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I am not a mom. But I am an unmitigated fan.

There are so many great moms in my life. My own mom is an enthusiastic, gregarious, saintly woman with a heart bigger than her body. Mom has dedicated her life to the service of others. For many years, her specialty was painting, cleaning, and organizing the homes of others – particularly nuns. To this day, her friends often refer to her as St. Margaret of Steubenville.

Now in her seventies, mom has slowed down a bit, but she and dad still attended exercise classes several times per week… until mom broke her leg a few days ago. As I write this, my wife and I, along with a gaggle of our younger kids, are on our way to visit her. We’re bringing her a get-well-soon card with a Bob Evans gift card enclosed, a get-well balloon, and pink roses (the latter two items deemed vital by my nine year old daughter).

My mom is the greatest.

My wife is another great mom in my life. Of course, I take some of the credit, being the one who got her into that mom sort of way. As I like to say, we’re still in the honeymoon phase, having been married only 27 years. We have eight children, one grandchild, and another on the way.

It’s a profound honor, really, and one that really defies adequate description, to be one with a woman who you’re crazy about. I’m a hopeless romantic, and probably drive my wife batty with my continuing pursuit of her after all these years. But as one of my good friends says, I “married up” and tell you what – she’s just plain cute. So even if she rolls her eyes when I tell people how much I love her, I don’t care.

My wife is the greatest.

But as much as I am a devoted son and husband, and love these two moms that I feel so privileged to have in my life, there is one more who is even more special. You guessed it, it’s our mother, the one, the only Blessed Virgin Mary.

You see, it’s through Mary that I became Catholic – the single greatest gift of my life. Scott Hahn gave me a rosary many years ago, and I started praying it (as a Presbyterian!) and what happened was nothing short of astonishing. I fell in love with the Church.

Mary is – truly – the greatest.

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I wrote my latest book, How God Hauled Me Kicking and Screaming Into the Catholic Church, partly for moms. Moms who need some encouragement in their faith. Moms who have others in their lives who have left the Church, or need a little nudge in the right direction. It’s written with skeptics in mind – and there are lots of them.

I’m eternally grateful for the moms in my life, for their love, and their prayers. Even during my troubled youth, my mom never gave up praying for me. Neither will our mother Mary. She’s the greatest mom of all.

 

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Copyright 2016 Kevin Lowry

klAbout the author: Kevin Lowry is the author of How God Hauled Me Kicking and Screaming Into the Catholic Church and Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck.  He is the CFO of a digital marketing company. Kevin and his wife have eight children. Visit his website at gratefulconvert.com.