March 26, 2007VOL. 45, NO. 6Oakland, CA

Cal student’s spiritual search leads to baptism

By Sharon Abercrombie
Staff writer

Since junior high, Joseph Boertje has been a spiritual seeker. The son of a Buddhist mom and an atheist dad, Boertje “was always questioning” the deeper meanings of life.

During his teen years in Fairfield, he immersed himself in the Jewish Torah and Kabala, the Hindu Bagavigita, and the Islamic Koran. He attended a Protestant church before finally finding his spiritual home in Catholicism.

Boertje, 21, a junior English/history major at UC Berkeley, will be baptized and confirmed during the Easter Vigil service at Holy Spirit Parish/Newman Hall.
He will join nine other catechumens, eight Confirmation candidates and two returning Catholics at the April 7 liturgy, said Paulist Father Al Moser, director of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) at the Berkeley parish.

Father Moser said he has seen a developing trend among recent converts. Like last year’s group, the current class of newcomers is mostly young people. Another commonality among them: girlfriends or boyfriends who invited them to Newman.

Boertje credits his girlfriend, Megan Newhouse, a recent Berkeley graduate, for introducing him to Catholicism. During his sophomore year, “We’d hang out together on Sundays. One day, Megan asked me if I’d like to go to Mass with her. I said, ‘Sure.’”

Boertje kept on attending with his friend. The defining moment took place one night when the couple was standing outside Newman, debating whether or not to attend an all-night retreat. As they pondered, one of the priests came to the door and said, “Would you like to come in?”

It was as simple as that. Although Joseph and Megan did not stay for the entire night, the few hours they did spend there were quite powerful, he recalls, especially the group sessions where people spoke about their spiritual journeys. He saw their same hunger, the same longing in himself.

So last fall, Boertje became a member of the new RCIA Inquirers class at Newman. When he phoned his mom, a former Catholic, to tell her of his decision, she was a little surprised, but gave him her blessing. By now, she was getting used to such news. Both Joseph’s aunt and sister had already joined the Catholic Church, said Boertje. Her kidding response was, “Looks like I lost another one.”

Although Boertje’s mom often talked about her own ‘Catholic guilt,’ none of it has rubbed off on her son. “I don’t think we have to carry the guilt around with us,” he said. “According to Jesus, it’s forgotten and forgiven.” Guilt is something that only “slows us down.”

As a fledgling future Catholic, Boertje says he loves the prayer sessions at Newman, especially the Rosary. “It calms everything down. It brings you back to zero and allows you to concentrate fully on intentions like peace.”

All of those dear to him --his girl friend, parents, siblings and relatives will celebrate Boertje’s entry into the Church on Holy Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Similarly joyful scenes will be going on that evening in various parishes all over the Oakland Diocese. Some 239 catechumens, 364 candidates and 68 children will be received into the Church.

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