Ella Regan, a New Yorker who now works in the health industry in the Washington area, was baptized and also received the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil on April 4, 2026 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. She shared the story of her faith journey in an email interview with the Catholic Standard newspaper. The following is excerpted from her responses about what drew her to the Catholic Church, what was the period of preparation like, and what her goals will be after the Easter Vigil.
I was always Christian, and growing up I was surrounded by different denominations within my family, including Jehovah’s Witness and Baptist traditions. Because of this, I was always familiar with who Jesus and God were…
While in college, I also encountered, for the first time, people who were actively living out their faith in a visible and meaningful way. After graduating, I began to struggle with anxiety and depression and didn’t know how to cope. During this period, I found myself passively consuming Christian content online, where many people shared their personal stories about finding Jesus.
Eventually, I felt led to fully commit to understanding who Jesus truly is. I began reading the Bible, and as I spent time learning about Jesus and reflecting on His word, I noticed that my anxiety and depression began to ease. In the spring and summer of 2025, I started visiting different churches. At first, I was hesitant – I had never really liked the idea of church, especially since many of the ones I attended in my youth felt more like motivational talks than places rooted deeply in Scripture.
As I committed to knowing God more fully, I continued reading the Bible, studying its historical context, and learning about the history of the Church. One theme that stood out to me was Jesus’s call for believers to live in communion with one another. Because of this, I felt drawn to find a faith community.
The first time I attended a Catholic Mass, I was deeply moved. It felt like I was truly experiencing what it means to be in the house of God. The atmosphere was reverent and comforting, and I appreciated how everyone participated in the worship. After that experience, I continued attending St. Matthew’s and eventually decided to begin the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process.
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that faith is a journey, and it’s important to hold onto it not just during hard times, but when life is going well, too. Often when things are going smoothly, we can neglect our relationship with God and only turn to Him when we’re struggling or in need. But Jesus reminds us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This calls us to live with humility at all times, and it’s something I try to remind myself of often.
There were many questions about faith that I had during OCIA, and one of the biggest was: what does it truly mean to love God? I knew that it was not a works-based approach but a faith-based one, but I didn't understand this. It’s easy to think our relationship with God is just about what we do, but that’s not what Jesus calls us to. He calls us to love God with our heart, mind, soul, and strength – and that kind of love goes deeper than just actions.
I’ve come to understand that when we truly love God, our actions naturally begin to reflect that love. Jesus teaches that our actions flow from what is in our hearts, so I had to ask myself: are my actions truly coming from a place of love for Him? The things we choose to watch, listen to, and focus on are all reflections of our hearts, and they eventually shape how we live. I’ve also noticed that the more consistent I am in reading the Bible, attending Mass, engaging with my parish, and keeping Jesus on my mind throughout the day, the clearer my mind becomes and the more connected I feel to Him.
In this journey, I also found an answer to a question that continues to stand out to me – that simply believing in God is not enough – even the devil believes in God – so what makes us different? Over time, I’ve come to understand that the difference lies in living out that belief. It’s not just about knowing God exists, but about loving Him, trusting Him, and allowing that faith to transform our actions and our lives.
Right now, my goal is to live out my faith in a way that lets others see Him in me – and, hopefully, come to find Him for themselves, too. To ultimately be a reflection of my faith!
