Bismarck Blessings

Last week Wednesday, God lined up everything in my busy fall life so that I could attend the University of Mary Prayer Day in Bismarck, ND, with my mom and our friend Mary Beth.

Fr. Mike Schmitz was the keynote speaker this year, and people came from all over North and South Dakota--Rapid City, Fargo, and Cresbard :) --to hear his address on Christian Adulting. (His first word of advice? Stop using adulting as a verb.) Got it. :)

It was an honor to hear his message on how to take personal responsibility for our faith lives and especially to celebrate mass after the address.

Before the conference began, I saw that our dear family friends had sat down in the row ahead of us. Even though we only live 30 miles from each other, we hadn't really visited in person in a long time--a year or two maybe? So that was a fabulous way to start the day. After mass, Mary Beth got to visiting with the couple sitting beside her. As it turns out, she was raised not far from where I now live and still has family in the area. We visited with them for quite awhile, and as is typical, were the last ones to leave the arena. 

Just as we were getting into our car, I spotted Fr. Mike and his college student drivers leaving the venue. Mary Beth and I ran up to him like two teenagers and asked for a photo with him. He was so kind to agree, and I did make sure to use my few seconds to thank him and tell him how much we have appreciated his work in our small South Dakota parish. I'm not sure I have ever had the courage to go "fan girl" on anyone, so I guess a Catholic priest was a safe place to start. :)

It was such an amazing day of blessings. It is often so easy for me to get overwhelmed by the world and my own personal anxieties. Taking a road trip with my mom and long-time friend, being in the presence of so many Catholics of all ages (including old and new friends) who are taking an active interest in their faith (evident by the standing room only crowd), and taking in both a keynote address and mass with Fr. Mike Schmitz--wow--God is so good. 

Our family has been and is being blessed by so many good and faithful priests in our parishes.

Please keep all of them in your prayers.