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Hand crafted rosaries. Shared Stories. A Journey of Faith.
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Our Newsletter is here to share more about our mission, faith and the story behind what we do and what we make. We hope you join us each week to learn more about how this mission impacts our lives and those we serve.
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Moments of Grace
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What does it mean to be "One in the Lord"?
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Rosary Reflection
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This week we are going to look at the Open Carry Option.
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Something to ponder or journal on
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A Prayer for Your Week
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Heavenly Father, through the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, bring the light of Your grace into our homes. Through the intercession of St. Peter Claver, give us open hearts to serve those in need with genuine love. Through the courage of St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre, strengthen our faith during times of trial. And under the holy name of Mary, grant protection and peace to our families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Saints of the Week
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A short reflection on the Saints of this week.
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- Tuesday - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Wednesday - St. Peter Claver
- Friday - St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre
- Saturday - Most Holy Name of Mary
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Along the Way
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A couple of months ago, I was pondering what it means to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In the Catholic Church, when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We also know from Scripture that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us.
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While pondering this, I got caught up trying to imagine how the fullness of the Holy Spirit could dwell in each of us all at the same time. Physically, we know this would be impossible, but we are talking about a spiritual Being, not a physical one. Still, I struggled to picture it. Instead, I imagined that each of us is spiritually tethered to the Holy Spirit. We are all connected to the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit can be connected to our spirits simultaneously.
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This image was much easier for me to comprehend. I was not sure if it had any theological basis, but it made sense to me—certainly more sense than the idea of the Holy Spirit being divided up, like a bunch of copies being made and handed out.
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So, I asked a priest if this concept of being tethered to the Holy Spirit was just something my mind made up or if there was a theological basis for it. He told me a saint had written about a similar idea using a different term. After some research, I think it was Saint John Vianney, who often spoke of the Holy Spirit as a stream of water or power source that we must stay connected to or aligned with in order to move.
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Yet, the issue with my initial understanding was that it seemed to contrast with scripture passages describing us as "temples of the Holy Spirit" and speaking of the "indwelling" of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that we are more than just connected to the Holy Spirit; He truly lives in us.
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Recently, I was thinking about this again during Holy Mass—specifically during the Consecration. I remembered someone telling me that when the priest prays for the Holy Spirit to come down upon the gifts, I shouldn't waste the opportunity to place myself on the altar so that I can be transformed, too.
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I started thinking about this and got confused all over again: If the Holy Spirit is already in me, why would I need to wait for Him to descend upon the gifts to be transformed?
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It turns out that during the part of the Mass called the Epiclesis (which means "calling down upon"), two things happen at once. The Holy Spirit is called down to transform the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus, and the Spirit is also called down to unite us into the Body of Christ. The same Spirit who dwells in us changes the bread and wine, and because of that indwelling, the Spirit unites us all.
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This is where the idea of being tethered comes back in. The Holy Spirit connects—or tethers—us together because the same Spirit dwells in each of us.
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If you are like me, your mind is probably spinning trying to comprehend all of this. And just because I am writing this, do not be fooled into thinking I have it all figured out! Writing about this is my way of trying to understand it.
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Trying to know the unknowable is an act of faith. Being open and willing to listen is key. In my prayer time, I try to stay open to the spontaneous thoughts that come to mind. Sometimes they make sense to me while my beloved thinks I am crazy; other times, she agrees the thought was inspired. Either way, it leads me to ponder further and ask if God is using it to change me.
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Keep your heart open and listening, and maybe some of those unexpected thoughts will come to you, too. Hopefully, you are as blessed as I am to have someone in your life with whom you can share them—someone who longs to know what is in your heart.
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The Weekly Saint | Reflections for
September 7 – September 13, 2026
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Welcome to this week's edition of The Weekly Saint. As we move into the second week of September, the Church’s liturgical calendar presents us with a rich tapestry of feast days. These holy men and women remind us that Christ meets us in every state of life—in the quiet joy of family roots, in the courage to defend human dignity, and in the daily commitment to educate and care for our neighbors.
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Here are the feast days and saints guiding our reflections for this week
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Tuesday, September 8: The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Dawn of Hope and Salvation
On Tuesday, the Church celebrates one of the oldest liturgical feast days on the calendar: the birth of Mary. While the Church typically celebrates saints on the date of their death (their birth into eternal life), there are three exceptions whose earthly births are celebrated because they were filled with grace from the start: Jesus, St. John the Baptist, and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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Mary's birth marks the dawning of salvation history. Like the morning star that appears just before the sun rises, her arrival signals that the Light of the World—Jesus Christ—is near.
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- Takeaway for the week: Mary’s life began with a quiet, hidden gift of grace in a small family. Take time this week to thank God for the quiet, unseen ways He is working behind the scenes in your own life and family.
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Wednesday, September 9: St. Peter Claver (1580–1654)
"Slave of the Slaves Forever"
We continue our week with a heroic Spanish Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to serving enslaved human beings in Cartagena, Colombia—one of the central slave-trade ports of the New World.
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For over forty years, whenever a slave ship entered the harbor, Peter Claver boarded the vessel with medical supplies, fresh water, food, and translators. He cared for the sick, comforted the dying, and shared the Gospel with dignity and love, personalizing his mission by signing his official vows: Petrus Claver, aethiopum semper servus ("Peter Claver, slave of the Africans forever"). He personally baptized over 300,000 people during his ministry.
