My Liturgical New Year’s Resolutions

I like trying to set goals, even if my weakness (or God's plans) change them. So, here's what I want to try this year.

Almost a Mary, Sometimes a Martha

Before I rest on my laurels, I need to decide what makes a Mary and a Martha in my own context, in my own life.

Honoring the Goodness of the Body When Yours Feels Broken

Our humanity includes a broken body—and that brokenness is something the Lord himself chose to take on. If he did, why wouldn't we?

Babies Just Might Save the World

There is something so good about a baby. Why else would couples, after weeks of morning sickness, the pain of labor and childbirth, and the long and difficult nights, choose to have more than one? Sleep deprivation-induced memory loss may well be a reason—but it's also because babies are good. Their wonder can teach us to wonder. Their delight can teach us to delight. Their innocence can call us back to innocence. They remind us of the beauty of the human being

Praying the Joyful Mysteries as a New Mother

Lately, though, I've had some beautiful moments meditating on the joyful mysteries. Becoming a mother brings them to life in a way they never have before; I can relate my own experiences of motherhood to the awe-inspiring experiences of the Blessed Mother as she and St. Joseph raised the Son of God.

Praying the Rosary: It’s a Journey

Day by day, bead by bead, the rosary bringing me closer to Jesus and his mother—and I'm bringing my daughter there with me.

Celebrating Mother Teresa on My Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I got married last year on the feast day of St. Teresa of Calcutta (perhaps still more commonly known as Mother Teresa). We'd selected that day partly because of the time of year (not too distant from when he proposed but enough time for marriage prep and wedding planning ... and, it … Continue reading Celebrating Mother Teresa on My Wedding Anniversary →

Pregnancy and Pro-life Ministry

I've always been vehemently pro-life. I argued with classmates in my 10th grade civics class about abortion, I read about the science of fetal development, I spoke out on social media, and I eagerly followed the news of pro-life ministries and advocacy organizations. I started putting more money (and time) where my mouth was in … Continue reading Pregnancy and Pro-life Ministry →

“Reflecting on Them in Her Heart”: Pondering Versus Ruminating

What made Mary's reflection different from rumination? How can an anxious person like me imitate her, deepening my relationship with God by pondering the good and bad things that happen in my life rather than ruminating on the negative?

When Motherhood Doesn’t Feel Like You Thought It Would

Nothing can prepare you for becoming a parent. You can read all the books and blog posts and talk to all the parents you know, but the experience will still surprise you. And if you'd hung your hat—knowingly or unknowingly—on a particular image of what being a mother would be like, that surprise will be painful.