Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 95

Being Christ in Our Lives: Colleen “Duffy” Kiko

Colleen “Duffy” Kiko has a pretty important job here in Washington, DC,but you’d never know it from talking with her. She’s a humble woman, veryhumble. Duffy is passionate about her wonderful family (four children, fourgrandchildren, and her husband); her love of preserving memories throughscrapbooks, virtual or on paper, and helping others to do the same; andGod.

I admire how transparent she is in her struggles with the Lord, and Iadmire even more the strength of her faith during those times....

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Melania the Younger

The Basics:Born about 383 in what is now Italy; died 439 in what is now Israel; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, December 31. Philanthropist.

The Story:Some call Melania (not to be confused with her saintly grandmother, Melania the Elder) the greatest religious philanthropist of all time. The child of a Roman senator, Melania was married off young against her will. Two of the couple’s children died in infancy, and as a result, her husband agreed he would honor her desires to serve God. W...

The Private Life of the Child Jesus

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

And so, the Presentation in the Temple complete, Luke draws a curtain over the life of the child Jesus, other than to say in today’s Gospel reading that the family returned to Nazareth and Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” The next time we see Jesus, he’s twelve years old.

What were those intervening years like,...

Returning Catholics FAQs: Celibacy

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.

Why can’t priests marry? Peter was married, and so were some of the popes. And my Protestant and non-denominational friends have some terrific pastors who are married—with kids.

Ye...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Vicentia Maria Lopez y Vicuna

The Basics:Born March 24, 1847, in Spain; died December 26, 1896 in Spain; canonized May 25, 1975, by Paul VI; feast day, December 26. Social worker; woman religious.

The Story:When she was ten,Vicentia was sent to Madrid to live with her aunt Eulalia. Eulalia had already begun working with young girls who found themselves in moral or physical danger, having left their families and not possessing any marketable skills. Vicentia caught her aunt’s fire, and realized this was her vocation. Her pa...

Who Will Abide the Day of His Coming?

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

We all have Christmas traditions: the lighting of the Advent candles, the decorating of the tree, the cookie and candy baking, the special meals, the entire family gathering to attend Mass together. Each is holy in its own way, for it involves union with the Lord and, generally, with our loved ones.

For many of the past thirty years, my favorite tradition has been...

Returning Catholics FAQs: Still More About the Bible

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.

If I come back, do I have to believe every word in the Bible?

We consider the literal sense as well as the spiritual sense to better understand what we are to learn from the Bible....

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Begga

The Basics:Born 615 in what is now Belgium; died 693 in what is now Belgium; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, December 17. Benefactoress, woman religious.

The Story:If you lived in Begga’s time, you knew of her family, perhaps the way we’re all aware of advisers to the Bushes, the Clintons, the Kennedys and so on. Her father was a member of the nobility and an adviser to royalty. Her son, Pepin of Herstal, would found the French Carolingian dynasty of rulers. To give you a further idea o...

The Kingdom of Heaven Before You

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

Lately, I’ve been writing about the Beatitudes, how women saints lived them, and what we can learn from them. The one that has taken the most pondering to date is Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

I get the concept of spiritual poverty—not that I live it anywhere near as well as the four women I’m profiling—but that...

Returning Catholics FAQs: About Praying

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 is embarrassing, but how do I pray? What do I say?

For someone returning to the Church, the concept of prayer can be overwhelming—and mind-blowing, because there are no rules....