I first met Kim Heilman as the newly married, Mrs. Heilman, Old Testament religion teacher at St. Mary’s High School in Bismarck. She had a BA in Art History and English literature and an MA in Catholic studies and had lived through cultural relativism, coming out on the other end embracing her Catholic faith. It was a journey, however, in which she had to break off an engagement and cling to Catholic teachings no matter the cost.
I am
condensing Kim’s story here, which first appeared in Amazing
Grace for Families book. She writes at: Musings
from the Home.
I am
condensing Kim’s story here, which first appeared in Amazing
Grace for Families book. She writes at: Musings
from the Home.
First Sign of Trouble
The trouble began two months before her
departure when her fiancé Brian insisted on getting married in his Protestant church. “It
surprised me how much it bothered me,” Kim explained. “Even though I had long
ago ceased to be a true Catholic, I had harbored little-girl fantasies of
getting married in my hometown parish.”
departure when her fiancé Brian insisted on getting married in his Protestant church. “It
surprised me how much it bothered me,” Kim explained. “Even though I had long
ago ceased to be a true Catholic, I had harbored little-girl fantasies of
getting married in my hometown parish.”
Her
friend Jason noticed her long face that evening. He suggested that Kim go to confession
to feel better.
friend Jason noticed her long face that evening. He suggested that Kim go to confession
to feel better.
“Confession? If I had not been so down, I might have
laughed. I did not even remember how to go it had been so long,” she said.
laughed. I did not even remember how to go it had been so long,” she said.
But Jason was not deterred. “Tomorrow night
at seven. The Newman Center. See you there.” Kim showed up at the
appointed time, confessed her sins—or at least all the ones she could remember
to jot down in her notes—and a door opened that would soon lead her to a new
world.
at seven. The Newman Center. See you there.” Kim showed up at the
appointed time, confessed her sins—or at least all the ones she could remember
to jot down in her notes—and a door opened that would soon lead her to a new
world.
Two months later, Kim was on a plane to
Athens, Greece for her final semester of college studying abroad. The couple
had cried when she boarded the plane, hating to be separated for so long. Yet Kim was excited for the adventure before her.
Athens, Greece for her final semester of college studying abroad. The couple
had cried when she boarded the plane, hating to be separated for so long. Yet Kim was excited for the adventure before her.
The first stop, Greece, was enthralling,
although getting hit by a taxi in Athens during a morning jog would hinder Kim’s
activity. She missed out on some of the
sightseeing while resting her injured knee then rejoined the group on a limited
basis for a trip to the ruins of Mycenae.
although getting hit by a taxi in Athens during a morning jog would hinder Kim’s
activity. She missed out on some of the
sightseeing while resting her injured knee then rejoined the group on a limited
basis for a trip to the ruins of Mycenae.
“Instead of climbing all over the ruins, I
simply had to sit at the gates and wait for them to return,” she said. “I
limped over to a stone wall facing the sunset and slumped down, resting my head
against the rock.” Her friend Jason had
noticed and dropped off some prayer cards to keep her busy.
simply had to sit at the gates and wait for them to return,” she said. “I
limped over to a stone wall facing the sunset and slumped down, resting my head
against the rock.” Her friend Jason had
noticed and dropped off some prayer cards to keep her busy.
Kim put them aside and reflected. She was learning more about the Catholic
Church on the trip and finding deep meaning in its teachings. She wanted to share it with Brian but he was
unenthused.
Church on the trip and finding deep meaning in its teachings. She wanted to share it with Brian but he was
unenthused.
“He especially did not understand the Church’s
teaching on contraception,” Kim said. “He could not accept that I was suddenly
making an issue out of this. We loved one another, we were going to get
married, but were not ready to have children—end of story, for him. Neither of
us had a true understanding of love as sacrifice. To us, the physical union of
a man and woman was nothing more than expressing one’s emotions.”
teaching on contraception,” Kim said. “He could not accept that I was suddenly
making an issue out of this. We loved one another, we were going to get
married, but were not ready to have children—end of story, for him. Neither of
us had a true understanding of love as sacrifice. To us, the physical union of
a man and woman was nothing more than expressing one’s emotions.”
Kim began to open her eyes to the beauty of
the Church’s teachings. “I wanted to say yes to God, but it was complicated.
Sitting on the mountainside with my painful knee and mulling over my relationship,
I felt depressed.”
the Church’s teachings. “I wanted to say yes to God, but it was complicated.
Sitting on the mountainside with my painful knee and mulling over my relationship,
I felt depressed.”
