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Vocations Resources An Interview with a Priest An Interview with a Religious Sister Catholic Relationships Q&A Some Vocation Tips... The Catholic View of Marriage Vocations Resources My Vocation Story

A very happy and blessed World Day of Prayer for Vocations to you! Today the Church unites in prayer for the intention of those who are discerning their Vocations (I LOVE talking about Vocations!!) I know many people are attending discernment retreats this weekend. Please know that you are all in my prayers! Three years ago, on this Sunday, I was on a Vocation "Come-and-See" retreat with the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth. On that weekend, I consecrated myself and my Vocation to the Blessed Mother, and she took it and ran wild! 😂 My Vocation story is turning out to be such a surprise- much different, and much more beautiful than I ever could have dreamed of. Your story is no different. God has a plan for you. He knows what state of life- whether it's marriage, the priesthood, or religious life- will help you to live in love with Him and with others. He knows your personality- the way He created you- and how you will love and be loved in the best possible way. As a very wise priest once told me, "Be open!" Be open about your Vocation and God's plan for your life. It's a beautiful journey and, yes, it might be filled with ups and downs, but it's not supposed to be a source of stress and anxiety. Trust Him. God has a plan. Even if it's a surprise. 😊 I've included some Vocations resources below for you to check out, as well as my own Vocation Story (so far!). Vocations Resources An Interview with a Priest An Interview with a Religious Sister Some Vocation Tips... The Catholic View of Marriage Vocations Resources Catholic Relationships Q&A My Vocation Story As always, please feel free to comment or email me with any questions, prayer requests, or suggestions!! In His Mercy, Colleen

One of the most fun things I've done in college so far is having sleepovers with my wonderful Catholic friends! Here are some fun (and safe!) ideas for sleepovers for Catholics: Make inspirational bookmarks Play the Catholic Card Game. Color some pretty coloring pages! Pray the Rosary before bed Find questions online to ask your friends Dress up in fancy clothes Do face masks! Paint your nails. Make paper chains with prayer intentions. Make mental health Bible verse jars. Go stargazing. Watch funny Catholics on Youtube Make milkshakes. Pray evening or night prayer. Take a walk. Listen to a podcast. Watch a movie on FORMED. Bake cookies. Film a skit. Do crafts. Listen to fun music. Watch Veggietales!! Play board games Volunteer in the community Have a Bible Study Make dinner Take fun personality quizzes Make tie blankets to donate. Paint on canvases. Sidewalk chalk your neighborhood And finally... Sleep. Obviously. Eventually. Maybe. Do you have more ideas for sleepovers? Put them in the comments! 😊

Are you looking for a way to connect with other Catholic teenagers? Do you want a place to share your prayer intentions and feel motivated to create a prayer routine? Are you interested in improving your mental and spiritual health? Join the Catholic Teen Life "Catholic Crew" prayer group on the Hallow App! Hallow is currently the #1 prayer app in the world, featuring Catholic prayers, meditations, audiobooks, mental health reflections, and more. One of the coolest features of the app is the ability to pray with your friends! That's why I decided to make this group. 😊 You can join the prayer group for free, even if you don't (yet... hint, hint...) have the premium version of the app!! Follow the instructions and pictures below to join. I can't wait to pray with you! The code to join is WQ3Z6L.

