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Suffering in silence
Infertility is deeply personal. Some people might choose to “suffer in silence” because for personal reasons they don't want to talk about infertility with many others. Some people feel they can't because it's taboo in their culture or family. Some may have tried to talk about it and didn't receive a supportive response. There are many reasons you might remain private about your infertility so we opened up the discussion to some of our writers to share their experiences.

thefruitfulhollow
Jul 308 min read


Roll away the stone: Pope Francis’ words of hope
In my journey through the Christian life, certain spiritual mentors have guided and shaped me in profound ways. In college, it was St....

Katie Wilson
Jun 254 min read


Good Friday and infertility: death and resurrection
Then, Easter changed. It became a season of darkness and perpetual death. This darkness settled in my heart after we miscarried our first and only biological child. I was left barren and fruitless. Although Jesus died and resurrected, I remained dead inside because my fertility was dead and would never resurrect.
Sonia-Maria Szymanski
Apr 186 min read


Lingering on Holy Thursday
There's a beautiful juxtaposition on this night between anticipation and dread, the not yet and the soon-to-be; the long-awaited and much-feared, a holy tension.

Shelby Gambino
Apr 173 min read


Judith’s call to action: being fruitful where God places you
Society tends to define a woman's fruitfulness by her ability to bear children. This concept of fruitfulness is narrow and can leave those..

Rachel Walters
Oct 2, 20245 min read


The Night is Dark: a reflection on The Letters
Dear Sisters, while the title of this post may seem grim or intimidating, I promise you there will be just as much light as there is dark ..

C. J. Parke
Sep 4, 20246 min read


Shiloh IVF Ministry: a first-of-its-kind outreach for IVF healing
Shiloh IVF Ministry has formed as a new ministry, uniquely set up to accompany and serve women, men and couples who are struggling with heal

Shiloh IVF Ministry
Aug 15, 20243 min read


Walking with St. Dymphna
Sisters, have you ever felt anxiety over a situation beyond your control? Believed that you could never be loved because of what was...

C. J. Parke
May 14, 20243 min read


Through the eyes of infertility: a collection of insights, part 2
“I’m going to be honest with you because someone needs to be. At your current weight, you have no business trying to conceive”. I steady...

thefruitfulhollow
Apr 24, 20247 min read


When being open to life takes you into the unknown, part 2
(You can read part 1 of this series here.) I was staring at the ultrasound machine, hearing the explanation of how early it can pick up a...

thefruitfulhollow
Mar 6, 20242 min read


Infertility on screen: part 1
It was movie night. I thought I was sitting down to watch a light-hearted horror movie (Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice). Instead, I had stumbled..

Brandy Norton
Jan 10, 20243 min read


Following the Holy Family while carrying the cross of infertility
Society wants us to believe that a marriage is only fruitful when children come from it. If that were the case, what would be the purpose...
Sonia-Maria Szymanski
Dec 27, 20235 min read


PMS and the imprints of fruitfulness
On a recent morning, I was in the throes of PMS (sometimes this verges on its more severe form, PMDD). I was tired after a restless night...
Maria G.
Dec 6, 20233 min read


Is suffering a blessing from God?
It is a precarious concept to open your mind and heart enough to ponder if suffering is a blessing from God. When I first began to write...

Brittany Wahhab
Nov 8, 20234 min read


When your child experiences infertility: your story
On July 26 the Church celebrates the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, parents of Our Lady, and the fourth Sunday of July is therefore known..

thefruitfulhollow
Jul 25, 20238 min read


Letters of encouragement: low self-esteem
How on earth could I worship an all-loving God week after week but believe He made a mistake when He made me? ...

Mary Thissen
Jun 7, 20233 min read


Holy Saturdays of our lives
A wise and holy priest once told me that we don’t get to Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Simply put, we must go through suffering to...

Mary Thissen
Apr 8, 20233 min read


New wineskins
Our priest talked about how sin results in death – a moral death and existential death. Moral death in a person causes confusion, and the..

Brittany Wahhab
Apr 4, 20234 min read


Sadness and despair: you are not alone
Struggling with infertility or loss can be a time of deep pain and sorrow, even to the point of having suicidal thoughts. Social media is...

Lauren G.
Mar 15, 20233 min read


The hem of His garment
There have been so many times in the depths of my grief when I felt as if I, too, was hanging on to that single thread. After my losses...

Kimberly Camosse
Mar 8, 20232 min read
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