Carrie Williamson, Pastoral Associate

St. Margaret Mary Catholic Community

Like so many other things in life, evangelization and catechesis start at home.  I am privileged to be in full-time lay ecclesial ministry which lends an excellent springboard to talking to my children about our faith.  While my hours are often long and can sometimes interrupt our family's lifestyle, my children seem to understand more when I share the happenings in ministry. 

              In recent months, I have been involved in an adoption.  I am connected to both the birth mother and to the adoptive parents.  The question of who the child was going to be placed with came on the first Sunday of Advent.  That afternoon I spent a considerable amount of time on the phone and my children were getting understandably impatient.  When they asked what was going on, I told them about the child and my seven-year-old said, "he's like the baby Jesus, Mom--looking for a place to be born." I took the opportunity to explain how we are not all able to be parents at certain times in our life, but we can share that gift of life with others.  We discussed and prayed for the birth mother and the family who were open to new life.  And to our joy, that beautiful baby came into the world on Christmas Eve.  Of course, our family offered up in prayer that evening many thanks for the gift of life we all received that night and another night over 2000 years ago. 

It is not too late to sign up or to start asking questions about Why Catholic? Are you wanting to know more about your faith? Do you want to journey along a path with others as your faith deepens? Then pray, ask, and take a chance! Contact your local parish and ask them about Why Catholic? You can also click on the picture above for more information. God is calling you...do not be afraid to answer!  

A Child's Valentine

He made it with a glue stick, kid scissors, a marker and tender love and care. The best part about this simple little valentine is that it is not perfect. His little hands tried so hard to cut that heart out just right. He centered the "I" and the" Love" but the "You" had to go up the heart because it just didn't fit and that is the most precious part of this valentine. I love it when my children make me cards and drawings. I adore it when the stick people have no torso and are all legs, arms and no necks.  They try their best to get it just so and I love to see that it has been kid crafted and the lines are crooked. They have the rest of their lives to try to be perfect right now I just want them to be little. Read More