The past two years, I’ve prepared my 8th grade students for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our diocese always schedules this as close to Pentecost as possible. Working with my students, I would remind them that the gifts and graces they received in Baptism are sealed, or confirmed, in Confirmation. This Sacrament completes the three Sacraments of Initiation (along with the Eucharist). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, those confirmed are sent forth to spread the Gospel, just as the original Twelve Apostles were called to do. The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit During Baptism, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within our souls and are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom Understanding Knowledge, Counsel Fortitude Piety Fear of the Lord The gifts of the Holy Spirit are received by all, but the evidence of them at work in a person are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. When a gift is not merely received, but used well, it bears fruit. And the Holy Spirit gives richly, freely, with the hope that we will use those gifts. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are: Charity Generosity Joy Gentleness Peace Faithfulness Patience Modesty Kindness Self-control Goodness Chastity When we meet someone who lives with joy, generosity, and kindness, we can truly see the Holy Spirit at work in her. Pentecost: The Birth of the Church In these Sacraments, the Holy Spirit comes upon each of us, bearing gifts and enkindling our hearts, setting them aflame with love for Christ. The same power and strength given to the Apostles on Pentecost is also given to us. On Pentecost, a feast of the birth of the Church, we remember Jesus’ promise to the Apostles that He would not leave them. He promised to send His Holy Spirit. After His Ascension into Heaven, 50 days after His Resurrection, we hear in chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles that: When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves. Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, and each one was bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. Everyone was amazed and perplexed; they asked one another what it all meant. Some, however, laughed it off. "They have been drinking too much new wine," they said. Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice: "Men of Judaea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, but listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you imagine; why, it is only the third hour of the day. On the contrary, this is what the prophet was saying: 'In the last days -- the Lord declares -- I shall pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young people shall see visions, your old people dream dreams.' God raised this man Jesus to life, and of that we are all witnesses. Now raised to the heights by God's right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit. Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, brothers?" "You must repent," Peter answered, "and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." In this moving passage from Scripture, we see the Apostles afraid in the Upper Room. Yet, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them in the form of wind and fire, suddenly they can express themselves. And Peter, our first pope, directs them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gifts that the Spirit gives them so that they could begin their missionary work. We Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit On this Sunday, priests wear red to symbolize the tongues of fire sent upon the Apostles by the Spirit. In some places, such as Italy, the faithful scatter rose petals from the ceilings of churches to remember this. For each of us, this Sunday is a time to pause and consider the gifts we have each been given and the ways we are letting God work in us. We examine the ways we are using those gifts for others so that they might bear fruit. Mary, Mother of the Church This year, too, we have a new feast to celebrate! On March 3, 2018, Pope Francis announced that the Church will celebrate the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, on the Monday after Pentecost. This year, that falls on May 21, in the month of Mary. The Pope hopes this new Marian feast will continue to foster devotion to Our Lady, especially in her role as our mother. In addition, it will remind us that from the beginning of the Church at Pentecost, Christ’s followers have turned to Mary to guide them back to Her Son. While the Spirit gives us gifts, the Blessed Mother points us towards Jesus so that we might remember to use those gifts at the service of Him and His Church. What special traditions do you have to celebrate Pentecost? How can you use your God-given gifts to serve others? [bctt tweet="Pentecost and the Mother of the Church #BISblog //"] Mary Grace Mangano is a high school English teacher in Harlem, New York, having also taught middle school Language Arts and Religion in Chicago. She has written for Verily, Darling Magazine, The Catholic Woman, and other publications. She is passionate about education and social justice, loves writing poetry, running, reading, hiking, and learning new things. You can find out more about her here.

As a young mother of two little girls, we watch a lot of animated shows and movies. Even before I had children, I was an avid Disney fan. I could sing almost every song in the Disney songbook from heart. If I didn’t have children, I probably would be watching just as many of these family-friendly films. Just not as feverishly. Animated movies typically attract great songwriters and composers. So it’s easy to get the songs stuck in your head, even when you’re not obeying the demands of your oh-so-cute 3 year-old to watch the same movie on a daily basis over the course of two weeks. Songs Stuck in My Head I can remember sitting in the Adoration chapel of our church two years ago. I was trying to listen to the ways God was calling me to grow during that Lenten season. The silence was broken with the tinkling of notes from someone practicing on a piano in the church. The song they were playing? “Let It Go” from Disney’s popular film Frozen. It also happened to be my older daughter’s favorite movie at the time. I chuckled to myself. Even when I was away from my daughter, I couldn’t escape that soundtrack. Letting it Go The quiet of Adoration helps me zero in on my heart’s listening skills. So I knew that the soft playing of “Let It Go” was God’s way of telling me to pay attention and to hear His voice through the lyrics of that song. There were many lines I could relate to, especially, “Conceal, don’t feel.” How accurately do those words describe the way our society talks about depression and anxiety, something that I was struggling with at the time? God was telling me through this kids' song (that I had heard thousands of times before) that I was bottling up my feelings. It felt much like the main character Elsa’s “swirling storm inside”. Further Scripture reflection in front of the Blessed Sacrament that tied in with these lyrics helped me realize that I needed to seek help to recover from those past hurts in order to move on and “let it go.” I started seeing a counselor soon after. Music Heals There have been other times when I’ve watched an animated show or movie with my daughter only to break down crying. Whether it was Moana singing, “I am everything I’ve learned and more, still it calls me,” or a Sofia the First episode where Mulan sings to Sofia, “You’re stronger than you know,” something would stir deep inside of me. I felt like God was trying to speak to me, to let me know that He was aware of my suffering. God can speak even through the songs that were becoming the soundtrack of my life as a mother. These words, written melodically to advance the plot of my daughter’s favorite films, were like God serenading me. More often than not, I could relate the lyrics from the music to the Gospels or verses from Scripture that I was reading. When I have a song stuck in my head, even if it’s not from a kids' movie, I make it a point to look up the lyrics if I don’t already know them. I reflect on them just in case it’s God singing into my ear. Sometimes I’m moved to tears, and other times I laugh at God’s sense of humor. Time to Be Awesome Recently, I had a song from My Little Pony: The Movie stuck in my head. One could argue that it was only because I’ve seen it about ten times in less than a week. But after looking up the lyrics, I knew it was God singing to me to help lift my spirits with each beat. The name of the song? “Time to Be Awesome." This song spoke to my struggling with balancing motherhood while also pursuing personal hopes and dreams. In the movie, a spunky little pony named Rainbow Dash tries to encourage a group of pirates to get their mojo back through song. Some of my favorite lyrics are: “But there’s a light, shining deep inside beneath those fears and doubts so just squash ‘em. And let it shine for all the world to see that it is time, yeah, time to be awesome.” Is God letting me know that it’s time to be awesome? Most definitely. My Scripture reflections back up this silly but encouraging song. Psalm 139:14, which I had been reading earlier, confirm, “I am wonderfully made.” Paul writes in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious about nothing,” and later in verses 11-13, “…in whatever state I am, it is sufficient… Everything is possible in him who has strengthened me.” When I’m too busy being plagued by fears and doubts, God is telling me to “squash ‘em” and remember that He is the “light, shining deep inside.” If that’s not awesome, I’m not sure what is. [bctt tweet="The Healing Power of God Through Animated Movie Music #BISblog //"] Amy Heyse is an artist and mother who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her graphic design husband. You can often find her trying to squeeze in time for personal art making between motherhood and working as an art instructor at a local paint-and-sip studio. You can find out more about her here.

