Top 10 Things We Loved About the CNMC MMX

10. Living out the Body of Christ through faith and fellowship.

9. Connecting with CatholicMom Lisa Hendey, who welcomed us last year and continues to be a wonderfully supportive mentor in our blogging and writing journey.

8. Recognizing people we’ve come to know and follow online, meeting them in person and discovering another side to their personality, which makes reading or listening to them online take on a whole new depth and connection.

7. Exploring and marveling at Sacred Heart Italian Church in the North End, only to discover they have an even larger, grander “upper” church.

6. Experiencing a powerful moment where fifteen people in a loud, busy, tourist restaurant simultaneously pray aloud the Sign of the Cross and Blessing before Meals.

5. Discussing Faith, Politics and Catholic Activism with Thomas Peters, the American Papist.

4. Observing the fun antics of the SQPN Board as they playfully assist and support one another in the behind-the-scenes management of the weekend.

3. Being moved to silent tears as Fr. Robert Reed described the morning he learned his father died, and recognizing the value, sanctity, and responsibility of a priest’s hands for holding the Blessed Sacrament.

2. Being surrounded and embraced by people who love God, the Church and spreading the faith through new media as much as we do.

1. Sharing the experience as sisters being called to work together to spread Christ’s message of love. Even though we are imperfect, we continue to grow, learn, and ultimately to live His Word.

Lisa and I created this list jointly from our shared perspectives. There are so many more moments that could have been included: the programs, Lino Rulli making us laugh...and think, comments from Cardinal O'Malley, Mac Barron's opening routine, participating in a roundtable session that led to the creation of Catholic Drinkie, receiving text messages from my husband as he watched live on UStream, and browsing the vendor tables while calculating how many books we could buy and physically carry home on the plane.