Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 21

God’s Not Fair

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

It’s not fair.

It’s not fair that that wonderful family member who prays, serves, and tithes has cancer, and the awful person who just got sent off to prison for sexual abuse and who is healthy as a horse are loved equally by God.

It’s not fair that the evilest political leader in the world (select a name) and Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Ulphia

The Basics: Died about 750 in France; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, January 31. Hermit.

The Story: There are stories about Ulphia and frogs: she talked to them, she was able to silence them by her presence (only to have them croak loudly when they were moved to another area). But alas, they are things of legend.

What is not legend is that she lived on her own near a river in northern France, and that after embarking on this life of solitude, she encountered a deacon named Domitius (n...

Set Apart

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

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2-3, NABRE)

The Spirit called them out, Barnabas and Paul, for a special mission. They went to Antioch...

Wednesday’s Woman: Blessed Jeanne Marie de Maille

The Basics: Born April 14, 1331, in France; died March 28, 1414, in France; beatified April 27, 1871 by Pius IX; feast day, March 28. Wife, mystic, laywoman.

The Story: It starts out as a most charming story–as a child, Jeanne is said to have by prayer saved the life of a playmate who had fallen into a pond. A few years later, she and the playmate, Robert, were married. The fairy tale story took a bit of a turn when Jeanne explained she was betrothed to Christ. But Robert agreed they would li...

Pray for Me, Jesus

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

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours,  and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you...

On the Nightstand: Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

It’s a funny thing. My Protestant friends generally have no problem telling you about how they came to love the Lord. That’s probably why it comes easily to me; I learned a lot from the way they witnessed to me and continue to witness to the world.

But Catholics, for whatever reason, often find that a struggle. That’s why I’m delighted Nancy HC Ward has put together Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips & Testimonies. I gave it a quick skim a few months ago and plan to dig in this mo...

Friends in Faith: Paula Lazor

One of the first times I spent serious time with Paula Lazor, she talked of helping and defending a good friend. The friend was an elderly woman who had said something untoward after a lifetime of professional excellence and was being treated as a pariah as a result. Paula’s eyes flashed as she told the story. What she didn’t know was that that friend had been one of my career idols, someone I’d been fortunate enough to spend time on a few occasions. As I watched Paula, I thought, she’s someo...

Wednesday’s Women: Sts. Marana and Cyra

The Basics: Born in the 4th century in Syria; died in the 5th century in Syria; canonized precongregation; feast day, February 28. Anchoresses.

The Story: They were good friends, born into noble families, not particularly unusual for two women in any period of history. But the way they felt called to live their lives was decidedly unusual.

Marana and Cyra determined that their devotion to the Lord was to be practiced in austerity. Cyra’s father provided them with a garden outside the city, on...

Jails and Jailers

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

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew [his] sword and was about to...

Wednesday’s Woman: Blessed Guadalupe Ortiz de Landazuri

The Basics: Born December 12, 1916, in Spain; died July 16, 1975, in Spain; beatified May 18, 2019; feast day, May 18. Teacher, evangelist.

The Story: Life was humming along for twenty-seven-year-old Guadalupe Ortiz de Landazuri. She had a boyfriend, was living with her mother, and was teaching chemistry. (She had been one of only five women entering the program at the university in Spain from which she

Oficina de la Causa de los Santos. Prelatura del Opus Dei [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativec...