From left, Jayden Robinson, Kaylen Robinson, Clayton Robinson, Olivia Caster and Josiah Caster pose for a photo at St. Mary Parish in Albia earlier this year.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
Last year, two mothers contacted St. Mary Parish in Albia to inquire about religious education classes for their teenage children. Different paths had led the women, strangers at the time, to the same destination.
Sharon Crall, pastoral associate, brought the families together for weekly instruction Sundays after Mass. The mothers, Amy Kaster and Aubrey Robinson, and their teens grew closer to God and each other as the weeks progressed. “It was a nice, small, intimate setting where you’re learning about God and faith, but also learning about each other along the way,” said Aubrey. Her daughter Kaylen and twin sons Jayden and Clayton completed the sacraments of initiation in the Church this spring along with Amy’s children, Josiah and Olivia. “It was just so much fun being with them every week,” Olivia said.
The Robinsons’ journey
Cradle Catholic Aubrey Robinson married her husband, a non-Catholic, about two decades ago. She was determined not to allow religious differences to become a source of contention, as they were for her parents. “I always felt like mom’s faith was sort of a rift between my mom and dad,” who eventually divorced. Aubrey and her husband compromised by having their four children baptized in the Church as infants and allowing them to choose whether to go through Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) later on.
The three youngest children —Kaylen, Jayden and Clayton — expressed interest in becoming Catholic after witnessing their grandmother’s strong faith during a multiyear illness. After her passing last year, they chose to enter the Church at St. Mary Parish in Albia, where Aubrey regularly attended Mass. “They were able to see the impact faith was having on my mom,” Aubrey said. “They recognized that they wanted and needed that in their life.”
The Kasters’ journey
As a child, Amy Kaster’s family rarely attended religious services. “It’s not that we didn’t believe (in God), it just wasn’t part of our life.” Amy enrolled in OCIA classes at St. Mary-Albia shortly after marrying her husband, a cradle Catholic. Sharon helped prepare Amy to receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil in 2006. The Kasters’ first child, Olivia, was born and baptized later that year. The family’s Mass attendance began to slip over time. “Life kind of happened and we got away from it,” Amy recalled.
A few years later, family friends invited the Kasters to attend religious services at a Methodist church in town. The Kasters formed a connection with the new faith community after Olivia experienced a seizure and was transported to a hospital in Des Moines. They didn’t tell parish leadership about the medical emergency but word spread, and the pastor and a few concerned parishioners drove to the hospital to comfort the family. “That was one of the scariest times in our lives and we had that support, so we continued to go to that church for years.”
Over time, the teachings and culture of the congregation shifted, Amy said. The family started looking for a new place of worship, and decided to return to the place where it all began. The Catholic community in Albia, which includes several of Amy’s in-laws, welcomed the family and offered opportunities to engage. “I think that was pretty huge for me,” Amy said, adding that she appreciates the traditions and steadfast teaching of the Church.
A learning experience for all
Sharon, who remembered Amy from OCIA classes 20 years ago, led the teens’ Sunday morning sessions and encouraged the mothers to learn alongside their children. The Robinson twins and Josiah Kaster also participated in confirmation prep classes alongside other parish teens.
The families, especially the moms and daughters, became fast friends and Amy and Aubrey appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the faith with their children. “I got so much out of it, hearing things again and learning about the different significant things within the Church,” Amy said. Aubrey said Sharon did a great job explaining everything from who God is to the creation of the Church. “It had been so many years since I went through (religious education), and when you’re little like that, you don’t pay attention like you do when you’re an adult.”
Olivia misses being part of the vibrant Methodist youth group but enjoys attending Mass with her extended family and cherishes the support of her new parish. “What stood out to me was the (number) of people that would be there to answer questions or to help out,” Olivia said. “I formed a good relationship with the family that went through the program with us, and it was so much fun being with them every week. I feel like I can always find someone to talk to if I have questions.”
Moving forward in faith
The young men received the sacrament of confirmation earlier this year with their classmates. They also received their first Communion and Josiah made a profession of faith. Kaylen and Olivia received first Communion and the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil.
Aubrey is grateful that her children have faith to lean on when life gets tough. She’s also grateful to Sharon “for working with us through a unique situation. It was definitely time well spent, she’s amazing!”
Amy hopes her children will continue growing in their faith and keep God at the top of their priority list, even after they leave home. “Even when life gets busy, try to keep going (to Mass) and if you don’t, maybe find your way back at some point, kind of like we did.”
