Body of Christ

Siena Wiebersch converted to Catholicism while studying at Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California. As a young mother, she models the disposition of generosity in her vocation after the example of religious sisters.

  • Wiebersch is married to Joe and mom to Luca.
  • A native of Redondo Beach, California, she earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California.
  • Wiebersch is self-employed as the founder of Siena Mara Design, a branding studio for nonprofit organizations.

Could you describe a time that changed your relationship with God and made you the person you are today?

As a non-Catholic attending the very Catholic Thomas Aquinas College, my time there was a slow process of God introducing me to the Catholic faith and inviting me home. Some major catalysts were experiencing the beautiful liturgy, being in a community that sincerely searched for truth and loved the Catholic intellectual tradition, and encountering Sacred Scripture for the first time. I’m certain that if I hadn’t attended TAC, I would not be Catholic, or at least, I would not have become Catholic so quickly and (relatively) peacefully.

After becoming Catholic, I had an ongoing relationship with a community of religious sisters who lived near my parents. The experience taught me so much about daily devotion to the Lord, of an intimate but simple relationship with him. It showed me concretely what an authentic relationship with Jesus could look like — not a multitude of grand acts, just faithfulness to the everyday moments in life, raised up by love. Most of all, I saw tangibly that real happiness could be achieved by entrusting absolutely everything to the Lord.

How does your Catholic faith inform your daily life?

Returning to the experience of those religious sisters, their witness of living out their love for Jesus has profoundly influenced my everyday life. With a 4-month-old, my life looks very different from theirs, but their example of daily life is an example of the generous disposition needed in any vocation. I joke that I don’t have a Mother Superior, I have a newborn! It may be odd, but thinking of my daily duties like those of a religious community — accepting the will of others, fulfilling tasks with patience, prioritizing devotedness to what’s asked of me over attachment to outcomes — helps me to go through daily life with more peace and awareness that my daily actions really do serve God.

Tell me about your experience of parish life.

We are blessed to be parishioners at a thriving and welcoming parish. It is a gift to know so many families at varying stages in their marriages and family life. I love how our parish seeks to provide opportunities to come together and also to grow deeper in the faith. The parish is starting a program where parishioners can sign up to host other parishioners for dinner, and I’m looking forward to getting to know parishioners that I otherwise wouldn’t have known.

What is something that inspires you?

I’m inspired by the written works of great thinkers and people who know and love God well. Seeing the way others love and pursue truth, goodness and beauty inspires my own pursuit of these things and gives me a concrete example to follow. I’m currently reading a fundamental theology textbook, St. Faustina’s diary and a book of vignettes of life in Russia, and somehow, they’re all doing that for me!

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Simplify, simplify, simplify. I did not enjoy that advice at the time, but it was more true than I realized.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Hands down, giving birth to my beautiful son, Luca, and being gifted with a profound birth experience after lots and lots of hard work.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I played alto saxophone when I was a kid and eventually focused on improv and jazz. My triplet sisters did the same but for flute and clarinet, so we had a lot of fun playing together as a little “trio” (for fun, and pretty much only for our parents!).

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

In the fall of 2020, I moved to Wisconsin and lived with family friends in a small rural town. They have 10 kids, a family farm and a beautiful, authentic faith life. I was only supposed to stay for three months but ended up staying closer to seven! As a Catholic convert, I didn’t grow up in a Catholic family, and the experience, even as a 23-year-old, of living alongside kids from ages 8 to 18 continued to form, heal and instruct me as a Catholic and as a well-rounded human being. Six years later, so much of what is good and happiest in me is from “growing up” in that family.

Favorite movie?

Honestly? “Pirates of the Caribbean”!

Who are your favorite saints?

St. Francis of Assisi (my confirmation saint), St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Faustina, St. Joseph and Mary of course!