Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 67

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Mary Elisabeth Hesselblad

Note: For the next several weeks, I’m featuring women with a connection to the Americas.

The Basics:Born June 4, 1870, in Sweden; died April 24, 1957, in Italy; canonized June 5, 2016, by Francis; feast day, June 4; woman religious and nurse.

The Story:This newly canonized saint began her faith journey as a Lutheran. She was raised in Sweden (one of thirteen children) and came to the United States to study nursing when she was eighteen. She stayed for sixteen years, working at a New York hosp...

Of Food, Hope, and Faith

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

A full year. They ate for a full year, Elijah, the widow of Zarephath, and her son, on a handful of flour and a little oil, we are told in today’s first lectionary reading from 1 Kings 17.

The widow had lost hope. She was resigned to starvation for herself and her son. Elijah brought hope. Perhaps more importantly, he brought his faith that the L...

Returning Catholics FAQs: What to Say to a Priest

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.

I run into priests on the street in my neighborhood sometimes, and it just feels so weird, kind of like seeing a grade school teacher outside the classroom except he’s still dress...

On the Nightstand: June 2016

This month, I’m going to be reading this book by Father Michael Gaitley, who will be familiar to many Catholics. I’m excited about this book because it’s based on the “Little Way” spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux, a philosophy and way of living that appeals to (and challenges!) me more the older I get. Similarly, the message of divine mercy–that the Lord loves each and every one of us, no matter how dark we believe ourselves to be, and desires us to draw closer to him–also resonates wit...

Friends in Faith: Tammy Workman

You often hear the phrase, “September 11 changed everything.” I wasn’t in DC or New York that day, but it changed a lot for me. I was on a business trip in the Los Angeles area with Tammy Workman, who sold advertising for the magazine where I was the editor. We’d always been friendly, but not really close; she lived in Alabama, I in Ohio. Then, as we were getting ready in our shared hotel room early that morning, we watched on TV as the towers crumbled. Tammy began quietly praying. In the n...

Wednesday’s Woman: Blessed Marie of Ste. Cecile of Rome

Note: For the next several weeks, I’m featuring women with a connection to the Americas.

The Basics:Born April 30, 1897, in Canada; died September 4, 1929, in Canada; beatified March 20, 1993, by John Paul II; feast day, September 4; woman religious and mystic.

The Story:She regarded Cecilia of Rome and Therese of Lisieux as her patrons, which was no surprise given her love of music and a desire to live for Jesus in small ways. The woman who would go on to be Marie of Ste. Cecile of Rome in r...

“And Holy Is…”

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

Spend a little time with this beautiful painting by the 19th century French artist James Tissot. The work, which hangs in the Brooklyn Museum, provides us with a bit of a different perspective of the Visitation. For starters, Tissot depicts a meeting not just of Elizabeth and Mary, but of Zechariah as well. Elizabeth and Zechariah seem a bit conf...

Returning Catholics FAQs: Women Deacons?

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.

This talk about considering whether women should be deacons–does that mean women could become priests? Because the Catholics not treating women like second-class citizens would me...

Of Loaves, Fish, and Faith

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

It was the first time I’d ever hosted a home Mass, and there were more people than we expected.

I’d been back at this Catholic thing for about a year and a half, and at the end of an eight-week session for those considering a similar return to the faith, I was privileged to host a home Mass for the dozen or so people who had attended the sessions...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Katharine Drexel

Note: For the next several weeks, I’m featuring women with a connection to the Americas.

The Basics:Born November 26, 1858, in the United States; died March 3, 1955, in the United States; canonized November 20, 1988, by John Paul II; feast day, March 3; woman religious and philanthropist.

The Story:They called her Kate or Kitty, the baby born into Philadelphia’s wealthy Drexel clan. She and her two sisters had fine examples of philanthropy in their father and stepmother; three days a week, th...