The Homemaker's Litany
The Homemaker’s Litany is a prayer put together by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering for all women who truly want to make their home a foreshadowing of heaven.
Read MoreHandmade Wall Tiles with Deep Catholic Roots
By Carrie Gress
Dickens got started in the early 90s and his tiles are still going strong. He attributes their appeal to their beauty and sense of history. "People like to feel they are an integral part of the story of humanity, and my tiles have the weight and feel of another era, a time when things were more permanents and long-lasting. I think it's this aspect of the tiles that make people want to reach out. In essence, they want to touch history."
Read More8 Lessons I Learned from a Catholic Stylist
By Leslie Fain
Maybe it started after my husband and I binged watched Downtown Abbey, but I began to feel a desire to dress better for Mass. I remember a friend telling me that in Indian culture, people try to dress their best out of respect for others. If I were to dress for a job interview, or meet a member of the British Royal Family, I would be scouring the Internet and mall for the perfect dress. Why was I not putting forth more effort to meet with the King of Heaven and Earth each Sunday?
Read MoreIntroducing Stella Maris & Co. Candles
By Carrie Gress
I’ve been eager to introduce HD readers to Stella Maris & Co. candles for some time. Almost two years ago, I was standing in my kitchen and the thought occurred to me that there is an abundance of soy candles in the market place today, but out of all that I had seen, I’d never seen one that was Catholic. Why wasn’t any one making these?
Read MoreMeet the Pocket Angels: Dolls Made to Hold Rosaries
By Carrie Gress
What happens when the rosary and the Tooth Fairy meet? Something wonderful, says Brianna Gilmore, the founder of Pocket Angels. I caught up with Brianna, a mother of four who lives in Portland, Oregon, to find out more about her hand-sewn angels and her growing business.
Read MoreChildren's Clothes that Tell a Story
By Carrie Gress
A fun new source for children’s clothing with a Catholic twist is now available online. Lilies + Loaves makes clothing that tell a story visually about Marian apparitions and the lives of saints. Made for infants to age five, the garments are made by local seamstresses in Philadelphia.
Read MoreSouth Dakota's Tiny Treasure: The Sacred Heart Chapel
By Carrie Gress
The chapel has a certain allure. Even those people go see the Cathedral, when they go and see the small chapel, that is what they remember. The chapel has a closeness, prayerfulness, and intimacy about it.
Read MoreOur Lady and the Snow
By Carrie Gress
There is something enigmatic about snow. Often, it arrives silently, without ceremony. One scarcely knows it is there. Only over time, does it reveal itself. The accumulation brings with it a blanket of beauty. Everything becomes different, suddenly pure, calm, quiet, and glistening with wonder.
Read MoreThe Great Defender of Icons
By Molly Farinholt
Is beautiful art an expression of the divine and an instrument of worship? It has not always been seen as such — even within the Church. In the Byzantine Empire, during the eighth and ninth centuries, magnificent icons were torn down and destroyed while bitter debate raged between those in favor of such destruction and those who sought to halt the burning.
Read MoreMystic Monk Coffee
By Sofia Infante
In the decade since a group of Carmelite monks living in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming set out to roast their own coffee, their popularity has steadily increased. The monks began by roasting their coffees in a cast iron skillet and selling a small selection of flavored coffee online. Today, they offer a large selection of flavored coffees, teas, and more.
Read MoreThe Symbolism of Light in Advent
By Noelle Mering
To consider even briefly the rich symbolism of light is to arrive at varied but overlapping possibilities: the hope-filled dawn, the illumination of space and intellect, the revelation of a light bulb moment, the spring-sun inducing life and rebirth of earth and spirit, the exposure in the cold light of day of what had been cloaked in the night.
Read MoreChristmas Gift Guide: 10 Catholic Children's Books from 2018
By Carrie Gress
Books always make great gifts. Long after the latest flashy fad toy’s batteries have died, treasured books have a way of taking on a life of their own within a family, even as they tumble off of beds, or get piled precariously high among other toys. 2018 was a great year for Catholic children’s books. Here are some of my favorites to consider for the little people in your life.
Read MoreThe Iconic Turtleneck
By Noelle Mering
As Catholic women we are called to represent our internal dignity in how we present ourselves. Style and fashion might tend toward frivolity or vanity in the grand scheme of things, but we’re composites of body and soul and what we’re wearing can inform others about who we are and what we’re about.
Read MoreInterview with Kendra Tierney, Author of 'The Catholic All Year Compendium'
by Noelle Mering
Anyone who knows Kendra Tierney knows her to be as gracious as she is inspirational. She, and her very dear family, really live out a full Catholic life with generosity and joy, and that life is exemplified in the way they live out the liturgical year. I sat down to chat with Kendra about this latest book.
Read More"The Hart" of Christ: The Hidden Chapel of Amsterdam
By Elizabeth Wise
In 1661, Catholic businessman, Jan Hartman, had the brilliant plan to build a hidden chapel in his home. His success trading linen and selling local wines enabled him to purchase adjacent properties to build his secret chapel. He acquired one canal house along the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, as well as two additional properties in the connected alley. After these three acquisitions, Hartman immediately began major work on the buildings.
Read MoreThe Expressive Artwork of St. Teresa of Avila
By Molly McKenna
Faced with the daunting task of revitalizing the Church amidst the upheaval of the Protestant Reformation, leaders in Rome turned to art. They commissioned a profusion of altarpieces, frescoes, oil paintings, and sculptures intended to reestablish piety among the faithful. Saint Teresa of Avila became a prominent subject that resonated with the people.
Read MoreThe Hidden Symbolism of Women in 17th Century Dutch Art
By Molly McKenna
Virtuous women -- it is a lost theme in our own day, but not a neglected one in ages past, particularly 17th century Netherlands. Because virtue is neglected today, few of us know how to interpret the messages of these lovely paintings. A deeper look reveals a beautiful nobility and depth that these artists saw in the daily life of women.
Read MoreThe Charm and Churches of the Isle of Capri
By Carrie Gress
There are few places on earth that have been designated a "resort" for centuries, but the tiny island of Capri can boast that it has been a place for R&R for over two millennia. Dazzlingly beautiful, the gem of an island of Capri is generally associated with the well-heeled and pleasure seekers. Despite its resort status, Capri has had a significant religious presence that can still be witnessed today.
Read MoreSavoring Regina Magazine
By Sofia Infante
Not everyone has heard of REGINA Magazine, but this relatively new Catholic periodical is enjoying a growing presence. The breadth of topics presented in REGINA is wide and diverse: “We’re interested in everything under the Catholic sun — from work and family to religious and eternal life,” says REGINA’s editor.
Read MoreFathers' Letters Full of Love and Wisdom
By Elizabeth Wise
Father's Day is a great time to think about the remarkable gifts that fathers impart to their children. Some of their wisdom and love comes down to us through letters that have been written back and forth between fathers and sons, or fathers and daughters.
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