Body of Christ: Sarah Hein - Catholic Herald

Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien and St. Therese, Sarah Hein takes her vocation to love seriously in small everyday moments.

She is the oldest of seven children.
She was homeschooled and earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Christendom College.
Her hometown is Big Bend, and she went to St. Anthony Parish, Milwaukee.
She works as an office manager for Manufacturer’s Resources Inc.

Could you describe one or more moments that helped to make you the person you are today?

In early high school, I got really into Catholic apologetics with my dad, in response to anti-Catholic neighbors moving in (they were determined to convert us, having seen our yard’s Blessed Mother statue). We went through Scripture, read and listened to Steve Ray, Scott Hahn and other apologists, and spent hours crafting responses to tracts and letters. This definitely helped form my impression of and appreciation for the depth of the Catholic faith — how it can stand up to questioning, respects the human person as a being of will and reason, and contains unlimited resources from saints and thinkers over centuries. I love being Catholic.

How does your Catholic faith inform your daily life?

The goal is to have it inform everything! But that’s a (lifelong) work in progress. I love St. Therese’s quote that “our vocation is to love.” As an unmarried person with lots of unmarried friends, I see the temptation to question our usefulness and place in the Church. This quote is a good reminder that even simple people with simple lives can make a difference if they aim to love well. Specifically, I try to “take care of” people with prayer as much as possible. People in cemeteries I pass, cashiers I check out with, delivery drivers, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Every day, I pray for the souls of those who will die that day, especially those furthest from God, with the hardest hearts. Even if I don’t talk to them, I try to “see” the people around me and give them a little “boost” with prayer. I also try to decorate my home according to the liturgical season (instead of the commercial). I love tangible indicators of what we’re celebrating or honoring (though this does make for a rather bare Lent).

Tell us about your experience of parish life.

I love seeing parishes with reverent and beautiful liturgy (reflecting our belief in the True Presence), kind people and an opportunity to serve. Currently, that’s been St. Mary’s, and singing in the choir (love a good choral piece — the “Frisina Anima Christi” is a favorite).

I heard a priest mention recently that “serving your parish” could look like not leaving immediately after Mass, and engaging with a few people — that hit me, and I try to implement it.

If you could recommend everyone adopt one daily practice, what would it be?

Having a phoneless block of time every day. Walk, read, clean, pray — anything else. I recently saw the phrase “digital anhedonia”, which just means a (screen-caused) decreased ability to enjoy “real life”. I think this will only get worse for us, unless we learn to set good boundaries.

What is a skill you would like to get better at?

Option 1. Running. I play Ultimate Frisbee, and I like to outrun people.

Option 2. Not taking life so seriously, not caring so much what other people think. I hear this may improve with age.

What’s a place you’ve been to that was particularly impactful and why?

The Sea of Galilee. The Holy Land is very impactful in general, but seeing a place in its “original state” (i.e., without a church built on top), hits you — what we believe is real, this really happened, Jesus actually lived and worked here. You look out over the water and can picture a boat with disciples in it. You go into the water and immediately get bit by 20 fish. I’d say that miracle worked.

If you had an unlimited travel budget, where is the first place you would go?

Switzerland. Mountains, mountain villages, mountain everything.

Favorite movie?

“Jesus of Nazareth.” I’ve been watching this since I was a toddler, and my parents thought I’d break the VHS replaying the part about Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter. It’s beautifully done (costumes, characters, staging), and it’s always given me a sense of the reality of Jesus’ life.

Favorite book?

Lord of the Rings. I haven’t found another human-written book to come close to the genius Tolkien had. I’ve had it on a nonstop loop for 5-plus years, and it always gets me out of a funk. It’s a story of simple little people, who are brave when they need to be, and ask for help when they need to, and do the right thing even with close to 100 percent chance of failure. It’s fantasy, but very applicable and inspiring. I come away from it wanting to be a better person.