I Was Lost, but Christ Met Me Here.
Levi introduces himself simply: a junior from San Antonio, studying architecture. But his journey to this moment has been anything but simple.
“I was just lost. I had no direction. I was living a worldly life, and I had nothing going for me. My family tried to help, but I was lost overall.”
That is how Levi describes his life before he began to really know Christ. Baptized and confirmed as a child, he had grown up Catholic but without a faith that felt like his own.
A Slow Encounter
Levi’s conversion was not dramatic. There was no lightning bolt and no instant turnaround. Instead, it was a slow formation that began his senior year of high school and continues even now.
He remembers watching Catholic families and classmates who seemed to live with a joy he did not have. Their peace stirred something in him. What did they know that he did not? The answer, he realized, was Christ present in His Church.
So he began to take small steps. First, learning to pray every now and then. Then, looking forward to Mass, not just on Sundays, but eventually every day. What had once been a chore became a joy.
Levi shares how Christ patiently drew him closer through adoration and the Mass.
By the time Levi arrived at Texas A&M, the difference was clear. He was no longer being dragged out of bed for Mass. He was choosing it for himself. At St. Mary’s, he found the chapel, the community, and the friendships that made his faith his own.
“Being able to go on my own, study at St. Mary’s, and make new friends who live their faith, it has made my faith my own.”
Living Faith in the Corps
At the same time, Levi was shaped by the Corps of Cadets. Life in the Corps is demanding with early mornings, full schedules, and constant discipline. But it also gave him unexpected ways to live and witness his faith.
“There is something powerful about seeing another cadet at Mass,” Levi explains. “It gives you that one extra thing to build your friendship on. Friendships built on faith have a different element. They last.”
Levi reflects on the challenges and graces of living the Catholic faith in the Corps of Cadets.
Those bonds strengthened Levi’s conviction. He realized he could not be two-faced, living one way on the Quad and another way at St. Mary’s. If faith was going to mean anything, it had to mean everything. His advice to younger cadets is simple: do not be lukewarm. Go all in.
A Personal Call Forward
Living out his Catholic faith has not only grounded Levi in college life, it has opened the door to the future. Over the past year, he has begun discerning religious life, even starting the application process with a community that has walked alongside him in prayer and direction.
“I think my biggest hope is just to set aside time with the Lord, to be consistent in adoration, daily Mass, and prayer. That is where I will know what He is calling me to.”
For Levi, it is not about rushing to an answer. It is about remaining faithful in the small things, trusting Christ like an older brother who guides each step. Whether that call leads to priesthood, religious life, or another vocation, Levi knows he does not walk alone.
Levi talks about his hopes for the future and discerning God’s call.
Every student who walks through the doors of St. Mary’s brings their own questions, struggles, and hopes. Levi’s journey shows what happens when those questions meet the living presence of Christ and a community ready to walk with him.
Your generosity makes this possible. You are not only supporting programs or buildings, you are helping young men and women discover who they are in Christ and where He is leading them. Students like Levi are learning to live with courage and joy, and they will carry that faith into every place God sends them.
Thank you for making stories like Levi's possible.
