2025 Catholic Schools Week Supplement
As a student’s faith grows, so does her friendships with God and others
Landry Cox, a senior at Seton Catholic High School in Richmond, poses for a photo next to an image of Christ before a Mass that Archbishop Charles C. Thompson celebrated for high school seniors from across the archdiocese at St. Malachy Church in Brownsburg on Dec. 4. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
The defining moment of Christian Mack’s four years of high school came in his freshman year—during a conversation with God.
At the time, Christian was on a bus with other students from Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg, traveling to Lucas Oil Stadium for the National Catholic Youth Conference in 2021.
“I said a little prayer on the bus ride up. ‘All right, God, I don’t really know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to try to keep my heart open to whatever you have in store,’ ” he recalls.
Christian has no doubt that God answered his prayer in a moment he shared with more than 10,000 other youths from across the country in the stadium.
“Everyone was kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament,” he says. “I started crying and weeping. I could really feel something. It was pure joy. My faith came alive. I truly felt at peace. It was the moment when I felt my life is now different, so I have to do something about it. It inspired me to change my life and make it more about using the joy I had to create a faith-filled life at Oldenburg.”
Christian’s closeness to God has continued in his four years at Oldenburg, including the challenging moments that nearly all high school seniors face at some point.
“It’s a really stressful time with college and choosing where I’m going to be the next four years of my life,” he says. “It’s almost where I have to completely rely on God and his will. I have to trust he has the right things in store for me.”
Christian has found those “right things” during his time in Oldenburg, in a wealth of opportunities.
He has competed on the boys’ soccer team for three years, played drums and the violin in the school’s orchestra, led retreats for younger students, sang with the school’s Academy Singers, and experienced an internship with a law firm in Batesville.
“It was really cool,” he says about the internship. “It helped solidify the idea that I want to focus on criminal law later in life.”
He also participated in one of the special programs that Oldenburg offers—the Adopt-a-Sis program that connects students with the Sisters of St. Francis at Oldenburg.
“That’s a program where we get to eat with the Sisters of St. Francis for lunch once a month,” he says, his voice filled with joy. “It’s like a whole new world. When you walk in, it’s really cool to see their eyes brighten. They’re really excited to see you and talk with you. It offers a different perspective to my life. It makes me realize how fortunate I am to have all the blessings that I have in my life—and all the people who surround me.
“It shows that not only am I blessing their lives a little bit, they’re blessing me by letting me see their life.”
Christian feels the same way about the group of friends he has made at Oldenburg.
“I think it’s really important that you pick a group in high school that supports you. At Oldenburg, I’ve definitely been able to do that. I’m friends with a lot of good guys, and they’ve really helped me grow in my faith.”
Those friendships have been enhanced by participating together in ECyD, standing for “Encounters, Convictions, your Decisions”—an international Catholic organization of youths who make a pledge of friendship with Christ and with each other.
It’s been really cool to see how far we’ve come, and everything we’ve done together,” says Christian, a member of St. Louis Parish in Batesville. “Oldenburg has been a really good vessel for my faith. It’s almost completely transformed it.
“When I came in as a freshman, it was like my parents’ faith. Now, it’s mine. I’ve led the freshman retreat my junior and senior years. I’ve been able to give witnesses. It’s definitely inspired me to branch out in my faith and do more because it’s something I really love.
“To put it plainly, my relationship with God is good. But it can always use some work. I’m really trying to work on it.” †
