September is here! Fall is in the air and we have a new voice for the “Why I Love Being Catholic” series. Jennifer of Fiore Design Studio joins us this month and I’m excited to feature an artist. I can’t draw a straight line, so I’m always so expressed with those that create with their hands. With Christmas coming up, I’d recommend checking out her Etsy shop for something a little unique. I really enjoyed Jennifer’s answers, especially reading about her Easter experience in Rome. Please check out Jennifer’s shop and you can follow her on Instagram @fioresesignmama and, also, on Facebook. Please welcome, Jennifer, a homeschooling momma of four, a wife, artist, singer, and awesome Catholic woman.
- Are you a cradle Catholic or a convert?
I am a cradle Catholic whose parents were not very religious at all. I was actually baptized when I was 10 years old alongside my seven-year-old brother and three-year-old sister. All of us were baptized at the same time! Faith, however, didn’t become a big part of my life until I was in high school and enrolled in a private Catholic school. I learned so much about what being Catholic actually meant and the importance of actually practicing my faith in the four years I was in high school. So maybe the better answer is, I’m both!
- Who is your favorite saint, and why?
That’s a hard question, as it really seems to shift as I get older, or whether or not I’m dealing with a hardship or abundance in my life. Right now, with all the tumult going on in the Church, I’ve really loved getting to know St. Catherine of Siena. Her humility, coupled alongside her fearless call for reform within the church in areas she perceived as being heretical or hypocritical is inspiring to someone like me, who shies away from conflict. She’s been such a good example of understanding the obedience aspect of our faith, but also how, as the laity, we are called upon to bring light to the darkness. I’ve really been encouraged by her example and come to really love her.
- What has been your favorite Catholic place that you’ve visited? Where do you hope to visit?
I had the great blessing of studying abroad in Rome when I was in college, and we went to St. Peter’s for the Easter mass. We stood in line for five hours! But it was so worth it. The Mass, the breathtaking setting of St. Peter’s decorated for Easter, the faithful gathered all together was just about the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had. Easter has always been my absolute favorite and to be able to celebrate it in such a beautiful space changed me for sure. Someday I really hope to be able to visit the Holy Land. I haven’t made it there yet, four littles at home makes it difficult to take certain trips for sure, but it’s definitely on my bucket list! So hopefully one day I’ll finally be able to go!
- What’s a misconception you hear frequently about the Catholic Church? What’s the truth of it?
It’s amazing to me how many people have tried to push the lie that Catholics are not Christians! I haven’t done enough research into it to discover their basis for their assertions but growing up in a very diverse group of people, I was accused many times of not being a Christian because I was Catholic. The simple answer is, of course, we are. No, we do not believe Mother Mary or any of the saints are demigods of any kind and our faith is absolutely rooted in Jesus Christ, but there are definitely a lot of misconceptions out there based solely on the misinformation that we believe otherwise. Which is, of course, preposterous!
- Besides the Eucharist, what’s your favorite part of the Mass?
The hymns. I love to sing! Someday when my kids are older and are more able to sit in Mass without needing constant encouragement to be quiet and to sit still (my two youngest are three and one) I hope that I can join our parish choir. I think music has such an amazing power to uplift the soul, I love hearing a whole congregation singing together in praise of our God. This year we also started homeschooling for the first time and one of the first subjects we started incorporating into our lesson plans were hymn memorization. I’ve always wanted to be able to sing some of the hymns without having to pick up the book, and now I’m getting the opportunity! So far we’ve done Be Thou My Vision, Oh Mary of Graces and now this month we’re working on the Angelus.
- Why do you love being Catholic?
I feel like this is one of those questions that is easy in your head to answer, but harder to put into words! I love the prayers, the Saints, the emphasis on the importance of Mary, and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist! I love that I’m able to be a part of the original church, handed down by Jesus to his disciples, I mean, that’s pretty amazing! Another aspect of the faith that I love is that it roots itself in truth and logic. We rely both on the Bible, and logic to support the doctrine of our faith. If you have a question about the teachings of the Church, there are logical arguments that back up what is being taught and practiced. Of course, there are times when I struggle with the theology behind certain doctrine, but even so, there are proofs for me to wrestle with and that’s really important to me.
