Not long ago I blogged about my determination to clean out two areas of my home that had become overburdened with just too much stuff.

In the last few days, I have made some additional progress largely aided by my kind nephew who has gifted me with his organizational ability, his “let’s get the task done” attitude, and his masculine brawn.

In giving Nathan some instruction about what to put where, I noticed a small collection of books.  I picked them up, dusted off the covers, and began to explore my find.

While five of the volumes have now made it into my home, one in particular caught my eye: The Road to Victory: The Second Front of Prayer by Francis J. Spellman, then Archbishop of New York, copyright 1942.

I turned to the Table of Contents and was immediately captivated. As I perused the book,  I found the words written there to be as fresh today as they were when first penned. Read the rest…

Dateline June 18, 2009

Tonight I met Denny – and I was smitten. No matter that he is (dare I say it?) forty years my junior, from the moment he flashed that toothy grin and asked, “How are you tonight, young lady?” my heart was captured.

It was clear that Denny both enjoyed his job and the people he met while doing it. He bagged my groceries with the precision of an engineer and the banter of a 1940’s leading man.

But what made Denny truly special was his innocence and his guileless demeanor. He was sincere — even in calling a 58 year old woman “young lady.”

Some would say that Denny is challenged. I would say that Denny is challenging.

He challenged me to see the good in everyone. He challenged me to find pleasure in the mundane. He challenged me to embrace a smile and give one back. He challenged me to smile first. He challenged me to find joy in the most unlikely places.

He challenged me to remember that holiness is always in the uncomplicated and unprofane. He challenged me to strive for authenticity and generosity of spirit. He challenged me to purity of heart. He challenged me to remember that every human person is a child of God imprinted with His image and likeness. And finally, Denny challenged me to be kind, courteous, sincere, and unassuming.

As he handed me my bags, and instructed me to drive carefully and have a good night, I heard Denny greet the next customer in line, “And how are you this evening? Hope it’s being good to you!” With a smile and a tear I walked to my car enriched and blessed.

Perhaps all we need in the world are more Dennys. People who remind us that we are called to be the very presence of God in the midst of our everyday circumstances and situatuions. In the midst of our jobs and our families. In the midst of the grocery store and the check-out line. In the midst of traffic, recreation, and quiet moments. In the midst of everything that colors our lives. The witness we give can yield abundant returns.

I’m willing to try to be a “Denny.” Are you? Let’s see what we can do together. Read the rest…

I am so pleased to personally invite you to attend our 4th Women of Grace Retreat to be held at Malvern Retreat Center, Malvern PA the weekend of July 31st. A flyer is available via download on our website under “Conferences.” Not only will this weekend be inspiring, butI know  it will also be a time to be blessed. Read the rest…

Well, a few weekends ago I “bit the bullet.” I dug into two areas of storage in my home that have been desperately in need of a clean out. I have been avoiding these two areas for two different reasons.

The one area seems all but overwhelming because of the amount of stuff amassed there. The other area holds many memories and sentiments that promise a difficult moment.

The place with all of the stuff is still pretty much full. However, I did manage to get four large garbage bags of items relegated to new locations — two to the curb for trash pick-up and two to the local Goodwill. In addition, two rolls of carpeting and one large recliner found new homes.

The memory trove was another matter entirely. I became immersed. For hours. Pouring over family pictures dating all of the way back to the twenties of the last century. Read the rest…

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi. This celebration, which commemorates the Body of Christ given to us in Holy Eucharist, is celebrated following Trinity Sunday and was formally established in the 13th Century.

St. Juliana of Mont Conillon, also known as St. Juliana of Liege, was the champion of the feast. From her early youth, she had a great love of the Blessed Sacrament and longed to have a feast day set aside to honor Our Lord’s presence in the Eucharist.

The saint’s desire grew after a vision she reportedly had of the Church represented by the full moon. In this vision, the moon had one dark spot, supposedly representing the absence of such a feast day.

Juliana expressed her desires to the Bishop of Liege, Robert de Thorete, to the Dominican Hugh who later became the Cardinal Legate in the Netherlands, and to Jacques Pantaleon, at that time Archbishop of Liege who was to become Pope Urban IV.

Favorably impressed, Bishop Robert Thorete instituted the feast day in his own diocese in 1247 as bishops were permitted to do at that time, and Pope Urban IV ordered the annual celebration of Corpus Christi on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday in 1264. Though the celebration remains on this day in Rome, here in the United States it is now celebrated the Sunday following Trinity Sunday.

The feast offers all of us an opportunity to appreciate more deeply the rich treasure of grace offered to us through the Holy Eucharist. It is a day that begs us to enter into the Sacred Mystery of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divintiy of Our Lord Jesus Christ given to us and for us in every Eucharistic celebration. It reminds us of the divine sacrifice made on our behalf while beckoning us to be infused ever more completely by the Author of Life Himself.

 Following are five ways we can enhance our appreciation of the Blessed Sacrament and mine the rich treasure that is ours. It is taken from my book, Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life.

Read the rest…