Your Liturgy of the Hours Tip of the Day: on Solemnities, pray Night Prayer for Sundays.
Today the Roman Catholic Church in the USA celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph. That means you’ll pray the Hours for the Solemnity all day today, right up until Night Prayer.
Night Prayer is very straightforward, with prayers for every day of the week. But Sunday Night Prayer is also labeled “for Solemnities.” This makes sense, because Solemnities are celebrated just like a Sunday would be, with two readings before the Gospel and a Gloria at Mass (yes, even during Lent!), and usually with Evening Prayer I the day before.
So when you pray Night Prayer tonight, pray like it’s Sunday.
Are you interested in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, or learning to use the breviary for these prayers instead of relying on an app? Get my new booklet, The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.
Amazon links are included; your purchase through these links supports the work of this website at no additional cost to you.
That means there’s a page you’re not going to need this year.
Sundays in Lent are of a (slightly) higher liturgical rank than Solemnities. So tonight, pray Evening Prayer II for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Tomorrow, celebrate St. Joseph all day!
If you have a St. Joseph Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours, which is an excellent resource for putting you on the right page for each day’s prayers, you’ll be all set. Find this at your local Catholic bookseller or online at CatholicCompany.com.
If you’re praying through the Divine Office app, you may have noticed that they have the prayers for St. Joseph’s feast today (Sunday, March 19), which is not applicable to Catholics in the USA. So you’ll need a book today, not an app, to be praying the prayers for this liturgical day.
Are you interested in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, or learning to use the breviary for these prayers instead of relying on an app? Get my new booklet, The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Amazon links are included; your purchase through these links supports the work of this website at no additional cost to you.
Chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps, and jelly beans are all great things to put into your child’s Easter basket. But you can fit a new picture book or two behind the candy—and it’s a treat your child will enjoy long after the sweets are gone.
We’ll look at them alphabetically by title, just to keep things fair and square. I certainly can’t choose a favorite!
Arthur the Clumsy Altar Server
Theresa Kiser’s storybook about an aspiring altar server who’s eager—but quite the klutz—is a sweet tale of perseverance and a little boy’s desire to do something for God. Mike Schwalm nailed it with the illustrations: my favorite one depicts Arthur sneezing incense into the face of another server. Arthur’s hard work and enthusiastic spirit are noticed by a kind priest who emphasizes what’s most important about being an altar server.
Bonus content at the end of the book shows the vestments worn by priests and altar servers. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.
There’s no better season than the Easter season to introduce children to the saint who brought the Divine Mercy devotion to the world. Kaitlyn C. Mason’s rhyming book about St. Faustina Kowalska tells the story of the little girl who grew up to be a saint. Braelyn Snow’s detailed illustrations complement every page.
After the story, you’ll find instructions on praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet as well as family discussion questions and a pledge to trust in God. This book is designed as a read-aloud for children in primary school; it’s probably too complex for preschoolers. Available from Amazon or TAN Books.
I Am Earth’s Keeper
Lisa Hendey’s first rhyming book opens with a small child’s early-morning kayak ride that leads him to marvel at the natural world around him and want to protect it. It’s inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, and the cadence of the story will draw readers (and listeners) young and old into the beautiful natural world where it takes place.
The tones and vibe of the illustrations by Guiliano Ferri remind me very much of a favorite picture book from my own childhood. Get a copy to enjoy with your favorite young readers, and teach them that we care for Creation because it was created by God! This book is appropriate for toddlers on up. Available from Amazon or Paraclete Press.
In This Catholic Church
This book by Maura Roan McKeegan reminded me of one of my favorite nursery rhymes, “This Is the House that Jack Built.” Each page builds upon the one before, as the reader is invited into the church and looks around at the people and objects inside. The story culminates as the congregation gathers and the priest offers Mass.
The simple, engaging illustrations by Ted Schluenderfritz shine light on each element in turn, until we see the whole church focused on the Mass being offered beneath the crucifix that hangs above the altar. Toddlers and preschoolers will love this picture book. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.
Jesus and the Miracle of the Mass
Gracie Jagla’s rhyming book about the Mass emphasizes the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The story is narrated by Jesus, who wants the children at Mass to know that in the Eucharist, He truly comes to us, and invites the children to pray to Him just as they would talk with their best friend.