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- Patronage: Human rights, African Americans, Colombia, and race relations.
- Takeaway for the week: St. Peter Claver showed that true Christian love breaks down social barriers. How can you show dignity, kindness, or support to someone who feels isolated or overlooked in your community?
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Friday, September 11: St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre (1802–1840)
Perseverance in the Face of Trial
On Friday, we honor a Vincentian priest from France who felt a deep call to foreign missions from an early age. Despite suffering from frail physical health, he successfully traveled to China to preach the Gospel and care for local Christian communities during a period of intense religious persecution.
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When anti-Christian violence broke out, Jean-Gabriel was betrayed by one of his catechumens for money, arrested, and endured months of imprisonment and severe interrogation. Throughout his trials, he remained completely serene, forgiving his captors and offering his suffering for the growth of the Church. He was martyred in Wuhan in 1840.
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- Patronage: Missionaries, the sick, and those facing persecution.
- Takeaway for the week: When facing unexpected setbacks, health struggles, or opposition, lean heavily on prayer. Christ gives us the exact grace we need for each day’s trial.
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Saturday, September 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary
A Refuge in Times of Need
We close our week with a feast day instituted to honor the spiritual power, sweetness, and protection found in the name of Our Lady. Popularized in the Middle Ages and later expanded to the universal Church by Pope Innocent XI, this feast invites believers to invoke Mary's name with childlike trust whenever they face fear or hardship.
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Saint Bernard of Clairvaux famously wrote: "In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her name not depart from your lips, never depart from your heart."
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- Takeaway for the week: Keep a simple prayer on your lips during busy or stressful moments this week: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us."
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A Prayer for Your Week
Heavenly Father, through the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, bring the light of Your grace into our homes. Through the intercession of St. Peter Claver, give us open hearts to serve those in need with genuine love. Through the courage of St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre, strengthen our faith during times of trial. And under the holy name of Mary, grant protection and peace to our families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Have a blessed and beautiful week of prayer!
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Let's Take A Look At Our Open Carry Option.
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Last week, we took a look at our Paracord rosaries and talked about how much we love the wide variety of color and bead options available. However, there’s one feature we forgot to mention: our Open Carry option.
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We stumbled upon this trend online about a year ago and immediately fell in love with the concept. After a bit of searching, we found these beautiful belt clips designed to add an Open Carry option to our Paracord rosaries.
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Personally, I’m not someone who usually wears flashy clothes or jewelry, so I was a bit apprehensive at first. But the more I’ve done it, the easier it has become. Wearing it openly serves as a constant reminder to be the man of God I am called to be, as I want my life to reflect the faith I carry.
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We haven’t officially added this feature to our website yet, so consider yourselves "in the know." If you or someone you know would like to take the bold step of proudly carrying a rosary for all to see, just let us know when placing your order, and we’d love to make one for you.
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I have been praying the St. Michael’s Lent Challenge on the Hallow app, From Sinner to Saint, journeying with St. Augustine through his Confessions. The challenge will conclude with the Novena to St. Michael the Archangel and the Feast of the Archangels—Michael, Gabriel and Raphael—on September 29th.
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There has been so much to ponder throughout this journey, but something Fr. Ambrose shared in last Sunday’s Gospel reflection has stayed with me all week.
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Reflecting on Jesus’ words to take up our cross and follow Him, Fr. Ambrose spoke about the cross we encounter right in the midst of the life we are living. He shared from St. Louis de Montfort’s Letter to the Friends of the Cross and the beautiful image of each of us carrying our own cross—not another’s—a cross known by God in every detail.
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Those words struck a chord with me.
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Perhaps because lately, I have been thinking quite a bit about suffering, surrender, and the crosses we never would have chosen for ourselves.
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I can look at someone else’s cross and think I could carry that one better. Or I can wonder why this particular cross has found its way into my life.
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But Jesus does not ask me to carry someone else’s cross. He asks me to take up mine and follow Him.
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And perhaps that is where the invitation lies—not in understanding why this cross is mine, or pretending that it isn't heavy, but in discovering how to carry it with Him.
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Fr. Ambrose reminded us that St. Louis speaks of embracing our cross joyfully, lovingly and courageously. Those are challenging words when the cross hurts! But we are able to cling tightly to Jesus because He has already walked the road before us. He knows suffering. He knows Calvary. And He knows exactly what it is to carry a cross.
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Fr. Ambrose also offered another beautiful image: in the early Church, the cross was portrayed not primarily as an image of suffering, but as a sign of victory—radiant and triumphant.
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I have been ruminating on that all week. The cross is real. The suffering is real. But neither gets the final word.
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So perhaps today I don't need to understand the cross that is mine to carry. Perhaps I simply need to take it up, cling tightly to Jesus, and trust that He will walk every single step with me.
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Lots to ponder. Lots of food for thought. And perhaps a question for each of us as we travel Along the Way:
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Where do I find my cross in the life I am living right now—and am I willing to let Jesus help me carry it?
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Where do I find my cross in the life I am living right now—and am I willing to let Jesus help me carry it?
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Until Next Week
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Wherever this newsletter finds you today, whether your heart is full of joy or carrying a burden known only to you, know that you are remembered in our prayers. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus fill you with His peace, the Immaculate Heart of Mary wrap you in her loving mantle, and the humble and chaste Heart of St. Joseph guide and protect you this week. Until we meet again, may God bless you and those you love.
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Links for this week's Newsletter
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