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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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How much do I desire to have a clean heart?
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Rosary Reflection
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This week we created Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel.
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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 triumph of the Holy Cross, strengthen our hope in Your eternal love. Through the compassionate intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, comfort all who carry heavy hearts. Through the witness of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, preserve unity and charity within our families. And through the wisdom of St. Robert Bellarmine, grant us clarity of mind and generosity of heart. 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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- Monday - Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
- Tuesday - Our Lady of Sorrows
- Wednesday - SS. Cornelius and Cyprian
- Thursday - St. Robert Bellarmine
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Along the Way
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I got a great big love tap to the head from the Holy Spirit
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Two weeks ago, I shared about the surgery to treat the melanoma found on my chest. Part of the procedure was the removal of the lymph node closest to the spot on my chest where the melanoma was first discovered.
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When we first met with the surgical oncologist, he explained that since the sample removed by the dermatologist showed the melanoma was only 0.8mm deep, there was less than a 5% chance the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. We had two options: have him remove the lymph node at the same time he removed the skin around the melanoma site, or simply monitor the lymph nodes and remove them later if they showed signs of cancer.
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The decision was easy for us. This was cancer we were dealing with, so we weren't about to take any chances. We asked for the lymph node to be removed along with the skin on my chest.
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It turns out we made the right choice, because we just found out they did find cancer cells in the lymph node. Thankfully, it was a very small amount and appeared to be contained within the node. Now, I will be going for a PET scan and a brain MRI to see if there are any signs of cancer anywhere else in my body.
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Naturally, this is causing me some anxiety. It feels like limbo—like my life is on hold until we know the outcome. The not knowing is sometimes harder to deal with than getting the results. I found myself thinking, "I just want this cancer out of me, and I won't be able to be at ease until I know it's all gone."
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And that's when I got smacked in the back of the head by the Holy Spirit, who said, "You should want your sin to be removed from your soul as much as you want this cancer removed. The cancer can only kill your body. Sin can do much more damage to your soul."
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I say I got "smacked upside the head" figuratively, of course, but the message felt like that. It certainly got my attention. I have been thinking about it constantly since, and I was led to read Psalm 51. Psalm 51 is prayed daily in the Eastern Catholic Tradition, so my affiliation with St. Basil's through Cursillo had made me quite familiar with it. It is believed to have been written by King David after he was convicted of his sinful actions with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah.
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"Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
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Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar."
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This Psalm is a great example of what repentance should look like. I have always loved this passage—the true desire to be washed clean and to have a new and right spirit put within me. But until now, I have never asked myself why I don't feel this way whenever I sin.
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The closer I get to Jesus, the more it should hurt when I do what is evil in His eyes. But it hasn't always felt that way. Have I grown so comfortable in my relationship with Him that I no longer fear disappointing Him?
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Sometimes it takes a trial like an illness to shake us to the core. When a tree is shaken, its fruit falls off. I am grateful for the fruit that has fallen and given me this opportunity to awaken a repentant spirit within me—a true hatred for sin and anything that is not pleasing to Our Lord Jesus.
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The Weekly Saint | Reflections for September 14 – September 20
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Welcome to this week's edition of The Weekly Saint. As we step into mid-September, the Church’s liturgical calendar draws our gaze directly to the mystery of the Cross and the profound grace found in Christian devotion. These holy men and women remind us that whether standing at the foot of the Cross, defending the faith through intellectual clarity, or nurturing the faith in our homes, Christ remains our steady anchor.
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Here are the feast days and saints guiding our reflections for this week
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Monday, September 14: Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The Tree of Victory and Hope
We open our week with a major feast day honoring the instrument of our salvation. Rooted historically in the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the recovery of the True Cross by Emperor Heraclius, this feast invites us to view the Cross not merely as a symbol of suffering, but as the supreme sign of divine love and triumph.
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Through the Cross, what was once an instrument of execution became the tree of life. As St. Paul reminds us, the message of the Cross is the power of God for all who believe.
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- Takeaway for the week: When you carry heavy burdens or face difficult trials this week, make the Sign of the Cross with intention, uniting your daily struggles with the victory of Christ.
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Tuesday, September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows
Standing Faithfully in Love and Compassion
Directly following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church reflects on the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From Simeon’s prophecy in the Temple to standing at the foot of the Cross on Calvary, Mary’s heart was pierced alongside her Son’s.