I love NBC’s hit television series The Office. I converted all my family and friends into fans and quotes from the characters are part of my daily conversations. My high school students even printed off a “Join the Fist” flyer (from the episode when Dwight is acting manager and Jim is trying to get him to think that a resistance is forming against him) and taped it to my classroom’s podium. My husband and I named our dog “Beesly” after the beloved receptionist Pam Beesly. Needless to say, I’m a pretty big fan. Can Catholics Watch The Office? I am not denying that the show has its own dose of immorality. I’ve always grappled with those bits. However, by continually forming my conscience in a healthy, non-scrupulous manner (through prayer, frequently receiving the Sacraments, studying Church Teaching, and spiritual direction), I’ve learned that I can sift through a show in search of what is good, true, and beautiful. In fact, next month I'll be publishing a post here on the BIS blog all about how to consume media virtuously as a Catholic. In the final moments of the series, Pam marvels at how the documentary crew was able to capture the reality of what life was like. She ends the show with the statement: There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things... Isn’t that kind of the point? As Christians, this is the lense through which we are called to view all of reality, even fictional reality. There is beauty, love and goodness everywhere, and as St. Paul says in his letter to the Philippians, these are the things which we are called to think about (Phil 4:8). [bctt tweet="There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things... Isn’t that kind of the point? #BISblog //"] The Office and the Beauty of Ordinary Life If I had to pinpoint a reason as to why The Office is my favorite show, it would be because they succeeded in showing the beauty of the ordinary. Here are just three of the ways they illustrated that. Warning: spoilers ahead! Forgiving and Reconciling Just as in real life, there is frequent disagreement among the co-workers of Dunder-Mifflin. Take Angela, a judgey, self-righteous, and hypocritical accountant. Yet, despite her own intense actions, her co-workers are often extend an olive branch for no reason other than it being the right thing to do. An example of this is when Karen and Pam offer to merge the two feuding Christmas parties. Everyone attends theirs and almost no one goes to the one Angela planned. Though Angela had not apologized or shown any remorse for her attempts to sabotage their party, Pam sees the pain of rejection in Angela’s eyes and offers forgiveness in a simple way. Another example is the relationship between Oscar and Angela. In the early years, Angela had ostracized Oscar, becoming especially cruel when she found out that he was gay. Despite this, when Angela and her toddler son are evicted from their apartment, Oscar offers his home as shelter until they are able to recover. Persevering through Marital Problems The wedding of Jim and Pam (everyone’s favorite couple) was truly one of the sweetest moments of the series. Then, much to the viewing audience’s surprise, Jim and Pam have major marital problems just a few years down the road. The emotion was raw and relatable, and many fans were truly worried about how the situation was going to end. I was relieved by the way in which the writers resolved the conflict. Though Jim struggled for months with the decision, he finally realized that having his dream job meant nothing to him if it meant losing Pam. He chose to give up what he wanted in the moment for what he wanted forever. In this pivotal moment, Jim clutches Pam in desperation, hoping with all his might that she might return his affection despite the ways in which he has hurt her. In turn, the camera flashes back to their wedding, when St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians is being read. The words play over the scene as Pam and Jim slowly start to piece their marriage back together: Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way... Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... It isn’t an easy journey moving forward, but Mr. and Mrs. Halpurt decide to love each other despite their wounded emotions. Not many shows attempt to portray love as requiring true commitment and sacrifice, let alone quote Scripture in doing so, but The Office did. [bctt tweet="Not many TV shows attempt to portray love as requiring true commitment and sacrifice... #BISblog //"] Loving the Odd Man Out We all have people in our life who are difficult to love. Maybe it's a person like Jan, who manipulates others for their own good, taking and taking from others while giving little (if any) back in return. Maybe they're like Michael, who is annoying, emotionally needy, and way too invested in his own personal life. Or maybe they’re like Toby, the sad and lonely person who often sucks the fun out of the room. All of these type-casts (and more) are a part of the show. And while there are certainly times where these individuals fail to be kind, there are also moments in which they show great love to one another. Michael takes Jan into his home after she’s lost her job. The entire office is full of joy for Michael when he finds his soulmate and distraught when he announces that he is moving to Colorado in order to be with her. Even Toby finds friends in Pam and Nelly because of their own compassion. The Office does an incredible job of showing how the decision to love others despite feelings of discomfort or dislike changes our perception of those around us. The people who are your biggest headache can become people you love, admire, and respect. [bctt tweet="People who are your biggest headache can become people you love, admire, and respect. #BISblog //"] Like the rest of this fallen world, The Office certainly has its faults. But all in all, it portrays a lot of truth, beauty, and goodness about loving our fellow man… and that is what living a Christian life is all about. Are you a fan of The Office? What's your favorite episode? [bctt tweet="What The Office Taught Me About the Beauty of Ordinary Life #BISblog //"]

What do you think about when you hear the words “American college culture"? If you are anything like me as a high school student, this phrase brings to mind two dichotomous, coexisting cultures: long, caffeine-fueled nights in the library and wild, all-night frat parties; high pressure tests with brutal curves and the hook-up culture; 8 A.M.classes and beer pong. Naively, I had no concept of the fact that college life, much like any other season of life, is filled with incalculable diversity. The archetypal college student of my imaginings makes up only a small portion of the true college experience. Holding up these stereotypes as an ideal made me feel like I was not “doing college right” if I made other choices. I thought that popularity, good grades, and success were the keys to happiness. This left a void that God has gradually filled with His love throughout the triumphs and struggles of my college experience. College Can Be a Place of Conversion and Reversion Although I was raised Catholic, I entered college as a self-professed agnostic. I felt that God had no place in my life. Now, as senior preparing to graduate, I cannot imagine my life without God. My reversion to Catholicism was not one filled with dramatic fanfare and sudden epiphanies. Rather, God slowly spoke to me and changed my heart over the course of college. 4 Things I Learned About Faith in College Although I cannot possibly hope to explain the fullness of how God brought about my conversion of heart or to place a number on the innumerable lessons He has taught me, here are four things I learned about faith as a college student. 1. Learning about the world can teach us about God. Some of the earliest seeds of my reversion were planted in the unlikely soil of the dreaded 8 A.M. class. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of my first semester, I would hit snooze several times before eventually rolling out of bed to hurry to my theology class. The fact that I always made it on time, with coffee, must have been Divine intervention. In that class, we read the works of both faithful and atheist philosophers, of both Christian and non-Christian scholars. Some of the most impactful works for me were those of St. Thomas Aquinas. His wise words forced me to contemplate the why of life. I began to wonder if the universe had a purpose, and if so, what was that purpose? This theology class was a general education course, and the majority of my studies have been focused in the sciences. I have learned about chemical mechanisms, ecological systems, laws of physics, and biochemical pathways. As I study, I believe I am learning more about God’s miraculous creations. No matter if your major is physics or sociology, political science or English, education or engineering, I believe there is a great deal to be learned about God in every subject. 2. However, learning about the world can only take us so far in our faith. Thomas Aquinas said: To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. Aquinas wisely points out that observations of our tangible world, in most cases, cannot prove to us that God exists. This serves as a constant reminder to me not to rely overly on physical or logical realities to prove the existence of God to others (or to myself in moments of doubt). Although powerful, explanations based in rationality and objectivity can only go so far. Ultimately, prayer and reliance on God are necessary for faith. 3. Excellence, not idolatry. Last year, I sat down with my amazing and faith-filled friend over coffee. I expressed that I was stressed about the pressure to succeed in my classes, jobs, community involvement, and social life. “Does God really care about my grades?” I asked. Her wise answer came in two parts: no and yes. We do not have to earn God’s love. It is irrespective of our GPA, internships, and post-graduation plans. Yet, God gave each of us gifts. He has beautiful plans for us, plans that will allow us to best serve our brothers and sisters. This means that we should strive for excellence both in order to show the glory of God to others and in order to fulfill God’s purpose for us in life. In the interceding year between that conversation and today, I have come to believe that, in order to keep our priorities in order, it is important to always consider why we are striving for excellence. Is our pursuit of excellence enhancing our relationship with God or replacing it? It can be all too easy to idolize achievement, believing that success is all-important, defines us, and will bring us joy. However, this causes us to forget that only God can bring us joy and that nothing can change our innate identity as daughters of God. Although God wants us to strive for excellence, He never wants us to sacrifice our prayer life, our health, or our relationships on the altar of achievement. 4. Community is key. Halfway through my college years, I found myself at a new university as a transfer student. I feared that the sense of community so easily forged as a freshman would prove more elusive as a junior. Suppressing my apprehension, I attended an activities fair. Hands down, this was one of the best decisions I ever made as a college student. At the fair, I encountered representatives from my university’s Catholic Newman Center. They welcomed me into their lives. In them, I discovered the community I sought. Through the Newman Center, I have been able to strengthen my faith life through daily Mass, Adoration, community service, and spiritual guidance. All of this was possible because of my network of close, faithful friends who so warmly welcomed a transfer student into their community. This experience has given me a conviction to seek out a strong faith community no matter where God leads me after graduation. Let Your Faith Blossom in College! I have come to believe that there is no “right way” to do college, as long as we are always striving to keep God at the center of our lives. If you are a high school student anxiously awaiting what college holds, take courage in the fact that you do not have to imitate what you think the college experience should look like. If you are the parent of a college student or soon-to-be college student, take solace in the fact that, despite what popular culture tells us about college, God is present at universities. He is there speaking through professors in the classroom, faithful friends eagerly welcoming others into their community, and campus ministers tirelessly doing the work of God. If you are a college student yourself, join me in reflecting on the gifts and challenges that God has given us, which will allow us to fearlessly pursue our destinies even after we have flipped our tassels to the left, tossed our caps into the air, and stepped out into post-graduation life. St. Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of students, pray for us. Are you a recent college graduate? What did you learn about your faith at university? How are you continuing to implement those lessons in post-grad life? [bctt tweet="4 Things I Learned About Faith as a College Student #BISblog //"] Rosalie Nolen is a college senior based out of Philadelphia, PA. She spends her free time exploring the city, reading as many books as possible, and searching for that perfect cup of coffee. She is excited to learn what God has in store for her after graduation.

