As a married Catholic lay woman, it is perhaps surprising (not least to me) that my personal vocation and the mission I have with my husband does not include children of our own. The moment people I meet know I am married, it is almost always followed up with the question, “Do you have children?” […]
Author: Ann Yeong
A bigger and wilder God
In the months before I left for university, my mother was advised by some well-meaning church friends not to let me study philosophy because – as they said – they have known of other young people who have “lost their faith” after studying philosophy. I am very grateful that my mum had enough faith in […]
Rich in doubt and love
Recently, a friend whom I haven’t spoken to in a while asked me how I was doing over Telegram chat. I summed up my answer to her in this phrase – “This season has been rich in doubt and consolations.” My friend expressed surprise that I would choose to describe doubt as “rich” and her […]
Bless the little ones
Is there anything more delightful and healing than the innocence of pure love? It has been two days and I am still deeply moved by the adorable encounter Miko had with a neighbour’s baby girl. What is it about that encounter that is such a peak moment for me? Why was that tableau somehow so […]
Holding space for those who question their faith
For some months now, I have found myself questioning why I believe what I believe. It isn’t the first time in my life I have felt compelled to ask questions, and although the questions are not new, I know that the “answers” I seek are. I was baptised into the Roman Catholic faith when I […]
A Spirituality of Homemaking
Almost exactly 3 years ago, I wrote a post on Finding God in House-work. I felt a prompt to revisit this topic again of late. Circumstances have changed since that post I wrote. For one, my home has also become my primary work and living space for the past 3 years. It is where I […]
Getting in touch with my soul’s restless hunger this Lent
“Giving something up” during Lent this season feels rather empty and meaningless to me. Instead I feel that I need to get in touch with the restless hunger in my soul in a different way. Through being present to the disconnect I experience in things both “sacred” and “profane”. By sitting mutely in petulant surrender […]
Why, my soul, this Penance?
There was a scene in a Netflix TV series I watched recently that struck me. Set in 17th century Mexico, a 17 year old Carmelite postulant, Juana, was asked by another sister to kneel while in prayer. Obediently, she knelt, but then asked, “Why do we always have to kneel?” The other sister replied, “Because […]
A fruitful darkness
Even in the midst of the waiting, He is working. He is restoring and healing and rebuilding, sometimes most especially when we can’t see it or feel it… The work Our Lord is doing in the midst of darkness can sometimes only be seen after the dawn, in the light of His resurrection. – Ana Hahn, “Rooted […]