When the Lord permits suffering, He does so because He sees a greater good down the road. In fact, if we could see that good in advance, we would beg for the suffering.
Category Archives: My Story
An Open Letter to the Man Who Sexually Groomed Me: Everything my teenage heart couldn’t articulate and my adult-self now can.
I was recently advised by my spiritual director to write a letter to the man who groomed me. What I ultimately wrote was something that I did not foresee. I had never realized, or perhaps let myself realize, how much my teenage self admired and loved the man who ultimately used me for his ownContinue reading “An Open Letter to the Man Who Sexually Groomed Me: Everything my teenage heart couldn’t articulate and my adult-self now can.”
“Remember Who You Are”/Identity and Sexual Abuse
What we believe about ourselves affects every aspect of our life and especially our relationships. It affects how we communicate with the rest of the world and also how we hear what’s being said to us. Sometimes, these beliefs become so deeply buried within us, we forget they are even there. In some ways, theContinue reading ““Remember Who You Are”/Identity and Sexual Abuse”
To The Teacher Who Asked Me If I Was Being Sexually Harassed: Thank You.
It was a crisp spring day in the Central Valley of California. We had just finished an all school Mass at my Catholic high school when one of my teachers asked to speak with me privately. Heart racing, palms sweating (much like Eminem) I was unnecessarily worried that I was about to be suspended asContinue reading “To The Teacher Who Asked Me If I Was Being Sexually Harassed: Thank You.”
The Year My Birthday Fell On Divine Mercy Sunday
Pope Francis declared 2016 a jubilee year for the Church known as “The Year of Mercy.” For me, this was indeed a year of great mercy. It was in this year I came forward about being sexually abused in my hometown parish. It was the year I came to really know the person of Christ.Continue reading “The Year My Birthday Fell On Divine Mercy Sunday”
Reactions to Abuse and Emotional Memory
Flashback Being a parent has been one of the greatest and most challenging experiences of my life. My son has helped me to love in ways that I never knew I was capable of. As any new parent knows, parenthood encompasses every aspect of your life, and it’s easy to forget how to be aloneContinue reading “Reactions to Abuse and Emotional Memory”
Likely Prey
It seems like yesterday I was 16, sitting at the kitchen table “doing homework” (really scrolling through Facebook) when I received a message via Facebook messenger. It was around 10:30 pm when I read the words “GO TO BED.” I can remember thinking something seemed a bit off about this message or perhaps about whoContinue reading “Likely Prey”
Like Sheep Among Wolves 