By Thuy Oanh (Mary) McDaniel
It is through the grace of Our Blessed Mother that I have sustained my faith.
I was born into a family with no faith. My father was a communist, and my mother and sisters follow Confucianism.
When I was a little girl growing up in Hanoi, Vietnam, I used to see beautiful statues of Mother Mary outside many churches and old convents. I always wondered and wanted to know about her. Who was she? What was her story?
For many years, Catholics were severely persecuted by the government in my country. It was not until the early 90s that the churches were allowed to be opened to the public.
It was around that time that I met my husband. When I learned he was a baptized Catholic, I asked him all of my questions about Mother Mary. He told me to find the answers by going to the Church. So I did. I attended Mass at Our Lady, Queen of the Martyrs, and found a peace I had never experienced before.
I was drawn to praying to Our Mother, many times with tears and repentance. I was baptized into the Catholic Church Aug. 14, 1992, on the vigil of the Feast of the Assumption. I learned to pray the Rosary. I joined the Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts.
In 2016, I started working as a family adviser for the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. I ask Mother Mary to pray for the souls of those who are laid to rest at the Gardens of Gethsemani, especially those who do not have anyone to pray for them.
Through my devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary, I also ask her to comfort families who experience the loss of their loved ones. She has been helping me bring souls to her son.
Thuy Oanh (Mary) McDaniel is a member of Christ the Redeemer Parish.
