Welcome Home, Erica

Erica begins her story observing how drugs, alcohol, and other worldly pursuits never lead to happiness, but rather to death. As a teenager, she knew God was real but didn't know where to find Him. That changed when her Catholic grandmother invited her to attend a Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference. After hearing a talk on confession and the words, "Welcome home," Erica's life was marked by a deep desire to be baptized, confirmed, and receive first communion. She entered OCIA and chose her grandparents as sponsors. Finally, on the day of her baptism at the Easter Vigil, Erica was brought into God's family and experienced the wholeness, the fulfilment, and the peace for which she had been searching her whole life long. Erica was home.

Now, two months into her life as a new Catholic, Erica attends Mass, goes to confession, and shares the joy of her faith in Christ with everyone she meets. She encourages listeners to choose their faith in God in a real and personal way, instead of seeing it as something that you inherit by default from your parents. Finally, she leaves us with the image of St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a role model and saint who has inspired her to become closer to Christ.