Hi friends! A blessed Palm Sunday to you! Jesus has been putting something on my heart this weekend. :) I think many of us are in awe of Jesus' suffering but feel we can't fully relate to it. We feel we can't sympathize with Him because we haven't suffered such brutality as He did. I watched the Passion of the Christ movie the other evening and was thinking/praying, "Jesus, I can't fully grasp how you felt in that moment, but I see Mamma Mary, and I can understand! I'll suffer with her." Maybe this is you. Perhaps you're caring for or loving someone close to you who is mentally or physically suffering a great deal. How can you stand with our Mother at the foot of the cross this Holy Week and unite your sufferings with her own for Jesus? Or maybe your suffering is more mental. You might struggle with anxiety, depression, fear, or other mental sufferings. In these, we can relate to Jesus' Agony in the Garden. Consider how He must have felt on Palm Sunday, knowing He would die so soon, condemned by the people praising Him. Then, in the Garden, when He felt the weight of every sin, every mental suffering, every bit of sadness the human race would ever and had ever felt. And He felt the rejection of those He loved, both those present with Him and everyone since who has rejected His love. Maybe your suffering IS physical. Each step may mean more suffering for you. You do have to carry that cross. Be the Simon of Cyrene for Jesus this week. But this time, your cross and Jesus' are the same. You help each other. Many of us suffer in all of these ways, and more. I do, and I still find it difficult to fathom the torture that Jesus endured simply because it was so brutal. Even if we find it difficult to relate to the torture Jesus endured because we haven't physically felt it (and I pray that we never will!), we can help Him by suffering with Him. The Church teaches us that during Holy Week we are mystically present and participating in Jesus's Passion. When He was in His Agony in the Garden, all he wanted was for someone to stay awake and be with Him. Now He's asking you: "Will you suffer with me? Stay with me even when it hurts?" What will your answer be?

Hi friends, As some of you know, I gave up social media for Lent, so I'll only be posting on the blog website for now! I'm dealing with a chronic illness while trying to be in college, run a small business, write a blog, and have adequate time for prayer, homework, and sleep!! So for Lent, I decided to rest. That is penance for me. But it needs to be done to give my body, mind, and soul time to heal. This ministry is my passion. If I'm not posting as much, please know that it is not because I don't want to; it's simply because, at the end of the day after classes, I've used up all my energy, and I need rest. Please keep me in your prayers as I try to navigate this life and accept the suffering as best I can. If you could also pray for my family, my boyfriend, my friends, and my studies, that would be so wonderful. ❤️️ On a happier note, God is good! Our Father loves you. He is with you. He has a marvelous plan for you, for your life. He will never leave you. No matter what kind of pain you've been through, He is with you. Even when you don't feel anything, He's there. Nothing ever changes His love for you. Your Father says, "you are precious in my eyes and I love you" (Isaiah 43). His plan is better than anything else. What is He calling you to right now? For me, He's calling me to rest. To be still and wait, and trust. That's REALLY hard for me. What is He calling you to do? How does He want to help you to grow? What does your prayer life look like right now? Prayer is our relationship with God. How do you pray? How do you communicate with the one who loves you more deeply and tenderly than anyone else ever could? It's difficult to pray right now. I know God is listening, I know He's; Ith me; I just can't feel Him. But the good part is that my feelings aren't reality! My Father is with me always. And He's with you. He's with us. He's not leaving. So many people, especially young people, struggle so much with their mental health. Myself included. And one of the greatest comforts, I believe, is reminding yourself that your Father is not leaving you. He's holding you. He's closer than you think! God sees you, friend. He sees the struggle you're going through, and He wants you to know that He still delights in you. I recently heard the quote, "God created you because He thought you would like it." Isn't that beautiful? God created us to enjoy life. All of the goodness of life reflects God. That is so powerful. Your Father made you because He loves this life, and He loves you and wants you to experience it. Don't give up. You were made for God. Another random thought... Who is your Saint friend right now?! I recently discovered that St. Padre Pio is the patron saint of those suffering from one of the diagnoses that I have, and since then, I've been fascinated by his life and story. There's a movie on formed.org about his life that is absolutely beautiful (and 3 hours long 😅). It's so beautiful how different Saints become our friends for different moments in our lives. If you've read this far through my ramblings- thank you!! You're so patient! Please know that you are in my prayers every day, and you're welcome to comment on this post with any prayer intentions you might have! In His Mercy, Colleen

