When Scott Snider speaks, members of the RCIA program at St. Gregory the Great Parish, 5545 N. Paulina St., heed his words. After all, their current path is one that Snider himself travels, a voluntary adult journey into the Catholic faith. His counsel arrives from experience not theory, his own examination and exploration not a book. “I’m still learning how to be a Catholic myself,” Snider confessed, “and I think that resonates with [the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults’ program members].” St. Gregory’s pastoral minister and director of the parish’s RCIA program for the last five years, Snider and his wife, Pam, entered the Catholic Church in 2003. Sparked in large part by a theological drift from the Protestant faith, in which Snider was a minister, the couple found a home at St. Gregory and peace in the Catholic faith. Passing on the faith Now, Snider’s helping others to do the same — converts like Andy Park and Josh Dean. Park, now 33, grew up in the Wesleyan Church with a minister father, raised in an evangelical background in which biblical authority reigned. During his undergraduate years, Park abandoned his faith. Years later and in Chicago pursuing his master’s degree, Park founded the Quest Theatre Ensemble and soon became one of the artists-in-residence at St. Gregory the Great. There, exposed to the Catholic faith in new ways, he felt a connection to a church and faith he only casually knew. “St. Gregory was just such a beautiful community of believers and such a prayerful and inspiring atmosphere that it inspired me to pursue the Catholic faith,” Park said. “I’m really not sure if I chose the church or the Catholic Church chose me because this has not been a well orchestrated plan.” Shared experience The 22-year-old Dean shares a similar story. A Michigan native, Dean was brought up in the Reformed Church of America. While taking courses in church history and theology at North Park University, Dean became interested in the Catholic faith. Like Park, he felt embraced by the St. Gregory community and motivated to join the faith. In 2008, both Park and Dean entered the RCIA program at St. Gregory, where Snider combined his own experience and parish resources to help guide each participant’s journey. “It’s important for me to let any RCIA member ask their questions and not impose an agenda on them,” Snider said. “I understand that each person comes following their own path and I try to respect that and facilitate that.” Dean says Snider’s guidance proved particularly helpful. “Scott speaks from his own experience, which helped me answer my own questions about the Catholic faith and its teachings,” said Dean, who’s set to graduate from North Park this spring. Dean and Park joined the Catholic faith last Easter, both men convinced they made a positive, inspired decision. “It took a lot of work and reading and prayer, but I set high standards for myself,” said Park, an artistic director at the Shedd Aquarium. “The depth of the Catholic faith is so rich and filled with such tradition that when I started to understand the complexities, I knew I had made the right decision.” Embracing the faith Dean, meanwhile, has embraced a faith and church that has embraced him. “From the people of St. Gregory’s welcoming me to being able to fully participate in the church’s practices, I feel a sense of belonging that is unique and special,” he said. Snider says he stands in awe of individuals like Park and Dean who come to the RCIA program to seek entry into the Catholic faith, some even doing so at a considerable cost. “We’re a small program here, but most that come through our doors are committed to living out the faith and that’s a very rewarding part of my ministry,” Snider said. “These are thoughtful and faithful people who have become active in our parish and we’re truly blessed to have them become a part of us.”