When presented with the opportunity to sit down and chat with her, I may have scared Brian with my yell excitement.

Emily is a fellow adoptive mama, a lover of the Church and food (yes, those go together in my book), and travel.

Please join us as we talk about the Saint that has journeyed with her – Saint Anne, Mother of Mary, Grandmother of Jesus!

And please support her newest book, Joseph, Keeper of the King.

Resources:

Emily’s Website: https://www.emilystimpsonchapman.com/ – books, recipes, pilgrimages, and so much more!

Emily’s newest book: Joseph, Keeper of the King

The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics

Emily’s Substack: https://substack.com/@emilystimpsonchapman

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Emily Stimpson Chapman – EPISODE 41 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

We live in a cul-de-sac, in a neighborhood full of kids playing outside and families walking their dogs. It reminds me of the street I grew up on—kids playing the newest version of four square and stepping aside when a car passes by, dogs strolling by with their people, and random therapy sessions at the mailbox.

A few months ago, as one of my neighbors passed by, I complimented her makeup. We have similar coloring, and I told her how much I loved her eye makeup—then admitted I wished I’d learned how to do mine long ago.

As a dancer, I’d had my fill of stage makeup and rebelled against learning anything beyond mascara and lipstick. And now, with a wedding coming up, I wished I had paid a little more attention.

My neighbor offered to teach me and enthusiastically suggested we set a time. I brushed it off as southern politeness after a compliment, but secretly I wished I’d accepted. About a week before the wedding, we crossed paths again by my mailbox, and she insisted I come over. That night, I wandered to her house—and it became one of my favorite nights of all time.

She sat me at her vanity and walked me through her routine. She opened a bottle of wine, and we talked about her daughters’ weddings. She shared memories of her husband and the sweet moments they’d had raising daughters and watching them become wives and mothers.

I told her about my dress, and she jumped up to her closet. There, she pulled out a stunning bracelet—Swarovski crystals—that matched my dress perfectly. She insisted I borrow it. Then came her collection of evening bags, and we laughed at the thought of all the places those purses, clutches, and wristlets had been and the stories they could tell.

As I practiced at her mirror, she told me that the wedding day itself can be hard for the mother of the bride. You’ve planned, shopped, stamped envelopes, hosted, wrapped, reserved—every possible verb you can imagine.

But when the doors open, the day becomes about the bride, as it should. Her father is beside her and part of the ceremony. But the mother… it can be tempting to get lost in nostalgia and sit quietly off to the side.

So, she said, have a plan. How do you want to spend the reception? Who do you want to visit with and catch up with? What do you want to remember when you think back on that day?

Her honest words saved me so much heartache and anxiety. Instead of watching from the sidelines, I had a plan. My college roommates, friends from Arizona, my cousins—and dancing!

As soon as the music started, I kicked off my shoes and danced. I sang loudly and watched the little ones I used to chauffeur home from school sing along—songs we had played ten thousand times in the car. Now, we were singing together as we watched dear Julia marry the man of her dreams.

Just typing this brings a huge smile to my face.

So, future mothers of the bride, know that the day will shift. Your relationship with your daughter is changing—and for those of us who don’t love change, that can be hard. Take some time, make a plan for yourself, and don’t forget to dance.

Photography: Jennifer Carley Photography

The post A Mother-of-the-Bride Lesson: Don’t Forget to Dance appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

On January 3rd, I gave Riley permission to play at a friend’s house. I rarely give him a specific time to be home, but that day, I asked that he be home by 2pm.

I looked out the window a few minutes past 2pm and saw Riley and his friend walking back to our house. I walked to my room and began tidying. Suddenly, Mary Alice ran in the room. She said something about Riley hitting a car and that we needed to come quickly.

I ran down our street (Nate ran past me – thank goodness) and saw a huge pickup truck and commotion at the end of the street.

I learned Riley had ridden a friend’s e-bike to the end of the block and back. There are a few problems with this scenario:

1.  Riley did not have permission and has been asked never to ride e-bikes.
2. Riley did not know how to stop or slow down on the e-bike.
3. Riley had flip-flops on and no helmet

The accident:

As Riley came back down the road, he realized he did not know how to stop and looked down. Our neighbor was driving down the street and thankfully noticed him and came to a full stop. Riley rammed the truck at over 25mph, hit his head on the hood, and the bike ended up under the truck.

I looked over and saw Nate holding Riley. There was blood everywhere, and I was terrified.

Someone handed me Riley’s glasses, and a firetruck, an ambulance, and a police officer pulled up. The next few minutes were a blur. I sat in the ambulance’s front, and they put Riley in the back.

The ambulance headed to Medical City Denton. I pulled out my Rosary and texted everyone:

And then, the next text I sent:

Brian and I switched places. Brian came to the hospital and rode in the ambulance to Cook Children’s downtown. I went home to check on the little ones. Thank goodness Nate is home. His calming leadership as an extra adult in the house is a gift.

I drove home and talked to my mom the whole way. Her calming voice was my safety net, praying over the situation. I walked in and a neighbor had made dinner for Nate, Mary Alice, and Sebastian. Home.

After everyone had gone to bed, Brian called. The transfer had been successful, and the team had done another set of X-rays. The doctors were not worried about his lungs at all, and they did not see a place where he had bitten through his tongue. They had stabilized the pain, and they would wait until the next day to do surgery.

My oldest daughter and her husband offered to meet me at the hospital after the surgery.

When we arrived, Riley was still asleep in the room but was waking up and coming off anesthesia. Brian told me that there had been no need for surgery. They were able to gently push the buckle fracture on his arm back into place. His knee looked like a puzzle that had been put back together or a quilt that had been knitted overnight. The doctors were able to gently push his knee back on track.

Not one incision.

Not one pin needed.

Brian and John Paul walked to get Julia and I some coffee. I was talking with Julia. I mentioned asking Micah Kim for intercession, and Riley suddenly perked up. “Oh, he visited me in my dreams last night.”, Riley said. Julia and I locked eyes. Riley rarely remembers his dreams. I was sitting behind Riley, and Julia was sitting in front of Riley. My heart raced. “No one is going to believe this,” I thought to myself.

I asked Riley if Julia could record what he was going to say.

Riley shared that a little boy in a brown robe came to his room three times last night.

• The first time the little boy prayed over his knee.
• The second time the little boy prayed over his wrist.
• The third time he prayed over lung.

Riley had no doubt that it was Micah.

Luke 20:38 – “Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”

We are not strangers to miracles in our family.

A few days later, I knew I had to share this story with Paul Kim, Micah’s father. Paul wrote back and asked if Riley would record the full story, including what happened in the accident he was involved in. Riley excitedly agreed.

I sent Paul the video of Riley’s testimony. 

If you have any doubts about the intercession of the Saints, I pray that your heart is softened. We have such a magnificent inheritance – the prayers of those who are in Heaven!

God’s goodness and grace are an endless fountain!

May those who read this be blessed and truly know the goodness of God.

The post Riley, an e-bike, and a miracle appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Surrender.

In the classic fashion of how I seem to repeat the Word of the Year, He has laid the word “Surrender” on my heart once again.

Somehow I’ve managed to pick up almost every worry I laid down at His feet. It feels a little different this time. Last year, I spoke with Maura Roan McKeegan about Servant of God Fr. Don Dolindo Ruotolo. She introduced me to the Surrender Novena. As I prayed about what word the Lord would like me to choose for 2026, the word Surrender landed softly on my heart, along with the Novena.

Can you imagine the freedom you would feel if you truly surrendered everything to His will, instead of picking it up repeatedly, trying to control the outcome? I’m looking forward to surrendering daily!

Hope {2025}

Surrender {2024}

Scaffolding {2023}

Scaffolding {2022}

Wonder {2021}

Joy {2020}

Perspective {2019}

Abundance {2018}

Trust {2017)

Calm {2016}

Background {2015}

Shine {2014)

Grace {2013}

Calm {2012}

Grace {2011}

Trust {2010}

Overshadowed {2009}

Available {2008}

Have you chosen a word this year? I’d love to hear what it is!

If you need help to get started, I’ve written a post to help you: Choosing your word of the year.

The post Word of the Year {2026} appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Mom had helped me explain that I had found a dress – but I didn’t love it. It was fine. It was beautiful, actually. But I didn’t feel confident at all.

We walked into the store, and dad walked over a grabbed a dress of the rack. “Here.” he said. “Try this one on first, then you’ll feel better about the one you’ve chosen.”

I’m not a shopper. I’ve never been great at choosing clothes that fit me well. I’m more of a “walk in, get what I need as quickly as possible, try not to try anything on, and leave” kind of gal. I wasn’t looking forward to trying on another dress, but his idea sounded brilliant, so off I went to the dressing room.

I carefully stepped in to the dress. I noticed the beading and lace at the bottom. It was simple and elegant. I asked mom to come into the dressing room and help me zip up. “Oh Katie. It’s really lovely.” I agreed and shyly walked out to see dad.

The smile on his face said it all and I never did try on the other dress.

The post The dress, the prequel appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

When Julia was born, I couldn’t stop laughing. I was overcome with so much joy and there was nothing I could do to stop laughing! The next time I experienced that feeling was at the Steubenville Conference when I was healed during Adoration. I began to wonder if i would ever feel that joy that bubbled over like a fountain again.

When the doors opened, and I saw Julia standing there with Brian, there was nothing I could do. My heart felt bigger and laughter poured out.

My sister-in-law, Leslie, captured the moment – the fast forward, can’t catch my breath, wait she was just a baby, and now her daddy is giving her away – moment. And to a wonderful young man who fits our family like a glove! John Paul is a treasure and we are so blessed to now call him son-in-law.

I’m sure I will share more pictures, but I wanted to share this moment with you. She was radiant.

I cannot say it any better than John Paul’s oldest sister did: “We felt Christ as the bridegroom so present in the celebration of their love.”

The post The dress, part 2 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Get to know Meg’s friends and support her amazing mission by purchasing her books here:

Eyes Fixed on Jesus, Volume 1: A Journey Into the Gospels

Saints Around the World

Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Meg Hunter-Kilmer – Eyes Fixed on Jesus, Volume 1 – EPISODE 40 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Catholic Gifts for Children:

HeWo – HeWo is The Catholic audio player designed especially for kids. From the app, I add content like Saint stories, Scripture, and music. There are no ads, and it has been a wonderful addition to our bedtime routine. We also love using it as we travel!

Catholic Family Crate – I could have listed everything on their website! The subscription box, the Mass kits, the activity rings! You’ll just have to go check it out!

Voyage Comics – My kids LOVE their comic books! Last year, we gave out the Digital Disciple at our trunk or treat, and it was a huge hit! I had the opportunity to interview Phillip, the founder and CEO of Voyage Comics, on the podcast, and it was amazing to hear his story! Voyage Comics also recently received the “Nihil Obstat” and “Imprimatur” for their comics, meaning these comics do not have any theological errors in them! What a gift as parents to know that we are gifting our children theologically sound for their minds and hearts.

• Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis and the Eucharist
• Student of the Cross: Saint Edith Stein
• Little Missionary: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
• Messenger of Mercy: Saint Faustina Kowalska
• The Mission of Joan of Arc Comic Book Series: Collected Edition
• Messages from Our Lady #1
• Champion of the Poor: Father Joe Walijewski
• Father of the Fatherless: The Story of Nelson Baker
• Lily of the Mohawks: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

and so many more!

Kid’s Wooden Mass Kit – Recently, Sebastian was home sick on Sunday. I found Mass online for him and me to watch at home, and he ran to get his Mass kit. It was precious as I watched him follow along and I realized how closely he had been watching Priests as they celebrate Mass!

St. Thérèse of Lisieux Rag Doll

Coloring Books for Children:

Loupio Coloring Book: Animal Friends, Knights, and Castles (The Adventures of Loupio)

Books for Children:

All About Lent – Katherine Bogner

Julia’s House for Lost Creatures – Ben Hatke

Saint George and the Dragon

Watch and Wait: A Catholic Kids Advent Devotional on Waiting and Preparing

Rise Up Virtues Devotional for Kids

In the Shadows of Rome – Series Set

The Kidnapped Prince: The Chronicles of Caol, Book 1

Saints Around the World

Stocking Stuffers for Children:

Bible Verse Stickers for Kids – Christian Sticker Pack with Encouraging Scripture

Saints Around the World Craft Sheets!

Have I missed any of your family favorites? Please let me know in the comments!

The post 23 Catholic Gifts for Children appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

This summer, we went down to Mom and Dad’s house. Julia had asked if she could try on my wedding dress – if I still had it. I knew we had sealed it, and I thought it was in Mom and Dad’s attic, but I wasn’t sure. Last year, a tornado sent a tree through Mom and Dad’s roof, leaving a gaping hole in their living room. The tornado destroyed much of the attic, and I didn’t want to hope the dress remained sealed or that we could even find it.

Nate, John Paul, and Julia spent some time digging through the attic. They found nothing. Dad said he remembered a box being inside a trunk, so he and Nate went on a hunt for this trunk. Brian and I took over digging in the attic, and suddenly Nate emerged from down the hall with a box – a sealed wedding dress box! I clasped my hands over my mouth, half crying and have laughing! We slowly opened the outer box – Nate had found my mom’s dress. I was a little disappointed, but we quickly shifted into talking with her about her hopes for the dress. My mama is tiny – 5’1″, so I never could even try on this dress. I was so happy to see her examining the dress and remembering the day.

I started cooking dinner, and the kids started putting everything away. Mary and Sebastian were playing with toys from my childhood, taking turns asking me to come and see.

John Paul walked through the French doors of the kitchen with a big smile on his face. He had found another sealed wedding dress box. He held it up. “Could this be it?” He asked with a huge smile.

I turned the burners off, and Julia, my mom, and I rushed to the guest room with the box. The box held my dress! I had forgotten how beautiful it was. As I gently removed it from the box, the little pearls, satin, and beads all shone. The next few moments were a blur. Julia stepped into the dress. I zipped it up effortlessly. It was perfect. We yelled for John Paul to hide and walked Julia out to see Brian, Nate, and my parents. Nate’s tears as he saw Julia in the dress were confirmation that it really was a moment out of a fairytale. I reassured her she didn’t have to choose the dress – that just her trying it on was a moment I would never forget.

She spun around, and my dad smiled. I looked over at Brian, and time stood still. I wore that dress 26 years ago, before Julia ever existed, and there she was – a vision of grace and beauty twirling in my dress. How could someone so beautiful suddenly appear on this earth? Why was I chosen to be her mama? Goodness gracious, I am blessed.

She called me a few weeks later. To let me know she had decided – this would be her dress.

The post The dress… appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

The proposal reviewers rejected my book proposal twice officially and a few times unofficially.

I am “just a blogger.” and I am ” just a contributor of a chapter of a book.” rolled around in my heart and in my head.

And then, one email ignited by heart with fire and reminded me I am His. He has given me gifts and talents that He wants me to use – regardless of what I think other people think of me. (Will I ever stop struggling with vanity?!).

“I love your prayer to Mary, Undoer of Knots from Cloud of Witnesses book. I carry the book with me to pray this prayer every day. I would love to have it printed on a card….” – Monica Darnell.

What?! Someone read the chapter? Her encouragement was a balm to my soul. A few weeks later, she followed up and let me know that her dear friend, Carole Lohmeier, created a printable PDF prayer card.

