Self-Loathing Isn’t Humility

When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5d’s, and one of my favorite characters on the show was Kalin Kessler. Kalin was this antagonist who turned into an anti-hero. As a kid, I liked Kalin so much because he had this dirty vagabond aesthetic, and I thought that was so…

Cool, Time to Pray. Now What?

If you have been involved in Catholic community or have run in circles with people of faith, I am sure you have heard about the importance of the interior life. So often do we hear that we must “pray, pray, and pray some more.” But few times do we learn about what this actually looks…

In the Waiting

We wait all the time. We wait in line at the grocery store with mom and dad. We wait in the car driving in traffic. We wait for the host to call us to our table at a restaurant for dinner. We wait for the right time and write words. We even wait in line…

The Myth of Victimless Crimes

As missionaries who live in community with each other, good team bonding is crucial, and few things are more fun to bond over than a good movie. I always love having a great conversation after the movie, or, equally likely, during it—only to enhance the experience, of course. My teammates were in for a particular…

[Single] Life is Worth Living

In 1952, a Catholic bishop named Fulton Sheen won an Emmy Award for “Most Outstanding Television Personality.” His show appealed to as many as 10 million viewers each week. The title was simple, yet profound: Life is Worth Living. Through all sufferings, through all the impossibilities and fears which live rent-free in our mind, your…

Approaching the “Chastity Conversation”

I know from experience that talking about chastity with the person you are newly dating can be intimidating. When I first started going on dates with my current boyfriend, I was so nervous to tell him how I wanted to be in a chaste relationship.  Yet, after our second date, I knew I needed to…

Let God Love You

“The only thing you need to do to get to Heaven is let God love you.”  Stunned by my priest friend’s statement, I’ve spent the past several months bringing it to prayer. At first, it felt too simple, almost easy. The only thing I need to do to get to Heaven is let God love…

You are Not a Cosmic Accident

Did you ever hear those fairytale stories about how babies come into existence, like the stork that dropped Dumbo off to his mom in swaddling blankets? Well for me, I grew up believing that the FedEx shipping company dropped me off on my birthday. This was something my sister told me all of the time;…