About

Hi! I'm Kate, owner of Thy Olive Tree. I converted to Catholicism in 2016 after several years of searching for the Truth. When my daughter was born in 2018, I looked near and far for a modern baby book that could document all the fun baby milestones PLUS the sacraments! I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I set out to design my own. This labor of love led to "My Catholic Keepsake." From there, I've continued to dream about and design new Catholic books. My hope is that these resources help you grow strong roots in Catholicism!

Why "Thy Olive Tree?" I have found meditating on the mystery of the agony in the garden to be a very powerful prayer experience. After the Last Supper, Jesus took a walk to pray. While in the garden of Gethsemane, he was overcome by anguish, dropping to his knees and praying to God for "this cup to pass." An angel came to comfort him and Jesus accepted the suffering he must endure as the Father's will. Gethsemane is known for its ancient olive trees. Some researchers estimate the dating of these trees back to the time Jesus would have been walking in the garden. While, I've never been to Gethsemane, I like to imagine those olive trees and what they have seen! I imagine Jesus kneeling over the roots of one of these trees, blood dripping from his sweat providing lifelong nourishment to the soil. The tree, in turn, provides comfort. When he is tired, he leans against the trunk. In the day, the branches provide shade from the hot sun. This is Jesus' olive tree, Thy Olive Tree.