Dear Simon Ignatius:
Welcome to the Catholic Church!
Your baptism was so beautiful, and you didn’t even cry as the deacon poured water on your head. You’re already living up to the stamina and adaptability of a third child who rolls with whatever’s happening around him. I’m so proud of you already.
You have your whole life ahead of you to learn about your faith. But as you begin your life as a child of God, I wanted to share a few thoughts
with you.
You are so loved. You know this already because your parents and brother and sister take such good care of you. But I want to remind you that God loves you, too. He loved you before you even existed. He created you because he knew the world needed you – not just another person, but you, yourself, Simon. He knows and loves you completely. What an amazing gift you are to the world. We are all so happy you are here.
You are part of a big family. You have your own family, of course, but you are also a member of a church family that extends around the world. Like every family, we have different ways of doing things, but we also share in what matters most – the Eucharist, Jesus himself. When you’re a little older, you’ll start receiving the Eucharist, and you’ll realize you can receive Jesus that way at any Catholic church in the world. How amazing is that?
You have friends in heaven. As Catholics, we believe we are part of what we call the communion of saints. That means that the people on earth, the people in heaven, and the people in purgatory – who are on their way to heaven – are all in this together. You can talk to them. You can pray for the people in purgatory. And you can ask the saints to help you with all kinds of things. You’ll find that sometimes you make friends with them, and sometimes one of them will seek you out. Having friends in heaven is so special. I hope you’ll come to love the saints.
You are never alone. God is everywhere, and he’s with you in a special way. Over your life, there are times where you might feel closest to God the Father, other times you’ll feel more drawn to Jesus the Son, and other moments where you’ll feel nudged by the Holy Spirit. Just keep in mind that God is always looking for you, wanting to draw you closer to him. Go looking for him, even when you’re sad or angry or hurt or upset with yourself for not doing better. He will be waiting for you and loving you the whole time.
You are in for an exciting ride. Living as a Catholic Christian means you love and serve other people – and that can be hard. We take care of people who have less than we do, watch out for those who are vulnerable, and try to work for justice and peace. That might sound impossible. But when you love God and recognize that he’s given you a role on earth that is just for you to do, you’ll find he helps you achieve things for him that seem almost impossible.
“He who trusts in himself is lost,” St. Alphonsus Liguori said. “He who trusts in God can do all things.”
I can’t wait to watch you grow in love and faith.
Love, Your Godmother
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