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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 do Samson, Solomon and David all have in common? A reminder sparked by this week's first reading at Sunday Mass.
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Rosary Reflection
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We are highlighting the Five Stones Medjugorje Rosary and the story behind its creation.
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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 intercession of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, teach us to welcome Your Son into our daily work and quiet prayers. Through the guidance of St. Ignatius, grant us the grace to seek Your glory in all things. And through the wisdom of St. Alphonsus Liguori, deepen our trust in Your endless mercy. 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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- Wednesday - SS. Martha, Mary and Lazarus
- Thursday - St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Saturday - St. Alphonsus Liguori
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Along the Way
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“We walk by faith and not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7
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Moments of Grace
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I am one of the lectors for our parish and this week was my turn to lector. While preparing the readings I was struck by the first reading (1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12). The humility and selflessness shown by Solomon when the Lord told him to ask for anything he wanted and Solomon asked for wisdom so he could be a fair and just king for his people. And Solomon became more wise than anyone before or after him. This reminded me of a line from the book, "The Resolution for Men", that I had read back in 2011. The book came out at the same time the move Courageous. The book was inspired by the making of the movie which we highly recommend seeing.
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The book reads like a "how to" for men looking to live a life centered around their faith and family. Ladies don't worry, they also released a version for women called, "The Resolution for Women". The line from the book that I was reminded of was about never letting your guard down or vigilance. "Solomon (the wisest man in the Bible), Samson ( the strongest man in the Bible), and David (the man after God's own heart) all fell the same way: women and sex. And if it happen to them when they let their guards down, it could happen to you too."
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I think the sin that they all shared was pride. Thinking that nothing like that could happen to them and for various reasons, they all let their guards down.
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A strong marriage is hard to achieve and maintain. For those of us who are married, the stakes are huge when it comes to falling into the trap that nothing like that will ever happen to us. We are human, we make mistakes. And with grace the action can be forgiven, but the effects are permanent. It is not our strength, wisdom or being beloved of God that is going to keep us from going astray. While our mistakes might not yet be at the same level as those of Sampson, David and Solomon. If we don't keep our guard up we could get there in time. Only vigilance and fortitude can keep us from that. It's like the line from the Casting Crowns song Slow Fade, "Families never crumble in a day, it's a slow a fade." Or that line from the act of contrition where we promise to avoid the near occasion of sin. That can only happen by keeping our guards up.
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I think we all start off our marriage thinking this will never happen to us. So why does it happen all too often? Perhaps it is that if we think it can never happen to us, we are not on guard for it. And when we are not on guard, like Samson, Solomon and David, it can happen to us. So we need to adopt the humble attitude that if it can happened to the strongest, wisest and most beloved by God, that it could happen to us. Linda and I married around the time the movie and book came out. Both the movie and the books sparked a lot of conversations about how we wanted to protect our marriage. Practical things that would work for us. Simple things like always including each other when texting or emailing with friends of the opposite sex. No guys/girls nights out or weekends away.
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If the goal of marriage is oneness, we should be finding ways to bring us closer together and vigilant for things that could drive us apart. When we watch TV, we find something we both like to watch. We share the same bedtime. These are all little things but they help to keep us spending more time together and drawing closer to each other.
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But let us not rest on our laurels. The lesson from Samson, David and Solomon is to never let your guard down. Always be on the lookout for the cracks in the foundation where snakes can find their way in. Don't let them get any bigger and seal them up as soon as you find them. For us, volunteering at Pre-Cana is a way for us to examen our marriage and look for those cracks. We have the blessing of facilitating the Pre-Cana which means we are there for the whole time and get to hear all the talks. We usually go home saying something like, "we really need to work more on our...". Some of the talks we have heard a few times now but because of where we are at in our lives when we hear it, we always hear something new and something we need to work on. The blessing of volunteering is that you always get back more than you put into it. It is so rewarding and, in the case of Pre-Cana, it is a huge benefit to our marriage. So what are the ways you examine your life for those cracks? The Church offers us so many tools for honest self examination. Confession is a big one. So let's get to work and fill some cracks!
