Daja Britton

I grew up Baptist and loved it for the majority of my life. In the summer of 2016, before my high school freshman year, my mom, concerned about my severe depression, sent me to a camp with STRANGERS my sister encountered. I wasn’t happy about it but attended. The missionaries seemed trustworthy and their faith, they said, was just like my Baptist faith (they tricked me and I went). The camp experience allured me, and despite my love for my Baptist faith, I felt drawn to Catholicism.

I wanted to run from Catholicism. Before my sophomore year, I transferred to a Christian academy. I did not know how I would afford it but the Lord provided. Somehow, I returned to the program, joined a Catholic youth group, and participated in Catholic retreats. Eventually, I led a retreat and, while preparing a talk, I asked Siri about who created the Catholic Church. Siri said “Jesus Christ”. I knew at that moment if I wanted to follow Christ, I needed to be in His One, true Church and it took three more years for me to say yes.

During RCIA (or Jesus Class as Vagabond calls it), the COVID pandemic started, making it challenging to follow through with becoming Catholic. I was preparing to leave for a Catholic college with the intent of not being Catholic but still wanting to be surrounded by people like my missionaries. I gave up, thinking there was no chance for me to become Catholic. I asked God, “If you want me to do this - show me,” and later, He did. The next day, the missionary who led my class called, saying the priest approved my entry into the Church that Sunday. Then on August 2, 2020, I entered the Church. Being Catholic has been the best decision I have made and I can’t wait to tell you more!