Candidate seeks community in her faith ahead of Easter Vigil

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Candidate Katie Foster is one of over 400 to enter the church in the Diocese of Covington at this years Easter Vigil Mass, joining in full communion with Catholics of the diocese, the worldwide Church and her loved ones.

Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Ms. Foster was introduced to the Catholic faith when her mother went through the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA), before marrying her stepfather. “I was probably about fourth or fifth grade, and my mom got remarried to my stepdad, who was Catholic … My mom went through OCIA because they wanted to continue raising their kids in a Catholic household. That was kind of my first introduction,” she said.

Ms. Foster’s four stepsisters are all Catholic and, in their footsteps, Ms. Foster attended Notre Dame Academy in Toledo, an all-girls preparatory high school. It was there that she became infatuated with the Catholic faith beyond the pew.

“Once I got the chance to be in theology classes and kind of understand the background behind the religion, the history and tradition is something I really enjoyed,” she said.

Beyond an academic love for the faith, a love for the Catholic community was taking root in Ms. Foster. “I really enjoyed the community, specifically, that the Catholic faith offers,” she said. “Being in that environment, all of my friends ended up being Catholic. I think the more that I was around them and their families, around the Catholic faith, the more I started to think about wanting that for myself.”

A recent move to Newport, Kentucky, spurred Ms. Foster to make the leap and register for OCIA at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. “I think that’s special, the center of the Diocese, was something that was really appealing to me,” she said.

At the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Ms. Foster found the community she was looking for at first instance when she inquired with Sarah Wells, pastoral associate. “This is a community I want to be around, I really enjoyed talking with her about it,” she said.

During the Easter Vigil, Ms. Foster, along with other candidates, will receive the remainder of the Sacraments of Initiation in holy Communion and confirmation. Through those sacraments, she will become a full member of the community she has been around for so long.

“It’s something I’ve been on the outside of but have admired most of my life. So, I think that just kind of making things official, to be a part of that, is really exciting,” she said.