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The Weekly Saints | Late July & Early August Reflections
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Welcome to this week's edition of The Weekly Saint. As we bridge the gap between the end of July and the start of August, the Church's liturgical calendar brings us a powerful collection of witnesses. These holy lives remind us that Christ meets us right where we are—whether we are seeking greater discipline in our daily work, deepening our commitment to prayer, or standing firm in our principles. This week, we look at three incredible models of holiness whose feast days fall between July 27th and August 1st. From quiet homes in Bethany to the scholar's desk, these guides are walking right alongside us.
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Wednesday, July 29: Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
The Sanctity of Hospitality and Friendship
We begin our mid-week reflections with three of Jesus' closest earthly friends. In 2021, Pope Francis officially expanded this feast day to honor all three siblings together, celebrating their unique witnesses to the Gospel. In the home at Bethany, we see the dynamic balance of Christian life: Martha's tireless spirit of service, Mary's quiet, reflective devotion sitting at the Lord's feet, and Lazarus' witness as a living monument to Christ's power over death. Together, they show us that our homes can become places where the Lord is truly welcomed, rested, and served.
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- Patronage: Homemakers, innkeepers, cooks, and family hospitality.
- Takeaway for the week: You don't have to choose between action and prayer; both are necessary parts of a holy life. How can you turn your ordinary daily chores into an act of welcome for Christ this week?
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Thursday, July 31: St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556)
Finding God in All Things
On Thursday, the Church honors the founder of the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus). Ignatius was originally a proud Spanish nobleman and soldier driven by dreams of military glory. However, after his leg was shattered by a cannonball at the Battle of Pamplona, his life took a radical turn. During his long recovery, with nothing to read except a life of Christ and a book on the saints, he experienced a profound inner transformation. Laying down his sword, he devoted his life to God and authored the Spiritual Exercises, giving the Church timeless tools like the Examen—a daily prayer practice designed to help us notice God's presence in the everyday moments of our lives.
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- Patronage: Soldiers, retreatants, and spiritual directors.
- Takeaway for the week: Take five minutes at the end of your day to look back on where you felt God's peace and where you felt challenged. Recognizing His presence in the small moments changes how we view our entire day.
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Saturday, August 1: St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787)
Moral Wisdom and Gentle Mercy
We close our week with a giant of moral theology and a Doctor of the Church. Born into a noble family near Naples, Alphonsus was a brilliant lawyer who gave up a lucrative legal career to become a priest, eventually founding the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists). Alphonsus was known for his deep compassion in the confessional and his beautiful, accessible writings on prayer and the Blessed Virgin Mary (including his famous Stations of the Cross). He taught that holiness is not reserved for monks and nuns in cloisters, but is accessible to every person, in every walk of life.
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- Patronage: Confessors, moral theologians, scrupulous persons, and arthritis sufferers.
- Takeaway for the week: St. Alphonsus frequently wrote that prayer is the simplest and most powerful tool we have. When you feel overwhelmed this week, offer up a brief, heartfelt prayer: "Lord, help me in this moment."
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A Prayer for Your Week
Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, teach us to welcome Your Son into our daily work and quiet prayers. Through the guidance of St. Ignatius, grant us the grace to seek Your glory in all things. And through the wisdom of St. Alphonsus Liguori, deepen our trust in Your endless mercy. 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 Closer Look At The Five Stones
Medjugorje Rosary
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In April of 2024, we had the blessing of going on a Pilgrimage that included three days in Medjugorje. The pilgrimage was led by Deacon John Hunt, who we met through our Cursillo community and both have grown to love. And it was sponsored by our favorite Catholic Tour company, 206 Tours. Neither of us had been to Medjugorje before, nor did we ever express any interest in going, but our love for Our Lady had us very excited to visit this holy place. Our only disappointment was that we only had two full days there and felt like we only scratched the surface of all that there is to experience there. We have talked to several friends who have been several times and now we know why. Aside from the apparitions and many miracles, it is the reverent spirit in that place that one cannot help but feel just walking the streets. It's one of those places where you can just sit in silence and completely loose track of time.
