a community of women who want to grow together in prayer and community
Perhaps it began in childhood, while singing “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Maybe it grew during long homilies at my parish when I studied the large mounted statue of Christ, with His pierced hand pointing to His…
“Well, you see, I’m divorced.” The explanation was said to a small group of women, all of us new to this particular parish ministry and all of us hoping to find a place to belong. Each of us held our…
The green grass was soft under my bare feet, and the hot sun beat down on my tanned arms and back. My parents were several rows deep in our garden’s corn crop, pulling the huge ears from the towering stalks…
It feels like standing in a thick cloud of woodsmoke. I gasp and choke, trying to find air but there’s not enough oxygen. My heart races, my thoughts become mixed and jumbled, and I become overwhelmed with a strong need…
I bopped the door shut with my hip, balancing a small tower of casserole, pie, berries, and a card as I looked up at the large, stylish home in front of me. A bit of rust fell from the side…
My great-great-grandmother feeds a donkey with a large glass bottle in a photograph. She stands in front of a fence, a breeze from behind billowing her long, dark dress. Her round face smiles under her tidy top knot bun, and…
We sat together at our assigned table, sharing stories to build that specific kind of intimacy that grows between strangers on retreat weekends. One woman, a psychologist, shared about a different retreat she had been part of, one for Catholics…
The Saint Luke’s Pray and Play Group includes young moms, empty nesters, and grandmas. We drink coffee, pass out Goldfish crackers, and pray, laugh, and cry together. Besides the time of the global pandemic, I have attended for over ten…
In college I studied literary theory and learned how to read texts through various lenses. Each lens had the power to change the story’s themes and the relationships between characters. While I no longer use literary theory when I read…
It was a small town Friday night football game, and the stadium was packed. The crowds sang along as the marching band played the school song, their noses peeking out under stocking caps and above fleece blankets. I stood alone,…
We walked in silence except for the rustling of heavy skirts. The chapel lights were dim with candles adding extra soft light. We genuflected and entered the pews; prayer books were given to us and directions were whispered. It was…
Welcome to our Blessed Chats series! Each month, we will dedicate an entire week of blog posts to a topic that affects many of us. These conversations often come up in our Facebook groups and in our real life friendships….
