Vocation essay winners announced at Ministry Conference

The Diocese of Corpus Christi offices of Vocations and the Youth Ministry announced winners of their vocations essay contest at the Ministry Conference on Jan. 11. Winners included Angelique Saenz, a fourth grade student at St. Joseph School in Alice; Brooklyn Moreno-Arispe, a seventh grade student at Incarnate Word Academy Middle Level; and MyRanda Lynn Hager, a senior at Blessed John Paul II High School.

Excerpts from their essays appear below.

“Thank you for coming forth and writing the essays,” Bishop Michael Mulvey said to the essay winners. “Let’s continue to encourage all our young people and young adults, especially, to get involved in their church and to witness to their faith.”

The essay contest was open to all Catholic students in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, both in public and private or parochial schools. Topics included, “What is your understanding of the priesthood or religious life today?”; “What does it take to give your whole life to Christ?”; and “Which priest(s)/sister(s) do you most admire and why? Which priest(s)/sister(s) have most influenced you and how?”

Winners received a VISA Check Card to help with their educational expenses.

The Priest that influenced me the most

Angelique Saenz, age 9, fourth grader at St. Joseph School in Alice

Since I am not a very big person most people think I have nothing to say. I have a lot of questions and this is why I know that the priest that influenced me the most was Father Benito [Retortillo] from my San Diego church.

Father Benito baptized me but I did not know him then. He knew my name ever since I can remember going to church with my parents. I do not remember a week when he was not at church on Sunday ready to ask me what my question of the day was. He always had an answer. He made me think about my question and answer it myself.

I was asked to join my older sister and brother as an altar server and that means a lot to me because I am little and may not be trusted to hold the water or wine. Father Benito trusted me to be part of the Mass.

Father Benito gave each of us a blessing after each Mass and I felt really special belonging to this church. My mom and dad know that going to church is important for the whole family...He gave us a blessing to last us the whole week.

Father Benito left back to Spain and I miss asking him questions…God picked Father Benito to teach me, so I can go to heaven. Father Benito influenced my faith. He is the priest that influenced me the most…He will continue to influence my family and me because he is good. God is good.

The most influential and spiritual individual of my adolescence

Brooklyn Moreno-Arispe, age 13, seventh grader at Incarnate Word Academy Middle School, Parish is Corpus Christi Cathedral and Holy Famly Church

The most influential and spiritual individual of my adolescence is a remarkable woman who epitomizes the Catholic faith, Sister Patricia Rodriguez of the Mercedarian Sisters of The Holy Sacrament. She was the school principal at Holy Family Catholic School where I attended elementary.

She impacted my young life in such a profound way that I often reminisce about the obstacles and challenges I experienced with clarity far beyond my teenage years as a result of her patience and dedication to children and the Catholic faith…

I was an unruly student, but Sister Patricia with her never exhausting patience taught me to read the Bible and the different stories it held. I can recall a time when she told me “Brooklyn you will never find a better book to read in life. The bible holds all the answers to every question; it is the key that will unlock what you cannot see.”

I spent my entire elementary school career in her office reading bible verses praying for any miracle…She took the time and made the effort to eloquently explain each and every verse. I came to understand that God did not like ugly. I often joked with Sister Patricia that it was both a blessing and a curse to be as witty and smart as I was. She would roll her eyes at me, let out a suffering sigh, cross her arms and shake her head but always with a smile before saying “Aye Brooklyn, you need to think before you act and you need to listen to your teachers.”

Sister Patricia was a source of strength for me when I unexpectedly lost my father in a fatal car accident in the fourth grade. I was angry with God…My pain would not allow me to see reason and I acted out against my teachers, my mother and God.

It took time, a lot of patience and a lot of love for my mother, siblings and Sister Patricia to get through to me. I spent several afternoons with Sister Patricia in her office reading the same bible verses that once bored me and started seeing them again with a fresh pair of eyes and an open heart…

The helpful hand of a religious man

MyRanda Lynn Hager, age 17, twelfth grader at Blessed John Paul II HighSchool and a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish in Corpus Christi

About a month before my freshman year, my mother told me that she had scheduled us to take a tour of John Paul II High School’s campus. I could not understand why we were going. My mother and father had chosen to homeschool me from the fourth grade on. I excelled academically, and remained super involved in my homeschool group…

When we arrived at the school, Bishop Edmond Carmody met us at the door. With his sweet Irish accent, he welcomed us onto the campus and began to change my life.

Bishop [Carmody] started walking us through the courtyard, telling us the history of the school. One easily saw the love he had for the school and the students shining in his eyes. As he spoke about the teachers and students, and his dream for the school’s future, I began to understand the beauty of the campus…After following Bishop [Carmody] throughout the school campus I decided that I liked him a lot…

Before I knew what hit me, I was enrolled at John Paul II High School…Bishop Carmody walked us to our car to say goodbye. He told me how special I was, and as I shook his hand, he handed me a silver charm. Bishop [Carmody] told me that he had taken this charm to Rome, and that Pope John Paul II had blessed the charm. He wanted me to have the little silver pendant. I stood amazed that Bishop [Carmody] gave me, a girl he got introduced to only that day, this irreplaceable charm…

Bishop [Carmody] is the type of person that lights up anyone’s day with his simple words of kindness and loving smile. He never displayed selfishness and willingly cared about others more than himself. Thanks to his example of how a Good Samaritan should act, he helped set an example for the whole school…

When I first started at John Paul II, my faith was a tad bit rocky. Through Bishop’s example of a true religious man, I longed to have a faith like his. His choice to live his faith helped me to experience what a true person of God can accomplish, and how they can inspire others to do wonders in the world…

Through simple acts of kindness and contagious smiles I will follow Bishop’s example.