b'into a world that doesnt necessarily welcome faith- Chris Cantu of San Antonio hasPHOTO BY DARREN SHIVERDECKERbased perspectives? While Rucci does not catechize brought his LIFE experiencethe students in her public school classroom, she goes into different career spaces.out of her way to ensure that all of her students feelvalued, respected, and included. The same goes forcolleagues: Its super important that Im building relationships with them, strong personal connections,so that its not just about the work, she said.For his part, Cantu has embraced each successivechance to venture beyond the bubble by goingback out into the world and identifying how I canlive out my Marianist identity in a different space.After starting his career as a staff member at St. MarysUniversity, hes gone on to jobs at a public university,a disaster relief agency, and an oil company. We cant say were bringing Christ to people insuch settings, he said. But I can live my life as anexample that brings my faith characteristics to thetop, and that helps me be a Marianist leader in anon-Marianist world.Jamieson Fong, an attorney in private practice inPacifica, California, wasnt yet Catholic in 1999 whenhe attended the LIFE Pacific program as a junioractivities. With us having three kids, its only possibleenrolled at San Franciscos Archbishop Riordan High because shes still on board and supportive of the School. Describing himself as more agnostic than responsibilities I take on, he said.anything, he remembers the retreat experienceLike Rucci, Cantu, and other adult leaders, Fongrevealing an unexpected perspective on faith, one that sees a direct tie between lessons learned at LIFE andde-emphasized church hierarchy and highlighted the arc of his career. While hes worked both at a bigMarys role in bringing Christ into the world. That law firm and for an insurance company, he openedspoke to me, he said, ultimately leading to his baptism his own practice in 2016 because I wanted to makeat the end of his senior year. sure I can serve my clients the way that I believe ImNo less important a discovery that week, it turns called to. This includes a strong Christian sense ofout, was a young woman named Cristin Lush who mission, he said, one that rejects the notion that youattended the camp from Sacred Hearts Academy in do whatever you need to do to win. Honolulu. In the years following high school, Fong He and Cristin appreciate the impact LIFE has hadand Cristin became a couple and married in 2005. on their parenting choices, too. Teaching values suchAlong the way, they were invited to take on roles to as the discipleship of equals and relying on the inter-support and coordinate the LIFE program at both cession of Mary in difficult timesall thats helpedthe regional and national levels, as well as to provide to create and strengthen a true family spirit among thesome of the younger voices in convocations that Fongs as the children head into their teenage yearshelped shape the launch of the Marianist Province25 years after his LIFE experience in 1999.of the United States in 2002. If it had just ended there, with the retreat, I stillAs the Fongs started their family, Cristin dialed would have been more than blessed, he said. Andback some of her direct involvement in supporting yet, here I wind up with a life partner. Its been aMarianist LIFE. But Jamieson readily acknowledges wonderful experience!\x00her fruitful contributions to his ongoing involvementwith the program and other Marianist-sponsoredJohn Schroeder is a writer from St. Louis.HELP SUPPORT the Marianist LIFE Program. To donate, or for more information, visit Marianist.com/life.marianist.com/donate 9'