I joined the party almost a decade late, but Call the Midwife is a BBC TV Series that you can begin now without feeling behind. The show is based on Jennifer Worth’s best-selling memoirs, a woman who wrote about her real life work in midwifery and serving families in London’s East End town of Poplar during the 1950s. The Real Life History of Call the Midwife Poplar was heavily bombed during World War II and many were left without food or shelter. Throughout each episode you will catch glimpses of what life was like for the nurses, midwives, and nuns who provided care for all those living in the impoverished district of Poplar. Worth was motivated to write her memoirs out of her desire to share the legacy of the community she served. Thanks to her diligent record keeping, every episode in the first three seasons is based on real events! Worth’s character appears as the main protagonist of the first three seasons as Nurse Jenny Lee. While the show depicts the Anglican Nuns as belonging to the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus and living in Nonnatus House along with the midwives, the real Sisters were the Anglican Religious Sisters of Saint John the Divine. The St. Frideswide's Mission House where these sisters lived can still be standing on Poplar’s Lodore Street. A place they called home since being called to in 1880. Key Characters in Call the Midwife There are many characters to love in CTMW, but here are a few who play key roles. Nurse Jenny Lee Nurse Jenny Lee is the narrator of the series, and she plays the real-life Jennifer Worth. She moved to Poplar with the hopes of forgetting the married man with whom she fell in love. Sister Julienne Sister Julienne is a middle-aged woman with a deep faith and serves as the leading Sister of Nonnatus House. She is steadfast, practical, and respectful, always assuming the best of people. Her wisdom and peaceful demeanor hold the convent together. Dr. Turner Dr. Turner is a widower, a father, and Poplar’s main doctor. He holds a strong and respectful relationship with the midwives and nurses of Nonnatus House. Fred The show is made so much brighter by Fred’s joyful character! He is the Nonnatus House handyman and also works as a Civil Defence Volunteer. He’s always ready to lend a hand! Memorable Moments While I find each episode of CTMW captivating, this doesn’t make every episode easy to watch. The Risk of Love There are episodes when babies are stillborn and mothers die in childbirth. In one episode a husband and father loses both his newborn child and his wife. As Nurse Jenny Lee grapples with this tragedy, her peer, Nurse Cynthia tries to bring her comfort saying: You have to be brave to be in love, knowing that your heart may get broken at some point along the way....We mustn't let fear stop us. This quotation reminds me of what C.S. Lewis talks about in his book The Four Loves: To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one. Later on in the season, Nurse Lee will experience her own devastating loss. One of the nuns at Nonnatus House will come to her aid with the words of wisdom: You will feel better than this, maybe not yet, but you will. You just keep living until you are alive again. These words don’t erase the pain, nor the continuity of the pain, but they do offer the comfort of an honest friend, as well as a way forward. Selflessness + Generosity In another episode, there are young children who were abandoned by their mother and have been brought to Nonnatus House to be both fed and bathed. Three of the siblings are covered with fleas and lice, and the suggestion is made to shave their heads. At the sound of this the always glamorous and fashion-forward Nurse Trixie Franklin hurries to their defense saying: There is nothing the matter with these children’s heads that a bit of time and attention can’t cure. We have plenty of the former and the latter costs nothing. I was struck by this comment because the midwives and nuns of Nonnatus House are constantly busy. They are running from home to home on medical calls (sometimes in the middle of the night), working in the clinic, or simply trying to get some rest at the end of the day. Yet they always seem to find more room in their heart to love and more time to offer. Another example of this is an episode when Nurse Barbara willingly makes more work for herself by offering to bring expressed breast milk from a mother to her baby who was in the NICU which was a bike-ride away. A Shift In Agenda While I wholeheartedly recommend Call the Midwife to friends and family (it’s become a show I love watching with both my mom and mother-in-law!), I do have to say that I noticed a significant shift in the content of the show after the end of season 3, and am currently towards the end of watching season 4. Political agendas become much more apparent including graphically-portrayed controversial topics such as homosexual relationships, contraception, and abortion (with one abortion appearing in season 2, episode 5). With this in mind, I would say that if you continue watching past the third season you will still find moments of laughter and love, but there is also a lot more in the show that may challenge a Christian worldview, so my recommendations for this series stand mainly with seasons 1-3. Words of Wisdom Call the Midwife isn’t just a television show about women having babies and nurses coming to their aid. The episodes also depict both the richness and the struggles of love—romantic love and the kind of love needed when living in community. It shows the very real and relatable joys and challenges involved with friendship, faith, family, and motherhood. The characters in this series are single, newly married, widowers, celibate... the list goes on. Whatever stage of life you find yourself in, I do not doubt there is an episode with an uplifting message you can apply to your life. In the words of Jennifer Worth: We stumble on cracks, are faced with imperfection, bonds tested and tightened. And our landscapes shift in sunshine and in shade. There is light. There is. Look for it. Where do you find light in your life?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reviews // Call the Midwife #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

"Sister. That was a mic-drop class." That's about as high of a compliment as it gets from middle schoolers. It was the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and we spent the class going over the story hidden in the tilma. Since the majority of my students were Hispanic, they were very familiar with the story of the apparition of Our Lady to Saint Juan Diego and faithfully participated in Las Mananitas. Many had an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in their homes and lockers, and it was that image we spent the class discussing. Mary Tells a Story Then There were more than twenty languages and more than fifty dialects spoken in Mexico; however, when Mary left her image on the tilma, she left it in a language she knew everyone at the time would understand: symbols and cultural imagery. On the miraculous tilma, Mary is shown as a young native woman—not Spanish or European. Her dress—with jasmine, a fur-trimmed neck and cuffs, and a gold border on her cape—would have told the Aztec people that this woman was an Aztec princess or queen. Yet the greenish-blue color of the mantle would have spoken to the people of divinity. The angel holding the hem of her dress would have also told them she came from Heaven. So simply from her dress, they would have gathered that this woman was a Queen from Heaven. The Woman from Revelation The stars surrounding Mary on the tilma would have alerted the people of a beginning of a new civilization, and the winter solstice of 1531 is displayed in the arrangement of stars. The winter solstice symbolized the day of the sun’s birth to the Aztec people. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon at her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. // Revelation 12:1 We know this refers to Mary, but for the Aztec people, they would come to that knowledge through the image. The woman stands in front of the sun, signifying she is greater than the sun god, who was the greatest among the native gods. She stands on the moon, again showing she is greater than the god of night. The crescent moon was also a symbol of the Aztec serpent god, and Our Lady's stance upon it shows she will crush its head (see Genesis 3:15). This had even deeper meaning for the Aztec people, as the stone serpent demanded human sacrifice, and they would have recognized that this woman had power over human sacrifice. So where she was standing told the people this queen from heaven was more powerful than all of their gods. With Child The black band around Mary's waist alerted the Aztec people that the woman was pregnant. Over her womb was a jasmine flower in the shape of an Indian cross, which proclaimed in rich symbolism that the baby in her womb is Divine and the center of the universe. Mary’s hands are folded in prayer with her head inclined toward her womb, showing reverence to the one in her womb, not bringing glory to herself. She shows the people that she is not God, but belongs to and is worshiping God, the God who is in her womb and Who must then be Man. Mary’s fingers are three together, and one farther apart, hinting at the Trinity, three in one. The Aztec people would have connected this God-Man to the brooch at her neck. It has a black cross, which they would have recognized as the Cross Cortez had on his ships which brought the Catholic Faith to Mexico. So through the image on the tilma, the people would know that this queen from Heaven, mightier than all of their gods, worshipped the Man-God in her womb, and so must they. Mary Tells a Story Today Not only did Mary speak to the Aztec people then, but through science, she is still speaking to us today. The tilma is made of cactus fiber and would have lasted about 15 years. Yet, it is still here, almost 500 years later. It has faced smoke from fires and candles, water from downpours, candle wax, and oils from fingers touching it. The image shows no signs of decay, cracking, or deterioration. It even survived a bomb in 1921. The brass cross next to the tilma was bent completely and the altar rail was heavily damaged, but the tilma remained untouched! Scientists studying the tilma using infrared photography found no sketching lines or outlines to suggest an artist painted it. Nor can they find any paintbrush strokes! The biophysicist who studied it said it appeared to have been produced in a single moment. Scientists who have studied the pigments have no explanation for them. There were no synthetic paints in the 1500s, and the pigments do not come from any natural source. One of the most striking things that speak to us today but would not have been able to be seen due to the lack of technology during the time of the Aztecs are Our Lady’s eyes. An engineer magnified her eyes over 2,500 times. In her eyes can be seen the reflection of the Bishop and several other onlookers. Probably even more amazing is that Mary’s eyes follow the reflections and curves of what our eyes normally do when we gaze upon something. Our Lady Draws Us Then and Now to Her Son In 1541, ten years after the apparition, it is said nine million people had converted to Catholicism- practically the whole nation of Mexico. This massive religious and cultural conversion brought an end to the human sacrifice that was part of the Aztec culture. She is working today to bring about the conversion of our culture today, and this is why she is a patroness for the pro-life movement. Every year when I taught this lesson on December 12th, I remained just as awed as my students. Our Lady’s loves us enough to speak to us in a language we can understand. Saint Louis de Montfort said: She is more mother than queen. Our Lady of Guadalupe shows us she is mighty as both mother and queen and is willing to go to great lengths to speak to our hearts. May Our Lady of Guadalupe work this miracle of deeper conversion in our hearts this Advent.   [bctt tweet="Our Lady of Guadalupe's Miraculous Tilma #BISblog // " via="no"]

