Alessandra grew up Catholic, but like many young people, she hadn’t yet developed a firm foundation in her faith. She believed in God, yet she didn’t fully understand how deeply He loved her or how much He longed to draw her close. As she entered middle school, that lack of formation left her vulnerable. A boy she liked asked her for inappropriate photos, and little by little, she found herself caught in a cycle she didn’t know how to escape.

By high school, the situation resurfaced. And when an unknown number threatened to expose her unless she sent more photos, fear and shame swallowed her whole. Telling her parents was agonizing, but they stood beside her as she reported the situation to the police—even as the case went nowhere. The wound remained, and Alessandra bore its weight silently.

One night during her senior year, all the hurt came flooding back. Overwhelmed, unable to sleep, she remembered something her aunt once told her:

“You can always pray to God.”

So she prayed.  Not peacefully… not confidently… but desperately.

With tears streaming down her face, she asked God a question many young Catholics ask quietly but never voice aloud:
“Do you still see me as your daughter?”

A Moment of Peace That Changed Everything

Days later, as she stressed over college applications and music auditions, something extraordinary happened. In the middle of a crowded hallway, she felt an overwhelming wave of peace wash over her. Her mind cleared. Her heart steadied. The noise around her faded into nothing.  She knew without question who it was.

Everything she had been taught about Jesus suddenly became real.
He brings peace. He brings clarity. He brings love that restores.

That moment became a turning point. Alessandra knew she wanted to stay close to Him. She began to take her faith seriously, to pray with intention, and to live differently.

Finding Her Community at the Newman Center

When she started at Queens College, the workload hit hard. But God was already preparing a place for her. She discovered there was a Newman Center on campus and decided to reach out. After missing the rosary walk, she attended Mass the next day,   and that one decision changed her college experience entirely.

She walked into a community ready to receive her with joy.

“I learned so much about my faith through the Newman Center,” she shared. “The people there seek God so honestly and are willing to follow Him. That inspired me to do the same.”

Since then, she has:

• Begun attending Daily Mass

• Sung chant regularly

• Formed deep, faith-centered friendships

• Grown in confidence, prayer, and identity as God’s beloved

The night she cried out to God in desperation led her exactly where she needed to be, a place where she was known, welcomed, and loved.

This Is Why We launched Faith Forward

Alessandra’s story is not rare. Thousands of young Catholics enter college every year without a strong faith foundation, without peers who share their beliefs, and without a community to call them deeper into Christ’s love.

Without connection, many drift.
Not because they reject their faith,  but because they don't know where to go. 

We Are Here To Make A Difference

Through the Faith Forward national movement, we connect students by name to campus ministries so they encounter truth, friendship, healing, and belonging right when they need it most. Stories like Alessandra’s are proof that God is moving and that when students are welcomed into a Catholic community, everything can change.

A Critical Moment For The Next Generation

We are in a battle for souls. If we do nothing, we risk losing the next generation of young Catholics.  But when we stand together—parents, parishes, high schools, campuses, and supporters—we can make sure every student has the chance to experience what Alessandra found:

• A home for their faith.
• A community for their journey.
• A place where peace finds them again.
  

Help Us Connect 1 Million Students

Our mission is bold:
To connect 1 million students to their Catholic community as they leave home.
Because every student deserves to know they are loved, welcomed, and never alone.

Your support makes this possible.

• Your donation ensures that students are connected to campus ministry before they arrive.
• Your generosity fuels the Faith Forward movement across the nation.
• Your gift today helps keep young Catholics rooted in their faith at the most vulnerable moment of their lives.