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One of the stories that stuck with us is of the Five Stones. During the monthly visits to the six children that started in 1981, Our Lady would give them a message to share. The main focus of the messages was Peace. Mir, Mir, Mir She would say. Mir is the Croatian word for peace. She even wrote the word in the sky for all to see. She implored us that peace must reign between God and man. But how do we obtain this peace?
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Father Jozo, parish priest of Medjugorje at the time the apparitions began would often use the story of David and Goliath as a way to simplify what we must do to be agents of peace. It is well known that David was able to defeat Goliath with a single stone. But what is less well known is that David was instructed to select five stones from the river to bring with him to battle Goliath (1 Samuel 17). So Fr. Jozo would say that we must carry our five stones into our battle for peace. These five stone represent the heart of Our Lady's messages. The five stones consist of:
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- Daily Prayer (The Rosary): Praying with the heart, specifically meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary every day, as well as maintaining an ongoing conversation with God.
- Eucharist (Holy Mass): Participating in Sunday Mass regularly, and attending daily Mass when possible, to keep Christ at the center of one's life.
- Monthly Confession: Going to the sacrament of reconciliation at least once a month. This is cited by the visionaries as a remedy for spiritual healing.
- Daily Reading of the Bible: Reading the Holy Scriptures daily and keeping a Bible in a prominent place in the home.
- Fasting: Fasting twice a week—ideally on Wednesdays and Fridays—on bread and water, to develop self-control and seek peace.
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The world is facing a "spiritual Goliath" of atheism, materialism, and lack of faith. By adopting these five daily and monthly disciplines, we are encouraged to transform our inner lives and promote peace in the world.
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Saint Benedict is widely recognized in Catholic tradition as a powerful protector against spiritual and physical harm. And the St. Benedict's medal has long been considered one of the best religious items to carry for spiritual protection. So if we are going to be a participant in this spiritual battle, bringing St. Benedict along is a smart choice. We were very excited to find a version of what we refer to as the Sorrowful Mother crucifix with the words, Mir Mir Mir on the back from a vendor in Medjugorje. We love this crucifix and were very happy to find a version from Medjugorje that we could use with this rosary.
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When we got home we knew we had to create a rosary inspired by the five stones. Many years ago, my mother asked me to make her a "grandmother" rosary by using letter beads to spell out the names of all her grandchildren in the rosary. And since the rosary has five decades, we decided to use letter beads to spell out the five stones, one on each decade. On the three Hail Mary beads at the beginning of the rosary we put the letters to spell MIR or peace in Croatian. For the Our Father beads we chose St. Benedict beads. We saw the St. Benedict medal all over in Medjugorje and many of the rosaries sold there included a St. Benedict medal. So what does St. Benedict have to do with Medjugorje?
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This rosary is the perfect gift for someone who has a devotion to Our Lady Queen of Peace, someone who has been or is going on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje or anyone looking to pray for peace and strengthen their spiritual life by practicing the five stones. The rosary is the greatest spiritual weapon, with this rosary, you carry the five stones with you too.
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" oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good:
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for His steadfast love endures forever!"
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I have been on a perpetual journey working on acceptance and surrender. Some days I’m more successful than others. And while I know that this season I’m going through is nothing compared to the suffering so many others face every single day, I sometimes forget that—especially when the pain takes over or when exhaustion hits.
I can be a sassy and demanding daughter when I'm praying to my Heavenly Father (just ask my beloved!), but in the quiet of the night, when sleep won’t come and the pain is sharpest, I find myself drawing ever closer to Jesus. it's always been that way for me, but now in the aches and pains of life its a bit different.
I know that what I experience is nothing at all to what Jesus experienced for love of me, but I have found solace in uniting myself to Him when I am in unrelenting pain. And I am reminded how so many nights growing up I could hear my mother in her quiet suffering praying and lifting all to Jesus, the next morning you would never know what she was going through, her joy and her love her strength in facing another difficult day was what greeted me in the morning. So I unite myself, my discomfort to Him, I offer it all to Jesus to use as He wills. That isn't easy, I am strong willed and I want to have a say, I want to offer what I am going through for a person, people and situations I am praying for, and I do, but first I give it all to Jesus and then I ask him if he wills for those I'm praying for. Jesus doesn't need my prayer, He already knows them even before I do. But I need to say them, to offer them and to let them go to Him to do as He wills.