This time of year stirs our hearts to be generous in how we give and to whom we give, but there is another facet of this desire to be charitable that gently moves behind the scenes to do something for others ... and that is kindness. Kindness is what beckons each one of us to do something for someone else. Being kind doesn’t have to be seasonal just because modern culture presents it that way. There are ways to foster this into our lives until it becomes a daily habit. Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness of the heart. // Saint Katherine Drexel The Contagious Effect of Kindness Kindness has to be more than an occasional “pay-it-forward in the Starbucks drive-thru line” for it to take root and become a daily practice. There is nothing wrong with a little pay-it-forward action and I have been blessed to be the recipient of such kindness. It’s not about affording your beverage of choice; the gift is the unexpected kindness of a stranger. If we take this approach and apply it beyond the kindness of the drive-thru, we can spread these acts of kindness far beyond Advent and Christmas because our human capacity to love is far greater than what we allow it to be. Put Your Grocery Cart Back + Follow Him Okay, it may not have the same connotation as “take up your cross and follow me,” but the premise is similar (stay with me on this one). We all have a cross to bear but may be programmed to think it has to be under the guise of some type of suffering, burden, hardship, or illness. In our daily life, the tiny crosses we bear are part of our bigger crosses, too. It can be really inconvenient to put the grocery cart back in its corral. After walking the grocery store, checking out, loading up the car, and feeling the angst that comes when littles ones are completely over the shopping trip, putting the cart back is the last thing you may want to do. Even without little ones, the temptation to not put the cart back is very real. We may not be able to consider our choices at that moment, but the effects are lasting, regardless of which choice you make: The temporary fix // Don't put the cart back, get into the car sooner, and zoom out of the parking lot like a race-car driver. The long-term influence // Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do and, as a result, help to make someone else’s job easier. How Can A Grocery Cart Help Us Put Others First? So many companies are short-staffed this year. We have all felt the effects of living in a fast-paced world with services that are understaffed. Our mindset of immediacy may not match the reality of our external circumstances. The void of understaffed industries gives us an opportunity to be kinder, more patient, and more loving. This is the gift we can offer to one another. Let’s roll with this example of not putting the grocery cart away (pun intended!). What are the ramifications for someone else? Someone thinks there is a spot open to park their car but there is a grocery cart there. Yes, that is easily resolved by moving the cart out of the way in order to park, but wouldn’t it have been better if it wasn't there to begin with? We all play a role in doing someone else’s job whether that’s easy for us to accept or not. That grocery cart that wasn’t returned to its corral has now rolled off and has dented someone else’s car. Now there is a dented car and most likely someone who will be annoyed that it happened with no one to listen to their grievances. Everything has a chain reaction whether we give thought to it or not. Put the “pay it forward in the Starbucks drive-thru” kindness to the test. It may be easier to pay for someone else’s drink than to walk a couple of extra steps to put a grocery cart away. One costs us financially and the other encourages us to actually be courteous. The Chain Reaction of Kindness We can see the influence we have over one another when we become aware of the impact of something as simple as putting the grocery cart away. There is a great temptation to fall into the mindset that “it's not my job.” While it may not be our job to collect the grocery carts, we can practice putting our neighbor first by taking the time to put the grocery cart away. We can practice those random acts of kindness outside of the Starbucks drive-thru line and be the brother and sisters in Christ that God calls us to be. Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love // Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Serve When You Expect to be Served Our whole reason for going out to eat is to not have to cook and wash the dishes. It truly is a luxury and no easy feat with tiny tots when this outing occurs. Do we expect to be served even though we already are? Obviously it is not necessary to wipe down the town table and clean up completely, but is there a way to make someone else’s job a bit easier? We’ve all seen the server handle a large tray of plates while gathering the rest. At that moment, we can serve or expect to be served. Out of kindness, we can gather the utensils around us, stack up the plates, and hand them over because we have a Christ-centered heart. These seemingly insignificant acts of kindness help us cultivate a “put your neighbor first” mentality. Dying to self is not easy, but once we take one small step of thinking about the other person it becomes a habit and changes the hardness of heart that we experience in the world. Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. // Saint Teresa of Calcutta Bag It Up The other day I was at the grocery store and the line behind me was getting long without another cashier nearby. I hesitated about whether or not to help bag my items because the cashier might perceive me as being impatient. However, I just dug right in. Working together with the cashier turned out to be fun. It reminded me of when I was little and used to play at the grocery store check out stand at my local museum. Suddenly, I forgot about the long line and just became immersed with putting the cold foods with the cold foods and the cereal boxes with the other dry goods, etc. While bagging up my groceries isn’t my job, I found it to be spontaneous and joy-filled because it was outside of the norm of my typical shopping trip. I was able to do something tangible for someone else and at the same time share a laugh with a stranger, which I would have missed had I taken out my phone or ignored the tug to help. Paying it Forward All Year Long Sometimes we miss the opportunity to share joy and bring the love of Christ to others because we don't think it will make an impact. We are so busy, so hurried, that we don't recognize the opportunity to offer a kind gesture. Sometimes we don't act because we think "it's someone else's job." This isn’t just about putting grocery carts away or bagging up your own groceries (unless the opportunity presents itself) as much as it is an invitation to be open to practicing small acts of kindness that have an immeasurable impact. If you are a person who needs research to back up this idea of “doing good unto others as you would have them do unto you,” check out this quick read about the scientific benefits of kindness. This Advent, let's challenge ourselves to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus by practicing tiny acts of love towards our neighbor in order to be receptive to the Father’s love for each one of us.   [bctt tweet="Slow Down, Make the Connection #BISblog // " via="no"]

