Welcome Home: Celebrating Our Brothers and Sisters at Easter
As the sun sets the night before Easter, parishes and families will prepare to celebrate profound spiritual rebirth and renewal moments. FAITH magazine is delighted to present a series of profiles capturing the poignant narratives of individuals preparing to enter the Catholic Church this year.
These profiles serve as a testament to the enduring power of faith to illuminate even the darkest corners of the human experience. Whether grappling with doubt, seeking solace in times of turmoil or embracing the call to a more profound spiritual commitment, each story resonates with the universal quest for spiritual truth and enlightenment.
As the sun sets the night before Easter, parishes and families will prepare to celebrate profound spiritual rebirth and renewal moments. FAITH magazine is delighted to present a series of profiles capturing the poignant narratives of individuals preparing to enter the Catholic Church this year.
These profiles serve as a testament to the enduring power of faith to illuminate even the darkest corners of the human experience. Whether grappling with doubt, seeking solace in times of turmoil or embracing the call to a more profound spiritual commitment, each story resonates with the universal quest for spiritual truth and enlightenment.
Caitlynn Becker
St. Gerard in Lansing has been home to Caitlynn Becker for the past several years. It’s where she was married, had her son baptized and encounters the Lord each week during Sunday Mass.
“I was always curious about the Catholic faith, but never really committed to it until now,” Becker says.
After discussing the faith with her OCIA Director, Becker found it was time to fully commit. As she begins her new journey this Easter, Becker says, “I’m so excited to have that moment [of ease] after receiving the Eucharist for the first time and having that bond with Jesus.”
The Campbell Family
The entire Campbell family — Cody, Kirsten, Ryleigh, Khloe, Cadyn and Elijah — joins the Church this Easter after years in the Protestant faith.
“Cody is interested in apologetics and he decided to research the Catholic faith in his studies,” Kirsten says. “While he was learning about the early Church fathers and the Eucharist, we came to the realization that becoming Catholic was where God was taking us.”
The family is eager to partake in holy Communion at St. Mary Charlotte. “We are also excited to watch our youngest, Elijah, be baptized,” says Kirsten.
Dianna Cooper
With her mother as a spiritual role model, Dianna Cooper was born and raised Catholic, though she never took formal steps to be confirmed.
She will remedy that situation this year at St. Elizabeth Parish in Tecumseh.
As she prepares to receive the sacrament of confirmation this year, Dianna is excited about deepening her relationship with Christ and “Belonging to something bigger than myself.”
Jared and Jenna Duckett
Non-Catholics often have misconceptions about the Church, but Jared and Jenna Duckett would agree these misconceptions are far from the truth.
The Ducketts found themselves church-hopping among several Evangelical churches before the lack of consistency in teachings and community finally led them to Catholic Mass.
“We started doing our research at home into theology and found that we had a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic faith,” they now say. “We learned the truth for ourselves, and today we know the Church is very well rooted in scripture and tradition.”
At the Easter Vigil, Jared and Jenna will begin their sacramental journeys with the abundant graces of baptism and the Eucharist at Holy Family in Adrian.
The Goodrich Family
St. Martha Parish in Okemos will welcome Kenny Goodrich, his wife Amy Goodrich and their three children into the Catholic Church this Easter Vigil. The entire family will receive holy Communion, while Amy Goodrich and her children will be reborn through baptism.
After being raised in the Lutheran denomination and attending church online for some time, the Goodrich family found themselves at St. Martha in March 2023.
“The Catholic faith aligns best with our family's values, and we love the strong community,” Kenny says.
The Kral Family
After Victor Kral, son of James and Krystin Kral, expressed his interest in religion, the Kral clan found themselves back in the church pews for Mass each Sunday.
“We have now found a wonderful community and foundation for our family's moral and spiritual growth,” James says. “I was raised Catholic but had not completed confirmation and had been away from the Church since adolescence.”
This year, the family will find themselves at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Milan, where Krystin and her three children will receive the sacrament of baptism. Meanwhile, James and Krystin will both receive the sacrament of confirmation.