It’s my favorite way to begin prayer now. In Mass or before a crucifix at home, I kneel and lightly drape an ivory lace veil on my head. It’s an infinity mantilla, so it’s more like a delicate hood, and the clip inside ensures that once it’s on, it’s not going anywhere. From beneath the lace, my eyes open to the Lord’s presence and I understand more clearly that He sees me. The Practice of Veiling Wearing a veil is a new thing for me. For years I shook my head at a devotion I didn’t understand. I knew that prior to Vatican II, it was mandatory that women cover their heads at church. So with the mandate gone, any veiling I saw came off as excessive, even pompous. An ostentatious display of a woman’s “holier than thou” attitude. I was sure “veilers” in Mass wanted to draw undue attention to themselves, attention that would have otherwise been appropriately directed to Christ. Based on these ideas, adorning oneself in such a way seemed prideful, and I was resolved against it. Still, the unusual practice intrigued me, and over time I saw women I admired donning their heads in lace during Mass. I was sure I had to have an opinion so I settled on uncomfortable indifference. Fine, I thought. You do you. WRITE + PRAY We invite you to sit with the Word and unpack it in a uniquely personal way, finding your own story. Discover your story within His. GET WRITE AND PRAY Overcoming Hesitancy To this day, I can’t recall why veiling moved from off-putting to appealing in my mind, but in time it became something I desired. There was a mysterious beauty about it, but I refused to let myself dive in. Just as I had been sure ladies who veiled were prideful (I finally realized they weren’t), I was also certain they possessed something within themselves that I didn’t have: a saintliness, a particular devotion, or maybe a deep intimacy with Christ. I didn’t feel holy enough and thus committed myself to the sidelines, watching and admiring. It was a lovely idea, but I didn’t want anyone looking at me or judging me. I explored online veiling groups and found communities happy to encourage me and answer my questions. When I asked why they veiled, the threads were flooded with desires for humility, for more focus in prayer, stronger relationship with Jesus, or out of reverence for Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Even more women said they were simply drawn to it. One of the most compelling and repeated reasons was that these women who veil did so in imitation of Mary. Who doesn’t want to be like the perfect woman? Other comments cited 1 Corinthians 11:3-15, explaining that just like men bare their heads out of reverence (e.g. take off their hats), women veil theirs for the same reason. My First Veil When a friend sent a veil to me for my birthday, I felt a big nudge. I had to let go of my own hesitations and what anyone else might think. The following Sunday I sat quaking in my pew, too nervous to put my veil on during Mass. The processional hymn finished, the first and second readings passed. I couldn’t do it. They’ll look at me, I thought. I wrestled with my anxiety, telling myself that I could do it some other time. It was pure grace that silenced my racing thoughts. In one fluid move as we stood for the Gospel, I threw on my veil. Nothing happened. The windows didn’t shatter. Mass didn’t stop. No one started whispering around me. I didn’t feel the least bit strange. Since that first Mass, I’ve been giddy to wear my veil in both private prayer at home and every Sunday at our parish. All the misconceptions I had were false and all the fears I had remain unfulfilled. There are no requirements to veil; no boxes to check to make sure I’m worthy. I was concerned about the sentiments of others, but once I focused on Jesus, they just didn’t matter anymore. I’ve been approached, but confronted only by compliments and support from fellow parishioners. Veiling as Prayer Veiling is one of the most honest, vulnerable prayers I have now. It’s brought about a new devotion to the Lord I didn’t at all anticipate. I’ve never felt more like a beloved daughter of God, and more than ever I’m encouraged to approach Him in prayer. Humble, not prideful. Focusing, not distracting. Fitting, not lofty. As it is with so many other Catholic devotions, I can’t presume to understand the depth of veiling yet. But for now I know quite simply that beneath my veil, I am focused in prayer and I feel lovely in the gaze of my Father. Where to Find a Veil for Mass If veiling piques your interest, you can find lovely and excellent products (and information!) at the following veil shops: Evintage Veils Di Clara Veils by Lily Robin Nest Lane Do you veil during Mass or other times of prayer? What's your experience been? Share with us in the comments below? [bctt tweet="Beneath the Veil: How Unusual Practice Became Beloved Prayer #BISblog //"] Katie Sciba is a national speaker and five-time Catholic Press Award-winning writer. Her work is focused on vulnerability with Jesus, holiness in marriage and family, Catholic minimalism, as well as her retreat Courageous + Captivating. Katie and her husband Andrew have been married for 10 years and live with their children in Omaha, Nebraska. You can find out more about her here.

Mother, Your voice learning to soothe Your new child Was the first home-sound We hear before we could see. Your young eyes Gazing on us Was the first mirror Where we glimpsed What to be seen Could mean. Mother, Your nearness tilled the air, An umbilical garden for the seeds Of thought that stirred in our infant hearts. You nurtured and fostered this space To root all our quietly gathering intensity That could grow nowhere else. Mother, Formed from the depths beneath your heart, You know us from the inside out. No deeds or seas or others Could ever erase that. Amen. -John O'Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us Reflect When you know how much God is in love with you, then you can only live your life radiating that love. St. Teresa of Calcutta Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Mother + Child #BISblog #BISrests //"] This post contains an affiliate link, which means Blessed is She will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through our link. Thank you!

We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers. -Catechism of the Catholic Church, 962 A few years ago, I was driving with some friends from Austria to Italy to attend a soccer game. We spent most of our drive talking about the Saints in Heaven and what a gift from God they are to us here on earth. As we entered into Milan, my friend said something to me that struck me so deeply. He said, “Claire, we have to make the Saints our best friends.” That sentence radically changed my life. I had always loved the Saints–I enjoyed learning about them, I tried to imitate them, and I often asked their intercession–yet I never thought about making them my friends, let alone my best friends. From that moment on, I asked my favorite saints to become my dearest, best friends. And since that moment, my life has changed in a profoundly, beautiful way. Making the Saints Our Best Friends After the conversation with my friend, I began to research my favorite Saints. I read their biographies, their quotes, and first-hand accounts of their lives. I desired to know the details of their life, especially how they achieved their heavenly goal. In my searching, I discovered a richness of beauty in the lives of the Saints. Each Saint I learned about was profoundly unique–yet so intrinsically connected to one another in their love for Christ. Then, one day, I simply just asked some of my favorite Saints to be present with me throughout my day, to be my best friends. I asked them to be with me in my joys, sufferings, loneliness, anxieties, and peace. I asked them to accompany me to Mass, to be with me during difficult conversations, and to work alongside me when I served my patients as a nurse. Immediately, I felt their presence in my life. The Saints Accompany Us Through Life's Seasons Now, as a mother, I need the friendships of the Saints in a new way. In the past I had asked them to be with me in my loneliness of singlehood. Now I ask them to be present with me during the lonely hours in the middle of the night, rocking my son to sleep. Where I had asked them to be with me as I studied for exams in college, I now ask them to be present with me as I cook, clean, and care for my family. I am confident of their intercession, love, fidelity, and presence. I know they are championing for me as I tend to all of the tasks and duties of my vocation with care and grace, so that I may one day be with them in Heaven. 5 Saints Who Were Moms Here are five Saints who were mothers, and a quote by each of them with a prayer asking for their intercession. Turn to these incredible women and ask them to become your dearest friends. If you are a woman who is a mother, yearning to be a mother, lost children, miscarried, wants more children, pregnant, or desire to be pregnant, ask these Saints in heaven to be with you–in your joy, your pain, your suffering, your excitement, or your grief. Ask for their friendship and for their intercession. These women have fought the good fight of faith, they have run the race, and they now wear a beautiful crown in Heaven. There is a crown waiting for you, too. Let us ask these women in heaven to help us reach our Heavenly home. Mother Mary Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your word. Mother Mary, teach me to proclaim, “yes” to your Son each day. Please allow me to carry Jesus deep within my heart and always share Him with others. Saint Monica One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be. Saint Monica, you know the pain that often accompanies love. Please be with me in my sorrows and in my grief. Teach me to intercede for others and in turn ask for intercession for myself, just as you did. Please help lead me to the joy of the Resurrection each day. Saint Marie-Azélie Martin I am with you all day in spirit. I love you with all my heart, and I feel my affection doubled by being deprived of your company. I could not live apart from you. (from a letter to her husband, Saint Louis Martin) Saint Marie-Azélie, please be with me as I always seek to love those around me with the deep, profound love of Christ. Jesus said that there is no greater love than to lay my life down for my friends (John 15:13). Please be with me as I lay my life down for others today–help me to love fearlessly and vulnerably–just as Christ loves me. Christ holds out His Sacred Heart to each of us, Saint Marie-Azélie, help me to do the same to all those I encounter today! Saint Gianna Beretta Molla One earns Paradise with one’s daily task. Saint Gianna, please be present with me in my daily tasks and help reveal Christ to me in my vocation. Sometimes I feel that my day is mundane, please be with me as I offer up each task to Christ. May everything I do bring greater glory to Him. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty. Saint Elizabeth, help me to live a holy life. Please intercede on my behalf as I strive to place all of my confidence and trust in the mercy of God. I desire holiness; I yearn to behold our Heavenly Father. Teach me to always turn to Christ, both in joy and difficulty. Please be with me today, and always. [bctt tweet="Saints Who Were Moms #BISblog //"]