The story follows along through the different parts of Mass and reminds children that the whole Communion of Saints prays along with them at every Mass. The illustrations (paintings, really!) by Randy Friemel add to the story, with a modern style that’s energetic but not off-putting. An excellent book for children making their First Communion this spring. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.
Cecilia Cicone’s new picture book tells a story I never knew: some faith-filled astronauts carried the Eucharist along on a space-shuttle mission in 1994. The story centers on Dr. Tom Jones and all the preparation he went through in order to be ready to go into space. He spent two years getting ready for this mission, but always made sure to attend Mass with his family and to find time for Eucharistic Adoration.
The Endeavor crew carried a pyx containing the Eucharist into space with them, and spent time in prayer, thanking God for making the mission possible before receiving the Eucharist. The end of the book includes a note from astronaut Tom Jones, encouraging readers to keep Jesus with them wherever they go. In addition to Gabhor Utomo’s colorful illustrations, the book includes three full pages of photos of the astronauts and their mission. This book would be a perfect gift for a First Communicant. Available from Amazon or Pauline Books & Media.
The Women Doctors of the Church
More than a children’s biography of four fascinating women of the Church, this picture book by Colleen Pressprich is an encouragement. “God is not looking for saints who are exactly alike. He doesn’t need another Hildegarde, Catherine, Teresa, or Thérèse. He needs you.” Readers will learn what it means to be a Doctor of the Church, and how these four holy women each served God in her own special way.
The illustrations by Adalee Hude are beautiful and not childish; they are lavish in color and eye-catching. This book is for independent readers and makes a great read-aloud. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.
Ask for these books at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publishers.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Stencil
This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to the website owner when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you.
Have you ever tried praying the Liturgy of the Hours?
Have you ever given up praying the Liturgy of the Hours because it seems too complicated? Too many pages, too many ribbons, too many ways to go wrong?
What if I told you that you can pray one part of the Liturgy of the Hours without needing to flip around in the book—all you need to know is what day of the week it is?
For real.
This Lent, try praying Night Prayer.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a saint’s feast day or the season of Lent or anything like that: there’s only one week a year that Night Prayer is different, and the instructions for that are right there in the book.
In my new book The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (available now on Kindle; the print version releases March 27), I emphasize that for Liturgy of the Hours beginners, Night Prayer is a simple introduction to the cadence of the prayers.
Is it worth the effort? Yes. Is it doable? Yes! Start small, both in building the habit of prayer and your skills in navigating the breviary. Night Prayer is a wonderful way to begin, because it’s shorter and less complex than Morning and Evening Prayer. Take all the time you need to build up your prayer muscles. (21-22)
If you’re using Christian Prayer, you’ll find Night Prayer beginning on p. 1034.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos created in Stencil, all rights reserved.
This article contains Amazon links; your purchase through these links supports the work of this website at no cost to you. Thank you!
Feed your soul with these new books from Ave Maria Press! Only one of them is specifically designed for use during Lent, but if you’re looking for a spiritual book or journal to use throughout the season of Lent, you can’t miss with any of these options.
Return is a Lenten journal that offers daily reflections and journaling space, along with beautiful art that’s a meditation in itself. This book offers a lovely way to commit to a daily prayer practice during the Lenten season.
Return covers a lot of spiritual ground during the six weeks of Lent: the first two weeks focus on reflecting on the past year and refocusing on God. The next two weeks feature meditations on fasting and lamentation and holding nothing back from God. The fifth week is a challenge to explore spiritual wounds that separate us from Christ, and the sixth week (Holy Week) focuses on the healing power of the Eucharist.
Each day’s entry begins with an excerpt from the Collect (the opening prayer from Mass) for the day. Citations for the daily readings follow; you can view these online at Bible.USCCB.org or look them up in your own Bible. Next is a meditation (about one page in length), a few reflection questions with journal space, and a brief closing prayer.
Free weekly videos will be shared each Sunday at AveMariaPress.com; here on CatholicMom.com, the videos will be shared at 10 AM Eastern on Sundays. In each video, author Fr. John Burns offers a reflection on the weekly theme.
Jen Norton’s art is always inspiring, and I was happy to see that her newest journal retreat book features saints. And not just any saints: the saints in this book lived during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Jen Norton has chosen the saints in Arise to Blessedness by the particular ways they lived out the Beatitudes.
