“To finally be back in communion with God and His Church was, and still is, incredibly liberating.”
Faith renewal can happen at any age. For one parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul in Denver, that renewal began with a simple invitation to join a small group—and came to full effect during SEEK. What started as a return to the Church became a journey of rediscovery, healing, and mission. His story is a powerful reminder that SEEK isn’t just an event—it’s a place where God transforms hearts.
Below is a personal testimony from Paul Wood, a parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, who experienced a profound renewal of faith through SEEK.
“As a cradle Catholic who fell away from the Church and has recently returned, I missed out on Catholic formation through my 20s and 30s.
I started to get involved in various ministries at St. Vincent de Paul in Denver upon realizing the importance of being a role model for my son, who was five at the time, in the same manner that Christ modeled behavior for us. It wasn’t until 2024 when a FOCUS missionary, Seth Monholand, approached me about joining a group he was putting together that my faith life was elevated to the next level.
Our small group started meeting on a regular basis, and Seth led us through so many beautiful, scriptural discussions that enhanced and deepened my love of the Catholic faith. Our fearless leader, Seth, helped us to start a Bible study of our own. After a couple of weeks of Seth leading this new Bible study, I felt prepared to take on the role of leading the study.
This experience has furthered my desire to evangelize and be a role model for those in my life now and those I meet in the future.
SEEK gave me a clearer path for how to approach prayer, discipleship, and daily life with God. Our group was also able to watch the powerful talk by Sr. Miriam James Heidland. Her reassurance to those in attendance gave me the peace and courage I needed to take the next step in what became the turning point of my spiritual life at SEEK Local.
That moment unfolded on Saturday night during adoration and confession. It was my first time ever participating in adoration, and being immersed in the presence of God in that way is indescribable. With the encouragement I had received from Sr. Miriam’s talk, I finally went to confession for the first time since my confirmation 13 years ago, after months of putting it off since my reversion.
I’m elated that SEEK Local helped guide me to that moment. To finally be back in communion with God and His Church was, and still is, incredibly liberating.”
This story is a glimpse of what happens when missionary discipleship takes root in parish life. At St. Vincent de Paul, Seth Monholand, the parish’s FOCUS missionary, walks alongside parishioners as they encounter Jesus personally and grow in confidence to share the Gospel.
Before serving in Denver, Seth spent six years as a campus missionary at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where he and his wife, Chelsea, raised their growing family of three children. Now, through one-on-one accompaniment, small group Bible studies, and formational experiences like SEEK, Seth is helping St. Vincent de Paul become a place where faith is renewed, leaders are formed, and missionary disciples are sent out to share Christ with the world.
Want to watch the SEEK talk that changed everything for Paul?
Experience Sr. Miriam James Heidland’s powerful message from SEEK25 and hundreds of other inspiring talks at SEEK Replay.
Like Paul, you can encounter Christ in a deeper way at SEEK.
Join us for SEEK26, January 1–5, 2026, and discover how God may be inviting you to renewal and mission in your own life.
Locations: Denver, CO | Columbus, OH | Fort Worth, TX
Learn more and register at seek.focus.org.
Additional Resources
Want to read more about SEEK on our blog? Try these out:
Creative Ways to Make Sure You Get to SEEK Next Year
Should You Take Your Family to SEEK?
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