December 1, 2025 • 70 mins
For this first week of Advent, let us reflect upon Hope, Hope in Christ.
We are honoured to welcome our next guest, Camille Mendoza, who is the designer of our podcast apostolate's logo!
She is a brand designer, and newly expectant mother! Congratulations, Camille!
Camille shares the beautiful, heartfelt story of her daughter Lilo a lived a radiant, albeit short life, and how grief reshaped Camille's faith, family, and creative work, purpose, motherhood and passion. From counselling and prayer to charity and branding, she shows how small projects can become instruments of hope.
• finding mission in motherhood and loss
• Craft and Being as a blend of craft and sanctity
• practical counsel for grieving parents
• Lilo Café fundraiser and community support
• using digital tools wisely for good
• accessible branding for mission-led creators
• discernment with spouse and seasons of family life
• Christus Vivit, Mary at the Cross, and hope
Please join us every week on the Veil in Armour Podcast, where stories come alive through a journalist’s lance and mother’s heart
Camille Mendoza's creative work can be found on: https://craftandbeing.com
She is on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@craftandbeing
Camille's online course on Substack for business women is available here:https://camillemendoza.substack.com/
To reach Veil + Armour, please visit:
https://veilandarmour.com
https://www.youtube.com/@veilandarmour
https://www.x.com/@sheilanonato
https://www.sheilanonato.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@veilandarmour
What resonated with you the most about this episode? Feel free to email us and let us know!
Email: veilandarmour@gmail.com
If our podcast helped you in some way, or could help someone else, kindly share our podcast with a friend!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Camille Mendoza (00:00):
And I'd see like the Pieta and um different
visuals of Mother Mary and Jesusand her being present and
watching her son go through thatsuffering.
And I I just never resonatedwith it.
And I was like, why?
Like, why would you depictthis?
Why I I didn't understand.
Um, but having gone throughwhat we've gone through, I just
(00:25):
think now how important that isbecause everyone, everyone is
going through something and theyneed
hope. Here, there is a very short 2 second pause (00:34):
A photo of Lilo looking in awe at the Eucharist is shown on screen on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@veilandarmour Today was actually supposed to
be her fifth birthday.
Um, unfortunately, she passedaway suddenly and like really
unexpectedly for us.
Uh, it's almost two years agonow.
So her last birthday that wecelebrated with her was her
third birthday.
Um and yeah, at the time, umsorry, I'm I'm just going down a
(01:14):
trip on memory lane, I guess.
Um but spending so much timewith a beloved daughter, it um
it really helps you see how howGod sees you.
Sheila Nonato (01:33):
How God sees us in our suffering is through how
his son saw us on the cross.
With love beyond humancomprehension.
In this week's episode, we haveCamille Mendoza, a Catholic
creative from British Columbia,newly expectant mom, whose
(01:54):
beloved firstborn daughter Liloleft this earth too soon at the
tender age of three.
Let's hear her deeply movingjourney from grief to healing.
How did this young mother copewith such a tragic loss?
How did faith help her in herhealing?
(02:16):
And how did this immenselysorrowful experience become a
blessing in helping Camille findher voice and her passion for
motherhood, as well as in hernew venture of helping mothers
and women bring to life theircreative independent businesses.
(02:39):
Thank you for joining us thisweek, Sisters in Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving to ourAmerican sisters and brothers,
and may you have a blessed,blessed celebration and blessed
weekend.
Take care.
Co-Host (02:58):
Hello and welcome to the Veil and Armour Podcast.
This is your host, SheilaNonato.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and afreelance Catholic journalist.
Seeking the guidance of theHoly Spirit and the inspiration
of Our Lady, I strive to tellstories that inspire,
illuminate, and enrich the livesof Catholic women to help them
in living out our vocation ofraising the next generation of
(03:20):
leaders and saints.
Please join us every week onthe Veil in Armour Podcast,
where stories come alive througha journalist's lance and
mother's heart.
Sheila Nonato (03:38):
Is that correct, Camille?
A little bit on the outskirts,but Vancouver, because that's
what people know, right?
Okay, okay, awesome.
And you are the owner of Craftand Being.
And let's start off with aprayer, if you don't mind.
Camille Mendoza (03:54):
Of course.
That sounds great.
Sheila Nonato (03:55):
Okay.
Did you want to lead and thenI'll respond or we can do uh
Hail Mary?
Camille Mendoza (04:02):
Sure, yeah.
In the name of the Father andof the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, theLord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus.
Sheila Nonato (04:18):
Holy Mary, Mother of God, we pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of ourdeath.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Well, thank you so much,Camille.
And I wanted to introduce thelisteners and and the
subscribers on YouTube to thedesigner of our logo, our
beautiful logo.
(04:39):
So my uh my sister-in-lawsketched it out, but uh Camille
is the one who finished it,colored it in, put the uh the
writing on it, the fonts, and uhit's it's been amazing.
So thank you.
Thank you so much for thatbeautiful, beautiful design that
you did.
Thank you for the honour,Sheila.
I love podcast graphics, it'sjust so much fun to make
(05:02):
something pop.
And um it's like it's so funny.
You're working with such alittle canvas, but there's so
much potential to take it,especially with how Veil +
Armour has started and how howit's grown over the last year
and a bit, right?
Yeah, I think like we justcelebrated our anniversary
around Easter time one year.
Camille Mendoza (05:22):
Yeah.
Sheila Nonato (05:22):
So yeah, thank you so much for that.
And um, and yeah, I was just sointrigued by the whole process
that you, you know, you wereasking about what color, what
kind of blue, because they'redifferent kinds of blue.
And and um, and yeah, can yousort of walk us through uh so
tell us also about your yourclients?
You've had a lot of Catholicclients that we might have heard
(05:44):
of, or I'm sure we have heardof.
Um, Sister Miriam Miriam James,correct?
Uh her podcast.
Yeah, we do the AbidingTogether podcast, which is so
much fun.
Um, Redbird Ministries, they'rea grief support ministry out in
Louisiana for moms who havelost children of any ages.
We do Reform Wellness.
(06:05):
Um, reforms kind of movingaround all over the world, but
they're wonderful.
So those are some of our bigclients, and we also take on a
lot of smaller mission-orientedCatholic clients from all over
the world.
Yeah.
And tell tell us please, howdid you get started?
Was this um sort of your careerpath when you went to
(06:26):
university?
How did you sort of foreseeyour career at that point?
Camille Mendoza (06:31):
Yeah.
Um it's interesting.
I I like look back and seeGod's hand in the entire
journey.
Um I it was not anything closeto what I expected, but it it
has been what I have alwaysdreamed of.
And I think the Lord is stillworking on that, and he's, you
(06:53):
know, um molding me in differentways and telling me, you know,
go this direction or go thisdirection.
But when I when I was a kid, Iguess I had always taken an
interest in the arts.
So media, um, drawing, painting,digital arts, and creating
things.
I I was uh a pretty bored kidwho didn't spend a lot of time
(07:19):
outdoors because my parents werejust afraid of what would
happen if they let me out there.
And so I spent a lot of time onthe computer and was one of the
early people on my spacecoding.
And then we moved on to uhwhatever the different platforms
were BlogSpot, Live Journal,Bebo, etc.
(07:42):
Um, and yeah, I spent a lot ofmy summers and days after school
just coming up with funprojects, companies that didn't
exist yet.
I would just, you know, buyjewelry from the dollar store
that I would put together andthen I would take photos of it
and then post it on a websiteand call it some company name
(08:03):
that didn't actually exist.
And there was no PayPalattached to it or anything, but
it was just fun for me to seesomething come out of nothing.
Um, and so I think the Lord hadalways had those seeds planted
within me.
Um when I when it was finallytime to decide what I was going
(08:26):
to do in the future.
It seems like they make it sucha big deal in our culture.
Like once you are, you know, atthe end of high school, you have
to now choose what collegeyou'll go to and and decide what
you want to be for the rest ofyour life.
And it feels like it's justthis one thing.
And I think it was because ofthat that led me through um this
(08:51):
battle with anxiety and um,yeah, needing to go to doctors,
counselors, psychologists tokind of figure out why I was
going through so many mentalbreakdowns and just having a
hard time breathing.
Um and I think a lot of thatwas rooted around how I felt
(09:11):
like it was difficult to bridgetogether what I understood of
God and how I wanted to pursue apath of holiness.
But also, like my parents andculture and the rest of the
world paves this path of whatsuccess looks like.
And both seem good, you know,like they make it out to seem
(09:35):
like this is what's good foryou, or this is what's good for
you.
But I couldn't, my brain justcouldn't find a way to merge the
two together.
Um, and I think it was thatlike, well, how do I become
successful in the world sense orwith the approval of my
parents?
How do I make them proud?
(09:55):
Um, while also like using thegifts and the curiosities and um
the interests that the Lord hasgiven me, how do I do that
without, you know, just likeliving lifeless throughout the
rest of my life?
And so um I didn't know the
answers at the time.
I I went to school forsomething similar to my
(10:19):
interests.
I um have a Bachelor of Arts incommunications and took
electives in visual arts andgraphic design and media.
Um, and I still didn't knowwhat I was going to do with
that, but I started working fora large accounting firm, doing
marketing work for them.
That's kind of where my careerstarted, and then it all changed
(10:41):
when I had my first daughter,Lilo.
I decided after being with her,like that I just didn't want to
go back.
Um, so she was kind of thatcatalyst that just cleared
everything up for me and openedup this path that started Craft
and Being, the very early stagesof it.
(11:03):
It was just called MendozaCollective Co.
at the time.
And it's neat that way becauseprojects can change, the names
of it can change, the directioncan change, but you just have to
get started, right?
And that's kind of where itstarted for me was just not
wanting to go back to my roleafter my maternity leave, and it
(11:23):
sort of took its own directionfrom there in um just listening
to where the Lord was wanting meto take it.
Yeah.
Sheila Nonato (11:33):
So when you mentioned the name craft and
being, can you tell us how didthat come about?
Camille Mendoza (11:38):
Yeah.
Um I I just love this idea ofworking on your craft.
And I think that when you workon something that it could be
tangible, it could be digital,but when you work on something
that is um like a mission thathas been given to you, whether
it be from your own personalstory, maybe it was something
(12:00):
that you struggled with, like awound, maybe it's just something
that you've always loved doingas a kid, like you were into
pottery, and it's something thatyour grandma taught you.
You can work on that craft.
And as you are on the journey ofworking on that craft, it is
also working on your being andwhat you know about yourself,
(12:22):
how you can learn to loveyourself, how how you can see
these different angles aboutyourself, and how you can see
God in him as creator and in youas co-creator, and what he
wants to bring about and tobring alive in you as his
instrument.
Um, so that's that's kind ofwhere the name came from.
(12:43):
It was something that I feltlike has followed me throughout
my entire life, where whenever Iactually take the path, even if
it's a scary path, but wheneverI've taken the path that I've I
felt like the Lord is callingme here, um, I've grown a lot in
my own personal self and inlove for myself, in love for
(13:07):
God.
And I see that as like a gestureof the Father, just saying, you
know, I love you, my daughter.
I want you to take um, youknow, not always the easy, not
always the comfortable path, butthe path that's going to make
you become the best version ofyourself, to make you become the
(13:27):
path or to make you go into thepath of holiness that I'm
calling you to.
Um, so that's yeah, that'swhere the name Craft and Being
comes from.
And it's it's neat because wework with a lot of
mission-driven organizations,whether it be someone's
one-person business or whetherit's grown to like a small to
medium-sized business, it'salways started from a mission
(13:52):
that someone has had.
And I'm just so excited to seethat grow from like the idea
stage, um, where there's stillso many barriers and it feels
like it's difficult to get to togo from step one to this huge
vision to a growth level wherewe're starting to um get the
(14:15):
work in front of the people thatit could serve the best.
Sheila Nonato (14:19):
And when you mentioned the joy and then the
inspiration for the company, youhad been working at an
accounting firm, and then yousaid you had your daughter and
she was your inspiration.
Are you okay to talk about herand how she became that light
and that inspiration for you?
Camille Mendoza (14:37):
Yeah, yeah.
Um, yeah, I uh, like I said,this whole journey, Craft and
Being, and what it's become, andI'm sure where it's going has
been a seed for a long time.
I remember working in mycubicle.
Thankfully, I had this nicewindow view, which was um
(14:59):
unheard of for like a co-opintern at the place.
Um, but I would look out thewindow and just think, like,
wow, I wonder what it would belike to use these skills, um,
the technical things that I waslearning for organizations,
missions that I was actuallyinterested in, you know, like it
(15:21):
you can grow natural resourcesonly so much.
You can grow um like largeorganizations only so much.
They they already have a lot ofmoney, and you can you can do a
lot with that, but it would beso neat to just do something
that you're actually reallyinterested in and wanting to
(15:41):
move that mission forward.
