My journey in GS Boston (Gioventù Studentesca: the high school student experience of Communion and Liberation) has changed my life in so many ways. Before joining GS, I wasn’t sure what my purpose was. I felt like my worth depended on my success, so even when I accomplished something, it didn’t feel special because it was just expected. But then, in November of 2024, a friend encouraged me to find a community where I could search for truth and introduced me to GS. At first, I was unsure, but I decided to give it a chance, and I am so glad that I did. In GS, I found a group of people who value learning, asking questions, and living out their faith in a supportive environment. This type of environment is refreshing compared to the shallow and superficial conversations that often dominate high school.

Since joining GS, I have felt a strong sense of purpose and love in Christ and a deep connection with those around me. The movement that Fr. Giussani started so many years ago is still very alive today, showing me how important it is to seek truth, understand and live in reality, and find the most authentic version of myself. During the GS vacation, I met people from Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. It was beautiful to see how GS takes different forms in different places but stays true to the same core values everywhere. Even though we came from different backgrounds, we were united in our desire to seek truth and live faithfully.

The retreats and vacations with GS are truly beautiful experiences, but the most meaningful part for me has been the homeless ministry. Once a month, we visit our homeless friends in Boston, who come from all different walks of life. One encounter during homeless ministry that really stood out to me was one with a man we hadn't met before. He was struggling with drug use and shared that he believed in God, but felt that God hated him. As we talked, he began to tear up and told us that we still had so much life in our eyes. This encounter was incredibly profound because it opened my eyes to the reality of the world around me and the importance of showing love not just when it's transactional, but especially when it's not. Since then, homeless ministry has become my favorite activity, and building friendships with these people is the best part of my month.

One of the best parts of being in a community, like GS, is discovering who you can become when you allow others to grow with you. Through GS, I have realized that faith isn’t just a personal journey. It is something that grows stronger when shared with others who are also striving to live in truth.

GS student, Boston, MA

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My classmates know me as the “theology nerd” or the “Jesus girl” in my school. I grew up in a traditional family and attended Catholic schools my whole life. I knew a lot about the faith at a young age and felt irregularly drawn to it. In middle school, I completely affirmed that the Catholic faith was what I wanted, and whatever this relationship with God was, I needed to be a part of it too.

But I didn’t know how to actually live the faith. More importantly, I didn’t have friends who could show me how to live it in middle school. In many ways, this relationship with Christ that I so desperately wanted was too abstract. A kind of loneliness set in before high school, as I began to feel like no one really knew me or seemed to view the faith in a profound way. They didn’t seem to want what I wanted to live for.

Then I met Ms. Brigid Hoagland. Her theology class became a place where my questions could be taken seriously. For the first time in my life, I realized that it was possible to live out the faith concretely. The new word “desire” was my favorite because that’s exactly what I had towards God: a desire for Him. I was struck by Ms. Hoagland, but then I was pointed towards something greater. One day, a girl in my theology class named Sophie invited me to PVI’s Philosophy Club. Ms. Hoagland told me that Sophie was right about me, that I should go to the club. I didn’t go to Philosophy until my sophomore year, but Ms. Hoagland and Sophie were right: I loved it. At the first meeting, I was introduced to the seniors who were in the Philosophy Club at the time, and I also met Mr. Latar, the moderator at that time. I remember distinctly how free they were in discussing the most important questions they had. For the first time, I encountered a whole community of people who could guide me in my search for God. Looking back, I understood how much Ms. Hoagland loved me. She did not keep me to herself but pointed me toward something greater than her. That’s why I knew she loved me.

Not long after my first Philosophy club meeting, I decided to go on my first GS winter vacation. I went in with little knowledge of what we were doing, but I trusted Ms. Hoagland when she told me again that “this would be good for me.” On the vacation, I experienced a new kind of freedom and met a community that took their lives seriously in even the silliest, most simple ways, such as during an intense game of musical chairs or singing around a campfire in the cold. Once I got back to Virginia, I began to see the world in a more beautiful way because the community I encountered planted a new question towards everything within my heart: “Where is He now?”

Even after all of these and many other beautiful experiences, I found myself still failing in a lot of ways. And failure is such a difficult thing for me because I have been driven by success my whole life: in my grades, relationships, and extracurriculars. On the most recent GS winter vacation in January of this year, I had to confront this difficulty. I was chosen as one of the team leaders for the games, and I was initially very unhappy about it. The anxiety started immediately because all I wanted to do was enjoy the vacation just like I did in previous years. But it seemed like I couldn’t anymore. I felt like I had to help my team perform well or else we’d lose, we’d fail. I would be a failure.

However, what I realized by embracing this role was that I don’t have to control everything, and I don’t have to always succeed in the ways that I thought to have a meaningful experience. God gave me teammates who were so engaged in all of the games and activities. We even won the first game. After that singular win, however, our team started to lose every game. But my teammates were still so engaged and enthusiastic. It was beautiful to see how childlike they were.

One moment in particular that stood out to me was when our team completely failed to build “the biggest snowman” possible (which in reality was more like whatever team could make the biggest mound of snow). We got teased for continuing to make a legitimate snowman, but we decided to finish making the snowman because it was fun. We knew we were going to lose, and my anxiety, my drive for success, was screaming. But I witnessed my teammates working together to build this tiny snowman that we immediately all fell in love with. We created something of value – together. Suddenly, failing didn’t feel so destructive. And for the first time, I was able to smile when our team ultimately lost in the end.

I actually lived the vacation better as a failure because I understood that this community would love me even when I failed. My experiences were ultimately more fruitful the more vulnerable I became. I had to face the source of my anxiety, the belief that I was unlovable as a failure, in order to experience something greater. And it all began with committing to my encounter with GS and the love that God once provided for me and will continue to provide for me in the future. So here I am, failure and all, ready to be loved by such a profound community that will continue to guide me forward and show me Christ in every part of my life.

GS student, Arlington, VA