I pray for acceptance, He knows my heart, He knows how much I love Him and how grateful I am for it all, I praise Him and offer thanksgiving for all that He does for me, the things the eyes of my heart are open to see and the many things I miss along the way. And I remind Him—more like I remind myself - that I can’t do this without Him. I know that every breath is from Him, I am only here by His grace and any steam I have is His. And I surrender it all and ask Him to use it as He wills. Most of all, I ask Him to stay close. Because it’s only by His grace that I’m getting through.
And as quickly as I surrender, I can slide back, I have to remind myself again and again. My prayer a constant “Lord use what I’m going through. Let it not be wasted. Let it draw me closer to You. And please – stay close – I need You Lord in all of this, I need you in everything."
The nights are the hardest. I’m still limited in how I can move, and when I wake in pain, often a few times a night. I need the little step below the bed to rest my feet on before getting out. Then I reach for the rail of the stool that is nearby with one hand and the handle of the walker that is near the bed to get out and steady myself before I can walk freely away from the bed. Once I'm up I'm good, and I am accepting that for now this is my new normal.
In a few weeks it will be a year since I woke up with a significant fracture on my disc between L3 and L4. I was experiencing some pain, but nothing I couldn't handle. What I didn't know at the time was that my disc shifted and fractured and was pressing on my spinal cord. I was in excruciating pain down the right side of my body all the way down to my foot and I was unable to sit, stand, walk or get up to go to the restroom. I had emergency surgery on a Sunday morning. And I thought that once I recovered from the surgery that would be the end of it and life would go back to normal, work, travel, cooking, gardening, relaxing in the oasis and the day to day. I was told it would take a while, that there was significant space between my vertebrae and I needed it give it time to heal and for the nerves to settle down. I got it, and little by little I believed that things would be back to normal and I would be strong enough the following year to go on a planned pilgrimage to Medjugorje with Deacon John in August 2026.
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In the beginning of my recovery, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to climb Apparition Hill again. But my faith in God and in His healing is strong - and I was determined to go to Medjugorje again and confident in my resilience to recover quickly and resume a very active lifestyle. We went ahead and booked the pilgrimage that is now heading to Medjugorje with Deacon John next month.
We couldn't wait to return to Medjugorje. It was there that we learned about the five stones. As soon as we got back from that pilgrimage I told John that I wanted a five stones rosary and we created one. And I couldn't wait to go back up Apparition Hill and find a quiet place to sit and pray my rosary.
That was the plan. Then in late September, early October, increased pain in my back and now going down both legs, despite PT and following all protocols I was still having difficulty and limitations walking and couldn't sit, stand or walk for any extend time. I still wasn't able to spend time in the kitchen and cook and do my cooking videos and share my recipes and we were not able to host our usual holiday gatherings. A follow up MRI showed a new disc herniation at the same L3-L4 level. It also showed issues at L4-L5 and L5-S1 and nerve compression on both sides, not just the right. I had a second surgery, but I remained hopeful that I was still going to be able to go to Medjugorje in August 2026.
My recovery and healing journey is still ongoing and not where it needs to be in order to travel. MRIs in April and May of this year revealed expected post-surgery changes, plus some ongoing disc issues and nerve pressure from bone and disc touching several areas on my right side and on my left side that continue to cause back issues, limitations and significant nerve pain down both legs to my feet. I will spare you the breakdown of the issues at every level of my vertebrae from L1 down to L5 and S1. Inflammation that was aspirated and thanks be to God is not bacterial, but still exists. And two steroid injections to the right-side nerve roots at L3 and L4 that I had in June that to date have given me little to no relief.
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We have never had a TV in our bedroom. It was a decision I made many years before I met John and when we married, he felt the same way. When this all started last August I couldn't go upstairs to our bedroom and so I was sleeping downstairs in our front room. Our only bathroom is on the first floor, and there’s just no way I could manage the stairs, especially in the middle of the night. And the front room had a TV. In 2024 we went on pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes and Medjugorje. When we got back I discovered that there were Live TV via webcams at all three places.
