Isabelle’s story is a radiant witness to that kind of joy, the kind born from truth, healing, and finally finding a home in the Church Christ Himself founded. However, her journey to this joy was long, complicated, and filled with moments when she could have given up.

Searching for Truth, Searching for Home

Isabelle didn’t grow up Catholic. For eighteen years, she was a Pentecostal Christian, immersed in energetic worship, strong community, and a charismatic faith she loved. She grew up singing, serving, and attending conferences, all expressions of a sincere desire to know and worship God.

Yet beneath that devotion was a quiet curiosity about Catholicism, sparked years earlier in Sunday School. But the curiosity was quickly shut down by misconceptions she heard, especially the common myth that “Catholics worship Mary.” So she dismissed Catholicism entirely. Until she met someone whose deep, traditional Catholic faith challenged everything she thought she knew.

Their friendship opened doors to the real teachings of the Eucharist, adoration, the Mass, and the Church’s history. A spark lit again, but fear made her pull back. She worried she would lose the worship she loved. She worried she would lose community. She worried that Catholicism would demand too much. And yet… something kept calling her back.

A Moment That Changed Everything

She went to Mass for the first time after moving to college. It felt unfamiliar and structured, yet meaningful. But it wasn’t until she stepped into Adoration that everything shifted. Looking at the Eucharist, she saw what appeared to be the imprint of a face. She left the chapel in tears. Conflicted. Confused. Afraid. Uncertain whether this was a sign or whether she even wanted one.

From there, her journey grew more painful. Pressure from someone she trusted created deep religious trauma. She began to fear the Catholic Church, fear conversion, and fear losing herself. For the first time, she felt truly alone. She wondered if she had misunderstood God’s voice entirely.

Where God Meets His Children: Through His People

When she finally opened up to her Catholic friends, everything changed.

• Instead of pressure, they offered freedom.
• Instead of coercion, they offered compassion.
• Instead of force, they offered choice.
  
  “They came to me with gentle, wide-open arms,” Isabelle said. “Their love eased the pain, and I knew Jesus wanted me to feel His love through them.” That love brought her to the Awakening retreat, three days that became a turning point. She encountered God in ways she never expected. She found friends who met her exactly where she was. She found peace she hadn’t felt in years. She enrolled in RCIA not to commit immediately, but to understand the truth. She studied Scripture, read Church history, and finally wrestled deeply with John 6. Truth began to anchor her. When she learned the roots of Pentecostalism and the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist, her world shifted.

The Eucharist, Christ’s real Body and Blood, became the missing piece her heart had been searching for all along.

Joy Found in the Eucharist

Even amid doubt, spiritual dryness, and trauma recovery, Isabelle kept going. She prayed. She fasted. She asked hard questions. She sought counsel. And slowly, the joy of the Lord began to return. On April 27th, she entered the Catholic Church.

But her journey didn’t end there. After her confirmation, the doubts returned:

• “What if I made the wrong choice?”
• “What if the Church isn’t true?”
• “What if I’ve been misled?”

Yet one truth kept her steady: God revealed His Blessed Sacrament to her. And nothing—not fear, not uncertainty, not old wounds—can undo what Christ has shown her to be true.

Today, Isabelle lives with a joy rooted not in emotion, but in truth. Not in fear, but in freedom. Not in pressure, but in communion with Jesus.

Why Isabelle’s Story Matters for Advent Joy

Eighty percent of young Catholics leave the faith by age 23. Not because they reject Christ, but because no one is standing in the gap as they step into adulthood.

• Isabelle found the Catholic Church because someone walked with her.
• Because the Catholic community welcomed her gently.
• Because God placed people in her path who loved her and led her into truth.

Countless young Catholics never get that chance.

This Is Why Newman Connection Exists

Newman Connection builds the bridge from high school to college, ensuring every student is personally connected to a campus ministry before they ever arrive.  Because without connection, students drift. With connection, they flourish. The Faith Forward national movement is our bold mission to prevent the loss of young Catholics and surround them with a community, friendship, and sacramental life that anchors their faith.

Help Us Bring Joy to the Next Generation

We are fighting a battle for souls. If we don’t act now, we risk losing an entire generation.

Our goal is clear:
Connect 1 million students to their Catholic community.

Your generosity makes this possible.

• Your donation helps us reach more high schools, parishes, families, and students.

• Your support ensures students like Isabelle are never alone as they navigate faith, trauma, transition, and adulthood.

• Your gift today helps bring them into communities that reflect Christ’s healing, truth, and joy.

This is a critical mission.  This is the mission we have been called to.  And together, we can keep young Catholics connected to their faith, now and for generations to come.