Taylor Buckley

I converted to Catholicism when I was attending the University of Notre Dame. Having grown up Protestant, I had what I thought was a strong relationship with Jesus, but when I would attend mass with my friends in the dorms, I began to develop a deep desire for the Eucharist. When I was younger, I would attend Catholic Church with my grandparents, so I understood that there was something special about that time when I would have to just cross my arms. Attending a Catholic University, it was easy to enter into an RCIA program, and I came into the Church my sophomore year. Unfortunately, despite receiving the grace of confirmation, I lived a life not reflective of the faith.

Most of my adult Catholic life was spent in sin, not overly committed to the sacraments including even my marital sacrament. At the start of COVID, I was in a really dark place, completely obsessed with myself, not committed to my family, and unable to talk to God. My grandpa was sick, the world was shut down, and I had no words for God, but I knew I needed Him. A friend had invited me to a Women’s Study group and someone mentioned that I should think about praying the Rosary. I had never prayed the Rosary before, so I looked for an app to help me and stumbled upon Hallow. In tears, on my knees, I prayed my first Rosary and it changed my life. I was filled with a desire to truly understand the faith, not just brush off teachings I didn’t agree with, but truly see the beauty in all the Catholic Church is. I had a reversion that changed my marriage, my parenting, and most importantly, my relationship with Jesus. I began to explore more Catholic prayers on Hallow and eventually connected with the founders who were also ND alums. A few months after my initial exposure to the Rosary on Hallow, I quit my secular startup job and joined Hallow full-time. It has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I went from living a life focused on myself to serving God through my work, and even getting involved with my own parish which resulted in me being on the Parish Council. I can now confidently say that I LOVE being Catholic. I have so much reverence for the beauty and tradition of our faith and feel blessed to have been called into the Church all those years ago. But more importantly, my marriage and my parenting have been elevated as I strive to live out my main vocation as a wife and mother.