The Office of Catechesis, special to The Message
By Emily Hamilton
The Diocese of Evansville Office of Catechesis will be introducing readers to Catholics from across our 12 counties for whom sharing the beauty of the Catholic Faith is a joy. In the first installment, we meet Emily Hamilton of Holy Redeemer Parish in Evansville.
How and where do you experience God?
Without fail, no matter my state of mind, I experience God and his capacity to meet me where I am during Eucharistic Adoration. But I also experience God when hiking; whether it’s through a trail in the Hoosier National Forest or a hike during this past summer's trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, God's fingerprints are all over the natural beauty in our environment.
Why is your faith important to you?
It seems more than ever there is an endless stream of opinions and ideas presented to us regardless of whether we request it. The noise of the world can become immediately overwhelming, and yet my faith is that barometer or moral compass that centers me back to Christ and HIS opinions and ideas for my life.
How do you nurture your faith life?
Beyond time in the adoration chapel and Relevant Radio, my Cursillo group, consisting of six awe-inspiring women, meets weekly to share in each other's faith journey and navigate the culture through the lens of the Catholic Church. They no doubt have been the inspiration, strength, and courage to try to live "Catholically" different than certain modern values would agree with.
How does your Catholic faith shape the way you live?
My husband and I try to show our kids that the Catholic faith is not something you only participate in on Sunday, but that it's part of each day carried out through prayer and action. But for me personally, my faith has relieved me of so much anxiety and worry because little by little, I am able to trust in God's plan even when it seems to bring a heavier cross than I thought I could carry.
How do you share your faith with others?
St. Mother Teresa said that "It is not enough for us to say, 'I love God, but I do not love my neighbor.'" For me, sharing faith must first be done through action; and that action must be rooted in love for my neighbor. That can obviously be a challenge, like when that "neighbor" is your son who has removed his own poopy diaper or his older sister who painted her face orange; but we're all works in progress and parenting allows for numerous opportunities to practice love!
Emily and Heath Hamilton have three children: Leopold, 7, Phoebe, 3 ½, and Bennett, 1 ½. They are expecting their fourth child in April 2020. They are members of Holy Redeemer Parish in Evansville.