Challenges We Face

John Paul Evans, 27, Great Eccleston

As young people growing up and trying to find our way in life, there are many challenges we face from friends, television and media that all have an impact on our lives. Being a young Catholic person is not in keeping with the norms of what is presented as the "real world", world where you can choose to love God - but don't tell anyone in case you offend someone who doesn't believe in God. Yet in spite of these pressures I still love God - because He loves me. I am fortunate to have grown up being an altar server since I was almost 8. Now nearly 20 years later I still love to serve at Mass, and it is this active participation at the Holy Eucharist that has been how I have lived my faith. Despite the challenges faced at school, that of being bullied by non-Catholic children for going to church, I never stopped attending or serving at Mass. Now I look back and thank Our Lord for these blessings. I say blessings because this is what Christ Jesus taught us, "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account" (Mt. 5: 11)