Um, so that's that's where thatseed started.
I that was just daydreaming.
And I think we need to do moredaydreaming because that's where
we we can find those hiddengems of um yeah, what the Lord
is wanting to bring out andalive through us.
Sheila, I'm just checking tomake sure that everything is
okay because it looks like it'spaused on your end.
Sheila Nonato (16:04):
Or oh, um, yeah, no, I think sometimes because it
downloads in high resolution,it supposedly, yeah, like
freezes people sometimes.
Oh yeah.
But right now it's uh showingme that everything is okay.
Okay, okay, great.
So just making sure.
Okay, thanks for checking.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Um so yeah, I I went onto mymaternity leave when my first
(16:28):
daughter Leela was born.
Today was actually supposed tobe her fifth birthday.
Um, unfortunately, she passedaway suddenly and like really
unexpectedly for us.
Uh it's almost two years agonow.
So her last birthday that wecelebrated with her was her
third birthday.
Um and yeah, at the time, umsorry.
(17:00):
On memory lane, I guess.
Um but I'm sure you know whatit's like having experienced it
multiple times, but spending somuch time with a beloved
(17:22):
daughter.
It um it really helps you seehow how God sees you.
And she's made me um she's mademe think of the world so
differently, like she'severything that I needed.
(17:42):
And I think that just wantingto be around her and wanting to
learn from her um allowed me totake steps that I just I never
was prepared to take because Iwas taught to take the safe
(18:04):
path.
And I think that's why I had alot of anxieties, because there
were too many people to please,and I needed to take my gaze off
of who it was that I waslooking to please, and um
redirect that to only oneperson, to the Lord and what he
(18:27):
wants to do through me.
And she made that likeincredibly clear for me.
Um, so when I um when she was alittle bit older, maybe around
six or seven months, and we wereout of the crazy postpartum
stage, I just it felt like I hadthe permission to begin
(18:51):
dreaming, begin thinking aboutprojects.
And um so I I took my skill setthat I had in my corporate job
and just decided to to do thatonline.
And it's led me to so manyincredible people.
I'm you being one of them,Sheila, like just I I feel like
(19:13):
we're living in a time right nowwhere it's it's so possible for
women, for mothers, to not haveto what do you call it?
It's not necessarily not haveto choose because I don't think
(19:34):
your identity is your career oryour identity is to be a mother,
like a stay-at-home mother.
Um, I think we're we're morethan that.
Like there's many layers to whowe are, and the Lord calls us
to different paths as well.
Like, what is a path ofholiness for your family?
(19:55):
What is right based off of youknow, your husband and what what
he uh like I guess what he'scalled to and what you are
called to and what your childrenare called to.
Like it takes a lot of um yourown personal discernment to
figure that out.
So I'm not going to be theperson to say, like, there is
one path to holiness, and it isto leave your job and take the
(20:17):
path that I took.
Um, but I think there is such abeauty in the time that we're
living, like we're really calledto live in these times where it
feels permissionless to startsomething, to start something so
personal to you as well, um,where you can go on and you can
create a website with AI orwhatever right away.
(20:40):
And I actually think we like asa mom who is at home all the
time, I think we're actuallycalled to go into those realms
and to be one of those people tobring the missions that are
important to us out into theworld using tools like this.
Obviously, there are still someethical concerns around it, but
(21:04):
I think you need to be educatedin the space to be able to
accurately understand theconcerns and learn deeper about
them.
Because you can't know anythingabout them if you don't know
what it looks like, right?
But um it's it's funny becauseI have my 15-month-old now.
Um, and obviously there aretimes where she is napping, and
(21:27):
I just go down these rabbitholes and I'm like, wow, like
more people need to know aboutthese tools so that they don't
have to be me and have anxietyaround, you know, feeling like
you are called to more than whatyou are currently doing on a
day-to-day basis, feeling likeyou want to start a project, but
(21:47):
you don't have the time or youdon't have capital, you don't
have a team or resources, youcan start somewhere.
And it's there are so manyresources to do that now.
So that's kind of where I'veshifted my focus is how can we
teach this to more people andhow can we encourage and empower
more people, especially motherswho, you know, there is
(22:11):
something unique that they haveto bring to the world.
Like I follow so many thatteach me about activities I can
do with my toddler, like lookingat textures and nature and
things like that.
It's not something I would havecome up with on my own, but I
love learning about it fromother people.
And I think that I havesomething to share too.
I think we all have somethingto share, but you know, it takes
(22:33):
um really being attuned to thatand really hearing and being
sensitive to what the Lord issaying to actually quiet down
the world and take those stepsto begin to do that.
So yeah, that's kind of wherewe've pivoted as crafted being,
which whatever freedom to pivotbecause um that's that's how the
(22:56):
Lord works too.
Yeah, absolutely.
And creativity and um, youknow, being able to, as you
said, sort of maneuver wheneversomething is thrown at you or a
different situation, and youcome up with a creative
solution.
Yeah.
And as you're saying, yeah,motherhood, there are different
seasons.
So in the beginning, thenewborn, the new young mom,
(23:19):
young wife, that's that'sprobably I don't I don't want to
say the hardest, but because wedon't know what's coming our
way, that might make it a littlemore um little more difficult.
And also the lack of sleep andall that.
But you know, yeah, motherhood,the seasons then change when
they start to grow up.
(23:40):
But I can understand whatyou're saying that there are now
tools that can help moms um to,if they want to use their
talents, um, and if they stillwant to stay at home, there are
those tools, or if they want towork part-time or however their
situation is, but there aretools available.
Um, and I think we might, youknow, women might be putting a
(24:03):
lot of pressure on ourselves,right?
To to do everything, to be, tobe everything, the super mom.
And probably should kind of letthat go and just let God help
us.
You know, what is he calling usto?
Maybe it's not getting formyself, it's not gonna be the, I
don't know, the full schedulethat you know I used to do.
(24:26):
You know, I'm not gonna workuntil midnight and um you know,
on my off time in the on theweekend.
Like I have a family.
So that's not happening.
But, you know, there arepockets of time that here and
there, and if my husband ishome, you know, that that's sort
of how I maneuver in that way.
(24:46):
And I also my expectations, youknow, I don't expect to be
working a certain number ofhours like I used to, like crazy
hours, because that was alsonot healthy.
That was also not healthy.
Especially, wow.
Yeah.
Um, and my joy is now in in myfamily.
Um, although, yeah, like thecareer did bring me joy and
(25:09):
fulfillment.
But again, to pivot to what isGod calling me to now?
And as I I was listening toyou, I was sort of, yeah,
thinking about my own kind ofdiscernment.
Uh, when I left, I left mycareer to start a family.
I um yeah, I got a job actuallyum that I really wanted to
(25:31):
take, but the doctor said I um Ihave a complicated pregnancy.
So I had to decline.
And I had had a previousmiscarriage before that.
So I was very, I don't know,anxious.
Yeah, I think that's the word,anxious that you know everything
should go well, or at least Iwill try my best and leave it to
(25:53):
God.
But you know, that's yeah,sometimes that's what we have to
kind of do.
Um, the mom or the dad, um, thewife or the husband, that we
kind of have to surrender.
There are times we have tosurrender to what God is calling
us to, but I don't, I don'tregret it.
Um because I, yeah, I mychildren have taught me so much.
And I'm sure your children, asyou were talking about um Belo,
(26:16):
um, she sounded she sounds likea beautiful little girl, you
know, that brought you so muchjoy.
Can you can you tell us alittle bit more if you if you
don't mind?
Like what kind of a um adaughter was she to you?
She sounds like she had a verybig personality.
Huge.
Yeah, she um she was veryspunky.
(26:39):
It's funny because my husbandand I think about Lelo and we're
like, wow, she's exactly likeme as far as my personality.
But when I look at her, likeshe um it's just so funny what
motherhood does to you becauseit makes you be kinder to
yourself because of how you lookat your child.
(27:01):
And um I just remember Lilo,she had really strong
boundaries, and she would beworking on her art piece, and I
would want to join her, andshe's like, Mom, I just like I
need my own space right now,which is so weird for to me for
(27:21):
a three-year-old to say that tome.
But I just learned a lotthrough her from little lessons
like that, like honoring whatyour needs are in that moment
and asking for them and notfeeling like you need to be
everything and everyone forevery single person.
Um, but just yeah, politelyrequesting that.
(27:44):
Um, Lilo was just so good atthat.
Um, and she she loved nature,she just helped us to stop and
pause and um pay attention tolike what the colors of the
leaves were, things that wewould normally just zoom past on
(28:06):
our our day-to-day lives.
Um there's just so much I couldsay about her, but since she's
since she passed, it made merealize like as short as her
three years were with us, and Iwish we had many more years with
her to get to know her and tolearn more from her.
(28:28):
She's still teaching us somuch, and she lived such a full
life.
Um it just like I have noregrets about the way that she
lived and how I was able tospend all of those three years
with her because I decided notto go back.
And if there are people who arecalled to that, I want them to
(28:51):
have that too.
Like I feel like Lilo, eventhough she even though she went
early, that her life reallypointed back to God and the
messages that we received aftershe had passed made me think
(29:11):
about what our lives are reallymeant to be here on this earth
for.
And I think that you know,you're called to reach a certain
person, Sheila.
I'm called to reach somepeople.
Lelo was called to reach themany people that she's reached,
and one day maybe we'll be ableto see the souls that we've
(29:33):
impacted and helped bring toheaven to come to know Jesus, to
have a better relationship withwith God.
Um and her life was really thatto me.
And I um I want my life to belike that too.
I want my husband's life to belike that.
(29:53):
I want my family's life to belike that.
And so the work that I do nowand my off hours and Is like all
about that.
Like, who are you?
What are your curiosities?
What are the things like theseeds that have always been
there?
And I want people to see thatthat's not random, that's God.
(30:16):
Um, and it was that for me,like when I was going through
that period of anxiety.
Um, it lasted a couple ofyears, but I came across the the
post-Synod exhortation by PopeFrancis.
Um, it was like a letter toyoung people, but I really think
(30:37):
that it's for everyone.
But it's called Christus Vivit,and um that letter taught me to
embrace these dreams that theyaren't random.
There is something unique thathe's calling you to.
Um, actually, maybe I shouldread an actual line from it, but
(31:00):
um, he says to respond to ourvocation, we need to foster and
develop all that we are.
This has nothing to do withinventing ourselves or creating
ourselves out of nothing.
It has to do with finding ourtrue selves in the light of God
and letting our lives flourishand bear fruit.
(31:20):
Your vocation inspires you tobring out the best in yourself
for the glory of God and thegood of others.
It is not simply a matter ofdoing things, but of doing them
with meaning and direction.
Um, so that that line and manyother lines, it's it's a long
piece.
Um just yeah, gave me thatpermission that, like, you know,
(31:43):
I have interests here, I havedesires here, and God wants that
for me, but he wants me to useit for good.
He wants me to use it to becomebetter myself and to make
things better for his sons anddaughters and people who have
yet to become his sons anddaughters.
Um, it's just, yeah, such abeautiful piece.
(32:04):
I would really recommend toeveryone to to read through that
because yeah, it's not just foryoung people, but everyone can
be young if they are stillhoping and dreaming and you
know, listening to what the Lordis calling them to.
And that is uh written by PopeFrancis, correct?
That's right, yeah.
Yeah.
Were you at World Youth Date ifmy my memory I wish I was at
(32:26):
that World Youth Date, but itcame after the Panama one.
Oh, okay.
I see.
I so which one were you at?
No, I I wish I was at WorldYouth.
Oh, you weren't?
Oh, you weren't.
Okay, okay, sorry.
Yeah.
Okay, okay, okay.
I think I still qualify, somaybe my family's Korea.
Yeah, that would be amazing.
You bring your whole familywith you.
But um, well, I I went when Iwas yeah, single.
(32:50):
So I don't well, I had tosleep, we had to sleep on the
floor of a gym.
So maybe not.
Maybe they'll bring a family orrent a hotel.
Which one did you, Michila?
Um, I went to World You uhToronto, uh 2000.
Oh my gosh, is it like amillion years ago?
2003.
And then when Pope Benedict waselected, um, so yeah, I've seen
(33:14):
quite a few popes.
It's very strange and odd thatum it's it's been like that.
But 200, when was PopeBenedict?
Um, wait, 2002, sorry, is WorldUtah Toronto.
I think it was 2003 or 4, justbefore, no, 2005, I think.
Um, just before I went to theMiddle East.
But yeah, um, it's yeah, it'sactually an amazing experience.
(33:36):
Like I I can't, I don't know.
I just my husband was actuallyalso there.
We never we didn't know eachother then, but he was part of,
yeah, he was part of the Way ofthe Cross in Toronto.
He was one of the um, he playedone of the Roman soldiers.