Jen Norton chose as our inspiration Saints André Bessette, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Maximilian Kolbe, Mark Ji Tianxiang, Maria Goretti, Charbel Makhlouf, Oscar Romero, and José Luís Sánchez del Río. Each chapter includes a full-page lettered illustration of one Beatitude; a brief Scripture reading; an image of the saint and brief introduction; a guided prayer moment using sacred art; a journal challenge, small step (action item), and plenty of blank space at the end of the chapter to write or even draw.
Arise to Blessedness contains eight chapters; you can work through the book at your own pace (daily, weekly, or at whatever intervals you choose). You can even stretch out the chapters and work through one small section of them each day. The beautiful cover art will invite you to pick this book up, and once you open it, you won’t want to put it back down!
When the Beatitudes were read at Sunday Mass at the end of January, our priest observed that it is not at all easy to live these teachings. Even the dedication of Arise to Blessedness underscores that point:
This book is dedicated to all the brave souls who serve their neighbor without regard for honor and who love the unlovable because they see Christ in everyone.
Of these three books, I’m probably most excited about this book about the Catechism. When I received The Seeker’s Catechism, I thought the author’s name looked familiar, so I immediately flipped to the author bio in the back (normally this is not the first part of a book I view). Sure enough: Michael Pennock wrote several of the religion textbooks all three of my children used in the Catholic high school they attended.
A good teacher has a particular gift of explaining difficult concepts in simple ways without diluting the truth behind the lesson. The Seeker’s Catechism is an updated edition of a book that lays out the basics of Catholicism without overcomplication—and without insulting the intelligence of the reader.
If you would like to learn more about what the Catholic Church believes and teaches, but tackling the full Catechism of the Catholic Church isn’t do-able for you in this season of life, The Seeker’s Catechism introduces the truths of the faith in bite-sized, approachable sections. This is also an excellent reference for parents whose children have questions about what we believe, and can be read by students in middle school and up.
Ask for these books at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, AveMariaPress.com.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchase supports my work at no additional cost to you.
The Catholic Teen Books authors, many of whom I have the pleasure to call my friends, have put together their fourth short-story collection. Ashes: Visible and Invisible releases January 31, 2023 on the feast of St. John Bosco, the patron saint of teenagers.
Ashes contains ten short stories by Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, Cynthia Toney, Ellen Gable, Antony Kolenc, Amanda Lauer, Carolyn Astfalk, Leslea Wahl, T.M. Gaouette, and Corinna Turner. All of them have some connection to Lent, and each story stands on its own. You can enjoy these stories in any order.
Ashes, like all the CTB story collections, is packed with well-written stories that are faithfully Catholic. The stories feature teenagers growing in faith and virtue—teenagers facing true-to-life situations, teenagers dealing with moral dilemmas, teenagers seeking to know the right thing to do. Settings for the stories vary from the time of Jesus to the Middle Ages to modern times and a dystopian future. There’s something for every reader, and you might even enjoy exploring a new-to-you genre.
One of my favorite things about the CTB story collections is that many of the stories are connected to these authors’ larger-format work. The characters you meet in these collections might be minor characters from a novel, or a story might include a bonus scene that picks up where a novel leaves off. These stories are a great way to get to know a particular author’s work, and after each story you’ll find a note from the author explaining where you can read more about that character.
Take a peek into the stories you’ll read in Ashes:
When Liz’s faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?
A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his friend’s secret past just might save it.
Justin’s religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?
Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?
A modern American teen discovers what faith, life and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.
Teenager Lexie Dugan struggles to understand the sacrifice of Lent when she’s asked to help take care of her siblings while her pregnant mother is on bed rest.
Asher’s desire to prepare for the Messiah intensifies after he’s robbed by bandits but would fighting alongside the Zealots be the best way?
When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry’s worries.
A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.
Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus.
Visit CatholicTeenBooks.com to learn more about the authors behind this story collection and the mission of Catholic Teen Books.
Catholic Teen Books is offering a fun prize pack in conjunction with this giveaway! Enter today to win a copy of Ashes, Lenten socks, a handmade rosary, devotional for teens, and more! This giveaway ends on release day, January 31.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: courtesy of CatholicTeenBooks.com
A copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this article.
