US Olympic speedskater now a Franciscan nun

Twelve years ago at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, a 17-year-old speedskating prodigy named Kirstin Holum was tapped for future greatness.

When Holum placed sixth in the 3,000 meters - one of the most grueling disciplines in the women's program, a lung-scraping four-minute bust of lactic acid torture - speedskating insiders predicted a golden future and speculated she may not even reach her peak for another decade.

Read the story at CathNews.

In her own words from The Franciscan website:

" 'Love is not loved!' St. Francis of Assisi. Throughout most of my life, I was searching for the one true love. The love to fill a void in my heart that the "world" created in me. Not knowing or realizing or even contemplating the fact that Jesus was the answer, I strayed far from Him in many ways during college. I had blocked out a calling I had in Fatima at the age of sixteen. "You're going to be a sister:" I heard in prayer before the holy Eucharist. Jesus, through Mary, wanted to prepare my heart, to give him room right then, but over time I stopped listening to him. And start listening to the culture. A culture, which we all know, is full of lies, deceit, and false ideas of love."

"After college. I moved home, imagining myself in a career as an artist or photographer, still not finding peace. Then the prayers of my patient mother were finally heard. By the grace of God, I ended up on a pro-life walk across America, called "crossroads". After three months of daily Mass, countless rosaries, a good Confession, and learning more about our rich Catholic faith, we arrived in Toronto for World Youth Day. My heart was ready. Jesus broke through the "noise"of the culture and healed my heart. When I met the CFR's , I saw in them such immense joy that I knew could only come from their love for Jesus. "I want to love Jesus radically like they do", I thought to myself. When I first visited the sisters later that year, I did not see visions or hear voices from heaven, telling me that this was it, but I found peace; true peace, which was Jesus' gentle voice inviting me deeper into His merciful heart, closer to Him, the one true Love."


Related:

 US Speedskater took leap of faith

Sister Catherine, Olympic Speedskater
-

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated and are published at the blogger's discretion.

Blog Archive

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

The Spirituality and Miracles of St. Clare of Assisi

Image
August 11 is the memorial of St. Clare, one of my favorite saints. She was the first woman to follow the life of radical poverty practiced by St. Francis of Assisi and is the co-founder of the Poor Clares. Although I am not a Franciscan, I have had Franciscan friends, clergy, and spiritual directors instruct me on the beauty of St. Clare's spirituality. I have also learned a great deal from reading about her over the years. Clare and Francis (2007) is a film which depicts the fascinating story of her dramatic conversion and surrender to the will of God. St. Clare is the patron saint of television. She is also the patron of eye disorders, embroiderers, good weather, and telephones. The Contemplative Life The Lady Clare was born into a noble family in Assisi in 1193 and was admired for her great beauty. When she heard Francis of Assisi preach his Lenten homilies at the Church of San Giorgio, she was captivated by his words. At age eighteen, she heard him say: "When the
Read more

Saint Michael de Sanctis: Patron of Cancer Patients

Image
Today is the feast of Saint Michael de Sanctis, also known as St. Michael of the Saints, a Spanish Discalced Trinitarian priest, the patron of cancer patients. Michael Argemir was born on September 29, 1591 at Vic, Catalonia, Spain. At age 6, he told his parents that he planned to become a monk and began modeling his life after Saint Francis of Assisi. Michael’s parents died when he was about ten years old. He then served as an apprentice with a local merchant. During this apprenticeship, he continued his fervent devotion to the Lord, especially to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the age of 12, he joined the Trinitarian Friars at Barcelona, taking his vows at St. Lambert’s monastery in Saragosa four years later.  Shortly afterwards, Michael expressed a desire to join the reformed group of Trinitarians and was given permission to do so. He went to the Novitiate at Madrid and, after studies at Seville and Salamanca, he was ordained a priest. Twice he served as Superior of the hou
Read more

Saint Gerard of Brogne: Patron of Abbots

Image
St. Gerard was born to a noble family in Staves, Belgium, in 895. He descended from a royal line of military men and at first felt a share in this call to arms. He trained for the army and, as a page of the count of Namur, he was sent on a special mission to the French court. There, Gerard realized that he was being called to the monastic life. He stayed in France and joined the Benedictines of St. Denis, abandoning his noble birthright and all his worldly possessions. He spent eleven years in France as a monk before becoming a priest. Following his ordination, he left for Belgium in order to found a new abbey on his own estate of Brogne. He was its abbot for twenty-two years and during that period was instrumental in introducing St. Benedict's Rule into numerous houses in Flanders, Lorraine and Champagne.He became known for his engaging sweetness of temper, his strict observance of the Rule of St. Benedict and for the replacement of lukewarm religious practice with true piety.
Read more