Kennedy Takes Leap of Faith into the Catholic Church 

Ashton Kennedy was drawn to the Catholic Church but held back from entering because of unanswered questions. But with the support of family members who had entered the church and a "posthumous nudge" from Father Mark Beard to “get off the fence,” Kennedy took the leap of faith.

Kennedy entered the church with his mother, Hope Kennedy, and aunt, Stacie Knippers, at the Easter Vigil Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs 
Kennedy grew up in the Protestant faith. When his father, Greg, converted to the Catholic faith in 2009, Kennedy attended Mass and a Protestant church service during the weekends.

“I was doing split duty,” said Kennedy.

He met his wife, Alexis, a cradle Catholic who is originally from Erwinville, before the flood of 2016. He started exclusively going to the Catholic Church with her. Ashton and Alexis married in 2019 at St. Mary of False River Church in New Roads, where Alexis had received all her sacraments. Alexis’ cousin, Father Mitchell Guidry of the Diocese of Lafayette, presided at the weAbove right photo: Ashton Kennedy, front right, is pictured being confirmed alongside his his mom, Hope Kennedy, left, and aunt, Stacie Knippers, center left. Photos by Taylor Edwards Photography

Above photo: Ashton Kennedy and his wife, Alexis, have committed themselves to raising their children in the Catholic Church.dding. The couple moved to Denham Springs, then to Walker.

Kennedy’s commitment to join the Catholic Church took more time to develop.

“This has been a long journey since 2009,” said Kennedy. “But I had a lot of questions and things I didn’t know about.”

Kennedy said he found there is a lot of interaction during Mass.

“I would see someone scratch their ear and I’m scratching my ear because I didn’t know exactly what to do in what we call ‘Catholic calisthenics,’” joked Kennedy.

The Kennedys baptized their children, Olivia, 3, Mallory, 2, and Brooks, 1, in the Catholic Church. They also have one “on the way.”

“They’re all baptized in the Catholic Church, so I was the ‘last man standing’ to come into full communion with the church,” Kennedy said.

Although he was not “technically Catholic yet,” Kennedy defended the Catholic faith when confronted about the Catholic Church and its beliefs and practices.

“I was always put in situations where someone would be bashing the Catholic Church or questioning me about going to Mass because all of my friends were Protestant. It was an interesting dynamic.”

More powerful for Kennedy than challenges to not become Catholic was the admonition to “get off the fence” and become Catholic from Father Mark Beard. Father Mark Beard died in a car accident on August 2, 2023.

“I never heard his name before. I followed the local news closely and I saw that a priest was killed in a car wreck.  I thought, Oh my gosh let me see who it was. I saw his picture, but did not recognize his name or face. Shortly after a friend of mine from church sent me a text and said, ‘Hey the Holy Spirit put it on my heart to send you a link to this YouTube video of one of Father Mark’s homilies.’ I asked, ‘Is this the priest who just passed away in the car wreck?’ and he said ‘Yeah.’”

Father Beard’s impassioned homily, which he delivered at St. Helena Church in Amite on July 30, 2023, was his final one before he died in the car accident. The subject was about the dangers of being on the fence spiritually.

“I’ll never forget watching it for the first time. It hit me that since 2009, I’d been on the fence and it’s time to take a leap of faith. I decided that if I die tomorrow, I’m not Catholic and that didn’t sit well with me.”

A few months later, Kennedy saw signs around the ICC campus promoting the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) program. The program answered his questions.

Kennedy thought his saint confirmation name would be St. Michael. But during a road trip to a basketball game, he discovered “your confirmation saint chooses you.”

One day, Kennedy scrolled through news on the internet and noticed a headline for an article about a well-known saint’s skull touring the United States. 

“I clicked on the link, and it was on St. Thomas Aquinas,” said Kennedy.

He and his father were about to go on their yearly trip across the country watching basketball games. One of the destination cities was Louisville, Kentucky, near Bloomington, Indiana, where he and his father were going to watch Indiana University play a game.

They went to view the relic at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Lexington.

Before the Mass that accompanied the display, Kennedy approached the reliquary containing the skull.

“I’m weighted down with rosaries and everything that I could touch against the case … and I went up there and kneeled,” said Kennedy. “I can’t begin to describe the supernatural feeling that I had up there in front of the skull. It was the most peaceful, spiritual feeling … one that I never had in my life."

As he was filled with warmth, he knew he had found his confirmation saint.

Kennedy said entering the church with his mother and aunt wPictured with Ashton Kennedy are his aunt, Stacie Knippers, left, and mother, Hope Kennedy.as special.

Hope Kennedy was baptized at St. Gerard Church in Baton Rouge. When she was five years old, her mother switched to the Protestant Church, and she attended the Protestant Church. She did attend Redemptorist High School.

Hope’s husband, Greg, and her sister, Stephanie Curtin, had entered the church several years ago. Greg prayed for several years that Hope would enter the Catholic Church.

“When my son decided to come in and asked me to go to OCIA with him, that was it for me,” said Hope. “He said, ‘Momma, they’re talking about the history of the church.’”
She added, “It’s so special because it’s a family thing.”

Ashton’s aunt, Stacie, was prompted to join the church after her son, Eddie, converted to Catholicism before he married his wife, Megan, a cradle Catholic. Eddie and Megan live in St. Francisville and baptized their children, Eddie IV, 4, and Lillian, 7 months old, in the church. Stacie moved to St. Francisville and attends Our Lady of Mt. Carmel with the family. She completed her OCIA classes there. Her sister and twin, Stephanie, sponsored her and Hope. OLMC and ICC collaborated so Stacie could enter the church at ICC with Ashton and Hope.

“My OCIA teachers at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Hunter and Michele Hardin) have been wonderful and supportive through my journey. Father Brad Doyle (OLMC pastor) supports family and was instrumental in our family being together. I am forever grateful,” said Stacie.

Ashton said joining the church, especially with other family members, is “coming full circle” back to Catholic faith.

“One thing the Catholic Church has is mystery. That’s impressive. And that’s where faith comes in. That's beautiful. It's where faith meets mystery,” Ashton said.Pictured with Ashton Kennedy, second from left, are his uncle and sponsor, DJ Curtin, Father Matthew Graham, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs, Stacie  Smith Knippers, Hope Smith Kennedy and Stephanie Smith Curtin. Photo provided by Stacie Smith Knippers