This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to the author of this piece when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Theresa Linden deftly bridges the gap between her West Brothers series for young adults and the new-adult Anyone But Him with this novel that details the summer Caitlyn spends working in the Wests’ castle, while Jarrett, her friend Roland’s older brother who had yet to redeem his reputation as a ladies’ man, ponders God’s plan for his life. Caitlyn had looked forward to spending the summer as a kind of working retreat, but Jarrett’s presence challenges and upsets her.
Summer at West Castle is a fascinating story of two young people seeking to figure out God’s will in their lives.
Summary:
College student Caitlyn Summer arrives at the Wests’ castle-like house to fill in for their live-in maid. After a recent decision blows her vision of the future, this ideal job and the peaceful surroundings are just what she needs to seek God’s will for her life. That is, until Jarret West, not wanting a repeat of past mistakes, backs out of a summer-long field study overseas and returns home. The two have never gotten along, and unforgettable baggage from the past makes it hard even to be cordial. While Jarret’s faults convince Caitlyn he hasn’t changed, she forces herself to offer kindness. Her act of mercy puts them on an unexpected path where Caitlyn is challenged to look beneath the surface and Jarret struggles to trust that God wills good for him. (Note: to avoid spoilers, read this story only after reading Anyone but Him.)
Looking back on the West Brothers series as a whole, seeking and following God’s will is the overarching theme of all the books. There are definitely moments where Theology of the Body takes center stage, particularly in Book 2: Life-Changing Love, but discernment is top of mind for the teens in these stories, as it is for every teen: What will I do with my life? Where will I go to college—or will I? Am I in love, and is this person the one I will spend my life with?
I’ve enjoyed watching Caitlyn, Roland, Jarrett, Peter, Keefe, and the other characters in the West Brothers series grow as the stories progress, and I’ll admit I’ll be sad when Theresa announces that the series is complete.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Amazon affiliate links are included; your purchase through these links supports the author.
An advance copy of this book was provided by the author for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed here are mine alone.
Today in the USA we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With that, the Christmas season comes to an end.
(One) It’s time … to take down the Christmas tree.
This is me, with a big case of the “I don’t wannas.” I put the tree up, strung all the lights, and decorated it all by myself this year. (Normally I do the lights, because nobody else in the house is willing to bother with a Christmas-light total that has a comma in the number, and the kids decorate. Empty-nest problems.)
I’m back at work, but my husband is still using his banked “use or lose” vacation time and my college student has another week of winter break. I think this task needs to be delegated this year.
(Two) And put it in the body bag.
The bag for this Christmas tree is 5 feet tall, and so wide it barely fits through the exterior doors of the house. We keep our tree in the shed. This year I’m going to be smart about it. It’s easier to carry the 5 pieces of the tree down the stairs, out the back door, and through the porch to the backyard and THEN put them in the body bag than it is to bag everything up in the living room and wrestle it outside without damaging anything.
(Three) On the up side, I’ll get my living room back.
As a creature of habit, it does drive me crazy that I have to move my Reading Chair every year to make room for the Christmas tree. I look forward to putting that chair back by the window, with its lamp nearby, the way it belongs.
(Four) My reputation precedes me.
Overheard after Mass yesterday, when the usher came over to hand bulletins to the musicians:
Singer: Oh, Mass tomorrow is for my mom, but I can’t be there because I have an appointment.
Music director: Barb will be there! She’ll pray for your mom!
Join me in praying for the repose of the soul for Mrs. B, would you?
(Five) Regarding Mass intentions
Do you pay attention to the list of Mass intentions in your parish bulletin? It’s not just there for the people who go to daily Mass. You can pray for the repose of those souls whether you attend daily Mass or not. Consider adding that prayer after a meal, just like we used to do after lunch in the Catholic grade school I attended:
We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
(Six) Tonight, swap out the breviary!
Don’t forget to move the holy cards! If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours using the 4-volume breviary, tonight after Evening Prayer you’ll need to bring out the Ordinary Time I volume and put away Advent/Christmas.
My husband likes Ordinary Time I because it means summer is coming. I’m not ready to think that far ahead (after 7 weeks we’re switching again, into the Lent/Easter volume) but his particular liturgical year revolves around the opening of the pool, conveniently timed right around Holy Saturday if it doesn’t rain that day.
(Seven) Book News
There’s a great sale right now on The Handy Little Guide to Prayer: it’s more than 50% off on Amazon right now! There’s no better time to order a copy for yourself or your friends.
