Theresa, St Mary’s the Mount, Walsall

Theresa kindly completed a short, optional questionnaire designed to find out more about why people have decided to join the Catholic Church. She will be fully welcomed into the Catholic Church this Easter, 2026.
 
Please tell us a little about what drew you towards wanting to become a Catholic.

I was born and raised a Catholic as a child but a house move meant I missed my confirmation. After this I rarely attended church as we lived in a remote village and so I slowly drifted away from my faith in my teens. Through ill health, poor choices and a lack of good role models I experienced a lot of trauma over the next 25-30 years. 

Occasionally I would still talk to God, but always as a victim, asking him why he had given me so much suffering. In late 2024 I began to see signs everywhere about the Bible… people stopping me in the street, emails I’d receive and one lady even approached me in a supermarket and told me that Jesus loved me and wants me to know. 

I didn’t think much of it at first but then one day I went online and saw an advertisement for the online Catholic bible and so I decided to read it and once I started I couldn’t stop so I decided to order my own. This was the first time I’d ever read a bible and the more I read the more it made sense. 

One evening shortly after finishing the book of Exodus I was sat alone in my room and began to talk to God, not as a victim this time, but as a sinner. I confessed to him every sin I’d been keeping in, all of the guilt I’d been carrying and how ashamed I felt that I’d broken some commandments and how sorry I was. By the end I was very emotional and out of nowhere I was filled with the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had. It was like every good feeling I’d ever felt all in one but multiplied. In that moment it felt like nothing could ever upset me again, like this feeling of pure love and warmth could shelter me from anything. 

Looking back, I truly believe I was touched by the Holy Spirit that day. After that the anxiety I’d had since a child lifted, the anger I’d carried through much of my adult life lifted and I felt a sense of peace I’d never had before. I knew then what I had to do and so I made an appointment to meet my parish priest, began going to church regularly and joined the RCIA programme. Since that day of repentance and accepting God back into my life many amazing unexplainable things have happened to me, starting the very next day.

Please tell us something you have learned during your period of formation to become a Catholic.

I have learnt so much during this period of becoming a full member of the Catholic Church. I thought I already knew everything as I was raised a Catholic and attended church regularly up to the age of around 14 but in fact I realised I knew very little. 

I knew the story of the Nativity but now I know the history behind it and what came after. I knew the prayers but now I understand their meaning. I’ve learnt about many miracles and the role of the saints and the blessed mother. I’ve learnt about the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, about God’s grace and mercy, about how important the Easter season is as well as the sacraments and I’ve learnt about the importance of prayer and new ways to pray. 

I was familiar with the order of service in Mass but now I grasp the substance of it. Attending church as a child used to be a routine but now it’s a revelation. Everything finally clicks and so now I don’t just hear the words I feel their weight. 

I also learnt about how the enemy works and that the only times I’ve been truly unhappy in life and felt hopelessness is the times that I did not allow Jesus to be present in my life. 

Most importantly I’ve learnt how much God loves us all and that the greatest gift he ever gave us was Jesus Christ. The whole learning journey has changed my life for the better and the way I now view my faith.

Please tell us something you are looking forward to, following your reception into the Catholic Church.

A week ago I would have said that I’m looking forward to receiving the sacrament of Holy Matrimony but yesterday it finally happened and I married my husband in our church, which I would never have been able to do without the help of our wonderful priest. 

I am now looking forward to building a stronger relationship with God, serving him in all the ways I’m able and spreading the gospel. I also plan to attend Bible Study lessons at the church so I can continue to get a deeper understanding of scripture and spiritual growth.