Body of Christ

A convert to Catholicism, Kelsey Peterson is strengthened in her faith by her community and is especially edified by the community of her own family and of the young families at her parish.

  • Peterson is married to Wes, and the couple has three children.
  • She earned a bachelor’s degree in public health from National University, San Diego, California.
  • Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Peterson is a part-time parish secretary at Immaculate Conception (St. Mary), Burlington.

Could you describe one or more moments that changed your relationship with God and/or made you the person you are today?

Throughout my childhood, I attended a Methodist church with my family. It was after meeting my husband that I began to explore the Catholic faith. My husband really enjoys Catholic apologetics, so I was and am always learning. I began reading a lot and listening to Relevant Radio and EWTN. We would discuss the shows we listened to on our dates. We would go to Mass every Sunday together at St. Clare in Wind Lake. My husband played the saxophone for the choir.

After about a year or so of study, attending Mass and a whole lot of prayer, I felt called to the Church that Christ founded. My yearning for the Eucharist was what ultimately brought me to the Catholic Church. I received my First Holy Communion and Confirmation in May of 2019 at St. Clare. With the Church’s rich tradition, there are endless opportunities to learn and grow in my faith.

Motherhood has also tested and strengthened my relationship with the Lord in ways I could never have imagined. Life with the Lord is an amazing journey!

How does your Catholic faith inform your daily life?

I like to say prayer is like water; you need it to survive. In the morning, I like to pray the Morning Offering. It’s easy to pray only during the big or hard things in life, but praying during the small things helps me throughout the day. Whether it’s a tough moment with one of my kids, an inconvenience or unwanted thoughts that keep coming up, I like to use prayer to combat those moments and ask for God’s mercy and strength. I also love to use the Hallow app daily to pray my favorite devotionals, the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Tell me about your experience of parish life.

We attend St. Joseph Parish in Lyons, which is part of the Burlington-Lyons Catholic Community with Immaculate Conception and St. Charles Borromeo parishes in Burlington. St. Joseph is a small country parish, and we absolutely love it. Our community there is small but mighty and includes a lot of younger families. In October of 2023, we began a moms group, and it has become a wonderful community of Christian moms supporting each other. We have monthly meetings along with prayer events and play dates. God meant for us to live in community with one another. There is power in a community of believers. This was the main idea behind the moms group: prayer, support, encouragement and celebration.

What is something that inspires you?

I find a lot of inspiration in the young families that attend Mass on Sundays. Their commitment to faith is inspiring. Raising a family is challenging, but raising a family devoted to the Catholic faith poses its own challenges, especially in today’s world. I admire all families who keep saying “yes” to Christ every Sunday by bringing their families to Mass and being a part of the Body of Christ.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I am most proud of my family, immediate and extended. Between my husband and I, we have such a beautiful and large family, all close by, with whom we share our lives. Our kids are blessed to enjoy life with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all around.

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

When my husband and I were dating, we visited the Shine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. When we got there, we visited the Memorial of the Unborn, a statue of our Blessed Mother with her arms full of beautiful babies. It absolutely brought tears to my eyes. After my husband and I got married, we suffered the loss of our first child. I thought back to that image of our Blessed Mother, and it gave me so much peace. It is amazing that at the time of seeing the statue, I didn’t know the value it would have for me years later. It’s a great reminder to me that the Lord is constantly forming me in this life even when I don’t know it.

Favorite movie?

“Saving Private Ryan.” I love World War II movies.

Favorite book?

“The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska,” “He Leadeth Me” by Fr. Walter Ciszek, S. J., and “Les Misérables” by Victor Hugo are a few of my favorites.

Who are your favorite saints?

St. Faustina, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John Paul II and St. Michael the Archangel.