Many thanks to the new campus minister at Peoria Notre Dame, Rebecca Sitte, for agreeing to be my Meet a Reader this month.
How we know you: Originally from North Dakota, I moved to the Peoria diocese six years ago while working with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). Currently, I’m working at Peoria Notre Dame High School as a full-time campus minister, where I plan class retreats, start small group Bible studies, and offer mission trips. PND students receive a great religious education, and with campus ministry, we hope to provide more opportunities for students to truly encounter Jesus Christ and to see just how relevant He is to their daily lives.
Why I love reading: Reading opens the mind and heart to new ideas and can help us grow. I’ve loved to read since I was a small child, and I still enjoy gaining new knowledge and new perspectives from different books. And it’s a great way to unwind! In the past couple of years, most of the books that I’ve read are about the faith in some way or another. I especially love to read the lives of the saints and to hear how God has worked in their lives—it helps me to see how He’s working in my life today.
What I’m reading now: I usually have a stack of eight books on my nightstand! Right now I’m reading The World’s First Love by Fulton Sheen. I love the way Sheen writes—it’s engaging and insightful, and this book has helped me to see Mary in a new light. I’m also reading Interior Freedom by Jacques Philippe. It’s a wonderful book with practical advice on how we can maintain peace in our hearts even in the midst of exterior trials.
My favorite book: My favorite book is the Bible. Even though I’ve read some passages time and time again, I still learn something new every time I pick it up! A few of my other favorites include Story of a Soul (St. Therese of Lisieux), God is Love (Pope Benedict XVI), The Lamb’s Supper (Scott Hahn), and Letters to a Young Catholic(George Weigel).