Speaking Out

When people find out that I’ve walked the Camino Portugués across Europe, I am often asked: What made you want to do it? When I take a moment to reflect, I cannot think of anything specific. 

“Take a risk, get involved, be committed!” Four years later and I finally understand the importance of my high school motto. 

This past March Break, I found myself as a pilgrim visiting amazing places like Barcelona, Assisi, Siena and the Vatican. It was part of a school trip that Chaminade College School organized for me and 16 of my fellow classmates and it was an amazing life experience. 

I’m something of an expert at first-year. I’ve been a first-year three times, a second-year twice, a third-year once and now I’m going into my last year at Brock University — unless the Lord has other plans for me. (Please Lord, don’t have other plans for me).

Last week I came across an article that claimed consecrated hosts were for sale at an online store.

The article claimed that a vendor sells many items for satanic black masses, including “real Catholic hosts consecrated by a priest.”

When I was young, I did not clearly understand why every May, Vietnamese girls would dress in the traditional Vietnamese áo dài, hold bouquets of flowers and dance in front of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Masses in May. 

Being a young Catholic often means straddling a line between being part of the secular world and embracing who you fundamentally are in the Divine Plan. 

Growing up, there wasn’t the option to not go to church. In our household, if you don’t go to church, you don’t get to celebrate Christmas or Easter, which are two pretty big holidays for a young kid.

There was one important lesson my friends Matthew Remedios and Monika Cyfko learned while volunteering at our parish’s summer camp — youth need this kind of bonding and faith experience all year round.

The other day I was hypnotized in my Instagram Stories when I saw that a friend posted a meme. If you’re not in the generation familiar with memes, they’re generally a photo that’s been edited with words to add humour.