I sat in the pew, clenching my husband’s hand and biting my lip to numb the pain and fight back the tears. All the mothers stood to receive a special blessing. Another Mother’s Day fought through. Another year gone by. And there I sat. All I had to show were the scars from numerous surgeries and the bills from appointments. No one knew about the five babies I grieved and so longed to hold that were taken from me. No one knew the hurt and pain I felt as I longed to be a mother. [bctt tweet="All the mothers stood to receive a blessing. Another Mother’s Day gone by. And there I sat. //"] A Triggering Day It seemed I was a spring of emotions with almost anything triggering the tears. Pregnancy announcements, baby showers, Mother’s Day, even reading through Scripture seemed to send me into a whirlwind. I would find my heart filling up with an anger at God that scared me. Seven years, novena after novena, prayer after prayer...why the silence? I felt alone, suffering in silence. The cross heavy and the pain raw, often putting on a face to mask the hurt. Even my husband didn’t seem to understand. Why wasn’t he grieving in the same way? My church friends told me to pray more and trust and the medical community wrote off each of my babies as a product of conception. It was hard to find answers and support. Surrendering When we said “I do” we had no idea what the next seven years would bring. The roller coaster of emotions: excitement, hope, anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, anger, acceptance, trust. I will never forget the phone call from my doctor telling me there was nothing more medically he could do after my fourth miscarriage. It was in that heart wrenching phone call that I surrendered. After so many years of clinging and grasping after my wants, I finally let God write His story. God placed adoption on our hearts and we met our sons two and a half years later. A year later our daughter was born and 20 months after that, our son. Not all stories are written like ours. But even in the wait, in the silence, God is forever still present and at work. At a time when nothing more than pain and the desire to be a mother consumes us, God has a plan. And in the silence and grief, God is molding our hearts, which often times feels like a chisel as we are being made new. To the women who are grieving, longing, and waiting for motherhood... Pray. It may seem as if God has abandoned you. Being a mother is such a noble and good intention, why would He deny my husband and I this gift? He is with you in the silence. He is carrying you through the valley. He is at work in the wait, creating you anew. Somedays I found it incredibly difficult to formulate any words, even the rote prayers that I had been reciting my entire life. In what may seem simple there is great power in repeating the name Jesus. Jesus, I trust in you! Keep praying the novenas and let your fingers run over the beads on the Rosary. Ask others to pray for you: your husband, your family, your friends, and your parish community. Sit in Adoration and say nothing. Go on a silent retreat and let God do the talking. Journal. I was young, fit and healthy. Yet my body was failing me. What was wrong with me? Why am I inadequate? What if my spouse blames me? Will this cause him to love me less? It is normal to let our mind give way to unreasonable thoughts. Writing down the thoughts and feelings that are hard to express to anyone else is very therapeutic. When I didn’t know who to talk to, I journaled. I sat in the quiet, let my guard down and let the pen move expressing every thought and feeling of my heart. Find community. Infertility is an incredibly isolating cross, especially so among Catholic circles as you try to find your place as the couple with no kids when all of your friends are expecting baby number four. Know that you are not alone. There are so many other women who are suffering in silence. One in eight couples are affected by infertility in the United States and 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Find a group on social media. Have coffee dates with other women who are going through similar experiences. Start a group in your Church. It’s amazing how many women will come forward. When pain strikes it is easy for us to want to isolate ourselves even more, because who is going to understand? Resist the isolation and find community. Grow in your marriage. Cling to your husband. The stats of marriage ending in divorce because of infertility and miscarriage are frightening. Studies showing that couples who experience infertility are three times more likely to divorce and those who suffer a miscarriage are 22% more likely. Infertility is an extremely trying time that usually happens within the first years of marriage, as newlyweds are still trying to navigate life after the honeymoon phase. Men and women grieve differently, often leaving the wife feeling alone. Use this time of waiting as a time to grow in a closer relationship with your spouse. Make a concerted effort to talk through the emotions. Enjoy having more movie nights, dinners out, weekends away or the things you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do if you had children in tow. A Holy Desire for Motherhood Navigating infertility can often be challenging there are many resources available from books, to support groups, to authentically Catholic medical care. The burden is heavy, the pain often raw, but the desire is holy. You are not in this alone. As many times as I heard the words and gritted my teeth, God truly does have a plan and in our hearts we need to hold firm to that promise. Resources NaPro Technology Fertility Care Elizabeth Ministry The Infertility Companion for Catholics Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman’s Companion to Healing and Hope Naming the Child We're praying for you, sisters. Feel free to share your heart and struggles in the comments below. We're here for you! [bctt tweet="Longing for Motherhood #BISblog //"] Cassie Everts is a wife and mother to four children on earth and five souls in heaven. She is daily trying to figure out motherhood after having gone from zero kids to four in 2 1/2 years time. She writes about faith, infertility, adoption and motherhood at her blog Everyday Ann, striving to see the extraordinary hand of God in the very ordinary. You can find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!

I became a mom nearly a year ago. I still remember, vividly, the moment the doctor pulled my son out of me. His fair skin, small arms, a head full of thick black hair. I remember the feelings of both relief and euphoria I had as I was wheeled out of the delivery room–relief that I survived child birth and euphoria that I was now a mother. I felt like I was walking on air when I woke up the next morning. Motherhood has given me an unspeakable amount of joy that somehow seems to grow stronger with every passing day. However, looking back at those first weeks and months with my newborn, I was also racked with emotions. I remember crying when I was still learning how to breastfeed in the hospital and my son was not latching right away. I remember the anxiety I felt over every little coo or movement he made, wanting to best respond to his every need. Spiritual Advice for the First-Time Mom While the past year has been filled with a roller coaster of emotions, the Lord has also revealed Himself in countless ways in my journey as a first-time mom. I hope the lessons I’ve learned can provide a glimmer of encouragement and hope for my fellow new moms out there. Become besties with Mother Mary. God sure knew what He was doing by giving us Mary. We automatically have a confidante we can turn to who has walked this same path herself. I prayed to Mary before becoming a mom, whether it was a Hail Mary during penance or the occasional Rosary. However, my relationship with Mary reached a new level once I became a mom. I found myself reaching out to her for strength and wisdom. In the early months after my son was born, while he was in the middle of a crying fit, I found myself asking Mary in utter desperation, “Mother Mary, did Jesus ever have tantrums?” Since then, I have found peace in praying the Rosary while driving in the car as my son naps. I am so thankful God gave us Mary. We can call to her for grace and encouragement or to simply vent when the going gets tough. Offer your weaknesses to God. In the early months as a new mother, one of my favorite Bible verses came to life. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made great in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that His power might rest in me. There are many times as a new mom when we feel weak, whether it is physically from the postpartum recovery and lack of sleep, or emotionally weak from the demands that motherhood has placed on us. The Lord doesn’t delight in watching us struggle, but He reminds us that He is there waiting to offer His grace to get you through. There were many moments (and there still continues to be) when I feel myself give in to my weaknesses and say to myself, “I’m a bad mom.” But when those feelings start to creep in, I simply remember the verse above. I remind myself to offer up my weaknesses to God and to let Him fill me with His grace to sustain me. It’s OK to ask for help. We all want to be superwoman. We all want to prove we can do it all–be a domestic goddess, take care of our spouse, feed and walk the dog–all while figuring out how to be a mom to a helpless little baby. I wanted to do it all, so much so that I felt defeated when I eventually hired a cleaning service to help with the house. But looking back, I realize it’s OK to ask for help. There is no shame in it. We are not weak or any less of a spouse or mom for asking for help. Don’t feel guilty for making decisions to help you gain some time back for either yourself, your baby, or both. Don’t fault yourself for it. You are still a superwoman. Be kind to yourself. Like most new parents, I read all the baby books before my son was born. I highlighted and bookmarked important chapters. I took my breastfeeding class. I expected my baby to latch on perfectly and pleasantly as soon as he came out of the womb. But as all mothers know, nothing ever turns out exactly as planned. It’s not as simple as following a step-by-step guide. No book can ever prepare you for the ride of parenthood. Silly me for expecting to have it all down right away. Don’t tear yourself apart. Be patient with yourself and know that everything will fall into place and you and your spouse will figure this out together, one step at a time. Remain teachable. You will get advice. From everyone. From everywhere. But one thing I’ve tried to remind myself is to remain teachable. People have walked this path before you. Particularly when the advice comes from family, know that it comes from a place of love and from people who care just as much about your little baby as you do. As hard as it may be sometimes, try to be open to receiving the advice with grace and a humble heart. 1 Peter 5:5 says: All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." Who knows, pretty soon you will be a parenting pro and might find yourself doling out the advice! Offer up the small things. St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Do small things with great love.” Know that every little act can be an opportunity for prayer, whether it’s cleaning up another diaper blowout or getting up in the middle of the night to nurse your baby. In his book Rediscover Catholicism, Matthew Kelly writes: Your daily tasks have spiritual value…In the same way, washing the dishes can be as much a prayer as praying the rosary. Each task, each hour offered to God is transformed into prayer. And in all these ways you give glory to God through your daily work. Never underestimate everything you do as a mom. Every small act, when done in love, can be a form of worship to the Father. You're Doing Great, Mama When my son was four months old, I received a thoughtful postcard from a friend, a fellow mom. The front read, “You are amazing!” And the back read, “Praying you know and see God’s grace sufficient in these days.” To my fellow new moms, know that you are amazing. Lean into His grace during those long nights, tired mornings, and in all the small things throughout the day. Any first-time moms out there? What are your current struggles? How can we pray for you? [bctt tweet="Spiritual Advice for the First-Time Mom #BISblog //"] April Deocariza is a Southern California native now living the expat life in Germany. When not working full-time as a mommy to her six-month-old son, she loves trekking around Europe and enjoying delicious food. Relaxing with a coffee, warm cookie and a napping child is her happy place. Find out more about her here. HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY

