Drawn to the faith, Holy Cross junior becomes Catholic

Holy Cross junior Joshua Atkins realized his dream to become Catholic at a school Mass celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19. (Photo by Beth Donze, Clarion Herald; additional photos courtesy of Holy Cross School)

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

During a school trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the 2020 March for Life, then-Holy Cross sophomore Joshua Atkins realized that he was ready to act on a desire that had been planted in his heart ever since he began attending Catholic school in fourth grade – to become Catholic.

The March for Life, with its Masses, reconciliation celebrations and youthful energy, had been “transformative,” Joshua recalled. Also, for the first time in his life, he had experienced eucharistic adoration, which had been made available to the Holy Cross students in two settings – in an arena and in their hotel.

“Adoration was one of the things that really compelled me to become Catholic. I was just so on fire!” said Joshua, who shared his hopes of becoming Catholic with his sophomore theology teacher, Donnamaria Kitchen, on the bus ride home.

“On this trip of just a few days, I got to see hundreds of thousands of people lining up at the Capitol to fight for something that we all really had strong beliefs about,” Joshua said. “If I was willing to travel across the country with all these people to be part of that – it affirmed my faith. I remember asking (Kitchen), ‘What steps do I have to take to become Catholic?’”

Fourteen months later, in the presence of his supportive family and the entire Holy Cross High School community, Joshua was baptized, confirmed and received his first holy Communion during a single school liturgy – the St. Joseph’s Day Mass on March 19.

“I was just so happy!” said Joshua, describing the joyful anticipation of now getting to stand in line with his peers to receive Communion.

Eager student dives in

A resident of Harvey, Joshua was raised by interfaith parents who encouraged their two children to choose a faith – or to remain religiously unaffiliated – when they came of age. Joshua’s mother, Jenea Atkins, was raised Baptist, while his father, Steven Atkins, grew up in a Jewish household. Joshua’s twin sister, Anna, is an Ursuline Academy junior.

“I’ve never been pressured, pushed or directed into any certain kind of faith. I’ve always made these kinds of religious decisions on my own,” Joshua said.

He attended his first Catholic school – St. Andrew the Apostle in Algiers – in fourth grade, transferring to Holy Cross in sixth grade. Throughout his Catholic education, the eager learner said he discovered a love for theology in classes and retreats provided by a string of great teachers.

“I can name every religion teacher that I’ve had at Holy Cross, and I’ve loved every single one of them,” said Joshua, 17, recalling how at his first school Masses at St. Andrew, he was surrounded by “cradle Catholic” students who could recite all the prayers and responses. Although he felt a bit lost in those early days, he also felt a sense of awe as he sat in church.

“(The Mass) intrigued me, and ever since then I’ve thought deeply about religion and Scripture. I bought a Bible and I wanted to know more,” he said. “I felt sort of left behind – not necessarily purposely isolated or ostracized – but I just found myself wanting to be included. I felt I was missing out.”

Fellowship of students

At Holy Cross, Joshua was struck by the fearlessness with which his classmates proclaimed their Catholic faith.

“They’re not going to make fun of you or say you’re ‘weird’ for believing in God, because everybody feels that same sense of, ‘Hey, there are some things that we cannot attribute to just humanity,’” he said. “There’s a higher power there; there’s something working in us that’s allowing us to do the things we do.”

After discussing his desire to become Catholic with Kitchen and Father Patrick Williams, vicar general for the archdiocese and pastor of St. Pius X Church in New Orleans, special approval was granted to count Joshua’s seven years of Catholic schooling as sufficient catechesis to receive the sacraments by the spring of 2021. The COVID-friendly liturgy, celebrated by Holy Cross Father Joe Moyer, chaplain, was broadcast virtually to all classrooms.
In thanksgiving for the Salesian-founded schools of his native West Bank, Joshua chose St. John Bosco as his confirmation saint. Kitchen, Joshua’s spiritual mentor, was his sponsor.

“She’s amazing,” said Joshua of Kitchen, who also moderates Tigers for Christ, Holy Cross’ pro-life group. “She is so passionate about God and spreading Jesus Christ to everyone.”

Places his trust in Christ

Joshua’s extracurriculars include the National Honor Society, wrestling and a new role he will assume next year as a senior – planning school Masses and service opportunities as the student council’s director of Christian initiatives.

A Mass attendee at both St. Pius X in New Orleans and Immaculate Conception in Marrero, Joshua said his faith is helping him navigate the significant workload of a high school junior.

His career goal of naval engineering recently got a boost with a third-place showing in the “Science and Engineering Mechanics” division of the state science fair, for which he designed and 3D-printed three different boat kiels to assess which model provided the most stability in the water.

“(People) experience a huge weight or pressure in their lives, and they feel like they have no one to turn to,” Joshua said. “Jesus, for me, is that person that I can lay everything on and feel relieved.”

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