Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 104

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Mary Hermina of Jesus

The Basics:Born April 28, 1866, in France; died July 9, 1900, in China; canonized October 1, 2000, by John Paul II; feast day, July 9. Woman religious and martyr.

The Story:Mary Hermina (born Irma Grivot) was a teacher for ten years before entering the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Despite her ill health, she burned to work as a missionary. And, sure enough, she got her wish. She and six other sisters arrived in China in 1899, about the time of the Boxer Rebellion, with Mary Hermina serving...

Returning Catholics FAQs: Holy Days of Obligation

On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics , a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

What’s up with holy days of obligation? Why are there so many, and what do I have to do?

Just as we are bound to attend Mass on Sundays (or Saturday evenings), so we are obligated t...

Call It Dependence Day

Note: On Fridays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

We all go through spiritual droughts, those times that we seem to lack a connection to God. In those times, it can be difficult to discern just what He is asking from us.

Still harder, at least for some of us, are those times God is speaking perfectly clearly and plainly to us… and saying things that we so very much do not want to hear:

End this relationship. It’s n...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Elizabeth of Portugal

The Basics: Born in 1271 in Spain; died July 4, 1336 in Portugal; canonized May 25, 1625, by Urban VIII; feast day, July 4. Queen.

The Story:Elizabeth’s marriage to Denis did not start off well. He was less than faithful for much of their marriage. Elizabeth continued to treat him with kindness and respect, and to pursue her own ministries and prayer life. Denis eventually saw the error of his ways, but life still wasn’t easy. Elizabeth intervened to end a war that had broken out between Denis...

On the Nightstand: July

I’m humbled to share I’m working withFranciscan Mediaon the follow-up to Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration . The tentative title isRejoice and Be Glad: Living the Beatitudes with the Women Saints. Each chapter will include a brief discussion of a Beatitude and how it challenges us today., then share how four female saints lived that challenge. For example, the chapter on meekness will feature the stories of Therese of Lisieux, Bernadette Soubirous, Gianna Beretta Molla, and P...

Being Christ in Our Lives: Vicki Thorn

I’d like to introduce you to one of my newer friends, Vicki Thorn, a wife, mother of six, and grandmother to six more.When I moved to Milwaukee in 1984, I was busy adapting to my newlywed life in a new city with a new job that paid a lot less than promised due to my employer’s financial troubles. It all seemed very important.

I didn’t know it then, but just a couple miles away, Vicki was starting up something that truly IS important:Project Rachel, a Catholic ministry that seeks to provide hea...

Returning Catholics FAQs: Less Than Christly People

On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics , a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

If being Catholic is so great, how come people seem cold at the parish I tried?

The body is only as good as the sum of its parts, no matter how divinely inspired.

It is true that you...

The Price of Faith

Note: On Fridays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod , owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

We know how the earthly life of St. John the Baptist ended: beheaded after speaking against Herod’s marriage to Herod’s brother’s ex-wife.

We know how the earthly lives of two of the most prominent early followers ended: St. Peter, crucified, head down; St. Paul, beheaded. The First Martyrs of the Church of Rome met similar or even grislier fates.

We know how the ea...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Hemma of Gurk

The Basics:Circa 980 in Slovenia; died June 27, 1045, in Austria; canonized June 27, 1930, by Pius XI; feast day, June 27. Noblewoman and philanthropist.

The Story:Hemma learned that God was the only one she could count on. Her nobleman husband owned a mine, and the couple’s two sons were killed by disgruntled workers. While her husband wanted to kill everyone involved in the uprising, Hemma guided him down a different path, to carefully look into the matter and punish only those directly resp...

Returning Catholics FAQs: About Catholics and the Bible

On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics , a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

Is it true that Catholics aren’t supposed to read the Bible? Why not?

To the contrary, the Bible is a big deal to our Church. That’s why our Masses contain readings from one of the...