Close, and getting closer

Lupita Andrade holds her Bible at Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Preparatory on Sept. 30. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)

More than 15 years of service in various ministries within the diocese have taught Campus Minister Lupita Andrade of Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Preparatory the key to persevering on the path of faith: “Always seek to be close to Jesus.”

Andrade comes from a practicing Catholic family, originally from Zacatecas, Mexico. From a very young age, her mother instilled in her the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus. 

“My mother was in a convent, and although she decided her vocation wasn’t there, thanks to the formation she received, she was able to strengthen her relationship with God. I feel that this was key to her becoming a testimony for us and, for me, the first instrument that allowed me to know God in a personal way,” Andrade said.

During a retreat at age nine, her path of faith became more clearly defined. “I remember at the end of one of the retreats at the Catholic school I attended, they made us open a letter. In my case, it was from my mother, and at the end of the letter, she wrote, ‘I hope God always comes first in your life.’ 

“That phrase resonated deeply in my heart, and even though I was still a child, thanks to those words and the example I received from my family, I truly began to put God above all else,” Andrade shared.

At 21, Andrade moved from her native Zacatecas to Fort Worth, and it was within the diocese that her journey of service truly began. The first parish she served was St. George in Fort Worth, where she joined the Hispanic youth ministry through the parish’s young adult group.

“For me, Hispanic youth ministry was the catalyst God used to continue my faith formation. Although I participated in church activities in Mexico, which allowed me to have a personal encounter and relationship with God, I realized I lacked training in the Church’s teachings,” Andrade said.

She then began attending various training workshops offered by the ministry, which helped clarify her doubts and understand the reasoning behind many of the Church’s teachings.

“Then I thought: I now know God, I now know what our Church teaches. Now, I want to share it with others. And that's where I began to serve in other ministries outside of the youth group,” Andrade added.

Even as she threw herself into service, Andrade sometimes struggled with homesickness. “When I arrived here, I had to work full-time and didn’t really have the opportunity to visit my family in Mexico very often. That, without a doubt, caused sadness in my heart,” she commented.

However, she soon came to realize that her service was helping her develop a family in Christ. “God is so good that He placed people in my path who invited me to diocesan events and welcomed me as family. I felt that God was always present in some way to let me know that, as long as I was with Him, everything would be okay,” she said.

With that desire to share God with others and the strength she gained from the family she formed in Christ, Andrade began serving in the charismatic movement, groups for adult women, the Christ Renews His Parish ministry, Kairos movement, and as a confirmation teacher from 2010 to 2023.

“Although I served in different ministries, being a confirmation teacher for teenagers had a great impact on me because it made me realize that the way I grew up, being so close to Jesus thanks to my mother, was not the story of many teenagers here in the country. I began to realize that teenagers often attended the sacrament of confirmation [preparation classes] because their parents forced them, not because they wanted to know more about Jesus. In fact, sometimes their parents didn’t have a personal relationship with God either. That reinforced my desire for people, especially teenagers, to have a personal encounter with Jesus,” she shared.

With a smile, she explained she never imagined she would be able to put the desire God had placed in her heart into practice at Cristo Rey. Andrade had been working in the school’s admissions office when the opportunity to be a campus minister opened. She didn’t hesitate to accept it.

During her time at Cristo Rey, Andrade has established various activities for the students, such as monthly youth nights, which include a Holy Hour, as well as a weekly “Lunch with the Saints,” where students learn about the life of a saint as they eat. Although participation is optional, there has been a notable increase in attendance at both activities. Youth nights see upwards of 120 students attending, and “Lunch with the Saints” which once began with four students is now limited to 30, the maximum capacity of the classroom.

“Being before Jesus in the Eucharist has allowed the teenagers to experience the goodness and peace of Jesus, and thanks to that, we have seen a very significant change in their openness toward God. Not only in allowing themselves to be encountered by Him, but also in sharing Him with others,” Andrade reflected.

This is Andrade’s fifth year working as a campus minister at Cristo Rey, and she hopes to continue creating spaces for teens, staff, and parents to have a personal and intimate encounter with Jesus and “never tire of seeking Him, because in doing so, their lives will bear fruit, and they will become living witnesses of His love.”