Discovering the Church

"My husband was baptized Catholic, but had never received any of the other sacraments. None of our four children nor I had ever been baptized."

By The MacDonald Family

My family and I were all received into the Catholic Church during this past Easter Vigil, so the celebration of St. Josemaria is especially poignant for us this year.

My husband was baptized Catholic, but had never received any of the other sacraments. Though we attended various churches over the years, none of our four children nor I had ever been baptized.

From a very early age, our older daughter seemed very naturally drawn to Jesus and the Church, and asked to be baptized. As her requests became more fervent, we realized that perhaps we were being called to the Catholic Church where my husband had begun the journey so many years ago.

Led by my husband, the six of us began RCIA classes. I was personally reluctant and more than a little skeptical at first, and was surprised when I realized the classes and the Masses had become something that I and my family began to look forward to over the course of our very hectic week.

One of the RCIA leaders would speak about the everyday and seemingly commonplace influences our Lord had in her life, and in the course of her discussions her passion for St. Josemaria was apparent. What I personally took to heart was that St. Josemaria not only acknowledged and appreciated the seemingly mundane contributions we make in our everyday lives, but that he celebrated them as great contributions and great witness for the Church.

As the mother of four young children, my days often feel very full, but at the same time I can feel like I’ve accomplished nothing and contributed nothing. However, I find comfort in St. Josemaria’s teaching that “holiness is not something for the privileged few. We have said that all the ways of the earth, all states of life, all the professions, all honest tasks can be divine….we tell each one–-all women and all men–-that there where you are you can acquire Christian perfection.”

So as a mother of four young children, I know that I am contributing to the Church by remembering to find joy and satisfaction by mothering my children and serving my family to the very best of my abilities every single day. That is both a strength and a comfort for me.

The MacDonald Family, USA
2015

Find more stories at the St. Josemaria Institute website.