Hi friends! Happy Valentine's Day! A few of you submitted questions for today's Q&A post. My boyfriend, Brendan, and I wanted to answer your questions regarding Vocations, discernment, and friendship! We hope that these answers are helpful to you. Please let us know if you have any questions! ~ Colleen and Brendan "I'm thinking about going to Peru for a mission trip, but I'd need to have a lot of money and my parent's permission. It's more than likely that I'll be able to get neither of those. What should I do?" Colleen - At the most basic level, if all indicators and logical reasoning point to no, then no. You can serve in your own community! And if you're meant to go to Peru, then God will certainly make a way. However, it's also good to recognize that a mission trip need not be anything extreme... go to a soup kitchen in your community. Volunteer at a local Vacation Bible School. Go on a mini-pilgrimage to your parish and pick up trash along the way... There are so many things you can do at home (some without even being able to drive!) to serve God's people. Brendan -Same as Colleen, if all signs point to no, then try doing a local mission trip rather than out of the country. If you're looking for money for the trips, then fundraise! It's the most simple and easy way to raise enough money for any trip. We fundraised to go to conferences and retreats throughout high school, and it was quite effective, especially when our youth group fundraised at our parish and got donations. People are typically quite happy to help. "How do I discern my Vocation while I'm still a high school or college student?" C- Pray!! Pray, hope, and don't worry. You won't miss your call simply because you're in school. God knows your heart and knows your life, and He won't let you miss it. Also, recognize that for this stage of life, the best form of discernment might just be to give it to God and be the best student you can be because, ultimately, right now, that's where God is calling you to do His will and love those around you. Here are some resources from the blog!: Vocations Resources An Interview with a Priest An Interview with a Religious Sister Some Vocation Tips... The Catholic View of Marriage Vocations Resources My Vocation Story B - Make sure that you're focusing on your classes and not letting your discernment get in the way/ distract you/overwhelm you/ make you anxious. However, it's important to keep your heart open for God to speak. Be open to what He's doing in your life and heart, and see where you are the most settled. Notice how you love. Get to know yourself. God will lead you, especially through prayer. "I'm a homeschooled student wanting to branch out... how can I make some more friends and get involved in my community?" C -Be yourself! Get involved in your community/parish. You might be allowed to participate in public school extracurriculars and sports depending on what state you live in. Also, Homeschool Connections (not sponsored!) is a beautiful Catholic homeschool community that I used while in high school and will never stop recommending. 😊 And never forget... your family will be some of the greatest friends you'll ever have. ❤️️ B -From the perspective of someone who was not homeschooled... Talk to family members who have friends in school that are in your grade. See if they have ways for you to get involved or even just meet new people that they are already friends with! If you can, try to join the public school activities or find homeschoolers nearby and talk to them! How to discern if I'm supposed to be in a relationship with someone or enter the priesthood? C - Brendan says this one perfectly! B -Get a spiritual director. Coming from a guy's perspective... it was a hard decision and process. You've just got to keep your mind open and your heart, most importantly. It's also so good to pray for your Vocation. There are so many prayers online for this topic. Pray on what you want and what God wants for you. He calls in many ways, but it's up to you to listen. If you're open, He won't let you miss it. From a personal experience, I was always stuck on what I wanted rather than what God wanted, I've thought about priesthood many times, but I couldn't see myself being a priest. I just wasn't sure, though. But in 2021, my perspective changed. I went to a Steubenville Conference. I'd been intentionally praying about my Vocation for a couple of years. That year though, God allowed everything to fall into place at His time. That year was also spent texting my best friend... But praying about my Vocation at Steubenville and just expressing myself in prayer and conversation with others helped me realize God wasn't calling me to the priesthood, but to married life someday. And that girl, my best friend, she's now my girlfriend! I'm always giving thanks to God for leading me to my Vocation and taking us both on this journey of discernment together. We're still discerning God's will for us a year and a half into dating! He has a plan. For me, for us and for you. So to answer your question, take moments of silence throughout your day, spend time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, or just sit in prayer. Remember that God doesn't always just answer with words. It's often a stirring of the heart, which means that rather than listening with our ears, we often have to listen with our hearts. If you have any questions, comment on this blog post, and Colleen will put you in touch with me!