If you’ve read this Handy Little Guide, would you kindly do me a favor and leave an Amazon review? One sentence is plenty; those reviews help other Amazon customers who are thinking about what book to purchase AND they help get the book in front of other readers in Amazon’s recommendations section. Thanks!
In other book news, my next book comes out in less than three months! You can preorder The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours now (and if the price drops before the release date, you’ll get it at the lower price). Did take 6 leave you puzzled? This new book will explain it all.
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.
Amazon links included; I make a small profit when you use these affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.
The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. Since it’s January, “new year new you” and all of that, I thought I’d focus on some self-improvement books that have come my way recently.
I read these differently than I read fiction, dipping into and out of them and flipping around, rather than diving in (as I do with a novel) and not coming up for air until I’ve finished.
A different kind of planner
I was offered a review copy of The Saintmaker Catholic Life Planner, and I’m always willing to try out a new planner. This is different from any planner I’ve used before. First of all, it’s a quarterly book (and it’s as big as a full-year week-at-a-time planner already). It has daily, weekly, and monthly planning sections as well as goal-setting sections, a generous notebook section (that’s my “bullet journal” for various lists, monthly meal planning, things like that. There are three ribbons to help save my place in the different sections of the planner as well as three virtue tracker bookmarks, one for each month the planner covers.
There’s a lot in here, as you can see from this photo of the 2-page daily spread. I have not used all of this in the course of a day, but as the week has gone on, I’ve tried these various sections—appointments, to-do list, notes are my big three, and there are also gratitudes, daily cross, devotions, meditation journal, and examination of conscience. Slowly I’m figuring out what works for me. Even with all the structure this planner has, there’s room for flexibility and customization, which I appreciate!
Bonus features include weekly examination of conscience worksheets, discernment journal, prayer intention list, Catholic themes for day, week, and month, and novena starter guide. I’ll be sharing more about The Saintmaker planner on my social media as the quarter goes on.
Discerning how to proceed with life—not just with big decisions, but with more immediate habits of daily living—is crucial if we want to stay on track. To be happy. To be free. To be free enough to love and to live fully. (ix)
Each chapter ends with Exercises to Cultivate Habits of Freedom. These are great journal prompts. And at the back of the book, there’s a small-group discussion guide that makes me wish I were part of a small group reading this book.
My friend Deanna Bartalini has been dedicating episodes of her Not Lukewarm Podcast to a chapter-by-chapter discussion of this book, and I’ve enjoyed hearing a second perspective on what I’d already read on my own. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
Ignatius on Forgiveness
It’s pretty curious that two Ignatian books have landed in front of me at the same time, but sometimes that’s how things happen, and that often means God’s trying to tell me something. The Ignatian Guide to Forgiveness: 10 Steps to Healing by Marina Berzins McCoy (Loyola Press) is an excellent guide to letting go of the paint that keeps us from moving forward with forgiveness, and with our lives.
The author walks you through stories from Scripture, Ignatian teaching, and real-life stories in each chapter, concluding the chapters with prayers and (often) practical ways to apply the principles described in each chapter.
I’m still reading this one, bit by bit in the Adoration chapel. This is definitely a book that lends itself to this approach.
Too Busy? Read this one!
I moved The Busy Person’s Guide to an Extraordinary Life by Deacon Greg Kandra (The Word Among Us Press) to the top of my “to be read” pile when I realized I’d purchased it more than a year ago and never gotten around to reading it. There’s no excuse! I’ve been a longtime fan of Deacon Greg’s work because his writing is clear, precise, simple, and accessible. There’s nothing complicated here; Deacon Greg is a terrific writer and inspiring storyteller.
Chapters are brief and can be read in any order. They include a meditation, which sometimes comes with an anecdote or three; “Consider This” with long quotes to ponder; “Try This” with a challenge; and “Pray This.”
This Bible Is Much More than a Pretty Face
The brand-new Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible from Ave Maria Press is undoubtedly beautiful, inside and out. I don’t know who did the book design for this, but the design team outdid themselves on this one.
