Catholic Evangelization Training Center - Training in the NEW Evangelization Evangelization Training
  • Decrease
  • Increase

  My Witness

Vol. 6, No. 3, July, 2001

My Story of Christ in Me
By Steve Schnaffner

"This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be," (Luke 12:20)

On November 26, 1943, the Lord blessed me with two beautiful Catholic parents. A short time later I was baptized Steve "John" Schaffner. After completing my Catholic grade school education I was confirmed John "Matthew. " During my high school and college years, I never questioned the teachings of the church, or the importance of the Sacraments in supporting my faith. However, I often wonder if St. Stephen, St. John, and St. Matthew would have approved of how I lived my life during that time.

As I look back over my childhood and young adult years, I now realize that my parents expected the Catholic school system to teach me in five or six hours each day how to be "Christ-centered," when in reality, they should have, through their own lives as Catholics, set the example.

In Romans 1 :28 it says, because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things they should not do. This verse describes my life prior to meeting, falling in love with and marrying the girl of my dreams on May 20, 1964. Thank God she was a strong practicing Catholic. We have been blessed with three children: Glenn 21. Shawn 19, and Sherrie 15.

During the first twenty years of our married life, I like many others, was caught up in the pursuit of climbing the corporate ladder. During this time we moved from Northern California, to Spokane, Washington, to Great Falls, Montana, back to Northern California. and finally in 1980, to Denver, Col- orado. After a few years in Denver. I finally reached my goal in upper management. I was happy for a few years but soon began to realize how foolish I was to be in pursuit of such an intangible dream. In Luke 12:15, Jesus tells the crowd, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Each time we moved we immediately found a place in the parish community. With three children we felt compelled to make our faith the center of our home and social life. When we moved to Denver in 1980, we joined St. Thomas More Parish. During the past several years, we volunteered for very few jobs around our parish, but did attend a marriage encounter weekend and enjoyed the Renew program. We still felt we needed more in our faith walk. So, as a couple we made a commitment at the end of the last Renew Season, to get involved in the Catholic Evangelization Training Center which was planned to start in our parish. It was recommended we attend a Life in the Spirit Retreat weekend, given by the Sisters of the New Covenant, who also had put together the evangelization training that was to begin in our parish.

Most men experience the change of life when they approach 40 to 45. Some do crazy things which leave ugly scars on their marriage and family. Others take time to reflect on where they are going. I took this time and found the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:38 Peter says, "each one of us must turn away from his sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that our sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit."

Even though it has taken forty years of my life to make a total commitment, to live my life divorced from sin and in union with the Holy Spirit, I'm excited to know each day is a new day loving, laughing, working and praying with the Holy Spirit.

How To Contact Us Back Return To Main Menu