After experiencing DCYC, Plano teen begins her journey to join the Catholic Church

By Amy White 
The Texas Catholic

When seventeen-year-old Zoie Garcia decided she wanted to be baptized into the Church, in many ways, she brought her family with her.

“We saw that fire in her; it lit a fire in all of us,” said her father, Joe Garcia. “She’s been a catalyst for the entire family.”

Zoie, who was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church this Easter Vigil, described her childhood as “half-Catholic, half-Protestant.” Though her father grew up Catholic, he had drifted from the faith, and Zoie’s biological mother was protestant. As a result, Zoie and her younger siblings were not baptized into any religion, and their childhood was peppered with non-denominational services and mega-church visits. When Zoie’s family moved to Plano a few years ago, she said they began to attend a smattering of holiday Masses.

In January 2023, Zuleika Garcia, Zoie’s stepmother, spotted St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Plano—which was in the process of being rebuilt at the time—and decided to connect Zoie with the parish’s youth group.

“They were trying to find a home, and she was trying to help Zoie get plugged in somewhere,” said Roy Becerra, youth and young adult evangelization coordinator at the parish. “I told her that DCYC was right around the corner.”

Zoie joined the youth group and, a couple of weeks later, attended the DCYC weekend, Feb. 17-19, 2023.

DCYC, the Dallas Catholic Youth Conference, is an annual weekend conference for high school students in the Diocese of Dallas. For Zoie, that weekend was transformative.

“I attended DCYC not expecting much. I had never been away from my parents that long,” Zoie said. “But DCYC really opened my eyes… I have never seen so many people so in love with

God, especially young people. It just completely changed my perspective.”

She added that she had never experienced adoration and had hardly experienced Mass.

“I didn’t really understand any of it,” she said. “But at DCYC, they explain things and they teach you and take time to answer the questions you have.”

Over the weekend, Zoie fell deeply in love with Jesus in the Eucharist.

“Adoration was different than anything I’ve ever experienced,” she said, adding, “Someone said ‘God wants to be so close that your eyelashes are touching.’ That has always stuck with me.”

By the third day of DCYC, Zoie knew she wanted to be baptized into the Catholic Church.

Joshua Salinas, Diocese of Dallas director of Youth, Young Adults, and Campus Ministries, called DCYC a “great moment of encounter” for youth like Zoie to dive deeper into their faith.

“Our prayer is that we’re able to see more stories like this from parish youth come to the forefront in the future,” Salinas said.

A family conversion
When Zoie returned home from DCYC, she told her father that the Catholic Church was where she belonged—it was her home.

“I was floored,” Joe remembered. He had desired for his family to be closer to the Church for years, he said. Zoie’s conviction served as a catalyst.

The family began attending Sunday Masses regularly; and Zoie and her younger siblings—Kal, 10, and Saylah, 12—began attending catechism classes.

“The class isn’t just for the kids. Their parents have to be with them,” Zoie said. “So, it is a learning experience for both the parents and the children.”

Zoie’s father attended both the Rite of Christian Initiation for Youth classes with Zoie and the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children classes with his younger children.

“Going to catechism classes, I’m learning so many things that I never learned as a kid. It connected so many dots for me with the Bible,” Joe said. “At one point during Zoie’s classes, they spoke about how it’s not just almsgiving; sometimes it’s your time, sometimes it’s this or that.”

Hearing that, Joe felt inspired to contribute to his faith community; he joined the Knights of Columbus in November 2023.

“It was because of Zoie,” he said. “Seeing her made me start being more involved with the Church.”

Zoie also inspired her stepbrother and best friend, Christopher Lopez, 33, to have a greater zeal for his Catholic faith.

“I started berating my older brother Chris to come with us to church,” Zoie said. “He loved it and slowly started getting back into the faith. Now he goes, and he loves Jesus just as much as we do.”

While she was attending RCIY classes with her dad and Mass with her family, Zoie continued to connect with her youth group, meeting weekly at the St. Pope John Paul II room in the Faith Formation Center.

“Youth groups, when done right, can be such a powerful tool for teens. It was for me,” Zoie said. “It was just a place to become close to people of God.”

Zoie said that she would go to Becerra regularly with questions, and he taught her “pretty much everything I know about my faith.”

“She’s made good friends here, and the friends she’s made have really helped her journey in her faith,” Becerra said. “She’s on fire for the Lord.”

As Joe reflected on his daughter’s faith journey, he said, “We’ve seen a beautiful, positive transformation in her. It has been a blessing for the entire family.”

A jubilant initiation
On March 30, during the Easter Vigil at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Zoie and her younger siblings joyfully joined the Catholic Church. The three received baptism, the Holy Eucharist, and confirmation, surrounded by family and friends. Zoie’s stepbrother, Christopher, served as her godfather and confirmation sponsor.

During the Easter Vigil at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 14 people received baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist. Five more said a profession of faith and received confirmation and the Eucharist; and two received confirmation and the Eucharist. Several others received individual sacraments of confirmation (16), the Eucharist (1), and baptism (2).

Zoie’s father, who attended the Easter Vigil, said he was thrilled his children were joining the Church. “It’s something that I’ve been convicted about,” he said. “I’m overjoyed.”

“I’ve wanted to get baptized for the longest time,” Zoie said. “It feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life.”

Zoie shared that she was especially excited to receive the Eucharist, saying she had looked forward to the moment “with every fiber of my being.”

“When you take the Eucharist, you’re taking Jesus into you,” she said. “I think that’s incredible.”

As a full member of the Church, Zoie looks forward to serving her community more fully and continuing to deepen her relationship with God.

“There are always going to be challenges, and there are always going to be ups and downs,” Zoie said. “But I also know that God is with me the whole way, and He’s going to give me everything I need.”