From the Heart of a Young Entrepreneur

Beauty is everywhere. Sometimes you need to seek it out and other times it’s impossible to miss. Well my dear readers, Made in His Image is going through one of those “impossible to miss” times. And I want to share the good news with you. Yesterday in the mail I received the file-stamped original charter for Made in His Image! What does that mean? Good question – I wouldn’t have known before a few months ago either. This means that the secretary of state excepted our proposal for Made in His Image to continue to apply for it’s non-profit status. It went through speedily, for which I am very grateful. Now, we can proceed further with the IRS. We are almost there and it’s exceedingly exciting!! You can now go on the secretary of state’s website and look up Made In His Image!! How amazing is that?

Also, my lawyer wrote a letter to Bishop Choby to ask permission for Made in His Image to identify itself as a Catholic private association. One of my favorite parts of the letter is that St. Maximilian Kolbe is mentioned in it, as he is one of the patron Saints of Made in His Image. My love for Saint Kolbe is deep, and this winter you can read why in my book, Choosing to See Beauty. My sweet friend Jade went to Poland a few weeks ago and visited Auschwitz, where St. Maximilian Kolbe was murdered. She took this picture for me.

Cell number 18, where St. Maximilian Kolbe spent his last hours. When Made in His Image is built, patients and visitors will be greeted by his statue upon entering and there will also be a stained glass window dedicated to him in the chapel. Here is the letter.

The Most Reverend David Choby

Bishop of Nashville

2400 Twenty-first Avenue South

Nashville, TN 37212

Re: Made in His Image: Request for permission to identify as a Catholic private association pursuant to Canon 300 and submission of statutes for review pursuant to Canon 299 3.

Your Excellency:

I represent Made in His Image, a Tennessee non-profit corporation erected for the purpose of founding, under the patronage of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a facility for the treatment of women suffering from the effects of abuse and eating disorders. The purpose of such a facility will not only be to provide treatment for the physical and mental symptoms such women exhibit, but to do so in an environment that explicitly recognizes each patient’s dependence on God and the dignity that flows from the patient’s creation in God’s image. The hope, then, is that Made in His Image, while providing physical treatment, will lead women suffering from these conditions to the spiritual treatment provided by the Church and Her Sacraments, for which many find themselves in substantial need.

Made in His Image was founded by a domiciliary of this diocese, Miss Maura Byrne. In addition to Miss Byrne, two of the other members of the Board of Directors reside in this diocese: Dr. Michael Ferri and Dr. William Bellet. The work of Made in His Image is and will continue to be carried on here in the Diocese of Nashville, where it is hoped the facility will eventually be constructed. These individuals, all secular Catholic laypersons, have joined in a common endeavor that I believe will qualify as a private association of the Christian faithful dedicated to charitable works and the animation of the temporal order with a Christian spirit.

Although the assumed name of the organization does not contain the word Catholic, Made in His Image would like to be able to advertise itself as dedicated to the Church and Her teachings. Thus, in order to comply with Canons 300 and 299 3, I submit the enclosed charter of Made in His Image for Your Excellency’s review. I further, on behalf of Made in His Image, request that, provided Your Excellency deem it appropriate, Made in His Image be permitted to identify itself by the name Catholic. 

Please accept my sincere thanks, on behalf of Miss Byrne and all of the directors of Made in His Image, for Your Excellency’s time and consideration. In closing, please accept our sincere prayers and wishes for Your Excellency’s health and for God’s continued blessing of the entire Diocese of Nashville.

Kissing the Sacred Ring.

Oh my goodness, I love it so much!! I read the letter at least five times yesterday, I was so excited. I wish you all a great day and weekend! Someone asked me to post my recipe for croissants, so I may do that this weekend if I have time. I was sick a few days this past week, so I need to make up some writing time this weekend, so please pray for that.

Seek beauty in all things, even in the ambiguity of life. For there truly is beauty everywhere, even in the cross. AMDG+