Okay.
Yeah, so it came down it inToronto, there's like a a
street, you know, a long stretchof um, like in front of the
museum, the Royal InteriorMuseum.
(33:58):
It's called University Avenue.
Like it's where all the thehappening, you know, things
happening are there.
Like it's very busy.
But on that day, and it wasgonna rain actually, it was
starting to rain, but as the,you know, as the actors were
coming down University Avenue,people were really quiet, which
is very, very strange and yeah,odd, because you know, it's
(34:22):
there were a lot of people.
So, but I think they knew therewas something special
happening.
Um, and it was yeah, it wasreally, really beautiful.
But did you notice yourhusband?
You did you know he existed?
No, no, I didn't even know.
I just saw the actors and allthat.
I I just to be honest, didn'teven yeah, we met like I don't
(34:42):
know, when was that?
2002.
So we met in 2009.
So I didn't even know him.
No, I didn't, I had no cluethat um, yeah, but it's uh one
of those coincidences that, ormaybe it's not a coincidence
that it's meant to happen thatway.
Camille Mendoza (34:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Sheila Nonato (35:00):
But um, yeah, I'm I'm also curious about your
daughter's name.
How did you come up with umLilo?
Yeah, Lilo is actually anickname.
So her name is Lauren Adelie.
Okay.
Um honestly, the name juststood out to us because it
sounded like an Atta's name andwe knew she would be the older
sister to her siblings.
(35:22):
Um but it um Lauren with thethe laurels, it like it wasn't
until after she passed that wereflected again on her name and
how it pointed to this victorythat God has already won.
Um, so it was just sointeresting how her life really
(35:47):
pointed to that because she umshe obviously passed before the
age of reason and went directlyto heaven.
And for us, because she isbaptized, um it's kind of crazy
that like throughout that weekthat she passed, um, and and the
(36:09):
month and the year thatfollowed, we felt like we were
just kind of floating in thisgrace.
Like they're like, I look back,and my husband and I look back
and we think about that time andwe're like, how did we survive,
let alone like go through allof um, I guess the motions of
planning a funeral and seeingall of our family and and and do
(36:32):
that like presently, and it wasjust I'm sure a grace by the
grace of God, by her prayers, bythe prayers of everyone who is
praying for us.
Um and also because we hadpeace, that she was, you know,
with the Lord.
And so I look back at her nameand I was like, wow, there
(36:53):
really was a victory that hasalready been won.
And she points us right tothat.
Um yeah, that's it's kind ofher name and and the backstory
behind it.
And also, um, can you tell usabout the cafe if you set the
time?
Like what, yeah, how did thiscafe come about?
(37:14):
Mm-hmm.
Um, so I I like to save ideas.
Obviously, I'm a branddesigner, so there's just ideas
all over the place.
And one idea that I reallywanted to do because Lilo, she
was just like a mini, me andMike, like my husband and I, and
then there's Lilo.
(37:35):
But Lelo just loved to do allthe things that we love to do.
So anytime we had free time,she would want to go to a cafe
or she would want to go to thelibrary.
And we're like, you're athree-year-old, how do you want
to what do you mean you want togo to a cafe?
Um, but we spent a lot of ourleisure time taking her to
different cafes all over.
(37:56):
So I just knew that one day Iwanted to have a cafe-themed
birthday for her.
Um, and unfortunately, we nevergot there, but we were able to
celebrate um her life, the firstanniversary of uh the day that
she passed with everyone.
We were able to rent a space atGardens of Gethsemane, which is
(38:18):
where the cemetery where she'sburied, it's like such a
beautiful space.
Like people just go for walksthere because it's it has like
park vibes.
Um, and we were able to invitepeople into this space and have
a few friends who are intomaking coffee and matcha.
(38:38):
And it was just like this umthis whole thing, I guess, where
we were able to invite thecommunity to come in, make a
donation to the BC Children'sHospital, and then from that
they can order um, they canorder coffee, an iced coffee or
a drink or a matcha.
And we had um a local cafe thatLilo loved to go to, donate
(39:02):
some baked goods.
So they brought in some likeNew York Levan cookies.
We had Lee's Donuts donate somecookies, and uh the local
coffee shop also let us usetheir espresso machine because I
don't have the funds to buy myown espresso machine.
Um, but it felt like just sucha community event, and it was
(39:23):
just fun to celebrate her life.
We were able to make um likebranded coffee cups and stickers
for everyone who attended, andum, I think she would have loved
it.
Like I'm grateful that we wereable to still have that Lilo
Cafe themed cafe for her and toremember her and honor her um
(39:45):
with everybody.
Yeah.
Oh, that's that's beautiful.
It's a beautiful way to honorher legacy by um having a
fundraiser to help other kids atthe hospital.
Um that's I mean, did that justcome to you?
How did you come up with theconcept?
So Leela was actually born umnot at that hospital, but at the
(40:05):
adjacent hospital, so BCWomen's Hospital.
And when she was born, theyfound like a small hole in her
heart.
Um, so they took her right toBC Children's Hospital, and the
children's hospital was reallyhelpful.
Um, they said it would go awaywithin the first two years, but
it went away after four months,which is amazing.
(40:27):
Um and yeah, when when she hadpassed the the or before when
she got sick, the plan wasactually to move her there.
Unfortunately, she never madeit, but we know how much work
that hospital does for the localchildren around.
We have some friends who areregularly um getting treatment
(40:49):
at the hospital, some of Lilo'slittle friends as well, who are
are served by them regularly.
So if we can pass that on to beable to help other children in
um in a similar condition or ornot, um that's yeah, really
meaningful to us and and a goodway to honor her life, I think.
Well, thank you for sharingthat.
(41:11):
And um, I guess if you'recomfortable, you know, for for
mothers who are grieving, canyou offer some advice or your
own experience?
How did how did you get throughit?
Yeah.
Um prayer.
Prayer.
Uh sometimes I don't have thestrength to pray.
(41:34):
But the community like thismight not be for mothers who are
grieving, but for the ones whoknow mothers who are grieving to
to have people always messagingus and saying, Hey, I'm
thinking about you.
Hey, I lifted up this prayerfor you, or I offered up this
(41:57):
mass for you and your family andfor Lelo.
Um I I can't explain, to behonest.
Like there's there's a gracethat is not our own strength.
Um and I think that that it'sit's God.
(42:17):
Um, and it's it's just sopowerful.
And so if you have theopportunity, even if you don't
know anyone who's grieving rightnow, but if you can lift up a
prayer for those who are, umthat does more than you know.
Um, but in addition to that, Iwould just say um getting the
(42:37):
right resources.
So we were offered counselingright away.
Um, and we were able to goconsistently for six months and
still go regularly as a coupleand as individuals.
I think that has been reallyhelpful.
But also just, you know, goingdown your own I don't know, I
(43:00):
don't know if I want to callthem rabbit holes, but just like
learning more about the faithand um like I uh I was led to
the works of Blessed CatherineAnn Emmerich after Lilo had
passed and her visions and wasor um had heard or or learned
(43:24):
about um a vision that she hadwhere children and and don't
quote me on this obviouslybecause it still needs to be um
like verified and we'll knowwhen we go to heaven, but that
children who had had passed cango to heaven and they can kind
of like choose to stay their ageor move into their glorified
(43:48):
age, um, whatever that lookslike.
And every single mass thattheir parents attend, they are
there too praying for them, andthey pray very specifically for
their mothers to be able to dowhatever it takes to enter
heaven and to join them and bereunited once again.
(44:09):
And that was a vision that shehad, and it was important to me.
Camille Mendoza (44:14):
Like I hold on to that so clearly, like I I
think about Lilo in every messthat I'm at, every time it's a
holy holy, I think about herjoining us and all the angels
and saints, and her just there,like just shining and knowing
that I'm like intentionallybeing prayed for, and whenever I
(44:37):
have to make a decision, andit's one that requires like a
lot of courage or is reallydifficult to make think about
that and being with her onceagain and you know making the
right decision to to walk thatway of holiness for myself and
(45:03):
for our family, and so it's justshe's still with us every day,
just in such a different way,but in a way that that reminds
us that heaven is there, thatthe victory has already been
(45:24):
won, but that we have to chooseit, we have to choose it every
second, every minute, and it'llcome up the choices come up in
different ways, like the worldis really, really loud, but that
God is calling you to somethingreally specific, and you just
have to quiet down the rest ofthe world and listen and take a
(45:48):
step, you know, take one step,and the path will be made clear
for you if you just keep takingthose one steps and you take
them with the Lord.
Um and just that visual remindsme of that like many times in
my day, which I'm so gratefulfor because it makes me think of
(46:08):
her and whenever I miss her, Ijust think you know, how can I
how can I be better in thatsense?
Sheila Nonato (46:17):
Not in like a self-demeaning sense, but like
be better so that um yeah, I canalso be the version of me that
lives out God's call for mylife.
Thank you for sharing that.
I I really admire your yourfaith, the str your strength.
Um, and the way that you'rehonoring your your daughter's
(46:39):
legacy, that you know, onInstagram you shared what must
have been a very difficult umannouncement, um, or I guess the
your daughter's birthday.
Um but that must have beendifficult for you.
But you I I feel like you havethis sense or this calling to
(46:59):
share the pain that you've beengoing through so that others can
also kind of lighten their ownburden if they're going through
the same thing that you know youyou can do it too, because I
I've I've been able to gothrough the cross, um, but Jesus
is helping me towards theresurrection.
And um yeah, I'm I'm so honoredthat you spoke with me.
(47:24):
And I I also admire that youare going into the digital
space, the the digit, you know,the digital mission territory,
as I like to call it, is thatuh, you know, there are a lot of
landmines that you can step onthere.
Uh there are a lot of darkcorners that we don't want to go
to, but I feel like there is abattle going on on the internet,
(47:46):
a battle for the souls ofchildren, um, and everyone
really who might fall prey toyou know the dark, whatever the
dark forces are on the internet,but you are bringing that light
and helping others, especiallywomen and mothers who want to
venture into that space to tryto bring the the word of God, to
(48:11):
try to evangelize through theirfaith on the online space.
Can you, if you have a littlebit of time, can you tell me how
did you pick this space?
Um, and what is what do youfeel called to?
What is your mission there?
Yeah, I believe that too,Sheila.
Thank you.
And um I believe that because Istep in with my light and you
(48:32):
have your light.
You're here in the digitalspace, um, and I've been able to
meet you through it.
And anyone listening to this oranyone, you know, wanting to
take steps in the digital spacealso has their light um that can
help make it shine a bitbrighter.
So I I think that's a powerfulvisual.
So thanks for for bringing, youknow, the light up.
(48:54):
Um but as far as picking thedigital space, um I think I just
fell into it because as Imentioned, when I was a kid, I
just spent all my time there.
And so some kids might complainthat like their parents never
let them out, but I think thatyou know, the Lord worked
(49:15):
through that and um he's usingit to make me an instrument of
his in the digital space.
And um I think that um, like Isaid earlier, it's
permissionless to come on here.
Like a lot of people think youneed permission to start
(49:36):
anything, but you don't.
Um, you can start with, youknow, a wait list, you can start
with something on Canva, youcan start with a Google Doc and
just sharing that.
There's like so many entrypoints that you can begin.
Um and I just think that thereis so much potential, especially
(50:03):
in these next couple of years,that we need more light in this
space.
Um we need more people who havesomething, something to share.
And it can start, it doesn'thave to be leaving your
corporate job and deciding tostart a business and it's craft
and being right away.
(50:23):
Like, no, it doesn't work thatway.
Um, but you can start with aproject, and like you mentioned,
Sheila, you were a mom, that isyour primary vocation, you
don't have all the hours tospend working in the same way
that you did when you workedyour corporate job, but you
don't need that.
Like you need, you know, likeyou could have been daydreaming
(50:45):
during this conversation, andmaybe the Lord is planting seeds
in you through that.
Um, it can just be a project.
It can be you gathering threepeople who have a similar
interest and you guys meetingevery Saturday or every once a
month every Saturday in thisspot.
It can be an Instagram accountof curations that you've picked
(51:10):
because you have an interest inthis area.
Uh, it can be anything.
And it can start with somethingso small, but when people see
that, like it's so crazy how theworld brings you together and
it's brought us together, andit's brought us together with
everybody else who we've met.
Um, but there is there's justthe spirit of collaboration
(51:32):
because everyone has gifts thatthey can bring to the table, and
it doesn't feel like you haveto compete with anyone.
You can collaborate witheveryone to help bring this
mission to life.
Um, and it's just such a spacewhere where those possibilities
are possible and are endless.
(51:53):
Um, and so I I think there isso much potential.
And if if someone has a projectthat they want to start, talk
to me or read some of the stuffthat I'm writing on Substack
because I feel like this timefor me specifically, I I feel
like the Lord is calling me toslow down on project work.