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Mary’s witness teaches us how to remain present in moments of grief and hardship. She did not flee from suffering; she stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross, filled with unshakeable trust in God's eternal promise.
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- Takeaway for the week: Offer a decade of the Rosary this week for someone in your family or community who is currently walking through a season of sorrow or illness.
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Wednesday, September 16: Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
Unity and Courage in Times of Division
On Wednesday, we honor two 3rd-century leaders and close friends who guided the early Church through intense persecution and internal division under Emperor Decius. Cornelius was elected Pope during a turbulent era, and Cyprian was the brilliant Bishop of Carthage.
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Together, they defended the true faith against rigorist heresies and advocated for gentle mercy toward Christians who had faltered under persecution but sought to return to the Church. Both ended their earthly journeys by giving their lives as martyrs for Christ.
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- Patronage: St. Cornelius (ear ailments, cattle, twitching); St. Cyprian (North Africa, Algeria).
- Takeaway for the week: True Christian leadership balances unwavering commitment to truth with deep, merciful compassion for human weakness.
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Thursday, September 17: St. Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621)
Clarity of Mind and Quiet Humility
On Thursday, we celebrate a Jesuit cardinal, Doctor of the Church, and one of the most formidable theologians of the Counter-Reformation. Known for his vast intellect and gentle demeanor, Robert Bellarmine produced comprehensive writings that defended Catholic doctrine with clarity and charity.
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Despite holding prominent positions in Rome, Bellarmine lived a remarkably simple and austere life. He gave most of his income to the poor, famously using the wall hangings from his apartments to clothe the cold, remarking, "The walls won’t catch cold."
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- Patronage: Catechists, canon lawyers, theologians, and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Takeaway for the week: St. Robert Bellarmine showed that intellectual brilliance shines brightest when paired with genuine humility and practical care for the poor.
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A Prayer for Your Week
Heavenly Father, through the triumph of the Holy Cross, strengthen our hope in Your eternal love. Through the compassionate intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, comfort all who carry heavy hearts. Through the witness of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, preserve unity and charity within our families. And through the wisdom of St. Robert Bellarmine, grant us clarity of mind and generosity of heart. 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 Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel
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Last week, my beloved turned to me and asked if I could make her a Saint Michael Chaplet. She was doing a challenge on the Hallow app that included the chaplet, but we did not have any beads she could use to pray it.
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We had made a Saint Michael chaplet once before for a customer who wanted a different color for each of the nine choirs of angels. We used the same beads we use in our De Colores Rosary for it. It was very beautiful and unique, but I never felt called to make more to sell on our website—until now.
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The chaplet is prayed to honor Saint Michael, the other Archangels, and all the choirs of angels. There are nine choirs that we know of because they have been revealed to us in Holy Scripture: the Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The main loop of the chaplet is divided into nine sections. In each section, we ask Saint Michael and one of the choirs to intercede for us. On the remaining four beads at the tail, we say an Our Father to honor St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and our Guardian Angel. It is a beautiful prayer, and we highly recommend it to anyone.
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I started by showing my beloved a picture of the chaplet we made years ago, but she wasn't drawn to the multicolor look. So, I went up to our office where we keep all our rosary supplies and pulled out some 8mm blue cat's eye beads that I had ordered for another project but never ended up using. When working on custom designs, I often order several options for beads or medals—things can look much different in your hands than they do online! Since I had no immediate plans for these beads, I showed them to my beloved, and she loved them. She also loves the Saint Benedict beads we use in our Spiritual Warfare Rosaries, so we had to incorporate those, too.
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Then it was on to the centerpiece and cross. I find the hunt for parts both fun and frustrating. The internet is amazing, and you can find almost anything online these days, which makes the search exciting. But when you can't find exactly what you're looking for, it can be disappointing.
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Fortunately, finding Saint Michael crosses and centerpieces wasn't frustrating at all. Since Saint Michael is the patron saint of law enforcement and the military, there are many options to choose from. The hard part was simply deciding which ones to use! My beloved liked the idea of honoring our Guardian Angel, so we chose a centerpiece with St. Michael on one side and a Guardian Angel on the other.
