“That was what it took for me to believe.” | Olivia McCarthy

Although she grew up in the Catholic faith and even attended Catholic school, Olivia McCarthy found herself as a young adult, recently married, and a new mom living in a new city asking God to help her believe in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Inspired by the faith of others, she longed to believe in Jesus and give him everything. Hear how her life changed after praying that prayer, how her conviction grew, and how the Eucharist has sustained her through various trials and seasons.

(00:50) We meet our guest, Olivia McCarthy, a wife and mom to four with one on the way, and a parishioner at St. Anastasia. She shares how she and her husband first met and shares their experience of moving to Texas early in their marriage, shortly after they had their first child. 

(06:26) She describes meeting her best friend in Texas through a parish and shares that, although she was raised Catholic and knew her faith, she wasn’t especially invested in her faith at that time of her life. 

(10:40) Olivia shares how she came across an upcoming women’s retreat in her parish’s bulletin in Texas that she ended up attending. She describes what it was like going to that event and being struck by the faith the other women had in their Eucharistic devotion. 

(15:31) She shares how when she was there, she knew she wanted to have a stronger faith in Jesus in the Eucharist, like the women she was praying with. She describes steps she took to seek to grow in her faith following that moment.

(21:46) She shares a specific experience she had following praying a novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots in which she received an insight in a dream from Mary that helped her develop a firm conviction in Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. Fr. Mario comments on the ways that the Lord can speak to us even in dreams.

(27:04) Olivia shares how this newfound conviction affected her, by leading her to the Sacrament of Confession and to developing a habit of going to the adoration chapel regularly, in every circumstance of her life. She describes how Jesus’ Eucharistic presence has been a safe place for her to turn during especially challenging seasons of her life. 

(31:49) She describes how her belief in the Eucharist has affected her approach to the Mass and to her understanding of the presence of the Communion of Saints at every celebration of the Mass. Olivia also shares how her Eucharistic faith has affected her children. 

(37:49) Fr. Mario asks Olivia to offer some encouragement to any listeners who may be struggling with belief in the real presence and she invites them to be open to whatever the Lord puts in front of them.