Sometimes when I'm in class, though especially when I was in elementary and middle school, I'd think of the Lord standing beside me, holding my hand as I went through the day. He's an instant best friend, homework helper, and teacher. He helps you stay focused on your immediate goal within the bigger picture. He provides comfort, peace, and rest when it's most needed. Our Lord walks with us always... but sometimes it's difficult to remember that He's there and that He should be the focus of everything that we do! So how can we "bring Jesus to school?" How can we incorporate our faith into our studies even when it's difficult; even when it seems like nothing we're doing as anything to do with Christ? I have a few ideas... Take a few minutes each morning to spend time with Jesus. Read the daily readings, and use the Hallow App to be guided through prayers. Go to your church if you can and simply sit with the Lord in prayer and silence. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance when you're struggling. Pray the Prayer for Students by St. Thomas Aquinas before your classes or before you begin the school day. (Fun fact: There is a printable version of this prayer sold in the MercyLight Designs shop! (my roommate suggested this one!) Write the initials of the people you're praying for in the corner of your notebook pages so that each page of notes is offered as a prayer for those intentions. Write "J.M.J." in the corner of your papers to dedicate your work to the Holy Family. Make your desk, locker, etc. a spot of prayer as well as study. You can decorate it with prayer prints, coloring pages, pictures of saints or statues, have a standing crucifix or small statue on your desk, etc. The printables from MercyLight Designs would be super great for this, and there are so many beautiful ones all over the internet! Pray for your classmates. In each class, choose one person to pray for. I like the analogy that a Catholic speaker once used of "zapping" people with the Holy Spirit. :-) Take some time for silence every once in a while. Walk alone to class once or twice a day and use that time to make some interior silence, even when the world around you is loud and crazy. Stand up for Christ. Stand up for your faith. When something is being taught that is immoral or incorrect, do something about it. If something your teacher is telling you to read or do goes against your morals, respectfully tell them that you will not do or read it, and ask for other accommodations. The Lord will help you to do what's right. Live your faith while with your friends. You might be the one to bring Christ to them for the first time (You know, if you've received the Eucharist, you're a living, walking, talking tabernacle!! 😂😄) Stay focused! Your primary Vocation right now is to be a student. That's your role in life (along with many other things!) but you bring so much glory to God when you try your hardest and strive to bring Him glory in all the work that you do. There are soooo many other great ideas out there. If you have some, please share them in the comments! I hope and pray that this post will serve as a reminder and resource for you as you strive to live our your faith through the school day. Jesus wants to walk through life with you each and every step of the way. He's with you always and will bring you strength, knowledge, and comfort in your studies. Happy studying! Have a wonderful day!