Warning: This post contains unseasonable encouragement to step back from purchasing during this highly-consuming month. Permission to Make a Switch Perhaps I have given myself particular permission to do less this year with the preparation for a December baby. Not that we need to have an expanding family for this invitation to apply to us, but the entire season of preparation has taken on a different spin as my family literally prepares for the arrival of a child—and everything else has taken a back seat. It has been heartening to realize that the arrival of this little one has taken precedence over the other excitement of the season, especially for our kids! Often we can find ourselves in the mindset that changing the norm or adjusting our expectations would just be too much for the kids/for mom and dad/for Aunt Myrtle, but when we actually ask, we might be surprised to find that isn’t the case at all. You know your family best, and for those who need some inspiration, the internet abounds with helpful brainstorming activities to move away from stuff and toward preparation and celebration. Mounting Pressure For years, like clockwork, the exchange of Christmas gifts inevitably brings me to tears. I have just come to expect it: one big, ugly cry. Not for any sentimental reason, but there has been and continues to be this sense of emptiness around gift exchanging for me when all is said and done. Not because I am not doing my best to offer thoughtful gifts to others, and certainly not because others are not generous and kind toward me. It is simply my least favorite part of the season, and when it is all over ... stick a fork in me, I am done. Given that the calendar currently reads December, it is likely that you are already in the gifting frame of mind. And this is not a bad thing! It is a valuable time of the year to ask ourselves, why? What is at the heart of our purchasing? Is it a long-awaited surprise or desperate shopping in order to have something to wrap? To keep things even? Particularly in a time when jobs and finances are anything but dependable, it’s worth consideration and conversation. I know that I am not alone in experiencing deeply the pressure to think of all of the things: to match the generosity, to remember the less fortunate, to decorate festively, to acknowledge all of the people, to write the cards, to take the photos, to shop local, to wait in joyful hope, to keep Christ in Christmas... Seasonal Heart-Check Certainly I can appreciate the connection to the Magi, offering the deeply symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child. And yet rarely can I equate my own gifting with this level of significance. This is probably why I have been captivated by the impulse to intentionally do less at this time and beyond. While also capitalizing on opportunities to give meaningfully when possible. Because of the particular difficulties in supply chain and gift ordering this year, trying out the idea of simplifying might not be something we opt into as much as it is an opportunity to necessarily try on. The challenge may be to see it for what it is: an opportunity to enter into the holiday season with a smaller emphasis on the physical things we add to it. Hopefully this seasonal experiment will prove fruitful in unexpected ways. The Real Freedom of Simplifying The true hope of simplifying is not keeping score of who does it best, but whether or not we are free with our time and our resources to make this season a celebratory one for ourselves and others. Do we have the headspace to quiet ourselves to prepare for the Lord’s coming? Do we have margin in our schedule or our budgets to go out of our way for those who weren’t penciled in? What if we focused our attention on those whose needs are unmet, instead of lavishing upon those who have everything they need? What if we let the gift of the season be Christ’s presence in our lives, and share that with others? What if our homes were places of hospitality and cookie baking gathering spaces for more than one month of the year? What if food banks and charities had what they needed in March, April, and August out of consistent commitment rather than a once a year gift? What if we committed to doing less so that all of those in our community could thrive as well? I can’t help but feel that doing less meaningless gifting would free us up to be on the watch for the modern-day Christ Child that is being born at this time as well: The incarnation began with Jesus and it has never stopped . . . God takes on flesh so that every home becomes a church, every child becomes the Christ-child, and all food and drink become a sacrament. God's many faces are now everywhere, in flesh, tempered and turned down, so that our human eyes can see him. // Ronald Rolheiser, OMI Owning Things, Rather than Being Owned by Them For all that minimalism is and is not, it comes down to a response to materialism: choosing to own (rather than be owned) by our things. Using what we have so that we might be available to respond to the promptings and invitations of our particular circumstances rather than the obligation to expend energy on maintaining, collecting, insuring, or curating the things we own. It is foolish to think that we will enter heaven without entering into ourselves. Thank God for the things that I do not own. // Saint Teresa of Avila Have you considered adopting a simpler lifestyle during the holiday or in everyday life? What appeal does it hold for you? Where have you found success living more simply?   [bctt tweet="Committing to Minimalism During A Consumer Month #BISblog //" via="no"]

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I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. // Philippians 1:6 Love this from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

I love book recommendations, and now that I am a mom, I always appreciate hearing about fun suggestions for my own daughter. If there's a teen in your life, this book list is for you—whether you are looking for books for your own children, godchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews, or just friends in general. Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens Below you will find book options covering a wide array of genres including a few classics, some history, as well as more contemporary options. Let’s dive right in! Classics The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis I remember one of my class assignments being to write my own final chapter and conclusion to this classic tale by C.S. Lewis. This story begins with the narrator finding himself in a dreary town where he climbs aboard a bus which is headed towards Heaven. Surprisingly, many of the passengers request to get off before arriving. The plotline will have you reflecting on good and evil. In Lewis’ words, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven.” This book really puts attachment to earthly things into perspective! The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien This is Tolkien’s first book in his three-volume series The Lord of the Rings. As you read you’ll enter Middle-earth, home to charming hobbits like The Hobbit’s hero, Bilbo Baggins. This mythic fairy-tale begins with Bilbo’s “eleventy-first” birthday party, and with his age, he is ready to entrust the dangerous and powerful Dark Lord’s One Ring to his young cousin Frodo Baggins. In their village of the Shire, Frodo accepts the daunting task to adventure across Middle-earth in order to destroy the Ring and the evil plans of the Dark Lord. Adventure Novels on the Rosary Champions of the Rosary by Laurie Schmitt This book is written by a homeschooling mother of nine! In this story based on real-life events you will meet three siblings who are taught the catechism by Sr. Adele Brise. These three siblings along with their older brother are witnesses of the 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. A fire which brought devastation to over two-thousand square miles and killed over a thousand people. What will become of the chapel where these children were taught? Will they find a way to escape the fire? Lepanto’s Lady by Laurie Schmitt Each year on October 7th, the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the day of a historic battle dating back to the 16th century Battle of Lepanto, won by Italy and Spain’s Holy League. A victory attributed to the Blessed Mother and the power of the Rosary. Inside the pages of this book, based on real-life events of the battle, you will meet a young girl named Rosa from the coastal town of Amalfi. Rosa is searching for her father who has been taken by enemies. Will she be able to avoid danger as she attempts to save her father? Historical Perspective The Spear by Louis de Wohl This Catholic author worked in astrology with MI5 during World II and over a dozen of his pre-war novels became the inspiration for movies. This novel is about the crucifixion through the eyes of Longinus, the man who speared Jesus’ side to make sure that he was dead. As Boston Herald wrote, “It tells from a new and fascinating angle the age-old story of the men and women who were sublimely affected by knowing the Messiah, Jesus Christ.” Louis de Wohl considered this book the most important work of his entire literary career. A Woman In The Trees by Theoni Bell Like Champions of the Rosary, it is so fun to know there is more than one novel about the Marian apparition site in my home-state of Wisconsin! The protagonist of this book is a curious and explorative pioneer girl who lives on the American frontier. With tragedies including her family, the Civil War, and the country’s most devastating wildfire all a part of this book, she must learn to journey through life though both the love it provides and the loss it brings. In Kendra Tierney’s review of the book (the author of the Catholic All Year Compendium) she wrote, “It’s a unique look at the lives of nineteenth century American Catholic immigrants, interwoven with the story behind the only approved U.S. Marian apparition. I look forward to making it part of our homeschool reading list.” Contemporary Anyone But Him by Theresa Linden Caitlyn Summer was a “good girl”, and she imagined herself marrying a selfless and holy husband. Yet somehow she ended up marrying the bad boy, the same boy who pressured one of her best friends to get an abortion after getting her pregnant in high school. Suffering from amnesia, Caitlyn can’t seem to remember the past three years of her life, nor why she married the man she is now with. While she is tempted to leave him and get a fresh start on life, her husband’s brother (and her first love) is there to offer hope by helping her recover her memory and seek out answers. This question looks for the answer to the question, who changed, was it Caitlyn, or was it her husband? A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman In this book, sixteen-year-old Katelyn discovers a Rosary bead which belonged to her grandmother’s Rosary, and it bears her own initials. A Rosary which was lost in the plane crash which took her grandmother’s life and began the onset of her mother’s severe depression. In conversation with a stranger, Katelyn is told that a similar bead saved the life of this stranger’s friend. Thus begins a journey sprinkled with hope, mystical events, and the outpouring of grace. A Series Will Wilder Series by Raymond Arroyo The protagonist of this three book series is a conniving and somewhat stubborn twelve year old boy. In the first book, The Relic of Perilous Falls, Will has a sacred relic which is thought to have protected the town of Perilous Falls for almost one-hundred years. It is up to Will to fight the enemy when danger arises. In book two, The Lost Staff of Wonders Will, is back again to keep Perilous Falls from the ancient evil demon named Amon. When the Staff of Moses disappears from the town’s museum, blame shifts to Will who is on mission to protect his innocence and put an end to the thief’s terrors. In the final book, The Amulet of Power, Will longs to join his school’s football team. After receiving what was told to be a locket of Samson’s hair, he thinks he might just have what it takes to make the team. That is, until darkness and evil returns to Perilous Falls and yet again, it is Will’s responsibility to catch the demon. Will a touchdown goal be scored by Will in the meantime? You’ll have to read on to find out! Short Stories Treasures: Visible & Invisible by 8 Catholic Teen Books Authors This book includes eight short stories. A few including a young girl who is searching for a mysterious treasure which holds the key to fulfilling a nun’s dying wish. Another about William, a boy who sees his weekend job as a gift, but knows his family is in need of a big miracle. The others include elements of unearthed treasure, visits from Heaven, mobsters, and a precious relic. Looking for More Reads? For more book recommendations I suggest A Mother’s List of Books by Theresa Fagan. I was given a copy of it by a stranger in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City this summer, right before witnessing the final vows of the Sisters of Life! I’ve been told it’s a “golden ticket” as far as book resources go and after reviewing it myself, I do agree! What are your favorite fiction novels for Catholic teens?   [bctt tweet="Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens #BISblog //" via="no"]

