Ellen (Bartindale) Castellini ’12
Winning isn’t everything. Ellen Castellini ‘12 and her teammates took home the trophy after the Fighting Irish women’s soccer team won the NCAA National Championship in 2010. But attending Mass at a church far from home before the game showed her that she could connect with her faith — and Notre Dame — no matter where life took her.”
Sitting there, hundreds of miles from campus, we found ourselves wrapped in a familiar, sacred space, praying the same prayers, hearing the same readings, and thanking Jesus in the same way as our friends back on campus. It was powerful to feel that connection, realizing our Catholic faith allowed us to worship in unity no matter where we were.”
In this Advent season, not all of us will be able to be where our hearts long to rest, celebrate, and worship. But what a gift to know that wherever our life stories have taken us, we can connect through our shared experience of the Mass and the traditions that have been handed down to us. This year, how can we honor the people and places that mean the most to us, pulling them close no matter the distance or time that has passed?
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For the past several years my husband and I have lived in many different countries and on several different continents where his work has taken us. It is always a comfort to attend mass and feel welcome and in a familiar place even if in a foreign language.
Beautiful, just beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing. God Bless you.
What an absolutely wonderful testimony Ellen
After enjoying a magical Notre Dame acceptance day by seeing a young faith filled applicant – that we cheered on – be accepted – and now listening to you, Ellen Castellini some 16 years after your admission celebrate your deep faith in the midst of reminiscing your national championship and your time at ND is what makes Notre Dame a truly exceptional place. Well done Ellen. Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Sacred Heart Church in Raleigh, NC was the cathedral for the Diocese of Raleigh in 2010 but has been replaced by a larger Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. Sacred Heart is still a beautiful house of worship.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. It gave me comfort to hear about your faith. Merry Christmas.
Ellen, Thank you for sharing. My parish church, St. Gabriel’s located in South Philly is a beautiful place, it ranks up there
to Sacred Heart on ND Campus and the Basilica in Center City Philly. St. Gabe’s will always be special to me,,,,Thank you
for sharing and Congrats on winning the Nat’l Championship….Merry Christmas….Go IRISH!!!!
The story today resonates with me. I travel a lot and my trips often take me to places where everything is foreign, including the languages and cultures. But I have almost always been able to find a church for me to pray, and whenever possible, to do Sunday Masses. Languages are no barriers. Worshippers everywhere in the world speak the same spiritual language and follow the liturgy transcends races, languages, time and space. I always feel at home when I am at a church away from home, and I always feel a strong connection to my Catholic faith and to Notre Dame.
Thank you Ellen. A beautiful sharing
ND’72☘️
Ellen, your words were magical. I graduated ND 50 years ago this year and married my wife at Sacred Heart Basilica 50 years go this past June. Your beautiful words reminded me how wonderful life has been. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you, Ellen, for this beautiful reflection! It was especially meaningful to me because my husband and I were married in that Raleigh church, then called Sacred Heart Cathedral, nearly 40 years ago. We now have a new, bigger cathedral in the diocese, but at the time I was married and the time you and your parents worshipped there it was the smallest cathedral in the United States. I, in turn, have had the good fortune of worshiping at Notre Dame’s Sacred Heart Basilica when our daughter-in-law was a PhD student there. We are all indeed connected. Merry Christmas!
Wow, thank you for this! My daughter and I enjoyed this… she hopes to follow in your footsteps at ND, albeit playing softball. Couldn’t have been prouder to see her as an alter server today at her school’s mass in South Bend.
God Bless and Merry Christmas!
Wow, thank you for your story!
My daughter and I greatly enjoyed watching your experiences playing soccer for the Irish, but more importantly living your faith while an athlete at ND.
She related so well to your story having just altar served at her school’s mass today and someday hopes to follow in your footsteps, albeit playing softball.
God Bless and Merry Christmas
Ellen, thank you for sharing and for the message about connection…it hit me. I am going to spend the holidays to my connections…thank you! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful story
Matthew 18:20 tells us Jesus is with us wherever we gather in His name. Your story illuminates the resurrection and life together with other Notre Dame faithful. Truly a blessing and source of meaning. Thank you for it!
It occurs to me that your telling of this WONDERFUL story is, ironically, probably the truest example of the power of sharing Jesus no matter where we are. After all, you are sharing Jesus with sooooo many people all around the world using this very medium…testament to the truly worldwide mission and reach of our Lady’s university.