English is viewed as a “universal language”, though I have come to learn that faith is truly our global way of communicating with one another. The Roman Catholic Church has an astonishing way of gathering individuals from different backgrounds to celebrate the gift of worshiping our Savior. No matter the language, we Catholics rejoice in God’s glory with various, splendid hymns, psalms, and Gospel readings.
Prayer is an essential aspect in my life as it aligns me in a peaceful and calming manner to push all my worries aside as I open every show, match, meal, and day. I have always been one to live with a great deal of anxiety which persists to stick by me till this day. It has become my personal habit to be filled with pressure to do my absolute best prior to every performance.
Negative self-annotations about my talent and worth takes over my thoughts and energy. Everyone I know is informed of my productions and assures me they will be watching. Breathing exercises, multiple read throughs of the script, pep talks from friends; nothing puts me at ease.
Our Mater Dei Director of Theatre, Mrs. Slay, invites the company to pray together to place us in the hands of God. For some reason, I am always instantly released from all my anxieties and perform exceptionally.
The abundance of new challenges and cast roles were what pushed me to embark on my acting journey. As a result, I found my new love for shining on stage through improv, singing and acting. My passion for theatre directed me into becoming a leader to my peers, classmates and strangers. I took on the roles of ComedySportz captain, theatre leadership, tech lead and actor simultaneously. Along with this, I brought my talent of acting and optimism to every Kid’s clip skit and my knowledge of theatre.
Our universal way of connecting with one another through prayer is a breath of fresh air. Excessive burdens find their way into my life and continue to weigh on my shoulders. However, I have discovered that meeting unfamiliar people can lead to compassionate communities through faith. The great societies such as Mater Dei theatre and Sacred Heart Mission have let me become a leader and a follower of God. I was guided by the Holy Spirit to find people who have assisted me in bettering myself and my self-image. I continue to live in grace as best as I can and profess this through the activities, I partake in whether that be onstage, my local parish, retreats or my community. Despite the language you speak, extracurriculars you are passionate about or the past troubles you have witnessed; we are one bread, one body.