As a convert still in the early days of my faith journey I had found it challenging to find a means of strengthening my knowledge of the Church. The more actively I threw myself into daily prayer life, the more eager I became to broaden my understanding of our faith.
Only a few months after my baptism in 2021 a family member mentioned to me that the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle offered something called the Pastoral Placement Program and urged me to apply. Through this application process I came to learn about the Christian Formation Course, which in theory sounded like everything I had been looking for.
Since the commencement of the course in July, I can wholeheartedly say that it has played a pivotal role in the development of my faith journey and overall sense of identity. As someone who converted at the age of twenty-seven, I had been trying to step into my authentic self. At times this had felt like a lonely path with all my long-standing friendships being so heavily rooted in the secular world. But what I’ve found in the Christian Formation Course is a beautiful sense of community amongst a diverse cohort of peers. It seems as if the Holy Spirit has brought us together to share this opportunity in learning more about our faith, but also in sharing a part of ourselves and our experiences with one another.
The Christian Formation Course has not only given me deeper insight into our teachings and Traditions but has inspired me to continually read the Gospel and discern the scriptures. These newly acquired skills have given me deeper insight into how the Holy Spirit can work through the written Word and apply its message in our everyday life.
Attending class is now the favourite part of my week, each session offers the opportunity to grow and implores us to reflect on ourselves and everything we thought we already knew. In setting aside this one night a week to develop my foundational knowledge of our Catholic faith I feel I have made a fruitful investment in what will be a life-long journey.
If you would like to know more about the Christian Formation Course or express an interest in joining the next group, please go to: https://forms.office.com/r/2rwFqJUXFv
Image: Unsplash by Priscilla Du Preez
Article by Morgan Owens