Graduation Katelyn Caron Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Katelyn Caron attends St. Peter Catholic Church in Richfield with her parents, Jeff and Lisa Caron. She plans to attend St. Catherine University in St. Paul. What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? I learned how to be myself, how to love myself, and how to trust in God’s plan. Moving into a high school class of almost 200 was a huge leap from my middle-school class of barely 40, especially when my best friend and I grew apart in the process. But when God closes one door, he always opens another. When it seemed that I was at a low and hurting the most, God led me toward a whole new group of people that love me for who I am and have taught me how to love the beautiful person that God created. Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school. It is accomplishing goals. When I began high school, I set a goal of maintaining good grades. I will be graduating high school with 12
MAY 10, 2012 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT trimesters of being a Scholar of Distinction (having a GPA over 4.0). Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. Soon after my confirmation, I had the unique opportunity to assist my youth leader in starting a peer ministry group. I helped to plan a Middle School Girls’ Night that emphasized lasting friendships. . . . I had the opportunity to work with younger girls and be a role model and mentor. What would you like adults to know about the challenges youth and young adults face today? Youth and young adults want a solid role model that they can look up to. I can’t count the number of times my friends have told me that they are envious of the relationship that I have with my parents and especially my mom. When society is slowly reducing the role and influence of parents, that is when parents most need to become engaged and involved. We want our parents to take an interest and guide us through this stage in our lives. What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the church?
The best thing the Catholic Church can do is educate parents on how to best parent in the faith and encourage them to get their children in a faithbased environment — if not a school, a good faith formation program. . . . Faith starts in the home with parents that can discuss their faith with their children. If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? St. Cecilia’s life has been an inspiration to me through many struggles and frustrations. She faced every difficulty, including death, with peace that God’s plan would be done. Every time I have been frustrated with my situation or those around me, I would pray for the peace that she had and she would send me a song (at church, on the radio, or even at camp) that would somehow fit the situation and bring me comfort. She also changed the lives of every person that she came into contact with, including her husband. Because of her example, I have tried to be a witness for Christ. What problem in the world most concerns you? How do you think it can be solved? One of the biggest problems is the lack of respect for life and the
Michael Kostick
Thomas Sjoberg
Church of St. Paul, Ham Lake
St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights
Michael Kostick is a student of Padre Pio Homeschool. His parents are James and Paulette Kostick and he plans to attend Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., to study mechanical engineering.
Thomas Sjoberg attends St. Thomas Becket in Eagan with his parents, Mike and Denise Sjoberg. He plans to attend the University of St. Thomas or the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. Throughout my high school spiritual journey, I had many powerful encounters with Christ. However, the most significant one has been serving at Mass. Being present at the altar has made me significantly more disposed to the graces Christ constantly pours out in the Eucharist. What would you like adults to know about the challenges youth and young adults face today? Youth are searching for meaning. Today’s post-Christian society drains the true purpose and meaning out of almost every aspect of life. Suffering has no meaning; success has no purpose except self-gratification; and death is the end. Likewise, in today’s age of technology, there is a lack of silence. Many images blend together and become nothing but meaningless noise. This constant noise drowns out the truth about ourselves in our relationship with Christ and his church.
desensitization to violence that follows. . . . If we can get back to the respect that we once had for life and for the family, then much of the violence and evil that has gripped our society will dissipate. What is your favorite quote? “The Lord replied, ‘My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.’” — Mary Stevenson
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? Be yourself.
What is the greatest lesson you learned in high school? Staying close to the sacraments is essential to the protection of faith. Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school. One that stands out in my mind is educating and mobilizing young people during the 2010 elections.
7B
What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the church? Catholic youth are hungry for the truth. The life-giving teachings of the Catholic Church should not be watered down. Our relationship to the church can be compared to a love story; the more we see of its beauty, the more in love we are with it. If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? It would be Pope Pius XII. I would ask for his blessing and console him that his work is saving hundreds of thousands of lives. The battle he fought is the same as the battle we are fighting today for religious freedom and the dignity of human life. What problem in the world most concerns you? How do you think it can be solved? Moral relativism. To begin to fix this problem and heal our culture, we must live our lives as Catholics and become the light in this dark time. What is your favorite quote? “Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”
Name one thing you are proud of accomplishing in high school. I am proud to have accomplished scoring more than 1,000 points in my basketball career. What makes it even better is that my dad was there as my coach throughout the whole thing. Describe the most significant faith experience you have had during high school. The summer after my junior year, I was given the opportunity to travel with the archdiocese to the Diocese of Kitui, Kenya. I spent time with some of the most faithful and spiritual people I have ever met, including boys of my age. The time spent with such deeply devoted people changed who I am as a person and as a disciple of Christ. What would you like adults to know about the challenges youth and young adults face today? I think one thing that the youth of today really struggle with is expressing their faith and especially talking about it with others. What can the Catholic Church do to keep you and other young adults engaged in the life of the church? Teenagers like to do things at their own pace, including finding the right relationship with God.
If you could have a conversation with a historical figure, who would it be and why? John Wooden, coach of the great UCLA men’s basketball teams, has always inspired me because of the way his players respected him. He coached his players to be great on the court and successful leaders off it. What problem in the world most concerns you? How do you think it can be solved? The consumption of natural gas and other natural resources. I think the best way to solve this is to pursue technologies that work on secondary energy sources like wind and solar power. What is your favorite quote? “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." — John Wooden If you could go back in time five years, what advice would you give yourself? I would tell myself to be myself.