The beloved hymn, Joy to the World, invites the world to “receive her King” on Christmas Day. In order to receive Him, the song implies that our hearts must first “prepare Him room.” But how do we truly ready ourselves for the Nativity of Jesus? How do we prepare Him room? How do we create space in the manger of our hearts for the Newborn King to rest His sweet head? Choose Advent The season of Advent has only just begun, and before we get caught up in the swirling frenzy of the holiday rush, let’s choose to live Advent the way it is intended: … slow … quiet … prayerful … penitential Traditionally, Advent includes an element of penance, a fast before the feast of Christmas. This gives us the opportunity to release the physical, mental, and emotional clutter in our lives in order to arrive on that Holy Night ready to receive the Newborn King. If we pause to think of the Nativity scene and the simple manger, open and ready to receive the miracle of the Incarnation, we want our hearts to mirror that manger. We want our souls to be free and welcoming so we can enter Christmas wholly devoted to adoring Baby Jesus. Advent’s Ember Days offer a simple, practical, and spiritual plan to clear the clutter of our hearts, minds, and homes, in order to renew our focus on Christ’s coming this Christmas. What are the Ember Days? The Ember Days are a time-honored practice of penitential prayer that take place four times per year, in conjunction with the four natural seasons. Ember Days are rooted in the Old Testament tradition of fasting four times per year: Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah: therefore love truth and peace. // Zechariah 8:19 From the Latin quatuor tempora, which means "four times," Ember Days date back to the third century when Pope Callixtus instituted a Church-wide fast for plentiful harvests three times per year. By the fourth century, a fourth fast was added. And the current format for Ember Days was prescribed by Pope Gregory VII, in the 11th century. Winter // between the third and fourth Sundays of Advent Spring // between the first and second Sundays of Lent Summer // between Pentecost and Trinity Sundays Fall // after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Three Days of Fasting, Four Times Per Year Each set of Ember Days includes three days of fasting—Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday—in remembrance of Christ’s Passion. Wednesday // Christ’s betrayal by Judas Friday // Christ’s crucifixion Saturday // Christ’s entombment A Joyful Fasting Similar to Lent, but on a smaller scale, the Ember Days offer us a time of spiritual renewal, a chance to reset and refocus our priorities. Like fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Ember Days allow one primary meal and two snacks, which when combined do not equal a full meal. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, meat is permitted in the primary meal, but on Fridays, abstaining from meat is required. However, unlike the solemnness of Lenten fasting, Ember Days’ fasting is joyful and thankful. The Church counts her blessings and rejoices in the gifts of nature, especially crops that contribute to the administration of the Sacraments. Winter // olives and oil, used for anointing the sick Spring // flowers and bees, used for altar and Baptismal candles Summer // wheat, used for the Holy Eucharist Spring // grapes, used for the Precious Blood Pray for Priests, Vocations Because of the link between the harvests and the Sacraments, the prayer intentions of Ember Days focus on priestly and religious vocations. This correlates with the apostolic tradition of ordaining new priests after a period of prayer and fasting: Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. // Acts 13:3 As a result, for centuries, priestly ordinations took place during Ember Days, in addition to the Easter season. Keep the Ember Days All Catholics observed the Ember Days until they were removed from the liturgical calendar in 1966. While they are no longer mandatory, many Catholics continue to keep them, because they assist in bringing fasting into our prayer. The Ember Days remind us that Jesus taught that some petitions can only be answered by prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:28). Advent’s Ember Days As noted above, Advent Embertide begins the Wednesday after Gaudete Sunday. (In 2021, the Advent Ember Days are December 15th, 17th, and 18th.) The rose candle is already lit, reminding us that Christ is coming very soon. Hopefully, by this point in Advent, our busy preparations of shopping, wrapping, baking, and decorating are nearly complete. And we can settle into deeper preparation within our hearts. Even within the liturgical calendar, we notice that more feast days occur at the beginning of Advent than toward the end. As we near Christ’s birth, even the Church grows more silent and still, as if she is holding her breath, waiting for the miracle about to take place. Thus, Advent Embertide invites us to slow down and turn interiorly toward preparing Him room. Advent’s Ember Days do not require a lot. They are much more about being present, still, and prayerful. Ways to Observe the Advent Ember Days Here are a few simple ways to enter into the Ember Days of Advent. Prayer Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just: let the earth open and bud forth a Savior. // Isaiah 45:80 Lectio divina Wednesday: Luke 1:26-38 Friday: Luke 1:37-47 Saturday: Luke 3:1-6 Fasting Prepare simple, nourishing, and meatless meals Abstain from sugary treats Log off of social media Refrain from listening to Christmas music; settle into silence Make donations to a local food shelf or homeless shelter Go to Confession Additional Resources for Ember Days Ways to Observe the Ember Days Advent Music The historical roots of fasting for vocations Prayers for the Ember Days As we embark on this new liturgical season of Advent, the world seems evermore chaotic, and all of the holiday hype can make us feel frenzied. Let’s resist what the world offers. Instead, let’s choose to slow down, enter into the quiet and stillness of Advent, and truly prepare Him room. Three simple days of prayer and fasting will guide the way.   [bctt tweet="Need an Advent Penance? Meet the Ember Days #BISblog //" via="no"]

A couple of nights ago, my husband was bringing the kids up to bed. I was slowly and tiredly bringing up the rear. I also couldn’t help but notice everything that needed picked up. I was overwhelmed and tempted to go ahead and put things away. So many toys all over. Dishes in the sink. Other random items on the counter. A Poem on Putting Prayer First But night prayers awaited me upstairs. Just thinking about that reminded me to leave it all behind for prayer. And then there was peace. Leave It All Behind Floor’s a mess But I’ll address That another time Gotta make my words Thine Yea Lord, it’s time Head upstairs Much awaits me there It can wait another day Time to make my way To Your feet to pray Kneeling at Your Cross Don’t want this time lost Don’t have ‘til it’s too late Everything else can wait I can do it all another time Right now I have to leave it all behind Gotta pray as I ought Pray as You taught Speak You in all I do and say Let You lead my day I want to follow Your Way Plenty wrong Need to be strong Amidst unrest I see Your loving gaze towards me In Your peace, I now be No better time than now For my heart to love and head to bow To give You glory and praise Don’t know the number of my days Don’t know if I’ll get another time So I can’t leave You behind I’ll leave my to do list On my list of things to do Nothing more important than this Than in this moment to give praise and thanks to You I have plenty of time To leave worldly things behind Spend this moment loving You No greater thing to do Than to make good use of my short time Before I’m called to leave it all behind   [bctt tweet="Leave It All Behind // A Poem on Putting Prayer First #BISblog //" via="no"]   Danielle Erwin is a Catholic wife, mom of five, homeschooler, dog mom, author, poet, and master of puns. She has helped moms through their miscarriages with the poetry she wrote following her own pregnancy losses. Danielle is now working on compiling all of her poetry on the Faith into a book…and a few other author-y projects when she gets the time.