Disclaimer: This review contains a few mild spoilers! For those familiar with the writings and works of Flannery O’Connor, the grotesque and the gruesome are not uncommon. As a famed Catholic writer, O’Connor received both praise and condemnation for her bitingly honest and direct portrayal of human ugliness—or humanity at its worst—alongside the unexpected, unmerited windows of grace that allow everyday miracles to enter the darkness. Having now read more of her works such as At Weddings and Wakes, I’ve come to the conclusion that contemporary Catholic author Alice McDermott possesses a talent similar to O’Connor’s. Both women do not shy away from the pain, suffering, and sinfulness of human beings. They crack open the pretense of perfection that many would rather cling to than admit their own failings. The Ninth Hour In her latest book, The Ninth Hour, McDermott explores death, motherhood, girlhood, religious life, and illness, to name a few themes. In other words, she writes about life. And for those who live their lives as believers, she examines the inevitable paths of belief, unbelief, sin, redemption, conversion, and doubt that follow as her characters exert free will throughout their lives. The title of her book alludes to the hour of prayer at 3:00 in the afternoon, but also the hour that Jesus died. This is enough to hint to readers that the book does not ignore darkness. It instead embraces it and still seeks the undercurrent of grace in each holy hour. The Beginning and the End Even as someone who was taught by the loving Sisters of Jesus Our Hope and who currently works with Sisters of Christian Charity, nuns seem to have the aura of mystery surrounding them. McDermott’s book largely surrounds the lives of an order of nuns. In McDermott’s eighth novel, The Ninth Hour, the fictitious Little Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor are center stage. Much like Colm Tóibín’s Brooklyn, this story takes place in early-twentieth century Brooklyn among Irish Catholic immigrants. In particular, as the book’s summary says: On a dim winter afternoon, a young Irish immigrant opens the gas taps in his Brooklyn tenement. He is determined to prove—to the subway bosses who have recently fired him, to his badgering, pregnant wife—"that the hours of his life belong to himself alone." In the aftermath of the fire that follows, Sister St. Savior, an aging nun appears, unbidden, to direct the way forward for his widow and his unborn child. McDermott’s tale seems to suggest, relentlessly, that the hours of our lives do not belong to us. Our lives are not our own. But our choices? Those are most certainly ours and ours alone. Sally’s Unconventional Childhood The Sisters certainly do direct the way forward for this little family: Annie, Jim’s wife, and her unborn daughter, to be named Sally (actually named St. Saviour after the nun who swooped in to support Annie after her husband’s suicide, but died herself shortly after). Sally’s almost-cloistered girlhood is lived mainly in the convent laundry where she entertains and learns from Sister Illuminata, secretly indulgent of Sally but outwardly strict, and Sister Jeanne, young and fun and full of idealism. Sister St. Saviour, before she dies, urges the sisters to help Annie and her little baby by giving her work in the laundry alongside Sister Illuminata. Although reluctant at first, they agree. As their name suggests, the sisters’ lives are spent serving the ailing and in need. McDermott presents a cast of characters who benefit from the sisters’ services. Yet she unveils the hard, holy, sometimes disgusting work they must do to care for the ill, the dying, and the distressed. Sally watches all of this unfold as she grows up, surrounded by the religious women and her own early-widowed mother. She herself is charmed by the sisters. In fact, she believes in her own call to join them when she is in high school. Discovering Human Darkness As she makes her way from Brooklyn to Chicago to join the Little Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor at their mother house, Sally’s cloistered childhood is cracked open. On the train, she encounters a host of harrowing characters who rip aside the curtain and reveal the gross underbelly of humanity. There’s the woman sitting next to her who talks to Sally about men (almost absent from the novel, as convents are), sex, and physical pleasure. And a young woman who scams Sally, taking advantage of her kindness. There’s a mother who yells at her poorly-cared-for child, and others. Faced with these players and her own uncertainty around her vocation, Sally ultimately returns home to Brooklyn, changed and stripped of her naïveté. Shock and Awe When Sally returns, however, she meets the greatest shock of all. Despite this, McDermott’s book remains somehow hopeful and in awe of the tiny miracles that slip into our lives. Mistakes and flaws, sinfulness and shame, secrets and fears: McDermott includes them all, but never flaunts them or passes judgement. She simply and poetically presents the persistent hope and love that follow the faithful. She explores the undying human spirit that strives to follow God’s will and fails over and over again along the way. McDermott’s characters are ordinary people living completely ordinary lives. The sisters, the mothers, the daughters, and the strangers are all there, living and trying to learn, trying to love. In her signature style, McDermott’s prose paints an honest and sometimes uneasy story of a small family, their community, and the hours that fill up their lives. Sometimes for their own wills and sometimes for God’s. But it was at this hour, when the sun was a humming gold at the horizon, or a pale peach, or even just, as now, a gray pearl, that she felt the breath of God warm on her neck. It was at this hour that the whole city smelled to her like the inside of a cathedral - damp stone and cold water and candle wax - and the sound of her steps on the sidewalk and over the five cross streets made her think of a priest approaching the altar in shined shoes. Or of a bridegroom, perhaps, out of one of the romances she had read as a girl, all love and anticipation… Have you read The Ninth Hour yet? What did you think? [bctt tweet="The Ninth Hour Book Review #BISblog //"] Mary Grace Mangano is a high school English teacher in Harlem, New York, having also taught middle school Language Arts and Religion in Chicago. She has written for Verily, Darling Magazine, The Catholic Woman, and other publications. She is passionate about education and social justice, loves writing poetry, running, reading, hiking, and learning new things. You can find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!

A number of years ago, a friend of mine shared with me that I had previously stood her up. We made a plan to meet for coffee and I, in the midst of two big life changes (a new job and a new relationship), failed to remember to put our outing on my calendar. This friend didn’t text or call to ask where I was and didn’t tell me about my major faux pas until months later. I was mortified that I, though unintentionally, had completely bailed on her. I was not the type to commit to something and then forget. I was not the type to let a new relationship take precedence over my friendships. And yet there I was, keenly aware of how I had left my friend waiting on me. It was a humbling, rotten, “I am the worst friend ever” moment if ever there was one. Sustaining Friendship Through Life Changes Over the years and through many more friendships since then, I’ve felt the weight of change. I know what it feels like when friends totally slip off the radar after Mr. Right comes their way. I’ve felt the isolation that comes with new jobs and cross-country moves. On occasion, my calls, emails, and texts have gone unanswered under the feeble excuse of busyness. And, though I wouldn’t care to admit it, I’ve given the exact same excuse as well. As I told a friend recently, “Someone needs to write a book about that!”; about how to faithfully and purposefully navigate friendship when change enters our lives. The Book of Sirach says that “a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter. He who finds one finds a treasure” (Sirach 6:14). How can we persevere through the tension of change while honoring the gift that is friendship? While I’m not in this to write a book, I do want to share five tenets of friendship that have helped me in my journey. Perhaps the hardest change to endure in a friendship is when one or both friends marry. If you’re anything like me you’ve seen more than a few friendships disintegrate under these circumstances. It breaks my heart. Not because the love of marriage isn’t good (and indeed it ought to be celebrated because one, truly, has found their vocation), but because I don’t believe friendships ought to hurt for the sake of marriage. On the contrary, friendships ought to deepen and become more rooted with the introduction of spouses. If you are embarking on a serious relationship that is moving toward marriage, make a conscientious effort to have one-on-one time with your friends and include your significant other in gatherings with them. I’ve known the great gift of seeing the very best of a friend drawn out by the love of her spouse. I’ve also observed the great gift of a friend in helping a woman to discern if a man is the one whom she is called to marry. We lose these gifts when we forget the importance of friendship. So be attentive to friendship, even in the excitement of courtship. [bctt tweet="Be attentive to friendship, even in the excitement of courtship. #BISblog //"] Communicate. We all know the demands placed on a friendship during times of busyness. Perhaps you just got engaged (see above) or you know your work responsibilities will be particularly demanding over the next few months. Spend time thinking about what is most important to you in regards to your friendships. Reach out to those friends (you know who they are) and say: “You are so valuable to me. My time is really limited right now, but I want to make sure I carve out time for you. When are the best times to connect with you?” Or perhaps you have a friend who is expecting and you know you won’t be able to rely on your regular outings together once baby arrives. Be willing to be flexible. Bring her the Eucharist in her postpartum time, make a meal, and fold her laundry. Good friendships ride the waves of change because both friends are purposeful and flexible in spending time together. [bctt tweet="In friendship, be purposeful and flexible in spending time together. #BISblog //"] If you’ve been wounded, say so. Three years ago, following my dad’s death, I was disheartened that I never received any communication from a particular friend of mine. No note of condolence, no phone call. Heck, not even a message via Facebook. Of all of my friends, I most expected her to reach out to me in my grief. After a few months of feeling bitter and hurt by her lack of initiative, I wrote to her and gently but honestly said, “When I was hurting, I really needed you to be there. Where were you?” She responded right away, profusely apologized, and essentially said that her heart was breaking for me in my loss. She just didn’t know what to say. I am so thankful that I shared my hurt with her, because if I hadn’t, I never would have known that it wasn’t because she didn’t care. On the contrary, she cared so much that she worried she would say the wrong thing. I was able to see my loss from the vantage point of her heart. I’m so grateful that our friendship deepened because I somehow found the courage (thanks be to God) to speak up. Pray about your friendships. Like all relationships, we pursue friendship imperfectly. When we pray about our friendships we give our Lord an opportunity to open our eyes to their strengths and weaknesses. Make the topic of friendship a part of your prayer or perhaps even a part of your examen before Confession: Have you been a good friend? Have you lent your ear to a friend in a time of trial? Have you willingly shared in her joy? If not, confess it and ask the Lord for the grace to do better. [bctt tweet="Make the topic of friendship a part of your prayer... #BISblog //"] To everything there is a season. Perhaps one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned about friendship is that they ebb and flow. There are times of great fruit (when everything with a friend just seems to “click”) and times of dryness, too. Perhaps you have felt the pangs of separation in a friendship, only to find that, years later, that same friend reemerges in your life under new circumstances. If you are in a time of separation: pray, hope, and trust. And if the Holy Spirit prompts, reach out to say hello. The beautifully good news is that, regardless of separation on this earth, by God’s mercy we’ll one day meet again in heaven. I take great comfort in that. Friendship is Ever-Changing. But It's Worth It. What I’ve learned about friendship (through many successes and a good number of failures, too) is that change tries friendship. Every time a friendship of mine undergoes change I feel a sense of loneliness: “If only friendships would always stay sweet…” “If only my friends would always be perfectly present to me and I to them…” ...But friendships aren’t static. They are ever-changing and that, I think, is a good thing. Amidst the waves of change these friendships of ours demand that we love better. Our great gift is to cherish, honor, and cultivate them so that they can be a sturdy shelter for years to come. What are your ideas and suggestions for sustaining friendship through life's ups, downs, and transitions? [bctt tweet="5 Ways to Sustain Friendship Through Life Changes #BISblog //"] Karen Schultz hails from the Land of 10,000 lakes, where she is often found in or near one of them. As a doula, lactation educator, and FertilityCare Practitioner, she finds joy in helping women to embrace the gift of their bodies. Downtime is found in quiet adoration chapels, farmers markets and gardens, listening to bluegrass music, and embracing the diversity of Minnesota’s seasons. You can find out more about her here.