(52:13):
So I've actually closed off andlike I have a wait list up for
larger retainer clients.
I'm not taking big clients onright now because I feel like I
just need more time to justwrite out these ideas that the
Lord is giving to me.
So I started posting them onSubstack, and it's kind of crazy
(52:33):
how people have found the work.
Many of them are non-Catholicstoo.
They just like resonate withthe message of wanting to be out
there, and it's cool because Iget to sprinkle in little quotes
from saints or like the popesand stuff.
Um, but that space is is uh isgrowing and um it's it's a place
(52:56):
where you can start.
So you can read some of mystuff on Substack and um and see
what you think about it, andthen we can have a conversation
if if you have a project thatyou want to work on.
My latest one is called YouDon't Need a Title, You Need a
Project.
So I think that's a good one tostart off with.
Yeah.
Can you tell us, yeah, whatwhat are your social handles?
(53:17):
Social media handles?
Um on Substack, it's justCamille Mendoza uh dot
substack.com.
Um, and then Camille Rmen's onInstagram.
Um, and then you can followCraft and Being everywhere, and
that's also our website handle,craftandbeing.com.
And do you have a specific umsort of clientele that you're
(53:41):
you're open to working with oryeah, right now I'm actually
working on, I guess it's likekind of like a mini course, um,
which has my brandingfundamentals in it.
So if you feel like you have amission that you want to bring
to life, but you don't quiteknow how to communicate about it
yet, you don't have um thisidea of who your audience is, or
(54:03):
maybe you have an idea, butit's not clear and you don't
know how to take your work fromits current state to being able
to reach the right audience.
Um, I'm creating a mini coursefor that.
There's currently a wait listup for the creator's map.
But otherwise, I have a lot offree content on Substack that
I've been writing on.
And then with Craft and beingright now, again, our bigger
(54:25):
retainers are closed, but Istill do smaller branding
projects.
And I love these projectsbecause they're not full like
$5,000 brand strategy sort ofprojects.
They're more so for the personwho wants to start and be clear
and have consistent visuals sothat anyone who comes across
(54:45):
their work starts to recognizethem and know who they are and
what they stand for, so thatthat's crystal clear.
Um, so yeah, it's like a goodentry point and accessible
pricing is something that Ireally believe in for the people
who are just like me and justwanting to do something on the
side or just start somewhere andthen hopefully it'll grow if
(55:10):
the Lord wills it, right?
Like just take the step is whatI'm trying to say.
Yeah, I love your message ofdiscernment and then
collaboration and cooperationwith the Holy Spirit.
So it's um yeah, I just I justlove this whole message that,
you know, be as mothers, youknow, we yeah, if you're working
(55:32):
or if you're working at thehome in the home, um, and you
feel a call to sort of use yourgifts in whatever way you can at
the moment, given yoursituation with your children or
what stage of motherhood you'reat, um, no, no offering to God
is too small, as we have seen,you know, in the Bible, the
(55:52):
offering of the the widow, andum and God didn't uh didn't uh
God accepted that and actuallyum treasured it because she gave
her all.
So whatever, yeah, as you weresaying, whatever situation you
find yourself in, you're you'renot you don't have too much
time, um, and you have littlesleep, little help, little
(56:17):
sleep, but you still want tooffer something for God.
Um, you know, you yeah, as yousaid, take that start.
Maybe it'll start withjournaling.
I'll start with prayer and thenthe journaling, and who knows
where that will lead.
Um, but yeah, I'm sure Camillecan help you out because she has
helped me um with the podcast.
And I to be honest, I'm stillworking on um where is it gonna
(56:39):
go and still praying about itbecause yeah, every podcast I
really have to pray about itbecause I I hate being on camera
video.
It was my worst subject injournalism school broadcast
journalism.
I loved radio because there wasno video and writing, writing,
that's me, that's me, writer.
Well, because most mostlisteners were audio anyway.
(57:01):
But yes, that's true.
But my husband's like, yougotta go on YouTube.
So I'm like, okay.
But anyway, I also listen to,yeah, that's also part of the
discernment, is some um myhusband prays a lot.
And when he offers me somecomment, you know, I I think
about it, I discern about it.
And, you know, maybe somethingthat's frightful to me is what
(57:25):
God is calling me to.
Um, just like in the Bible,right?
Moses didn't, he he said, No, Ican't do it, Lord.
I I can't I have a stutter or Ican't speak.
And God said, Well, you gotyour brother Aaron.
So he still didn't let him, hedidn't let him off the hook.
He still wanted him to do thetask that he had designed him
and called him to.
Camille Mendoza (57:45):
So yeah.
Sheila Nonato (57:46):
So if there are some mothers who are a little
bit hesitant, um, perhapsCamille might be able to help
you.
You can reach out to her, um,read her a Substack because,
like I said, she has helped mewith the concept and the
branding, really, because that'syeah, our logo is our our brand
at the moment.
I probably have to take one ofyour courses, Camille.
But anyway, I'll be on the waitlist.
(58:07):
But in progress.
I'm wondering this time too.
It's it's kind of crazy becausethe entire, like most of my
career online has been behindthe scenes for large course
creators.
And I used to think, like, oh,I never want to do that for
myself.
There's just so much happeningat all times on the back end.
But I realized that maybe Godis calling me into that, but to
(58:29):
make it simpler and not socrazy.
Like you forget sometimes thatwhen you run your own business,
you can choose what you want itto look like.
And it doesn't have to bechaotic the way they do things,
but it does take, yeah, askinghim um what that looks like and
taking those steps, right?
So yeah, and finally, just I'mreminded of uh so I follow
(58:52):
Stephanie Gas, who's a podcastcoach, and she had this uh
podcast episode, and I thinkit's a video too, of how to have
a business meeting with God.
So I feel like, yeah, that'stotally central to the podcast
that we're doing.
And I'm sure it's also in yourwork as you were, I've been
hearing you talk aboutdiscernment and prayer, that if
(59:13):
you're a Christian entrepreneur,that really is the basis of
your business.
You have to speak to the Lordum for inspiration and guidance
and discernment.
And like I said, I do alsospeak with my husband because we
are in this together.
And uh and he's also a veryprayerful person.
And he really the podcast wouldnot have happened without him.
(59:36):
I just gotta give a shout outto my husband because you know,
I uh I don't often uh praise himenough.
I really should.
I um I'm working on that.
It's one of those, it's one ofthose wounds from childhood that
I have to get over.
But anyways, but yeah, I lovemy husband so much and uh and
and yeah, I here's the praisethat I wish I had I give you
(59:58):
every day.
So To my husband, that's ashout-out to my husband.
Um, but anyway, yeah, he, youknow, we do need those um rocks
of faith.
And it sounds like also yourhusband has been there for you
during the most difficult,painful time in your life.
Um, how how has he been able toalso cope with everything?
(01:00:21):
Yeah, I can't tell you how muchof a rock he's been.
Like, um it's it's funnybecause when you think craft and
being, you think like, oh, thisis me and this is my business.
But it's it's all of it is alsoMike, like, because any meeting
that I'm at, for example, rightnow, the two of them are like
(01:00:43):
at a park so that I can focus.
And I'm sure you you know thedance, Sheila.
Um, but every single detail,every single meeting, every
single new client that I bringon, um he's included in those
decisions because they impacthim and they impact our family.
(01:01:04):
But he has encouraged me andcheered me on the entire way.
And whenever I have doubtsabout myself, he brings to light
all of the strengths that I dohave and what I'm called to, and
just is always reminding me ofof everything that I neglect to
see in myself.
(01:01:25):
Um in in regards to coping witheverything, it's um it's
difficult because we were whatdo you call it?
We both have different momentswhere we just miss Lilo so much,
(01:01:46):
and we've kind of learnedthroughout the last two years to
bring each other in more andlearn about the space that we
need to give each other or umhow to comfort one another.
And I think like as difficultas it is because we both face
our individual crosses with it,we also carry that cross
(01:02:11):
together, and I couldn't be moregrateful that he's the person
that I get to carry this crosswith because she um it was
always his dream to have adaughter, and Lilo was just like
(01:02:31):
they the two of them wereinseparable.
Camille Mendoza (01:02:35):
So it's just I think like watching him go
through all of this is in someways more difficult than going
through it on my own because ofhow much it's hurt.
Sheila Nonato (01:02:52):
But this is the walk, and we are we are growing
in on this journey together, um,and just yeah, she's leading
the that way for us and andshowing us.
So I just believe so much thatshe is praying for us because
there's no other way that wewould be here right now.
(01:03:15):
Um yeah, so I'm grateful to toher and I'm grateful to Mike big
time.
Well, thanks be to God, to yourhusband, and thank you for the
courage to tell us thisbeautiful but difficult story.
And as we have gone out of Lentinto Easter, you know, we know
(01:03:40):
how yeah, how difficult thecross can be.
But Jesus promised aresurrection.
And um and yeah, I have twobabies in heaven.
I unfortunately have not metthem, but one day, as you were
saying about the path toholiness, one day I'd like to
also meet them.
Um and yeah, we're we're reallyon different paths, but we're
(01:04:04):
carrying our own, yeah, ourcrosses.
But Jesus is the one Lord whoum who is there for us.
And I guess also Mother Mary,who had to stand there at the
foot of the cross and had tobear all of that.
And I guess um, I thinksomebody was telling me she was
really strong, you know.
They people can disparageMother Mary, but um she was
(01:04:28):
strong because I can onlyimagine, you know, my child gets
hurt, I really would rather notsee it.
Or if she's gone throughsurgery, it's difficult to
watch, you know.
I I've had my child do thattwice at sick kids, and it was
the most painful.
Like I I mean, not physically,but like emotionally.
I wish I went through thesurgery.
But Mother Mary decided not torun away or hide.
(01:04:51):
She was there watching thehorrific things that happened to
her son.
So we I guess sometimes I'mcomforted, or a lot of times I'm
comforted by her strength too.
And I'm inspired by yourstrength as well.
So thank you for sharing thatstory.
Um, was there anything else?
I think that it like yousharing that, it just showcases
(01:05:12):
like the beauty of our faith andits ability to go into the hard
places and still give us thehope to believe.
Like, I can't think of howanyone else in the world who
doesn't know God um how they doit.
Because I yeah, I just remembergrowing up and I'd see like the
(01:05:34):
Pietra and um different visualsof Mother Mary and Jesus and
her being present and watchingher son go through that
suffering.
And I I just never resonatedwith it.
And I was like, why?
Like, why would you depictthis?
Why I I didn't understand, um,but having gone through what
(01:05:56):
we've gone through, I just thinknow how important that is
because everyone, everyone isgoing through something and they
need hope.
Um, and so if you were able tobe someone walking anything,
(01:06:17):
walking through that with them,even if it's something that
you've never experienced yet.
Um, or even like the people whoreached out to us as we've been
going through this, they'venever gone through this specific
instance.
Thanks be to God, they haven't.
Um, but through their prayers,through them thinking about us
and checking in, and it's it'sjust made it not so much
(01:06:44):
lighter, but to to have acompanion or companions with us,
um, it does help.
And so, yeah, I I just thinkabout that.
Beautiful, and um, and yeah, II wish you a blessed Mother's
Day.
You too, thank you.
I wish I pray for all themothers who are going through
(01:07:08):
something or have experiencedthe loss of a child or a baby,
and it's gonna be a hardMother's Day.
And I I'm praying for you.
Um, and again, Camille, thankyou for coming and sharing your
story and sharing your art andyour talents, um, because it's
truly a gift for us to have thatartwork that you did.
(01:07:32):
Um, and thank you, thank you somuch again.
And for he for answering God'scall.
That's um, you know, that'sdifficult to do actually,
because we that means we have tobe humble before the Lord and
we have to put God's will infront of our own.
So that's people think that'snot that's not uh hard, but it
is because we have to fight withour own will, right?
(01:07:54):
And our own desires.
So thank you as well.
I thank you so much.
I'm really so blessed to havemet you over the internet, but
one day, God willing.
I mean, we're in the samecountry.
Yes, absolutely, absolutely.
So um, yeah, thank you again,Camille.
Have a blessed day and thankyou to your husband uh for uh
(01:08:15):
taking the time to let you dothis interview.
So, and I do pray that you havea blessed, blessed Mother's Day
with your family.
Thank you, Sheila.
I'll be appreciated.
Thank you, Camille.
Thank you so much.
God bless.
God bless.
Take care.
Bye.
Let the little children come tome, Jesus said in the Gospel of
(01:08:40):
Matthew, chapter 19, verse 14.
On Lilo's heaven day, she musthave been smiling so widely and
beautifully as nearly 1,000people attended her funeral
vigil and viewing.
Co-Host (01:08:56):
She knew that Jesus was in the Eucharist.
And we see in this picture howshe is in awe of being in his
presence.
