All Roads Lead to Rome.. man Catholic Churches

Becoming a Catholic is very challenging. It’s difficult to undo years of a secular lifestyle and, frankly, sinful beliefs. One of the church’s teachings that I’ve been trying to understand, but find hard to fully embrace, is the idea of being pro-life.

I have always believed that if I become pregnant and discover during prenatal checkups that my child has a disability, I would 100% get an abortion. I would do this because I want to make sure that my children are well taken care of, and I wouldn’t want to give them anything less than the best, whatever that means.

This is an issue I have been praying about. I have been asking the Lord to open my heart to the idea of being pro-life. I have a family member with a disability, and if his parents had the same beliefs, he would not be here today. That thought is terrifying.

This realization really made me rethink and ponder on my beliefs. Is it really altruistic to murder a life in my womb? Is it the fear of being an incompetent parent to a child who may depend on me for the rest of their life that worries me? Am I concerned about my own inconvenience? I truly want to give my child the best, but is it fair to end a life?

Everyone knows that murder is wrong. Why don’t we kill little kids? This isn’t a rhetorical question. I invite you to ask, why?

Why don’t we murder anyone, in general? Please leave a comment below if you have other answers, but the best answer I have right now is because we are robbing them of their potential life – the good and the bad.

I reflected on this: I’m considered an able-bodied person by most standards, yet I still experience pain and suffering. People can be cruel and unkind at times, and I have faced trauma. However, that doesn’t mean my life isn’t worth living. Why should it be any different for someone else?

Who gets to draw the line as how much potential suffering and hardship is too much? Why do they get to play God?

Last night, something unexpected happened. I told my aunt that if my child were found to have a disability during a future pregnancy, I would still choose to give birth to them. It felt as though the Holy Spirit had truly transformed my heart. It was as if our Heavenly Father had heard my prayers and increased my faith from 10% to 100%.

One of my favorite hobbies is to visit new churches. I love admiring the beauty of Catholic churches. I love that I am able to get a little taste of Heaven while I’m still of this world.

Today, like most Sundays, I found myself at a new place of worship for Mass. I thought I was attending a regular English Mass at Mother of Good Counsel Church in Hong Kong, but instead, it turned out to be a Mass conducted in Cantonese for an organization supporting individuals with disabilities.

It was truly inspiring to witness the effort my fellow Catholic brothers and sisters made to attend this highest form of worship. Many were in wheelchairs, others had visible physical impairments, and some faced additional challenges. Yet, despite our differences, we were united in our love for the Lord and our desire to be more like Him. Each person worshipped in their own way, depending on their level of mobility. Some kneeled, some stood, and others remained seated. It was a beautiful sight.

I was moved to see that even those with limited mobility could worship our Lord just as fervently as anyone else. What’s your excuse for not making it to Mass this Sunday?

This experience also served as a reminder of the incredible gift of mobility and good health. I should never take these blessings for granted.

As I kneeled before our Lord, I realized that I might not be able to do so in the future when I come face-to-face with Him. And you know what? I would be okay with that. Everything we have in life is a precious gift from our Lord. We are called to be grateful and to use and enjoy these blessings with intention.

During Mass, a visually impaired woman sat directly in front of me, using braille hymnals. She sang along just like the rest of us. After the service, I helped move some furniture, and one of the organizers asked me to guide the visually impaired lady to a different seat. I had the honor of holding the hand of this remarkable woman, who overcame many obstacles to fully participate in the Mass, as I guided her to her new spot.

The Lord reveals miracles to us every single day. Today, I was able to recognize one clearly, even though on most days it’s harder to see them.

Please share in the comments a miracle that our Lord has shown you! I would love to hear your story. God bless!