Page 1: A leap of faith
Sophomore find self in revival of faith
February 10, 2021
For sophomore Hayden Winters, religion is a road to living life as an upstanding human.
“It gives me guidance on how to be a good person,” Winters said. “I don’t see religion as a way to describe where we come from, where we’re going. That’s what science is for. I see religion as a way you should live your life.”
Winters was raised Catholic and practiced it as a child, but for about five years he stopped believing. During those years, he said he considered himself an atheist.
“My family still practiced it, but they respected my atheism,” Winters said.
He started practicing Catholicism again about a year and a half ago.
“Someone in my life was an alcoholic and I watched religion save them,” Winters said.
Watching faith save a family member persuaded him to give it another try.
“It has made me a better person,” he said. “I’m nicer. It makes me a little bit happier, it gives me a purpose, it makes me part of something bigger than myself.”
There are things Winters does as part of his everyday life to practice his faith.
“Three days out of the week I say the rosary, and I go to church, obviously. I put my faith in God,” he said.
Catholics are Christians, but there are differences from Protestants. One of those differences is praying to saints.
“You can’t only pray to God. Saints are here for a reason,” Winter said. “They are people God sent to guide us.”
Winters said Catholics take things more literally. Most Christian churches have communion using grape juice and bread, to represent the blood and body of Christ.
“We actually drink wine opposed to grape juice. We believe after you drink it it turns to the actual blood of Christ. We believe things can actually be blessed,” Winters said.
Winters is happy that he went back to Catholicism and he appreciates what religion does to people no matter what you believe.
“It gives you a sense of purpose. Not just Catholicism but religion in general,” he said.
