Journey of Faith: from Buddhism to Catholicism

​Vanessa Le never imagined she would one day become Catholic or share publicly how Jesus transformed her life. Raised in a family with generations of Buddhist tradition, her journey of faith took a path she never expected. After attending this year’s Renewal Conference, Vanessa felt called to share her story of loss, healing, and spiritual transformation.

“I was born and raised in a strong Buddhist family from many generations,” she said. “My uncle and my dad were monks. My granddad was a Buddhist monk.”

Having come from such a deeply rooted religious background, Vanessa found conversion at first unlikely. It was marriage that eventually led her to join the Catholic Church. She shared that, in the beginning, her faith journey was motivated more by commitment to her spouse than by personal conviction.

“Deep down I did it because of obligation,” she said.

Although she attended Mass regularly, her faith remained largely external. “I went to church every weekend but I didn't do much other than [that].”

Then her life took a painful turn.

When her marriage ended, Vanessa found herself overwhelmed by grief. 

“My marriage didn't work out. I was in despair,” she recalled. “My children got taken away because I did not get full custody.”

The separation from her children left her heartbroken. In one of the most emotional moments of her testimony, Vanessa described the loneliness she experienced during that period.

“I cry in darkness,” she said. “I put their clothing on my face so that I do not miss them that much.”

And in this darkness, she turned to prayer.

“I prayed to Jesus and Mother Mary to please save me,” she said.

In the midst of that pain, Vanessa began to notice moments that slowly drew her closer to God. Vanessa described these moments as individual pieces coming together into a larger picture. These experiences led her to Ascension Parish in Calgary, where she found community, support, and opportunities to deepen her faith.

A particularly significant moment came through a homily delivered by Father Adrien Martens. During his sermon, he encouraged parishioners to pray a simple prayer:

My Lord, my God, I love you and I want to love you more. Please help me.”

Vanessa embraced this prayer wholeheartedly.

“After I heard that, I prayed every time that I had a chance, and that was it,” she said.

Through this prayer, she experienced a profound sense of God's presence in her life. And today, faith is no longer something she practices out of obligation, but has become the center of her daily life.

“If I don't have a day of Jesus, I miss it,” she shared. “I purposely drive by my church just to see that Jesus is there.”

Her testimony reflected a deep conviction that Christ’s love carried her through some of the most difficult moments she has faced. “My life would not be here if I hadn't had Jesus’ love,” she said. Today, Vanessa says she can't speak about Jesus without becoming emotional.
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"Every time I talk about him, I cry," she said. "Because he's my Saviour."

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Story drawn from a video testimony shared at the 2026 Diocesan Renewal Conference at St. Michael’s, Calgary.