It is useless to try to make peace with ourselves by being pleased with everything we have done. In order to settle down in the quiet of our own being we must learn to be detached from the results of our own activity. It is only when we are detached from ourselves that we can be at peace with ourselves. We cannot find happiness in our work if we are always extending ourselves beyond ourselves and beyond the sphere of our work in order to find ourselves greater than we are. It is, therefore, a very great thing to be little, which is to say: to be ourselves. -Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island Reflect The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things." Luke 10:41 Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. I recommend praying with “You Define Me” by Kim Walker-Smith. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Detach + Be #BISblog #BISrests //"] Curated by Patty Breen. You can find out more about her here. This post contains an affiliate link, which means Blessed is She will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through our link. Thank you!

After I buried my daughter, I walked into my mother’s kitchen and beheld a granite island clothed in a rainbow of fruits and vegetables for guests at the funeral reception. Their vibrancy held me captive in for a moment in those hours of pain. Beauty Saved Me The world will be saved by beauty. Dostoyevsky wrote that in The Idiot. The world will be saved by beauty. I am tempted to buy a Dorothy Day biography titled with that quote for no other reason than that quote. It is compelling, isn’t it? Because we were saved by beauty. Since the death of my daughter, I have become acutely aware of the presence of beauty around me, like angels. Beauty’s power wraps around me as a secure anchor. Its clarity clears the overwhelming clutter of my thoughts when they are too loud to stop. It is the fragrant balm that soothes the age-old wounds. Its simplicity builds space to breathe, to understand and feel that, in all my complexity, I am enough. It draws me back from my complexity to feel the goodness of being a child of God. God is the one, the true, the good, and the beautiful. [bctt tweet="The world will be saved by beauty. #BISblog //"] Drawn to the Beauty of God Thomas Dubay writes in The Evidential Power of Beauty: The glory of the Lord, therefore, is the super-eminently luminous beauty of divine beyond all experience and all descriptions, all categories, a beautiful before which all earthly splendors, marvelous as they are, pale into insignificance. If I voice aesthetic preferences, others do not understand. It is not a matter of being particular. I need beauty in order to breathe. When I witness ugliness in the world in bad art, bad music, bad politics, or bad taste, I pull back because it is a sign the broken parts in the world still exist, and I am in one of them. In beauty, I perceive the Divine. I perceive hope, and it feels like, somehow, everything will be okay. Bishop Barren wrote that beauty will convert our relativistic peers because arguments of Truth will no longer speak to them. Nothing made more sense to me this year. When beauty, true beauty, is present in its elegant simplicity, I know God is near. Beauty Bears Burdens Beauty lifts me to the clouds away from the burdensome moment with its confusion and reminds me that the universe is expanding, there is so much more to life than what happens now. It is the reminder that the Cross cannot last forever. Even in suffering there is beauty, because there is Christ, the wounded Healer. It is the reminder that the world and I can be forgiven for our deficiencies and deformities. I believed Christ when he said I was beautiful, only it was so difficult to put that belief into practice. [bctt tweet="Even in suffering there is beauty, because there is Christ, the wounded Healer. #BISblog //"] How Does It Look to Believe One is Beautiful? To treat my body with respect. More deeply, to treat my mind with kindness, my heart with compassion, and my history with mercy. The sight of another person is more beautiful than ever because we are all beautiful messes. “The prince says that world will be saved by beauty!” The Dostoyevsky continues, “And I maintain that the reason he has such playful ideas is that he is in love.” Indeed, it is the Love of my youth learned through the fire of apologetics, the passion of charismatic prayer, the quiet solicitude of theological studies. Now, the love is practiced through the little way, with little time for thought, as little ones run around me. God captivated me once more in the beauty of His creation. He opened my understanding that the world would be saved by beauty, and indeed, already has. And that is my hope. How has beauty helped you during times of uncertainty or suffering? [bctt tweet="Believing in Beauty #BISblog //"] Kathryn Anne Casey is a graduate of Divine Mercy University, former life coach, freelance writer, housewife, and mother of four children. Her weekly local newspaper articles and blog focus on art, psychology, consumerism, and the importance of local community. You can find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!

Stop for a moment and think of Mary. What image of her comes to mind? Maybe you think of a young mother holding a baby, like we see in countless paintings of the Madonna and Child. Or maybe you think of a youthful, beautiful woman standing with arms outstretched, the image of Mary that we see in churches and gardens. I love these depictions of Mary as a young woman. They’ve done a lot to enrich my faith over the years. But as a forty-five-year-old woman, I’d love to give equal time to the older, more mature Mary. The woman with wrinkles and graying hair. I’d love to celebrate the middle-aged Mary, the Mary with a Child who is no longer an infant or toddler. Because that Mary has a lot to teach us: about motherhood, about letting go, and about change. Mother of Older Children I’m the mother of two boys, ages nine and eleven. For many years, I could look at images of Mary holding the Baby Jesus and feel a bond. I too had a child I held in my arms and on my lap; I was in the same stage of motherhood that Mary was. But now I’m in a new phase of parenthood. With my older son in particular, life is about navigating the challenges of a child who is gradually becoming independent. It’s about figuring how much freedom to give him. Can I let him walk to the bathroom alone in the airport, or should I follow? Can I trust him to pack school lunch for himself? He’s also starting to have experiences I don’t share. Recently, he and his fifth grade class went away for five days of Outdoor Education, living in cabins and hiking and learning about the environment. The week was far more emotionally taxing for me than I expected because it marked a kind of separation that was new to me. I would not be there to tell him to change his wet socks. I would not be there to protect him from anything–poison oak, homesickness–that might threaten his well-being. Mary at Middle Age The teenage Mary holding a baby isn’t the Mary for that kind of experience. The middle-aged Mary is. She knew what it is like to have a child going out in the world where a mom cannot follow. This happened first with the Finding in the Temple, but it happened in a bigger way when she watched her adult Son go off in the world and start His ministry. I suspect that she had no small amount of anxiety as she saw Him out there preaching to the crowds. After all, He was challenging the status quo, calling out hypocrisy. That tends to create enemies. Perhaps some secret part of her wished He would stay quietly at home and be a carpenter rather than speak the truth that would get Him on the wrong side of powerful men. But she had to figure out how to navigate that worry. She had to remind herself that He was doing what He was called to do. She had to let go in a way that is hard for all moms everywhere, I believe. And whatever our own middle-aged parenting challenge–the child at sleepover camp, the college student going off to study abroad, the young adult entering the military or doing any kind of work that we fear will put them in harm’s way–Mary has been there, too. She understands the worry that puts lines on our facse and keeps us awake at night. And she is always ready to pray for us as we face it. Life in the Second Half After her Son’s death, Mary’s life entered a new phase. We know that she was taken in by the beloved Apostle, starting a new life with a new family unit. We know that she–somehow, sometime–had the joy of meeting her resurrected Son. And we know that she was with the Apostles in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. And in those first days of the early Church, after the descent of the Spirit, Mary played a pretty vital role. She was the person who knew Jesus best. She could tell the stories of Him in His younger years, stories that even His closest friends would not have known. She was able to inspire His followers with her insights and memories. I love picturing a group of younger men and women gathered around a gray-haired, middle-aged mother, listening raptly to her stories. I love thinking about what this represents for Mary, too. Her role in life has shifted. She’s no longer raising her own Child, no longer focused on parenting. She’s in a new phase of life: meeting people, connecting with others she would not have encountered before, and inspiring them with the knowledge she has and the wisdom she’s gained. Leaning on Our Lady in Middle Age In that way, her experiences dovetail with our own as we age. Even though there are a few things I really dislike about middle age–the slowing metabolism, the wacky cycles–I’m finding that it’s actually a rich time. Yes, I’m still involved in the daily work of parenting, in a way that Mary was not at my age (she got a slightly earlier start on motherhood than I did). Like her, though, I feel that I’m on the cusp of some sort of change. When I think of the years ahead, I don’t see a gradual petering out of energy. I see opportunities, even if they are currently vague and unformed. And I can’t help but feel that I’m more well-equipped than ever to seize and enjoy those opportunities. After decades of life I have a stronger sense of what really matters, and of my own personal strengths and weaknesses. All that makes me feel confident that, looking at the blank slate of middle-age and beyond, there are still good things in store for me. Like Mary, I’ll be called to use my experiences to do the work of God, in some ways that I can barely begin to imagine right now. And I like knowing that she–who knows all about love, loss, letting go, and change–can show us how to do it with grace and faith. Our Lady of Middle Age, pray for us. Any middle-aged mamas out there? How are you looking to Our Lady during this time of transition? [bctt tweet="Our Lady of Middle Age #BISblog //"] Ginny Kubitz Moyer is an author, high school teacher, and mother living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her latest book is Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses. You can find out more about her here.

