Rachael Poquiz is the YCOM Audio-Visual Head in the Pacific Region, previously serving the South 3 (formerly Surrey 3) for many years.
When was the first time you experienced Christ through CFC-Youth?
I was still a member in 2010 and I didn’t talk to anyone. I had my friends from school, but they were all brothers and I was the only girl that joined camp from my school, so it was awkward. But the first moment that stuck to me was when one of the leaders who I didn’t know too well called me by name and asked “Rachael, how are you?”, and I think that’s that what really stuck out to me – remembering people’s names. It really tells someone that they are important and loved, and it’s a tradition that I wanted to continue. That was how I experienced Christ and now I wish for others to experience Christ in the same way. She wasn’t even my household head or anything, but she remembered my name specifically! Something so simple like that means a lot.
What was/is the most impactful moment/thing/reason that you’ve experienced through the community? And how?
When I began in the community, I wasn’t very open or talkative, but I feel that since I have been given the opportunity to meet new people – not only kids and other youth – but parents, especially [CFC-Youth Couple Coordinators] and adults. I’ve been able to practice public speaking and I think it is a very important life skill to have. Being in the community and learning this skill with people who I am comfortable with has taught me a lot on how to carry myself properly.
So you feel that the people that surrounded yourself with has impacted you in ways more than just faith?
When you’re younger, you usually look up to the people around you and you want to be like them, right? The people around me are very confident (especially the people now) and they know how to speak to an audience and handle situations well. I’ve always wanted to be like that and they have inspired me to be like that.
Besides CFC-Youth, in what other ways (school, sports, other extra-curriculars etc.), do you experience Christ?
I really experience Christ in silence! I was so busy in the community and I’m so used to having a big, loud family. When I’m driving home, I don’t listen to music or anything, and that was when I would take time to pray. I’d usually just start off with 15 minutes of silence and quiet, and that was when I can calm my heart and appreciate everything (driving, being able to have a warm/safe car, not being awkward in prayer) and respect the silence and try to determine whether God is trying to speak to me at that particular time or not. Sometimes God doesn’t say anything in the silence/feel nothing, but I still appreciate that, and I allow that time to experience Christ through the peace and quiet.
Obviously it’s not easy! Usually when you’re praying, you expect answers [from Him]. It took me a while to not expect answers [from Him] and to just be quiet and respecting that quiet.
What are your dreams for the CFC-Youth community – in any capacity (as a chapter head, YCOM, region, etc.)?
As a chapter head, I wanted [South 3] to have funds to do mission trips! I wanted us to be more than just a Catholic youth group […] and I wanted us to go out and show the world that we are more than just a Catholic youth group.
This correlates with my dreams for YCOM. My biggest dream for YCOM was for us to be part of a TED talk or something and have us explain that being/growing up Catholic is not just going to Church on Sundays, praying the rosary and fasting, etc., but [to explain] the qualities of a Catholic that are like the qualities of what a human should be like.
Like a talk on morality?
Kind of! I think it would be so cool for other people from different religions to understand that our relationship with God is just a small portion of our faith. We have all of these morals [and other things] that I would want other people to understand and realize. I hope that people in the community now still realize that being a part of CFC-Youth is so much more than people, a household head, or a chapter head.
I think that’s what my goal is now, to help members carry on what they learned and go beyond the community and live your faith and be a leader to the world.
I guess what you’re trying to say is that you want to be more vocal about not just the rules and how to be Catholic, but to explain the actual essence of being Catholic and to portray that to other people. Nice!
What are you and your counterpart’s dreams coming into your new role?
A project that displays who WE are – that goes beyond the typical CFC-Youth/Churchgoer that just follows the rules because they were told to, but as mature Catholic individuals who contribute to the global community.
