Life Updates- Part 3/4: Cherish All

*This series of blog posts was originally an email series from July 2025. They have been adapted to this format.

Cherish All

Now you find yourself on July 13th, hosting a party at your apartment with your roommates. You're sitting around a table relaying all that's transpired over the last few months to a handful of friends. All the ups and downs, all the nudges, all the surrendering of finances. And yet what are you dreaming about with these friends?

The 3 of you traveling to Italy together in a month and a half for Blessed Carlo Acutis' canonization.

Um what? You were just there 2.5 months ago... AND you just offered up ALL of your finances to God for basically the next 2 years for this certification program.

Don't forget to mention that your boss is going to be out of the country for some of that time. There's ABSOLUTELY no way she'd be ok with you being out of the country too... to go back to a place you just were.

But then you flashback to June when you were at a prayer meeting with one of these friends and Blessed Carlo came up. She was determined to be at the canonization and God made it possible by moving the date of it. (You know, the date YOU were SUPPOSED to be there but ended up at Pope Francis' funeral- ya THAT date.) And this friend says she wants you there too. You laughed because again, you'd JUST been there, and there's no way you could travel there twice... right?

So you pray. Then your other friend, who was at the CatholicPsych Summit with you and witnessed the WHOLE shakedown of that occurrence, began texting you flight prices out of the blue.

Like under $400 roundtrip flight prices...

You jokingly scolded this friend and brushed it off but then the next day that other friend, who was already going, texted you again.

"St. Joseph, open the treasury!"

So now you're here, post-party, going back and forth about asking your boss for the time off. You finally decide you'll ask and for TWO WEEKS straight there's literally not one single opportunity to ask.

In the midst of that you begin the novena to St. Anne to end on her feast day, July 26th. One of your absolute favorite Saints. So you add this intention to the veryyy bottom of the list, holding it with loose hands but recognizing it could actually be possible AND in God's will.

July 25th comes. You're leaving for vacation with your family the next day. This is it.

Finally, 20 minutes before she leaves there's an opening.

You cushion the question as you hesitatingly bring it up... right before going on ANOTHER vacation.

So you know how I was supposed to go to a canonization when I was in Italy...?

"Oh ya, did they reschedule it?!"

They did... and I was never planning on going but some friends are going and turns out ticket prices are under $450 right now...

"WHAT?!"

The only problem is that the canonization is September 7th and you don't get back until the 5th. And I could [insert a quick flurry of caveats and how she can absolutely say no, etc.]

"You have to go!"

In complete shock Wow... really?? I mean I'd be back on that Monday-

"What? No I'll be back by then, stay as long as you want!"

In more complete shock I mean I still have to pay for it haha but wow, thank you!

Fast forward to July 27th and your flights are purchased and the place you're staying with 3 of your friends is yet another example of God being in every. single. detail.

You stand stunned in absolute awe...

To be continued...

Read part 4/4 here.