Lenten Campaign 2025
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“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world are preparing to hear on Easter night when they are baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia is sharing with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God. Read all of the testimonies here.
Quentin Maiwald's spiritual journey began with a search for structure and ended with finding his true spiritual home. The finance professional, who will turn 30 shortly after joining the Church this Easter, traveled a winding path to Catholicism.
“I grew up as a non-denominational Christian near Houston, Texas,” Maiwald said. “We had a family church, but we didn't go very often, and I didn't have a strong sense of what Christianity meant beyond the label.”
Maiwald's early faith was nominal at best. His professional life took him from Texas to Florida, then to graduate school, and finally to Chicago for work. Throughout these transitions, his Christian identity remained undeveloped.
“Looking back, I would say I was a Christian in name only as a child,” he said.
In his early 20s, Maiwald began taking faith more seriously. Despite his growing conviction in Jesus Christ, he struggled to put down roots in a church community due to frequent moves.
“I was moving a lot for my career and school and kept telling myself I would get involved ‘eventually,’” he recalled.
During this period, Maiwald maintained a connection to his childhood church through online sermons and podcasts. He appreciated the “structure, discipline, and commitment to doctrine” of that church, and he craved even more of it.
When he finally settled in Chicago, he felt that he finally had the stability to take faith seriously and get involved locally. Yet he found himself in a dilemma:
I knew I needed a church but quickly realized I had no idea what church to join. I realized just how ignorant I was to the history of my own religion.
His search for a spiritual home coincided with growing disillusionment with the “casual, self-help” vibe of non-denominational churches.
Why would I want anything but the full thing?
As he researched different Christian denominations, the Catholic Church increasingly stood out among the rest:
During my research it became clear to me very quickly that anything but the Catholic Church was a lesser version of the faith. Why would I want anything but the full thing?
The historical continuity of Catholicism captivated him. He began reading conversion stories like Scott Hahn's Rome Sweet Home and Stephen Ray's Crossing the Tiber, books that strengthened his belief:
Those books left me with conviction that this was the Church left behind by Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church, more than anything else we have, was doing their best to uphold and continue the traditions and teachings passed onto us by Jesus Christ.
Though initially drawn to Catholicism for its structure and tradition, Maiwald discovered much more through the OCIA process. He found himself connecting deeply with Catholic teachings on topics ranging from service to others to the mystery of faith.
“I want Christian leadership, continuity, moral teachings, and the wholeness of the faith that the Catholic Church is committed to,” he said. “I never expected to become a Catholic, but it became more and more undeniable the more I learned.”
Sometimes what begins as an intellectual search for structure can blossom into a profound spiritual homecoming. That’s what happened for Quentin, who said:
When I learn about the Catholic Church and the Church Fathers, I feel I am finding the guidance I have sought for a long time. I believe I was born a Catholic. Everything I've learned feels natural and every step I take in this direction feels like a step toward home.