Today I invite you to reflect prayerfully on today's Gospel passage with me. You can read it, along with the other readings of the day, here in verses 21-43. I, and so many others, can strongly relate to the hemorrhaging woman in this passage recounting just one of Jesus' many healings. My guess is that you might, too. Or at least know someone who does. What is your own lengthy affliction? No, you may not be hemorrhaging (and I pray that you are not!!); however, most of us have at least one thing in our lives that brings us continual suffering. Examples could include chronic pain; anxiety disorders; depression; family issues; past trauma; distrust of others; poor body image; OCD, other mental illnesses; injuries; cancer; habitual sin; chronic illness; scrupulosity; trauma from abuse; not being able to forgive yourself; problems with relating to others or forming friendships; grief; strife in your parents' relationship/ your relationship with them; screen addictions; any form of addiction; fatigue; burnout... Think about it. What in your life needs healing? (Side note: the above examples are not ALL examples, just some that Christ put on my heart while writing this). This is the thing you've been suffering with for so long. You've tried so hard to feel better, but you feel stuck. You're tired of fighting. So was the hemorrhaging woman. She bled in pain for twelve years. She suffered at the hands of those trying to help her. And she spent all that she had. Physically. Financially. Mentally. Emotionally. She was alone and exhausted, not only from her pain but from being misunderstood, so tired of fighting, so tired of no one being able to help. The woman in the Gospel was so exhausted and in pain. And in her pain, she turned to the only one she thought could truly heal her: The man they said was the Messiah. She had such faith that she believed that if she only touched Him, she could be made well! And she reached out and touched the tassel on his cloak. She reached out for healing, believing that it would happen. And Jesus granted the desires of her heart! He looked at her. No- He SAW her. He saw all she'd been through, all the pain, all the anxiety, all the depression. And He said, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." (Though I imagine Jesus would have most likely used exclamation points (!!!!) and not periods. Cause He was probably rejoicing with her. And smiling. And loving her!). And He told her to "Go in peace." Anyone who has suffered for a long time knows the pain and exhaustion of just wanting answers. Wanting help. Wanting peace. In my own life, I suffer from chronic health issues and intense fears and anxiety. Every day is a struggle to let Jesus help me and recognize that He is offering His peace to me, as well; to reach for Him and to hope and trust that He'll take care of me and heal me. Peace... What a beautiful concept. What a beautiful gift. I long for peace, and even if I'm never completely healed, and must persevere in my afflictions, body, mind, and soul, then I simply ask for peace. This woman in the Gospel today... She was so brave. Her faith, hope, and trust truly did make her well because they enabled her to come to the Lord, no matter the cost. How can we, those of us who suffer greatly on a daily basis- even if it's only been weeks, months, or only a few years as opposed to twelve- how can we "touch his cloak" today? How can we ask for and accept this healing that Christ provides? Come to Him. Simply come to Him. He WILL work in your life, in your pain. You will be healed. It might not be in the way you expect it. Healing can come in all sorts of ways... Sometimes it means switching up habits or lifestyles; locations or schools; going to therapy; trying a new medication; separating yourself from harmful relationships. All of these are from God, and He works through them! Also, your healing might not even come in this life, but it certainly will in the next. Some days, it's so hard to reach out to Him. But friend, our God is the God who raises the dead! Those who can't even, by themselves, ask for healing! Who are literally past the point of healing! Jesus sees them, He goes to them, and tells them to "Arise!" To live! (We see another example of this in the Gospel today!) So my friend, take courage. Whatever your affliction is, whatever you need healing for, whatever your cross is... Go to Him. Be with Him. Consume His very Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. Be reconciled with Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Don't be afraid. Jesus has you. He sees you. He loves you. Your faith is beautiful.

Do you have someone who helps you to grow in your faith? Who, through their teaching and example, shows you what it means to be a Christian? You know you can count on their prayers and guidance. I think of this type of person when I read St. Paul's letter to Timothy today. He writes: "I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you." (2 Timothy 1:3-5) Paul is a type of "spiritual father" who acts as a friend and mentor for Timothy in his ministry. Paul prays for him and seeks to grow their friendship, and while he IS Timothy's mentor, also sees him as an equal. He acknowledges Timothy's strong faith and, in later verses, encourages him not to be discouraged, to bear his hardships with strength, and to strive to stay zealous for the Lord and his ministry. I also appreciate the example of Timothy's mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. Paul acknowledges their vital influence on Timothy's faith. They, too, were wonderful mentors for Timothy! I say all this to illustrate how important mentors are in the faith journey. I encourage you again to reconsider the questions I asked at the start of this post... Who are your mentors? These can include parents, friends, teachers, priests, campus ministers, people online, youth group leaders, etc. Take some time soon to reach out to them and let them know that you are praying for them and are grateful for their ministry! More than that, who can you be a mentor for? Your younger siblings? Friends? Younger people at your parish? It doesn't have to be anything formal... no, "Can I be your mentor?!" needs to be said 😂 I hope and pray that I can help to mentor you in your faith through this blog! So what are some practical ways to engage in mentorship and encourage those around you as St. Paul did for Timothy? Pray! Choose someone (or a few people) and pray for them daily. And tell them! It's always super encouraging and gives my faith a little boost when I hear that someone has been praying for me. Form closer friendships. Really take an interest in getting to know them. Take the time to send an encouraging text message every once in a while. If someone has questions about their faith, do your best to answer them! If you don't have an answer immediately, ask someone else, or find the answer from online! (Catholic Answers is my favorite resource). Invite them for coffee/ to sit with you at lunch/ to youth group/ to go to Mass together sometimes. Simple things are always meaningful. 😊 We are all on this journey together, and when we can "encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). You have the power to have a huge influence on someone's life and journey of faith. It's so beautiful to be able to serve others in this way. We have such a beautiful example from so many people in our faith, including, as we see today, Paul, Eunice, and Lois!

