“Religion has always intrigued me but I didn’t know what to think about God,” says Agathe, 18. Her family identified as Catholic and had her baptised as a child, but faith was never personal.
That began to change at a birthday party weekend in 2021. When a friend woke up early to attend Mass, Agathe tagged along out of curiosity. “I wanted to know what motivated her to get up at that hour!” she laughs. It felt unfamiliar but something drew her back. Soon, “Mass became a habit,” as Agathe puts it.
Later, a close friend told her about Alpha Youth. When Agathe received an invitation from the youth group leader, she hesitated. “I wasn’t too sure about talking to other young people I didn’t know. I thought they’d all be experts on faith and religion – it felt really scary,” she admits.
Be herself
But she went and discovered a welcoming group where she could be herself. “Throughout Alpha, I met people who truly radiated God’s love. That’s what kept me coming back each week.”
The weekend away was another hurdle. Agathe’s worries resurfaced and she took a long time to decide whether to go. “I only confirmed three days before – that’s how uneasy I felt,” she recalls. Yet during a time of prayer that weekend, her uneasiness was replaced with a deep sense of peace.
“For the first time, I understood that I truly have faith. I realised that I was never alone, that God had been there from the beginning and would always be. When I got home, I couldn’t stop telling everyone! I wanted so much for them to feel what I’d felt.”
Part of this great family – the Church
Since Alpha Youth, Agathe has taken her First Communion and is preparing for Confirmation. “I am filled with God’s love and happy to be part of this great family, the Church.”
For anyone afraid to take the risk of getting to know God, Agathe shares Isaiah 41:13: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”