The word “indulgence” always made me feel a little uncomfortable. Growing up Catholic, I knew it was something Martin Luther got upset about when he separated himself from Catholicism back in 1517. But the reality is that the Church’s practices of giving indulgences are a great gift to us, are part of the living Tradition of the Church, and are Scripturally backed! And Martin Luther? His complaint about the giving of indulgences happened at a time when people were using them wrongly—trying to sell them for profit—these were not indulgences at all! The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines indulgences like this: An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. -CCC 1471 Okay, so you might be thinking, "What does that even mean?" So, let’s break it down. What is Temporal Punishment? When we sin we harm our relationship with God in two ways (see CCC 1472). First, if we sin gravely we separate ourselves entirely from God and from the life of grace. This is when: the matter is a serious one; we are fully aware of the seriousness of it and what it is; and we freely consent to it anyway. Were we to die in this state the punishment would be eternal separation from God. We can be reconciled to God by receiving the Sacrament of Confession. The second way we harm our relationship with God is the fact that because we choose to sin (mortally or venially—less seriously) we are attached to serving ourselves more than serving God. We show a love of things of this world more than things of Heaven. Temporal punishment is God’s just response to all of our sins. For in order to be ready to enter into the eternal happiness of Heaven we need to be purified of our worldly attachment. Even after our sins have been Sacramentally forgiven. This happens through temporal punishment either on earth or through the purification of purgatory. Further, as our sins cause disorder in nature and do not give God the glory that is due, our earthly sufferings work to bring about the restoration of the moral order and the glory of God. The Origin of Temporal Punishment Genesis 3:16-19, after the Fall of Adam and Eve, gives us a scriptural basis for this understanding of sin: To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, `You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Even though we have been baptized and are forgiven regularly in Confession, we still experience the pains of childbirth, conflicts between each other, and we have to work hard for our basic necessities of life. These are part of our temporal punishment for sin. The Church has shown us how these toils can be used for our purification if we bear them patiently and with love for God. Then they help purify our souls and make us more like Jesus and the Saints. When we bear our sufferings well, we contribute to building up the whole Body of Christ. The Treasury of the Church Scripture tells us that all Christians are a part of the Body of Christ. When one part suffers, we all suffer. When one part rejoices, we all can rejoice (see 1 Corinthians 12:26). Our good works and prayers help the whole Body of Christ since we are all united in Him through the Holy Spirit. Pope Leo XIII talked about the Communion of Saints as: the mutual communication of help, expiation, prayers, blessings, among all the faithful, who, whether they have already attained to the heavenly country, or are detained in the purgatorial fire, or are yet exiles here on earth, all enjoy the common franchise of that city whereof Christ is the head, and the constitution is charity. -Mirae Caritatis, 12 All of the prayers and good works (spiritual goods) of the Communion of Saints are united together in the Body of Christ. We pray for each other and the souls in purgatory. The saints in Heaven pray for us. This Treasury of the Church contains all of the infinite merits of Christ’s suffering and prayers, the good works and prayers of the Blessed Mother and all of us on earth and all the Saints in Heaven (see CCC 1474-1477). It is like the circulatory system of the Body of Christ filled with the infinite merit of Christ’s suffering which we add to through our own offerings. Saint Paul gives us an example of offering his own sufferings for the rest of the Church: I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your sake; and what is lacking of the suffering of Christ I fill up in my flesh for his body, which is the Church. -Colossians 1:24 The Church’s Authority to Distribute Graces When Jesus established the Church, He told St. Peter, our first pope: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. -Matthew 16:19 This is one of the scriptural foundations for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but it also is the basis of the Church’s authority to distribute graces from the treasury of the Church, ie. decide what actions give one the special graces of indulgences. In the early Church there were very often hard, long penances prescribed for particular sins. As the Church’s understanding of grace developed, she began to emphasize good works, prayers, and acts of piety as sources of sanctification. She saw that, as the Body of Christ, we could offer these things for each other. All of the graces we received from our own good works and prayers came from the treasury of the spiritual goods of the Church. From this understanding, the Church has decreed certain prayers and good works in particular as ways for us to know we are receiving the graces of purification that take away our need for temporal punishment. What is an Indulgence? And How to Get One. Basically, an indulgence is the grace we receive from the Treasury of the Church through performing a specific good act or praying specific prayers specified by the Church. The grace is specifically for the freeing of us from temporal punishment. The Enchiridion of Indulgences (enchiridion means “manual”) has a complete list of all the indulgenced prayers. Indulgences have been divided into two kinds: Partial - gives one a partial remission of temporal punishment Plenary - gives one a full remission of temporal punishment In the past the Church used to attach a number of days or years off purgatory to each partial indulgence. But now she wants us to understand that the amount of freedom we receive from temporal punishment is based on our own level of devotion. The more charity and devotion we have in prayer, the greater the remission we receive. For example, one of the indulgenced prayers is simply this: saying the Sign of the Cross devoutly and crossing oneself properly. A plenary, full, indulgence is harder to get. One has to: do the prescribed prayer or action, for example, pray the Stations of the Cross at legitimately erected stations (ie. in a church or grotto); pray for the intentions of the Pope; receive Holy Eucharist and go to the Sacrament of Confession within 8 days or so of the indulgenced act or prayer; and be free of all attachment to even venial sin. If one is not able to meet all these conditions, then one can still earn a partial indulgence. General Grants of Indulgences A super cool way to earn partial indulgences is to follow the three “general grants” of indulgences. These are given to certain kinds of acts. The first is to patiently go about your daily works and sufferings and pause to unite them to God through a short prayer. The Enchiridion lists a number of ideas of what prayers one could say. The second is to serve those in need with faith and mercy, such as providing for the poor. The third is to voluntarily take on a penance of giving up some good thing, such as fasting on non-penitential days. All of these actions, when done devoutly and with God’s love in our hearts work to purify our hearts! The Heart of Indulgences To earn any indulgence we need to be aware that the prayer earns you an indulgence, have the desire to earn it while praying it, and have the further desire for that action to free us from our attachments to sin. I highly recommend reading through the list of indulgences in the Enchiridion to know exactly how you can earn them. You may find you could be earning partial indulgences all day long just doing what you have been doing! If you do them all well, you will become super holy. Basically, the manual on indulgences is a manual on how to get holy. Do indulgences confuse you? What are some of your big questions surrounding this tradition? Have you ever done anything extra-ordinary to receive a plenary or partial indulgence? [bctt tweet="What is an Indulgence? #BISblog //"] Susanna Spencer has a masters in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and serves as the Theological Editor of Blessed is She, and lives with her husband and four kids in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She loves reading theology, attending beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious food, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, talking to her philosopher husband, and writing all about it at her blog. You can find out more about her here.