Hi friends! Happy Saturday! This month I'm going to begin to offer a Bible study for young women on the topic of Virtues, Saints, and Femininity. I was leading this Bible study with a group via video call for a while, but with schedule changes and a busy new semester, it's a lot more practical to do it via email. Here's how it works: Click here to register for free! Every once in a while, you'll receive an email from me containing some reading, a saint, a short reflection, and some questions. If you'd like, you can reply to the email and answer the reflection questions! There are others who are participating, but the email will be sent in a way that you will be kept anonymous from other readers :-) I hope that you'll consider joining this study. I've learned a lot in my research for it, and am looking forward to sharing it with you! Have a wonderful day!

We, as humans are relational creatures. We're not created to be alone!! (Gen. 2:18) This journey that we are on towards Heaven is made so much easier when we have friends alongside us who are walking that same journey. So, that being said, how does one go about finding these friends? How to find friendship: -Pray!! Pray for God's guidance and direction. Pray that He'll lead you to good, holy friends. Trust me; He will! - Attend a youth group or campus ministry events. These are fantastic ways to get connected with other like-minded people around your age. - Go on a retreat! Some of my closest friendships have been formed through going on retreats. Steubenville conferences are awesome for that, and also, I've found that just going on Vocation retreats and meeting other people who might not be from your area is really beautiful. Sometimes dioceses have annual high school or middle school retreats and diocese-wide youth events, which can be really fun. Who knows? If you stay in touch after the retreat, it could turn into a lifelong friendship <3 - Don't be afraid to say hello. Smile! Most people are not that scary and will be nice 😊 - Don't rush it! Just like any other relationship, trust takes time to grow. And if you start to get to know the person more and discover, "oh, wow, this girl isn't who I thought she was..." then there's no harm done in taking a step back. How to keep friendships: Great! You've found a lovely friend! What's next? - Communicate! If there's a problem, talk it out. - Have so much fun together! The best friends, in my experience, are those with who you can be super serious one minute and watch singing dog videos the next. 😜 - Pray with and for them. Invite your friend (whether they are Catholic or not!) to come to Mass, youth group, adoration, etc., with you! You have a tremendous influence over the people you spend time with, and if you can lead them to Christ, that is absolutely amazing. Let Christ's light shine through you! - If things start going downhill (there's too much drama; they're heading down a wrong path and dragging you with them; they constantly complain, etc.), it's definitely okay to distance yourself from them. Who we surround ourselves with is who we become. If ending a friendship will help you be freer to follow Christ and be who He's created you to be, then it is absolutely okay to do that. It isn't easy in the moment, but it is worth it. And you WILL make more friends! 😊 And nothing says that you have to end the friendship altogether. You could still keep in touch, just not spend as much time together or as often. I've been so blessed to have wonderful friends and my boyfriend, who are leading me to Heaven. We pray together, laugh together, and have fun together. It's amazing what happens to relationships when you let God in and let Him have control. And even more importantly than any of this, Jesus is your friend. As one of my favorite songs says, "Jesus is a friend of mine!" (not actually my favorite, it's just hilarious!!) He literally became man. God became man. For YOU. To walk this journey with you. He is head over heels in love with you!! Friendship with Christ is the most important friendship you can have and nurture. All other relationships should flow from relationship with Him. I hope this post helps encourage you in your quest to find true friendship! If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to comment below. You are in my prayers! Have a great day!