Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 25

Friends in Faith: Joan Romett

Joan Romett is among the giving-est people I know. She gives in many

Lisa Julia Photography

tangible ways, including supplies and food to the Future with Hope Women events we’re both involved in (and a couple of sweet boxes of Washington Capitals swag she and her husband, Dan, gave my sister and me).

But it’s the intangible, deeper ways that Joan gives that really move my soul. For years, she has been dedicated to loving up and caring for her brother who has physical challenges. She makes a l...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Monegundis

The Basics: Born 6th century in France; died 570 in France; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, July 2. Wife, mother, woman religious.

The Story: Life was humming along for Monegundis. She was married and had two young daughters. Then, one after the other, the girls died.

Monegundis fell into a deep, deep depression. The only thing that seemed to help was quiet time with God. As she found solace in her time alone, eventually, she and her husband agreed it would be best for her to become a...

Disappointment and God

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 doubt there has ever been a human being who believed in a higher power of any sort and was not disappointed in that power at some point.

I’m not talking about stuff like not getting a coveted house or job or yet again not winning a lottery. I’m talking about the hard, hard things, tragedies that come out of nowhere: freak accidents that leave...

Author Spotlight: Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble

Note: In this feature, Whitney Hopler profiles women who write about faith. If you are the author of a new book (published within the past six months) and would like to be considered for an interview, please email Melanie.

By Whitney Hopler

Pondering death is a wonderfully life-affirming practice for those who are brave enough to give it a try. Author Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP guides readers in the ancient spiritual practice of memento mori (a Latin phrase meaning “remember your deat...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Sadalberga

The Basics: Born in France; died about 665 in France; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, September 22. Wife, mother, woman religious.

The Story: For some of us, life seems to flow along like a peaceful river; for others, there are rapids and falls. The life of Sadalberga was more along the lines of the latter.

The legend goes that this saint was blind as a child and was miraculously cured by Eustaces of Luxeuil, who himself would become a saint. Born into nobility, Sadalberga was married...

Fear-Filled Leaven

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.

They were judgmental and fearful, the Pharisees and Herod. The last thing they wanted was for Jesus’s message of the kingdom of God being at hand to take hold among the people. Jesus threatened the status quo, threatened their positions, threatened what they had been told all their lives was right and true.

And so it is today. Our political lead...

Wednesday’s Woman: Blessed Humbeline

The Basics: Born about 1092 in France; died about 1136 in France;  beatified 1703 by Clement XI; feast day, February 12. Woman religious.

The Story: Imagine you are wealthy, in part due to marriage, but in part because you are the sole member of your immediate family still in the secular world. Imagine your mother has died, and your father and all six of your brothers, including your beloved brother Bernard, have joined monasteries. So of course if you embark on a visit to them, aren’t you go...

Clinging to Human Tradition

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.

He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mark 7:6-8, NABRE)

Honoring God with all my heart and...

Clinging to Human Traditio

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.

He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mark 7:6-8, NABRE)

Honoring God with all my heart and...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Bilhildis

The Basics: Born in the 7th century in Germany; died 734 in Germany;  canonized precongregation; feast day, November 27. Wife, woman religious.

The Story: Bilhildis’s parents planned to have her baptized. They really did. They were Christians living in an area that still had many pagans and pagan customers, so when she was three or so, they sent her to live with a pious aunt. However, an invasion came about, and the child was sent home. When she was sixteen, her parents made for Bilhildis wha...