I am the first-born of four from a Catholic family, a graduate of Catholic grade school. Either catechesis was lacking or I was a poor learner (or perhaps both) and I lapsed during my college years. However by God’s grace, I met my husband, Tim, on Ash Wednesday 1989, as we shared a ride from our college campus to Mass.  We were married in the same church two years later after I returned from a year studying abroad in Australia at the University of Queensland and student teaching at All Hallows Catholic Girls School in Brisbane.

During our marriage preparation, we received a sure sign of God’s providence: discovering that we were baptized on the exact same day (January 28, 1968).  Our first-born son, Zachary (17), also shares our baptism day, and first experienced/expressed a call to the priesthood at about age 13.  He continues to discern God’s call for his vocation as he prepares to leave home for (a yet unknown) university after being home schooled and earning his AA at local community college.  Our younger sons, Joseph (14) and Peter (12), also home schooled, love altar serving (like Zachary) and remain open to God’s call for their future vocations.

As a family we enjoy traveling and recently spent three weeks on an amazing pilgrimage in Italy, where we were blessed to be asked to bring up the gifts at the Latin Mass at the Chair of St. Peter.  We are active and involved in our parish community and are a licensed foster home.

I am discerning a call to the become a lay Carmelite (OCDS) and recently began an aspirancy (preparation) program.

I am very blessed, and count you (reader) among my blessings.  You are in my prayers.

~Bridget