Friendly fish fry dinners, good reputation of pastor draw teen to the Catholic Church

March 25, 2024

Kobe Klaassen, 15, was baptized Lutheran and went to Sunday school every week.

Last year, he had to decide if he wanted to be confirmed in the Lutheran Church.

He gave it serious thought.

“I heard my classmates had an opportunity to be confirmed in the Catholic Church,” he said. “I talked to friends. I kind of decided maybe the Lutheran Church wasn’t for me.”

Klaassen had heard a lot of good things about Father Clement Owusu, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Harlan. 

“I heard a lot of good things about Father Clement and how great of a father he is to this church. Also, I had been to fish frys and met people who helped bring me into the church,” he said.

Klaassen has been attending a class with Father Owusu and others preparing to receive the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. 

Among the things he’s learned during his studies, is that God’s spirit works in ways we don’t always understand.

“A lot of people say they can’t hear God’s answer, but you have to look for the little things,” he said. “It builds off of that and you realize he’s doing so much in your life.”

Klaassen said he was nervous going to his first Mass.

“Once I left that Mass, it just changes your perspective,” he said. “It’s not as hard as you think.”