If there are any avid golfers in your life, you may have heard of the seaside town of St. Andrews on the coast of Scotland. Did you know that this iconic 15th century golf course, known to be the “Home of Golf,” is in some part thanks to St. Andrew’s Archbishop, John Hamilton? While the King of Scotland banned the sport in the mid 1400’s, claiming that it pulled young men away from practicing archery, the sport was reinstated by a later king in the early 1500s. Two years later, Hamilton established a charter stating that all of the the locals of St. Andrew should also be allowed to play the links. Caddies and Cathedrals So why all of this about the game of golf? Well for starters, because this town on the east coast of Scotland is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle, and was long ago a pilgrimage site to venerate his relics. The town began growing near St. Andrew’s Cathedral, a place which used to be the religious center of Scotland as well as being one of Europe’s largest buildings. Today however, you will find the Cathedral in ruins. It was built in 1158 but during the Scottish Reformation of the 15th century it was destroyed, the leftover rubble becoming a resource for new town buildings. If you stood there today you would still be able to see the cathedral foundation as well as the church’s twin spires, a round portal, part of the nave, and priory wall. The Saltire of Scotland Scotland’s national flag has a blue background with a white saltire (diagonal cross) which stretches to the corners of the flag. This image is known as the Cross of Saint Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint. Saint Andrew was martyred in Patras, Greece in 60 A.D. When he knew he would be martyred by crucifixion he asked to be crucified on an X-shaped cross because he felt unworthy of being crucified the same way that Jesus had been crucified. Legend says that his last words were: Cross, sanctified by the body of Christ. Good Cross, long desired always, I loved you and wished to embrace you. Welcome me and bring me to my master. There is a Scottish legend that King Angus of Scotland saw a white saltire across the blue sky during a battle in the 800’s and won victory through the intercession of Saint Andrew. This symbol was later used as part of a government seal in 1286. Nearly one hundred years later, the Scottish Parliament ordered that badges with the Cross of Saint Andrew should be worn by its soldiers. In the 17th century both Scotland and England were ruled by the same monarch. It was then that the flags of both countries were combined to form the “Union Jack”: a flag combining the blue and white saltire of Saint Andrew for the country of Scotland, and the red and white Cross of Saint George for England. While this remains the flag of the United Kingdom, Scotland still flies its traditional blue and white flag. First of the Apostles Saint Andrew was one of the first Apostles to be called by Jesus. In the Gospel of Mark, we read about how Jesus saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men’. Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. // Mark 1:17-18 Before being a follower of Christ Himself, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. He was clearly a man searching for the Messiah. He was also one of the three invited whom Jesus invited to join him on the Mount of Olives, a place where Jesus spoke to them about the end times: The Coming Persecution (Mark 13:13) // “You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.” The Great Tribulation (Mark 13: 22-23) // “False messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders in order to mislead, if that were possible, the elect. Be watchful! I have told it all to you beforehand.” The Need for Watchfulness (Mark 13: 32-33) // “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” While we may not know the “day or hour” we can rest confidently in the words of this Apostle in John 1:41 that “we have found the Messiah.” Even before the Apostle Andrew had set his eyes on Jesus, he was seeking after Him intently. Now, in this season of Advent, we can look to Saint Andrew as our model as we await in anticipation of Jesus’ birth this Christmas. A Patron for Finding the Messiah While there may not be much to see of Saint Andrew’s Cathedral today, his relics can still be venerated throughout Europe in Patras, Greece, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and Edinburgh, Scotland, to name a few. If you are not a golfer, you can ask for his intercession next time you’re fishing, as he is the patron Saint of the sport! After all, he had his nets in the water when Jesus, the Messiah he was looking for, first called out to him. In what ways have you “found the Messiah” in your day-to-day life? What do you ask of Him this Advent season?   [bctt tweet="Saint Andrew's Town by the Sea #BISblog //" via="no"]

Last spring, I wasn't following my own advice... Between wrapping up our first year of homeschooling, coaching, trainings, baseball games and practices, and missing my mom, I needed some extra rest and I didn't take it. When I accepted this and reflected on letting myself get fried, I realized I hadn't written out my evening gratitude list for weeks. I love this as a nightly routine because it gets me off the screen, it's a gentle way to reflect on my day, and I always manage to find joy no matter what. The good news is that it was simple for me to begin again. I picked up my journal and made my list. I don't write a novel; it's usually bullet points. The next morning I came across the following quote in a devotional a good friend gave me: Men are generally the carpenters of their own crosses. // Saint Philip Neri What to Do When You're Burnt Out Getting burnt out is a choice. Okay, so it happened. Now what? Here are five things that help me rekindle my flame when I'm burnt out. 1. Surrender. Accept that doing all.the.things is not realistic nor healthy. It’s also okay to not be good at everything! If you are on social media on any given day then you are bombarded with what you should be doing and it’s easy to fall into the comparison game. Time to let Jesus take the wheel. Here’s a powerful prayer called the Surrender Novena. The novena describes universal worries and there is one answer. 2. Go take a nap. You cannot even think straight when you are tired, so stop pretending staying up a little longer to finish that one thing will make you a productive superstar. Not getting the right amount of sleep means you are elevating stress hormones, “foggy brain”, compromising your immune system, and messing with your mood. Hmm, sound about right? Now that I’m a mom, I understand why, when I went to look for my mom, I started in her bedroom. 3. Sit in the sun. Go outside! Get some fresh air. Your body needs sunshine to produce Vitamin D and to help you feel calm and focused. Our bodies are amazing! Celebrate this by stepping outside and appreciating the beauty around you as well as your own. 4. Make an appointment with yourself. I’m a big fan of scheduling self-care—actually writing it down in my planner. I am quick to brush off reading, a foot soak, or even scheduling a dentist appointment because there is always something more productive to do. So I block time on my calendar to take care of myself. How productive are you really if you’re giving the world what’s left of you? If you can brush yourself off so easily, think of how your family, friends, and co-workers feel when they can tell they’re getting what’s left of you. Make an appointment with yourself and keep it. Your mind, body, and soul are absolutely worth the investment. 5. Say “no.” You are in charge of your schedule, act like it. Give yourself permission to s l o w down. The next time your flame is a flicker, stop and ask yourself, “are my choices bringing me closer to or further from the life I want to build?” What works for you when you’re burnt out? Share it in the comments and help someone else!   [bctt tweet="Burnt Out? Here are 5 Ways to Reignite Your Flame #BISblog //" via="no"]   Liz Montigny coaches Catholic women to go from daily chaos to simplicity so they can love life. She is a wife, mom to three boys, and tea, big earrings, living a non toxic lifestyle, and creative evangelization are some of her other loves. Find out more about her here.

Advent and Christmas are my favorite seasons for children's picture books. There's nothing so cozy as bundling under a blanket with my brood and breaking open a beloved book. This year, we're adding a new picture book that I know will earn a spot on our list of traditional favorites. What Happens if Saint Nick is Sick? The Night the Saints Saved Christmas opens with the grand gift giver, Saint Nicholas, waking up on Christmas Eve with a sore throat and runny nose. Unable to fulfill his festive duties, his heavenly friends rally together to ensure a successful Christmas Eve mission. They realize that if they work together, the gifts will be delivered in time. A Worldwide Wonder They organize themselves by region, each going to the country in which they were from or ministered. "Israel for me," Peter said with a smile. "And Max can take Poland; he lived there a while." "Martin de Porres can handle Peru. And Italy, Lucy, is perfect for you!" The Saints in this story range in age and vocation but each use the charisms they were given on earth to serve the world on Christmas Eve. Dashing on horseback was brave Joan of Arc. Like lightning she flew, just a streak in the dark. The Ultimate Gift The book ends with all the Saints ending their adventurous night around the manger to worship the newborn King. The author, Gracie Jagla, through her delightful prose, reminds us that Jesus is the ultimate Gift we receive on Christmas. In a lyrical way that captures the imagine and causes the heart to soar, we see that grace is the free and undeserved gift we receive from God. Then back up the heaven the saints flew away, while kids opened gifts on that bright Christmas day. The gifts are a symbol of God's glorious love— underserved graces sent from above. Finally, the Saints are highlighted as our friends for the journey—our brothers and sisters in Christ who are always ready to "dispatch" to help us in our need. Add The Night the Saints Saved Christmas to your Christmas picture book round up, you won't regret it. And who knows, look out your window for Pope Saint John Paul II on skis this Christmas Eve!   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // The Night the Saints Saved Christmas #BISblog //" via="no"]

