I grew up in a Catholic family, in the atmosphere of prayer and deep devotion to God and the Virgin Mary. My mother and grandparents (mother’s parents) passed on their faith to me. They were very zealous Catholics and lived in friendship with Jesus Christ. Their lives were simple, filled with prayer and work. Faith in God and God’s Love for people was something obvious and natural in our family.

So,  I learned faith from my closest relatives. They passed it on to me in a simple way through the testimony of their lives. Every day I saw how they lived and professed their faith. I could give many instances to confirm their love and attachment to the Lord.

I will always remember my mother and grandparents walking to the Holy Mass to the parish church located seven kilometers away from my village (when I was a little girl, there was no church or chapel in my village). It took them over one hour on foot to get to the church.  I remember that we also went to Midnight Mass, regardless of the frost and snow. Later, it was easier to get to the Holy Mass as buses were arriving in my village. And many years later, a chapel was built in my village, where the Eucharist was celebrated.

All my closest relatives have already passed away, but I will forever remember them praying to the Lord, despite being tired after a very hard, day-long work on the farm. I remember very well my mother who even going to sleep, held the Rosary in her hand and prayed in an undertone until she fell asleep.

The life of my mother and grandparents – full of simplicity and faith – was like a catechesis for me. Therefore, since childhood, faith has been a natural thing for me, because “believing in God” was something obvious in our home.

I am very grateful to my mother, grandmother and grandfather that they passed on their faith to me and also instilled it in me. Every day I thank God for them and ask Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary to give them the eternal life in Heaven.