I think it’s good to have a beautiful Bible. First of all, beauty invites you to look inside, and the first step to reading the Bible is opening the Bible. There are lovely touches throughout, from colorful headings to invitations to further reflection to the “Women of the Word” and “Living in the Light of Faith” and several other series of reflective essays sprinkled throughout the book. These essays, along with the boxes labeled “Take It to Heart” and the ruled journaling space on nearly ever page, offer opportunities to personalize this Bible by frequent reading, reflection, prayer, and writing. If you want to read the Bible more this year, this is the Bible for you. (Review copy received from publisher)
Visit the January #OpenBook post to join the linkup or just get some great ideas about what to read! You’ll find it at Carolyn Astfalk’s A Scribbler’s Heart and at CatholicMom.com!
Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!
Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.
I know, I know, 7 Quick Takes isn’t a thing anymore. But Rita over at Catholic Review keeps up with it, and I thought it would be a good way to try to stay active in this space for more than just book reviews. So away we go! This week, among other things, we’re talking about why I probably should be avoiding social media right now.
One: I’m exasperated with the Pope Benedict coverage.
Yes, I want to keep up with the story as much as any other Catholic. But yesterday (and the news only came out yesterday that he was likely in his last days) there were already articles popping up about his legacy. Could we maybe wait to break stories with a legacy angle until after he’s actually dead?
(For the record, I’m fine with tweets urging people to pray for him and others who are dying. It’s always good to remind people to pray for the dying. And I’m even OK with seeing people reminisce about Benedict’s impact on their spiritual lives. But please … don’t frame it as a legacy while he’s still alive.)
Two: I’m generally grumpy.
It’s a bad idea to go on social media when you’re grumpy. You’ll only wind up feeling worse. Even though I’ve worked hard to curate my Instagram feed to avoid the Manufactured Perfection™ crowd, that kind of thing creeps in sometimes. And tempting as it may be, it’s not nice to subtweet.
Three: FOMO caused by everyone’s “Word of the Year” and “Saint of the Year” posts on All The Socials.
Picking a Saint of the Year is an excellent spiritual practice. So excellent, in fact, that Franciscans have been doing so for years, in a ritual known as “Extraction of Saints” that takes place around Epiphany.
In my Secular Franciscan fraternity, we pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us, and then a patron saint for the year, a virtue, and a maxim (usually from the writings of St. Francis of Assisi) are chosen for each member, along with the name of another member who’s your Prayer Partner for the year. This means YOU are interceding for THEM in prayer (the term’s a little vague, but that’s the intent). My fraternity, though, doesn’t meet until the end of the month, so I’ll have to wait until January 28 to find out my saint and virtue for the year.
So I’ll get a saint for the year, but it’ll be a while yet.
Four: What about last year’s Saint of the Year?
This is the second time I’ve had St. Angela of Foligno as my patron saint. Clearly I hadn’t learned enough the first time around, and I don’t think I’ve done better this year. We’re supposed to spend some time studying about our saint, learning about their lives. I know that St. Angela had a radical conversion experience and was a mystic and poet. Being the practical sort, I tend not to even try relating to a saint who was a mystic and poet.
Five: What’s for dinner?
Tonight we had Barbecue Chicken Shepherd’s Pie. I had some leftover potato filling from last week’s pierogi, and I didn’t want to waste it. Probably wouldn’t have had leftover pierogi filling, but the children insisted that we try filling some pierogi with buffalo chicken dip. (I didn’t try those.)
Anyway, the shepherd’s pie with the pierogi potatoes? Highly recommend.
Six: What’s the plan?
I’m road-testing a new-to-me planner this New Year: the Saintmaker planner. It’s got a LOT going on, and I think I’ll be easing into it, but I spent some time today working through some goals in the extensive goal-setting section right up in the front of the book—and that was definitely a useful practice. This planner is a combination spiritual journal/planner, and I’m excited to try it out, since it’s completely different from other planners I’ve used before.
You can use code FRANCISCANMOM to save 10% off your planner, and expect some peeks inside on Instagram in the near future.
Seven: What am I looking forward to?
Tomorrow, Notre Dame plays in the Gator Bowl. I’m ready! My daughter gave me ND pajamas, and I don’t care that the game starts at 3:30 PM: I’m wearing them. I’ll also have my Joe Montana jersey, ND socks, and leprechaun sneakers to complete the Obnoxious Fan look. Still need to think up a good meatless game-day dinner (something quick that I can whip up during halftime). But at the moment, I’m not motivated (see also: take 2).
You can tell this is a stock photo and not really me, because nail polish doesn’t happen around here.
Copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Stencil
This post contains affiliate links.
