October is so full of saints’ feast days that it almost gives me prayer and devotional whiplash!
I kept jotting down things I wanted to share with you, and then another beautiful feast would arrive before I hit “send.” St. Thérèse on October 1, the Guardian Angels on October 2, St. Francis on October 4, St. Faustina on October 5, Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7—and, of course, October 13, when we commemorate the Miracle of the Sun at Fátima. (we have dolls for all Feast Days!)
And now here we are at October 22: the feast of Pope St. John Paul II. A deeply Marian pope. A familiar figure from my childhood. And a saint whose influence helped lead me, in a wonderfully winding way, to start MiraculousMom.co.
A saint who was part of my growing up
When John Paul II became pope, I was in grade school in upstate New York. A few years earlier, our Catholic school had enthusiastically celebrated the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1975. The following year, everything seemed to revolve around America’s 200th birthday. I still remember so many of those celebrations! Perhaps that explains some of my love for my country—and for red, white, and blue—right behind my love for faith and family.
Those occasions frame my childhood memories of the brief papacy and sudden death of Pope John Paul I, followed by the arrival of Pope John Paul II. Suddenly, this energetic Polish pope seemed to be everywhere, including here in America.
Then came my teenage years, MTV, and, well…being a teenager. Even when more of my heart was in the world than in my faith, I remained profoundly aware of Mother Teresa and John Paul II. Their witness stayed with me, even when I wasn’t paying nearly enough attention.
Mary had more in mind
Fast-forward to marriage, motherhood, and a pilgrimage to Fátima that changed my life.
I went leaning on the Lord for a miracle and healing. I believe John Paul II’s intercession was part of Our Lady’s work in taking hold of my “Catholic-light” heart and pointing it directly toward Christ.
In Portugal, I was surrounded by pilgrims with a profound devotion to John Paul II and his teachings. We also saw the bullet that almost killed him placed in Mary’s crown in Fatima as well as parts of the fallen Berlin wall. JP II came alive for me on the trip, as a model for withstanding life’s hardships and devoting ourselves completely to our faith.
Upon returning home, I began volunteering at a pregnancy center. There, alongside women facing what felt like overwhelming crises, the realization set in on how much more faith formation I needed—and desired.
Women facing unexpected pregnancies need more than reassurance. Each deserves to be seen in her full dignity, to know that her life and her child’s life are precious, and to receive love and practical support.
Serving these mothers revealed how much more there was to learn. John Paul II’s teachings on the human person, his encyclicals, and his Theology of the Body offered a deeper foundation for that work—and eventually led me back to school at the Athenaeum of Ohio and to further study through the Theology of the Body Institute.
One yes opened the door to another.
John Paul II wrote:
“Faith is strengthened when it is given to others!”
That has certainly been true in my life. The more I shared my faith, the more deeply I wanted to live it.
So where do scarves come into this story?
As my faith deepened, I began looking for scarves devoted to Our Lady—beautiful pieces I would actually want to wear.
Having worked for two women’s fashion brands that told stories through fabric, and being a scarf wearer myself, I began to wonder: Could fabric tell her story, too?
Could something beautiful open a conversation about Mary? Could a scarf become a gentle invitation to prayer? Could the gifts and experiences God had already placed in my life become a way to share my faith?
John Paul II’s words give me so much to ponder:
“It falls to us, who receive the gifts of God in order to make them fruitful, to ‘sow’ and ‘reap.’”
His Letter to Artists also reminds us that every person has a creative responsibility: to shape a life that becomes a work of art, a masterpiece. That invitation reaches far beyond a painter’s studio. It reaches into our homes, our work, our motherhood, and the ideas we are almost afraid to pursue.
And then there is this encouragement:
“It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives.”
For me, that meant beginning a little business while continuing my work in the pro-life movement. Designing fabrics devoted to Our Lady. Learning as I went. Trusting that God could make something fruitful from my willingness to begin.
What started as a side hustle became what I affectionately call a “biznistry”—a business with a ministry at its heart.
Today, MiraculousMom.co brings together so many threads of that journey: faith, motherhood, beauty, the dignity of every human life, and a desire to help others know Our Lady and her Son. Each scarf carries a Miraculous Medal sewn to its hem, a small reminder of the motherly love behind this mission.
I could never have mapped out this path when I first said yes to that pilgrimage.
All yours, Mary
John Paul II’s motto was Totus Tuus—“Totally yours”—expressing his entrustment to Our Lady.
His love for Mary always led him toward Jesus. In Redemptoris Mater, he explained that receiving Mary as our mother begins with Christ and leads us back to Him. She continues to direct her children toward her Son, just as she did at Cana.
That is what I hope every MiraculousMom.co piece helps communicate: Mary is our mother. We can bring her our worries, our children, our work, and our uncertain next steps. She loves us, accompanies us, and draws us closer to Jesus. She relates to each one of as a unique child...and her visits and miracles on earth show us this!
Looking back, I can see her motherly care woven through my story—and John Paul II helping me recognize it.
On his feast day, perhaps we can each ask: Lord, what gifts have You given me that You are asking me to make fruitful?
Pope St. John Paul II, pray for us!
With love and gratitude,
Laura
MiraculousMom.co
Faith, worn beautifully.