So friends, this is a gift from one of you to everyone. Thank you, Monica and Carole. This encouragement has opened the floodgates of gratefulness.

(Click on the image below to download your own free prayer card).

2.5 x 4.25 Prayer Card created by Monica Darnell. Prayer to Mary Undoer of Knots written by Kate Eschbach, as seen in Cloud of Witnesses.

Mary, in her sweetness, continues to undo the knots in my heart – knots that I didn’t even realize where there. Let her love you, okay? Jesus, in His amazing generosity on the cross, gave us salvation, redemption, and His mother! Take Him up on that offer. Let her pray for you. Ask her to pray for you.

The post Mary, still Undoer of Knots – Free Printable Holy Card appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Driving down the two-lane road on the way to church, I asked the Holy Spirit to be with us as we drove to reconciliation. My children in the backseat groaned and moaned, peppering me with the usual questions and comments: “Why?” and “But we just went a few weeks ago!”

With all my heart, I want them to know what a gift reconciliation is. The Creator of the Universe makes a way for us to be forgiven. We don’t deserve it. But His love is reckless. It doesn’t give up on us. There might be a time in their lives when then need to remember to find a sunset and a two lane road and make their way to Reconciliation. How do I tell them?

I gazed out the window – the sun beginning to set over the huge green pasture.

Suddenly, I could see it. The image of a Father standing on a porch, gazing at me. As soon as He spotted us, he was running towards us. I could only see his sandaled feet and a robe flowing behind Him as He ran. He wrapped His arms around my children, laughing and sobbing with joy. He leaned back and looked at them, cupped their faces in His powerful hands and smiled.

No lectures. No guilt trips.

Just joy.

I slowed down and pointed at the field. I told them what I had just imagined. I said, “This is what I want you to know. Every time we sin, we walk further away from God. When we say we are sorry, we stop and face Him. And when we go to Reconciliation with a truly contrite heart, the distance we’ve put between us disappears. We might feel like we have done something really wrong and that He will never take us back, but guess what? He is so happy – so very happy! He runs to meet you! The Creator of the world is so happy to see you, His precious, wonderful, adorable child!”

The post Driving to reconcilliation appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

We spoke about Servant of God Fr. Don Dolindo Ruotolo and the influence the Surrender Novena has had on her life and on her writing. When you see someone truly embrace this submission to God’s will, there is an unmistakable peace that they have. As I spoke with Maura about future projects and dreams, I could hear how she truly gives everything to Jesus in surrender.

This interview was an encouraging reminder that something as simple as the line below an email signature might just be the thing God uses to spark someone’s heart into an overflow of creativity, wisdom, and grace!

My time with her was delightful. Her knowledge of scripture and excitement for instilling a love of reading scripture in children is thrilling! I hope you order copies of The Old and the New series for your family to enjoy!

Resources:

The Old and The New Series

Maura’s article about the Surrender Novena

Maura’s Substack – Stories of Don Dolindo

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Maura Roan McKeegan – Servant of God Fr. Don Dolindo Ruotolo – EPISODE 39 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

I had the privilege of speaking with Jenna and Kevin Bauer about the birth of their beautiful daughter, Mary Elizabeth. This is a story of faith and perseverance, of a mother and father who fell at the feet of Jesus and surrendered everything to Him.

From Spirit Juice:

A fetal diagnosis of Down Syndrome and heart conditions. A family’s fervent prayers answered. A mother’s divine vision in a hospital waiting room. A miraculous story of life and healing.

Believe: Bauer Miracle Story is a new short film premiering online October 1 that tells the incredible true story of Mary Elizabeth Bauer, a baby prenatally diagnosed with Down Syndrome and serious heart defects and almost no chance of survival. After an outpouring of prayer from her family and local community, Mary was born and soon underwent a high risk heart surgery that put her on life support.

Her mother Jennifer experienced a divine vision of St. Michael, Mary, and Jesus while praying in the hospital waiting room at the same time that her daughter was successfully taken off life support and her condition stabilized.

“Mary is a constant reminder of just how beautiful life is,” said Jennifer Bauer, “We want to share our story because we think it will move others to know that Christ is real and that he will hear you and answer your prayers according to his will.”

About Spirit Juice Studios

Spirit Juice Studios is an award-winning, Chicago-based creative production firm specializing in the transformative power of high-quality visual media merged with the ever ancient, ever new beauty of Catholicism. Learn more at www.spiritjuicestudios.com.

Follow more of the story on Instagram : @marys_mission_

Lily, Mary Elizabeth’s older sister, runs Mary’s Mission instagram page devoted to Mary. Lily made a vow to Mary Elizabeth when she was on life support that she would always be her biggest advocate and make sure she had a voice in this world. Lily has made good on that promise.

Believe: Bauer Miracle Story

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Jenna and Kevin Bauer – St. Michael, Mary, and Jesus – EPISODE 38 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Roll to the left.

Grab phone. Turn off the alarm. And…. Scroll.

This had become my morning routine. Slowly, I had stopped getting out of bed, waking my children, and making breakfast. As they got older, their independence was a gift to my free time. I heard them in the kitchen, grabbing their own breakfast, and preparing for school. They didn’t need the step-by-step instructions that had filled my morning for so many years.

Even with more time to myself, I felt rushed and annoyed every morning. Running to the car and fussing at the kids was not unusual. After I dropped them off at school, I regretted my behavior and vowed to change the next day, but nothing ever changed.

Last summer, I prepared to give a talk to a group of women; I sat in Adoration asking Jesus to show me what love letter He wanted me to deliver.

Over and over I thought of our Blessed Mother, reaching into the manger to lift Jesus, the Savior of the world. She wasn’t reaching for an alarm or for her phone; she was reaching for Jesus and holding Him close to her. She could feel his warmth, and He could feel her heart. I thought about how my day would look if I reached for Jesus, too.

I asked my husband where the tabernacle of our church would be if I were to face it from my bed. An email (I had been guilty of skimming through) had a prayer called the “Morning Offering” every day. I had never noticed before, but wanted to know more about this beautiful prayer. The Morning Offering began in 1844 by Fr. François-Xavier Gautrelet. The spiritual Father of Jesuit seminarians wanted to encourage them to dedicate their day to the Lord. How beautiful!

My mornings have changed. I waste less precious time in my morning, and I am growing in joy, noticing the sunrise and the roses.

I would love to share this with you!

Click HERE for a 4×6 version to print out.

Click HERE to download a wallpaper for your phone.

The post A tender way to start your day… Morning Offering appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Most stories about St. Maximilian Kolbe’s biography end when he steps forward to take the place of a condemned man in Auschwitz. “Triumph of the Heart,” however, begins there. In the harrowing confines of a starvation cell at the infamous concentration camp, Kolbe joins nine other condemned men and fights to forge a brotherhood of hope despite their suffering and desperation. As despair and fear grip the group, the pressures of starvation and internal ideological divisions mount. Yet, Kolbe’s appeal to their shared humanity and Polish identity forges a brotherhood that culminates in a poignant act of sacrifice, illuminating hope in one of history’s darkest moments.

Kolbe’s story arguably saved the director’s life

Director Anthony D’Ambrosio was at the darkest moment of his life. A chronic illness overtook him. It destroyed his life. He couldn’t sleep. His relationship ended. He could barely hold down his job. Worse, there was no cure in sight. He lost his faith and wanted to die. And then he remembered St. Maximilian Kolbe’s story of courage and sacrifice and how this already heroic man built a brotherhood of light in the darkness of an Auschwitz starvation bunker.

This movie was partially filmed in the historically significant Łódź, Poland

Before its Nazi occupation, Łódź (pro. “Wooch”) had Poland’s second largest Jewish population. The Nazis established a ghetto there in 1940. It was enclosed by fences and barbed wire, with strict guarding by German police. Life within the ghetto was characterized by horrific conditions, including extreme overcrowding, starvation and a lack of basic necessities such as running water and sanitation. Beginning in January 1942, deportations from the Łódź ghetto to the Chelmno extermination camp began. Jewish residents were murdered in gas vans upon arrival at Chelmno. In September 1942, the Germans specifically targeted children, the elderly and the sick for deportation to Chelmno during what became known as “The Sperre” or “Children’s Aktion.” In 1944, the Łódź Ghetto was the last remaining ghetto in German-occupied Poland. The Germans liquidated it, deporting the remaining approximately 75,000 Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Chelmno, where most were murdered. When Soviet forces liberated Łódź in January 1945, only a small number of Jews remained, either in hiding or in forced-labor units, highlighting the devastating impact of the Holocaust on this community.

The film tells the story of St. Maximilian’s final two weeks on earth through the eyes of the nine men with whom he was condemned.

Director Anthony D’Ambrosio’s most important decision was to tell the story largely from the perspective of Kolbe’s fellow doomed men, a group the film imagines as a representative mix of Auschwitz prisoners: young and old, of varying levels of education; Catholic, Jewish, non-
religious.

This film is a record setter for Catholic movies.

As a project of D’Ambrosio’s Sherwood Fellows, “Triumph of the Heart” has already made a significant impact in the Catholic film community, becoming the most successful Catholic Film Kickstarter of all time, raising $160,000 in Kickstarter funds alone.

Cecilia Stevenson (Producer)

Cecilia Stevenson is a film producer with a background in live media, narrative film and television, and corporate video production. She has a passion for stories that explore faith, purpose and sacrifice, and she specializes in producing faith-based and mission-oriented projects. After graduation from Texas A&M University, she pursued a career in video production. However, she eventually found herself falling in love with the world of narrative filmmaking and has worked on large production sets, including those of “The Chosen” and “Washington’s Armor.” In 2016, she met Anthony D’Ambrosio (writer/director of “Triumph of the Heart”), and the duo quickly discovered the complementarity of their strengths and shared values to produce faith-based films. Cecilia enjoys downhill mountain biking, creating spreadsheets and playing board games. She is a devoted Catholic who calls producing “Triumph of the Heart” the most challenging — and most meaningful — experience of her life.

You can watch the trailer for “Triumph of the Heart” HERE.

Or you can have the amazing opportunity to host a community screening HERE.

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Triumph of the Heart, Cecilia Stevenson – St. Maximillian Kolbe – EPISODE 37 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

The Methodist Church confirmed me when I was 12. It was a big day, and my sweet friend Mandy gave me a beautiful jar of pot-pourri. She wanted me to remember the sweet grace that was poured out that day. That jar moved with me through high school and college. I remember her thoughtfulness fondly.

In college, I was confirmed into the Catholic Church. I spent months going through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA, now OCIA), learning and unlearning.

I had so many misconceptions about the Catholic Church. At the end of the RCIA classes, I faced a huge decision. Would I embrace the ever-ancient and ever-new beauty of the Catholic Church, or continue my life without the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?

The decision was simple – painful, but simple. I became Catholic and learn more every day about our beautiful faith.

Since that day, I’ve had the joyful privilege of being a Confirmation Sponsor for a few amazing youth. Every time I am a sponsor, I am encouraged to improve how I support someone during their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I began with a spiral notebook. I would write letters of encouragement to the candidate for confirmation and invite them to ask questions or thoughts about the confirmation process. They would write back as time permitted and pass the journal back to me. This was such a fun way to show them I was there – like a pen pal for the journey.

I realized I was putting a lot of the burden of asking questions on the candidate for confirmation.

I wanted to create something that was easier and more focused for them. This summer, I finished a printable Confirmation Sponsor Journal for the very special young lady I am walking with right now.

I created a question-and-answer journal to be passed back and forth.

After creating it, I realized others could probably use it as well – so it is a free printable for you to download and print out! (click here)

I hope you enjoy the Confirmation Sponsor Journal and that you find it useful!

The post Confirmation Sponsor Journal – Free Printable appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

The Holy Spirit has thrown open the doors of the Church.

Facebook posts are asking where they can find a good Church. Text messages are asking if we can meet them outside and sit with them. Instagram posts are full of confessions that Bibles are being dusted off. And now, the Church is filled with brothers and sisters that are looking for salt and light.

Are we ready? Are we prepared for the unexpected? As in the parable of the virgins and the lamps, are we ready with the jars of oil? How many times did we assume it was all about us – our death – the end of our life – not thinking about anyone but ourselves?

Matthew 25

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Last week, the world took a collective breath and was left disoriented. Stunned.

We walked into Church on September 14th, 2025.

The gospel reading was John 3:13-17.

“At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

The most recognizable verse in the world washed over the congregation, reminding everyone that they are welcome. A verse set in the rhythm of the lectionary in 1970. A verse worn on the face of athletes. The verse of Salvation. Salvation for everyone.

The feast day was The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

“Being Christian”, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event”.

“How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.” – St. Theodore the Studite

The most recognizable symbol in the Church, remembered. The True Cross, found on pilgrimage by Saint Helena. A flash of light and a sweet smell encouraged her to dig. The True Cross, hidden in a ditch and covered by a pagan temple was found and venerated for the first time on September 14, 335 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. People were healed, just by touching the True Cross.

The Holy Spirit is moving in people’s hearts. Are we standing ready with lamps full to welcome them in?

Will you join me?

• Get your lamps ready.
• Stay grounded in scripture.
• Let your words be kind and gentle.
• Make it easy for someone to understand and join in what is happening during Mass. 
• Smile.

Our Heavenly Father is calling our brothers and sisters home to the Church. Set up the field hospital for all the wounded and weary. Get the triage in order.

And for goodness sake, check the oil!

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Your birthday card is sitting on the table in the entryway; a pale pink envelope waiting to be mailed.

(2018 – Kelly and her beautiful mama).

You turned 60 and celebrated in Santa Barbara with friends and family. I decided to wait to mail it until you returned to Scottsdale, to extend your birthday celebration. (I loved picking out the fancy cards for you – because I knew you loved snail mail like I do).

Instead of mailing it, I will sit under the stars tonight and read it out-loud to you.

My heart is full of hope that you are with Jesus now. I have no doubt that when you see him, he was say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Oh Kelly, when we moved to Corrine Drive in Scottsdale you welcomed us right away. Some people say that neighbors don’t borrow eggs or a cup of sugar any more. Well, we proved them wrong, didn’t we? At least once a week, we rescued each other’s baking adventures by rummaging through our pantry for one another.  You celebrated adoptions, births, and fostering with us. Your cheese enchiladas rivaled any restaurant, and I looked forward to your peppermint bark every year.

You made Arizona feel familiar.

You had a way of celebrating everything – the eclipse with science experiments, the olympics with a delicious feast made in honor of the hosting country, and moving back to Texas with one last delicious feast. You had a way of caring for everyone quietly, without seeking any attention or thanks.

Most of all, I miss the times our conversations moved from the driveway to the couch and ended with an invitation for dinner. I giggle when I think about rolling Mary Alice’s high chair across the cul-de-sac so that she would be contained safely while we enjoyed your Brian’s tri-tip by the pool. I still can’t believe you drove an hour to a photoshoot with me, just so that we could visit in the car and catch up on life.

I have a big favor. Would you ask if we could be neighbors in Heaven? And save an egg for me. I have some banana bread to make you.

With love,

Katie

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This weekend mom and dad drove up to celebrate her birthday!

We had such a wonderful time and it was altogether too short.

If I had been more organized, I would have asked my dear friend, Leslie, to plan the tea, but the date crept up on me.

My mom collects tea cups. She loves a wonderful cup of tea and a good book of poetry.

