How a ‘first step’ in courage led to an unexpected journey of faith

Hannah Carroll smiles on Easter, the day after she was welcomed into the full communion of the Church at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. (Submitted photo)

By Natalie Hoefer

When Hannah Carroll began training in martial arts in July of 2024, she had a particular goal in mind.

“I initially started martial arts to conquer some of my fears,” she says. “I lived a lot of my life saying I want to do something but never having the courage to actually take the first step. I had contemplated martial arts for a while, and one day decided to just bite the bullet and go.”

That “first step” was also the start of an unexpected journey to embracing the Catholic faith. (Related story: How martial arts students went from mat, to Mass, to receiving sacraments)

‘Those conversations can lead to Christ’

Both paths began at the School for Self Defense in Carmel, Ind.—the intentional journey during martial arts classes, and the unplanned one during “open mat” time.

“Open mat just means, ‘I’m done teaching. But if you want to spar with each other, keep practicing techniques or workout, I’ll be here for an hour or so,’ ” explains martial arts instructor and school owner Michael Valenti. “But I’ve found that the vast majority of the time, people just come up to me during that time and we just talk. And those conversations can lead to Christ.”

Through those open mat chats, Carroll and Valenti realized they were both artists.

And when she showed him a pencil portrait of Christ she created, that’s when “we realized we were both believers,” says Carroll. “And that just kind of opened up the door to discussing faith more.”

Growing up, Carroll first attended non-denominational Christian churches with her family. When she was 10, the family became Baptist.

“I’ve always considered myself Christian,” says Carroll. “But I kind of stopped going to church regularly in my 20s.”

So, when Valenti asked her where she went to church, she admitted she wasn’t a consistent churchgoer.

“And then he invited me to go to his church with him and his friends,” says Carroll.

Valenti’s church is SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

‘It was just more about curiosity’

“I think we talked about [Catholicism] quite a bit before I actually went,” Carroll says. “I never really challenged him or the Catholic teachings. It was just more about curiosity and trying to figure out the truth.”

Valenti recalls her curiosity and questions.

“When I explained about the Eucharist,” he says, “she was like, ‘Well, where is that in the Bible?’ And I showed her everywhere it was in the Bible. Same thing when I talked about apostolic succession, and I showed her where it’s in the Bible.”

The more they talked and the more Carroll researched, those teachings became two of her draws to the Catholic faith.

“When you look at Church history and apostolic succession, it’s just obvious that it’s the original Church that Jesus founded,” says Carroll.

“And when you look at Scripture about the Eucharist in the Bible, it seems to be very apparent that the Catholic teaching is the truth, that it’s the actual body and blood of Christ.

“So, when you think about if those are true, then why would I want to go to other churches?”

There was one other attraction to Catholicism for Carroll—Valenti’s passion for the faith.

“That’s something that I saw in him that I missed in myself,” she says. “I just wanted that kind of relationship with God and my faith again.”

‘The confirmation of everything’

By the time Carroll registered to participate in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at SS. Peter and Paul last fall, she says she “still had a few questions” but “was pretty certain I was going to become Catholic.”

Which was odd for her.

“I’m a very cautious person,” Carroll explains. “So, for me to join the Church or be confirmed when I only started learning about it in July—normally something like that would take me a year or two to really discern and make sure I’m making the right decision.”

As the OCIA sessions covered more topics, Carroll felt even more certain.

“Michael and I had talked about everything pretty in depth beforehand,” she says. “I think it was just the confirmation of everything he said, seeing it in the Catechism [of the Catholic Church], seeing it in the Bible—just all of that confirmed in my mind that it was the right choice.”

When it came time to choose a sponsor, she asked Valenti.

‘Following God’s path for my life’

When Carroll finally agreed to go to Mass with Valenti and his friends last summer, she was moved by the experience.

“There just seems to be so much more reverence for God,” she says. “I think a lot of churches nowadays, it just seems to be more like they’re putting on a concert for the entertainment of the congregation. With the Mass, it just seems like our only concern is to please God, to worship God.”

Still, the Easter Vigil Mass at SS. Peter and Paul on April 19 took that reverence to a new level for Carroll who, already baptized, was confirmed and received the Eucharist.

Not that there weren’t light moments, though. Carroll forgot that those welcomed into the full communion of the Church were supposed to be first in line to receive the Eucharist.

“So, it was kind of like I rushed up there, I bumped into the kneeler, I dropped my program,” she recalls with a laugh. “It was kind of an embarrassing moment.

“But at the same time, it also felt like I was rushing up there to receive Jesus—it was interesting how that happened.”

Carroll chose St. Rose of Lima for her confirmation saint. The reason harkens back to her reason for taking martial arts classes.

“I’ve struggled at times in my life with vanity, like striving for the approval of men,” she says.

“St. Rose was a very beautiful woman, and she had a lot of suitors. But she had made a commitment to God. She even did things to make herself less beautiful like cutting her hair short.”

So, Carroll did the same. It was a way to turn her focus on her relationship with God and on his plans for her life.

There was another benefit to cutting her hair.

“With martial arts, long hair just is a pain,” she says with a laugh. “It gets ripped out. It gets caught in everything.”

And so, the planned and unplanned journeys that began last summer have come full circle.

“I remember trembling in the car as I drove to the martial arts school” last July, says Carroll. “I’ve been conquering fears just about every day since, plus gained physical and mental strength, confidence, and some of the best friendships I’ve ever had.”

And as for her unexpected journey of embracing the Catholic faith? Her experience of the Easter Vigil Mass describes it best.

“I felt more peace than I felt in a long time,” says Carroll. “And I think that was something I wasn’t exactly expecting.

“But at the same time, I wasn’t surprised, because I feel like I was following God’s path for my life.” †