closer to Christ for the first time in years.
- Brad Klingele
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After being formed in his faith by one-on-one mentoring and small groups, Brad helped to renew his local campus ministry.
- Melanie Contrestan
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“I feel like the Lord spoke to my heart. ‘The Church needs you, Melanie, and you need the Church.’”
Campus Ministry Stories
- Harvard Catholic Student Center
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Faye Darnall became convinced of EC ministry methods while a campus minister at UW-Madison, so she took them with her when she went to Harvard.
- UW-Milwaukee Newman Center
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Margaret Rhody was a UW-Milwaukee student when she attended her first EC Institute. Then she took what she learned to a campus ministry position there.