Have you ever asked God for something, but didn’t provide many details about your request? Well, that’s why I’m Catholic, and my life in his Church has been the greatest gift he has ever given me.
I grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. Our family went to church on Sundays. I attended Sunday school and went to catechism classes on Wednesdays all through childhood. While this regular participation in faith life was a good influence on me, along with having loving parents and grandparents who set good examples, the biggest influence on my faith took place every summer when I went to Camp Luther. While camp was tons of fun, it was also the place where I was deeply inspired by the living out of faith that I witnessed in high school- and college-age counselors.
These experiences formed me as a young Christian man. When I went away to the University of Nebraska Omaha, I was one of the rare students who actually went to church. It was at this time in my life when I asked God for a favor. I realized that I may soon meet the young woman I would someday ask to be my wife. I can remember asking God, “Whoever you want me to marry, all I ask is that she be a strong Christian so that we can raise a faith-filled family together.” Note that I didn’t say, “strong Protestant Christian.”
Not too long after, I was introduced to the woman I now call my wife. While Mary was certainly beautiful, what really attracted me to her was her strong faith life. Mary was a student at the University of Dallas studying education and theology. Our favorite pastime was talking about our faith. As this went on, I discovered many things in my beliefs that were missing. I went on to read cover-to-cover Luther’s “Small Catechism,” Catholicism for Dummies and the Bible. Through this process, I became convinced that I needed to follow God to the Church he established.
My greatest yearning was for the Eucharist. While I had enjoyed receiving Communion at my Lutheran church, I had come to believe the Church’s teaching that only a man who has received holy orders can consecrate the Eucharist. While attending RCIA (now OCIA), I also went to daily Mass a few times each week. I had a holy jealousy of everyone who could receive the Eucharist on a daily basis. The happiest day of my life was that first Easter Vigil when I finally received confirmation and first holy Communion.
Mary and I were married two years later. Thanks be to God for his many blessings.
Skoug and his wife, parishioners of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, moved to the Twin Cities in 2011 for Skoug’s work as a noise control consulting engineer. They have four children ages 3 to 11 — Damien, Dominic, Juliana and Becket. The Skoug family likes to hike, bike, kayak, hunt and fish together.
