My grandmother, Helen Howell, converted to Catholicism in 1942 at age 39. This blog preserves her letters from the 1960s, a decade of upheaval in the Church following Vatican II. Writing from Rockford, Illinois, she documented the struggles of ordinary Catholics confronting rapid change, defending tradition with conviction and clarity. Her words stand as a historical witness to faith amid crisis.
Helen Howell, age 84, playing an upbeat piano piece at the anniversary party for Father Frederick Schell in 1987 — a joyful glimpse of her lifelong love for music and for life.