When I was little, my dad would take us to antique stores to search for a new cup and saucer to add to her collection. I didn’t know anything about fine china, but I knew that she liked roses and the color purple. We would wander downtown Plano and I tried to pick out the prettiest ones I could find to wrap up in a brown paper bag. I would color the bag and wrap it with a disproportionate amount of scotch tape to be sure it didn’t break. I’d line up my bag on the fireplace and carefully deliver my gift.

She saved all of those teacups in a tall, grand china cabinet. Now she pulls them out for her granddaughters and we celebrate all the little things.

I found a place in Lake Dallas called The Beatitudes Tea Room. Everything was peaceful and charming and delicious! We had such a great time. They were wonderful with mom and so sweet with Mary Alice. The quiche was my favorite!

We asked dad if there was anything he wanted to do and he told us he had never been to the Fort Worth Stockyards! I couldn’t believe it! But it makes sense – all those times we went for field trips or I took kids in the summer – he was working. We piled in the van and took off!

Seeing the cattle drive is always short and sweet, but it’s always fun!

We stopped at Babe’s in Roanoke for dinner (oh. my. yum!).

Happy birthday, mom! We sure do love you!

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When Riley came home for a visit this spring, he helped me plan the raised beds and he suggested making homemake pickles. I yelled “brilliant!” and we piled in the van to the local tractor supply for seeds.

While Riley was in Montana, I prayed and watered and hoped that his garden grew to be strong so that when he returned home it would be magnificent!

Riley returned home from Montana at the beginning of June and the cucumbers decided they were all together too hot to respond correctly to my plea. Riley joined in helping care for them and we all began spending evenings on the patio, drenching the gardens while the epic nerf gun battles happened.

The carrots finally decided to arrive, tiny and mighty.

I decided the carrots were correct. They made a grand entry, after all. It was better that Riley was there to care for them and coax them grow larger for our benefit.

And finally, last week, we had one cucumber. We immediately decided to make Shannan’s pickles. IFKYK.

We tried our very best to wait 24 hours to open the lid, but we gave in at hour 21, deciding that had to be good enough – right?! Oh my – they were so good. They lasted 11 minutes and we declared we would be planting many more pickles next spring.

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The roses have been my faithful friend this summer. I heard once that the best fertilizer a gardner can give the garden is His shadow. I think of that phrase all the time when I wander in the morning. I prune and weed and water and smirk that all of creation is an obvious daily devotional if we are only quiet enough to let our thoughts drift to Him.

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No really.

Summer has a tendency to bring out the extremes – hungry, tired, hot, impatient…

If I’m not careful, I can be swept from one emotion to another and live the day in a constant state of damage control. The schedule has helped so much. It has been a loose guideline of what we are doing (which helps me as much as the kids). AND – most importantly – I think we have finally unwound the mess I made of screen time while the world shut down. We are now an evening family time TV show family, instead of it just being on in the background as some sort of boredom default. (Major win for this summer!)

A friend recently said to stop chasing shiny things and just focus on what He is asking you to do. She was speaking to a group of us, gathered for writing advice, and those words have challenged me in a beautiful way. What amazing discernment advice!

I am easily swayed to say “yes” to invitations. Whispering to Jesus, “Lord, is this what you want me to do or is this something shiny that is distracting me?”, has become my new prayer.

I can feel the weight of my ego fall of my shoulders when I recall how much I love to be invited to things – anything – and then turn the decision over to Him.

It’s a wonderful encouragement to be invited, but that doesn’t mean He wants me to say “yes” to everything. (Even as I write that sentence, I have to convince myself of the truth behind it.)

For now, I am called to sit with Mary, at the feet of my family and be with them while they are here. Having older children and the perspective it brings me is a gift. These summer are precious and few.

I will wave the net over my head with hopes that the sunsets, the nerf gun fights in freshly cut grass, the sticky counters from making Kelly’s chocolate chip banana bread, the long evenings at the neighborhood pool, and the morning walks under the crepe myrtles get caught in the corners of my memories.

The post Summer Check-In appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Suddenly, creating a summer schedule didn’t seem overwhelming at all.

That night, I opened her schedule and began to adjust it for our family. I suddenly had a flash back… wait one second. This feels oddly familiar. I started looking through my old blog archives and there it was:

• Summer Week One
• Summer Week Two
• Summer Week Three
• Summer Week Four

Wow – had it been so long since those early days in Arizona that I had forgotten making a summer schedule?! This is why moms need community! We need those other moms to encourage us to keep going one day at a time when everything seems overwhelming.

So, I used Julie’s daily template and creative time template and added a weekly theme to the mix (because who doesn’t love a good theme?!). We have completed week one and I’m feeling pretty confident about things so far! Of course there are moments each day when I wonderful what-on-earth I’m dong, but this schedule helps immensely!

This summer the kids are 14, 10, and 8. Please feel free to use any of this as inspiration!

• Summer Schedule
• Summer Weekly Themes
• 2025 Summer

I hope your summer is fantastic! (And a special thank you to my friend, Julie, for encouraging talks and helpful inspiration!)

The post Summer Schedule appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Sometimes the most beautiful stories begin at the end.

I sat in a church service in Montana last Sunday.

Just a few minutes earlier, I had surprised Riley in person to tell him that he had graduated from therapeutic boarding school and was coming home. Riley has been in Montana for the past year (well, one week shy of one year).

We were allowed to visit in October and he was allowed to visit home in March;  however, all other conversations have been had over face-time.

I saw Riley from behind. Samuel, the director of the program he has been attending, tapped him on the shoulder and told him I was there for his graduation. He jumped up and ran to me. Ran. With a smile on his face, he ran. He hugged me tightly right there in the aisle. Sam showed us where we could sit and asked if I could share part of our testimony.

The day before, I had flown in to Kalispell, Montana. I had booked the flight for the day before because I didn’t want to take any chances on missing Riley’s graduation from the program. There were no delays and the weather was perfect. I found myself with an afternoon in Montana. I drove to Glacier National Park and was giddy about finding a trail to hike. (Pro-tip : If you are unsure about what to do at a national park, just ask the rangers at the booth. Tell them how much time you have and what level of difficulty you are comfortable with. No matter where I am, they always give me the best advice.). The park ranger told me about the Trail of the Cedars.

I wanted to spend time walking in God’s creation and thanking him for the gift of Riley.

I pulled over at Lake McDonald on the way and stared in awe at the clear water. I could see the bottom of the lake – the rocks and pebbles looked so close to the surface.

I wanted to say a rosary during hike on the Trail of the Cedars, but I couldn’t remember the mysteries for Saturday. I remembered a conversation I had with Julia’s fiance, John Paul. There was a Saint that said not to worry if you couldn’t remember the mysteries, but simply ask the Holy Spirit to show you what to meditate on. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me think of five punctuated moments in our journey with Riley.

Five moments to pray with gratefulness about our Riley:

• When we wrote his name in a journal 11 years before he was born
• When Karen asked us if we knew anyone that was interested in adopting a two year old boy
• Saying yes to an open adoption and gaining a new family
• Our pilgrimage to Belgium
• His graduation from Raising Arrows Ministry in Montana

I wandered through trees that invited me deeper into prayer and closer to being reunited with Riley. I stood in front of a waterfall and felt the cool breeze wash the sadness of the decision to send him to a therapeutic boarding school away.

I realized that the Lord had used the time at the Trail of the Cedars to prepare me to answer ‘yes’ to sharing our testimony.

Riley graduated from Raising Arrows Ministry last Sunday. He is doing fantastic! We are so thankful for people who understand RAD. They are giving us a second chance on family – a gift we will never be able to repay.

After the testimony all the men of the church came up to pray over Riley. I was surrounded by men of prayer who cared about my son’s soul. In that moment, time stood still. The staff who had so carefully and graciously cared for Riley over the past year had become the labor and delivery nurses. The church had become the witnesses to a miracle. The Holy Spirit usher new life into my arms. It had become a birthing room.

Please pray for his transition home and pray that Brian and I parent him with wisdom.

The post The birthing room appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

In true Mary Alice style, she chose a birthday party at a park and wanted everyone invited. Yes, the entire 4th grade class.

We had cupcakes and water and played two loud and glorious hours at one of our favorite playgrounds in Denton.

She is the kind of girl that I wish I had as a friend when I was growing up. Goodness I’m thankful to be her mama.

Mary Alice, I love celebrating you! You are a gift to all who know you!

The post Mary’s 10th Birthday appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

A very special thank you to Father McDaniel for introducing DeeDee and me.

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: DeeDee Holbrook – St. Martin de Porres – EPISODE 36 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

My dearest Sebastian, you turned eight in March.

What a huge year for you! As a 2nd grader you received your First Communion and  you won your first pinewood derby for your age group. John Paul and dad helped you build and design the car and we all cheered with happy surprise when they announced your name!

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Trail Life is one of your favorite things. You and dad spend Friday nights with friends, learning and playing together!

You are tender and gentle. You are not afraid to pray and you remember the Saints with so much excitement! Every morning you ask Saint Sebastian and Saint Joseph Calasanz for intercession.

You and Mary Alice spend the afternoons together, playing and singing. I’m just so proud of you and how well you love people.

I’m proud of you kiddo. I love being your mama.

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The post For such a time as this… Habemus Papam! appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

This was the perfect book to kick off the next season of Tripping Over the Saints!

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: Patrick O’Hearn – Saints Come in all Shapes and Sizes – EPISODE 35 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Years ago, when we lived in Scottsdale, we made an Easter trifle for dessert. I had seen the chocolate carrots at World Market and thought this would be so cute! Riley loved crushing the cookies (and wearing Brian’s safety glasses!) and Mary Alice was in charge of putting the carrots in.

It was such a cute Easter trifle dessert that they could put together without much help from me. They were so proud to present their creation to the family!

For years, I’ve forgotten to post this and when the photos popped up as memories, I was so thankful for the excuse to look at their cute little faces and remember how simple things can be so wonderful.

Happy Easter, dear friends! We are almost there!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Sandwich cookie with a creamy filling
• Chocolate Pudding
• Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Carrots

Directions:

• Put the sandwich cookies in a large ziplock bag
• Crush the sandwich cookies until they are a fine, dirt-like consistency
• Push the carrots into the pudding with the tops sticking out

The post Easter Trifle appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

In October of 2024, Brian, Riley, and I took in the sights of Montana. I had never been there before and now I will tell everyone and anyone that they should visit. It is one of the most beautiful, expansive, friendly places I’ve ever been.

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Fall had just begun and I drove Brian and Riley crazy asking if we could stop every other minute to take pictures of the leaves.

The sky had more stars that I’ve ever seen. And it was so quiet.

Riley turned 14 in February and he is officially taller than me, now.

We found one of his favorite author’s books (Ben Hatke) at a bookstore in Montana and it made my day – which consequently made my day.

Riley is so fun to adventure with. I’ll never forget Montana and our time together there!

The post Montana appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Katie:

Katie Bogner is a Catholic school teacher from Central Illinois who is passionate about equipping parents, catechists, and teachers to share the beauty and truth of Christ and His Church with children. She is the author of the books Through the Year with Jesus and Through the Year with Mary, as well as All about Advent & Christmas and We Have a Pope. Visit her website, LookToHimAndBeRadiant.com, for free lesson plans, printables, and other resources for teaching the faith.

Connect with Katie here:

@katherine.bogner

LookToHimAndBeRadiant.com

Resources:

All About Lent

Through the Year with Jesus

Through the Year with Mary

All about Advent & Christmas

We Have a Pope

https://stpaulcenter.co/saints-lent

@stpaulcenter

@emmausroadpublishing 

Free Printable:

The post Tripping Over the Saints :: Guest Katherine Bogner – Episode 34 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Kristine Bruce:

Kristine Bruce is a cradle Catholic born and raised near St. Louis, MO. She had the amazing privilege of attending middle school at the Academy of the Sacred Heart founded in 1818 by St. Rose Philippine Duchesne.

Kristine has been called to support, encourage, and pray with Catholics whose loved ones have left the Church. Every Friday, she shares messages of guidance, prayer, and hope to uplift and strengthen Catholics amid the trials of wayward loved ones. For a touch of comfort and connection (and even her all-time favorite cookie recipe!), visit PrayingForOurProdigals.com

Resources:

https://www.prayingforourprodigals.com/

Visit the Shrine of St Philippine – https://rscj.org/shrine

Learn more about her in Cloud of Witnesses or this link: https://rscj.org/shrine/her-life

Free Printable:

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This work of sharing stories of encounters with the Saints is a privilege and gift! The Lord in His goodness overflows with stories of His friends at every turn. Join me as I speak with Megan Hjelmstad about St. Jude.

About Megan Hjelmstad:

Megan met her hockey-loving husband while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.

They have both served for over fifteen years in the Army and Army Reserve. They are blessed with three beautiful children, all of whom play hockey (like dad) and love talking about Jesus (like mom).

Resources:

Offer it Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST MEGAN HJELMSTAD – EPISODE 32 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

I can be really good about racing ahead into the next thing. I like to get all the boxes checked and watch items fall off my to-do list.

But as I get older, I realize when I do that, I miss the good stuff.

I miss seeing all of the times He showed up in ways I didn’t notice at the time.

My word of the year in 2024 was surrender.

When He gave me that word, I had no idea how meaningful it would become.

I thought it was all about my dreams for accomplishments – personal accomplishments – that I was surrendering.

As my hands opened in obedience, it became far more.

He didn’t want what I was going to do.

He wanted to show me what He could do with my obedience.

The color of the world changes completely when you give every moment to Him.

In 2024, I surrendered what I thought family was supposed to look like.

I surrendered my timelines.

I surrendered my dreams.

I surrendered all the things that I thought might make me a saint.

I just want Him – my every moment, my every thought, my every breath.

I may have a long journey ahead, but I will wake up each day with the hope of surrender.

The post Reflecting and noticing appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Join us and learn more about this millennial young man that continues to change the world!

About Katie McGrady:

Katie Prejean McGrady is a wife, mom, award-winning author, international speaker, podcaster & daily radio show host.

After working in youth ministry and high school education for a number of years, Katie began speaking full time in 2017, averaging over 100,000 miles a year traveling to speak at events for young people, parishes, parent groups, fundraisers, retreats, religious education conferences, and more.

Katie is the author of four books with Ave Maria Press. She began working with Ave Maria Press in 2019 to help create digital and audio content for Ave Explores, a multi-media project digging into various Catholic topics relevant to people who want to learn more and live their faith in a real, practical way. She hosts the Ave Explores podcast, a long-form interview style podcast that topics relevant topics each season. Katie also hosts Like a Mother, a podcast about the joys, struggles, and ins and outs of motherhood. Like a Mother is an OSV podcast production. Katie and her husband, Tommy, are the hosts of Family Mass Prep on Hallow, a weekly podcast for families to get ready to hear and pray with the Sunday Mass readings.

Katie regularly writes for Blessed is She, Our Sunday Visitor, Aleteia, and the Grotto Network. She appears as a Catholic commentator on CNN, and is a consultant for the USCCB working group on youth and young adult ministry. Katie is an op-ed columnist with La Croix International, a French Catholic newspaper distributed daily in print and online.

In March of 2021, Katie began hosting The Katie McGrady Show, a daily radio program on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM 129 that talks about pop culture, current events, Catholic news, how to live a life of abundant joy, and introduces listeners to a variety of engaging, dynamic, and profoundly inspiring guests.

