‘It’s cool to be Catholic’

Hill, a parishioner of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez in Woodstock, student athlete and fourth of nine children, and Stover, a parishioner of St. Mary in Annapolis and honors graduate from Immaculate Conception Academy in Rhode Island, discussed "how cool is it to be Catholic" with teenagers at the Catholic Family Expo July 7 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

"The Holy Spirit is our personal trainer that helps us step by step to get to God," said Hill.

Through personal stories, Hill and Stover helped the teens examine their relationship with God to become strongly rooted in his love.

"What’s important is to love God and do what he says," said Hill. "We have to love our faith."

By loving our faith, believers learn more about their faith and begin to do things for God because they want to, not just because they should, said Hill and Stover.

"We must use our talents to fulfill God’s will," said Stover.

Stover used Pope John Paul II’s life as an example of how these teenagers should strive to live and love the Lord.

"When your family and friends are taken away, all you have is Christ," said Stover. "What made (the late pope) persevere was Christ."

Hill stressed the importance of opening up to the Lord in prayer and being open to his word and commands. "God’s will is more important than our own; always have flexibility with God," she said.

"People are looking for happiness in things," said Stover. "We find happiness in God; he is calling us by name."

Although she is not yet a teenager, 11-year-old Rachel Denhartog of New Jersey apparently did not need any convincing that it was cool to be Catholic.