Manuel was brought up a Catholic in Mexico. He attended Mass but lacked any formation in the faith. As a teenager he slowly drifted astray through his interest in New Age teachings, such as reincarnation and alien visitors from space. By the time he was married, he was no longer a practicing Christian, though he still considered himself a Catholic. He began his journey back to Christ after his sister, who had been praying for him for years, gave him a book on the history of Marian apparitions. Reading this and a fear of damnation led him to repent, turn to Christ, go to Confession and come back to the Catholic Church.