Home Away From Home

By: Emiliano Larach, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering ‘25
Written on: February 25, 2025

 

I grew up in a close-knit Catholic family and attended Catholic school in Honduras, so my faith was always a constant presence in my life. It was all I knew, and I never had to search for God because He was simply there, He was a personal comfort that I took for granted. Looking back, I realize that this sense of security meant I rarely questioned my relationship with God.

After high school, I came to the US to study English and shortly after that, COVID hit. With the onset of COVID and being away from my family and country, I stopped going to Mass. I unknowingly distanced myself from the Church, and along with it, the community and the spiritual nourishment I had always (unknowingly back then) relied on. This period of disconnection left a quiet void that I didn’t fully understand until much later.

Then came a turning point: my acceptance to Georgia Tech. Upon arriving on campus, I discovered the Catholic Center, immediately I recognized this as an opportunity to rekindle my relationship with God and The Church and go back to belonging to a faith-nurturing community like I had growing up. I decided to step through those doors, and from the very first service, I was struck by the warmth and sense of belonging that filled the space. Father Branson’s homilies, so deeply connected to the life and challenges of students on campus, resonated with me on a profound level. His words helped me see that my journey with God wasn’t confined to my childhood home or the familiar routines of my past; it was a dynamic, evolving relationship that I needed to actively nurture, even in the midst of college life. Specially in the midst of college life.

As I began attending Mass regularly, I rediscovered practices that deepened my faith: adoration, confession, prayer, and having someone to ask questions about the faith and life as a Catholic. The Catholic Center wasn’t just a place for receiving communion on Sundays and leaving after that, it became a vibrant community where I found fellowship. Whether I was participating in Hispanic outreach team Masses, sharing meals at community dinners, engaging in Bible studies, or in a Holy Hour, every experience offered me new ways to connect with both God and my fellow students.

Looking back, I realize that the Catholic Center did more than just help me reconnect with God and the Church: it helped me deepen that relationship. I learned that reaching out to God isn’t something I do out of obligation or necessity, but because I genuinely want to. I also discovered the beauty of a community that supports me while challenging me to grow in unexpected ways. This journey taught me that faith isn’t static; it’s a living, breathing part of who we are, one that needs to be nurtured every day, just like a muscle that must be exercised to stay strong.