Padre Pio in the Garden
It’s been said that we don’t choose our patron saints—they choose us. This is certainly the case with St. Padre Pio, who seems to have planted himself as a spiritual father to all the Roses in Hope’s Garden. Padre Pio…
Catching the Distractions that Make Havoc of My Vineyard
“My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock …” (Song of Songs 2:14) I used to be like that dove, hiding in the clefts of my own isolation. It felt too scary to go out into the world—a world…
Igniting the Fire of Divine Love
Inspired by the words of Revelation 3:15-16, St. Catherine of Siena wrote to one of her disciples, “See that you are not lukewarm but on fire … If you are what you ought to be, you will light a fire…
Blemished and Beautiful
You are wholly beautiful, My love, and without blemish. (Song of Songs 4:7) How can my Divine Bridegroom say such a seemingly absurd thing? When I look in the mirror, I see plenty of blemishes; not just physical defects, but…
St. Catherine of Siena’s Song
My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh that lies between my breasts.” (Song of Songs 1:13) In a letter written during the Easter season of 1376, St. Caterina (Catherine) of Siena chided a parish priest in the town…
The Bridegroom of Marriage
I’m reading the Song of Songs a bit differently nowadays. When I first began to awaken after being stuck in “freeze” mode due to prolonged trauma, the Song of Songs was my guide to healing through the Divine love of…
Do You Want to be Healed?
Do you want to be healed? (John 5:6) Jesus asked this question of the paralytic because He knew what healing requires—readjustment and change, which often makes us squirm with discomfort. The familiar—even if it isn’t ideal or if it’s increasing…
Healing Hearts & Marriages by Being a Living Monstrance
“Our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ leads to no other end than that of transforming us into that which we receive” (Pope St. Leo the Great). Recently, after receiving the sacred mystery of the True Presence of…
I Am She Who Is Not
One of the most fundamental revelations given to St. Catherine of Siena in a mystical vision became a powerful teaching that informed her entire ministry. From around 1368 until her death at the age of 33 in 1380, St. Catherine…
Moving Toward, Not Running Away
When it comes to abusive relationships, it’s inevitable that at some point we reach a breaking point and realize change is necessary. What form that change may take varies from person to person, situation to situation, but eventually the toxic…