Katie makes her home in Lake Charles, LA with her husband, Tommy, and daughters, Rose and Clare.

Resources:

Books with Ave Maria Press

Free Printable:

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I signed up to make cookies for the PTA teacher cookie exchange.

I was feeling festive and joyful, and in a moment of holiday delusion, I said ‘yes’ to adding another thing to the final week of Advent and the weekend of Sebastian’s first communion. Alas, myself thanked me this morning when I had cookies for breakfast.

This is seriously my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, especially when I don’t make them myself – ha! Enjoy! They are chocolatey and crispy and buttery!

First, the urban legend:

Supposedly a woman was dining at the Neiman Marcus Cafe in Dallas, Texas and loved their chocolate chip cookies so much that she asked for the recipe. She was told by the waitress that for two fifty she could have it. She agreed. Later the credit card bill arrived and that was $250.

Is it true? Not sure, but either way these Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies are so unbelievably good!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Rolled oats
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda and baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Dark brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Milk chocolate bar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets.
• Grind outs in a food processor. (Brian was really, really excited about using the food processor. Let people help you! It makes it silly and fun.)
• In a bowl whisk together ground outs, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In an electric mixer cream butter and sugars.
• Mix in eggs one at a time then blend in vanilla.
• Blend in flour mixture, then mix in chocolate chips and chocolate, and walnuts if using.
• Scoop dough out using a cookie scoop and roll.
• Transfer to baking sheets and bake until set.

Tips:

If you do not have unsalted butter, do not add the salt.

If you don’t have a chocolate bar handy, don’t worry – just add 1/4 more chocolate chips.

And pro-tip – underbaking these slightly is the way to go! Crispy edges with a chewy, yummy center is the key to these amazing cookies.

Yields:

• 2 dozen

The post Chocolate Chip Cookies – the super not-so-secret Neiman Marcus recipe appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Rob Kaczmark:

As the co-founder and CEO of Spirit Juice Studios, an internationally recognized, Emmy award-winning video production house, I have been passionately creating and delivering high-quality and authentically Catholic content for over 16 years. I am a self-taught camera operator and editor, with a keen eye for cinematography, direction, and style. I have worked with clients from 15 countries, amassed over 20 million online views, and completed hundreds of projects every year, ranging from documentaries and music videos to podcasts and commercials.

I also serve as the president of Behold, a new media company that leverages the infrastructure and resources of Spirit Juice Studios to produce and distribute original and engaging Catholic content for a global audience. Additionally, I am the executive director of Spirit Juice Entertainment Group, the non-profit arm of Spirit Juice Studios that provides free online access to inspiring and informative Catholic media, with the support of our generous donors. My mission is to evangelize the culture through the power of visual arts and the ever ancient, ever new beauty of the Catholic faith.

Resources:

Short Film – The Veil Removed

Film – The Heart of a Servant

Connect with Rob:

YouTube – Spirit Juice

YouTube – Spirit Juice Kids *let’s get them to 1 million subscribers!*

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Rob Kaczmark – EPISODE 30 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Margaret:

Margaret Bereit is a seasoned educator with over two decades of experience in homeschooling, classroom teaching, and tutoring. She mentors mothers and children at Mary’s Shelter, a nationally recognized maternity ministry, and is actively involved in her church and local community. Through her passion for education and mentorship, Margaret has empowered women to embrace the blessings and navigate the challenges of faith, relationships, motherhood, and family life. She has been married for 32 years to her husband, David—the founder and former CEO of 40 Days for Life—and together, they co-lead marriage preparation retreats, relationship courses, and marriage enrichment programs. They speak on topics of faith, life, and family to audiences across the U.S. and internationally. The Bereits reside in the Washington, DC area and are the parents of two adult children: Sr. Gloria Christi, a Nashville Dominican, and Patrick, who teaches English and serves the Church in Fez, Morocco.

You can connect with her on Facebook to see her wonderful book recommendations for children!

Resources:

Children’s Book – Saint Philip of the Joyous Heart

Children’s Podcast – Saint’s Alive Saint Philip Neri

Preparing for Advent: A Guide for Catholic Moms

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Margaret Bereit – EPISODE 29 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Of course I had a book I’ve been working on in mind – about our dear Saint Dymphna. In March, on my birthday, I was assigned an editor at a major publisher and we worked together for months on that draft.  It seemed that the dream and whispered prayer was going to become a reality.

Goodness gracious I was excited. I tried not to be prideful, but this felt so incredibly shiny.

The editor made an exciting suggestion. We should take the original draft and pull it into three separate books.

They want me to write three books?!

I poured months into the first book. Brian gently warned that it seemed like it was no longer something I was enjoying, but had become hard, dry, work. The project no longer resembled what I had been called to do.

I didn’t want to acknowledge his insight as correct. I wanted to push through. I wanted to be a published author. I wanted to tell the world about Saint Dymphna. I wanted to get this done.

The publisher told me that the project was no longer a good fit for them.

I ran the draft of the pulled apart book by other publishers.

After rejection number four, I sat in Adoration and told Him that I thought I had misunderstood Him.

Had I pursued something for selfish gain and vanity?

What was I supposed to do with the work I had put into this?

Was it wasted?

I sat back in the long, wooden pew. The leaves were blowing in circles outside, chasing one another in the morning sun.

Nothing is wasted, He reminded me.

Nothing.

Even these leaves going around in circles have a purpose. The wind that carries them has handled unseen obstacles and elevation changes. The leaves dancing in circles are a testament to unseen struggles.

I sat and watched, delighting in their dance and thankful that it happened when I was paying attention.

I left the church, thankful for the unseen struggles and thankful for my own leaf dance. I gave the idea of being published back to God and asked Him to let me know when it was time to pick it up again.

Later that week, a project was announced. Would I like to contribute a chapter to a book about the Saints?

A chapter about Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, poured out of me. And today we have official word – it is going to the printer and will arrive in a few weeks.

His kindness and mercy are such a gift.

***

Is there a dream or a quiet whisper that you are waiting for?

Give it back to Him with open hands and just enjoy the dance while He makes it into something even more beautiful than you can imagine.

The post The Cloud of Witnesses – the Saints, a book, and leaves appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

On this episode of Tripping over the Saints, I am joined by Heart of a Servant producer Victoria McEachern! Heart of a Servant is a feature length documentary, narrated by Jonathan Roumie, about Father Edward J. Flanagan and the story of Boys Town. This movie will be released on October 8th, 2024 for one day only. I hope you jump at the opportunity to learn more about Father Flanagan’s great love for all orphans.

Buy Tickets Here:

Tickets for October 8th, 2024, Heart of a Servant

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Victoria McEachern – EPISODE 28 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Have you ever approached a special date and you just weren’t sure how to really celebrate it?

Do you plan a weekend just for you? Do you invite your community to celebrate with you? Do you celebrate with family?

The closer we got to this summer, Brian and I realized that we all just wanted to do a whole lot of little things to renew and revisit our story. Brian and I had been so good about telling Julia, Nate, and Riley all about where we met and how we went from Texas to Arizona and back again. But we realized the younger two didn’t really know our story.

First, I looked up DeGray Lake, Arkansas, where we spent our honeymoon. The state park and hotel became our first stop. In 1999, we didn’t take a camera and it was before cell phones for us, so this would be the first time that Mary Alice and Sebastian.

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I had this memory of a fish place. To get there, you drive over a bridge and then wrapped around and it was just below and snuggled into the side of the bridge on a lake. For the longest time I had decided that I probably conflated a few restaurants that we ate at on our honeymoon. The second afternoon, we drove the kids into Hot Springs and as we drove over Lake Catherine, I gasped – there it was! After all these years it was still there. We planned on returning for dinner and it was just as wonderful as I remembered! Fried shrimp, hush puppies, sweet tea – so much goodness!

On our actual anniversary weekend, we headed down to College Station, Texas. We wanted to return to Saint Mary’s. On a whim, I asked my parents (who live near Houston) if they wanted to meet us. They jumped in the car and met us for Mass and dinner! It was such a fun, last minute celebration and it was perfect for our stage of life right now.

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As always, I was reminded that Brian is a gift. He loves adventuring and he is patient when I want to make memories.

I’m so thankful that the Lord, in His amazing goodness, saw fit for us to become friends and find our vocation in one another.

The post The Summer of Nostalgia appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

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About Katie:

Katie Bogner is a Catholic school teacher from Central Illinois who is passionate about equipping parents, catechists, and teachers to share the beauty and truth of Christ and His Church with children. She is the author of the books Through the Year with Jesus and Through the Year with Mary, as well as All about Advent & Christmas and We Have a Pope. Visit her website, LookToHimAndBeRadiant.com, for free lesson plans, printables, and other resources for teaching the faith.

Resources:

Through the Year with Jesus

Through the Year with Mary

All about Advent & Christmas

We Have a Pope

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Katie Bogner – EPISODE 26 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

What a joy to meet someone else and hear the similarities of our journey and her persistent friendship with us.

Fr. Benjamin Roberts is a priest of the Diocese of Charlotte and pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, NC (OurLadyMonroe.org). He holds a DMin in Preaching and is the author of The Voice of the Bridegroom: Preaching as an Expression of Spousal Love. He regularly posts his Sunday homilies on FatherBhomilies.podbean.com and he leads an annual pilgrimage to the National Shrine of St. Dymphna in Massillon, OH.

(I have to recommend his sermon series on his podcast that begins in June of 2024. It is phenomenal!)

Free Printable:

The beautiful St. Dymphna window at Fr. Benjamin’s parish:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Father Benjamin – EPISODE 25 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Sometimes, I like to wander.

Most of the time, I prefer to drag someone along with me, with a convincing soliloquy about how much they will adore, said wandering.

Ever so often, my desire to see the beauty outweighs my fear of being alone with my own thoughts.

I feel alive and excited. I refuse to miss it (whatever ‘it’ is).

I grab the keys and head for the car.

I turn on a podcast or get caught up on Marco Polo, and I take the voices on my phone with me on my adventure.

Last April, I heard rumblings that the Ennis bluebonnets were magnificent.

I followed my maps to a road that was closed.

I had come too far to be thwarted by rusty old gates, so I turned right. My map didn’t have this road, and my connection began to fade.

I’m still not sure exactly where I was, but oh my word…

The reward for my adventure laid before me in yellows and reds and blues. It began to sprinkle, just for a few minutes, which woke up the flowers and stirred all the winged creatures. My silent adventure filled my heart.

The post Ennis, Texas April 2023 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Carolyn:

​Carolyn Courtney Lauman is a wife, mother, and grandmother who loves Jesus and the Catholic Church. Born in Akron, Ohio, the fourth of Pat and Barbara Courtney’s nine children, she was baptized as an infant and went on to attend thirteen years of Catholic school before graduating from Shippensburg State University in Pennsylvania.

While in college, Carolyn walked away from the Church. In the decades that followed, she pursued careers in international business and interior design before trying her hand at writing fiction.
Carolyn’s first novel, Against Their Will, was inspired by an actual event that took place as she and her sister, Debbie, were driving from Pennsylvania to Florida. Despite the story’s grit and profanity, the book’s dedication testifies to Carolyn’s enduring faith in a power far greater than herself. While she may have abandoned God, he never abandoned her.

During the writing of her third novel in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Carolyn joyfully reconciled with the Catholic Church. Not long afterward, as she struggled with her fourth work of fiction, she sensed God’s prodding her to use her talents for His purpose and glory. His Resurrection Fern is the result of her response to that call.

Today, Carolyn lives with her husband on the coast of Maryland. She is available for appearances at book club meetings and book signings, and for both in-person and podcast interviews.

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST Carolyn Lauman – EPISODE 24 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

About Chris:

DR. CHRISTOPHER REED, is author of best-selling, Future-Ready Leadership: Strategies for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and coach. Through his writing and engaging Catholic ministry, Chris seeks to inspire, educate, and help people discover and use their God-given talents to make the world a better place. Chris has served as a leadership and organizational consultant and coach with Gallup, the University of Michigan, Trinity Health, and numerous other organizations around the world. He holds a doctorate in Human Communication Processes from the University of Georgia and serves his profession and community through the International Coach Federation, the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, the Knights of Columbus, and the Bald Mountain Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Chris and his wife Robin live, worship, and serve in Lake Orion, MI.

Resources:

Book website & downloadable resources: https://oursacredconversations.com
Book purchase link: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/sacred-conversations/

Free Printable:

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Ever so often I read an article about the state of the world – doomsday, fear, and basic complete destruction with a side of hopelessness.

I’m here to share a little light and a lot of cuteness.

Every year, our church holds an All Saints Day Trunk or Treat.

Sebastian pulled out one of Nate’s old costumes and proudly decided he wanted to be Saint George.

Mary Alice decided she wanted to be a cat.

After all, if St. John Bosco had a dog named Grigio, surely there was a Saint that had a special cat.

They are listening.

They are listening to the stories we tell.

They are emulating goodness and courage and steadfastness in the stories they hear.

So, let us tell goodness to all children – so that they know of the truth, beauty, and goodness that can be found in the world.

Let us smile and radiate joy as they are seeking a mirror to reflect.

Let us use our hands to help our neighbors, write letters to friends, work in the garden, and hug the children who long to be loved.

Let us step away from our keyboards and angry responses and take a deep breath to see that there is truly hope in the kingdom.

The post The kingdom is in good hands appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Mary Alice loves to hear stories about “when she was little” at bedtime.

So, here we go again – my best efforts at writing down memories for these amazing children.

We have amazing neighbors that live across the cul-de-sac from us. Mandy is also a photographer, so last year we traded Christmas pictures. My goodness – what a blessing to have someone who can hop in the car and grab stunning photos of your family in less that 15 minutes.

That’s one of the lovely things I want them to remember – neighbors. Meet them, be there for them, share your flour and your garden and your burdens with them. They will return every bit, ten fold.

The post Mom, tell me more stories appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

It is a true joy to listen to her speak about her poetry. Her friendship with the Saints is woven into her life in the most beautiful way!

About Belinda:

I love to serve by writing, teaching, training, and speaking at conferences. I’ve had experience as an adjunct professor in human services or social work at three different colleges (Georgia State University, Oglethorpe, and Lone Star College Montgomery). I’ve helped develop an addictions course at Belmont Abbey College. I have been a licensed professional social worker and addictions counselor for over 15 years, having worked in educational, hospital, and clinical environments. My specialized clinical experience is in addictions, group therapy, and case management. I owned my own business training other professionals in addictions, self-care, and ethics and speaking at local, state, regional, and national conferences. I have been blessed to be able to home educate my seven children over the last 28 years and to write articles and speak at Home Education conferences. I have taught human services classes at Lone Star College Montgomery. My workbook to help plan self care and prevent burnout. My Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Workbook: Creating a Comprehensive Plan for a Calm, Ordered Life can be seen on my website: www.tlcwellnessinstitute.com
I am writing a Catholic edition of the workbook. Praying with the Saints on their Feast Days (tentative title) to be published by OSV. more books to be published soon. I love my faith and hope that all I have done will give glory to God.

Resources:

A Look at Life: A Book of Poetry by Belinda Terro Mooney | En Route Books and Media

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST BELINDA TERRO MOONEY – EPISODE 22 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

As I was reviewing the recording, I wanted to share something with you about how my journey progressed in understanding Saints and the sweet gifts they give us.

