Chris Daniels, one of the 8 Pinecrest seniors who will be co-workers next year.

May 22, 2008. Atlanta, GA. When Chris Daniels decided to be a Regnum Christi co-worker, he found he was not alone. Seven other Pinecrest Academy seniors also decided to give a year before heading off to college, including 4 other young men and 3 young women out of a graduating class of 42.

We managed to snag Chris before he boarded a plane to Mexico for a week of humanitarian missions with the other members of the Pinecrest senior class. Stay tuned for interviews with the other departing seniors and future co-workers.

In the interview below, Chris shares a few informal thoughts about his decision to give a year.

So Chris, why did you decide to be a co-worker?
 
I decided to become a co-worker after my 8th grade year because of the example of our ConQuest team leader, a co-worker named Gabe Lewis. He is in the candidacy program at the novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ now. He was the coolest team leader and he could get us pumped about stuff that we had never gotten excited about before, like door to door missions. It was his example that inspired me to become a coworker later.

It also helped that I went on a formators course in Rome in the summer after my sophomore year with about 40 other guys who were really dynamic, fun Catholic guys.

As another coworker once told me, if you give a year to Christ, only good can

	Ready for “spiritual boot camp” with the Legionaries of Christ.

come out of it.
 
What is it about the co-worker program that most attracts you?

The suits, really. I dig being fly for a year. No, it’s probably the spirituality that you share with the Legionaries for a year. It’s like spiritual boot camp; if you make it through, you’re set for life.

How do you think your co-worker year will enrich you?

I’m hoping it will help me to use my talents and deepen my relationship with Christ.
 
What one word would you use to describe the co-workers you have known?

Crazy. They gave themselves totally for a whole year for guys like me, and that’s what I like about it.

What do you think will be the hardest part of being a co-worker?  How are you prepared to handle it?

Not seeing my friends or family for a long time. I’ll probably handle it with my cell phone and email.
 
Where would you like to be sent and why?  What kind of work would you like to do? 

I’d like to be sent to a high school to work with kids in ConQuest and Regnum Christi, because the coworkers that worked with me were really cool and I want to be one of those cool coworkers everybody sees wandering the hallways. I’d like to run retreats and apostolates with them.
 
What would you like your legacy to be at the end of your co-worker year?

I’d like to be remembered in a good way.