Sheila Nonato (01:09:09):
Thank you, Camille, for sharing this very
personal story of your daughter,one of Heaven's youngest
saints.
Saint Lilo, pray for us andgive us the heart for Christ
that you had.
Co-Host (01:09:25):
In the next episode, we look to Lily Wilson.
Listen to her story.
She is the owner and founder ofVeils by Lily.
Sheila Nonato (01:09:37):
How did Lily navigate her postpartum
struggles?
And how did God turn that intoa blessing?
Stay tuned, friends, and have ablessed, blessed Thanksgiving
to our American sisters andbrothers, and have a safe
weekend.
God bless you, and until nexttime, thank you so much for
(01:09:58):
spending some time with us.
God bless.
Co-Host (01:10:34):
And be blessed together.
And I'd see like the Pieta and um different
visuals of Mother Mary and Jesusand her being present and
watching her son go through thatsuffering.
And I I just never resonatedwith it.
And I was like, why?
Like, why would you depictthis?
Why I I didn't understand.
Um, but having gone throughwhat we've gone through, I just
(00:25):
think now how important that isbecause everyone, everyone is
going through something and theyneed
hope. Here, there is a very short 2 second pause (00:34):
A photo of Lilo looking in awe at the Eucharist is shown on screen on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@veilandarmour Today was actually supposed to
be her fifth birthday.
Um, unfortunately, she passedaway suddenly and like really
unexpectedly for us.
Uh, it's almost two years agonow.
So her last birthday that wecelebrated with her was her
third birthday.
Um and yeah, at the time, umsorry, I'm I'm just going down a
(01:14):
trip on memory lane, I guess.
Um but spending so much timewith a beloved daughter, it um
it really helps you see how howGod sees you.
Sheila Nonato (01:33):
How God sees us in our suffering is through how
his son saw us on the cross.
With love beyond humancomprehension.
In this week's episode, we haveCamille Mendoza, a Catholic
creative from British Columbia,newly expectant mom, whose
(01:54):
beloved firstborn daughter Liloleft this earth too soon at the
tender age of three.
Let's hear her deeply movingjourney from grief to healing.
How did this young mother copewith such a tragic loss?
How did faith help her in herhealing?
(02:16):
And how did this immenselysorrowful experience become a
blessing in helping Camille findher voice and her passion for
motherhood, as well as in hernew venture of helping mothers
and women bring to life theircreative independent businesses.
(02:39):
Thank you for joining us thisweek, Sisters in Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving to ourAmerican sisters and brothers,
and may you have a blessed,blessed celebration and blessed
weekend.
Take care.
Co-Host (02:58):
Hello and welcome to the Veil and Armour Podcast.
This is your host, SheilaNonato.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and afreelance Catholic journalist.
Seeking the guidance of theHoly Spirit and the inspiration
of Our Lady, I strive to tellstories that inspire,
illuminate, and enrich the livesof Catholic women to help them
in living out our vocation ofraising the next generation of
(03:20):
leaders and saints.
Please join us every week onthe Veil in Armour Podcast,
where stories come alive througha journalist's lance and
mother's heart.
Sheila Nonato (03:38):
Is that correct, Camille?
A little bit on the outskirts,but Vancouver, because that's
what people know, right?
Okay, okay, awesome.
And you are the owner of Craftand Being.
And let's start off with aprayer, if you don't mind.
Camille Mendoza (03:54):
Of course.
That sounds great.
Sheila Nonato (03:55):
Okay.
Did you want to lead and thenI'll respond or we can do uh
Hail Mary?
Camille Mendoza (04:02):
Sure, yeah.
In the name of the Father andof the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, theLord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus.
Sheila Nonato (04:18):
Holy Mary, Mother of God, we pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of ourdeath.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Well, thank you so much,Camille.
And I wanted to introduce thelisteners and and the
subscribers on YouTube to thedesigner of our logo, our
beautiful logo.
(04:39):
So my uh my sister-in-lawsketched it out, but uh Camille
is the one who finished it,colored it in, put the uh the
writing on it, the fonts, and uhit's it's been amazing.
So thank you.
Thank you so much for thatbeautiful, beautiful design that
you did.
Thank you for the honour,Sheila.
I love podcast graphics, it'sjust so much fun to make
(05:02):
something pop.
And um it's like it's so funny.
You're working with such alittle canvas, but there's so
much potential to take it,especially with how Veil +
Armour has started and how howit's grown over the last year
and a bit, right?
Yeah, I think like we justcelebrated our anniversary
around Easter time one year.
Camille Mendoza (05:22):
Yeah.
Sheila Nonato (05:22):
So yeah, thank you so much for that.
And um, and yeah, I was just sointrigued by the whole process
that you, you know, you wereasking about what color, what
kind of blue, because they'redifferent kinds of blue.
And and um, and yeah, can yousort of walk us through uh so
tell us also about your yourclients?
You've had a lot of Catholicclients that we might have heard
(05:44):
of, or I'm sure we have heardof.
Um, Sister Miriam Miriam James,correct?
Uh her podcast.
Yeah, we do the AbidingTogether podcast, which is so
much fun.
Um, Redbird Ministries, they'rea grief support ministry out in
Louisiana for moms who havelost children of any ages.
We do Reform Wellness.
(06:05):
Um, reforms kind of movingaround all over the world, but
they're wonderful.
So those are some of our bigclients, and we also take on a
lot of smaller mission-orientedCatholic clients from all over
the world.
Yeah.
And tell tell us please, howdid you get started?
Was this um sort of your careerpath when you went to
(06:26):
university?
How did you sort of foreseeyour career at that point?
Camille Mendoza (06:31):
Yeah.
Um it's interesting.
I I like look back and seeGod's hand in the entire
journey.
Um I it was not anything closeto what I expected, but it it
has been what I have alwaysdreamed of.
And I think the Lord is stillworking on that, and he's, you
(06:53):
know, um molding me in differentways and telling me, you know,
go this direction or go thisdirection.
But when I when I was a kid, Iguess I had always taken an
interest in the arts.
So media, um, drawing, painting,digital arts, and creating
things.
I I was uh a pretty bored kidwho didn't spend a lot of time
(07:19):
outdoors because my parents werejust afraid of what would
happen if they let me out there.
And so I spent a lot of time onthe computer and was one of the
early people on my spacecoding.
And then we moved on to uhwhatever the different platforms
were BlogSpot, Live Journal,Bebo, etc.
(07:42):
Um, and yeah, I spent a lot ofmy summers and days after school
just coming up with funprojects, companies that didn't
exist yet.
I would just, you know, buyjewelry from the dollar store
that I would put together andthen I would take photos of it
and then post it on a websiteand call it some company name
(08:03):
that didn't actually exist.
And there was no PayPalattached to it or anything, but
it was just fun for me to seesomething come out of nothing.
Um, and so I think the Lord hadalways had those seeds planted
within me.
Um when I when it was finallytime to decide what I was going
(08:26):
to do in the future.
It seems like they make it sucha big deal in our culture.
Like once you are, you know, atthe end of high school, you have
to now choose what collegeyou'll go to and and decide what
you want to be for the rest ofyour life.
And it feels like it's justthis one thing.
And I think it was because ofthat that led me through um this
(08:51):
battle with anxiety and um,yeah, needing to go to doctors,
counselors, psychologists tokind of figure out why I was
going through so many mentalbreakdowns and just having a
hard time breathing.
Um and I think a lot of thatwas rooted around how I felt
(09:11):
like it was difficult to bridgetogether what I understood of
God and how I wanted to pursue apath of holiness.
But also, like my parents andculture and the rest of the
world paves this path of whatsuccess looks like.
And both seem good, you know,like they make it out to seem
(09:35):
like this is what's good foryou, or this is what's good for
you.
But I couldn't, my brain justcouldn't find a way to merge the
two together.
Um, and I think it was thatlike, well, how do I become
successful in the world sense orwith the approval of my
parents?
How do I make them proud?
(09:55):
Um, while also like using thegifts and the curiosities and um
the interests that the Lord hasgiven me, how do I do that
without, you know, just likeliving lifeless throughout the
rest of my life?
And so um I didn't know the
answers at the time.
I I went to school forsomething similar to my
(10:19):
interests.
I um have a Bachelor of Arts incommunications and took
electives in visual arts andgraphic design and media.
Um, and I still didn't knowwhat I was going to do with
that, but I started working fora large accounting firm, doing
marketing work for them.
That's kind of where my careerstarted, and then it all changed
(10:41):
when I had my first daughter,Lilo.
I decided after being with her,like that I just didn't want to
go back.
Um, so she was kind of thatcatalyst that just cleared
everything up for me and openedup this path that started Craft
and Being, the very early stagesof it.
(11:03):
It was just called MendozaCollective Co.
at the time.
And it's neat that way becauseprojects can change, the names
of it can change, the directioncan change, but you just have to
get started, right?
And that's kind of where itstarted for me was just not
wanting to go back to my roleafter my maternity leave, and it
(11:23):
sort of took its own directionfrom there in um just listening
to where the Lord was wanting meto take it.
Yeah.
Sheila Nonato (11:33):
So when you mentioned the name craft and
being, can you tell us how didthat come about?
Camille Mendoza (11:38):
Yeah.
Um I I just love this idea ofworking on your craft.
And I think that when you workon something that it could be
tangible, it could be digital,but when you work on something
that is um like a mission thathas been given to you, whether
it be from your own personalstory, maybe it was something
(12:00):
that you struggled with, like awound, maybe it's just something
that you've always loved doingas a kid, like you were into
pottery, and it's something thatyour grandma taught you.
You can work on that craft.
And as you are on the journey ofworking on that craft, it is
also working on your being andwhat you know about yourself,
(12:22):
how you can learn to loveyourself, how how you can see
these different angles aboutyourself, and how you can see
God in him as creator and in youas co-creator, and what he
wants to bring about and tobring alive in you as his
instrument.
Um, so that's that's kind ofwhere the name came from.
(12:43):
It was something that I feltlike has followed me throughout
my entire life, where whenever Iactually take the path, even if
it's a scary path, but wheneverI've taken the path that I've I
felt like the Lord is callingme here, um, I've grown a lot in
my own personal self and inlove for myself, in love for
(13:07):
God.
And I see that as like a gestureof the Father, just saying, you
know, I love you, my daughter.
I want you to take um, youknow, not always the easy, not
always the comfortable path, butthe path that's going to make
you become the best version ofyourself, to make you become the
(13:27):
path or to make you go into thepath of holiness that I'm
calling you to.
Um, so that's yeah, that'swhere the name Craft and Being
comes from.
And it's it's neat because wework with a lot of
mission-driven organizations,whether it be someone's
one-person business or whetherit's grown to like a small to
medium-sized business, it'salways started from a mission
(13:52):
that someone has had.
And I'm just so excited to seethat grow from like the idea
stage, um, where there's stillso many barriers and it feels
like it's difficult to get to togo from step one to this huge
vision to a growth level wherewe're starting to um get the
(14:15):
work in front of the people thatit could serve the best.
Sheila Nonato (14:19):
And when you mentioned the joy and then the
inspiration for the company, youhad been working at an
accounting firm, and then yousaid you had your daughter and
she was your inspiration.
Are you okay to talk about herand how she became that light
and that inspiration for you?
Camille Mendoza (14:37):
Yeah, yeah.
Um, yeah, I uh, like I said,this whole journey, Craft and
Being, and what it's become, andI'm sure where it's going has
been a seed for a long time.
I remember working in mycubicle.
Thankfully, I had this nicewindow view, which was um
(14:59):
unheard of for like a co-opintern at the place.
Um, but I would look out thewindow and just think, like,
wow, I wonder what it would belike to use these skills, um,
the technical things that I waslearning for organizations,
missions that I was actuallyinterested in, you know, like it
(15:21):
you can grow natural resourcesonly so much.
You can grow um like largeorganizations only so much.
They they already have a lot ofmoney, and you can you can do a
lot with that, but it would beso neat to just do something
that you're actually reallyinterested in and wanting to
(15:41):
move that mission forward.
Um, so that's that's where thatseed started.
I that was just daydreaming.
And I think we need to do moredaydreaming because that's where
we we can find those hiddengems of um yeah, what the Lord
is wanting to bring out andalive through us.
Sheila, I'm just checking tomake sure that everything is
okay because it looks like it'spaused on your end.
Sheila Nonato (16:04):
Or oh, um, yeah, no, I think sometimes because it
downloads in high resolution,it supposedly, yeah, like
freezes people sometimes.
Oh yeah.
But right now it's uh showingme that everything is okay.
Okay, okay, great.
So just making sure.
Okay, thanks for checking.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Um so yeah, I I went onto mymaternity leave when my first
(16:28):
daughter Leela was born.
Today was actually supposed tobe her fifth birthday.