This time of year often stirs up a variety of feelings about family depending on your family situation. We live in a broken world and sometimes the most broken people are the ones closest to us. Even the most seemingly happy families may be dealing with difficulties. This season, whether you are feeling lonely, emotionally drained, or anxious about tense family dynamics, I hope that we can dig deeper and really begin to unpack where those wounds take root in the hopes that we can find forgiveness, healing, and peace. A Family Torn Apart I will never forget the night when my mom left our family. Unbeknownst to me, my parents’ marriage experienced problems from the very beginning. Up until this night, I was not aware that there had been any serious issues. My mother left a toxic and abusive marriage, but also left her children confused and devastated. I’ll never forget how my sister and I cried and begged her not to go. I’ll never forget how her perfume lingered in the air as she slammed the front door behind her. It was this night that began a whole breakdown of my sense of family, belonging, and safety. It became the source of a huge mother wound—feelings of abandonment and unworthiness—that still affect me to this day. This experience left me battling with some unhealthy habits. I thought that I needed to resort to extreme behavior to make a point, that I should leave and call it quits when things get hard, and that I needed to have total control to prevent heartbreak. Getting to Know Another Mother I remember when I said my very first prayer to Our Blessed Mother. Growing up, she was never an important part of my life or the faith I was raised in. In fact, I was taught that it was sinful to pray to her, so this first prayer during my conversion to Catholicism was very scary. I felt like I was doing something wrong. At this time, I was struggling so much with feeling disconnected from my mother and working through a lot of the wounds that affected my relationship with her. As I prayed to our Blessed Mother for the first time in my life, I felt immense peace, love, and comfort. I felt her saying to me, “I am your mother. I have always been your mother. And I’ve been praying for you and loving you before you even knew me.” I felt seen. I felt known and cared for. Starting my relationship with her began the work of finally forgiving my own mother. Saint Quotes On Family Ever since learning about the Saints, I’ve been so inspired by their incredible examples of holiness, but more so by the unique lives that led to their canonizations. Many of them came from beautiful families and many came from broken families. Regardless of their histories, they knew that they were so much more than their failures, their parents’ failures, or whatever hardships happened to them. They dedicated themselves to God, entrusting Him with their lives. We also have the Holy Family to whom we can look as an example of purity, sacrifice, and trust as the Lord carries us through difficult and challenging moments within our own families. We Belong Whatever your family situation may be, we should not forget that we all belong to a family. We have the love of the Father—the perfect Father. We have our beautiful Blessed Mother interceding for us with her maternal love. As Christians, we are adopted children of God. Let’s not forget that our sense of belonging can reach beyond our immediate family. Whether it’s a church community, close friendships, or a spiritual mother or father, let us remember that we belong to each other as brothers and sisters of Christ. “The family is the most ancient institution which God founded in Paradise, when He called the first pair of human begins into existence. The first blessing which God gave was for the wellbeing of the family.” // Saint John Vianney “God did not create a human family made up of segregated, dissociated, mutually independent members. No, He would have them all united by the bond of total love of Him and consequent self-dedication to assisting each other to maintain that bond intact.” // Venerable Pope Pius XII Marriage is to help married people sanctify themselves and others. For this reason they receive a special grace in the sacrament which Jesus Christ instituted. Those who are called to the married state will, with the grace of God, find within their state everything they need to be holy.” // Saint Jose Maria Escriva “Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” // Saint Gianna Beretta Molla “When husband and wife are united in marriage they no longer seem like something earthly, but rather like the image of God Himself.” // Saint John Chrysostom “Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family—a domestic church.” // Saint John Paul II Be the Change Your Family Needs No family is perfect. In every family, happy or not, there are issues to be addressed, forgiveness to be granted, and the work of healing to be done. And that’s hard, isn’t it? It’s hard to look past the hurts and truly see our family members the way Jesus sees them. But if the way we treat our family members, good or bad, is a reflection of the way we treat Jesus, I know we can all do better. We can recognize the faults and failures of those closest to us but it is an act of true love that involves selflessness, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Instead of focusing on how our family members need to change, we must ask ourselves, “What can I do? How do I need to change? How can I show kindness and charity in order to bring peace and harmony into this family?” If you have plans coming up to visit with family and you’re kind of dreading it, I encourage you to pray. Truly surrender your pain, anxieties, and hurt to the Lord and let Him take it from you so you don’t have to deal with it alone anymore. Pray for your family members. Pray for peaceful family gatherings. I suggest you start a novena to Saint Joseph, the head of the Holy Family, and the patron Saint of families. If you want to take more practical steps, here are some wonderful suggestions that you can put into practice in the days leading up to seeing your family. “Whatever you do for your family, for your children, for your husband, for your wife, you do for God. All we do, our prayers, our work, our suffering, is for Jesus.” // Saint Teresa of Calcutta “See to it that you refrain from harsh words. But if you do speak them, do not be ashamed to apply the remedy from the same lips that inflicted the wounds.” // Saint Francis of Paola “No one heals himself by wounding another.” // Saint Ambrose “To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of others.” // Saint John Paul II “You will never be happy if your happiness depends on getting solely what you want. Change the focus, get a new center, will what God wills, and your joy no man shall take from you.” // Venerable Fulton Sheen Jesus Always Restores While I now understand my mother’s reasons for leaving our family, it left a huge scar on my heart. Over the years, and thanks be to God, I have been able to process a lot of what has happened and forgive my mother. Now we have a wonderful relationship. It’s not perfect, but it’s not meant to be. I was eventually able to reconstruct my idea of what family is. It’s not what I expected as a little girl. I thought that family was always happy and cheerful, that people didn’t hurt each other, that there would never be any arguments. I know now that family is quite the opposite. It’s about being in your lowest of lows, showing the worst sides of yourself, but working together through the issues and coming out on the other side of it loving each other and understanding each other more than before. The devil specifically attacks families. The beauty, the joy, and the grace that flows from holy families are things that the enemy despises and so he makes it his mission to tear families apart. But we won’t let him win. We won’t let him have the last say. Whatever has happened in your family, you have the power to change it. You have the power to forgive, to heal, and to repair—and it has to start in your own heart. It is through this special kind of sacrifice that you can change your family, and when the unity of family is restored, the whole world can be restored. Whether you plan to spend these holidays with family or not, I pray that your days will be filled with joy, peace, and gratitude. “I think peace will be a long time coming. But our faith teaches us that we must always keep on hoping, we shall enjoy it one day.” // Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati “He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross so often will I forgive with all my heart.” // Saint Faustina “The family is the basis in the Lord’s plan, and all the forces of evil aim to demolish it. Uphold your families and guard them against the grudges of the evil one by the presence of God.” // Saint Charbel “The final battle between the Lord and the reign of satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, because anyone who works for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be fought and opposed in every way, because this it the decisive issue. However, Our Lady has already crushed its head.” // Servant of God Lucia of Fatima “Let us love, since that is what our hearts were made for.” // Saint Therese of Lisieux “Now, we must help each other to get to Heaven.” // Blessed Charles of Austria (to his wife, Empress Zita, the day after their wedding) “If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.” // Saint Teresa of Calcutta “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” // Saint John Paul II What are some ways you have felt hurt, abandoned, or unloved by your family? What kind of changes can you make within your own heart to love yourself and love your family? What are three things you are grateful for?   [bctt tweet="Saint Quotes for Broken Families #BISblog //" via="no"]

