Come April, 11 Xavier students will receive their holy sacraments. Some will start from scratch, receiving all the sacraments beginning with Baptism, while others will receive only some, such as Holy Communion.
However, before these students can receive their sacraments, they must go through the “Journey of Faith” led by theology teacher Sister Theresa Trang.
The Journey of Faith is the name given to the preparation classes the students must take in order to receive these sacraments. These classes began in early October and continue through the year until April, when they will complete this process.
The group meets after school on Fridays, approximately twice a month, to learn various aspects of the faith from Trang and occasionally other theology teachers such as Kaiti-Lynn Beazley and Noah Minton.
The goal of these classes is for students to build a relationship with God, know about the foundations of their faith, celebrate their faith through sacraments and prayer, and support each other throughout their sacred journey.
Trang says she is glad that Xavier offers this opportunity, as some girls would not have had the chance otherwise. “Helping students with this process is my favorite thing; it’s very meaningful to me,” she says.
She remarked that Xavier students already have a strong theological foundation due to the school’s curriculum and commitment to the Church, meaning they require less preparation than others.
These students come from various backgrounds in Catholicism, some of whose first encounters with the faith happened at Xavier. Sophomore Estefania Solis Tereza was raised Catholic and decided to take on this process because she had felt for a long time that it was something she needed to do.
For senior Jordyn Munoz, the spark to begin this process came over the summer when she attended Kairos to become a leader for other groups during the year. She said, “I can say I’m a Kairos leader and that I do all this stuff, but getting my sacraments is saying, ‘I want to follow my life with God.’”
Like Kairos, this experience has allowed many of these girls to become close friends through the biweekly classes and group activities within them. According to Solis Tereza, this process has fostered a comfortable and welcoming community.
Both Solis Tereza and Munoz have enjoyed the social aspect of these classes. Tereza said, “It’s nice to have people you see daily to talk to about your faith.”
Likewise, Munoz says these classes give her the opportunity to meet new people and interact with underclasswomen in a theology setting, which she would not usually have the opportunity to do.
Solis Tereza will receive all the sacraments from Baptism to Communion, while Munoz will receive her First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
Trang is continuously inspired by these young women and their journey of faith as she leads them. She encourages those longing for something more profound, to continue pursuing their faith. “If you feel there is something in you, keep searching,” she says. “The journey will lead you.”