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When I came across the cross we ultimately selected, I knew right away it was the one. I love the image of Saint Michael standing triumphantly with wings wide open, so finding a cross featuring that image set in front of the Holy Trinity was incredible. I fell in love with it immediately and was thrilled to find it in stainless steel. Gold and sterling silver have become so expensive that we rarely use them; we want our rosaries and chaplets to be affordable yet durable. Stainless steel is a fantastic option, and we've been using it in many of our designs lately. Thanks to this cross and center, the chaplet has a wonderful weight to it—it feels solid in your hand.
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If you are interested in getting one for yourself or as a gift, you will find a link to the product on our website at the bottom of this newsletter.
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I got a great big love tap to the head from the Holy Spirit
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I have been praying the Surrender Novena for many years, often on repeat. But sometimes I wonder whether the words become so familiar that I pray them by rote rather than in earnest:
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Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything.
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This week I received a great big reminder of what those words really mean.
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I know without a doubt that I have surrendered my current season to the Lord. It took me a while to get here, and when the pain is at its peak, sometimes I have to surrender all over again. But I know that I am loved beyond measure and that Jesus is with me in every moment.
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My physical journey and my spiritual journey are two different things. Physically, not much may have changed. There are still flare-ups, cramps, chronic pain, limited mobility, sleepless nights and days when ordinary things require new ways of doing them. I continue to seek treatments that may help and I have hope that things can change.
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Spiritually, however, something has changed.
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After my second surgery, and particularly during this past year when my body wasn't responding to some of the typical treatments or recovering as I had hoped, I prayed, surrendered and finally began to let go. Chronic pain may be something I must learn to live with for a time—or perhaps longer. I don't know.
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So, I try to accept each day as it comes, offer what I am experiencing to Him and ask Him to use it as He wills. I can hope for healing while accepting where I am today. Those things are not opposite. His grace allows me to do both.
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It's not always easy, but Grazie a Dio, it is working for me in this season.
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This week, while praying with St. Michael's Lent Challenge on Hallow, I received what I can only describe as a great big love tap to the head from the Holy Spirit.
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During one of the meditations, Fr. Isaiah asked us to consider: Where in my life am I saying, “Not yet,” to God? What am I still holding back rather than fully surrendering to Jesus?
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I prayed about it. I pondered it. I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal whatever I was holding tightly in my hands. Nothing came. Days passed, and I kept returning to the question.
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Fr. Isaiah also spoke about surrender not simply as giving something up but recognizing the presence of Someone more. Surrender is about Who we are giving ourselves to. And there it was.
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I pray for John always, but since his melanoma diagnosis, my prayers have become a constant mixture of petition—and worry. At night, when my beloved is sleeping soundly beside me, I sometimes reach over and place my hand on the scars from his surgery and pray. I pray for his healing, his tests, his doctors, his medical team and whatever treatment or monitoring may come next.
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But then my mind races ahead. What will the tests show? What comes next? What if this? What if that? Sometimes I wake during the night not only because of my own pain, but because I am worrying about him.
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There it was—the place I had not surrendered.
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I had surrendered myself. I had surrendered my pain, my recovery, my uncertainty and the possibility that my life might look different than I expected. But surrendering my beloved was another story.
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And then came another grace.
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For the first time, I understood more deeply what John has been experiencing as he has watched me go through surgeries, pain and a difficult recovery. He has told me how helpless he sometimes feels watching me hurt when he cannot make it better. Now I understand.
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Love makes us want to protect the person we love. It makes us want to fix what hurts, know what comes next and somehow stand between our beloved and suffering.
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But we can't. And perhaps that is where surrender becomes especially difficult—and especially beautiful.
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As much as I love John, Jesus loves him even more than I can fathom.
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I don't have to hold my beloved more tightly out of fear. I can place him into the hands of the One who gave him to me. I can pray. I can accompany him to appointments. I can hold his hand. I can advocate, encourage, listen, love and walk beside him through whatever comes next. But I cannot control the outcome.
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Jesus, I surrender my beloved to You. Take care of everything.
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The cross is real. The suffering is real. But neither gets the final word. Christ does.
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I believe that. And this season is teaching me that surrender means believing it not only for myself, but for the person I love most in this world.
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Praise be to God for the many ways He reaches us—the Scriptures, the saints, a priest's words, the sister of my heart, the person sleeping beside us, and even those great big love taps from the Holy Spirit that remind us to loosen our grip and trust Him.
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Jesus, I surrender it all to You.
Take care of everything.
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Where in my life am I saying, “Not yet,” to God? What am I still holding back rather than fully surrendering to Jesus?
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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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