Um, unfortunately, she passedaway suddenly and like really
unexpectedly for us.
Uh it's almost two years agonow.
So her last birthday that wecelebrated with her was her
third birthday.
Um and yeah, at the time, umsorry.
(17:00):
On memory lane, I guess.
Um but I'm sure you know whatit's like having experienced it
multiple times, but spending somuch time with a beloved
(17:22):
daughter.
It um it really helps you seehow how God sees you.
And she's made me um she's mademe think of the world so
differently, like she'severything that I needed.
(17:42):
And I think that just wantingto be around her and wanting to
learn from her um allowed me totake steps that I just I never
was prepared to take because Iwas taught to take the safe
(18:04):
path.
And I think that's why I had alot of anxieties, because there
were too many people to please,and I needed to take my gaze off
of who it was that I waslooking to please, and um
redirect that to only oneperson, to the Lord and what he
(18:27):
wants to do through me.
And she made that likeincredibly clear for me.
Um, so when I um when she was alittle bit older, maybe around
six or seven months, and we wereout of the crazy postpartum
stage, I just it felt like I hadthe permission to begin
(18:51):
dreaming, begin thinking aboutprojects.
And um so I I took my skill setthat I had in my corporate job
and just decided to to do thatonline.
And it's led me to so manyincredible people.
I'm you being one of them,Sheila, like just I I feel like
(19:13):
we're living in a time right nowwhere it's it's so possible for
women, for mothers, to not haveto what do you call it?
It's not necessarily not haveto choose because I don't think
(19:34):
your identity is your career oryour identity is to be a mother,
like a stay-at-home mother.
Um, I think we're we're morethan that.
Like there's many layers to whowe are, and the Lord calls us
to different paths as well.
Like, what is a path ofholiness for your family?
(19:55):
What is right based off of youknow, your husband and what what
he uh like I guess what he'scalled to and what you are
called to and what your childrenare called to.
Like it takes a lot of um yourown personal discernment to
figure that out.
So I'm not going to be theperson to say, like, there is
one path to holiness, and it isto leave your job and take the
(20:17):
path that I took.
Um, but I think there is such abeauty in the time that we're
living, like we're really calledto live in these times where it
feels permissionless to startsomething, to start something so
personal to you as well, um,where you can go on and you can
create a website with AI orwhatever right away.
(20:40):
And I actually think we like asa mom who is at home all the
time, I think we're actuallycalled to go into those realms
and to be one of those people tobring the missions that are
important to us out into theworld using tools like this.
Obviously, there are still someethical concerns around it, but
(21:04):
I think you need to be educatedin the space to be able to
accurately understand theconcerns and learn deeper about
them.
Because you can't know anythingabout them if you don't know
what it looks like, right?
But um it's it's funny becauseI have my 15-month-old now.
Um, and obviously there aretimes where she is napping, and
(21:27):
I just go down these rabbitholes and I'm like, wow, like
more people need to know aboutthese tools so that they don't
have to be me and have anxietyaround, you know, feeling like
you are called to more than whatyou are currently doing on a
day-to-day basis, feeling likeyou want to start a project, but
(21:47):
you don't have the time or youdon't have capital, you don't
have a team or resources, youcan start somewhere.
And it's there are so manyresources to do that now.
So that's kind of where I'veshifted my focus is how can we
teach this to more people andhow can we encourage and empower
more people, especially motherswho, you know, there is
(22:11):
something unique that they haveto bring to the world.
Like I follow so many thatteach me about activities I can
do with my toddler, like lookingat textures and nature and
things like that.
It's not something I would havecome up with on my own, but I
love learning about it fromother people.
And I think that I havesomething to share too.
I think we all have somethingto share, but you know, it takes
(22:33):
um really being attuned to thatand really hearing and being
sensitive to what the Lord issaying to actually quiet down
the world and take those stepsto begin to do that.
So yeah, that's kind of wherewe've pivoted as crafted being,
which whatever freedom to pivotbecause um that's that's how the
(22:56):
Lord works too.
Yeah, absolutely.
And creativity and um, youknow, being able to, as you
said, sort of maneuver wheneversomething is thrown at you or a
different situation, and youcome up with a creative
solution.
Yeah.
And as you're saying, yeah,motherhood, there are different
seasons.
So in the beginning, thenewborn, the new young mom,
(23:19):
young wife, that's that'sprobably I don't I don't want to
say the hardest, but because wedon't know what's coming our
way, that might make it a littlemore um little more difficult.
And also the lack of sleep andall that.
But you know, yeah, motherhood,the seasons then change when
they start to grow up.
(23:40):
But I can understand whatyou're saying that there are now
tools that can help moms um to,if they want to use their
talents, um, and if they stillwant to stay at home, there are
those tools, or if they want towork part-time or however their
situation is, but there aretools available.
Um, and I think we might, youknow, women might be putting a
(24:03):
lot of pressure on ourselves,right?
To to do everything, to be, tobe everything, the super mom.
And probably should kind of letthat go and just let God help
us.
You know, what is he calling usto?
Maybe it's not getting formyself, it's not gonna be the, I
don't know, the full schedulethat you know I used to do.
(24:26):
You know, I'm not gonna workuntil midnight and um you know,
on my off time in the on theweekend.
Like I have a family.
So that's not happening.
But, you know, there arepockets of time that here and
there, and if my husband ishome, you know, that that's sort
of how I maneuver in that way.
(24:46):
And I also my expectations, youknow, I don't expect to be
working a certain number ofhours like I used to, like crazy
hours, because that was alsonot healthy.
That was also not healthy.
Especially, wow.
Yeah.
Um, and my joy is now in in myfamily.
Um, although, yeah, like thecareer did bring me joy and
(25:09):
fulfillment.
But again, to pivot to what isGod calling me to now?
And as I I was listening toyou, I was sort of, yeah,
thinking about my own kind ofdiscernment.
Uh, when I left, I left mycareer to start a family.
I um yeah, I got a job actuallyum that I really wanted to
(25:31):
take, but the doctor said I um Ihave a complicated pregnancy.
So I had to decline.
And I had had a previousmiscarriage before that.
So I was very, I don't know,anxious.
Yeah, I think that's the word,anxious that you know everything
should go well, or at least Iwill try my best and leave it to
(25:53):
God.
But you know, that's yeah,sometimes that's what we have to
kind of do.
Um, the mom or the dad, um, thewife or the husband, that we
kind of have to surrender.
There are times we have tosurrender to what God is calling
us to, but I don't, I don'tregret it.
Um because I, yeah, I mychildren have taught me so much.
And I'm sure your children, asyou were talking about um Belo,
(26:16):
um, she sounded she sounds likea beautiful little girl, you
know, that brought you so muchjoy.
Can you can you tell us alittle bit more if you if you
don't mind?
Like what kind of a um adaughter was she to you?
She sounds like she had a verybig personality.
Huge.
Yeah, she um she was veryspunky.
(26:39):
It's funny because my husbandand I think about Lelo and we're
like, wow, she's exactly likeme as far as my personality.
But when I look at her, likeshe um it's just so funny what
motherhood does to you becauseit makes you be kinder to
yourself because of how you lookat your child.
(27:01):
And um I just remember Lilo,she had really strong
boundaries, and she would beworking on her art piece, and I
would want to join her, andshe's like, Mom, I just like I
need my own space right now,which is so weird for to me for
(27:21):
a three-year-old to say that tome.
But I just learned a lotthrough her from little lessons
like that, like honoring whatyour needs are in that moment
and asking for them and notfeeling like you need to be
everything and everyone forevery single person.
Um, but just yeah, politelyrequesting that.
(27:44):
Um, Lilo was just so good atthat.
Um, and she she loved nature,she just helped us to stop and
pause and um pay attention tolike what the colors of the
leaves were, things that wewould normally just zoom past on
(28:06):
our our day-to-day lives.
Um there's just so much I couldsay about her, but since she's
since she passed, it made merealize like as short as her
three years were with us, and Iwish we had many more years with
her to get to know her and tolearn more from her.
(28:28):
She's still teaching us somuch, and she lived such a full
life.
Um it just like I have noregrets about the way that she
lived and how I was able tospend all of those three years
with her because I decided notto go back.
And if there are people who arecalled to that, I want them to
(28:51):
have that too.
Like I feel like Lilo, eventhough she even though she went
early, that her life reallypointed back to God and the
messages that we received aftershe had passed made me think
(29:11):
about what our lives are reallymeant to be here on this earth
for.
And I think that you know,you're called to reach a certain
person, Sheila.
I'm called to reach somepeople.
Lelo was called to reach themany people that she's reached,
and one day maybe we'll be ableto see the souls that we've
(29:33):
impacted and helped bring toheaven to come to know Jesus, to
have a better relationship withwith God.
Um and her life was really thatto me.
And I um I want my life to belike that too.
I want my husband's life to belike that.
(29:53):
I want my family's life to belike that.
And so the work that I do nowand my off hours and Is like all
about that.
Like, who are you?
What are your curiosities?
What are the things like theseeds that have always been
there?
And I want people to see thatthat's not random, that's God.
(30:16):
Um, and it was that for me,like when I was going through
that period of anxiety.
Um, it lasted a couple ofyears, but I came across the the
post-Synod exhortation by PopeFrancis.
Um, it was like a letter toyoung people, but I really think
(30:37):
that it's for everyone.
But it's called Christus Vivit,and um that letter taught me to
embrace these dreams that theyaren't random.
There is something unique thathe's calling you to.
Um, actually, maybe I shouldread an actual line from it, but
(31:00):
um, he says to respond to ourvocation, we need to foster and
develop all that we are.
This has nothing to do withinventing ourselves or creating
ourselves out of nothing.
It has to do with finding ourtrue selves in the light of God
and letting our lives flourishand bear fruit.
(31:20):
Your vocation inspires you tobring out the best in yourself
for the glory of God and thegood of others.
It is not simply a matter ofdoing things, but of doing them
with meaning and direction.
Um, so that that line and manyother lines, it's it's a long
piece.
Um just yeah, gave me thatpermission that, like, you know,
(31:43):
I have interests here, I havedesires here, and God wants that
for me, but he wants me to useit for good.
He wants me to use it to becomebetter myself and to make
things better for his sons anddaughters and people who have
yet to become his sons anddaughters.
Um, it's just, yeah, such abeautiful piece.
(32:04):
I would really recommend toeveryone to to read through that
because yeah, it's not just foryoung people, but everyone can
be young if they are stillhoping and dreaming and you
know, listening to what the Lordis calling them to.
And that is uh written by PopeFrancis, correct?
That's right, yeah.
Yeah.
Were you at World Youth Date ifmy my memory I wish I was at
(32:26):
that World Youth Date, but itcame after the Panama one.
Oh, okay.
I see.
I so which one were you at?
No, I I wish I was at WorldYouth.
Oh, you weren't?
Oh, you weren't.
Okay, okay, sorry.
Yeah.
Okay, okay, okay.
I think I still qualify, somaybe my family's Korea.
Yeah, that would be amazing.
You bring your whole familywith you.
But um, well, I I went when Iwas yeah, single.
(32:50):
So I don't well, I had tosleep, we had to sleep on the
floor of a gym.
So maybe not.
Maybe they'll bring a family orrent a hotel.
Which one did you, Michila?
Um, I went to World You uhToronto, uh 2000.
Oh my gosh, is it like amillion years ago?
2003.
And then when Pope Benedict waselected, um, so yeah, I've seen
(33:14):
quite a few popes.
It's very strange and odd thatum it's it's been like that.
But 200, when was PopeBenedict?
Um, wait, 2002, sorry, is WorldUtah Toronto.
I think it was 2003 or 4, justbefore, no, 2005, I think.
Um, just before I went to theMiddle East.
But yeah, um, it's yeah, it'sactually an amazing experience.
(33:36):
Like I I can't, I don't know.
I just my husband was actuallyalso there.
We never we didn't know eachother then, but he was part of,
yeah, he was part of the Way ofthe Cross in Toronto.
He was one of the um, he playedone of the Roman soldiers.
Okay.
Yeah, so it came down it inToronto, there's like a a
street, you know, a long stretchof um, like in front of the
museum, the Royal InteriorMuseum.
(33:58):
It's called University Avenue.
Like it's where all the thehappening, you know, things
happening are there.
Like it's very busy.
But on that day, and it wasgonna rain actually, it was
starting to rain, but as the,you know, as the actors were
coming down University Avenue,people were really quiet, which
is very, very strange and yeah,odd, because you know, it's
(34:22):
there were a lot of people.
So, but I think they knew therewas something special
happening.
Um, and it was yeah, it wasreally, really beautiful.
But did you notice yourhusband?
You did you know he existed?
No, no, I didn't even know.
I just saw the actors and allthat.
I I just to be honest, didn'teven yeah, we met like I don't
(34:42):
know, when was that?
