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Rick Santorum with Isabella, Leticia and Christina Velasquez |
Jennifer Hartline sat down with e Karen Santorum to discuss her family. Karen is an attorney and neo-natal nurse, the author of two books and most of all devoted mother and wife to Rick. In addition to enduring life on the campaign trail the couple has had to endure wretched attacks on their handling of their greatest sorrow, the loss of their son Gabriel from left wing pundits Alan Colmes and Eugene Robinson. But Karen returns mercy for vitriol, because she says, "you never lose with love."
Karen and Rick have a deeply rooted Catholic faith, they homeschool their seven children and attend a Novos Ordo Mass in Latin, and are seen by parishioners in their Virginia parish during the week at daily Mass. Its easy to see where Karen nourished her gentle attitude of returning good for evil. She has a truly Catholic understanding of suffering which has shaped her loving forgiveness. I can't imagine how much pain these unworthy attacks must have caused her, evoking as they must have, the memories of the terrible loss of her son Gabriel. She shares Gabriel's story in a moving book "Letters to Gabriel"
She says, about suffering,
"All you can do is trust Him and embrace the cross you're given, because there's definitely a reason," she'll say. "Crosses come in all shapes and sizes, but we're better because of them. Even in the worst of times God is working and His light will shine through."
Author of "You Never Lose with Love", Jennifer Hartline writes;
"Where our abortion-minded culture sees a "burden", Rick and Karen see Bella -- their beautiful blessing.
"I'm a blessed mother of a special-needs child. Since her birth, I've learned that God truly has a reason for everything. Like every one of us, God has a purpose for her. Bella has made all of us grow in our faith like never before, made us more virtuous and shown us God's love and mercy. Her life is a very happy and joyful life. Bella is an angel. I truly believe I am in the care of a saint."
Now how often do we get the opportunity to vote for the father of a saint for president?
On a personal note, Rick gave permission to reprint his story about Isabella Maria, their daughter who was born with trisomy 18 entitled "Two Years Worth Every Tear" in my book "A Special Mother is Born". This photo was taken at a Town Hall at the home of family values activist and former gubernatorial candidate, Karen Testerman. A month later, last Monday evening, I met Rick and Karen at a rally in Manchester NH. Rick introduced me to Karen as the author of the book. Karen said, "I love your book!". I embraced both of them and we took a photo together (I will post it when I receive it).
Read more by Jennifer Hartline at Catholic Online.
Karen and Rick have a deeply rooted Catholic faith, they homeschool their seven children and attend a Novos Ordo Mass in Latin, and are seen by parishioners in their Virginia parish during the week at daily Mass. Its easy to see where Karen nourished her gentle attitude of returning good for evil. She has a truly Catholic understanding of suffering which has shaped her loving forgiveness. I can't imagine how much pain these unworthy attacks must have caused her, evoking as they must have, the memories of the terrible loss of her son Gabriel. She shares Gabriel's story in a moving book "Letters to Gabriel"
She says, about suffering,
"All you can do is trust Him and embrace the cross you're given, because there's definitely a reason," she'll say. "Crosses come in all shapes and sizes, but we're better because of them. Even in the worst of times God is working and His light will shine through."
Author of "You Never Lose with Love", Jennifer Hartline writes;
"Where our abortion-minded culture sees a "burden", Rick and Karen see Bella -- their beautiful blessing.
"I'm a blessed mother of a special-needs child. Since her birth, I've learned that God truly has a reason for everything. Like every one of us, God has a purpose for her. Bella has made all of us grow in our faith like never before, made us more virtuous and shown us God's love and mercy. Her life is a very happy and joyful life. Bella is an angel. I truly believe I am in the care of a saint."
Now how often do we get the opportunity to vote for the father of a saint for president?
On a personal note, Rick gave permission to reprint his story about Isabella Maria, their daughter who was born with trisomy 18 entitled "Two Years Worth Every Tear" in my book "A Special Mother is Born". This photo was taken at a Town Hall at the home of family values activist and former gubernatorial candidate, Karen Testerman. A month later, last Monday evening, I met Rick and Karen at a rally in Manchester NH. Rick introduced me to Karen as the author of the book. Karen said, "I love your book!". I embraced both of them and we took a photo together (I will post it when I receive it).
Read more by Jennifer Hartline at Catholic Online.
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