CHOOSING FAITH

SUMMER 2019

SAYING YES TO CHRIST (PART II)

PREVIOUSLY WE INTRODUCED READERS TO MICHELLE LAI AND JAMES IRVIN, adults preparing for initiation into the Catholic Church at Easter through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Michelle, a medical student in Manhattan, had been raised without religion, and James, a building engineer at the VA Hospital at Castle Point, was a baptized Presbyterian and seeking a more meaningful religious experience since being introduced to the Catholic church by his wife, Mirna. (To read Part I, click here.)

For James, the RCIA process was a fulfilling one. “It was wonderful to learn about God and Jesus Christ and everything He went through,” James says. In January, he attended a Catholic retreat and found it very uplifting. Then, in March, he suffered a stroke.

“I woke up one morning and couldn’t keep my balance,” he recalls. “My wife was there, and we had to call the ambulance. I couldn’t walk two steps without falling down.”

When Sandy Corsetti, the RCIA coordinator for St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Newburgh, learned what had happened, she headed to the hospital. Since no one could be sure what the medical outcome might be, she arranged for Fr. William Danforth, pastor at St. Mother Teresa, to perform the rite of confirmation four weeks before Easter.

“My stroke was on a Thursday, and Fr. Danforth confirmed me that Sunday. I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me. It was a joyful experience inside, for me to become Catholic.”

James’ recovery so far has been remarkably smooth. “I couldn’t walk for a couple of weeks without losing my balance. Within eight weeks I was walking without my cane, and I’m doing very well. I am believing in Him and having faith, and everything is coming back in a natural way.”

RCIA candidate James Irvin with RCIA coordinator Sandy Corsetti of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Newburgh.

Having attended Easter Mass with his wife as a fully initiated Catholic, James has seen enough excitement for a while. “My plans?” he asks. “Do the right thing. Be a good husband to my wife and a good grandfather and father. Live a good life. That’s all I’m looking for.”

Michelle was baptized as planned at the Easter Vigil at St. Francis de Sales in Manhattan. Although not accompanied by a life-and-death medical emergency, her experience was equally dramatic. “When I felt the water pour over me, I felt that my past life was being washed away and it was the beginning of the new one. Over the whole process of RCIA, I changed, but now I feel more like my true self than ever before,” she says.

The most challenging part of the process for Michelle was having to start from scratch. “For me, with no religious background at all, it was very difficult learning to be where God was and where my faith was – but by the end of the process it felt like second nature.” The biggest help was the sense of community. “The best part was getting to know the RCIA family,” she says. “It was great becoming Catholic and joining the community, taking communion and having my family there to celebrate as well.”

Looking ahead to life as a member of the Church, Michelle is hoping for more of the same. “I definitely will stay very close to the Church and the RCIA group. I want to continue to make a positive difference in the world,” she says. “I’m not walking through life alone now. I have God walking with me.”
 

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GETTING STARTED ON THE PATH TO GRACE

Do you know someone who is interested in becoming a Catholic? The first step is to talk to the pastor or the RCIA coordinator of the local Catholic parish where they would like to be initiated. For further information, please contact Oscar Cruz at the Office of Adult Faith Formation of the Archdiocese of New York; [email protected]; 646-794-2574. Also see “Ask a Priest: What are the steps for an adult to become a member of the Catholic Church?”