Busted Halo

2 months ago | bustedhalo.com | Sarah Garone

For years, I had heard great things about Well-Read Mom, a national Catholic women’s book club — but had never had a chance to join. Then last year a friend invited me to the chapter that meets once a month in her home. I was more than ready to dive into discussion of great books with like-minded ladies. As a serious bibliophile, I get a little lonely reading in isolation. I hoped for deep literary discussion with fellow women of faith.

Mar 22, 2024 | bustedhalo.com | Theresa Kiser

As my infant son struggled with a difficult medical condition over the last few years, I found myself in the midst of caregiving like I had never experienced before. During that time, I stumbled across an old devotion: the Seven Sorrows of Mary. So, finding a connection with the Blessed Mother in my sorrow and hers, I found myself meditating on the Passion and Death of Jesus in a new way.

Jan 3, 2024 | bustedhalo.com | Samantha M. Smith

At the end of 2022, I had a lot of changes happening in my life all at the same time. After nearly a decade working for the Catholic Church in various roles, I started a new job in a secular work environment. I also moved into a new home, and relationships with some friends were shifting. In the midst of so much change, coming up with a list of goals felt overwhelming.

Oct 15, 2023 | bustedhalo.com | Anna Sevilla

“It’s just, just…” my patient stammered as tears welled up into her eyes. “It’s just not fair.” I completed her sentence as I leaned in and gave her a consoling hug, which opened up a flood of tears from her eyes and trembling sobs. “It’s not fair that I have to go through this, that my children have to go through this. They are so young,” she continued. “I know. I know,” I said. “It’s not.” That’s all I could say as I offered her a listening ear and compassionate understanding.

Aug 7, 2023 | bustedhalo.com | Theresa Kiser

My first kiss with my now-husband took place at the pinnacle of castle ruins. In Spain. At sunset. I was 18 and couldn’t imagine a moment more perfect. I had fallen for Seth, a caring, thoughtful boy four years prior, and now — finally, surrounded by all this — he had fallen for me too. We were abroad with another friend on the Camino de Santiago, walking more than 20 kilometers per day toward our pilgrimage destination. It was a setting ripe for serious thought and deep conversations.