2002.
So we met in 2009.
So I didn't even know him.
No, I didn't, I had no cluethat um, yeah, but it's uh one
of those coincidences that, ormaybe it's not a coincidence
that it's meant to happen thatway.
Camille Mendoza (34:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Sheila Nonato (35:00):
But um, yeah, I'm I'm also curious about your
daughter's name.
How did you come up with umLilo?
Yeah, Lilo is actually anickname.
So her name is Lauren Adelie.
Okay.
Um honestly, the name juststood out to us because it
sounded like an Atta's name andwe knew she would be the older
sister to her siblings.
(35:22):
Um but it um Lauren with thethe laurels, it like it wasn't
until after she passed that wereflected again on her name and
how it pointed to this victorythat God has already won.
Um, so it was just sointeresting how her life really
(35:47):
pointed to that because she umshe obviously passed before the
age of reason and went directlyto heaven.
And for us, because she isbaptized, um it's kind of crazy
that like throughout that weekthat she passed, um, and and the
(36:09):
month and the year thatfollowed, we felt like we were
just kind of floating in thisgrace.
Like they're like, I look back,and my husband and I look back
and we think about that time andwe're like, how did we survive,
let alone like go through allof um, I guess the motions of
planning a funeral and seeingall of our family and and and do
(36:32):
that like presently, and it wasjust I'm sure a grace by the
grace of God, by her prayers, bythe prayers of everyone who is
praying for us.
Um and also because we hadpeace, that she was, you know,
with the Lord.
And so I look back at her nameand I was like, wow, there
(36:53):
really was a victory that hasalready been won.
And she points us right tothat.
Um yeah, that's it's kind ofher name and and the backstory
behind it.
And also, um, can you tell usabout the cafe if you set the
time?
Like what, yeah, how did thiscafe come about?
(37:14):
Mm-hmm.
Um, so I I like to save ideas.
Obviously, I'm a branddesigner, so there's just ideas
all over the place.
And one idea that I reallywanted to do because Lilo, she
was just like a mini, me andMike, like my husband and I, and
then there's Lilo.
(37:35):
But Lelo just loved to do allthe things that we love to do.
So anytime we had free time,she would want to go to a cafe
or she would want to go to thelibrary.
And we're like, you're athree-year-old, how do you want
to what do you mean you want togo to a cafe?
Um, but we spent a lot of ourleisure time taking her to
different cafes all over.
(37:56):
So I just knew that one day Iwanted to have a cafe-themed
birthday for her.
Um, and unfortunately, we nevergot there, but we were able to
celebrate um her life, the firstanniversary of uh the day that
she passed with everyone.
We were able to rent a space atGardens of Gethsemane, which is
(38:18):
where the cemetery where she'sburied, it's like such a
beautiful space.
Like people just go for walksthere because it's it has like
park vibes.
Um, and we were able to invitepeople into this space and have
a few friends who are intomaking coffee and matcha.
(38:38):
And it was just like this umthis whole thing, I guess, where
we were able to invite thecommunity to come in, make a
donation to the BC Children'sHospital, and then from that
they can order um, they canorder coffee, an iced coffee or
a drink or a matcha.
And we had um a local cafe thatLilo loved to go to, donate
(39:02):
some baked goods.
So they brought in some likeNew York Levan cookies.
We had Lee's Donuts donate somecookies, and uh the local
coffee shop also let us usetheir espresso machine because I
don't have the funds to buy myown espresso machine.
Um, but it felt like just sucha community event, and it was
(39:23):
just fun to celebrate her life.
We were able to make um likebranded coffee cups and stickers
for everyone who attended, andum, I think she would have loved
it.
Like I'm grateful that we wereable to still have that Lilo
Cafe themed cafe for her and toremember her and honor her um
(39:45):
with everybody.
Yeah.
Oh, that's that's beautiful.
It's a beautiful way to honorher legacy by um having a
fundraiser to help other kids atthe hospital.
Um that's I mean, did that justcome to you?
How did you come up with theconcept?
So Leela was actually born umnot at that hospital, but at the
(40:05):
adjacent hospital, so BCWomen's Hospital.
And when she was born, theyfound like a small hole in her
heart.
Um, so they took her right toBC Children's Hospital, and the
children's hospital was reallyhelpful.
Um, they said it would go awaywithin the first two years, but
it went away after four months,which is amazing.
(40:27):
Um and yeah, when when she hadpassed the the or before when
she got sick, the plan wasactually to move her there.
Unfortunately, she never madeit, but we know how much work
that hospital does for the localchildren around.
We have some friends who areregularly um getting treatment
(40:49):
at the hospital, some of Lilo'slittle friends as well, who are
are served by them regularly.
So if we can pass that on to beable to help other children in
um in a similar condition or ornot, um that's yeah, really
meaningful to us and and a goodway to honor her life, I think.
Well, thank you for sharingthat.
(41:11):
And um, I guess if you'recomfortable, you know, for for
mothers who are grieving, canyou offer some advice or your
own experience?
How did how did you get throughit?
Yeah.
Um prayer.
Prayer.
Uh sometimes I don't have thestrength to pray.
(41:34):
But the community like thismight not be for mothers who are
grieving, but for the ones whoknow mothers who are grieving to
to have people always messagingus and saying, Hey, I'm
thinking about you.
Hey, I lifted up this prayerfor you, or I offered up this
(41:57):
mass for you and your family andfor Lelo.
Um I I can't explain, to behonest.
Like there's there's a gracethat is not our own strength.
Um and I think that that it'sit's God.
(42:17):
Um, and it's it's just sopowerful.
And so if you have theopportunity, even if you don't
know anyone who's grieving rightnow, but if you can lift up a
prayer for those who are, umthat does more than you know.
Um, but in addition to that, Iwould just say um getting the
(42:37):
right resources.
So we were offered counselingright away.
Um, and we were able to goconsistently for six months and
still go regularly as a coupleand as individuals.
I think that has been reallyhelpful.
But also just, you know, goingdown your own I don't know, I
(43:00):
don't know if I want to callthem rabbit holes, but just like
learning more about the faithand um like I uh I was led to
the works of Blessed CatherineAnn Emmerich after Lilo had
passed and her visions and wasor um had heard or or learned
(43:24):
about um a vision that she hadwhere children and and don't
quote me on this obviouslybecause it still needs to be um
like verified and we'll knowwhen we go to heaven, but that
children who had had passed cango to heaven and they can kind
of like choose to stay their ageor move into their glorified
(43:48):
age, um, whatever that lookslike.
And every single mass thattheir parents attend, they are
there too praying for them, andthey pray very specifically for
their mothers to be able to dowhatever it takes to enter
heaven and to join them and bereunited once again.
(44:09):
And that was a vision that shehad, and it was important to me.
Camille Mendoza (44:14):
Like I hold on to that so clearly, like I I
think about Lilo in every messthat I'm at, every time it's a
holy holy, I think about herjoining us and all the angels
and saints, and her just there,like just shining and knowing
that I'm like intentionallybeing prayed for, and whenever I
(44:37):
have to make a decision, andit's one that requires like a
lot of courage or is reallydifficult to make think about
that and being with her onceagain and you know making the
right decision to to walk thatway of holiness for myself and
(45:03):
for our family, and so it's justshe's still with us every day,
just in such a different way,but in a way that that reminds
us that heaven is there, thatthe victory has already been
(45:24):
won, but that we have to chooseit, we have to choose it every
second, every minute, and it'llcome up the choices come up in
different ways, like the worldis really, really loud, but that
God is calling you to somethingreally specific, and you just
have to quiet down the rest ofthe world and listen and take a
(45:48):
step, you know, take one step,and the path will be made clear
for you if you just keep takingthose one steps and you take
them with the Lord.
Um and just that visual remindsme of that like many times in
my day, which I'm so gratefulfor because it makes me think of
(46:08):
her and whenever I miss her, Ijust think you know, how can I
how can I be better in thatsense?
Sheila Nonato (46:17):
Not in like a self-demeaning sense, but like
be better so that um yeah, I canalso be the version of me that
lives out God's call for mylife.
Thank you for sharing that.
I I really admire your yourfaith, the str your strength.
Um, and the way that you'rehonoring your your daughter's
(46:39):
legacy, that you know, onInstagram you shared what must
have been a very difficult umannouncement, um, or I guess the
your daughter's birthday.
Um but that must have beendifficult for you.
But you I I feel like you havethis sense or this calling to
(46:59):
share the pain that you've beengoing through so that others can
also kind of lighten their ownburden if they're going through
the same thing that you know youyou can do it too, because I
I've I've been able to gothrough the cross, um, but Jesus
is helping me towards theresurrection.
And um yeah, I'm I'm so honoredthat you spoke with me.
(47:24):
And I I also admire that youare going into the digital
space, the the digit, you know,the digital mission territory,
as I like to call it, is thatuh, you know, there are a lot of
landmines that you can step onthere.
Uh there are a lot of darkcorners that we don't want to go
to, but I feel like there is abattle going on on the internet,
(47:46):
a battle for the souls ofchildren, um, and everyone
really who might fall prey toyou know the dark, whatever the
dark forces are on the internet,but you are bringing that light
and helping others, especiallywomen and mothers who want to
venture into that space to tryto bring the the word of God, to
(48:11):
try to evangelize through theirfaith on the online space.
Can you, if you have a littlebit of time, can you tell me how
did you pick this space?
Um, and what is what do youfeel called to?
What is your mission there?
Yeah, I believe that too,Sheila.
Thank you.
And um I believe that because Istep in with my light and you
(48:32):
have your light.
You're here in the digitalspace, um, and I've been able to
meet you through it.
And anyone listening to this oranyone, you know, wanting to
take steps in the digital spacealso has their light um that can
help make it shine a bitbrighter.
So I I think that's a powerfulvisual.
So thanks for for bringing, youknow, the light up.
(48:54):
Um but as far as picking thedigital space, um I think I just
fell into it because as Imentioned, when I was a kid, I
just spent all my time there.
And so some kids might complainthat like their parents never
let them out, but I think thatyou know, the Lord worked
(49:15):
through that and um he's usingit to make me an instrument of
his in the digital space.
And um I think that um, like Isaid earlier, it's
permissionless to come on here.
Like a lot of people think youneed permission to start
(49:36):
anything, but you don't.
Um, you can start with, youknow, a wait list, you can start
with something on Canva, youcan start with a Google Doc and
just sharing that.
There's like so many entrypoints that you can begin.
Um and I just think that thereis so much potential, especially
(50:03):
in these next couple of years,that we need more light in this
space.
Um we need more people who havesomething, something to share.
And it can start, it doesn'thave to be leaving your
corporate job and deciding tostart a business and it's craft
and being right away.
(50:23):
Like, no, it doesn't work thatway.
Um, but you can start with aproject, and like you mentioned,
Sheila, you were a mom, that isyour primary vocation, you
don't have all the hours tospend working in the same way
that you did when you workedyour corporate job, but you
don't need that.
Like you need, you know, likeyou could have been daydreaming
(50:45):
during this conversation, andmaybe the Lord is planting seeds
in you through that.
Um, it can just be a project.
It can be you gathering threepeople who have a similar
interest and you guys meetingevery Saturday or every once a
month every Saturday in thisspot.
It can be an Instagram accountof curations that you've picked
(51:10):
because you have an interest inthis area.
Uh, it can be anything.
And it can start with somethingso small, but when people see
that, like it's so crazy how theworld brings you together and
it's brought us together, andit's brought us together with
everybody else who we've met.
Um, but there is there's justthe spirit of collaboration
(51:32):
because everyone has gifts thatthey can bring to the table, and
it doesn't feel like you haveto compete with anyone.
You can collaborate witheveryone to help bring this
mission to life.
Um, and it's just such a spacewhere where those possibilities
are possible and are endless.
(51:53):
Um, and so I I think there isso much potential.
And if if someone has a projectthat they want to start, talk
to me or read some of the stuffthat I'm writing on Substack
because I feel like this timefor me specifically, I I feel
like the Lord is calling me toslow down on project work.
(52:13):
So I've actually closed off andlike I have a wait list up for
larger retainer clients.
I'm not taking big clients onright now because I feel like I
just need more time to justwrite out these ideas that the
Lord is giving to me.
So I started posting them onSubstack, and it's kind of crazy
(52:33):
how people have found the work.
Many of them are non-Catholicstoo.
They just like resonate withthe message of wanting to be out
there, and it's cool because Iget to sprinkle in little quotes
from saints or like the popesand stuff.
Um, but that space is is uh isgrowing and um it's it's a place
(52:56):
where you can start.
So you can read some of mystuff on Substack and um and see
what you think about it, andthen we can have a conversation
if if you have a project thatyou want to work on.
My latest one is called YouDon't Need a Title, You Need a
Project.
