Testimony: Aaron D Byrne

8 April 2020

In

Originating from an impoverished multicultural part of the West Midlands, I was born to an Irish Father and Anglo-Indian Mother. Ironic as it may seem given the background circumstances, I ultimately had a non-secular upbringing.

What set me on the path to faith was being a mature student, undertaking a part-time History degree at 29 in 2014, with the end goal of going into the teaching profession.

I’ve always valued how Christianity (especially the Catholic Church) has been intricately intertwined with the history and formation of Western society - having permeated and influenced - in addition to our cultural customs - the arts, education, music, philosophy, law, government, music, the sciences, welfare and education, more so than any other social-cultural institution. Even when I have encountered malice and hostility from my fellow students and lecturers through my course, I've never shied away defending the faith. 

In the years that followed, I woke up to the anti-Christian agenda which pervades every sphere of mainstream culture. I inevitably experienced this great battle between good versus evil, the tipping point being in 2017. I was greatly saddened at not being able to purchase, from any of the major supermarkets, an Easter egg for my nephew which simply said ‘Happy Easter’. Consequently, I could no longer sit on the fence. I had to take a side and after reading the Gospels for the first time, I was in awe of them.

I decided to embrace the faith and become a practising Christian when I arrived in the Isle of Man in the Spring of 2018. Despite being interested in traditional Catholicism my ex-partner was a practising Anglican and we initially tried to compromise and attended an Anglo-Catholic Church for a period. Nevertheless, I fully embraced Catholicism in the Summer of 2019 and was preparing, prior to the arrival of Covid-19, to be confirmed Easter 2020.

As a result of an 8-year relationship unravelling over Christmas 2019, I drove to the edge of a cliff and prayed the Rosary. In that darkest time my prayers were heard, the sun came out and broke through the clouds. I knew that our differences were irreconcilable, things had to come to an end and changes must be made.

In March 2020 I decided to return to the West Midlands (and will now be back in time for Easter Weekend). Luckily enough, through the grace of God, over the last 4 weeks, I’ve found employment around the corner from where I’m moving to and - although its early days - I’ve recently acquainted myself with a young Anglican lady with sound traditional values who desires a family. Furthermore, she is also interested in exploring the Catholic faith!

Granted I'm very early on in my faith journey but with all my heart and soul, I endeavour to be a loyal son of the church and to serve and protect her.

For many years I was lost, but now I am found. Thanks be to God.

I wish all my Brothers here a Happy Easter!

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