1. I believe in the power of prayer.
2. Saints in heaven can intercede for us. (This took me a long time to study and unravel what I had been taught before becoming Catholic. I believe I am still learning every day!)
3. Some Saints also send gifts (or favors) to us! (This is a very new concept for me.) From Saint Therese: She explained: “After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints. My mission is to make God loved…” A rose is like her signature on a letter to a friend.

So, when St. Therese has been praying for you, keep your eyes out – sometimes she likes to leave you roses!

Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary at marythissen.com on Instagram @waitingonmiracles.

Free Printable:

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Have you ever let go of something, maybe a beautiful dream, because the Lord prompted you to?

Then, after you let go, you found reasons and ways that you could still do it with your own strength, so you snatched it back up and told yourself that the timing was right or that situations had changed or that you now had His permission to go forward, only to feel a nagging in your heart?

Anxiety replaced the peace you found in laying it down.

Striving replaced the rest you felt when let it go.

Convincing yourself that it was still a good idea was easy. After all, it was your idea to begin with. Right? Right.

Today I found myself two weeks into my own plans when a dear friend (thank you, Lauren) confided in me about anxiety. Her gentle voice was the glaring alarm my heart was looking for. She spoke truthfully, vulnerably, clearly. As soon as she said the words out-loud, I knew what I had done in my heart.

My open hands had reached out and grabbed the precious thing that the Lord had asked me to put down. Admitting it out-loud to her was the first step. I pulled over and we prayed together as I sat on the phone in the parking lot.

I pray you all have a friend like Lauren who reminds you that this world is His – and His plans for us are so much bigger than where we live or what shiny precious thing we are chasing.

The post Letting go appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Thursday was a good day. An unusually good day.

I think it was Katie McGrady who said earlier that her “Lent was very Lent-y” this year.

I nodded my head and wondered how I could share without complaining and bemoaning that life I’ve ended up in a valley the past few months.

My aunt passed away at Thanksgiving. I had seen her the day before. We had played “Go Fish” with my youngest children and she had made a huge, decadent table of desserts. It took our breath away. As we waited for her funeral, it felt like we were holding our breath until we could truly say goodbye.

This was followed by a dead battery in the church parking lot in the pouring rain on Christmas Eve, a blown transmission the week of Valentines Day, an epic trip-and-fall adventure by yours truly into the back of a closet, 2 weeks of the mysterious “you tested negative for everything” sickness, and finally (I hope!) a cracked tooth all the way to the root – cue incredible thankfulness for dental insurance.

I needed a good day. I did.

Thursday morning, Riley woke up cheerful and joyful and ready to tackle the day. We bounced back and forth from reviewing the butterfly method of dividing fractions to questions about his Gotcha Day. Many, many years ago, he asked us to stop celebrating his gotcha day.

I looked up the date to be sure I was telling correctly. We talked about who was there and what the day was like.

We spent the morning looking at pictures and talking about September 4th. It was so good just to hear his quiet thoughts and memories about the day.

(Pictures below from September 4th, 2014)

He wandered off to do his reading, and I opened facebook to thank people for praying and not to stop. It may take weeks, or months, or years, but your prayers make a difference. And right there – in my messages – was a message from a college friend that said “Good morning, Kate. Today is the day I’m praying for you and Riley.” I had forgotten that he had offered his 40 days in Lent to pray for someone each day. Weeks ago, I sent him Riley’s name.

He didn’t know that I needed a good day. He didn’t know that my Lent has been very Lent-y. He didn’t know that I plead with our Lord every day for a miracle to happen and for Riley to be healed and find peace.

But all of that didn’t matter. He promised to pray, and he did.

And it made all the difference in the world.

The post Just keep praying… appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Choosing my word of the year this year proved harder than in years past. Do your words come easily? Do you know before the calendar even turns to January? I don’t. I’m usually well into the first month before I truly have peace about letting Him choose my word of the year, instead of pretending that my word is where He and I should explore together.

I laugh and remind myself that I am an oldest. I am an older sister of a brother who was very accommodating of what games we should play, what songs we should sing, what TV show we should watch after school, and who sat shotgun first. This may have been great from my point of view (sorry, Johnny) but not the best recipe for getting to know someone and making room for where you need to grow.

I usually spend a few days in silence, wondering why He hasn’t shown me my word.

Then, slowly, a word begins to come up over and over – in scripture, in homilies, in podcasts, and in my husband’s words to me.

I’m not even kidding when I tell you that this is the song that just came on as I write this post:

You Hold it All
The Porter’s Gate: Contemporary

God, we bring you the work of our hands now
Lay it down, lay it at Your feet
What we’ve done, where we’ve been, what we’ve broken
Lay it down, lay it at Your feet

You hold it all
Jesus You hold it all

Worried hearts, wearied hands, weakened body
Lay them down, lay it at Your feet
What we used, what we lost, what we wasted
Lay it down, lay it at Your feet

You hold it all
Jesus, You hold it all
You hold it all
Jesus, You hold it all

All our plans, all our dreams, our ambition
Lay them down, lay them at Your feet
Even if nothing comes to fruition
Lay them down, lay it at Your feet
Lay it down, lay it at Your feet

Surrender.

Surrender is my word this year.

The rough draft of the book about Saint Dyphna is finished and I’ve sent it off to a dear friend to read. I immediately felt small and childish when I hit send and He sweetly reminded me to surrender.

If I am doing this for His glory – not mine,

If I am doing this according to His will – not mine,

If I am not seeking personal gain but to give Him glory, then it will be easy to surrender.

Lord, I surrender it all to you – today, tomorrow, and yesterday.

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Joe Valentic is a Catholic entrepreneur, author, and apostolate leader. He has a passion for sharing the Catholic faith and for helping people to integrate their faith into all areas of their life to achieve their full God given potential.

Joe has over 30 years of business experience and over 19 years of Catholic apostolate experience.  He has served in the community in multiple board and executive roles for Catholic and pro-life organizations. He currently serves as the volunteer Chairman of Alliance Catholic Credit Union and the President of the board of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Apostolate.

Joe is blessed to be married for 32 years. He and his wife have 7 children with us and 2 with the Lord. They also have 4 grandchildren. Joe lives in metro Detroit and has been blessed to be engaged with multiple parishes.

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST JOSEPH VALENTIC – EPISODE 20 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

It may be the most unusual word I’ve ever had for my word of the year. And it may also be the most meaningful. Visual reminders throughout the past two years kept me seeking and quiet, trying to understand what He was showing me though scaffolding.

In Assisi – my very first overseas trip to Italy, the summer of 2022.

I kept the word in 2023, feeling that I still had much more to learn.

At our home parish – St. Philip the Apostle – on the day of Mary Alice’s first communion.

In New York, when we visited Julia.

And inside my parents’ home as they replaced their roof. A tornado sent a tree into my parent’s roof. They weren’t home. They were at my home watching my children while we were on our pilgrimage this summer to Belgium. Glass and drywall covered my mother’s recliner, but she wasn’t there. This incredibly practical word unfolded over the past two years into something poetic.

Scaffolding is to be temporary. It is not to be a replacement for permanence.

In Assisi, it was a kind reminder that our time away from home was fleeting but full of meaning and lessons and growth.

In New York, the scaffolding seemed to be a permanent part of everyday life. As if people were thankful that it kept them dry in the rain and shaded from the hot sun, offering a fast solution for the needs of those who lived there.

At our parish, it was the huge red bow placed on the church to remind me that Jesus was there with us. The scaffolding was a very loud ‘hello’ from Heaven, celebrating the Eucharist and our community.

At my parents’ home, scaffolding became a reminder of God’s faithfulness after months of wrestling with the insurance company, sincerely wondering if my parents would ever have a new roof again. The presence of scaffolding signaled that what the tornado destroyed would become new in His time.

Strong and sturdy, straight and purposeful.

Are we to become scaffolding? Are we going to be the ones who support each other temporarily while we rebuild?

When grief comes spilling out and we cannot stand.

When we reach the end of our paycheck and we search for a way to fill our car with gas.

When our bodies need mending and we are suddenly unable.

We our mind fills with worry and we can’t see when it will ever be okay.

When we question why we are here and what we believe.

In these times, I pray you have a friend that steps in and becomes your scaffolding. I pray you have the faith to be salt and light in the dark times.

The post A reflection on scaffolding appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

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I had the privilege of speaking to Belinda Terro Mooney this past week!

As soon as we started talking, her calming presence and sincere love for Jesus touched my heart in a profound way. This episode is a little longer than the usual podcast episode, so be sure and carve out a little special time for you to really enjoy her love and teaching of the church.

We talk about St. Gertrude the Great and so many more wonderful saints! In true tripping over the saints’ fashion, listen in as another Saint is trying to get our attention!

Have a wonderful day friends! May you come to know the Saints who are praying for you on your journey.

About Belinda:

I love to serve by writing, teaching, training, and speaking at conferences. I’ve had experience as an adjunct professor in human services or social work at three different colleges (Georgia State University, Oglethorpe, and Lone Star College Montgomery). I’ve helped develop an addictions course at Belmont Abbey College. I have been a licensed professional social worker and addictions counselor for over 15 years, having worked in educational, hospital, and clinical environments. My specialized clinical experience is in addictions, group therapy, and case management. I owned my own business training other professionals in addictions, self-care, and ethics and speaking at local, state, regional, and national conferences. I have been blessed to be able to home educate my seven children over the last 28 years and to write articles and speak at Home Education conferences. I have taught human services classes at Lone Star College Montgomery. My workbook to help plan self care and prevent burnout. My Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Workbook: Creating a Comprehensive Plan for a Calm, Ordered Life can be seen on my website: www.tlcwellnessinstitute.com
I am writing a Catholic edition of the workbook. Praying with the Saints on their Feast Days (tentative title) to be published by OSV. more books to be published soon. I love my faith and hope that all I have done will give glory to God.

Free Printable:

Belinda’s Website:

TLC Wellness Institute

Belinda’s books:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST BELINDA TERRO MOONEY – EPISODE 18 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Join me as he shares the beautiful way that St. John Henry Cardinal Newman asked to be his friend.

About Daniel:

Daniel McInerny is a novelist and dramatist as well as associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. 

In March 2023 Chrism Press published his novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair, which his fellow Catholic novelist Maya Sinha has called “an instant classic of 21st-century Catholic fiction.” 

The Good Death of Kate Montclair depicts a brave woman in midlife struggling to come to terms with a terminal diagnosis by joining an apparently innocent death discussion group (loosely modeled after the contemporary phenomenon of The Death Café). It is a suspenseful, heartbreaking, topical, and often humorous story set in Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia during COVID Year 2020, with flashbacks to the Italy of the 1980s, told from Kate Montclair’s present tense POV. The book deals with one of our culture’s most hotly contested issues, euthanasia, as well as with the themes of conscience as an argument for God’s existence, and bespoke spirituality and ritual in our contemporary world.

Acclaimed Catholic poet James Matthew Wilson has said the following of the novel:

“Daniel McInerny brings us a novel of characters flirting with the temptation to be their own author only to discover the plot of their lives is not up to them. This is a book of and for our dreary moment but one which reminds us that a good story brings serious pleasure and joyful wisdom to transform even the darkest of ages.”

As a scholar Daniel is foremost interested in retrieving an Aristotelian understanding of mimetic art, long out of favor among philosophers. In June 2024 Word on Fire Academic will bring out his scholarly monograph, The Way of Beauty: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. Early reviews of the book have said the following: 

“This is literally the best book on beauty that I have ever read: the most convincing, clear, and comprehensive; the most eye-opening and satisfying; the most insightful and delightful. It is a masterpiece. I do not use that word lightly, but there is no other word for it.” 

–Dr. Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College, and author of Socrates’ Children (Word on Fire 2023)

“Daniel McInerny’s book clarifies why we enjoy works of art—pictures, music, drama and movies, poetry and novels—and it also shows why we revere such works: not as ends in themselves, but because they place us in the truthful presence of what they depict. The book reactivates Aristotle’s understanding of mimesis and Aquinas’s enhancement of it. It shows how art elevates what it displays as well as the community that experiences it. It is a metaphysical and theological reflection on the arts, written in the style and spirit of C. S. Lewis: limpid prose, abundant citations, colorful examples. A book to study and learn from, then to browse in and enjoy.”

—Msgr. Robert Sokolowski, Elizabeth Breckenridge Caldwell Professor of Philosophy, The Catholic University of America

At Christendom College Daniel teaches courses on the Philosophy of Art & Beauty, the Philosophy of Technology, the Philosophy of Culture, and Ethics & Imagination. 

He received his BA in English from the University of Notre Dame (1986) and his PhD in philosophy from The Catholic University of America (1994). He has taught and worked at various universities in the United States, including a stint as associate director of the Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture, now called the DeNicola Center for Ethics and Culture, at the University of Notre Dame (2003-09). He has taught at Christendom College since the fall of 2019. 

Daniel is also the author of three books in the humorous Kingdom of Patria series for middle grade readers, as well as a play, The Actor, on the early life and wartime dramatic activities of Karol Wojtyla, the man who would become Saint John Paul II, which will premiere at Christendom College in the fall of 2024. 

He also writes the Substack newsletter, The Comic Muse, where he shares weekly reflections on philosophy, the arts, technology, and culture. 

Daniel is a native of South Bend, Indiana. He is the youngest child of the late Ralph McInerny, revered philosopher at the University of Notre Dame for over fifty years, and best known by many as the author of the beloved Father Dowling series of mystery novels. 

Daniel and his wife Amy have three grown children and one preternaturally adorable grandchild, and they live in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Daniel’s book:

The Good Death of Kate Montclair

Substack – The Comic Muse

Free Printable:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST DANIEL MCINERNY – EPISODE 17 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

It was almost a year ago, now. She hid the dress in her closet so everyone would be surprised.

The year before, Brian had hurt his knee (we found out it was actually broken), but he took her to the dance with crutches and a smile.

This year, she was ready to dance the night away.

This lovely, feisty, wonderful girl is growing up and goodness, I’m thankful.

Last night, she chose a girl night over walking “the monster mile” in our neighborhood where they hand gobs of candy and you see all of your friends from school.

We went to the grocery store and picked out individual cake slices and bubble bath.

We watched part of the Princess Diaries and had a good cuddle.

I don’t want to forget these moments when she chooses to spend time together.

And I never want to forget the moments when I remember what an incredible father she has.

The post The daddy daughter dance appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Did I tell you that I want to New York?!

Julia lived there last year as she served as a Seton Teaching Fellow, so Mary Alice and I took a girl’s trip! We filled the weekend with wandering and amazing food – you know, just your average best weekend ever.

You guys. She was the best hostess. I would have never figured out the Subway system in one weekend. It was so nice to have our very own tour guide!

Watching your little one grow into an adult who is now sharing their favorite things with you might be my new favorite part of parenting.

There are pieces of you within them, but there is something so unique. I found myself just standing back and watching the wind blow through her hair as she glanced around, making sure not to leave out any detail. Seeing the world from her perspective reminds me of walking with her to the park when she was three. She noticed every flower and every lovely doorway. Her enthusiasm spilled over into every moment and she just wanted to make memories with us in her favorite spots.

