PORTAGE – Perseverance is Mario Quinones Jr.’s best quality, according to Mark Fedor, co-director of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults program at Nativity of Our Savior. Quinones began OCIA at another parish, but was unable to finish, yet he did not let that stop him.
Fedor explained that Quinones came to Nativity late last year, so it was determined that he would have to wait for this year's class. Undeterred, he embarked on the journey.
Quinones believed he was baptized at the former St. Mark in Gary, but parish administrators were unable to find any documentation or corroborating evidence, so he was told he would need to celebrate a conditional baptism.
“Mario accepted the news calmly, and remained engaged throughout his journey,” Fedor said.
Quinones shared that he has always been a Christian, being born into a Catholic family. Over time, the family stopped attending Mass and eventually became Protestant, non-denominational Christians. He describes his mom, Yvonne, as being very loving, and his dad, Mario Sr., as a very hard-working man.
When Quinones was 18, his mom was diagnosed with cancer and his faith life came to a halt. Religion took a back seat as he prioritized his work because it was the one way he could help the family.
“I basically just solely focused on establishing myself,” he said, “and getting a paycheck just so I could help them out.”
After his mom passed away in 2017, Quinones remained away from the Church. Being a self-proclaimed workaholic, he said it was in his nature to continue focusing on his employment since he enjoys working. When he reached 25, however, he started to realize he really wanted to go back to church.
“I just missed going to church and being around good people,” he said.
During that same time, Quinones started taking care of his grandmother, Elva Lopez. He would visit her some days after work and noticed her praying the Rosary along with watching programming on Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). It didn’t take long before they started having discussions about faith. He asked her if he could accompany her to church on Sunday and they began attending services at St. Francis Xavier in Lake Station.
He noted, “Grandma was supporting me every step of the way.”
Knowing that Quinones wanted to join a nearby Catholic church, his grandma recommended he talk with staff at Nativity of Our Savior, a parish that was just minutes away from where he lived. He decided to follow her advice and stated everyone he met was very welcoming from the beginning.
The OCIA classes at the parish were only scheduled on Wednesdays, but Quinones urged them to consider providing a Sunday class that would accommodate his work schedule. Luckily a few others who were interested in attending had similar situations and the OCIA leaders agreed to create a session on Sundays for them.
“It's been really, really great,” Quinones said. “I've been really grateful towards Mark and Pam (Fedor) because if that wasn't the case, I would never be confirmed.”
Quinones considers himself to have a very down-to-earth view of life and faith and shared that he’s uninterested in a party lifestyle. When asked why he decided to attend the religious formation classes and why he attends church his answer is simple: “I just want to go talk to good people.”
“You'll find good people everywhere, but I just like having people of the same faith around,” he said. “My walk with God is very important to me.”
“I know what it's like to be by myself for too long and overworked,” he added. “It's very scary, because I hate that hopeless feeling of nobody having my back. That's basically what I like about (sharing my faith), because I don't want to be alone.”
It was not only other Catholics he met but the history of the faith that drew him to the Church.
“I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to world history and you read stories and the Catholic Church has always been there,” he said. “They'll never go away, which is amazing. It’s an institution that has lasted over 2,000 years. That's what's also been driving me, too, is that I love the history and the culture of being a Catholic.”
Quinones admits his own stubbornness proved to be an asset that kept him going through all the setbacks he encountered as he looks forward to receiving the sacraments this Easter Vigil. “If I want something good in my life, I'm going to fight for it,” he said. “Having the Church in my life is very important to me. I want to be a part of a group of people that will help each other.”
That resolve did not go unnoticed by Fedor.
“He works long hours, and you can see he is exhausted some days, but he pays attention and participates in the discussions,” Fedor said. “Mario has been a pleasure to work with, a model of determination, and will be a great addition to our church community.”
Caption: Mario Quinones Jr. (center, bottom) is seen with his grandmother Elva Lopez and two older sisters Cecilia (left) and Amanda (right). The Portage resident will celebration his baptism and confirmation this Easter season to become a member of the Catholic Church and parishioner of Nativity of Our Savior. (Provided photo)