Blessed Miguel Pro is … overwhelming. There was a time in my life where he seemed to be everyone’s favorite Saint, except mine. I did all the things so he could be my favorite: read the books, watched his movie, prayed his prayer, yet we just didn’t seem to connect. I wanted to be friends with him but we simply weren’t. I think his intense personality and dramatic martyrdom overwhelmed my more natural, quiet temperament. An Impish Faith Even as a young child, Miguel was precocious, mischievous, and adventuresome. As a child he would read aloud to the family sermon notes from a book belonging to his mother. Then he would exclaim, “That is another matter! I do not understand it. Come, let us have a little music,” and reach for his guitar. He said of Heaven, “If I meet any long-faced saints there, I will cheer them up with a Mexican hat dance!” His sisters (two of whom later became religious sisters) were often the recipients of his pranks. He loved sweets, and secretly ran up the tab at the local shop until the bill was sent to his mother. A Greater Call After one of his beloved sisters entered the convent, he began to think about what God might want for his life (after consoling himself by eating the box of chocolates he meant to take to her when he visited). At the age of 20, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in his native Mexico. Because of the anti-Catholicism raging through Mexico, he and his novitiate class had to flee to the United States, and Miguel was sent to Spain and then Belgium for his seminary formation and ordination to the priesthood. His severe stomach issues did not allow him to stay in Belgium, and he returned to Mexico at the beginning of the Cristero War. War against the Church The Cristero War began when the government, intending to become a socialist state, closed all the Catholic churches in August of 1926. Baptisms and the celebration of Mass became a crime. Even dressing as a priest was outlawed. The war did not end until three years later, and by that time over 90,000 had died. Of those, thirty-five martyrs have been canonized and fifteen beatified. (Read more about it here and here.) Hero in disguise Blessed Miguel Pro, just 35 at the time the war started, would become one of those martyrs. He never lost hope and wrote at the height of the persecution: The Goliath will soon lose his head by means of the shepherd's staff...and then Christ alone will reign, Christ alone will conquer, Christ alone will command...already the splendor of the Resurrection can be discerned, for the darkness of the passion has reached its greatest intensity. He made his mark on the local church, basically becoming a secret agent for the Church. He would dress in disguises—often as a street sweeper, detective, or a wealthy businessman—to bring the sacraments to those in need. There is a great picture of him smiling almost smugly in his three-piece suit, hat, mustache (real or fake, I am not sure) and cigar, with a policeman strolling right past him. He once dressed as a mechanic to give a conference to cab and bus drivers. Another time he accompanied the police as they searched a house where he had been saying Mass. They were looking for the priest, not knowing that the man accompanying them as the "owner" was their priest. He said in one of his letters, “I assure you that I spin like a top from here to there with such luck as is the exclusive privilege of petty thieves.” He was bold and zealous, a heroic witness. Later he wrote: I see God’s hand so palpably in everything that almost—almost I fear they won’t kill me in these adventures. That will be a fiasco for me who sighs to go to heaven and start tossing off arpeggios on the guitar with my guardian angel. Forgiving Martyr In mid November 1927, Miguel and his brother were wrongly accused of plotting an assassination attempt. Caught and arrested, his brother requested to go to Confession. When he was refused by the authorities, Miguel boldly said, “Whether allowed or not, I shall hear him.” When called to his execution from his jail cell and the guard helped him with his coat, Miguel responded, “Goodbye brother, until we meet in heaven.” He forgave the policeman who apologized for his part in the arrest and execution, and then refused the blindfold that was offered to him. With arms outstretched in the shape of the Cross and a Rosary in his hand, he died with the words, “Viva Cristo Rey” (Long live Christ the King) on his lips. The government wanted his death to serve as a warning, and so had it widely documented with photographs. This ultimately backfired and instead it spurred hope among the people. His funeral brought tens of thousands witnesses in defiance of the law against public demonstrations. In my cloud of witnesses I think Blessed Miguel Pro's story is amazing and I love to use him when teaching about the Saints, particularly because there are pictures of him. Yet I just can’t seem to connect with him. It used to bother me, but now I realize that just as some human friendships are easier and more natural, the same thing happens with our spiritual friends. In both human and saintly friendships, we can have natural and supernatural friendships. Some may be particularly present for a season or a major life event, and some will be lifelong friends. Some friendships will be supernatural, taking a bit of work but are ultimately God-given and blessed. And although I may not have a natural, easy friendship with Miguel Pro, I know I have a supernatural one. I know he will be in my corner when I need him, encouraging me to be creative in my ministry, to pray, "Viva Cristo Rey” in difficulty. I know he is cheering me on in the pursuit of sanctity and will hopefully be in my long greeting line when I get to Heaven. I think this knowledge is even more comforting than if we had an easy natural friendship, because it’s our Christian life. It’s what we do: cheer each other on as we run this race to Heaven where Blessed Miguel will be waiting for us to sing arpeggios with him and his guardian angel. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. // Hebrews 12:1-2   [bctt tweet="My Friendship with Blessed Miguel Pro #BISblog //" via="no"]

We are moved to give during the Christmas season and may restrain from going overboard on the Christmas gifts because of our awareness of others going without. Our culture emphasizes the charity we give outside of our homes during the Christmas season but Thanksgiving offers us an invitation to offer that same charity to the person we sit next to and across from during the Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving is a feast for the heart and everything that fills it. A warm meal, connection, conversation, community, familiar faces, and a place to feel secured by the love of others is available to us on this day. We intentionally gather with family, friends, and loved ones to set time apart to share a meal while expressing gratitude for everyone and everything that surrounds the table. The Heart of the Family Look around the table. What do you see? Maybe the table decorations catch your eye and the fall colors of the table exude joy, warmth, and welcome. The table settings evoke hospitality as your eyes land on your plate and the shiny utensils that have been set out for you. Your seat is a reminder that you have a place of belonging here at this table. Perhaps it's been a while since you have sat at this table or have gathered for a meal with extended family. Take a minute to look around and give the thanks to the Lord for this moment to be present. To be there. Who Do You See? Last year's Thanksgiving celebration may have been outside the norm. Perhaps not everyone was able to gather together, some were constrained because of travel restrictions, or there was a desire to protect the elderly in your family and taking a meal versus sharing one was the most prudent decision for that time. Maybe there are family members who aren’t present this year. Take the time to remember them. It’s okay to feel the ache. Be present to the family members who are still overcome with grief. Fight the temptation that feeling the heartache or grief will sour the mood or make the gathering feel less like Thanksgiving. If anything, this kind of vulnerability with family leads to more openness, receptivity, love, and gratitude towards one another. In the world we may not be allowed to feel this ache, but under the same roof with our family it is where we find this type of refuge. If you are blessed with having everyone at the table praise the Lord for the gift of everyone's lives and to be able to share this meal together once again. Far too often we take these moments of togetherness for granted because we may experience them on a regular basis and the gratitude escapes us. Take the Time to Notice This is a good time to check in with the hearts of the people surrounding you. Has there been a significant source of suffering? Has there been immense joy? Is someone having a hard time with the season of life that they are currently in? You don’t have to get into family drama or past hurts to listen to the hearts of your loved ones. Sometimes relating to one another is all that is needed to allow Jesus’ permission to offer His healing grace. 1 Thessalonians 18 encourages us: In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. This is an opportunity for us to practice this with the people who need us the most and who we sometimes overlook precisely because they’re our family. The Heart of a Good Conversation This is an extraordinary moment to sit together with family to exchange stories, laugh, cry, reminisce, and share memories with everyone who is gathered. It’s nice to exchange pleasantries (“Oh the turkey is so moist!” ... “So-and-so makes the best stuffing, baked beans, green bean casserole"). It's easy to keep the conversation there, but that’s not what creates memories or drives fruitful conversation. Maybe there is a part of us that is apprehensive about the conversations that take place. Maybe we cringe when a certain family member shares the same story repeatedly like a broken record. Instead of cringing or allowing that agitation to rise up within us, maybe we can put aside how it makes us feel and turn our hearts towards this person with gratitude. We Get to Choose How We Respond While we cannot control other people’s behaviors at the table, we can choose to respond differently than the way we have responded at previous family gatherings. Often times in my own life I have noticed that when I change my attitude towards a certain family member about their favorite topic of conversation (that I may not share) and just allow myself to be grateful for them (not necessarily what they’re talking about) I am able to tolerate that conversation that I otherwise would have been annoyed about. For one day we can put our annoyances, frustrations, and reservations towards our family or individual family members aside and allow the gratitude for them to lead us to experience that joy which is far too often fleeting in our worldly lives. Lean into the Quiet Conversation Maybe you have the exact opposite problem at your family table as the forks clunking on the plates are a reminder of the lack of conversation. This lull during dinner may feel awkward, but it is good. We are so used to living with noise that we forget how necessary being still and quiet is for us. There may be an automatic response to fill that moment with dull conversation, but just remember you can do that any other day. This is a day of thanksgiving. Although the quiet can feel unsettling it is a good way to be thankful for the other and enjoy one another’s presence. We don’t always need to talk to experience that harmony and unity of a family. Savor the Meal The conversation should represent the feast itself. As you savor the meal, glance up from your plate and savor the moment. New memories are being created; ones that the little people around the table will grow up to share at their own table someday. This meal has taken time; maybe the collective time of the family as others contributed to the meal or the meal has rested on one person’s shoulders. Someone chopped the celery and carrots, baked the pies, carried the turkey from the store to the car, put it in the freezer, took it out to thaw, and then cooked it. This meal has taken several steps to get to the dinner table and the conversation should reflect that. The time table for conversation should equal the amount of time and intention it took for each meal that is on the dinner table. Maybe we should take a cue from our little ones and take our sweet time to eat our dinner. Typically chatty children are reminded to eat their dinner before it gets cold. That’s the kind of pace we need to adapt at the table on Thanksgiving. Taking our sweet time because we are lost in good meaningful conversation, are wrapped up in the moment, unguarded, and have lost track of time. Prayers for the Thanksgiving Table Before the feast, read this article and put these steps into action when you feel the anxiety creep in of having to get everything done. On the day of, download these prayer cards and place them at the table for everyone to look at. Pray the Thanksgiving service meal and lead the conversation with intention. Print out this PDF for a Thanksgiving table blessing. Being intentional about how the meal begins can create that space for a deeper sense of gratitude. Let’s take a note from St. Thérèse of Lisieux and approach this Thanksgiving with childlike love. Let’s embrace the moments when the house starts to look untidy, the floors start to become filled with crumbs, and a little pumpkin pie that fell off the table that was stepped on by tiny feet looks like the inside of a diaper. We know Thanksgiving isn’t about pretenses or putting up a false image of our ideal but when the temptation does arise look around at who is there. Let the laughter fill the house, let the memories that are being made shun the voice that says, “things aren’t going how you envisioned them.” Be present to all of it. Let your heart be grateful. That’s all you need.   [bctt tweet="Who's at Your Thanksgiving Table this Year? #BISblog //" via="no"]