The night before we visited Saint Patrick’s cathedral, I found out a dear friend passed away from cancer. I had known Lainey forever, and I wanted to send her a prayer card from New York. She was always telling us about her son living in New York and how incredibly proud she was of him. I thought it would make the perfect gift. Knowing that I couldn’t send her happy mail – something she was known for – made my heart ache. When I walked into Saint Patrick’s, I wanted to say a special prayer for her. I let the girls go ahead and spent time in the prayer chapel. When I walked out, I walked a few steps and saw it.

A painting of Saint Charbel was the very next thing I saw after leaving the chapel. I had been asking him to intercede for Lainey for two years. He had been my prayer partner in the middle of the night when I prayed for her healing. He had been who I asked to intercede when she commented on my Facebook posts, inviting prayer requests. I felt so comforted by my friend at that moment. I felt so connected to the Saints, the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. He had heard me. He had prayed for Lainey. The peace joyfully surrounded me.

Julia surprised us with a carriage ride through Central Park. Our guide was kind and charming, with a thick Irish accent. (Having adult children that arrange surprises for you may be one of my favorite things ever!).

We saw the Lion King on broadway and I was mesmerized. It was better that I ever could have imagined! The actors, the costumes, and the music were flawless. Being there with Mary Alice and Julia is a memory I will have forever.

I never thought I’d make it to New York, but I’m so very glad we went. I’m learning to just go. Take the trip. Don’t worry about what won’t get done. It will be there when you get back. But, these memories won’t wait.

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Jennie is a Catholic speaker, Life Coach, Podcaster, Weekly Radio Show Host on Nashville Catholic Radio, and founder of Catholic Moms in the Middle. After 26 years of working in Catholic education, Jennie felt God calling her “to step out of the boat” to serve in a new way. In her new ministry as a Catholic Life Coach, she now equips and encourages middle-life moms to reconnect with who they are and their unique God-given purpose so they can MAGNIFY Christ in their corner of the world.

Free Printables:

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I met Father Louis Mersone in July 2014 in Tucson, Arizona at a Steubenville conference. Father Louis was the priest during Adoration when I experienced miraculous healing by our Savior, Jesus Christ. AMDG!

If you have not heard the story, I’d love to share it with you!

Father Louis Merosne is madly in love with the Trinity, the Blessed Mother, and the Catholic Church. Born in Haiti, he moved to Boston in 1993. He studied at the Franciscan University (undergraduate French, philosophy, and theology from 2002 to 2005 and graduate theology and Christian ministry from 2005 to 2007). Ordained in 2011, he now serves in Haiti in the Diocese of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne under Bishop Pierre-André Dumas. Preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ is both a duty and passion for him. His perpetual prayer intention is to be a saintly priest.

I pray that you are blessed by Father Louis and Venerable Pierre Toussaint!

How to bless Father Louis and his ministry:

Father Louis student loans

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When we returned from the pilgrimage, I would have smiled and looked you in the eyes and told you that it was a beautiful trip but that nothing had really changed. I was incredibly thankful for the opportunity. There were amazing moments. There was extravagant hospitality. But when we returned home, much of that became a memory, almost dreamlike.

Out of obedience and curiosity we left, with hope and tenderness we returned.

I can truly tell you, I love Riley’s company. He is one of the easiest people to be around when rage and confusion have not taken over his mind. Riley is funny and loves animals with all of his heart. He has ideas… so many incredible ideas.

For weeks before we traveled to Geel, Belgium, homeschooling had been tugging on my heart. I kept the thoughts at arm’s length. Brian and I have been advised for years that it was a terrible idea to homeschool someone with RAD.

When we returned, Riley confided in me that he did not want to return to school.

Like a song that starts softly but then begins a rhythm that you cannot ignore, I asked Brian for his permission to withdraw Riley from public school.

The relief on Riley’s face, the absolute change in his behavior, the peace in our home (not perfect, but finally glimpsed), and the friends that have come beside me to lift me up are the miracle.

Oh friends. The miracle is happening. Years of crying out in the middle of the night to bring peace and healing. I spent years outside his door, praying for protection, healing, and prayers from angels, saints, and our savior.

Would you pray with us that this year is the beginning of something beautiful in his life? Would you pray that he learns deep in his heart that he is so very loved and treasured?

Saint Dymphna, please intercede for us.

The post The Pilgrimage and homeschool appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Come listen and hear why these Saints are special to them and how their intercession has already been a huge blessing in their marriage.

Resources:

Cameron Riecker’s YouTube channel

Real Life Catholic: Holy Dirt

The Blessing with Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes | Live From Elevation Ballantyne | Elevation Worship

Pilgrimage to Chimayo

The stairs of Saint Joseph – Chapel of Loretto

**Also – in the episode I mention an actress that converted – I had Barbara Hershey confused with Dolores Hart. I apologize for that mistake**

Free Printable:

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I first was introduced to Philip through his Saint comic books. My children immediately fell in love with the stories of Saints told in the style of popular comic book heroes. As I learned more about Philip, I found his website and his incredible contributions as an author. When you have time, please be sure to check out his articles.

Bl. Carlo Acutis used technology to spread the Gospel and hope. Pray for us, Bl. Carlo! Thank you for your incredible example of holiness!

Resources:

Voyage Comics

Bl. Carlo Acutis: His life, his miracles and his legacy

Christus Vivit (paragraphs 104-106)

Free Printable:

“everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies” – Bl. Carlo Acutis

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Our last night in Belgium 🇧🇪

How do you write the ending when you have a feeling it is just the beginning?

We ate dinner on the square. We watched the fountain come on and the sun begin to set.

As I was talking pictures of Riley playing in the fountain, Brian smiled and said, ‘Katie, turn around.’

Right there, a rainbow 🌈 The entire trip, it never rained. Everyone kept telling us how unusual that was and how it always rains in Belgium.

The glory of God right there. A reminder that we will not be destroyed. A rainbow without the rain. Someday, there will joy without pain.

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Monday morning we woke up ready for a full day of nothing.

We left the day open to wander aimlessly in Geel and learn everything we could about this incredible place.

Did you know they are world famous for their community approach to mental health?

We wandered to St. Dymphna’s Cathedral to say goodbye. I wanted to pray for every person who has ever or will ever walk through the doors to see how much Jesus loves them – those with mental illness, caregivers, family, friends, or curious academic.

We noticed that most of the town was closed on Mondays. We found a beautiful bench by the church to rest on while we waited for the church to open at 1pm.

The lady from the day before came out of a side door and locked the door behind her. Brian asked if they would be opening in a while and she explained that they were closed on Mondays.

He told her we had come to say goodbye and we thanked her for such a lovely day yesterday. She smiled and waved for us to come inside.

I could have stayed in Saint Dymphna’s cathedral all day. I wanted to memorize every nook and cranny. I wanted to sing loudly with my eyes closed. I wanted to fall on my knees and beg for my desires to be replaced completely by His Will.

I tried to squeeze every prayer into three minutes and balance absolute gratefulness with respect for the kind lady’s generosity.

I turned around and saw her there – and knew we needed to go ahead.

As I hurried towards her, she motioned to the area behind the altar. She said she wanted to give us a gift.

In the first picture, if you zoom in you can see a statue of Saint Dymphna. She gave this to us and it now sits on our mantle!

Oh the extravagant hospitality!

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A little over a year ago, I finished a historical fiction book called ‘The Kings Prey’ about Saint Dymphna.

I wanted so badly to know more about this martyr whose love for Jesus changed an entire city and their approach to mental health.

On our walk there, I took a picture and when he looked at me, the joy was absolutely tangible.

For months, I had zoomed in on Google Earth.

Using my fingers, I had gotten as close as I could to the place where Saint Dymphna was martyred.

And now, my legs and my heart, my husband, my son, and most importantly, my Savior, had carried me there.

.

When we arrived at the Church, we tried the doors, but they were locked. We were about an hour early, so I wasn’t concerned.

We walked around the side of the church and found a few parishioners visiting outside. We shyly asked about the 1pm international Mass. One lady offered to unlock the doors and call to confirm that the priest was coming.

At this point, I was starting to get a little nervous. I had exchanged emails with a kind lady from the church for months. What if I hadn’t been clear about our plans? What if we had misunderstood something in translation?

The couple she was chatting with smiled when they found out we were from Texas. He said, ‘oh Texas! Clippity cloppity, yee haw!’ While he made a lasso above his head. I forget that the rest of the world views us all as cowboys 🥰

The lady came over and confirmed a priest was on his way! We walked into the Church and I was overwhelmed.

St. Therese of Lisieux greeted me as I walked in. The flowers she was holding felt like they were meant just for me. As if she had been standing there, waiting for me to walk through that door.

“While you are waiting, May I show you something?”, A sweet voice said from behind us. Brian followed the lady who had let us in to an open area behind the altar while I stood overwhelmed just inside the door.

Brian told me to come and see and waved me over.

She explained that pilgrims since the 1500s had ended their journey by walking under a beautiful structure, painted with Saint Dymphna’s story and what was left of her relics. (The relics had been scattered and destroyed hundreds of years ago.)

What a gift to have a true ending to the physical journey to Saint Dymphna’s Cathedral. What a gift to be invited in and told the stories of pilgrims before us!

After Mass at St. Dymphna’s Cathedral, a lady walked up to Father and insisted that he give out the anointing of the sick to all the travelers.

Father grabbed his bag and invited everyone to join him for lunch. We declined and waited patiently for our turn to receive the anointing.

After the Sacrament, Father insisted that we join him. We all walked across the street, into the community.

We ate delicious chicken wings and fried banana bread. We shared orange juice and I watched as Riley played with the other children.

He laughed and smiled and joined them in games and stories.

Community.

My memory wandered back to the time I was struggling with severe anxiety when I was expecting Mary Alice. It was at the table of my dear friend , Cindy Scholl, where I found relief and peace.

I sat in wonder as I realized this was the moment I had been waiting for.

Community. Hospitality. Peace. Rest.

St. Dymphna’s intercession had led us here, to this moment.

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Traveling with these wonderful guys has been so much fun.

They’ve been patient as I took pictures, they’ve been thoughtful as I’ve stepped and pulled my way into trains (why, oh why are the steps as high as my shoulders on some trains?!), and they’ve cheered me on as I ran up and down stairs faster than I thought I could.

I’m not always the easiest to travel with. The fibromyalgia can make stairs and kneeling very difficult, but they didn’t ever make me self conscious. It is a true gift to be cared for and accepted just as I am.

The post Brussels, Belgium appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Bruges, Belgium

Our parish Father recommended we wander this beautiful city if we were able to.

This was not on my original plan; however, taking the advice Fr. McDaniel is always a good idea!

As people hurried into the market and the shops, we chose to explore the The Basilica of the Holy Blood.

Tucked in the corner off the main market, I was unsure if we were entering the right building. Everyone rushed by with their eyes fixed somewhere else.

We found the chapel with a small line of people.

We walked up a stairs to a raised platform. A lady stood quietly behind the relic, making sure no one was there to harm or steal anything. And there it was… a beautiful gold and glass cylinder. Inside was a cloth with Christ’s blood collected by Joseph of Arimathea.

We walked down the other side of the platform and sat in the beautiful chapel.

When I’m in the presence of something so beautiful and sacred, I find it so much easier to sit and pray. I am able to turn my eyes upward and my thoughts towards hope.

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Ghent, Belgium

As we were leaving for our flight, my dad suggested watching the movie ‘The Monument Men’.

After the movie, I read all I could find about the art that was stolen during WWII.

Seeing the Ghent Altarpiece (also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb) was even more impressive after knowing the history.

I’m so thankful for my father sharing his love of history and suggesting the movie – which he knew would make me even more curious.

Seeing Ghent through the lens of what was restored made it even more beautiful.

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Beauraing, Belgium.

Our first day, we took a train to Beauraing to visit Our Lady of Beauraing.

I had planned a full day to figure out the train system and start our pilgrimage close to the heart of the Mother who watched her Son give everything for us.

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(I was looking a little confused, apparently, as I approached a crosswalk in Brussels. A kind lady asked us if she could help and we told her we were looking for the train station. She said, “Follow me, I will take you there.“ She walked with us and we laughed as we tried to communicate with one another. She walked three extra blocks, just to show us the way. May I be as willing to be helpful and May I always gently notice those who want company on the way.)

My father’s hands have fixed cars, built fences, played guitar, lifted grandchildren, grown roses, and designed countless natural gas plants. But nothing is more special to me than his prayers.

As he laid his hands on us in blessing before we left, joining my precious mother and children in prayer, our journey began.

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I’m sitting in the hallway between the kids rooms, putting them to sleep. An email from Catholic Family Crate reminded me that it is Saint Anthony of Padua’s feast day tomorrow! He is Julia’s patron saint and earlier this year, I had a wonderful chat with Cecilia (@missionaryofbeauty on Instagram) about him!

How wonderfully special is it that I didn’t even realize that we are leaving tomorrow, on his feast day. This quote from Cecilia has been pressed against my heart since that day.

Tomorrow, we leave in obedience to find whatever it is He has for us to find.

May God pour out His graces on each and every one of you!

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Join me as we learn how Saint Dominic played a vital role in Dr. Cuddeback’s sincere and powerful passion for crafting a life well loved.

John A. Cuddeback, PhD, is professor of Philosophy at Christendom College, where he has taught for over twenty-five years. He lectures widely on topics including virtue, fatherhood, friendship, and household, and his professional writings appear in various academic journals and books. His book True Friendship was republished by Ignatius Press. His blogging and free courses at LifeCraft are renowned for applying an ancient wisdom to life today.

Resources:

LifeCraft – Dr. Cuddeback’s blog, dedicated to the Philosophy of the Household

True Friendship: Where Virtue Becomes Happiness
(Ignatius Press, 2021)

Free Printable:

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Brian, Riley, and I are making a pilgrimage to Geel, Belgium where St. Dymphna and Father Gerebern were martyred.

We are asking for complete healing for Riley. 

Do I believe he could be healed right here in Lantana, Texas? Of course.

Do I believe we have been led take a pilgrimage out of obedience? I do.

Today, we begin our journey in prayer – a novena.

What is a novena? A novena is nine days of prayer. It comes from the Latin word ‘novem’. We believe that the nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost, where the apostles gathered and prayed together in the upper room, was the first novena.

We will spend nine days in intentional prayer asking for healing from Reactive Attachment Disorder and PTSD and any other illness that he has that has been diagnosed or misdiagnosed. We are specifically asking St. Dymphna to intercede for us.

We humbly ask that you join us in prayer for the next nine days. If you’d like to join our St. Dymphna novena, here is the link to the one we will be praying.

I love Riley with all of my heart. He has taught me about love, letting go of everything and being truly present, bravery, and the unseen journey so many walk.

He has taught me about being vulnerable and asking for help when we need it. I used to believe that we should hide our family’s hard times behind smiles or silence. But slowly I’m learning that hiding helps no one. It leaves everyone feeling alone and overwhelmed. It robs others of the opportunity to show mercy and grace and love us well.

Our neighbors in Arizona and Texas were always the exception. We knew they would hear and see beyond the “normal” family we were in public. Whenever we shared the path of hurt and healing we were on, they proved marvelously incredible humans. We’ve been on the receiving side of meals and knowing smiles, hugs and date nights.

Today, I invite you to join our family and our neighbors and see us for who we are and where we are.

(I asked him to take a picture at my grandmother’s house because his hair was absolutely stunning in the sunlight. He wasn’t mad in this picture – just being wonderfully artistic for me.)

