Probably the most pivotal time of my journey in faith was around 2007 – freshly graduated, entering the college life, outgrowing the average age of the youth. I needed something more, and the Lord knew that.
In 2007 during the busyness of the preparations for that year’s Western Conference, the FTPW for the area Richie Aldaba set me aside and (almost ninja-like) we had an impromptu 1 to 1 on the front porch steps of the infamous Rodas Residence. It was 30 degrees. Slushies was the choice of arsenal against the heat and potential dehydration. We talked about everything – from my life, to my plans after high school, and to my service. It was refreshing (as refreshing as the slushies), because it was, I believe, the first sincere and genuine 1 to 1 I’ve ever had with a brother.
He told me about Campus Based. He told me they were starting anew, and that they were introducing the stronghold movement to Pacific. In short, “Stronghold” would be the refocusing of the formation of our region, by empowering the parishes by way of mentorship and shifting on Campus Based as the champions and leaders. He asked if I would be interested in partaking in this “movement”.
This impact of this 1 to 1 was quite poignant in my life because it 1) gave me, an off/on active lukewarm Catholic, an avenue to serve beyond my own inhibitions 2) It sparked the beginning of a brotherhood that instantaneously went from acquaintance and essentially brothers in this community to brothers in the Body of Christ and 3) It sparked an outpouring of love that would eventually nurture my hidden longing to be a missionary (specifically a full time pastoral worker), through brotherhood and mentorship from someone who has travelled a some what similar journey.
For those who were around during this time, some can argue that the movement of “stronghold” was unsuccessful. Last night, I saw the fruits of Richie and Vanessa’s labour. I saw parish G.A’s in the hundreds, and I saw Campus members being the mentors to the younger high school aged children. It brought me such joy (and albeit nostalgia) that I was able to be apart of the earliest days of this vision.
For me, this first service as apart of the Campus core group was that which taught me the beauty and art of mentorship. This community would be one of repeated mistakes and stagnant growth without the mentorship as cultivated by movement of the Holy Spirit. Richie and Vanessa were far ahead of their time when they realized that community isn’t just a refuge for misguided youth and a pool of dozens (even hundreds) of teachings. It was a living organism apart of the bigger body of Christ (the Catholic Church) that grows only through the passing on of gifts of the Holy Spirit and the attainment of graces.
Praise God I’m part of this constantly growing community! There is no limits to what we can attain when the sole measure of our success is that of eternal Glory in our Lord Jesus Christ!
I leave with you the words of St. Augustine:
‘You are the Body of Christ. In you and through you the work of the incarnation must go forward. You are to be taken. You are to be blessed, broken and distributed, that you may be the means of grace and vehicles of eternal love.’