Matching Collection Weekend
April 4–6, 2025
Generous donors will match every dollar you donate up to $75,000!
From Doubt to Devotion: Parker’s Journey to Christ
“If hell is real, you should know about it.”
That was the moment Parker’s life changed forever.
Raised in an agnostic home, Parker grew up with good morals but no foundation of faith. As a middle schooler, he attended a Bible study — not for the Bible, but for the free breakfast. “I remember sitting there, hearing about Noah’s Ark, thinking, ‘No way this is real.’”
Ancient Aliens made more sense to Parker than the Bible. But that changed during a car ride with his best friend’s mom — a Jamaican Olympic track medalist and a woman of deep faith. When Parker admitted his skepticism about Christianity, she simply said, “If hell is real, you should know about it.”
That statement sparked something deep within Parker. A desire to know the truth. A hunger to understand who God really was.
Searching for Answers
When Parker returned home, he started attending a local church — alone at first. But eventually, his mom began to join him to support him.
Parker reflects on his first interactions with the Bible.“I read the Bible cover to cover in high school. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew it was God.”
Even as he navigated the high school experience — sports, social pressures, and the struggle with alcohol and drugs — Parker kept reading his Bible. He led team prayers before football games, only to follow them up with profanity-filled hype speeches moments later. “I had no idea what it meant to actually follow Christ.”
Parker’s senior year ended with a difficult moment — drinking too much at his high school graduation and getting sick in front of everyone.
“I had just come to know Jesus, and here I was… embarrassed in front of my whole town.”
It was a wake-up call. A moment of reckoning. But not the end of the story.
Encountering Jesus at Texas A&M
Parker came to Texas A&M University and joined a fraternity. He thought it would help him start fresh — but the emptiness soon followed.
One night after a big fraternity gathering, he woke up with a deep sense of dissatisfaction.
Parker’s realization of the emptiness he felt.“We had done it all — the big party, everyone was there. But afterward, I just sat there thinking, ‘That’s it?’”
That moment left Parker searching for something deeper. That night, he and his roommate made a pact — to pursue God wholeheartedly. No more halfway. No more empty promises.
That decision stirred deeper questions about faith — and Catholicism. A Catholic friend involved at St. Mary’s Catholic Center introduced Parker to the sixth chapter of John, where Jesus speaks about the Bread of Life.
“This is real. This is Christ.”
That truth hit Parker on Spring Break when he found himself at Mass in Miami, when the priest elevated the host. In that moment, he recognized the beauty of the Catholic faith — the truth, the goodness, and the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Parker discovers the answers he has been looking for in the Holy Eucharist.Coming Home to St. Mary’s
When Parker returned from that trip to Texas A&M, he knew he needed more than just answers — he needed a home. He found it at St. Mary’s Catholic Center, where he began OCIA and encountered priests and campus ministers who welcomed him without hesitation.
“At St. Mary’s, I was immediately welcomed. I found people who were struggling with the same things I was — but they weren’t doing it alone.”
At St. Mary’s, Parker learned how to pray, how to lead, and how to walk with others. After being confirmed at Easter, he began leading Bible studies with other fraternity brothers, helping bring the Gospel into Greek life from the inside out.
He even helped organize fraternity events at St. Mary’s — including early morning Adoration.
“One night, we had all 54 fraternity brothers in Eucharistic Adoration together. I couldn’t believe it.”
St. Mary’s didn’t just give Parker a place to belong — it invited him on mission.
Brotherhood, Transformed
“There are very Christian principles within fraternities — a shared brotherhood, unity, trust,” Parker shared. “That framework gave us something strong to build on when we started bringing the Gospel into our chapter.”
What began with Parker’s personal ‘yes’ to Christ has since sparked a movement among his fraternity brothers. Catholic Bible studies are growing. Masses are being celebrated at Fraternity houses. Moments of prayer, praise, and authentic conversation are becoming part of chapter life.
And it’s not just Catholics. Students from across Christian traditions — Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and more — are coming together to seek Christ in a spirit of unity and brotherhood.
“Fraternity life doesn’t have to be a barrier to holiness,” Parker said. “In fact, it can become a place of real conversion — of resurrection.”
Parker reflects on the struggles he still faces being in a Fraternity.These encounters didn’t just change Parker — it’s changing members of his fraternity too. Through Parker’s influence and the work of the Holy Spirit, five of his fraternity brothers are now preparing to enter the Church at St. Mary’s this Easter.
“Seeing my brothers come to St. Mary’s, studying Scripture, and growing in their faith — it’s incredible.”
The Difference Your Gift Makes
Parker’s story is a testament to the power of God’s grace at work on the campus of Texas A&M University — and the importance of places like St. Mary’s Catholic Center.
Parker reflects on the impact of St. Mary’s on his future.“Without St. Mary’s, I wouldn’t have found my faith. I wouldn’t have found my vocation. The people here have taught me what it means to follow Christ — and how to help others do the same.”
Parker’s story is one of redemption, vocation, and grace — made possible through the prayer and generosity of St. Mary’s donors and benefactors.
Thank you for making stories like Parker’s possible.
Be a Part of Parker’s Story
Generous donors will match every dollar you donate April 4–6, 2025 up to $75,000!
Matching Collection Weekend provides essential funding to assist St. Mary’s mission of forming apostles for the Church and the world! Your gift will help meet the growing needs of our campus ministry as we work to expand our ministry, which directly impact the daily lives of our Aggie Catholic students.
With Gratitude to Our FOCUS Missionaries
St. Mary’s Catholic Center would not be what it is today without the faithful presence of the FOCUS missionaries serving our campus. Their tireless efforts in reaching fraternity and sorority life, men’s and women’s organizations, and student athletes have helped transform hearts and build a culture rooted in Christ.
Thank you for your dedication in the vineyard — we are so grateful for the way you walk with our students toward holiness.