So I think that's a good one tostart off with.
Yeah.
Can you tell us, yeah, whatwhat are your social handles?
(53:17):
Social media handles?
Um on Substack, it's justCamille Mendoza uh dot
substack.com.
Um, and then Camille Rmen's onInstagram.
Um, and then you can followCraft and Being everywhere, and
that's also our website handle,craftandbeing.com.
And do you have a specific umsort of clientele that you're
(53:41):
you're open to working with oryeah, right now I'm actually
working on, I guess it's likekind of like a mini course, um,
which has my brandingfundamentals in it.
So if you feel like you have amission that you want to bring
to life, but you don't quiteknow how to communicate about it
yet, you don't have um thisidea of who your audience is, or
(54:03):
maybe you have an idea, butit's not clear and you don't
know how to take your work fromits current state to being able
to reach the right audience.
Um, I'm creating a mini coursefor that.
There's currently a wait listup for the creator's map.
But otherwise, I have a lot offree content on Substack that
I've been writing on.
And then with Craft and beingright now, again, our bigger
(54:25):
retainers are closed, but Istill do smaller branding
projects.
And I love these projectsbecause they're not full like
$5,000 brand strategy sort ofprojects.
They're more so for the personwho wants to start and be clear
and have consistent visuals sothat anyone who comes across
(54:45):
their work starts to recognizethem and know who they are and
what they stand for, so thatthat's crystal clear.
Um, so yeah, it's like a goodentry point and accessible
pricing is something that Ireally believe in for the people
who are just like me and justwanting to do something on the
side or just start somewhere andthen hopefully it'll grow if
(55:10):
the Lord wills it, right?
Like just take the step is whatI'm trying to say.
Yeah, I love your message ofdiscernment and then
collaboration and cooperationwith the Holy Spirit.
So it's um yeah, I just I justlove this whole message that,
you know, be as mothers, youknow, we yeah, if you're working
(55:32):
or if you're working at thehome in the home, um, and you
feel a call to sort of use yourgifts in whatever way you can at
the moment, given yoursituation with your children or
what stage of motherhood you'reat, um, no, no offering to God
is too small, as we have seen,you know, in the Bible, the
(55:52):
offering of the the widow, andum and God didn't uh didn't uh
God accepted that and actuallyum treasured it because she gave
her all.
So whatever, yeah, as you weresaying, whatever situation you
find yourself in, you're you'renot you don't have too much
time, um, and you have littlesleep, little help, little
(56:17):
sleep, but you still want tooffer something for God.
Um, you know, you yeah, as yousaid, take that start.
Maybe it'll start withjournaling.
I'll start with prayer and thenthe journaling, and who knows
where that will lead.
Um, but yeah, I'm sure Camillecan help you out because she has
helped me um with the podcast.
And I to be honest, I'm stillworking on um where is it gonna
(56:39):
go and still praying about itbecause yeah, every podcast I
really have to pray about itbecause I I hate being on camera
video.
It was my worst subject injournalism school broadcast
journalism.
I loved radio because there wasno video and writing, writing,
that's me, that's me, writer.
Well, because most mostlisteners were audio anyway.
(57:01):
But yes, that's true.
But my husband's like, yougotta go on YouTube.
So I'm like, okay.
But anyway, I also listen to,yeah, that's also part of the
discernment, is some um myhusband prays a lot.
And when he offers me somecomment, you know, I I think
about it, I discern about it.
And, you know, maybe somethingthat's frightful to me is what
(57:25):
God is calling me to.
Um, just like in the Bible,right?
Moses didn't, he he said, No, Ican't do it, Lord.
I I can't I have a stutter or Ican't speak.
And God said, Well, you gotyour brother Aaron.
So he still didn't let him, hedidn't let him off the hook.
He still wanted him to do thetask that he had designed him
and called him to.
Camille Mendoza (57:45):
So yeah.
Sheila Nonato (57:46):
So if there are some mothers who are a little
bit hesitant, um, perhapsCamille might be able to help
you.
You can reach out to her, um,read her a Substack because,
like I said, she has helped mewith the concept and the
branding, really, because that'syeah, our logo is our our brand
at the moment.
I probably have to take one ofyour courses, Camille.
But anyway, I'll be on the waitlist.
(58:07):
But in progress.
I'm wondering this time too.
It's it's kind of crazy becausethe entire, like most of my
career online has been behindthe scenes for large course
creators.
And I used to think, like, oh,I never want to do that for
myself.
There's just so much happeningat all times on the back end.
But I realized that maybe Godis calling me into that, but to
(58:29):
make it simpler and not socrazy.
Like you forget sometimes thatwhen you run your own business,
you can choose what you want itto look like.
And it doesn't have to bechaotic the way they do things,
but it does take, yeah, askinghim um what that looks like and
taking those steps, right?
So yeah, and finally, just I'mreminded of uh so I follow
(58:52):
Stephanie Gas, who's a podcastcoach, and she had this uh
podcast episode, and I thinkit's a video too, of how to have
a business meeting with God.
So I feel like, yeah, that'stotally central to the podcast
that we're doing.
And I'm sure it's also in yourwork as you were, I've been
hearing you talk aboutdiscernment and prayer, that if
(59:13):
you're a Christian entrepreneur,that really is the basis of
your business.
You have to speak to the Lordum for inspiration and guidance
and discernment.
And like I said, I do alsospeak with my husband because we
are in this together.
And uh and he's also a veryprayerful person.
And he really the podcast wouldnot have happened without him.
(59:36):
I just gotta give a shout outto my husband because you know,
I uh I don't often uh praise himenough.
I really should.
I um I'm working on that.
It's one of those, it's one ofthose wounds from childhood that
I have to get over.
But anyways, but yeah, I lovemy husband so much and uh and
and yeah, I here's the praisethat I wish I had I give you
(59:58):
every day.
So To my husband, that's ashout-out to my husband.
Um, but anyway, yeah, he, youknow, we do need those um rocks
of faith.
And it sounds like also yourhusband has been there for you
during the most difficult,painful time in your life.
Um, how how has he been able toalso cope with everything?
(01:00:21):
Yeah, I can't tell you how muchof a rock he's been.
Like, um it's it's funnybecause when you think craft and
being, you think like, oh, thisis me and this is my business.
But it's it's all of it is alsoMike, like, because any meeting
that I'm at, for example, rightnow, the two of them are like
(01:00:43):
at a park so that I can focus.
And I'm sure you you know thedance, Sheila.
Um, but every single detail,every single meeting, every
single new client that I bringon, um he's included in those
decisions because they impacthim and they impact our family.
(01:01:04):
But he has encouraged me andcheered me on the entire way.
And whenever I have doubtsabout myself, he brings to light
all of the strengths that I dohave and what I'm called to, and
just is always reminding me ofof everything that I neglect to
see in myself.
(01:01:25):
Um in in regards to coping witheverything, it's um it's
difficult because we were whatdo you call it?
We both have different momentswhere we just miss Lilo so much,
(01:01:46):
and we've kind of learnedthroughout the last two years to
bring each other in more andlearn about the space that we
need to give each other or umhow to comfort one another.
And I think like as difficultas it is because we both face
our individual crosses with it,we also carry that cross
(01:02:11):
together, and I couldn't be moregrateful that he's the person
that I get to carry this crosswith because she um it was
always his dream to have adaughter, and Lilo was just like
(01:02:31):
they the two of them wereinseparable.
Camille Mendoza (01:02:35):
So it's just I think like watching him go
through all of this is in someways more difficult than going
through it on my own because ofhow much it's hurt.
Sheila Nonato (01:02:52):
But this is the walk, and we are we are growing
in on this journey together, um,and just yeah, she's leading
the that way for us and andshowing us.
So I just believe so much thatshe is praying for us because
there's no other way that wewould be here right now.
(01:03:15):
Um yeah, so I'm grateful to toher and I'm grateful to Mike big
time.
Well, thanks be to God, to yourhusband, and thank you for the
courage to tell us thisbeautiful but difficult story.
And as we have gone out of Lentinto Easter, you know, we know
(01:03:40):
how yeah, how difficult thecross can be.
But Jesus promised aresurrection.
And um and yeah, I have twobabies in heaven.
I unfortunately have not metthem, but one day, as you were
saying about the path toholiness, one day I'd like to
also meet them.
Um and yeah, we're we're reallyon different paths, but we're
(01:04:04):
carrying our own, yeah, ourcrosses.
But Jesus is the one Lord whoum who is there for us.
And I guess also Mother Mary,who had to stand there at the
foot of the cross and had tobear all of that.
And I guess um, I thinksomebody was telling me she was
really strong, you know.
They people can disparageMother Mary, but um she was
(01:04:28):
strong because I can onlyimagine, you know, my child gets
hurt, I really would rather notsee it.
Or if she's gone throughsurgery, it's difficult to
watch, you know.
I I've had my child do thattwice at sick kids, and it was
the most painful.
Like I I mean, not physically,but like emotionally.
I wish I went through thesurgery.
But Mother Mary decided not torun away or hide.
(01:04:51):
She was there watching thehorrific things that happened to
her son.
So we I guess sometimes I'mcomforted, or a lot of times I'm
comforted by her strength too.
And I'm inspired by yourstrength as well.
So thank you for sharing thatstory.
Um, was there anything else?
I think that it like yousharing that, it just showcases
(01:05:12):
like the beauty of our faith andits ability to go into the hard
places and still give us thehope to believe.
Like, I can't think of howanyone else in the world who
doesn't know God um how they doit.
Because I yeah, I just remembergrowing up and I'd see like the
(01:05:34):
Pietra and um different visualsof Mother Mary and Jesus and
her being present and watchingher son go through that
suffering.
And I I just never resonatedwith it.
And I was like, why?
Like, why would you depictthis?
Why I I didn't understand, um,but having gone through what
(01:05:56):
we've gone through, I just thinknow how important that is
because everyone, everyone isgoing through something and they
need hope.
Um, and so if you were able tobe someone walking anything,
(01:06:17):
walking through that with them,even if it's something that
you've never experienced yet.
Um, or even like the people whoreached out to us as we've been
going through this, they'venever gone through this specific
instance.
Thanks be to God, they haven't.
Um, but through their prayers,through them thinking about us
and checking in, and it's it'sjust made it not so much
(01:06:44):
lighter, but to to have acompanion or companions with us,
um, it does help.
And so, yeah, I I just thinkabout that.
Beautiful, and um, and yeah, II wish you a blessed Mother's
Day.
You too, thank you.
I wish I pray for all themothers who are going through
(01:07:08):
something or have experiencedthe loss of a child or a baby,
and it's gonna be a hardMother's Day.
And I I'm praying for you.
Um, and again, Camille, thankyou for coming and sharing your
story and sharing your art andyour talents, um, because it's
truly a gift for us to have thatartwork that you did.
(01:07:32):
Um, and thank you, thank you somuch again.
And for he for answering God'scall.
That's um, you know, that'sdifficult to do actually,
because we that means we have tobe humble before the Lord and
we have to put God's will infront of our own.
So that's people think that'snot that's not uh hard, but it
is because we have to fight withour own will, right?
(01:07:54):
And our own desires.
So thank you as well.
I thank you so much.
I'm really so blessed to havemet you over the internet, but
one day, God willing.
I mean, we're in the samecountry.
Yes, absolutely, absolutely.
So um, yeah, thank you again,Camille.
Have a blessed day and thankyou to your husband uh for uh
(01:08:15):
taking the time to let you dothis interview.
So, and I do pray that you havea blessed, blessed Mother's Day
with your family.
Thank you, Sheila.
I'll be appreciated.
Thank you, Camille.
Thank you so much.
God bless.
God bless.
Take care.
Bye.
Let the little children come tome, Jesus said in the Gospel of
(01:08:40):
Matthew, chapter 19, verse 14.
On Lilo's heaven day, she musthave been smiling so widely and
beautifully as nearly 1,000people attended her funeral
vigil and viewing.
Co-Host (01:08:56):
She knew that Jesus was in the Eucharist.
And we see in this picture howshe is in awe of being in his
presence.
Sheila Nonato (01:09:09):
Thank you, Camille, for sharing this very
personal story of your daughter,one of Heaven's youngest
saints.
Saint Lilo, pray for us andgive us the heart for Christ
that you had.
Co-Host (01:09:25):
In the next episode, we look to Lily Wilson.
Listen to her story.
She is the owner and founder ofVeils by Lily.
Sheila Nonato (01:09:37):
How did Lily navigate her postpartum
struggles?
And how did God turn that intoa blessing?
Stay tuned, friends, and have ablessed, blessed Thanksgiving
to our American sisters andbrothers, and have a safe
weekend.
God bless you, and until nexttime, thank you so much for
(01:09:58):
spending some time with us.
God bless.
Co-Host (01:10:34):
And be blessed together.
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