CHARLOTTE — Demand for Catholic education continues to surge as schools across the Diocese of Charlotte welcome unprecedented numbers back to school this week.
The Diocese’s school system — 20 elementary, middle and high schools — are welcoming new teachers and leaders from California and Connecticut, and Maryland and Michigan, among other states. Enrollment is up 12 percent from a decade ago – and almost 18 percent since the pandemic began in 2020. While an official count isn’t taken until October, more than 8,100 students (and climbing) had enrolled as of July 31. Read more about record enrollment in the Diocese of Charlotte schools this year.
See the faces of some of the students walking the halls for the first time this school year.
— Photos by Troy Hull and provided
A thousand questions answered
(From left) Kyna Zaldivar, Miguel Villalobos, Kevin Nguyen, Father John Eckert and Drew Hansen welcome Kevin into the Catholic faith on at the Easter Vigil on April 8 at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. (Photos provided by Kevin Nguyen and Irasema Medrano)SALISBURY — The conversion of Kevin Nguyen, 19, has all the makings of a classic saint story.
Everything is there – the moments of grace and the burdensome obstacles, including his struggle to learn a new language, the tension of having parents who didn’t understand at first, and even his patience and perseverance in waiting for God’s timing.
The uplifting elements are there, too. Along the way, Kevin’s burden was made light with the encouragement of a wise and warm-hearted priest, devoted teachers, and a tight-knit group of true friends.
Where in this modern world can you find a setting so enriching? Sacred Heart Catholic School in Salisbury is one such place.
The year was 2014, and 10-year-old Kevin – born in North Carolina to Buddhist parents who came to the U.S. from Vietnam – was starting fourth grade in a new school.
“My parents transferred me to Sacred Heart because the public school I was attending was not as structured as they would have liked,” Kevin recalls.
The transition wasn’t easy, but he says he felt the embrace of the Sacred Heart community from day one.
Religion was his favorite class. Veteran catechist and religion teacher Mike Thompson – affectionately called “Mr. T.” – taught Kevin in the fourth and fifth grades.
“Mr. T. first introduced the faith to me. I didn’t know much about God at the time. Before that, I was Buddhist,” Kevin says.
Scripture intrigued him – the way Thompson, now retired, told the stories of Adam and Eve and Noah’s ark drew him to the Catholic faith. Thompson himself – with his peaceful and positive demeanor – also set an example that attracted Kevin to Christianity.
The more Kevin learned about the faith, the more curious he became.
“He had a thousand questions and was always questioning, not challenging the faith but always wanting to know more information,” Thompson says. “The root of it seemed to be his desire not to offend God.”
Father John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, soon learned of Kevin’s interest in the Catholic faith and welcomed his questions.
“It was humbling to witness his curiosity and fervor at such a young age,” Father Eckert says. “I could tell God had big plans for him.”
Yet, like all great stories, there were obstacles to be overcome.
Kevin’s parents didn’t understand his newfound passion to learn all he could about the Christian life, and Thompson said that, as his religion teacher, he couldn’t encourage him to convert at this age and go against his parents’ wishes.
“I recommended that he wait until he reached an age like 18 where he could make that decision without having to have his parents agree,” Thompson says.
Kevin was unsure this was the right path at first but soon understood his teacher’s reasoning. However, there were other hurdles. One of them was learning the English language, which was very difficult.
Disappointed when he was held back a year in fourth grade, he worked that much harder, and with the help of his tutor, he overcame this roadblock and forged ahead in his academic and faith journeys.
Around this time, he befriended classmate Drew Hansen.
“Drew is one of those students who leads by example,” Kevin says. “He always did what it takes to accomplish what he was trying to do, which was to be a good Catholic, by going to Mass, praying every day, and reading the Bible. I tried to follow in his footsteps.”
Drew says that he and Kevin were “frenemies” at a young age. “We wouldn’t talk during the school day, but after school, we’d talk and be friends,” Drew recalls with a laugh.
“All throughout our time at Sacred Heart, especially those last three years, we somehow, through that weird friendship, got really close.”
Meanwhile, Kevin was praying more than ever, never hesitating to stop by Thompson’s classroom if he had questions.
After graduating from Sacred Heart, Kevin and Drew parted ways for high school. They didn’t talk much for most of freshman year, but that changed when the pandemic hit.
“It was kind of funny, but I just asked him online if he wanted to play Fortnite and he was like, ‘Yeah.’ It was out of the blue, but we still had that closeness,” Drew says. “We just started playing and from that night on, throughout COVID and the rest of high school, we stayed close.”
Fellow Sacred Heart alumni Kyna Zaldivar and Miguel Villalobos joined their friend group, and the four prayed the divine mercy chaplet and the rosary together every day. They also completed their Marian consecration together.
To his friends, Kevin was already Catholic, but there was still the matter of making it official.
During his junior year, Kevin told Father Eckert he was ready to become Catholic. He completed R.C.I.A. classes during his senior year. Now 19 years old, he wanted to surprise his friends by officially entering the Church, but Father Eckert reminded him that he needed a sponsor.
Kevin chose Drew for this role, and the date was set: the Easter Vigil of 2023 – nearly nine years after his first day at Sacred Heart.
Drew says he was honored to be Kevin’s sponsor.
“I got to light his baptismal candle and then hand it to him,” he recalls. “It was just this really cool experience to pass on the fire of the faith to him.”
Kevin adds, “I was overjoyed because now I’ve made the commitment forever, and my friends are very happy, and everybody was there to support me. Being baptized by Father
John, who I look up to, was an amazing experience. Receiving Communion was another very beautiful feeling.”
Father John Eckert baptizes Kevin Nguyen with sponsor and fellow Sacred Heart alumnus Drew Hansen at his side. Drew is also a 2023 graduate of Christ the King High School in Huntersville.Noting Scripture such as the Parable of the Sower, Father Eckert says, “I am so proud of the fertile soil we have here at Sacred Heart that has made Kevin’s desire to draw closer to God possible. He is an impressive young man of virtue and faith, and I am honored to be a part of his story.”
Thompson adds, “I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Kevin because it took a great deal of courage, self-determination and faith relying on God to help him make that journey. He took advantage of the grace that was given to him.”
Today, Kevin says his parents are at peace with his conversion and are happy to see the young man he has become through his devotion to the Catholic faith.
His two younger siblings currently attend Sacred Heart, and Kevin starts his freshman year this fall at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he will be studying computer science.
In his first few months as a Catholic, he notes that he’s praying every day and reading more about the Bible because he doesn’t want to “stay in the same spot forever.”
His advice for those who are interested in becoming Catholic: Don’t rush the process.
“Make sure you know why you’re doing it and make sure you are ready for it, but not because your friend told you to get baptized. This process is between you and God,” he says. “You have to make sure you’re ready to be disciplined, mature and willing to take responsibility for your actions by going to church, praying, and spreading the Gospel to the world.”
That’s the Great Commission, and with God’s grace, Kevin is ready.
— Annie Ferguson