Starting a life-long journey with Jesus
Published: 14 August 2011
By: Paul Dobbyn
EIGHTEEN-year-old Meagan Fox will never forget the lighting of a special candle when she became a Catholic along with five of her former classmates from St Columban’s College, Caboolture, last Sunday.
“The candle I lit was my Confirmation candle,” the college’s 2009 and 2010 Duhig House captain said.
“For me this marked a new beginning for me … a new fire had started to burn.”
Her first Holy Communion topped this though.
“The great thing about last Sunday was when I got to receive the Eucharist … (It was) just awesome,” she said.
Meagan joined with five of her former Year 12 classmates – Taylor Austin, Sam Hughes, Ryan Fiedler and twins Elise and Lauren Watkins – to celebrate their initiation into the Catholic faith at St Peter’s Church, Caboolture, north of Brisbane.
Parish priest Fr Wrex Woolnough celebrated the 10am Mass.
St Columban’s campus minister Nathan Costin said in a sense Meagan had got “a ball rolling” which led to the involvement of the other five on a journey to last Sunday’s “joyous ceremony”.
“Meagan was going to Mass every Friday while a student last year,” he said.
“After one Mass she told me she would like to become a Catholic.
“This gave me the idea to start a sacramental program so I approached RE classes to ask if others would be interested.
“Pretty soon the six of them were involved.
“Their interest was strong and continued into this year when they would turn up every week for instruction.
“Even last Sunday they showed their keenness by turning up at 8.30 to go over the ceremony again.”
Meagan said her interest in the Catholic faith had started through a religion and ethics class but she had felt a real calling on an Ignite weekend for young people held last September.
“Being with people who were Catholic and confirmed made me want to move to a deeper level,” she said.
“Another thing that attracted me to the faith was that I got to do the studies at my own pace … I didn’t have it shoved down my throat.”
Her increasing love of the Mass was another major incentive.
Meagan was involved in the preparation of a Mass at the college last year.
“My appreciation grew from this,” she said.
“I came to see Mass as such a powerful and beautiful thing and started to love going every Friday.”
Meagan’s advice to those considering becoming Catholic is to be prepared for blocks.
“Concern about what society may think is a big one,” she said.
“I was like this to begin with, but not towards the end when I knew my calling was for real.
“Also I’d say don’t just do it because you think you have to, but because you feel a calling … you must have a strong belief.”
What about those young Catholic people who’ve lost interest in their faith?
“Try to re-find where you’re at,” she said.
“I would say to go to Masses and see how you feel.
“I think some of these young people get frightened.
“I tried to get other classmates to come along to Mass with me last year.
“They’d say things like: ‘No I can’t remember how to do it’ as though they didn’t want to be embarrassed.”
For now Meagan’s not sure where her new commitment will lead.
What is certain is, as Nathan said: “For these six young people it’s the ending of one journey and the starting of a new life-long journey with Christ”.
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Tags: Catholic, classmates, Columban, faith, first holy communion, journey, life long journey, Meagan, meagan fox, st columban —