Mother Teresa once said that “joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Tellingly, she also said that, “it is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to … Read more
Over the past few years, as a consequence of working with the very talented Rebecca Gorzynska on our Marian Consecration, I have had the opportunity to get to know a group of Catholic women makers. These women astound me with their creativity, their brilliance, their business acumen, and most importantly their faith. In getting to … Read more
It’s starting to feel like Summer . . . It’s finally warmed up here in Michigan, which of course means that we went from snow a few weeks ago to 90 degree temps, because of course. June is always a favorite month of mine- it always brings the expectation and anticipation that summer (and summer … Read more
Last year I completed the grotto for our Mary statue, and I think it was one of my most favorite creative projects.We ended up putting Mary on our patio, and painted the furniture and a wall to match the colors of her grotto (thank you nesting instincts for such wonderful productivity!), and planted flowers in … Read more
“My soul clings fast to you; your right hand upholds me.” — Psalm 63:9 The familiar words wash over me as I rinse the breakfast dishes. Morning prayer, Sunday Week 1. I can see the verses on the page, though today I’m listening to them on a podcast. I don’t have the hands to thumb … Read more
We’ve gotten in the habit of listening to lauds and vespers sung by the talented Paul Rose of Sing the Hours. I’ve loved the opportunity its given my kids to get to know a form of prayer I’ve loved for over a decade and to become familiar with the rhythms of the psalms. William is … Read more
We spend 40 days preparing for Easter. We choose something to fast from; we put thought and effort into our prayer lives; we look for ways to give back to others in need. Then Easter arrives, and so many of us, myself included, are content to celebrate for the day and then go right back … Read more
One of my sharpest memories as a child is of my grandmother’s house. It was a warm, comforting place, one of my favorites to visit. I loved spending time there with her. And at the end of her hallway was a print of Raphael’s Madonna and Child. Gram lives with us now, and that same … Read more
Also known as the Stations of Light, the Stations of the Resurrection are a beautiful, but lesser known, Catholic devotion. They are the counterpart to Lent’s Stations of the Cross. In them, we walk with Jesus and the apostles from the Resurrection through the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. I love the Stations … Read more
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three pillars of Lent, meant to guide us deeper into this penitential season. As adults, this can come naturally to us, but when it comes to explaining it to our children and engaging them in the activities, that can be trickier. To begin with, let’s look at the definitions … Read more