It’s been a busy spring on the campus of Saints Peter and Paul High School in Easton, Maryland, as the academic year rolls into its final months.
For three students, in addition to their academics and extracurriculars, those activities have included finding a new spiritual home in the Catholic faith.
Sophomores Brynne Morgan and William Coughlan and junior Braeden Wefelmeyer will be joining the church in the near future. Morgan and Coughlan are set to enter at the Easter Vigil, while Wefelmeyer will have to schedule his since he and his family will be in Italy on vacation over the Easter break.
The trio come from different faith and educational backgrounds, but all agreed that attending Saints Peter and Paul has been a major factor in their decision to join the Catholic church.
Morgan said religion was always in the background in her life, “but never really something that I got to live out. But now that I’m here, that’s definitely what sparked that, I guess. I’m just surrounded by a lot of Catholic teachings.”
Morgan, who lives in Stevensville, Maryland, said her father is Protestant and her mother was raised Jewish. She remembers asking her parents to take her to church, and she usually went with her father.
Wefelmeyer, who lives near Denton, Maryland, has been a student at Saints Peter and Paul since fourth grade. He said his family is not very religious, but he has been a Christian for about two years.
“I never thought that being a Catholic was that important,” he said.
On a family vacation to Europe a few years ago, he visited different cathedrals. One night, he recalled, he had a dream where he was confirmed, “and I woke up and I was, like, really at peace with that whole idea. It was so strange. I had never felt like I needed to be Catholic, but then I felt so much peace and I was extremely firm like, ‘Yeah, I want to do this.’
“Now going to church and stuff like that, it feels like I would be incomplete if I wasn’t confirmed or part of the Catholic Church.”
Like Wefelmeyer, Coughlan also attended Saints Peter and Paul Elementary School, but when the COVID pandemic hit, he moved to a small nondenominational Christian school. He returned for high school and has always been a student of theology.
“I always studied it pretty profoundly, especially church history and whatnot,” he said. “I think I started out as a pretty firm Protestant, but as I got into it, I found out where I should be. It was pretty different from where my parents were. “
Part of his family is Jewish, some are Orthodox, and there are some Catholics. He is not going through the initiation process alone. His father will join the Catholic church with him.
“It’s been a really cool experience. It’s been good to kind of go through it with my dad. We’re both learning and going through the steps at the same time,” said Coughlan, an Easton resident.
The students said attending Saints Peter and Paul High School has been a big plus for them as they have gone through the formation process. Morgan noted that the school has regular Mass and prayer services, and there is prayer several times during the day.
“It’s definitely something that I’ve enjoyed being around,” she said.
Wefelmeyer said their schoolmates have been very encouraging and have helped them understand church customs and teachings. Morgan said her first day at Saints Peter and Paul was her first experience in a private school, and she had lots of questions about the Mass and other Catholic customs.
“I had no idea what was going on. I think it was Will at that very first Mass who had to direct me and tell me what to do because I had no idea what was going on,” she said.
All three have become invested in the Saints Peter and Paul community. Morgan plays field hockey and swims, and she is involved with the theater and performing arts. She is also a member of the choir and helped last summer at Vacation Bible School. She is working toward becoming a cantor at Mass.
Wefelmeyer is also heavily into the performing arts and choir, and he sings at Mass. He also is part of the Catholic apologetics club, and he also worked at Vacation Bible School. Coughlan plays tennis and is part of apologetics and performing arts. All three students are in the Criminal Justice Student Association.
“It’s very focused on education, on faith,” Morgan said. “We’re all pretty close. You know everyone in your graduating class. It feels very personal. It’s not like you’re going to be left out of anything.”
Wefelmeyer likes the small class sizes, which allow for a more personal educational experience, and the focus on faith at Ss. Peter and Paul.
“It’s definitely very faith-centered and helps you grow in that sense of community and faith,” he said.
Coughlan appreciates that he never felt left out of anything because he wasn’t Catholic.
“The kids here who are Catholic, they are very kind, and they congratulated all of us. Everyone’s really kind to each other,” he said.
Lent is a season of waiting, but these three are ready for the waiting to be done.
“I can’t wait. I’m ready to be in communion with the church fully,” Wefelmeyer said.
