“I had peace and I didn’t know why.” | Paolo Vitale

As a high schooler, Paolo Vitale had yet to make his faith his own. But as he struggled through a difficult time of losing friends and wanting control over his life, he found a peace unlike any other when he unintentionally wandered into a church that was having Eucharistic adoration. In the few years since that moment, through the support of his family’s faith, powerful role models, and Jesus’s Eucharistic presence, the Lord has continued to call the 22 year-old deeper and led him to grow in virtue, devotion, and love, in a way that doesn’t just avoid hell, but authentically pursues Heaven. 

Show notes: 

00:28 We welcome our guest Paolo Vitale, a parishioner at St. Isidore in Macomb, who works as a project manager. We ask Paolo to share a bit about his experience in coming to know Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, which he first shared to be published on iamhere.org. 

01:58 Paolo shares how during high school, which was only a few short years ago (he is 22 now), although he was raised Catholic, he was struggling and his faith wasn’t something he had pursued seriously himself. He struggled to find peace during this time, until he unexpectedly wandered into the church that was attached to his school and found Eucharistic adoration. He shares that this was the first time he had found real relief or peace. However, he describes this as a stepping stone on his journey, because at the time, he didn’t grasp what it meant to be in Jesus’ presence.  

06:10 Fr. Mario comments on the gift that Paolo had received in the faith his parents had passed on to him, and the foundation that was there to help him fall “back or into faith.” Paolo speaks about the powerful role that his grandfather, father, and uncles played in his journey, as they encouraged him to learn from the saints, pray, and surrender to God’s plan.

11:54 Paolo describes the little, day-to-day choices he began to make since that moment that helped him grow in faith, and eventually devotion. He goes on to share an experience when he realized he didn’t want to just try to avoid hell, but that he wanted to pursue Heaven, and the examples of family members and friends helped him grow in virtue and love. 

20:57 Fr. Mario comments on how necessary vulnerability is in prayer, but also in relationships with others, and how powerful it can be to share that with a role model. Paolo shares how he prays during adoration, acknowledging Jesus’ presence, and how that prayer has helped him grow into a relationship with Jesus, understanding that he is not far off, but that his presence is very near.  

24:38 Paolo offers encouragement to young people to go to Jesus in Mass and adoration as often as possible and offers some advice on how he remains focused, prays during difficulty, and manages distractions in prayer.

31:22 Paolo describes how God responded to his prayer for more adoration in an unexpected way, through his invitation to share his story on I AM HERE and increased adoration times at his parish.