I peered across the playground, shielding my eyes from the blazing Arizona sun. Laughter emerged from a group of children as they ran playfully through the warm sand. Sweat trickled down my neck as I stood awkwardly and ran my hands through my wild dark-brown curls. I was in third grade. Tall for my age, with knobby knees, and gangly limbs. It was my first day of school. My first day in a town that was vastly different from the ones I had known before. I did not know a single person, other than the kind principal, who smiled at me behind her bright red reading glasses, and led me to the edge of the playground. Searching for Someone After she briskly walked away, her heels clicking melodiously on the cement, I remained frozen in place searching for something, anything, that seemed familiar. Searching for a face that would bring comfort. Searching for a friend. Desperately praying for someone to come and talk to me. Someone to take my hand and lead me into the joy I was witnessing all around me. Someone to point me in the right direction. Someone to teach me the ropes and introduce me to this new place. When I had nearly given up, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a small girl with a wide smile holding a plastic pink jump-rope. She would come to be my dearest friend during a time when forming friendships would prove quite difficult. I am forever thankful that she sought me out. Forever thankful that the Lord placed it in her little heart to befriend the girl who looked lost and alone. Surprise Saintly Friends As I have grown older, I have been blessed to see how the Lord brings into our life exactly the friend we need. God does this in an especially beautiful way with the Saints. Our heavenly friends accompany us on this earthly journey, interceding for us and encouraging us through their stories. Helping us to see God’s glory in our own stories. Ordinary people who said yes to the extraordinary grace lavished upon them by Christ in His great unfathomable mercy. People who had faults, sufferings, and triumphs, and joys. People who were priests, religious, mothers, fathers, and children. People who were poor, rich, and everything in between. Saints, who when we search through their stories, we will find bits and pieces of our own. Places of grace where God has loved us and redeemed us. Sometimes they seek us, and other times we stumble upon them in unexpected ways. It was in one of those unforeseen moments that I came to know Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo. Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo She was born in Madagascar and was baptized a Catholic when she was fifteen, even though her family opposed it. Blessed Victoire encouraged and protected her fellow Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ during a time when the Church was being persecuted. Through her courageous gift of self, she kept schools and churches open and brought back missionaries who had been forced to leave. Amid tremendous suffering and uncertainty, Blessed Victoire remained faithful, spending hours in prayer each day and boldly proclaiming the Faith to those who needed to be inspired. Her heart was fixed on Christ. Through unimaginable pain and rejection, she remained rooted in prayer. The Best Prayer Partner I was in awe as I read her story. My heart was immediately moved by her dedication to prayer because I was in a place where I had no desire to pray. I was fatigued after a long year of suffering. Prayer felt forced and empty. I was becoming increasingly discouraged and burdened, as I searched desperately for something, anything that would bring me back to a place of peace. When I learned of her, she was like a new friend, lightly tapping me on the shoulder, and leading me back into joy. She was the friend I needed. I’ll admit, while fascinated with her life it took me a while to get to know her. I was much like the third-grade version of myself, standing awkwardly off to the side, just waiting. Captivated by her story, but unsure how I could relate to her. Unsure where the place of grace would be, until one day as I was having difficulty praying, I remembered how she spent hours in prayer and I asked for her intercession. Peace flooded my heart, and I felt inspired. The weariness that had settled into my heart began to lift. Phone a Friend Like You If you are struggling with prayer, I encourage you to become friends with Blessed Victoire. Ask for her intercession. Our heavenly friends desire to see us rejoicing with the Lord, desire to see us grow in holiness, desire to meet us and show us how to navigate this life. And I have found that they come to our aid in the most beautiful ways. Go to them. Allow them to be like a friend who gently takes your hand and leads you in the right direction, closer and closer to Jesus.   To learn more about Blessed Victoire and 11 other holy women from different continents and walks of life, check out Misericordia! [elementor-template id="546630"] [bctt tweet="Blessed Victoire + Surprise Saintly Friendships #BISblog //" via="no"]

2022 Liturgical Planner | Saintly Scents Candles | Emmanuel Christmas Devotional Miraculous Medal Earrings | BIS Water Bottle | Lined Journals Nunc Coepi: A Year of Prayer | Tiny Saints Mary + Elizabeth | Made New: 52 Week Devotional FOR COLLEGE GALS Miraculous Medal Earrings: The best dainty earrings ever, ever. 2022 Mini Liturgical Planner: Our favorite way to stay organized and focused on the Lord, but fun size. Spiral Bound Lined Journals: Go ahead; take ALL the notes. 8×10 Prints: The best way to decorate your dorm, your apartment, or your desk. Shine Hat: For the days you need to bring a little light to your lecture (or, let’s be honest, if you woke up too late to wash your hair). Stickers: These sweet little stickers are perfect for your laptop, water bottle, or notebook. Made New Shirt: Let the entire campus know that He has made you new! Restore Sweatshirt: Perfect for study sessions in chilly libraries. FOR MAMA GALS Saintly Scents Candles: Calming and sweet-smelling, our two favs for Mamas are Prayer Time and Dream Time. 2022 Full-Size Liturgical Planner: Hour-by-hour breakdowns of each day, meal-planning section, and daily prayers. Basically a mom’s best friend. Shine Hat: This hat + dry shampoo = the dream team. Restore Sweatshirt: Reminding you that He always restores, no matter how much sleep you don’t get. Spiral Bound Lined Journals: Great for prayer journaling, grocery lists, doodling… whatever! The perforated pages are perfect to take out and go! Grace Before Meals Poster: Bring a little peace to your dinner table. Rise, Let us be on our way Poster: Hit the ground running, Mama. FOR SPIRITUAL GALS Emmanuel: A Christmas Devotional: Christmas doesn't end on December 25th, it's only beginning. Catholic Journaling Bible: With lots of space in the margins to take notes, journal, or doodle. Blessed Conversations // Dwell: A study on the Eucharist. Can't beat that. Encourage Bible Verse Cards: Such a perfect way to memorize scripture. All of My Life Poster: A simple, but powerful reminder to put on your wall. Future with Hope Lined Prayer Journal: Pray every day, journal every day. FOR LITTLE GALS (& BOYS!) Rise Up Scripture or Saint Postcards: These are perfect for sending to family / friends, for Scripture memorization, or to use as art around kids' rooms! Jesus is the Balm Lip Balm: Protect little lips from getting dry and chapped! Rise Up Kids Devotional: Your kids will grow closer to the Lord and to the Saints with this sweet devotional just for them! Saint Prints: These sweet little saint prints are the perfect decor for any kids’ bedroom! Stickers: What kid doesn’t LOVE stickers? LITURGICAL PLANNERS Our Liturgical Planners are based on the Litany of Humility. Enter into prayer every day alongside this beautiful Litany. Order your days in His peace. GET YOUR PLANNER