Tiffany Biensch & COVID-19

Tiffany Biensch could never have predicted she would finish her degree online and have her university graduation ceremony postponed. But this youthful and joy-filled St. James Church parishioner is taking the lessons she learned about slowing down and being present in the moment into her new career.  ​

What challenges have you faced during Covid-19?

COVID-19 began to impact Alberta just as I was finishing my university degree. I was finishing four courses and an honours thesis when our campus decided to close. This meant transitioning online for classes and cutting my research project short. In addition, my graduation ceremony was postponed to November and my job possibilities were greatly reduced. These challenges required some altered planning and patience; however, they were not paralyzing. I still graduated from St. Mary’s University with a degree in psychology and I know that with the grace of God I will find a job. Beyond the challenges in my education I was also sad when Mass was closed to the public during the pandemic. Though I understand this precaution, I found myself often missing our Beloved Eucharist and the community that gathered in this celebration. 

What blessings have you received during Covid-19? 

I am blessed that I was able to receive funding and have the support of family members who are monetarily stable. COVID-19 put many limitations on leaving the house which gave me lots of family time and prayer time. I also learned a lot during this pandemic. I think that we easily get caught up in life ‘doing’ that we forget to take time to just ‘be’. By simply being we are able to sink deeper into our faith and find our Saviour in the moment we are in. I discovered that it wasn’t easy to just stop but when I did, I discovered many blessings. This is not only a blessing but a lesson that I hope to carry forward into my life. 

Tiffany Biensch is a recent graduate of St. Mary's University, and a parishioner of St. James Parish in Calgary