A Fresh Collection of Media Curated Daily for the Whole Catholic Woman
A Fresh Collection of Media Curated Daily for the Whole Catholic Woman
Happy Friday and Feast of St. Matthew! In today’s collection we have 10 great gift ideas for that postpartum mom in your life, as well as 10 ways to combat that vice that so many of us struggle with: envy. On the cinema front, a pro-life film about Abby Johnson and 40 Days for Life will be out in the Spring, and for wine lovers, we have a great story about one bishop’s vineyard and its unusual provenance. Enjoy!
Two new studies have us intrigued: one reveals a connection between raising kids with religion and mental health; the other presents a new algorithm for determining personality types. Plus a moving story of an 85-year-old atheist’s conversion to Catholicism and an intriguing look at how drawing can help us think better (even if we are no Leonardo). And much, much more!
Today, on the feast of St. Januarius we’re wondering: will his blood liquefy? If you’re not familiar with this miracle, we’ve just the link for you. Plus we have several links on the bountiful fruits of everyday things such as chatting with your toddler, sanctifying the mundane, and helping your spouse get to heaven. Finally, we have a great post on the traditional Catholic Ember Days of prayer in gratitude for the fall season’s bounty. Enjoy!
Do you scramble to tidy up before a friend comes over? Today we have a link on why it can be a kindness to sometimes let a friend see the chaos. Also, we’ve a link on what we can learn about the power of Mary and the rosary in fighting evil from a priest who spent three years in Dachau. And while we’re loving this pink house in the Bahamas, we also have an important article about why we should think twice before donning “Komen pink” for breast cancer awareness.
By Molly McKenna
Jane Austen’s life was hugely successful. She influenced the shift away from Gothic literature, broke ground for other female writers, wittily critiqued contemporary society, and may have coined the term ‘base ball’ before Abner Doubleday even invented the sport (see Northanger Abbey). Most importantly, though, she penned enduring novels that may act as guidebooks to becoming a virtuous woman.
By Noelle Mering
Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman are joining forces again to produce and host a new competition series celebrating creativity and craftsmanship. I sat down to talk to Billy Kheel, one of the eight talented contestants on the show, ‘Making It’. Kheel lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two kids, and is an artist known for his innovative use of felt.
By Editors
Fr. Stefan Starzynski has written a short, but beautiful prayer asking Our Lady to step in and fill in the gaps of our humanity - to give to our children all the love, affection, encouragement, and spiritual projection required to make them saints.
By Carrie Gress
Summer signals the unofficial "moving" season, as school comes to an end and the weather improves. Having moved countless times in seven states and to three different countries, I've found these 6 ideas indispensable in helping me to keep my sanity and settle into a new life in a new location.
By Molly McKenna
Virtuous women -- it is a lost theme in our own day, but not a neglected one in ages past, particularly 17th century Netherlands. Because virtue is neglected today, few of us know how to interpret the messages of these lovely paintings. A deeper look reveals a beautiful nobility and depth that these artists saw in the daily life of women.
By Carrie Gress
There are few places on earth that have been designated a "resort" for centuries, but the tiny island of Capri can boast that it has been a place for R&R for over two millennia. Dazzlingly beautiful, the gem of an island of Capri is generally associated with the well-heeled and pleasure seekers. Despite its resort status, Capri has had a significant religious presence that can still be witnessed today.
By Sofia Infante
Not everyone has heard of REGINA Magazine, but this relatively new Catholic periodical is enjoying a growing presence. The breadth of topics presented in REGINA is wide and diverse: “We’re interested in everything under the Catholic sun — from work and family to religious and eternal life,” says REGINA’s editor.
By Elizabeth Wise
Father's Day is a great time to think about the remarkable gifts that fathers impart to their children. Some of their wisdom and love comes down to us through letters that have been written back and forth between fathers and sons, or fathers and daughters.
By Carrie Gress
Much of my adult life was spent thinking architecture was impenetrable. There were just too many terms, too many elements, too many epochs of style; the thought of trying to figure them out was overwhelming. It would not have been so daunting, however, if I had had this little book.
By Amber VanVickle
There are certain poems that I’ve read over the years that have become an indispensible part of my prayer life. I have come to rely on them as a sure way to express my heart to God or to understand a road I’m traveling on by reading from one who has traveled it before. Sometimes a short poem has the power to say things concisely that can't be said in a thousand words. Here a few of my favorite poems and musings I have taken over and over to prayer.
By Carrie Gress
If you have stood in the piazza of the Pantheon before, you probably didn't know that you were in the vortex of a dueling coffee giants. Like prize fighters on either side of the ring, two companies have been locked in an Eternal-City battle for decades.
By Amber VanVickle
The first time I marveled at stained-glass and felt the depth of its theological significance, I was a 15-year-old teenager walking amid the ruins of a bombed out church in the former Yugoslavia. Beautiful sapphire blue and emerald bespeckled the ruins, peaking out among the twisted iron and broken stone.
By Amber VanVickle
One encounter with relics felt reminiscent of my “dinosaur bones” days, squinting through the glass at untouchable reliquaries with indecipherable names and Latin classifications. But what did strike me was the multitude whose remains must have been so fervently and painstakingly gathered and preserved to not only honor the blessed and holy individual, but to propagate the faith.
By Carrie Gress
Mont Saint Michel is an 8th century fortress on the coast of Normandy that has long been associated with a mystical presence of Christ and the Archangel for whom it is named. The tiny island monastery is also experiencing a spiritual renaissance.
