Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 48

Wednesday’s People: Blesseds Maria and Luigi Quattrocchi

Note: I’m currently featuring women saints who had notable relationships with male saints–their sons, husbands, fathers, or colleagues in faith.

The Basics: Maria, born June 24, 1884, in Italy; died August 26, 1965, in Italy; Luigi, born January 12, 1880, in Italy; died November 9, 1951, in Italy. Beatified October 21, 2001, by John Paul II; feast day, November 25. Maria: wife, mother, writer, nurse; Luigi: husband, father, attorney.

The Story: It seems like an ordinary story, and that perhap...

Mary Is Real

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.

She is perfect, of course, born without the taint of original sin. But she need not be some distant, unreachable figure, some beautiful woman on an icon. Mary is real.

Mary is real in the example of surrender she sets for us. Nearly a child herself, she gives her fiat to God’s plan, and has the wisdom to give honor to Him, and know that this is...

Wednesday’s People: Saints Paula and Jerome

Note: I’m currently featuring women saints who had notable relationships with male saints–their sons, husbands, fathers, or colleagues in faith.

The Basics: Paula, born in 347 in Italy; died in 404 in Israel; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, January 26. Wife, mother, woman religious. Jerome, born 347; died in 420 in Israel; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, September 30. Priest, theologian.

The Story: Their paths intersected at just the right time. Paula and Jerome met when he visi...

“Lord, Save Me!”

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 asked for it. He got it. He got scared. He got saved.

In today’s lectionary Gospel reading from Matthew 14, the disciples are terrified at the sight of a figure—could it be a ghost?—coming toward them, walking on the water. Jesus tells them it’s Him and not to be afraid. Peter—it is always Peter, isn’t it, who rushes in where others fear to t...

Wednesday’s People: Saints Cunegund and Henry

Note: I’m currently featuring women saints who had notable relationships with male saints–their sons, husbands, fathers, or colleagues in faith.

The Basics: Cunegund, born about 975 in Germany; died 1033 in Germany; canonized March 29, 1200, by Innocent 3; feast day, March 3. Empress, wife, woman religious. Henry, born May 6, 973 in Germany; died 1024 in Germany; canonized in 1146 by Eugene III; feast day, July 13. Emperor, husband.

The Story: Their positions in the world, given the times, wo...

Traveling Mercies

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.

Road trips.

They always sound like so much fun—until they begin.

Then you find out your companion likes the vehicle five degrees warmer or colder than you do. You find out that she’s really a morning person, up and chirpy and ready to go before the sun’s up. You find out his idea of on time is within thirty minutes of the appointed time for dinn...

On the Nightstand: Born to Soar

Don’t you just love it when God shows you the overlaps in your life?

A few weeks ago, I was contemplating what I was going to use for study until my parish’s Walking with Purpose women’s Bible study program begins again in late September. Right about then, I got an email about Melissa Overmyer’s Born to Soar: Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life. It sounded just about perfect–six weeks of lessons–so I ordered it. Shortly thereafter, I learned that Overmyer lives not far from me in the District...

Friends in Faith: Rose Folsom

When I met Rose Folsom of the Virtue Connection last October, if I had had to use one word to describe her, it would have been perky. I mean that in the most positive sense possible. Whenever I saw her at the conference we were both attending, she was engaged with people, listening closely or talking animatedly, always with a big smile on her face.

This year, Rose has joined the team organizing that conference, and between that and reading her periodic ministry messages, I’m getting to know h...

Cherish Every Moment

An occasional series based on stuff that hangs in my room… or my heart.

For most of my thirties, I worked at a magazine with less than ideal leadership, but a terrific group of other line editors, reporters, and designers. A lot of things bound us together–age, politics, backgrounds, a mutual distrust of management. Anyway, for a couple years in particular, it was a truly happy place, in the most marvelous sense of the word. Wanted to go to lunch? Someone was always available. Wanted to start...

Wednesday’s Women: St. Jacinta Marto and Servant of God Lucia dos Santos

Note: I’m currently featuring women saints who knew each other personally–mothers and daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters, sisters, and friends.

The Basics: Lucia dos Santos, born March 28, 1907, in Portugal; died February 13, 2005, in Portugal; named a Servant of God, February 13, 2017; woman religious. Jacinta Marto, born March 11, 1910, in Portugal; died February 20, 1920, in Portugal; canonized May 13, 2017, by Francis; feast day, February 20; believer.

The Story: The cousins were...