It’s that time again in the Catholic Church: the beginning of a new liturgical year and start of the season of Advent.

It was in my last year of high school when my school’s chaplain asked me to come to his office one day. We talked about what I’d been going through. It was clear to myself and to others that I hadn’t been myself.

Mark your calendars. Find all your friends and tell them to do the same. From Nov. 30 to Dec. 11, 50,000 heads of state, foreign dignitaries, private sector innovators and environmental advocates will gather in Paris to discuss global initiatives related to curbing the effects of climate change — this year’s biggest UN environmental conference. Frankly, I can barely control my excitement.

More students today are facing unemployment or underemployment, even in specialized fields. A report from the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, based on 2011 data, has found that only 29.7 per cent of those with engineering degrees actually work in their fields as engineers.

During my high school years, I struggled with mental illness. I felt hopeless. I was alone. I was hurting and I knew that nothing could change the way I felt. It was during this time that I grew in my faith.

Oct. 24 is United Nations Day and I think it’s time to make a real change.

When I was first accepted as a member of Youth Speak News, I knew my first task was to visit the Hamilton diocesan headquarters and introduce myself. It was important for me to do as an involved, young Catholic.

You may be thinking, “Oh another modesty piece? Haven’t we heard enough?” But the reality is that many of us face problems in terms of being modest on a daily basis.

Following the visit of Pope Francis having just finished his journey to Cuba and the United States, there is no doubt going to be some papal buzz circulating over the next few weeks. This will not be the first time he will be making headlines since his papacy began in March of 2013. We have all seen many articles pertaining to his words, actions and teachings. Some have included bold statements on subjects such as climate change, the economy and abortion.

A year ago, my friend invited me to an all-night adoration event and I asked, “What’s that?” I had never heard of eucharistic adoration before.

“There’s something amazing happening in the Church, and you’re a part of it.” I heard my local bishop say these words at a youth retreat I attended over the summer and they have resonated with me ever since.

How educating others on Catholicism can refresh one’s faith 

As a young girl, I would sometimes accompany my grandmother to church on Sunday, which always meant attending Sunday school. I always looked forward to Sunday school because the lessons were centred on Bible stories and candies were awarded for memorizing Bible verses. In my youth, believing was joyful and it always included the Bible. 

On Oct. 20, I visited the World Press Photo exhibit at Brookfield Place in Toronto. The exhibition had prize-winning photographs assembled by World Press Photo, the organizers of “the world’s largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest.” As an amateur photographer, I went looking for inspiration. I received so much more than that.

I wasn’t in the habit of regularly going to church until five years ago. I was bored by the Mass as a child and found very little reason to attend if I could help it. As a pre-teen, I openly resisted Christianity. I rarely went to church in those years of adolescent angst. Even when my parents dragged me to church, I felt uhappy to be there.