Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 52

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Isidora the Simple

The Basics: Born in the fourth century in Egypt; died about 365 in Egypt; canonized precongregation; feast day, May 1. Women religious.

The Story: In some ways, it was a Cinderella story. Isidora isolated herself from the other sisters at the convent at Tabennisi in northern Egypt. It wasn’t that she didn’t do her share of the work–rather, she was quick to take on the most distasteful of tasks–but otherwise, she chose to spend most of her time in prayer rather than interacting with her commun...

Surrendering to the Lord’s Correction

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.

(Stephen said:) “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.” (Acts 7:51, NRSVCE)

Correction is always hard to hear, no matter how lovingly and kindly it is delivered, no matter how much we know in our souls that it’s needed.

Back in my late thirties, afte...

Friends in Faith: Cathy Elliott

Cathy Elliott is a seeker. She’s always looking for ways to deepen her relationship with the Lord, not so much in a restless way as in a thirst to grow closer. I first met her

Sharon and Nikki McCutcheon

through the Cursillo movement… earlier, she was very involved in the Legion of Mary, a lay association that seeks to build up the Catholic faith. A few years ago, I was privileged to attend the gathering where Cathy took her first step toward becoming a Lay Dominican.

While Cathy spends...

On the Nightstand: Aging as a Spiritual Practice

My memory is still pretty good, but no longer razor sharp. I need to get hearing aids. The gray hairs are beginning to take over. There’s more sand out of the hourglass than I can reasonably expect is remaining.

I might be concerned about all this if I slowed down long enough to think about it. Or I might welcome these changes. I’m hoping Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser will help me do the latter. It’s written by a Zen Buddhist priest and is sai...

Make a Wish

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

Wishes are funny things.

When I was young, there were so many things I wished for: to be thinner or shorter. To have Michael Strum (first grade, I believe) fall in love with me and get married. Most of my wishes didn’t come to fruition in the way I had wanted, and so I became more pragmatic about what was and wasn’t going to happen. I stopped baying at the moon.

Then in my late forties, two important things happened. Thro...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Gianna Beretta Molla

The Basics: Born October 4, 1922, in Italy; died April 28, 1962, in Italy; canonized May 16, 2004, by John Paul II; feast day, April 28. Wife; mother; physician.

The Story: It is a story in some ways is so similar to that of many women today. Gianna, a wife and mother of three children, was in her late thirties and building a strong career as a pediatrician. She was involved in ministries, loved the outdoors, had a passion for the fine arts. She was pregnant again, and everyone was happy.

But...

Of Baggage and Faith

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.

One of my favorite apocryphal stories is the one about the guy with two bags of groceries, trudging down the road. A man in a pickup takes pity on him, stops, and reaches across and opens the front door. “Get in,” he says. “Oh, no,” the guy with the bags says. “I’m fine.” The driver (or Driver, if you haven’t already figured this one out) asks i...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Agnes of Montepulciano

The Basics: Born in 1268 in Italy; died in 1317 in Italy; canonized in 1725 by Benedict XIII; feast day, April 20. Woman religious; mystic.

The Story: Agnes was drawn to a special relationship with Jesus and His Mother from an early age. Even though her wealthy family initially opposed her desire to join a religious community known as Sisters of the Sack (because of their unglamorous habit) at the tender age of nine, they eventually agreed to her plan. Agnes proved gifted at administration as...

“Rabbouni”

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.

Mary Magdalene was full of words and requests… and probably worries and grieving and nervousness… when she thought he was the gardener.

“Rabboni,” by Gutzon Borglum, Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, DC. (own work)

Would he send her away or jeer at her or have her arrested? Would he tell her where they had taken Jesus, and would he let her take t...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Engracia

The Basics: Born in the late third century in Portugal; died about 303 in Spain; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, April 16. Martyr.

The Story: The 700-mile journey must have started with joy, and perhaps a little apprehension. After all, Engracia was leaving her home in Braga, Portugal, to marry a Spanish nobleman. The match was significant enough that her entourage consisted of eighteen companions, an uncle. The group had made it nearly two-thirds of the way there when in Zaragoza, Spa...