The crown of thorns should not be beautiful. Thorns, after all, are the ugliest part of a rose bush. They prickle and cut. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matthew … Continue reading The Crown of Thorns
I was never into Lady Gaga. Not that I disliked her or her music - I just didn't think anything about her. But her outspokenness about her fibromyalgia and her latest album, "Joanne," have made me a fan. One of my favorite songs on the 2016 album is called "Angel Down." Lady Gaga wrote the … Continue reading How Lady Gaga’s “Angel Down” Reminds Me of the Church Abuse Crisis
“Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint, for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he … Continue reading Why You Should Cultivate a Devotion to St. Joseph
"You are such an extrovert." No one had ever called me an extrovert until my boyfriend, who does it pretty frequently. Until recently, I'd passed off these comments as a statement of just how introverted he is, but I've come to realize that he's right (don't tell him I said that). I love being around … Continue reading I’m an Extrovert? Why Labels Are Both Good and Bad
Full disclosure: I am about to rave about a conference held by a website for which I am a contributing writer. Hopefully, that doesn't diminish my credibility; the only thing that would have changed had I experienced the 2019 FemCatholic Conference not as a FemCatholic contributing writer is that I wouldn't have experienced the feeling of pride … Continue reading 5 Takeaways from the First Annual FemCatholic Conference
I finally watched "A Quiet Place" last night. I had heard good things about it, especially from a Catholic/pro-life perspective, but I am not a fan of horror movies - in fact, I don't watch even the trailers for horror movies - so I wasn't planning on watching it. However, I'd heard from a couple … Continue reading Quiet but Powerful: Watching “A Quiet Place” as a Pro-Life Catholic
I took the birth control pill for over 10 years, starting when I was 17. I went on the pill, like so many women, because I had irregular and often unmanageable periods. I wasn't told why I needed the pill - just that the pill would help. And it did, for 10 years. It probably still would … Continue reading My First Year Post-Pill
The Little Way, said St. Therese of Lisieux, is "the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute surrender." For a child who wanted nothing more than to be a grown-up, it's strange that, at the age of 13, I chose the doctor of spiritual childhood as my patron saint, my Confirmation name … Continue reading What the Little Way Means to Me
Today is the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, also known as Hobbit Day. It's a day to be celebrated with seven meals (first breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper - although I should note this tradition comes from the movies, not the books), dancing and singing, smoking a pipe … Continue reading Happy Hobbit Day! What We Can Learn From Our Halfling Friends
I have always wanted to do great things. Yet, since childhood, my two favorite saints have ones who preached doing small things: St. Therese of Lisieux and Mother Teresa (who wasn't a saint when I was a child but was a hero of mine). Therese is known for her "Little Way," a practice that imbues … Continue reading Small Things, Great Love
