(LifeSiteNews) — Some of us would shutter to think of losing our hands. We panic and imagine being dependent upon others, acting as a burden on them.

However, my guest today, despite the fact that he is in a wheelchair and lacks hands, is one of the ablest people I’ve seen.

My guest on this special episode of The John-Henry Westen Show is Connor McHugh, host of the “Plotlines“ podcast. He discusses his start in Catholic podcasting, his success despite his physical handicaps, and his journey to Catholic tradition.

McHugh, the youngest of four, tells me that his parents knew from when he was in the womb that he would suffer from health problems. When doctors told them it was too late for an abortion, they responded that it never crossed their minds.

“I was born into this world, and I was born healthy,” McHugh tells me. “So what’s kind of crazy is … people would probably think I would be born with a lot of health problems, because you look at me and you think, ‘Okay, he doesn’t have hands, his feet are a little odd, he can’t walk.’”

While raised Catholic growing up, McHugh did not take his faith seriously at first, maintaining that he assented to whatever the Church taught in the magisterium. At the same time, he managed to coach a Special Olympics basketball team at his high school. All the while, he was interested in politics.

Meanwhile, in his senior year of high school, McHugh suffered from a serious bout of anxiety after suffering a “traumatic experience.” He could not remain in classes for too long and found it difficult to receive Holy Communion at Mass.

Visiting a psychiatrist, McHugh was asked if he really believed what he said he believed, arguing that if he did, he would not have an issue receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist. While the psychiatrist helped him to manage the anxiety, allowing him to “walk” at graduation, it lingered early on in his college years, at times being so great that he would miss Mass. 

Eventually, he went to confession to his parish priest and told him about the anxiety. “I told him that I was … missing church because of anxiety and stuff like that,” McHugh tells me. “And I was … making myself miss church. And he introduced me to Padre Pio. So the saints were a big help … but also just telling myself that [Mass] is important enough to do it, to go.” 

At the same time, McHugh began watching Dr. Taylor Marshall’s videos on YouTube, leading him to the Latin Mass. Marshall’s videos, McHugh explains, inspired him to become a Catholic podcaster.

“I actually started my podcast … because I wanted to … tell stories, but because I’m also hoping to one day write a novel,” McHugh says. “And I thought, ‘Well, maybe if I talk about what I like talking about, maybe people might be interested in the book.’”

He also maintains that it coincided with his increase in faith. McHugh tells me that under Marshall’s influence, as well as the influence of Catholic historian and folklorist Charles Coulombe, he became attracted to traditional Catholicism. 

“I share a lot more interests with Charles because he likes history, and I am a big fan of monarchy as well, and he’s very much into that, and the historical aspect of it,” McHugh explains. “Taylor just … opened my … eyes to more of the faith that isn’t discussed, that isn’t presented by a lot of people and isn’t seen.”

Offering advice for young people, McHugh recommends making a morning offering every day, and not forcing things to accommodate them to the point of changing those things entirely.

“You don’t want the thing that you want to do to change incredibly just to accommodate you,” he stresses. “Try and figure out ways to get involved in different things. But at the end of the day … trust in God and … accept the problems that you’re going to go through, and strive for as far as God …  is willing to take you. Don’t try and force it.”

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