Often it is in the midst of the suffering that mystics see their greatest visions.
The Faithful Confidence and Fortitude of Catherine of Sienna
What strikes me most about Catherine of Sienna’s story is her fortitude.
Navigating the Gospel with Hilda of Whitby
Many years ago, before I attended seminary, I worked as a volunteer for the Anglican Church of Tanzania to facilitate youth programs in the section of the country that bordered Rwanda.
Weeping in Church with Margery Kempe
One of the things that Margery Kempe is known for is her excessive and disruptive weeping. Her favorite place to cry was in churches, but she would cry anywhere—on pilgrimages, on the street, during times of silent prayer.
Teresa of Avila: Holding on to God
There are a lot of great quotations attributed to people who are not responsible for them.
Evelyn Underhill and Everyday Mystics
Evelyn Underhill was a retreat leader, writer, spiritual director, and thinker of the early to mid 20th century. She was not raised in a religiously-inclined […]
Preach the truth as if you had a million voices
In a short life of 33 years, Saint Catherine of Siena never seems to have wasted a moment.
Julian of Norwich’s Story of Hope in a Time of Sadness
The feast of Saint Julian finds me during a time when I need her.
Dame Julian of Norwich: Comforter of Tired People and Parents
Sometimes I get into a parenting funk. Or really, a life funk. One of those seasons when there are too many demands on time and energy, too many nights punctuated by sleepless children, too many ills in the world reminding us that the kingdom of God is still super not yet here.
Hildegard of Bingen: A Role Model for Our Children
I stood and stared on the snack food aisle, comparing popcorn labels. I had signed up to bring snacks to my daughter’s scouting meeting, and […]