According to an article published by the Scientific American magazine, the number of college students with no religious affiliation has increased significantly in the last couple of years. As a person who grew up in a strong Catholic household, it can be difficult to accept or even realize a sudden change in how I view religion and my faith. It can also be difficult when the school that I am attending has a strong relationship with God. 

As a young Catholic, I grew up attending church regularly. I was baptized at a very young age, and I did my first communion when I was nine. However, when it was time for me to do my confirmation I realized that there was still a lot to learn and that I wasn’t sure if it was the right path for me. 

Since I was in high school, I began to realize that I have been struggling with my faith, and it was difficult to come to terms with this issue. When I was young, it was easy for me to follow along the path and attend church regularly. However, as I grew up I began to question my faith, and doubts regarding God’s existence began to arise. 

At first, it was difficult to accept that I was doubting God’s existence, but as time passed by these doubts and struggles remained. However, once I began to talk to people close to me, I realized that it was okay to have these doubts.

When I came to EMU, I was glad to meet people with different religious affiliations, but I also felt like it was going to be difficult to express my struggles with faith because everyone seemed to have strong connections with religions. Nevertheless, EMU is a place that is safe enough to talk openly about these struggles and questions of faith and God’s existence. 

Yet, it is still difficult to talk to family members about this new strange and complicated relationship with God and Catholicism because they are very firm in their beliefs and points of view, which only increases my questioning regarding religion. 

Even though religion can be something beautiful and meaningful, it sometimes can become extreme and people are persecuted or discriminated upon based solely on their religious beliefs or backgrounds. 

Therefore, at this moment I have a strange relationship with my religion and with God because there are times when I doubt God’s existence, and I question Catholicism and its way to interpret faith.