It is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, and today we have a video looking at Bernini’s masterpiece sculpture containing the relic of the wooden throne. Also, a compelling account of why a man left his job to pursue classical art. Plus, 10 reasons to do a regular holy hour, mail-order Mardi Gras cakes, and some of the best design-minded boutique hotels. Enjoy!
In today’s collection, read the beautiful story of a husband who planted an enormous field of fragrant flowers to please his blind wife. Also, meet the talented Catholic artist whose compelling work is getting more and more deserved attention. Plus, some conflict management skills to foster, and the trick the devil employs when we are progressing in holiness. And more!
In today’s collection, read the moving and profound story of a priest and martyr who gave his life in reparation for the sins of priests. Also, a wonderfully simple explanation of contemplative prayer and how to practice it. Plus, three great smoothie recipes, the haircut taking over NYC, and a 22-year-old takes on restoration of her family’s 1800’s southern estate. Enjoy!
In today’s collection, meet the Catholic British Royal who is eager to spread the faith. We also have a lovely piece on the examples of marriage, for better or for worse, in Pride and Prejudice. Plus a great ‘Blessed is She’ podcast about interpreting the narratives in our lives without the deceit of the devil. And some practical help: housecleaning hacks from the professionals and 25 healthy recipes that come together in less than half an hour. And more!
By Kerri Christopher
Have you ever had a difficult decision to make, and found yourself praying, “Lord, you decide. Just tell me, and I’ll do it!”? I know I have. In his podcast on “Four helpful rules for discernment,” Fr. Mike Schmitz points out that sometimes (not every time, but sometimes) we ask God what his will is, for the simple reason that we don’t want to make the decision.
By Hope Schneir
One thing I’ve noticed in our generation is a rapid decline of parents who understand what it actually means to parent, and a corresponding incline of parents who seem to be born into said parenthood, with invisible handcuffs. I repeatedly see a cultural shift away from the strong, apron-wearing mothers who sleep with one eye open and know the value of fresh air and hard work, toward the indulgent, shoulder shrugging weak women who are too busy checking their own Instagram to pay attention to what their teenage daughters may be posting.
By Amber VanVickle
Rarely is the spiritual life a continuous road of upward progression. And though we will never “make it” on this side of eternity, it can be quite frustrating to find ourselves in the same old rut, facing the same fears, doubts, questions we had thought previously conquered.
By Noelle Mering
Emily Hannon is a writer, wife, and mother of two living in Ohio. She shares details about her home at Christmas time. “I sought out to create a space that made me feel comfortable yet inspired,” says Hannon, “where I would be invited continually to see the beauty in the ordinary. So much of motherhood is messy and mundane, creating a space that radiates peace and beauty is so valuable to me.”
By Noelle Mering
Kelli Seeley is a professional photographer as well as a wife and mother of four living in Sacramento, California. She shares the care and intention she put into this lovely room. You can find her and more of her work on Instagram.
By Megan Schrieber
The idea of home and a baseball game usually conjure up home plate, with a hefty umpire gesticulating quickly that a runner is safe or out. But for one priest, Father Matt Guckin, a trip to the baseball field would imprint a different kind of home on his memory.
By Noelle Mering
While we were in the throes of babies and toddlers, pregnancies and postpartums, my husband would often walk through the door after work with groceries, pour me wine, and hold the baby in one arm while he made dinner with the other. I remember on some days being too exhausted to reciprocate with much except an ardent feeling and expression of gratitude to him, for him. That image of him still stands in my mind as the image of heroic manliness.
By Noelle Mering
I caught up with Jenna Wilber to ask her about a favorite place in her home. She is a Catholic convert living in Ojai, California, with her husband and their four children. You can find her blogging at Wilber Huset.
By Carrie Gress
Home. It is a magical word that resonates with all of us. Even those from broken homes, or homes that no longer exist, there is still something in the idea that is sought after. Home is that place where we are meant to be safe, nurtured, known for who we are, to freely live and love.
By Carrie Gress
The chapel has a certain allure. Even those people go see the Cathedral, when they go and see the small chapel, that is what they remember. The chapel has a closeness, prayerfulness, and intimacy about it.
By Carrie Gress
There is something enigmatic about snow. Often, it arrives silently, without ceremony. One scarcely knows it is there. Only over time, does it reveal itself. The accumulation brings with it a blanket of beauty. Everything becomes different, suddenly pure, calm, quiet, and glistening with wonder.
By Molly Farinholt
Is beautiful art an expression of the divine and an instrument of worship? It has not always been seen as such — even within the Church. In the Byzantine Empire, during the eighth and ninth centuries, magnificent icons were torn down and destroyed while bitter debate raged between those in favor of such destruction and those who sought to halt the burning.
By Sofia Infante
In the decade since a group of Carmelite monks living in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming set out to roast their own coffee, their popularity has steadily increased. The monks began by roasting their coffees in a cast iron skillet and selling a small selection of flavored coffee online. Today, they offer a large selection of flavored coffees, teas, and more.
By Noelle Mering
To consider even briefly the rich symbolism of light is to arrive at varied but overlapping possibilities: the hope-filled dawn, the illumination of space and intellect, the revelation of a light bulb moment, the spring-sun inducing life and rebirth of earth and spirit, the exposure in the cold light of day of what had been cloaked in the night.
By Carrie Gress
Books always make great gifts. Long after the latest flashy fad toy’s batteries have died, treasured books have a way of taking on a life of their own within a family, even as they tumble off of beds, or get piled precariously high among other toys. 2018 was a great year for Catholic children’s books. Here are some of my favorites to consider for the little people in your life.
By Noelle Mering
As Catholic women we are called to represent our internal dignity in how we present ourselves. Style and fashion might tend toward frivolity or vanity in the grand scheme of things, but we’re composites of body and soul and what we’re wearing can inform others about who we are and what we’re about.
by Noelle Mering
Anyone who knows Kendra Tierney knows her to be as gracious as she is inspirational. She, and her very dear family, really live out a full Catholic life with generosity and joy, and that life is exemplified in the way they live out the liturgical year. I sat down to chat with Kendra about this latest book.
By Elizabeth Wise
In 1661, Catholic businessman, Jan Hartman, had the brilliant plan to build a hidden chapel in his home. His success trading linen and selling local wines enabled him to purchase adjacent properties to build his secret chapel. He acquired one canal house along the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, as well as two additional properties in the connected alley. After these three acquisitions, Hartman immediately began major work on the buildings.
By Molly McKenna
Faced with the daunting task of revitalizing the Church amidst the upheaval of the Protestant Reformation, leaders in Rome turned to art. They commissioned a profusion of altarpieces, frescoes, oil paintings, and sculptures intended to reestablish piety among the faithful. Saint Teresa of Avila became a prominent subject that resonated with the people.