The ONE

02/10/2024

Ash Wednesday is February 14, 2024

10/05/2023

"...where there is hatred, let me sow love..."
💛🍂🌿

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

10/05/2023

Oh Ángel Santo de mi guarda, a cuya custodia y protección con admirable providencia me encomendó el Altísimo desde el primer instante de mi vida: yo te doy gracias, Santo Angel mío, por el cuidado que has tenido de mí, por la compañía que me has hecho y por haberme librado de los peligros de alma y cuerpo; por tanto, a ti me encomiendo de nuevo, oh glorioso protector mío: defiéndeme de mis enemigos visibles e invisibles, y ayúdame con tus santas inspiraciones, para que siendo fiel a ellas, logre g***r de tu compañía en la
Patria Celestial. Amén.

08/22/2023

Mary was a big sticking point for me in converting to the Catholic faith. My husband and I would spend hours discussing her and I would get so frustrated. Two years after we were married, and many nights of prayers asking God if He was calling me to be Catholic, I felt God gently lay on my heart that I must follow Him by faith not reason. I couldn’t reason Mary away, I was going to have to Trust that God was calling me into this faith, and asking me to trust Him fully.

Eventually I decided to join RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) just to explore Catholic theology, no pressure.

Once I realized I really couldn’t reason my way into faith and I would have to trust God, I decided to convert, to stop fighting and to simply trust that God wouldn’t call me where I wasn’t supposed to go.

God has a sense of humor - my sponsor into the Church was getting her doctoral degree on Mary.

I could ask her any question and share any of my doubts, and we talked a long time about Mary. Once some of my concerns were addressed, and I realized that the Catholic view on Mary has biblical and historical support, it was really hard for me to not become Catholic.

Even more beautifully, I joined the church 5 months pregnant with my first child, a son. In confession, speaking to the priest, I shared my fears about this big step and he reminded me of Mary, Joseph (My husband’s name is Joseph) and their trust in God, how Mary carried a child into the unknown and God was faithful. It was as if God was reminding me right then of all the moments leading up to this one and how I could rely on Mary to guide me, to intercede for me and to model how faith in God really looks like.

Friends, I wish you all a blessed feast of the Queenship of Mary and remember God is watching out for you, and with Mary, is weaving a beautiful story of faith and love, we only need to pause and reflect to notice it.

08/10/2023

I watched a video this past week from a young ex-porn star bragging about how she’s already been divorced at least two times, possibly three. It was unclear whether the third engagement ended before or after marriage.

She went on to give marriage “advice,” telling women to dump their man if he isn’t giving them everything they want. It’s always interesting to see the arrogance of someone giving advice about a topic they don’t know how to live out well or even at all.

We live now in a culture where we are told we must affirm any idea people believe about themselves, even if it flys in the face of common sense and reality.

It’s highly rude to tell people that they aren’t perfect in every possible way. You can’t encourage health, intact nuclear families, hard work, or s€xual virtue. To do so lands you a phobic label of some kind.

What we have going on here is the worship of the self. A tale as old as time, really. With all this social and institutional encouragement of hyper self-obsession, do we find happier people, as promised?

No. In fact, we see nothing of the kind.

Jesus told us, “Whoever loves his life loses it.” Meaning, if you live a life focused solely on yourself, you will lose all chance at joy, fulfillment, and purposeful meaning. Hollow and shallow are the two words that come to mind.

Christ goes on and says, “And whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” Meaning, you must focus on others and empty yourself out for them in order to be truly fulfilled. Stop making yourself the center of the universe.

I have never met a joyful selfish person in my life, Catholic Pilgrims, and I know I never will. You haven’t met one either. As John the Baptist said, “We must decrease, so Christ can increase in us.” That’s where true joy is found.

Have a blessed Thursday.

07/24/2023

It is so hard to read the early Church Fathers, and not convert to Catholicism.

Reading the Church Fathers began my reversion from leading evangelical Bible studies to Rome Sweet Home. ❤️🙏

07/19/2023

He is here, as you're reading this right now. In every conversation you had today. He was with you.
Ask for the grace to remember his presence so that you may live as if you were always in front of the Eucharist. Let your life be Eucharistic. Be filled!
📷 via
(Song quote from "You won't relent" by Jesus Culture)

05/16/2023

Incredible church ❤️‍🔥

This is the new St. Isidore’s Church at Kansas State University—my daughter’s spiritual home while she’s been a student.

If you know what the old church looked like, well, this is an astounding upgrade. They wanted a more beautiful church and, most importantly, they needed more room, as St. Izzy’s is thriving. They average 200 students at Daily Mass. That’s Daily Mass, mind you.

When my husband and I were dating, neither one of us were living out our faith. My husband is a cradle Catholic and he literally lived right across the parking lot from this church and hardly ever went. I was Protestant, but was most definitely lukewarm, more like chilly.

I found out I was pregnant out of wedlock my senior year. Dustin and I already knew we would be married, but we didn’t intend to do things backwards. However, God can always create good out of any situation.

The birth of daughter forced us to think about our spiritual lives. She made it important again to us and so Dustin and I began the journey of trying to decide to go down the Protestant path or the Catholic path. It was a huge source of contention for a long time.

In our “battling,” God held us together as Dustin learned to defend his Catholic Faith and I learned to humble myself and realize that I had always been incredibly wrong about Catholicism. We came out stronger on the other side and we became a united Catholic family. I did not become Catholic because I just wanted us to all be the same with regards to our faith life. I became Catholic because I could not deny any longer it is the Church that Christ founded.

My daughter has been nourished here at St. Isidore’s, which is an answer to my prayers. While I love K-State, it is a secular school and I knew that my daughter would be challenged to defend her faith there. I prayed she would be strengthened at St. Isidore’s and she was, more than I could have imagined. Father Gale, Father Matt, and the Focus missionaries there are doing amazing things and I am forever grateful.

So, if you’re ever in Manhattan, Kansas—aka Manhappiness—stop by and see the new church. Amazing things are happening there, Catholic Pilgrims.

Have a blessed Tuesday.

05/04/2023

May the 4th be with you! 💫

02/12/2023

02/10/2023