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Iulia Cazan, young woman from the USA: "Our goal is not to change the world, but to change ourselves"translated

September 4, 2026 · 1 min read

Iulia Cazan is part of a generation of young Romanians who formed and deepened their beliefs in a strong international context marked by debates about human rights, life and family. Settled in the United States since the age of 18, she studied political science at Drexel University and ended up working in the environment of international organizations and in the proximity of the UN, including in the field of public policies.

In this interview, Iulia Cazan talks about the personal change from secularism to faith, about her experience in the international environment, about the difficulty of confessing one's beliefs in an unfavorable context and about the responsibility of young people to unite truth with love for one's neighbor. The interview was given in the section #vinereapentruviață.

Alexandra Nadane: If you look at your formative years at home, what things received in your family do you feel have remained important for you even after leaving for the United States? How did this journey begin?

Iulia Cazan: I went to the United States at the age of 18. Theoretically for college, but in reality searching for meaning. I developed a fascination with the United States from an early age…

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (9) 🌐 Show original

Тетяна Марченко

I liked how Iulia said that the goal is not to change the world, but to change yourself. It is very humane and honest. We also have many people who go abroad at 18 and search for meaning, and then through faith return to simple things like family and daily prayer. Thank you for the interview.

Katherine Morris

I liked how Iulia mentioned leaving at 18 for college but really hunting for meaning. That part about moving from secularism to faith and then working near the UN while trying to live your convictions hit home. As a single mom here in San Francisco, I see the same pull in our parish group — it’s easier to talk about policy than to just love the person right in front of you. Thanks for sharing the interview.

Людмила Мельник

Yes, Tatiana, I also remembered exactly this sentence about changing yourself, not the world. It somehow removes the extra burden. And tell me, did someone in your family leave at 18 and then return to simple things because of faith?

Юрій Руденко

Yes, Tatiana, this sentence about changing yourself is really apt. My wife also went to study in Poland at the age of 19, and there, through the parish, she started going to church more often than at home. Did someone close to you similarly search for meaning abroad and then returned to everyday things?

Василь Руденко

Yes, Yuri, the sentence about changing yourself is really apt. My wife also went to study in Poland at the age of 19, and there, through the parish, she started going to church more often than at home. My eldest daughter went to Italy for an internship after school and started looking for meaning there too, but she came back and now just tries to read prayers regularly in the evening, like we do at home. Did someone close to you similarly search for meaning abroad and then returned to everyday things?

Elizabeth Johnson

I get what you mean about how easy it is to debate policies instead of just loving the person in front of you. Iulia's point about uniting truth with love really stuck with me too, especially after years of seeing patients at the hospital who just needed someone to listen first. Have you found any small ways your parish group has made that shift lately?

Ірина Шевченко

Yes, Ludmila, this sentence stuck in my memory the most - as if it really lifts the burden. In our family, the daughter also went to study at the age of 19, but not to the States, but to Kyiv, and it was through church meetings that she later began to appreciate simple things like gardening and needlework. Did someone close to you return to faith in the same way after leaving?

Ольга Мельник

Yes, Vasyl, I also had a friend who went to Canada for a year on the Au Pair program and started going to the service regularly there, although she hardly went at home. She returned and still tries not to miss the Sunday Liturgy. And tell me, after Italy, did your daughter try to change something specific in her routine, or did the evening prayers just remain?

Michael Morris

Yeah, that line about searching for meaning instead of just college rang true for me too. I work as a cook here in Wichita and see the same thing in our parish youth group—kids chasing big ideas about changing the world while we’re all still figuring out how to show up for the folks at our own dinner table. Have you tried anything specific in your San Francisco group to keep the focus on loving the person right there?