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sometimes I feel lost, I do not feel as connected to the ucc, I am hoping this can change soon

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The UCC was a very accepting place when I first came to UCLA but there are still times where I feel really disconnected from my faith and I feel almost like a "fake Catholic." I think the pandemic definitely makes things more difficult because it's harder to connect with your community. For a long time my identity has really been centered as a Catholic but I'm still trying to figure out what that means. I think as I grow older I've come to the realization that it's a faith journey and I'm still growing every day with my faith. Just because there are times where I'm not close with God doesn't mean that I'm any less of a Catholic.

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I go to Mass regularly with my family. However, more recently I have noticed myself not necessarily being present, and just focusing on the next thing I have to get done (schoolwork, other responsibilities, etc). I want to invest more time into creating a relationship with God and being more present with him.

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I see freedom in the gospel because it reminds me of my identity in Christ and that my failures don't define me

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I don't go to mass as often as I should-- I do have the time to go, but I end up making excuses as to why I can't go while I instead decide to look at some random piece of media, while saying I will look at the mass later.

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I grew up catholic but it was never really something that was super enforced more so just a continuation of what my family in the past has done. But going into college I felt like I should try to make a greater connection with God because it makes me feel like a better person and I personally feel a lot better knowing that I am looking to him and trying to create a better relationship with him. Coming to retreat and joining UCC was some of the beginning steps to have me involved in my faith again, and it is setting a path for me to continue to follow in the future

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The Gospel really provides a guide for me to live in the ways that God calls me to. Often times, I do not necessarily have the time to pursue the Gospel as much as I would like, which is the difficult part. However, going to retreats like this will hopefully encourage me to engage more fully with it and become unchained from my busy life (school, clubs, etc), because it is important to look to God and make time for him! Having a relationship with God is essential!

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I think to be rooted in Christ means to live life with God always present and knowing that he will guide me

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I am very thankful for the amazing group of people at the ucc, I cannot wait to meet more students !

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I have experienced freedom by making certain sacrifices in my life, and in those moments it was not about what I wanted but what I felt God was asking me to do. Fasting is also one way I have experienced this. However, I feel like it is important not to complain about things that may seem hard. I noticed that my family would sometimes complain when they were fasting and the moment I complained, that was when it lost some of its value for me. So I do agree with this quote but I would take it a step further to say that we also should not complain when we choose to do what we ought. The freedom is in choosing the right thing and loving the choice because God wanted that for us.

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4. What does it mean to have your identity be rooted in being a beloved Son or Daughter of Christ?

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4. What does it mean to have your identity be rooted in being a beloved Son or Daughter of Christ?

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3. How do you see the message of the Gospel leading to a life of true freedom?

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3. How do you see the message of the Gospel leading to a life of true freedom?

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What shackles do you see coming off if you were to fully accept the Gospel message How would your life look?

How often do you go to mass? Confession? Pray? What is keeping you from pursuing these more frequently?

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2. What has your experience been in the UCC in regards to living in a community of people whose life is centered on Christ?

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2. What has your experience been in the UCC in regards to living in a community of people whose life is centered on Christ?

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How often do you find accountability and encouragement towards a life centered on Christ and the Sacraments?

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1. What do you think about this reality of true freedom, specifically, “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought”?

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1. What do you think about this reality of true freedom, specifically, “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought”?

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To what extent have you experienced this?