May is a wonderful month for so many reasons. Spring flowers are in full bloom, the air is fresh, and birds chirp as they happily feather their nests. It seems particularly appropriate in this month of beauty and fullness of life that we, as Catholics, honor Mary as the Mother of God. Mary gives us a wonderful example not only of a mother’s perfect love for her children, but also for how we should aim to live our lives. 5 Simple Ways to Be More Like Mary Mary was conceived without sin, so when we look to her life to guide our own actions, we can see a reflection of what God’s will for us might be, if we were unencumbered by sin. Of course, none of us can say that we are actually free from the burden of sin in our daily lives, but we should all be striving to draw closer to God’s will and further from the sin that keeps us from receiving His merciful love. So when we need some concrete examples on how to speak, act, and love each other, there’s no one better to turn to than Mary. Here are a few simple ways that we can be more like Mary this month. 1. Say yes. In Scripture, Mary’s story starts with her “yes” to God. It was an affirmative charged with plenty of questions, but she gave her assent to God. And look what He did with her simple fiat. What is God asking us to say "yes" to? What is that thing that seems difficult, scary, or even downright crazy to us that God keeps placing on our hearts? Is it a career change? Moving across the country? Being open to one more baby? This month, ask yourself what God might be asking for you to do, and then work on finding the courage to say "yes" to His will for you. 2. Be humble. Ever had someone ask you to do something really important for them? How did you feel? Maybe a little… proud? When someone asks much of me, I often feel flattered, but if I’m not careful, that feeling can turn into a sense that I must be pretty great if they thought I could handle it. Sometimes I get a big head. Or sometimes it manifests as false humility. But when God asked Mary through the angel Gabriel to be the mother of God, she didn’t get a puffed up sense of herself. Nor did she try to convince God that she wasn’t good enough. She simply said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). That is true humility. True humility is seeking only to do God’s will. Where is God asking us to be more humble in our lives? It might look like doing a terrible chore (cleaning the shower! doing dishes!) that no one else will notice, without mentioning it. It might look like holding your tongue when you want to defend yourself by speaking against someone else. It might just mean smiling when someone gives you a compliment and saying thank you. Mary gave us an example of a perfect humility so we can turn to her when we struggle. 3. Share your joy. I don’t know about you, but if I had been Mary, I would have been pretty freaked out that I was carrying the Son of God. I think I would have wanted to hide. But not Mary. She left home to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was also expecting a baby boy. They embraced each other and shared the joy of the miracles taking place within them. Mary didn’t keep her joy to herself. She shared it with her friend. So often we forget that part of being in a family or a friendship is sharing joy with each other. Not just sharing some fun times, but truly reveling in the joys of others. Sometimes we can find it difficult to share in others’ joy when we’re hurting. Or we are hesitant to celebrate with others because we’re afraid they'll think we are bragging about the good happening to us. But to hide away our joy is to hide away the best parts of what makes us human. God made us to know both sorrow and joy, and to experience both of those things in community. Mary is the perfect person to help us be courageous in sharing our joy. 4. Make the big ask. Boldly. When the wine ran out during the wedding feast at Cana, Mary went right to Jesus. She didn’t waste time saying, “Hey Jesus, I thought, um... maybe you could help? Could you? It really won’t be much trouble. If you can’t, it’s fine.” No. She went to Him and asked Him to fix it. Then she assumed He would. Are we that confident in our prayer? Do we bring our troubles to Jesus and then leave them at His feet, believing that He’ll take care of them? What about in all aspects of our lives? Do we hang back from asking for what we want at work, at home, or with our friends because we’re scared someone will say no or we’ll be disappointed? This month, pray for Mary’s intercession to be bold with your prayers and your hopes. Jesus never lets us down. 5. Walk with someone in their pain. Few of us could even imagine the horror of having to watch someone you love being beaten, tortured, and killed. But Mary didn’t turn away. She stayed. She was with Jesus in His time of rejection and pain. We might not be called to witness that kind of excruciating experience, but there are surely people in our own lives who are in crisis, who are struggling to get by, or who need someone to just sit with them in their suffering. This might mean lending a listening ear when a friend is going through a bad breakup, or crying along with a family member when someone she loves has passed away. Christians are called to not turn away from suffering, not in ourselves, and not in those around us. Mary gives us the perfect example of a love that never turns away and never gives up. How are you trying to be more like Our Lady? [bctt tweet="5 Ways to Be More Like Mary #BISblog //"] Christina Kolb is a mama, writer, and enthusiastic pizza-eater, living in the Midwest, but mostly dreaming about living on the beach. Her hobbies include experimenting in the kitchen to get that perfect loaf of sourdough, reading enough to keep the local library in business with her fines, and soaking up the wonder and awe that is raising a sweet and wild brood of kids. You can find out more about her here.

I can hear the bells ringing already. Wedding season is upon us, sisters! If you have friends who will soon be goin’ to the chapel and if you’re looking for a meaningful gift to celebrate them, I have compiled this Catholic wedding gift guide for you. Catholic Wedding Gift Guide This is a list of gift ideas that are sure to inspire the new Mr. and Mrs. to enter with joy into the Sacrament of Marriage, and to encourage them on their journey with the Lord. A Cross or Crucifix There is no greater symbol of true love than the cross. The gift-giver of one crucifix we received for our wedding asked the priest who married us to bless it before she gave it to us. It was such a meaningful addition to an already beautiful gift. There are countless options when it comes to a cross or crucifix, but I found these marriage crosses and crucifixes from Creator Mundi to be particularly moving. A Rosary A Rosary is another wonderful wedding gift for a Catholic couple. Depending on how close you are with the bride and groom, you may also consider having a Rosary made from their dried wedding flowers. What a special way to commemorate the day they entered into the Sacrament! Holy Family Prayer Candle When looking for marriage inspiration, one need to look no further than the Holy Family. This prayer candle, or even a statue or icon of the Holy Family, would make a beautiful gift. Nativity Scene One of my favorite wedding gifts my husband and I received was a nativity scene. We treasure setting up our scene every Advent, and enjoy displaying it through the entire Christmas season. Other religious art pieces such as a depiction of the Last Supper or the Wedding at Cana could also make a great gift. Books Do the future Mr. and Mrs. enjoy reading? There are so many books that would make fantastic wedding gifts! The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler Chosen + Cherished: Biblical Wisdom for Your Marriage by Kimberly Hahn Forever: A Catholic Devotional for Your Marriage by Jackie Francois Angel and Bobby Angel Spirit and Life by Rose Rea The inspiration of the saints is a powerful gift, too. Two of my favorite saintly books for married couples are: The Journey of Our Love: the Love Letters of Saint Gianna Beretta and Pietro Molla A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin) Cookbooks are a fun idea for newly married couples, too! How about The Vatican Cookbook paired with a kitchen gadget or two from the couples’ registry? Drinking with the Saints: The Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour is another title that would be a thoughtful companion to some glassware. I also love the idea of giving a liturgical living cookbook like Feast!: Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year. A Bible Speaking of books, how about giving the bride and groom a copy of the Book? While there are many beautiful wedding Bibles available, The Blessed Is She Bible would be a perfect wedding gift. I can imagine what a blessing it could be for a couple to take notes and journal–both individually and as a couple–in this Bible. As the years go by this would give them a special place to look back and see how the Lord was writing their journey as a couple. Such a blessing! Wedding Vows Embossed Print When I saw this piece from Erica of Be A Heart Design it was love at first sight! The simplicity and purity of the design would make this a beautiful addition to any home. Custom Catholic Family Litany of the Saints Someday Saints Designs creates these art prints with a custom litany of the saints. Work with the designer, Gina, to personalize it with the family name of the bride and groom, their patron saints, and any other saints who are dear to their hearts. Forever One Blessing Bracelets This gift would serve as a sweet visual reminder for the newlyweds of the Sacrament they have entered into and will be living out each and every day. Handcrafted in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, these bracelets are from My Saint My Hero, a “soulfully responsible company that believes in dignified work which allows people to flourish.” What a mission to support! A Spiritual Bouquet The most exquisite bouquet you will ever give is a spiritual one. Gather prayers (like an Our Father, a Rosary, a Mass, a novena, etc.) from a group of family and friends of the couple, write them down, and give this as a gift. For an extra special touch, you could have a picture of a floral bouquet framed to give as a physical representation of the spiritual bouquet. My women’s group has a tradition of gathering a bouquet for our sisters-in-Christ who are getting married. Perhaps that’s something you could do, too! A Special Wedding Card This Studio Senn card would be such a special addition to any wedding gift. I can even imagine saving and framing this if I received it! The inside includes this quotation found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: How can I ever express the happiness of a marriage joined by the church, strengthened by an offering, sealed by a blessing, announced by angels and ratified by the father? -Tertullian Amen! What a beautiful sentiment and encouragement. A Mass Offered for Them Finally, a financially inexpensive but spiritually lavish gift to give is to have a Mass offered for the couple. You might even have the Mass offered on their one year anniversary. I hope you find this gift guide helpful and inspirational as you shop for wedding gifts this year! What is your favorite meaningful wedding gift to give (or one that you received)? Comment below–we would love to hear from you, sister. [bctt tweet="Catholic Wedding Gift Guide #BISblog //"] Elise Howe is a devoted wife, momma, vocal artist and teacher. She currently resides in New York City, though she will always be a Midwestern gal at heart. Elise has a heart for ministry, dark chocolate (but not too dark) and coffee with a generous amount of cream + sugar. Find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!