Last weekend my husband and I sneaked out for a rare evening to ourselves. I had been waiting for "The 33" to come to theaters; it was a familiar storyline to me - and to many - and I was anxious to see it dramatized.
Barrington, Rhode Island celebrated its first Women of Grace Foundational Study Graduation in September, 2015! This group of like-minded women from several parishes met once a month for nine months at a beautiful location on the campus of Holy Angels Church. They traveled a common road, exploring their Catholic faith and the incredible gift of womanhood as they were challenged and encouraged to use their feminine gifts to reclaim the culture for Christ. These precious women were individually unique but grew in fellowship and the bond of Sacred Sisterhood though their journey together.
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| Women of Grace Founder and President Johnnette Benkovic speaks passionately during the 2015 Women of Grace Conference at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Grapevine. (Photo by Lance Murray / NTC) |
St. Teresa of Avila shows us it is never too late to get serious about our prayer life. Born Dona Teresa Sanchez Cepeda Davila y Ahumada, Teresa was an active child with a big imagination and great sensitivity of heart. Little Teresa and her brother Roderigo were intrigued by the lives of the saints and the martyrs, and often sought to imitate their holy example.
I've always loved St. Thérèse of Lisieux. From the time I heard her story as a child in Catholic grade-school, her story and writings have resonated in my soul. So much did I love our "Little Flower" that I composed a prayer card in her honor when I was eight years old, which you can read below.
During his recent speech to Congress, Pope Francis highlighted Dorothy Day, saying, "In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement,” He continued, “Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.”
It was a tremendous blessing for me to have the opportunity to meet Dr. Gianna Emmanuela Molla, the daughter of St Gianna Beretta Molla at this week's World Meeting of Families. She was there representing the St. Gianna Physician’s Guild, whose mission is to unite and encourage Catholic physicians, and those in the health care profession, to promote and defend Catholic principles in a public way by word and example, and to inspire sanctification in their lives. Her inner beauty and humility radiates through her as she carries on the legacy of her mother, who was herself a Catholic physician.
Johnnette with Women of Grace members in October, 2011January 11, 2014 was supposed to be a big day for the Women of Grace® group meeting at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. They were going to celebrate the conclusion of the study with a festive final meeting complete with goodies and certificates for all – but God had other plans.
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