All three children of Dana Anderson and her husband, Paul Kriston, were baptized on the same day in November at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii, Kenosha. (Submitted photo)
Author Flannery O’Connor once said, “You don’t join the Catholic Church; you become a Catholic.”
For Dana Anderson, her journey into the Roman Catholic faith from growing up Methodist certainly echoes O’Connor’s proclamation.
As a child, Dana learned about God from her parents. She was baptized in the United Methodist Church and raised as a Christian. As a teenager, she began attending Mass with her father, which fueled her interest in Catholicism.
The 37-year-old Kenosha native works for the Abbott pharmaceutical company. She and her husband, Paul Kriston, have been together for 18 years and have three children: Emery, 7; Jakob, 4; and Vera, 2. They live in Pleasant Prairie.
Anderson and her husband are completing preparations to become Catholic. Known as the Rite of Christian Initiation or RCIA in the past, those preparations are now called the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults and commonly referred to as OCIA.
They will be welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompei, Kenosha.
Becoming Catholic was something both had thought about for a few years, but it was their experience with All Saints Catholic School in Kenosha that brought it to the forefront.
“In 2020, we chose to send our daughter to Catholic school so she could be immersed in the values, traditions and sense of community it offers,” Anderson said.
“Watching her blossom in that environment was incredibly moving — it reminded us of the importance of faith in our own lives. Sometimes, life gets busy, but through her, we found our way back to our faith. Now we can bring those values and traditions back into our home, and it’s been a beautiful way to grow together as a family.”
Anderson will receive Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil.
The young family’s flurry of sacraments won’t end with the Easter Vigil this year.
In addition to Anderson and Kriston coming into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, Fr. Joseph Lappe baptized all three of their children at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii in November.
“Our daughter, Emery, will receive her First Holy Communion this coming May at Holy Rosary, too, which will be our home parish,” Anderson said.
While growing a stronger relationship with God during her OCIA preparations, Anderson said she has appreciated that her relationships with her husband, family and friends have become more significant.
“Our family has been incredibly supportive and proud of our decision to convert to the Catholic faith,” she said. “Their encouragement has meant so much to us.”
Spending time in church, attending Mass with her family, and praying before the Blessed Sacrament has helped Anderson feel closer to God. She enjoyed the entire OCIA process and growing in her faith.
“When I’m in church, I feel truly welcomed, calm and at peace. It is a place where I can be still, reflect and feel a deep sense of belonging,” Anderson said. “Going through the OCIA has been such a great experience for us. We’ve not only deepened our understanding of the faith but also connected with so many wonderful people along the way.”
Anderson looks forward to increasing her devotion to God as she and Kriston are welcomed into the Catholic faith.
“I am looking forward to being able to continue to grow in my faith, fully participate in the Eucharist and feel united with the church and its community,” she said. “Most of all, I want to set an example for my children, to show them the importance of faith, tradition and being part of something greater than ourselves.”
