Andrea JoinesLast Updated: September 9th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
The month of September brings us numerous feasts and commemorations, including the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15. In addition, traditionally, the entirety of the month is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. These seven sorrows from various points in the life of the Blessed Mother are as follows: Prophecy of … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: July 15th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
It was the late spring of 2007. My car had just over 5,000 miles on it and I was in the midst of my first long solo road trip. In moving from Indiana to Maine for a summer job, I’d taken advantage of the time before my first day of work to visit my parents … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: August 27th, 2021Camino de Santiago, Spiritual Reflections
A few days ago, a memory popped up on my phone. It was a picture of a small group of pilgrims, myself included, enjoying ice cream in a little shop on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, exactly eight years ago. That afternoon before enjoying our ice cream, we (a total of 49 of … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: August 27th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
St. Augustine was a man of many words. Five million, to be precise. At least, that is how many of his written words remain to this day. This includes books, letters, and sermons, and is not even the entirety of what Augustine created during his life. With all of these writings, there come some famous … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: September 9th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
Humankind has an obsession with the heart. “But don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart…” “And my heart will go on and on…” “You’ll be in my heart…” “Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame…” “Don’t go breaking my heart…” “Listen to your heart…” Songs for ages have revolved around the heart – … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: August 27th, 2021Holy Land, Spiritual Reflections
When we celebrated the feast of the Visitation on Monday, we heard in the Gospel about Mary’s journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth. After hearing news of her cousin’s pregnancy, Mary set off in haste to visit her relative. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb,” and then she said, “Most … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 27th, 2021Spiritual Reflections
The city of Santiago de Compostela has been looking forward to 2021 since the end of 2010 for a very important reason – it is the next Holy Year (Jubilee) of Santiago! These Jubilee years occur whenever the Feast of St. James (July 25th) falls on a Sunday. The next time this will happen will be 2027.
Bri CampbellLast Updated: May 13th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
This past year has brought a lot of attention to a most beloved and humble saint. In the midst of a confusing pandemic, declining affiliation with the faith, and overall detriment of the family unit, what better saint could we have called upon than the Protector of the Holy Church, Pillar of Families, and Terror … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: May 13th, 2021Italy, Spiritual Reflections
He is Risen. He is Risen indeed! This week we celebrate the Octave of Easter – 8 days of feasting and rejoicing. Each of these days is treated as another Easter Sunday. At daily Mass, everyone proclaims the Gloria and Alleluia, as on other solemnities. No fasting is allowed, and the usual practice of abstaining … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: March 10th, 2021Saints, Spiritual Reflections
This past Tuesday, we celebrated the feast of St. Polycarp, a second century bishop, martyr, and saint. A disciple of John the Evangelist, Polycarp was a man whose faith was rooted deep and whose heart was aflame with love for the Lord. Throughout his lifetime, he set out to preach the truths of the Faith … Read More
With Fat Tuesday just a few days away, and because there hasn’t been much International travel lately, we thought it would be fun to take a peek at the ways our Christian brothers and sisters around the world prepare themselves before the Lenten season. Let’s jet into a few cultures to discover new, fun, and … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: February 8th, 2021Camino de Santiago, Pilgrims' Stories, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
In 2013, I took a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain and to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal, with a local church group of close to 50. We celebrated Mass together each day and were accompanied in our worship by one pilgrim who had brought along his guitar. A song … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Holy Land, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
While Christmas is often associated with a jolly old man bearing gifts for all, there is another less-jolly old man even more closely tied with the birthplace of our Savior. And who also happened to offer a gift to the world. Yes, even saints get grumpy sometimes, and St. Jerome was known for his grumpiness. … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: December 10th, 2020Guadalupe, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
I’ve only become interested in Our Lady of Guadalupe within the last 4 years or so. I’m a self-proclaimed artist who finds great joy in creating religious art. After completing pieces of many of my favorite saints to hang around my college home, and then my first apartment after graduating, I wanted to create a … Read More
Krista BehringerLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Saints, Spiritual Reflections
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Born: July 15, 1850 in Italy Died: December 22, 1917 (age 67) Beatified: November 13, 1938 by Pope Pius XI Canonized: July 7, 1946 by Pope Pius XII Feast day: November 13 Patron of: immigrants and hospital administrators Although born in Italy, St. Frances was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1909, … Read More
