Touch of peace in the midst of change

Kerry Chu grew up in Garden City, New York on Long Island. She attended Catholic school until 6th grade, but because of class sizes, her parents decided to move her to public school. Embracing the public school experience, she enjoyed going to public school in the Northeast from 7th grade until high school. For college, she chose to go back to her Catholic education and attended Providence College in Rhode Island.

“I missed out on youth ministry because it really was not much of a program at my home parish,” Chu said. “I chose a Catholic college because I had a yearning to drive deeper into my faith, something that was missing during my high school years.”
 
In college, Chu had to adjust to moving away from home and adapt to collegiate life.

“I was struggling with change,” she said. “The whole change of a new environment was very stressful for me. It was the same thing when I went from 6th grade to 7th grade, Catholic to public. I spent most of first period in the social worker’s office crying my eyes out. It wasn’t anything anyone was doing to me, but the change was really hard. Thankfully I didn’t cry my eyes out every day in college, but I felt this emotional trauma within myself.”

Chu found solace in attending Mass a couple of times a week, which she had never done before. Through the Mass celebration, she developed a sense of peace she could not explain.
“I would pray about my stressful roommate situations every time I was in Mass,” Chu said.
It was an experience during Mass that Chu truly encountered the love and peace that Christ can bring to those who are struggling.

“I doubted, but after that experience, I realized you need to just allow Him to take control.”
After her experience, she felt empowered to make a change in her roommate situation and make more of an effort to encounter Christ daily.

Chu moved to Houston with her husband when she was 30 years old. Nervous about moving away from her family for the first time, she knew she had to find a spiritual home base to feel settled.

“Coming to Houston and finding Christ the Redeemer was like, whew, this is good,” she said. “Moving here was an opportunity to have a new place for my faith. I’ve grown so much since moving here and being a part of Christ the Redeemer.”

She immediately got involved with the Familia group and was the president of the St. Anne’s Society for two years. She now lectors at Mass and is in charge of the CtR Respect Life Ministry. She also enjoys bringing her daughter, Emma, along with her to her various events.

“Once you have a child, you want to grow your faith to pass it on to them,” Chu said. “That’s why I like to be involved – I really value having her experience these things with me.”