It
occurred to her to pray. She flipped through the prayer cards and stopped on
St. Raphael the Archangel, the patron saint of healing and of marriages. She prayed the prayer on the back and felt as
if St. Raphael was sitting right next to her.
occurred to her to pray. She flipped through the prayer cards and stopped on
St. Raphael the Archangel, the patron saint of healing and of marriages. She prayed the prayer on the back and felt as
if St. Raphael was sitting right next to her.
After a few moments, the group began to
climb down the ruins, heading back to the bus. Kim stood up to make her way
back too. To her surprise, the pain in her knee had completely disappeared. “Nothing like this had ever happened to me
before,” Kim said. “I could walk without
pain. God must have healed me! I couldn’t wait to share this amazing event
with Brian.”
climb down the ruins, heading back to the bus. Kim stood up to make her way
back too. To her surprise, the pain in her knee had completely disappeared. “Nothing like this had ever happened to me
before,” Kim said. “I could walk without
pain. God must have healed me! I couldn’t wait to share this amazing event
with Brian.”
An Ultimatum
Brian was not impressed, claiming that the
saints were just dead humans unable to help anyone. Still, Kim continued
learning and embracing the faith. The professors
leading the group were a Benedictine sister and the other a Catholic convert. Kim’s friend Jason in addition to extensive
reading, also filled her with a new understanding of the Catholic faith in a short
time.
saints were just dead humans unable to help anyone. Still, Kim continued
learning and embracing the faith. The professors
leading the group were a Benedictine sister and the other a Catholic convert. Kim’s friend Jason in addition to extensive
reading, also filled her with a new understanding of the Catholic faith in a short
time.
“When I learned about Natural Family
Planning as a completely natural way for couples to understand their fertility
and embrace its cycle in union with God’s natural plan, I instantly quit taking
birth control and began praying the rosary,” Kim said.
Planning as a completely natural way for couples to understand their fertility
and embrace its cycle in union with God’s natural plan, I instantly quit taking
birth control and began praying the rosary,” Kim said.
Guess who was not excited about that? “My two loves were opposed to one another,”
Kim said. “I wanted to give myself fully
to both of them but felt ripped apart.
Every night, I soaked my pillow with tears.”
Kim said. “I wanted to give myself fully
to both of them but felt ripped apart.
Every night, I soaked my pillow with tears.”
While in Rome, Brian emailed Kim. If
she refused to use contraception, there was no way their relationship would
work out. By this time, there was no way
Kim was going to turn her back on Catholic teaching. It had to be over.
she refused to use contraception, there was no way their relationship would
work out. By this time, there was no way
Kim was going to turn her back on Catholic teaching. It had to be over.
Following her Heart
Kim’s family did not understand what had
happened to her and thought she was making a big mistake breaking off her
engagement. She felt so alone. Being
suddenly single and unsure of her future, Kim enrolled for a master degree in Catholic Studies with the University
of St. Thomas.
happened to her and thought she was making a big mistake breaking off her
engagement. She felt so alone. Being
suddenly single and unsure of her future, Kim enrolled for a master degree in Catholic Studies with the University
of St. Thomas.
The following summer, Kim met Shawn, a
recent graduate from college who was just returning to the Catholic faith. They
immediately hit it off and talked until dawn.
“When Kim heard he had not gone to confession in many years, she told
him he needed to go. “I expected never hear from him again,” she said.
recent graduate from college who was just returning to the Catholic faith. They
immediately hit it off and talked until dawn.
“When Kim heard he had not gone to confession in many years, she told
him he needed to go. “I expected never hear from him again,” she said.
Instead, the following week Shawn
called. “I went to confession. Can I come over and see you now?”
called. “I went to confession. Can I come over and see you now?”
After a few casual dates, Kim gave Shawnthe book, Good
News About Sex & Marriage by Christopher West, which outlines the
Catholic teaching, derived from Scripture, on the role of sex in marriage. She
informed him that if their relationship was to go further, he would need to
agree with everything in the book. Two
days later he had read the book cover to cover. “Okay, when can we start
dating?” he asked.
They’ve been happily married for 12 years
now and are the parents to six children with another on the way. They never would have married at all and
there likely would be a few less children in the world, if Kim had not chosen
God over contraception. “I was willing
to give up everything to follow God,” Kim said. “But instead, God has blessed
me more than I could have ever imagined.”
now and are the parents to six children with another on the way. They never would have married at all and
there likely would be a few less children in the world, if Kim had not chosen
God over contraception. “I was willing
to give up everything to follow God,” Kim said. “But instead, God has blessed
me more than I could have ever imagined.”
~~~~~~~~~
For more inspiration check out Patti’s latest book: Holy Hacks: Everyday Ways to Live Your Faith & Get to Heaven. Other books include: Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories from Everyday Families and the best-selling Amazing Grace Series.
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