For Sam Kormos, being a faithful Catholic means being an active member of his parish,
St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Tecumseh. As a high school junior, it would be natural for him
to hesitate at sharing his strong faith.
“One of the things that impresses me most about Sam is how he is completely confident
in who God made him to be,” says Heather Marsh, director of religious education and
coordinator of youth ministry at St. Elizabeth’s. “So many people think they need to be the type
who stand in front of a crowd in order to lead in the Church, but that isn't the case, and Sam
proves it. He may be shy, but he's devoted.
Every Sunday, Sam is on the altar with Father Daniel Wheeler and the deacon.
Celebrating the Mass on the altar offers him a different and intimate view of the liturgy.
“There are things you don’t see when you aren’t up close,” Sam says. He notices more
details and serving for the Mass connects him with what is happening during the liturgy.
“His faith is the foundation for all his decisions, and he makes Church a priority,” says
Heather. “He's the first to volunteer to arrive at youth group, help at Mass, be an altar server, or
get to work with any kind of community service we offer.”
Youth group is not just a fun activity for Sam, it builds on the foundation of faith begun
by his parents, Mike and Cheryl.
During the school year, youth group moves in a reflective direction, which Sam
appreciates
“During the year we have Mass, followed by a talk from Life Teen and Adoration,” says
Sam.
Youth group offers time to reflect on where Sam is in his faith life and how he relates to
other people.
“Youth group is good for opening up,” he says. “It’s usually the same group every week.
I think we are there for each other. It’s definitely good to talk about things with people and being
able to know other people who are dealing with the same things. We support each other.”
“Sam doesn't shy away from talking about his faith,” says Heather. “Both in youth group
and confirmation prep, Sam is happy to share his opinion with the group and get the conversation
started. One of his favorite topics is the pro-life movement.”
An opportunity to attend a conference in Steubenville, Ohio, was an empowering
experience for Sam. He took advantage of the perspective on Catholic faith presented there.
“These conferences help you to open up into your faith more,” says Sam. “It’s easier to
say you are going to be holier than actually being holy. It’s hard to live out your faith.”
Although the youth group did not make its annual mission trip to Kentucky in 2020 due
to the pandemic, Sam had the opportunity to go in 2019. “It was very cool getting to help people
there,” he says. “It was a very good experience.”
“There are a million ways to live out your faith and make a difference in the Church,”
says Heather. “We need people like Sam who are willing to do the little things that are necessary,
but don't usually draw attention.”
For Sam, his faith is a work in progress, and he is thankful for the opportunities offered
by the Church to help him grow. “The Eucharist, like the other sacraments in the Church, brings
us closer to Jesus, and helps us be more like Christ,” Sam says.