During the Easter season, new Catholics of the archdiocese are sharing their stories of conversion. As many of these stories as possible will appear in the weeks ahead.

Philip Germain
I am 11 years old, and my parish is Blessed Kateri Church in Santa Clarita. This experience was very exciting for me, since I was the only child in the Elect being baptized at the Easter Vigil.

I began attending Blessed Kateri two years before beginning my journey. I felt like I was missing something in life, and I realized that it was being a Catholic.

Since my stepfather is a eucharistic minister and a lector, I asked him many questions about the Church. When I started my journey, at first I wanted to quit. But when I went to the Cathedral one day, I had a very spiritual experience at the crypt of St. Vibiana. I felt that she was there, praying for me and with me. I felt her hands upon my shoulders. That made me decide to continue my journey.

The sacraments of the Catholic Church are very important in our lives. Baptism was a very special experience for me; it washed me clean of everything I did wrong. When Father Blaise Brockman put the oil on me to confirm me and put his hands upon my head, I felt like a new person. Out of all the moments of Easter Vigil, taking the Eucharist was the most important for me because I was receiving God.

At the end of the evening, after the Vigil, I felt like I was reborn. I understood the meaning of the word. I cannot explain the feeling, but I felt like the saint I took the name of --- St. Philip the Apostle. This is one of the most moving experiences you can imagine for someone my age.

This entire journey has made me a better person and a new person.