Teenage Viewpoint: A different kind of work experience

Aaron

Over the last two weeks I have been doing work experience at the church, shadowing my parish priest. It has been one of the most important times of my life because over the last two weeks I have learnt so much; more than I ever thought I would. I know most kids, my age, wouldn't have opted to work at a church. Modern day kids don't look at faith as they do the Xbox or Football.

But I was, I think, one of the lucky people who had a mum who made me go to church on a Saturday evening. I used to hate it at the beginning. I would be called in from the park when I was having the most fun and then be dragged in to the church and made to sit and listen. Being about eight years old I couldn't sit still for an hour. To me it was so boring and all I could want was for it all to end and I could go home and play again with my friends.

Later on in that year I was forced - yet again - to altar serve. I had never been so scared in my life; the congregation sitting there and I felt they were all judging me. I was told to do the bells. And I didn't know what to do so a guy (who knew what he was doing) came up to me and helped me through it. From that moment I kind of felt special...I felt like I was doing my bit for the church. I liked the feeling. I wanted more. So I tried to volunteer for nearly every job I could, even if I had never done it before. I looked at it as a way to be a part of the Mass.

About a year after doing the serving I knew everything there was to know. I was known in the church and me and the priest were close. My mum started doing the holy communion classes for the little ones and well she made me come and help her. But when I was there I felt the same way I felt when I was doing the serving. It was like this feeling had followed me and I didn't really mind to be honest. I liked helping the kids even if a few were a bit cheeky. I got a kick out of helping people and being part of a team.

Then my mum felt obliged to help out on the ambulance at the church. She saw this as an opportunity to get the family together and therefore would get my dad to drive and get me and my brother to help with the seat belts of the elderly. After doing the ambulance I began to be known in the church a lot more than I was before and yet again I felt that feeling. That feeling that I had first felt on the altar when I served. It had followed me again. Up until I got to secondary school (year 10) these were my main jobs within the church. But then I had work experience. I saw this as a way to mature myself and I took the opportunity.

I had the most life-changing two weeks ever. We visited house bound people and it really opened my eyes to what is happening to elderly people and it honestly brought a tear to my eye. I shadowed Father Pat for the two weeks and it was amazing how the church is so active and if there is one thing the church has done to me, then it is bringing me closer to God and the community for the better. And guess what? That same feeling that I talked about before had followed me throughout the two weeks.

The whole point of me telling you all this is because I was asked to write an answer to 'why am I a Catholic?' and well it's because no matter what I do in the church or for the Church I am always followed by this feeling of achievement and happiness. When I was on the altar I felt it. When I was on the ambulance I felt it then again I felt it at the work experience. And I feel it whenever I am in the church. I used to think going to church was because you had to get a good reference for school. I thought that the parish priest says Mass on a Sunday and does nothing else during the week. But I was so wrong! Church is an amazing place really just to discover yourself. And the priest really has a tough job and yet he still made time for me. And that's why I am a Catholic.