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Growing in faith in the midst of pandemic
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April 28, 2020Tell me about yourself:
My name is Erica Chartier and I am from Comstock Park, a little town just north of Grand Rapids. I am studying Nursing and Spanish with hopes of one day becoming a Nurse Practitioner. In my free time I love to read, go for runs, play recreational sports (like pickleball!), hike, and spend time with friends and family.
I am currently a peer minister at Catholic Campus Ministry at Northern Michigan University and I am the Mass Ministries Coordinator. I help organize who will be doing what at Mass and I set-up and prepare for Mass. I absolutely love doing it. There is just something so special about getting to prepare and be a part in what the Church calls the most powerful form of prayer.
As a young adult Catholic, how has the developing COVID-19 pandemic impacted your faith life? What are you doing to continue to grow in holiness and trust?
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted my faith life in numerous different ways. This past October, three of my friends and I booked a trip to Rome for spring break. Two days before our departure we had to cancel our trip because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Then a little over a week later, all NMU classes went online. A week after that I had to leave Marquette for the semester and head home. Now, like everyone else, I cannot leave my house unless to go for a walk, I cannot go to church for at least a month, and there is a likelihood now that my summer mission with LifeTeen will be canceled.
Each of these ‘events’ have left me extremely disappointed and sad, but each one has been a test. Will I let this pull me away from Jesus or will I see this as an opportunity to grow closer with Him? When I pray, I usually tell Jesus how I trust in Him and in His ways and will follow where He leads. The COVID-19 outbreak is allowing me to put all these prayers into practice. I can say how much I trust Him, but actions speak louder than words. My life has always been His, but am I willing to let Him take the reins and lead me?
The COVID-19 crisis is helping me grow in trust that Jesus has a plan and is in control always, and because of Him, I have been able to enter into this unknown with joy. The joy of Christ!
Staying focused on prayer has been difficult during COVID-19, but I pray a rosary every day, and it has been a lifesaver because it keeps me praying regularly. I’ve also been trying to put aside time (15-30 minutes a day) to just sit with Jesus in silent prayer and talk.
What has been the most helpful during this time is using FaceTime to pray with my friends. Because of this, I get to stay involved in a Catholic Community of friends who push me to be a better Catholic!
Do you have a favorite devotion?
My favorite devotion is the rosary. Last June, I went to a youth retreat and was challenged to pray the rosary every day for the rest of my life, and I said yes. It has brought consistency to my faith life, and I can see and feel how close it has brought me to Christ.
At the end of 2019, you completed a consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tell me about that:
I was introduced to Marian Consecration three years ago at a youth retreat, and I knew then that it was something I wanted to do with my life when I was ready. This November I knew it was time, and I was so lucky to do it with two of my closest friends. When you consecrate yourself to the Virgin Mary, you are giving your life to Mary so she can bring you closer to Jesus. My favorite Bible passage that relates to this best is during the Wedding at Cana where Mary tells the servants to “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Consecrating myself to Mary allows her to constantly point me in the right direction and help me follow Jesus’s will, and “do as He tells me.” I must say, it has been amazing to journey towards Christ with Mary by my side.
Any words of advice for Catholics young and old?
Especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, but also once we get back to the normal routine of things, make time to spend solely with Jesus. It has been said: “who you spend time with is who you become.” Imagine how much better our community would be if we all became a little more like Jesus! Just ten minutes a day with Jesus can create a monumental change in your life.
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