I was blessed to be born into a Catholic, mainly Irish and German, family, with a long history of faithful Catholics on both sides of the family.
I was raised in the small town of Maple Lake, among a population that was almost 100% Catholic and where life revolved around St. Timothy. I attended Catholic grade school with Benedictine nuns. It was not required but it was encouraged to attend daily Mass if one lived in town. Benediction was held every Friday night, there were 40-hour devotions, and a novena to St. Joseph was prayed every March with beautiful eucharistic processions.
We were taught the theology of the faith through the Baltimore Catechism. “Why did God make me?” To know him, to love him, to serve him in this world and to be happy with him in the next.
Both of my grandmothers went to daily Mass. I would take turns sitting with them. Daily Mass is what got me through college, and I have again been a daily Mass attendee since my youngest started school. I don’t know how people get through life without the sacraments of Eucharist and reconciliation. I love the Catholic Church, the true Church, the fulfillment of the Old Testament.
The nuns taught us the devotion of the nine First Fridays, the five First Saturdays and the rosary. In the children’s choir, I was privileged to sing not only at Sunday Mass but also funerals and weddings. On Good Friday, all the retail stores closed for the 3 p.m. Good Friday vigil.
What a legacy. Of course, I realized as an adult that I had to fully learn my faith when my oldest daughter, who was about 5 at the time, asked me a question about the Catholic faith. I knew the answer but couldn’t explain it to her.
I started looking for Catholic adult education, which eventually led me to Peace of Heart Forums through The Apostle for Family Consecration, which had solid Catholic adult education. That was where I was first introduced to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the love and mercy of God. I am so grateful to Relevant Radio, EWTN, The Bible Timeline, Father Mike Schmitz and more.
The late Father Frederick Barthelme, my pastor through 12 years of school, said, “One is either going forward or backward in their faith. There is no standing still.” Two of my favorite Scriptures are Luke 9:23: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,” and Micah 6:8, “Do justice, love goodness, walk humbly with your God.”
I am active in pro-life activities, the Council of Catholic Women, adult education, and Bible studies in my parish. I am grateful for all the faithful Catholic women and men God has put in my life — my “Church family.”
Rusinko is 76, the oldest of 11 children, married to her husband, Andy, for 55 years, with four children and 16 grandchildren. She works part-time in a family business started by her father in 1949. The Rusinkos have been members of Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale for 53 years.
“Why I am Catholic” is an ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you’re Catholic? Submit your story in 300-500 words to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with “Why I Am Catholic” in the subject line.
