“Intense love does not measure, it just gives" (St. Teresa of Calcutta). On Saturday, my boyfriend proposed to me. I was expecting a proposal sometime this fall, but I was not expecting it on Saturday, so I was very surprised. It was a simple, sweet proposal, and I said yes as soon as I recovered … Continue reading The Best Love Story Is Your Love Story
I've always wanted to have a devotion to the rosary. It was a combination of factors that drew me in, from photos of beautiful rosaries on the internet to the idea of the prayer being, in the words of St. Padre Pio, "the weapon against the evils of the world today." I've also always had … Continue reading Developing a Rosary Habit
When I was six years old, my cousin turned seven on April 7, excited about her "golden birthday." I remember being jealous, because my golden birthday would be my 30th — and, of course, by then, I'd be too old to enjoy it. I am 30 today, August 30. And I do not feel too old to … Continue reading My Next Decade: Turning My Focus Outward
Edith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, was a philosopher, teacher, academic and then Carmelite nun. Born to a German Jewish family on Yom Kippur in 1891, she fell away from religion as a teenager, studied philosophy under phenomenologist Edmund Husserl, and converted to Catholicism after discovering (and staying up all … Continue reading 13 Things Edith Stein Could Have Written Today
In June, I became a godmother for the fifth time. Upon hearing that I had another godchild, several people asked, “Do you have to take care of all of those kids if something happens to their parents?!” Not logistically, but as a godparent, my role is to care for my godchildren throughout their entire lives. … Continue reading An Open Letter to My Godchildren
Melinda Gates' new book "The Moment of Lift" is subtitled "How Empowering Women Changes the World." It's true. Empowering women can change the world. It has changed the world. It's still changing the world. But not completely in the way she thinks. An entire chapter is dedicated to family planning. It's called "Every Good Thing." And just a few … Continue reading What Melinda Gates Gets Wrong About Birth Control
The crown of thorns should not be beautiful. Thorns, after all, are the ugliest part of a rose bush. They prickle and cut. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matthew … Continue reading The Crown of Thorns
I was never into Lady Gaga. Not that I disliked her or her music - I just didn't think anything about her. But her outspokenness about her fibromyalgia and her latest album, "Joanne," have made me a fan. One of my favorite songs on the 2016 album is called "Angel Down." Lady Gaga wrote the … Continue reading How Lady Gaga’s “Angel Down” Reminds Me of the Church Abuse Crisis
“Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint, for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he … Continue reading Why You Should Cultivate a Devotion to St. Joseph
"You are such an extrovert." No one had ever called me an extrovert until my boyfriend, who does it pretty frequently. Until recently, I'd passed off these comments as a statement of just how introverted he is, but I've come to realize that he's right (don't tell him I said that). I love being around … Continue reading I’m an Extrovert? Why Labels Are Both Good and Bad
