It is National Infertility Awareness Week, so I am re-visiting a series that I wrote about my repeated miscarriages and secondary infertility. I hope it helps you. God bless.
Dealing with Miscarriage Part II: Grief
This week is National Infertility Awareness Week. I wrote yesterday about what it is like to be Catholic with only one child without even realizing that it is Infertility Awareness Week. Infertility comes in many forms from the couple who cannot conceive to people like me who have a child and then suffer repeated miscarriage. I know that many people suffer from the grief of miscarriage. I want to re-visit a series that I wrote on my own experiences and I hope it ministers to you. God bless.
Blessed are they who mourn; for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:5
Grief is one of the most difficult aspects of life. We are guaranteed that it will come our way. Most of the time it blindsides us. Grief in miscarriage can be lonely, deeply painful, infuriating, and cathartic all in the same day. The grief sets in when we are told that our child is dead or it may set in once the bleeding starts or stops, or it may take years for the grief to overtake us. Miscarriage is something that our society, and I hate to say it, the Church largely ignores. This is probably for a number of reasons. I would say some of it has to do with the abortion culture, some of it is privacy, and a lot of it is fear. Fear on the part of the family who has lost…
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Being a Catholic Mother of “Only” One Child
When my husband and I got married we figured given our somewhat later age (I was 29 when we got married) that we would have four or five kids. We had undergone a radical conversion while dating thanks to our priest sending us to a Theology of the Body seminar. We finally understood the why …
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The Shock and Awe of Becoming a Contributor for Catholic Exchange
I learned a few lessons yesterday as I began my contributor relationship with Catholic Exchange. The story of how I ended up writing periodically for them is one that I can only look back at in wonder. A few weeks before I was asked by the editor to become a contributor, I had emailed a …
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My First Piece as a Contributor for Catholic Exchange: A Few Lessons from the Life of St. Bernadette
I am very happy to announce that I was asked to become a contributor for the popular Catholic website, Catholic Exchange. My first piece has been published today. You can start reading it here and then jump over to Catholic Exchange to finish and let me know what you think. God bless! A Few Lessons …
Guest Post from My Dad: Mom on the Mend
Today I want to share a post by my father, Mike Rapkoch, from his Ricochet site. My grandmother became critically ill about 2 weeks ago. My husband and I rushed out on the drive from Virginia to my home-state of Montana, expecting the worst. Instead, my grandmother recovered and amazed us all. My father was …
Forgiving Until It Hurts and then Some….
Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. St. Matthew 18:21-22 Forgiveness is one of the …
Recapturing Our Narrative: Living the Good News
Holy Week tends to be overwhelming. It is accepted and known by faithful Catholics that all of the dysfunction and evil in the world likes to still come out in full display during Holy Week, even 2000 years after the Crucifixion of Our Lord. Last week was no exception from mass slaughter of Christians in …
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Dialoguing Generations: Priests in Discussion
This is very good so I wanted to share it. I am dealing with a family emergency so my writing will be sporadic. Prayers appreciated. Happy Easter!!!
FB: Hey Fr. Chris! Are you busy?
FC: No Fr. Brook, what’s up?
FB: I wanted to pick your brain about a conversation I just had with one of my parishioners. Do you know Sara Smith?
FC: Sure, I was recently talking to her.
FB: She mentioned that. She came up to me and withdrew from the RCIA team and said that you had encouraged her to do so.
FC: *sigh* I didn’t exactly say that.
FB: What happened? She basically told me that after talking to you she felt unqualified to teach at RCIA. It should be noted that she gave me permission to talk to you about this.
FC: Yeah, she called me and mentioned you’d be stopping by – I wasn’t sure about what though… She was planning on teaching that hell does not exist or that one day nobody will be in it to the RCIA…
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Love Changes the Ordinary, the Mundane, and the Ugly
Yes the picture above is an ordinary dandelion. The weed that is the bane of gardeners and lawn owners in their quest for spring and summer perfection. To adults it is nothing more than a pest to be rid of. In fact, most people would either look at this image that I took with derision …
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Swimming the Depths 