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My mom and I at the Gracie Abrams concert.

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My mom has been a big influence on my faith journey. She went to FSHA and she's always told me she loved the Catholic school environment. She says that FSHA inspired her to look deeper into her relationship with faith. She was a huge reason of why I chose to go to Catholic school. Over the course of my childhood she's always made sure my brother and I go to Sunday school and make our sacraments. Although we don't go to church every Sunday, she still motivates me to ensure that Jesus is always a constant presence in my and my brother's lives.

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From TK to eighth grade I went to a public school. Although it wasn't catholic and there wasn't really ever a faith promoted, I still grew up there. I learned kindness and acceptance, I learned to write essays and my multiplication tables. I learned to include everyone and how to take tests. But most of all, I learned how to speak Spanish. From kinder to 6th grade I spoke Spanish every day, I wrote Spanish essays and took Spanish math tests. During our welcome mass on the first day of orientation, when the priest said the Our Father in Spanish, I could pick a few words out. I felt a twinge of pride just being able to understand the prayer.

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When I was small, my parents had me baptized. I obviously don't remember anything, but whenever my grandma tells me my baptism story she recounts how when she entered the church, beautiful music filled her ears. She stood next to my mom the whole time, and she said she watched me the whole time. This is the music I imagined her hearing as she walked into the church, ready for my baptism. I wish I knew how it felt, what she heard, what the mass was like, who attended. Baptism is a super important sacrament, and I think of it as a sort of initiation into the Catholic church.

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Sunday 7pm Choir | Catholic & Christian Choral Music

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Baptized in Water (Sealed by the Spirit) | Christian Hymn | Baptism of Jesus | Choir w/Lyrics

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In the picture above, you can see me posing to the side of a church, in my white communion dress, just after mass. In all honesty, I just enjoyed the party after the mass instead of the whole sunday school ordeal. I'm not surprised that I didn't care too much about the Catholic process at 8. Now though, when I go to mass and take communion, and I see the little kids with their hands crossed over their chests, waiting for a blessing, I smile, and I remember waiting for my first communion. Even if I didn't fully understand the significance of taking the body of Christ, I remember feeling special, feeling grateful that it was finally my turn.

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Recently I just started the Holy Family Pasadena confirmation program. I'm doing it with my friends, and so far it's been fun. I think some people would mind it, but I enjoy the community aspect of being able to talk with other like minded teens. Connecting with my faith and going to mass more often is also an added bonus. My mom really wanted me to do confirmation, and I'm excited to be recognized as a full member of the church. I know the journey won't always be easy, and sometimes I'll want to quit, but Jesus will be there to guide me through.

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Over the course of my life, every time I've spoken to my grandma, no matter what, she ends the conversation with blessing me with he sign of the cross. She goes to mass once a week if not more, and she prays every night. Sometimes when I go to her house and stay over, I can hear her whispering her prayers out loud as I'm drifting off to sleep. She's my sponsor for confirmation, and she's one of my biggest supporters. She's a constant presence in my life, and I'm so grateful. She is the most religious person I know, and her influence has shaped me into the person I am today.

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My little brother Julian inspires me every day to be kinder. I'm his role model, and I want to be a positive influence in his life. I hope he's able to wake up every day and be happy that I'm his sister. He taught me how to share, how to let him watch the television, how to embrace the little things, how to play Super Mario, and how to love more. When he made his first communion last may, I felt a strange sense of happiness for him and his own personal journey. I'm so grateful to have him as a little brother and I think we learn things from each other every day.

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Now, as a highschooler, I go to FSHA, which is obviously catholic, Dominican, and rooted in Veritas. I love that we pray every day, and that we pray during Pillars assemblies, and that we pray during religion class. Unlike a lot of my classmates, I've never had a religion class, but I really enjoy it. Aside from Sunday School classes when I was young, I've never had a chance to explore my own faith without boundaries, yet while being gently guided. For me, Catholic School provides a safe environment where I can learn and better understand my relationship with Jesus.

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Like all little girls at the time, in 2013 when Frozen came out, I was obsessed. It took over my life. I had Elsa dresses upon Elsa dresses piled in my closet. I watched the movie on repeat for at least a year, and like all Disney movies, it may have taught me something. It showed me how to "let it go" and how to embrace individuality. I learned to follow my own path, and that even when it gets hard, you can save yourself, and that there will always be family. These are important lessons, ones I'm glad to have learned through my favorite movie, and ones I hope to learn again when I go through the confirmation process.

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When I was sick, I spent several days with my grandma, and together we watched the movie Conclave after Pope Francis passed away. While we watched it I. gained a deeper appreciation for the traditions and symbolism of the Catholic Church. I know that the movie is dramatized, but I enjoyed the insight into how electing a new pope happens. Watching it with my grandma also felt special, and whenever I had a question about what was going on, she was right there to answer it. It felt like a really adult movie especially right after the death of our pope, and the exploration of catholicism and humanity definitely made me think.