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I don’t have any exact reason.

I am not sure why I held these pictures close to my heart and didn’t share them here.

But I know that I couldn’t stop smiling today when I looked at them, finally editing pictures that were taken in 2020. This was in February. That means that Riley about to turn 10, Mary Alice was about to turn 5, and Sebastian was about to turn 3.

Cactus park was only a ten minute drive from our house and it was one of my absolute favorite parks to take the kiddos to.

The joy and absolute childlike perfection in these pictures reminds me why I pick up my camera. I am so thankful for these memories of a world that didn’t think twice about letting kids play together for hours at the park without hand sanitizer. I am so thankful for these smiles that fill up my days with laughter and keep me from taking myself far too seriously.

Thank you, Lord, for these amazing blessings.

Thank you for this beautiful glimpse at how they have grown and a sweet reminder that we made it to the other side of some of the hardest years I’ve ever known.

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I know you will enjoy listening her talk about Venerable Father Patrick Peyton and how much he has meant to their marriage and their podcast! In true tripping over the Saints fashion, be sure and listen to I had been introduced to Venerable Father Patrick Peyton a few years ago through a project her husband worked on! (what?!!!)

Melissa is the executive producer of Saints Alive Podcast. She is married to Co-Founder of Saints Alive, Alex and Mom to James (3) and Mia (6 months). Creating this podcast has been a labor of love, and Melissa has cherished the long hours of hard work with the saints by her side. When she isn’t creating Google docs, writing lists, and sending emails you can find her loving the joy of being a mom!

“How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the saints.”

― C.S. Lewis

About Saints Alive Podcast:

https://www.saintsalivepodcast.com/

Resources:

Father Patrick Peyton website

Pray: The story of Patrick Peyton

Family Rosary Facebook Page

The Tale of Patrick Peyton – Voyage Comic Book

Free Printable:

Become a Patron!

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As I was listening for any edits needed, I realized we focused on the obedience of Saint Mother Teresa. We would rabbit trail to different topics and what the Lord was teaching us, but over and over again, we spoke of her beautiful obedience to what The Lord asked her to do.

Kristin and I are two mothers of five, both with the occupation of encouraging other moms, struck by a Saint whose obedience rocked the entire world. I think sometimes we can go throughout life, quoting a Saint whose words are beautiful and strong, but forgetting the unrelenting obedience and love for our Savior.

Will you sit with us and remember Saint Mother Teresa who shows us that becoming a Saint is not only possible but necessary for the sake of all of His beautiful children?

About Kristin:

Kristin’s Website

Resources:

Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the ‘Saint of Calcutta’

No Greater Love

Printable:

Become a Patron!

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I have a very special place in my heart for the SOLT community. Their motherhouse is in Corpus Christi, Texas. Corpus Christi is where my parents met and were married. As a child, holidays were spent traveling down to Corpus Christi to be with both sets of grandparents. I felt a very special connection to Sr. Mary Mediatrix of Grace and I’m sure you will, too!

It was an absolute joy to speak with Sr. Mary Mediatrix of Grace and learn more about Our Mother.

Personal note: For many years, I have wrestled with the concept of the word Mediatrix. I pray that this answer helps you as it has helped me:

Mary’s title of mediatrix arises from her cooperation in the Incarnation and in the Redemption of mankind. Through her “yes” (Lk 1:38), she became the Theotokos(God-bearer), and, as the “New Eve,” she is “the Mother of all living.”

Irenaeus (A.D. 120–200) wrote, “As by a virgin the human race had been bound to death, by a virgin it is saved, the balance being preserved, a virgin’s disobedience by a virgin’s obedience” (Against Heresies, 3, 22, 19). Eve made the Fall possible, but Adam effected it; Mary made our Redemption possible (by consenting to bring the Savior into the world), but Jesus effected it.

God permitted the Redemption of mankind to depend on the free-will decision of a human being. Whether or not we would have a mediator was dependent on Mary’s “yes.” Had there been no “yes” from Mary, there would have been no mediator. Thus the graces that come through Jesus may be said to come to us, in a secondary way, via Mary—not as the origin of the graces, but as a conduit. The Catholic Church always has taught that Jesus Christ alone redeemed mankind (neither Mary nor any other creature had the power to do so), and ultimately only through him are salvation and grace obtained.

Even we are mediators, in a lesser sense. The word mediator means someone who is a go-between. In 1 Timothy 2:5, which refers to Jesus as the “one mediator,” the Greek word for “one” is heis, which means “first” or “primary” and does not denote something exclusive. In fact, we are all mediators when we pray for one another. As members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we all share in Christ’s role as mediator, but our efforts at being go-betweens “work” only because of what he has done.

Our mediating in no way diminishes the role of Christ as mediator; in fact, it glorifies the Father, because it is through Jesus that we can approach with confidence the throne of grace (Heb 4:14-16). How much more does Jesus give his mother Mary the privilege to be a participant in the distribution of grace!

Source: https://www.catholic.com/qa/isnt-calling-mary-the-mediatrix-of-all-graces-contrary-to-the-doctrine-that-jesus-is-the-sole

Learn more about SOLT here.

Books:

Fulton Sheen: The World’s First Love

33 Days to Morning Glory : A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration

Additional Information:

Dr. Mark Miravalle

Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces – Mariology Without Apology #31 – Dr. Mark Miravalle

Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces

Printable:

Become a Patron!

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST SR MARY MEDIATRIX OF GRACE, SOLT – EPISODE 8 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Somehow, everything lined up in perfect harmony and Julia, Nate, both sets of grandparents, and Aunt Theresa were able to attend. (Cue the angels singing thanksgiving for living close to family once again.)

At our Parish, the parents attend the preparation classes with their children. Sebastian also ended up attending with Mary Alice and me.

As I sat by her side, coloring and listening to the lessons, I silently flipped through the memories of my first Communion classes. I was in college at Texas A&M, stubbornly telling anyone who would listen that I would never become Catholic. I sat in class with my college roommate, Kelly, and laughed as Father Dean kept telling me that I was already mostly Catholic. He was kind and funny – never condescending.

In a small room at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in College Station, Texas went over one topic at a time, carefully tugging at each thread to make sure that we were taught true Catholic teaching – not just someone else’s version of what Catholics believe.

And then… the gospel of John. I attended a Baptist elementary school, a charismatic non-denominational church until 1st grade, and a Methodist church which overflowed with people who loved Jesus with their entire being since 2nd grade. Surely I was the one who should be teaching about scripture. Right?

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably as we studied John 6:22-71.

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

In verse 66, some disciples left and returned to their former way of life. They left.

They left. There is division about whether or not it is flesh and blood… or a symbol. Do we stand with the hard teachings of Christ? Do we trust Him? Or do we depart for the former way?

In college, I had to stand there face to face with that question.

I snapped back to the present and I watched as my sweet daughter never questioned, but trusted Him with her whole heart.

Yes, Lord. I still believe.

Thank you, Lord, for the amazing gift you give us in the Eucharist.

(My parents who gave me permission to post their beautiful faces on my bloggy blog).

Brian’s mom is an incredible poet. You can give her any word and she will write you a poem.

She asked Mary Alice for a word and Mary Alice said, “transubstantiation”.

I want to share this beautiful poem with you – I will cherish it forever!

***

Transubstantiation

This word is our salvation

With loving faith and persistent grace

Transubstantiation will change our nation

• Priscilla Eschbach, December 2022

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Andrea is a wife and mom of five kiddos, including two sets of twins. She is a Media Relations & Communications Specialist with a deep love for the Church and a special heart of prayer for our Priests. Andrea has found a friend and mentor in Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida – in marriage, in motherhood, and in our journey to holiness.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Conchita from Andrea! What a blessing it is to learn of those who love Jesus so very much and want to share their love and prayers with us!

“Mary was always the mirror in which My Heart was reflected with all its torments, while in her soul re-echoed something of My interior sufferings. She was aware of the bitterness of the chalice, which I drank for the sake of man, and she suffered in union with Me for the salvation of souls, thus honoring My beloved Father.
During My external passion Mary suffered for some hours, but during My entire life she suffered the other passion, that only she could see, and which was the martyrdom of both of us. My life came to an end on Calvary, but My interior passion continued in Mary up to her death in order to complete My sacrifice and to leave the seed on earth that would take root in other souls.”
– Jesus to Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida, from the book Priests of Christ (St. Pauls).

We invite you to learn more about Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida!

• • Beautiful Holiness: A Spiritual Journey With Blessed Conchita to the Heart of Jesus by Kathleen Beckman
  • A Mother’s Letters: A Vision of Faith in Everyday Life
  • I Am: Eucharistic Meditations on the Gospel (Venerable Concepcion Cabrera De Armida)
  • Holy Hours

{Click here for a free print of the above image and quote}

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It seems a little silly, right – to be talking about my word of the year in late March?

Last year my word was scaffolding. Weird word, absolutely incredibly meaningful.

(Here is my story from last year about choosing that word.)

Like a child pestering their Father asking what is next on a journey, I wanted to know what 2023 would hold.

It was like I was being told to wait. A few days would pass and I’d think about choosing a word again. I didn’t feel any rush or anxiety, so I just waited.

And in the sweetest nod from my Heavenly Father, there it was – scaffolding.

Where? Our very own Parish.

When? On Mary Alice’s First Holy Communion.

Scaffolding three times – three incredibly meaningful times – Christmas, our pilgrimage to Italy in Assisi, and now our own parish.

Our Lord knows that if I had chosen a new word for 2023, it may not have been as meaningful. I would have doubted if He was asking me to notice the unexpected scaffolding. If I had noticed it any other day, I would have wondered about the message He was sending.

So, I will gladly sit with “Scaffolding” for a second year!

I will ask St. Francis to pray for me as I understand what He is telling me. Yes, I am realizing as I write this the irony in asking St. Francis to help me understand His meaning and not rush off before sitting with this word for another year. And I will rejoice that He continues to show me that the sacraments are the scaffolding of His Church, sending us to heights we may not otherwise be able to reach without them. 

The post Word of the Year {2023} – Scaffolding appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Summer was coming. If I wanted to see the flowers in bloom, I had to act quickly. A huge wind storm had come through and the petals were mostly gone.

Now, I’m not a big fan of going places by myself. But I’m a huge fan of flowers. Weighing my options, I drove to the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens with my camera as my sidekick. I highly recommend photography if you need a hobby that helps you tackle going places alone.

I called my mom and visited with her all the way there. We talked about visiting the garden when I was young. You could drive right up to the Rose Gardens. There was no admission fee and you could watch as brides gracefully descended the steps and smiled as they had their bridal portraits taken.

After I arrived, I felt a little silly about hesitating. The flowers and smiles of strangers kept me company. The butterflies invited me deeper along the paths. I spent most of my time in the Japanese Garden wandering the bridges.

My parents were so good at taking us to beautiful places. A day full of beauty can fill my soul and it can last for weeks. Maybe this is the moment I’m reaching for when I pile the kids into the car and drive them to places I remember. Maybe I’m hoping the yearbook in their memory has pages that feel like warm sunlight and a soft blanket.

What a gift Our Creator has given!

The post Fort Worth Botanic Garden appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

In Pilot Point, Texas there is a Tulip Farm that makes me incredibly giddy for weeks.

(I’ve been watching Enola Holmes, so I feel the movie’s adorable way of explaining things influencing this post)

1. I love adventuring. A day spent outdoors with the opportunity for hot baths, clean hair, and tired bodies at the end of the day sounds perfectly magical.
2. I love memories. Pictures taken or drawn that remind us of colors and smiles (and leaves out the arguing bits) are my cup of tea.
3. I love wonder. Seeds splitting open to burst forth color and fragrance surrounded by unlikely rows of soggy ground? Yes, please.
4. The fact that this occurs during my birth month means I take 7% of the credit for the loveliness of March.

I’ve been watching their instagram page to see when they are opening and it looks like their timing will be perfect, as usual!

Over spring break, I’ll load up the kids, find silly, overpriced delicious dessert coffee and head out.

I’ll spend 45 minutes debating with myself which colors I should collect.

• A sophisticated monochromatic palette?
• A collection of ombre goodness?

And then, I’ll melt as I watch tiny hands pluck the woebegone, trampled, stragglers from the rows and I’ll agree to take every mismatched petal home with us.

I’ll giggle on the way home realizing I’m so incredibly predictable and I’m quite alright with that.

The post The Tulip Farm appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Cecilia is a flute and piano teacher, freelance performer, and composer residing in central Pennsylvania. While studying flute performance at The Catholic University of America, she felt a call to give her desire of becoming an orchestral flutist over to the Lord, and her life has never been the same since. God used her last two years of collegiate studies to broaden her focus to teaching privately, composing music, studying body mapping and Alexander technique, and adding a minor in theology and religious studies. She recently earned her masters in flute performance at Penn State University, and used her time during her masters to focus on pedagogical studies. When she is not teaching, composing, collaborating with other musicians, or working for The Hildegard Collective, she can be found baking allergen-free treats, reading a good book, or spending time with friends and family.

In this show, we joked about a quote, not remembering the source – so with a little internet research, it was Saint Frances de Sales!

“Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.”

-Saint Francis de Sales

Printables:

The post TRIPPING OVER THE SAINTS :: KATE ESCHBACH WITH GUEST CECILIA LESKOWICZ – EPISODE 6 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Mom, dad, Sebastian, and I drove. Brian, Riley, and Mary Alice flew so that they did not miss too much school.

Four years absolutely flew by. Knowing that college was an amazing experience for her is one of the biggest joys of my life.

Having Nate at the same school is an incredible blessing!

Julia’s last few days were filled with different meetings and obligations, and we were happy to spend time in Front Royal, Virginia doing a little sightseeing. I was able to show mom and dad Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia – one of my favorite places of all time.

I wanted them to see the deer and the fireflies. I wanted them feel delight as they rounded the corner into Shenandoah National Park.

I hoped they felt transported to one of Tolkien’s lands as we watched the sunset over the Shenandoah River.

Front Royal is one of those places I want to never leave once I arrive.

Julia’s friends hosted us for dinners in their family homes, making it feel so incredibly cozy and warm, instead of just finding another fast food place to eat at.

Virginia is such a beautiful place. The green rolling mountains and huge trees were such a shock to my eyes after seeing cacti for 12 years.

*The pictures below were taken by Christendom staff*

I watched as the shy young lady I dropped off four years earlier was surrounded by friends who had become family. I smiled as people called out to her and she excitedly introduced her younger brothers and sisters to her friends. Her grandparents and I stood by proudly while everyone raved about the amazingly kind, smart, talented Julia.

Most of all, my heart felt rest, knowing that she loves Jesus with her entire soul and is more determined than ever (yes, even the 3rd grade Julia) to become a saint – not just any saint, but a great saint.

The post Julia’s Graduation appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Jason shares his love of Saint John Paul II. Join us as Jason talks about Saint John Paul’s interior life of prayer and how that has inspired his own life.

Jason Evert has spoken to more than one million people about the virtue of chastity. He is a best-selling author of more than ten books, including “Theology of the Body for Teens,” and “How to Find Your Soulmate without Losing Your Soul.” Jason earned a master’s degree in theology, as well as undergraduate degrees in counseling and theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a frequent guest on radio programs and his television appearances include Fox News, the BBC, MSNBC, and EWTN. For more information, go to The Chastity Project.

