Greg Garda
I can’t say I ever wandered from Christ because I never had a friendship with Christ to wander from.
I grew up in a family that was only Christian by name. We got baptized, went to church on Christmas and Easter and even got confirmed (although not in the Catholic Church). Growing up I was passive towards Christianity (or any religion) at best or blatantly hostile at worst.
In the latter half of high school was the first time I started to think of religion in a critical way, when I took a world religions class. I had many questions. I remember once asking the teacher why I should believe in Jesus instead of the Islamic prophet Mohammad. She had a hard time answering.
After this incident I made a conscious choice to reject Christianity (and religion). My rejection of Christianity turned into intellectual hostility in university. I took courses in psychology, philosophy and various social sciences. Many of my professors were very convincing in portraying Christianity as childish and even dangerous. They also didn’t hold back when criticizing the Catholic Church.
I remember thinking to myself, “Why would anyone believe this stuff?”; “The Catholic Church is evil!”
God has a great sense of humour. In my third year of university I wanted some adventure in my life, so I decided that I would volunteer abroad.
When I inquired with the university, they sent me directly to the Catholic Chaplaincy office. The chaplaincy office at Brock University ran a summer program called Solidarity Experiences Abroad. The program was not religious by its nature. Students and staff from various backgrounds have been part of it. The purpose was to help students connect their career aspirations with social justice.
In brief, I found myself on a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the spring of 2009. Brazil is culturally a Catholic country. I discovered quickly that Catholicism was near impossible to ignore.
When working in the shanty towns, references to Jesus by impoverished families was unavoidable. In addition, many people whom we met in the shanty towns had a simple joy, even in the face of poverty.
This observation led to discussions in the evenings. In particular, I was astounded by the university chaplain’s (Raoul’s) knowledge and insight. I remember thinking, “I thought Catholics were supposed to be rigid and stupid.” Raoul was neither. He was compassionate, insightful and super knowledgeable.
I came to realize that I was actually the stupid one for blindly accepting everything some of my professors said about Catholicism. I didn’t even bother checking their claims and I considered myself “smart.”
These conversations with Raoul and other chaplaincy team members continued when I returned to Canada. I began devouring books on Catholicism. I came to the conclusion that this all makes sense and I have no reason to reject it anymore. If it’s true, I have no choice, but to accept it. Jesus did say I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE; not one of many ways.
Some people have profound moments of prayer that convince them to join the church, but for me, it was more intellectual. By nature I am a skeptical person, so I think God reached out to me in a different way.
I was received into the Catholic Church in February 2011. Shortly after I started graduate studies in theology at St. Michael’s College in Toronto. At that time I didn’t know that it was possible to work for the church in any way; I just knew I loved learning and I wanted to dive deeper into the teachings of the church so I can explain it to other skeptics. To this day, I want others to understand the reasonability of the Catholic Church.
When I was near completing my masters, a youth ministry position appeared in my inbox at St. Luke’s Parish in Thornhill. I didn’t know that the Catholic Church had active youth ministry, nor did I know where Thornhill was. But I applied and was hired for the position.
I didn’t know what to expect, but the six years I spent in youth ministry prepared me for chaplaincy. I always thank God for those six years. Without that experience I would be lost right now.
I love being Catholic.
In my journey I learned that to be Catholic is not to abandon your intellect, but rather to enlighten your intellect by conforming it to Christ. “We have the mind of Christ” as St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:16.
My friendship with Jesus helps me to stay grounded and not easily swayed by the “mood of the culture.”
Social moods, ideologies and philosophies come and go, but Christ remains. Many powerful empires have come and gone, but Christ’s Holy Catholic Church has persevered and will continue to do so until the coming of our Lord.
Greg Garda is a husband and a father of two daughters. He also serves as the chaplaincy leader at Notre Dame CSS in Brampton, Ontario.
“HAVE NO ANXIETY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.”
“FOR THE LORD TOUCHED ALL PARTS OF CREATION, AND FREED AND UNDECEIVED THEM ALL FROM EVERY DECEIT”