I visited the sites periodically after our pilgrimage. But after my surgery it became my jam. I could turn on the TV in the front room and in minutes with Live TV be on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje, in the Grotto at Lourdes, and at the candlelight service in Fatima. While my beloved slept upstairs I could celebrate daily Catholic Holy Mass on local TV, find Adoration anywhere in the world and Mass or Rosary at any time of the day and night and unite my prayers to those praying around the world. And I quickly found that my favorite place to go was the Grotto in Lourdes.
In April, knowing it would still be awhile till I was able to navigate the stairs safely at night, my beloved moved our bed down into the living room. He is amazing, and the greatest gift from Jesus!! The TV in the living room is much bigger. I can still celebrate daily Mass on TV, spend hours visiting the Grotto in Lourdes-on-Lourdes Live TV, pray the rosary, in English and Italian. I love bringing my prayer intentions to the Grotto in Lourdes while I pray for those who I have promised to pray for, those in need and for those among the living and the dead that have no one to pray for them. I especially love Lourdes at night, the Grotto is empty, the Blessed Mother is framed in illuminating light. It’s my favorite time to pray a quiet rosary, sing a hymn or just gaze at her loveliness.
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I’m still doing all the things I’m supposed to do, the BLT’s (no bending, lifting, and twisting), strengthening my core, wearing my back brace and knowing my limits, resting and icing. Heat used to bring comfort but with the inflammation isn’t an option for me right now. And while I’d love to say it's getting better, the reality is that I am managing the pain better. Through discernment after the MRI in May we knew we weren’t going to be able to travel to Medjugorje this year, and cancelled our booking on the pilgrimage.
My go to is Jesus, I run to Him In all things. And I seek to draw upon the grace and peace of the Blessed Mother. I spend time with His Word, spiritual readings and I love my Hallow routine. Sometimes I scroll and find podcasts and videos, some that teach, some that entertain. I sometimes fall asleep to the night prayers on Hallow only to wake a short time later. If I can't fall back to sleep I pray the rosary and when its hard to pray I cleave to Jesus, take the Blessed Mothers hand and in my other hand I hold my cross or rosary and pray the powerful name of Jesus repeatedly. Last year right after my first surgery and before a follow up MRI I was thinking about the Last Supper and how John the Beloved rested his head on Jesus's shoulder. Now whenever I am in a lot of pain, getting an MRI or at a procedure, unable to sleep, I recall the Last Supper, and like John the Beloved I rest my head on Jesus’s shoulder. I snuggle in and cleave to Jesus and I reach out my hand to take hold of the hand of my Blessed Mother Mary. That is my sweet spot.
Through tears, pain, joy, exhaustion, fear, it doesn't matter, I find comfort and peace in that embrace. When I am turning one way or the other sometimes a dozen times a night, when my feet burn like fire, and I am trying to find a comfortable spot. I might moan a little, maybe a grunt here or there, trying to get comfortable and beat the pain, it doesn't matter. I eventually settle in, cleave to Jesus, take hold of Mary's hand and it rarely fails; I find rest and often sleep. The scripture that keeps coming to mind is “We walk by faith and not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7
I’m walking - with faith, gratitude, hope, support, community and trust that every day brings me closer to healing, self-knowledge, understanding and my purpose. I might be walking at a slower pace with a little more discomfort than I'd like. It's okay, I trust in the one who formed me in my mother's womb, I feel the power of the prayers, the One who holds me in the palm of His mighty Hand and the grace and the love that surrounds me, so much love!
How then can my heart not help but overflow with gratitude, thanksgiving and abundant joy in the journey.
So there is no pilgrimage for us to Medjugorje in 2026…….I'll be looking for the group on the Webcam the day they go up Apparition Hill and while resting in a comfortable spot at home, I will pray my rosary.
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Where has God met you unexpectedly during a difficult season in your life?
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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 weeks Newsletter
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