Following is the “Meet a Reader” feature that appears on the book page of the current print issue of The Catholic Post.
How you know me: I am a Regional Coordinator of Parish Evangelization for the Diocese of Peoria. My region includes parishes in Champaign and Danville and the surrounding towns. Prior to moving to Champaign I coordinated the Adult Faith Program at St. Jude Catholic Church in Peoria and co-coordinated Bible Studies for Women Who Believe in Peoria.
My husband, William, was ordained a Deacon in 2012, and he serves at St. Matthew Church in Champaign. We have two amazing daughters. I am an immigrant of Indian descent. I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, where my father worked for the U.S. Embassy and my mother for the Library of Congress, and my ten siblings and I spent much of our time with our noses buried in books which my parents brought home from their respective places of work. Books were hard to come by in Kenya and we were fortunate to have the access that we did!
Why I love reading: As a child my favorite genre was Westerns – Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey. I loved the action and adventure of Westerns and I was inspired by the courage of the characters, especially the women of the “Wild West”! Yes, I wanted to be a cowgirl when I grew up. Reading gives you the ability to dream, to be inspired and to aspire to be greater than you are. I have long grown out of that genre yet this is no less true today. Whatever I am reading, it continues to challenge and inspire me. I aspire to have the courage of Mother Teresa, Edith Stein, Saint John Paul II, Abby Johnson, and the simplicity of Saint Therese. I want to be more loving, kind and merciful like Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. I want to be more spiritual and to know Jesus as I read in the Bible.
What I’m Reading Now:
The Love of God and the Cross of Jesus, Volume One
My favorite book: The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton and of course, The Bible.