2009 BREATH OF THE SPIRIT AWARD
Nate Edquist
St. Peter, La Porte

EACH YEAR AT CYX, THE DIOCESE OF GARY AWARDS THE BREATH OF THE SPIRIT AWARD TO A TEEN WHO GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND, TO FULFILL HIS OR HER BAPTISMAL CALL, AND TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THROUGH THEM TO BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

THIS YEAR WE HONOR NATE EDQUIST, A RECENTLY-GRADUATED SENIOR FROM ST. PETER PARISH IN LA PORTE.

NATE’S JOURNEY WITH CHRIST BEGAN AT A VERY YOUNG AGE, WHEN HE KNEW HE WANTED TO FOLLOW IN HIS MOM’S FOOTSTEPS. NATE’S MOM IS A LONGTIME VOLUNTEER FOR THE LAPORTE WOMEN’S CARE CENTER, A HOME THAT REACHES OUT TO YOUNG MOTHERS WHO CHOOSE TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN. THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF PEOPLE LIKE NATE AND HIS MOM, NATE SAYS HE’S SEEN YOUNG MOTHERS CHANGE THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY CONSIDER ABORTION. PRO-LIFE ISSUES ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO NATE, WHO HAS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF PRO-LIFE FUND-RAISERS, BANQUETS AND MARCHES.

NATE HAS COMPLETED A THREE-YEAR TERM ON THE DIOCESAN YOUTH COUNCIL, WHERE HE HAS REPRESENTED TWO LAPORTE YOUTH PROGRAMS. NATE IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH THE TRI-PARISH YOUTH MINISTRY PROGRAM, WHICH MEETS AT ST. PETER AND SACRED HEART, AND THE YOUTH FOR TRUTH PROGRAM, HOSTED AT ST. JOSEPH. NATE TAKES SERIOUSLY HIS CALL TO CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP. HE SAYS HE KNOWS GOD CALLS HIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN LEADER, WHICH MEANS INCORPORATING SPIRITUALITY INTO HIS LEADERSHIP ROLES. NATE IS THANKFUL FOR HIS CHANCE TO HAVE A VOICE HEARD ON A BIGGER LEVEL THROUGH THE DIOCESAN YOUTH COUNCIL, WHERE HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SUCH PROJECTS AS THE “STATEMENT ON YOUTH EVANGELIZATION.” NATE HAS ALSO CARRIED HIS CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP SKILLS OUTSIDE THE CHURCH. HE EARNED HIS EAGLE SCOUT, AND HAS ALSO LED ECUMENICAL PRAYER SERVICES. NATE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN MUSIC AND SOCCER. HE SAYS PEOPLE HAVE TOLD HIM HE’S TOO INVOLVED, BUT HIS RESPONSE IS THAT HE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE HIS GIFTS AS A THANKSGIVING TO GOD.

FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, NATE PLAYED THE ROLE OF JESUS IN TRI-PARISH’S ANNUAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS. NATE SAID IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE THAT IS now A 32-YEAR TRADITION. HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE YOUTH FOR TRUTH PROGRAM HAS TAKEN HIM BEYOND LAPORTE: IN 2007 NATE JOINED OTHERS IN HIS PROGRAM AS THEY TRAVELED TO ALABAMA TO BE INTERVIEWED ON THE SET OF CABLE NETWORK E-W-T-N’S “LIFE ON THE ROCK,” WHERE THEY WON A NATIONAL YOUTH VIDEO CONTEST. THEN, IN 2008, NATE JOINED ONE OF HIS YOUTH MINISTERS AND A FEW OTHERS FOR A TRIP THAT WOULD IMPACT HIM DRAMATICALLY. NATE WAS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF PERSONS IN THE DIOCESE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SECURE TICKETS TO POPE BENEDICT’S APPEARANCE BEFORE SEMINARIANS AND YOUTH IN YONKERS, NEW YORK. NATE CALLED THE EXPERIENCE THE MOST UPLIFTING MOMENT OF HIS YOUNG LIFE. HE SAID HE FELT HONORED AND HUMBLED AT THE SAME TIME, AND THAT THE POPE’S MESSAGE TO YOUNG AMERICANS RESONATED WITH HIM: THAT WITH LUXURY AND FREEDOM COMES A RESPONSIBILITY TO REACH OUT TO THE HURTING AND LESS FORTUNATE.

NATE TOLD ME HE’S GRATEFUL FOR HIS YOUTH MINISTRY EXPERIENCES, WHICH HAVE HELPED HIM TO LISTEN TO GOD’S CALL. “IT’S BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING MY CALLING,” NATE SAID. AND HE CONTINUES TO DISCERN A POSSIBLE CALL TO THE PRIESTHOOD.

AS HE CONTINUES THAT DISCERNMENT, THE NEXT PATH ON NATE’S LIFE JOURNEY WILL TAKE HIM TO BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, WHERE HE’S HEADED FOR I-U’S PRE-MED PROGRAM. WHEN ASKED WHY HE IS CONSIDERING BECOMING A DOCTOR, NATE CITED HIS CATHOLIC FORMATION, AND AN APPRECIATION FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE. HE SAYS IF AND WHEN HE BECOMES A DOCTOR, HE WILL LIVE OUT HIS CATHOLIC FAITH BY RUNNING A PRACTICE THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MORALS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH.

AS NATE HEADS OFF TO COLLEGE, HE KNOWS IT WON’T BE EASY. HE KNOWS THERE ARE MANY PITFALLS AND TEMPTATIONS ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS, BUT HE’S PLEDGED TO PERSEVERE IN HIS FAITH, AND PLANS TO GET INVOLVED IN CAMPUS NEWMAN CENTER MINISTRIES. HIS MESSAGE FOR OTHERS GRADUATING: “YOUR FAITH JOURNEY DOESN’T END WHEN YOU GRADUATE.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. NATE EDQUIST, THE WINNER OF THE 2009 BREATH OF THE SPIRIT AWARD.