Regina Paul Opalka
Illustrator (Mother of Bernadette)
Rest In Peace, Jan 2018

Regina Opalka was my mother. She and my father, Klaus, were raised Catholic. They were both children during WWII, living in the heart of the chaos in Berlin, Germany. Their Catholic faith carried them through their trials. As a married couple and young family, they immigrated to the United States. They remained firm in their faith, embracing the new age of home scripture study and Christian Contemporary music by the likes of Tom Parker, John Michael Talbot, and Gregory Norbert. My parents took every opportunity to grow more deeply in love with their Catholic faith, by exploring other denominations and experiencing the charismatic renewal, and serving in the church, my mother in music ministry and my father in the deaconate.

My mother was trained in early childhood education and had the heart of a child, finding wonder and awe in everything around her. Her love for God, children, music and art created an experience of faith in my youth that impacted me deeply. I knew, as my mother knew, that I was a child of God. 

While my personal faith life falterd duing my young adult-hood, I always had my mother's example and her prayers by my side, thanks be to God, even when I wasn't paying attention. When I had the good fortune to meet and talk with Fr. Francis Martin, I found a ready and willing sharing partner in my mother. I shared with her the way I was teaching my youngest daughter to pray. She was my greatest supporter! Knowing her love for art and children, I asked her to draw some images that I could use with my daughter as we prayed. I would later turn these images into stickers for our interactive Pray_Every_Day® activities. Before she passed away, my mother had provided me with a full set of stickers that are now an integral part of our program.

Pray well!

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