I wanted to be baptized because it feels closer to God. I also wanted to help pass on messages he tries to show and tell people. Preparing for baptism was a long journey that felt joyful.
During one of the Masses Father Mario put his hand on me and said a prayer and I felt God next to me. It felt good to be baptized and receive Communion. It felt like God was shining on me. It felt warm, loving, and welcoming by the community.
It does feel different because it feels like I'm one of his helpers. I would recommend to other children to get baptized because it feels like becoming an important person.
 

The journey was definitely worth the time and effort. By attending the Confirmation classes with the group, it has helped me retouch back into my faith. I've been able to slow down and to take a step back to really reevaluate the things that are meaningful to me. I would recommend this to someone who is on the fence because you truly do get to learn more about yourself and how faith can have a positive impact on your life. Being with a group of people who are working towards the same goal and to be able to share our thoughts about the readings and lessons from that week also helps open doors of understanding things from a different perspective. I have enjoyed taking the class with our group and have learned so much about myself and how faith can guide us down the road less traveled. 
 

Almost 15 years ago my first baby was born. When this wonderful first child of mine was new I remember holding him and looking in his eyes and wondering at the fact that there was a soul in there behind his eyes. He was so obviously not a blank slate or just an accumulation of cells. This shook me, since for at least 25 years of life I had been very confident in my atheism and opinion that life is nothing but the material world that could be measured and explained scientifically. I grew up in a home with an aggressive anti-religious bias which imparted a negative view of God into me and that is how I went through life until I was deep into my 30’s.
But sensing this soul in my child set a nagging in my head that I finally began to answer over a decade later. I shopped around a few churches and faiths before I arrived at home in the Catholic faith. I meditated, I chanted, I searched for meaning in juice fasts and my yoga mat. Later, when the idea of God started to force its way into my heart I looked for places that wouldn’t impose a lot of rules or restrictions on me. I went to a non-denominational Christian-ish self-realization church and quit when all they talked about was an upcoming election. I tried two Unitarian churches, both of which were mostly political and very focused on the importance of the individual, but never mentioned God or Scripture in any way. When I finally started to admit to myself that maybe I was missing God proper (hard to admit from a self-proclaimed atheist!) I tried a couple of Protestant churches but being there felt like more of the same.
If you had told me in my 30s that someday I would walk into a Catholic church and be utterly drawn in by the rightness of it, the logic, the order, the focus on something greater than my own self, I would have laughed and been offended and walked away calling you insane. After all, the Catholic church is sexist, homophobic, hateful, judgmental, and full of meaningless rules that just exist to control people. Isn’t it? But when I came to St. Joe’s on an evening Mass during Advent I learned how wrong I had been.
I had expected hatred, judgment, and a profound unwelcome feeling for anyone who the church deemed imperfect and sinful. Instead, I (along with the people of all types with whom I shared a pew) heard nothing but messages of love and welcome and invitation. I came to church weekly, and I loved the messages of love I was hearing, but it took me many months to feel comfortable enough to walk down the aisle to receive a blessing during Mass. 
I loved the Inquiry classes and later entered the catechumenate, still unsure of what I was doing, and to the distress of my atheist spouse. My spouse has calmed down since he has met my teachers and seen what a loving community is here. I have received the most beautiful education: full of logic, information, love, and humor. We’ve had wonderful theological philosophical conversations, talked about historical context, heard opposing views, and I had my millions of “Catholicism for Dummies” questions answered with patience. Through this time I have heard nothing at all but messages of love and welcome.   
Becoming Catholic has truly been the weirdest and most unexpected curveball life has thrown at me. I never would have dreamed I would be here (Baptized this Easter, turning 50 this summer). I wish I hadn’t waited so long to let go of my preconceptions about what Catholicism is but I am so profoundly grateful, excited, and happy to be here now. I’m so ready to heed the call that the faith provides, to love and be of service. Maybe you will answer the call too. If you do, you are always welcome to sit next to me at Mass. 

One of the main reasons I chose to be confirmed was to reacquaint myself with Catholic scripture. The process of preparation for Confirmation allowed me to dive deeper into the teachings of the Catholic Church and helped me develop a better understanding of the faith. Additionally, I wanted to feel closer to my community in Alameda and meet potential friends. Through this process, I have learned a great deal and have appreciated the guidance and support.
Another reason I chose to be confirmed was to explore my own spirituality and better understand my place in the world. The process of discernment and reflection allowed me to examine my own beliefs and values and consider how I can use my gifts and talents to help others. Through this journey, I have also learned more about the life of Jesus and the values he taught, and the profound effect these teachings have had on the world.
As I continued my exploration of faith, I wanted to learn more about the paradigm shifts after Jesus' life and death. This deeper understanding has helped me appreciate the context of Jesus' teachings and how they continue to impact our world today.
Finally, being confirmed has allowed me to carry on my family's Catholic tradition and to solidify my knowledge so that I can pass these traditions to future generations. This has been important to me, as I look forward to starting a family of my own someday.