CNN Anchor Maria de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien

Her name means “The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude”, speaks about her Catholic Faith, from the Sioux City Journal:

In 1998, she traveled to Cuba to cover Pope John Paul II’s historic visit. She recalled that people thought the visit would be a turning point for those who wanted to practice their religion freely.

“I was looking for my mother’s old apartment and had a chance to talk with some people in the building,” she said. “They asked me, ‘What is it like to practice your religion?’ and I had never thought about that. It amazed me.”

O’Brien said now that she is a mother, she is more cognizant of the message children receive from adults.

“What values of life do we live and not just state,” she asked. “And what values as a nation do we have? It’s both terrifying and freeing to realize the future is in our hands.”

O’Brien quoted President John F. Kennedy’s reference that “the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintain their neutrality.”

“People willing to be a lone voice even when it’s not OK is important,” she said.

“People often define you by your job,” she noted. “Jobs come and go. What defines you as a human being is more important.”