Be sure to check out Jason’s book on Saint John Paul the Great! (Click the link below to order a copy).

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It’s likely that this Thanksgiving will be one of my all time, record-breaking, favorite Thanksgivings of all time.

Nate came home from Christendom College and my oldest daughter surprised me and came home, too! Oh, there were smiles for days!

The little ones bring the mystery of the holidays alive with their innocence and the sparkle in their eyes.

But to have adult children come home is unexplainable. The honor of cooking their favorite meal and excitement of planning an outing to a favorite place becomes a joy, rather than a chore. It sheds a new perspective on childhood moments, fleeting time, and knowing glances.

Nothing seems urgent, except the desire to soak up every laugh, every story, and every hug.

A few years ago, I asked my grandmother what she wanted to do over Christmas break with the kids. She smiled and said, “Oh honey, I just want to sit and watch them.” She leaned back in her recliner with a sigh and a smile.

I now understand. In the middle of the day, after schedules return to normal and no one is home, I can take a minute to rewind. When I sit in my chair by the fireplace, I can see my oldest two in the kitchen – doing the dishes after dinner and turning up the music to belt out the harmonies they’ve created from long car rides together. My children bring their toys from their rooms so they can play near everyone. I can see Riley hugging Murphy on the couch. I can see my husband standing across the room and smiling when he catches my eye.

So, if you have the chance this holiday to surprise someone – with a visit, a phone call, flowers, or a note – go for it!

The post Thanksgiving surprises… appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

I had just lamented to Nate that I had given up on this happening this year and woke up the next day to the colors that make my heart skip a beat.

Nature never fails to teach me the lessons of our Creator.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

We are using this Advent calendar this year, and I’m really hoping to stay on track! My plan is to read the scripture each night at dinner so that we are already together and sitting down and our mouths are full of delicious food so that we can listen more intently. (The plans of mice and men….)

I learned that Meg’s book hit #1 on Amazon in Roman Catholicism! I’m so excited for her! She was an absolute delight to have on the podcast, and I can’t wait to watch what God has in store for her next book!

Every year, we read the story of Jesus’ birth while putting up the nativity.

This year, I missed Julia and Nate so much. Sometimes, I have to remind myself to keep the traditions going for the little ones, too – that they haven’t had all the years of doing something that makes it beautiful. And then, when I hear them tell me what comes next, it makes that awkward moment in my heart worth it. When Julia made us a family of three, it seemed very normal to add kids in to a tradition. But now, it feels strange to me to keep something going after Nate and she are gone. And then, I see those sweet smiles and I know we are still in the business of making memories.

Sweet Mary Alice was sick earlier this week, and Emily’s watercolor workbooks saved my sanity! Mary Alice loved practicing the butterfly in Twirl over and over. (Working from home is a huge blessing and I hope to never take it for granted!)

I hope you have an incredible Advent! I’m praying for you sweet friends!

The post Lessons from Autumn and other lovely moments appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

I gave myself permission to post a picture from April.

The patience of the bluebird. The hunger of the cardinal.

I gave myself permission to write without excuses or apology.

Why haven’t I written on the blog in so long? Why is a space that is so dear to me quiet?

I gave myself permission to sit hard and tight.

What new life would find its way through the shell?

I gave myself permission to listen.

No timeline, no striving, no rushing to the next thing.

I gave myself permission.

Oh friends, I never want you to have to guess or wonder if what I say is true and genuine. I want you to know without a doubt that you hold a tender place in my heart. You are in my prayers – anyone and everyone who reads these words. This space should never be a place of noise or confusion. If it is, then I’ve lost sight.

Deep breaths, words like honey, and a renewed sense that you are not facing this world alone are my gift to you. It may look like stiff, everyday brown paper – but I will find a beautiful ribbon and promise to sit with you while you unwrap your day.

Have you sat quietly for a while? Are you ready to burst forth with hope and kindness? Me too.

The post I gave myself permission…. appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Heather Khym is the cohost of the internationally popular Abiding Together Podcast.

She and her husband, Jake, are the cofounders of Life Restoration Ministries, where she serves as director of vision and ministry of the British Columbia-based apostolate. She has more than twenty-five years of experience as a speaker and retreat leader, offering workshops and conferences in the United States and Canada.

She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, studying theology and catechetics. Heather is passionate about evangelization, discipleship, and creating an environment for people to have a personal encounter with God. She lives with her husband and three teenage children in British Columbia, Canada.

Join us as we talk about her favorite saint, St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Heather’s gentle wisdom makes me want to sit and listen to her talk about Saint Therese forever. Please join us and enjoy learning about another saint!

You can get to know Heather as one of the three co-hosts of the Abiding Together Podcast. Her book, Abide: A Pathway to Transformative Healing and Intimacy With Jesus can be found at Ave Maria Press by clicking the prior link.

I am so excited to share a small glimpse into Heather Khym’s beautiful heart with you today. It was a privilege to speak with her.

“That’s the kind of Christian I want to be, the one that never leaves.” – Heather Khym

Printable:

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I told Brian that I was truly happy with everything we had seen. Every place that was on our ‘must see’ list, we had made it to! I told him we could really do anything and I would be perfectly happy.

Sidenote: Brian has this incredible process for organizing and planning anything! I had ten million ideas rolling around in my mind. He created a spreadsheet and within minutes, it was clear to both of us what was ‘must see’ and what was ‘nice to see’. I’m so thankful he takes my thoughts that seem overwhelming and helps me organize them. 

We walked into the hotel and I went up to the room and he talked to the front desk for a while.

Suddenly, the door to our room swung open and he said to be sure to answer the phone as soon as it rang. He had arranged a GLT (Green Line Tour) to Orvieto and Assisi! We were going to see a Eucharistic Miracle and where St. Francis and St. Claire were from! I felt like I was dreaming!

The hotel sent up a breakfast to go for the next morning and I wrote in my journal with tears in my eyes. When we left for Italy, I knew going outside of Rome would probably not happen. This felt like the icing on an already perfect cake!

***

We had to be at the bus office by 7am. We had been told that the walking in Assisi and Orvieto would be very steep, so we opted for a taxi. (Did I tell you that there was a taxi stand right next to the Pantheon across from the hotel? It was incredibly convenient and there was always a taxi available.)

After about 1 & 1/2 hours we arrived in Orvieto. I was absolutely giddy when I realized we would ride up to the city in a funicular. It reminded me of the cog train in Pike’s Peak, Colorado.

The very first thing I saw when we arrived was the Cathedral in Orvieto. It was absolutely beautiful. It had this black and white pattern that was absolutely stunning. Inside, in a small chapel on the side, was the reason I hoped to travel to Orvieto. This small chapel holds the corporal of a famous eucharistic miracle.

The Corporal of Bolsena was a miracle that occurred in the town of Bolsena in 1263. The Corporal, the small cloth on which the host and the chalice are placed, holds drops of Christ’s blood. It is such a beautiful miracle and I hope you learn more about the Eucharistic miracles that happen today.

After an hour visiting Orvieto (that only felt like 10 minutes) we traveled to Restaurant Podere Bello for lunch. The restaurant is attached to a property that has accomodations and boasts of a farm-to-table restaurant experience. We chatted with the other travelers and enjoyed the food. It was so pleasant and romantic.

***

Our last stop was Assisi.

Ironically, it has taken me months to carve out time to write about our day to Assisi. When I realized that today was the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, it gave me renewed energy to find the right words to share with you.

Our first stop was the The Basilica of St Claire. To stand under the San Damiano crucifix and be near where St. Clare stood was surreal. To be near to people who heard and followed and served the Lord with their entire life awakened my heart in a new way.

When you read about the San Damiano crucifix online, many times you will find the word “allegedly” when they describe the miracle of the cross speaking to St. Francis. I suppose that is probably what will happen when people read of my miracle – my precious Riley and the healing of my womb.

When I share the story, most people comment – “oh, you just had to relax to get pregnant.”

I remember shyly telling my father those comments and sharing my bewilderment with him. I wanted everyone to share in my joy and the mystery of the miracle of my healing. I want everyone to understand that miracles still happen today! He put his arms around my shoulders and hugged me into his side. He smiled and said, “What is important, is that we know.”

For a moment I shared in St. Francis’s hope for everyone to know the miracles happening all around us. I want everyone to know the peace and hope found is lovely days, in suffering, and all of the days inbetween.

As I came out of the Basilica, I saw it – a sweet and gentle nod from my Savior – letting me know that I’m seen and so very loved by Him.

There was scaffolding in the distance, and I audibly gasped as I realized the gift of my word of the year – right there in front of me! 

St. Francis lived a life of scaffolding. He was asked by God to rebuild His church.

Yes, sweet St. Francis took that as a literal request, rebuilding a chapel and other derelict churches in the area, but God revealed that He meant to rebuild the people. St. Francis became the scaffolding for the church. His life was an elevated framework, supporting others as they joined his mission to be obedient to God’s will.

As a feeling of being deeply loved and seen by the Creator of all things washed over me, I renewed my commitment to live a life of scaffolding.

The post Rome – Day 6 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

After Jennifer and I spoke last time, she had the wonderful idea to share the process of how you become a saint (with a capital ‘S’). Jennifer is a middle school theology teacher and adult faith formation teacher.

In this podcast, Jennifer walks us through the formal process of how The Church recognizes a person as a Saint.

By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God’s grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. “The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church’s history.” Indeed, “holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal.”

CCC 828

Become a Patron!

The post Tripping over the Saints :: Kate Eschbach with guest Jennifer Cullen – Episode 3 – What is a Saint? appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

By now, I was beginning to get used to walking miles each day. We decided on Saint Mary Major Basilica for an early Mass to avoid walking in the heat.

Before I go any further in our story, I have to tell you about Mountain Butorac. He owns the pilgrimage company named The Catholic Traveler. We were scheduled to have a tour with him on Monday, but with the flight issues as the travel restrictions from the pandemic were lifted, he was stuck out of the country. Mountain sent us a detailed email of every church we would have seen on the tour. He included precise instructions of the locations of relics and beautiful history of every stop. His generosity made our trip so special. There are so many things we would have never known that we were walking right past, if it had not been for his guidance.

Thank you, Mountain!

Saint Mary Major

So, back to Saint Mary Major. This church is built where a miraculous snow fell on August 5th in the 4th century. Can you imagine snow in August in Rome?! After we returned home, I learned they still celebrate this miracle today, every August 5th.

The tomb of Bernini, Salus Popoli Romani, and relics from the Holy Manger are just a few of the treasures within this Church’s walls. The Salus Popoli Romani is an icon drawn by the Apostle Luke on a piece of wood from Saint Joseph’s wood shop. How incredible!

We walked across the street for a quick breakfast at a cafe. This is where I learned a very important lesson – the rope next to the toilet is not how you flush. This rope rings a very loud bell and people will rush in to make sure you are alright. I’m pretty sure they installed it to alert them to when an American was in the cafe.

I finished the most delicious breakfast – a nutella something and fresh orange juice. We listened to the bells from Saint Mary Major and carefully studied Mountain’s instructions on how to find the next church -Santa Prassede.

Santa Prassede

This is the church I fell in love with.

I’ve never heard of Saint Prassede. How is that possible?

The church is built over the tombs of over 2,000 martyrs. The sheer number is staggering. To think of that many people in one town being killed for professing their faith feels other worldly. It brought the martyrs of today into sharp perspective.

The pillar where Christ was scourged is there. I didn’t know this pillar still existed. I’m absolutely amazed that there weren’t lines of people waiting just to be close to something Christ was near.

Saint Praxedis, who this church is named after, was a 2nd-century daughter of a disciple of St Paul living in Rome, and sister of Saint Pudentiana. She cared for the bodies of the martyrs. One sculpture that was particularly beautiful showed her kneeling over a bowl with a sponge, wringing out the blood of the martyrs. She would hide the bodies and the blood so that they could not be used in pagan rituals.

There was a gentle reverence in this church that I cannot explain.

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme

From here, we walked on to Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.

It was a long walk through a beautiful piazza. We found some shade and watched mothers play with their toddlers, drink coffee, and laugh together. We walked past the ruins of an aqueduct and watched a young family play basketball.

We sat on a bench and watched people enjoying a breeze and shaded grass, reading. Was it poetry or their favorite read that felt as familiar as comfort food? Were they rushing to finish every sentence for book club or were they savoring every word? We walked past a playground, with fathers giving their warnings of “just a few more minutes”.

When we arrived, the church seemed almost out of place. It stood alone, across a huge street.

This is the church I had been most excited to see. Queen Helena, Constantine’s mother, brought dirt from Jerusalem and used that as the foundation.

After Christ died, all the instruments of the Passion were buried. The pagans requested that a temple be built on top of these. What they didn’t realize is that the temple preserved the relics perfectly.

In her home she kept relics of the Passion. In the reliquary is the finger of Doubting Thomas, fragments of land from Bethlehem and Jerusalem, two thorns from the Crown of Thorns, four pieces of wood from the True Cross, one of the nails from the Crucifixion, and part of the Titulus (INRI). I sat in the room and cried. I had no idea that these still existed. It was an honor to be in the room with so many pieces of the story.

The reliquary is to the far from left if you are looking at the altar. When you enter, there is a beautiful room dedicated to a little girl named Antonella Meo. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was 5 and wrote beautiful letters to Jesus. She loved Jesus so very much and was reunited with him when she was 6. The room is very peaceful and bright. There was a table with a book to write prayers in. I immediately wrote the names of dear friends suffering from cancer.

We walked up a few stairs and down a beautiful hallway to the reliquary. It was quiet and dark. The relics were displayed at the far end of the room. I sat down in a pew and just stared and took a deep breath. It was incredible. I felt honored just to be in the room.

As Brian and I sat together, a large group of teenagers came through. Someone came in, said something in German and the students all quickly left. We thought it was their teacher or tour guide. We continued to pray and then heard a door shut. We were slightly concerned, but decided to enjoy the quiet. Then, the lights shut off.

We finished our rosary and walked back to the door. It was closed. And barricaded.

The door was ancient. There wasn’t a lock. Instead there was a system of bars and slides. One bar was angled against the wall perpendicular to the door. We tried knocking, but the door was massive. I don’t think they could hear us. Beautiful music began to play.

I began to panic. What if we were locked in until tomorrow? I mean, there are worse places to be locked inside, but would we get in trouble?

I began to study the bars and slides. Carefully, I slid something up along the perpendicular wall and the bar across the door swung down. We cracked open the door and loud music poured in. A security guard was in the chapel on the other side of the altar, about 60 feet away. He looked equally bewildered and stern. What was happening?

Suddenly, a beautiful couple came down the aisle with a sweet infant in a baptism gown. The gown had a train that stretched behind the couple and all eyes were on them. We snuck out the crack and hugged the wall, Mission-Impossible-style. We escaped outside and fell into laughter. What on earth had just happened?!

We knew this would be our last truly free evening to wander and there were still two things on our list that we really wanted to see :

• Caravaggio paintings at St. Louis of France
• Saint Agnes

We wandered back to the Piazza Navona and thankfully they were both open! Brian’s paternal grandmother’s name is Agnes and I know he had really been hoping to go, but it had been closed every time we passed by. I was so glad for him! He showed me around and I began to learn the story of Saint Agnes, another young martyr. There are so many dear friends of Christ who gave their lives for Him. I just want to learn about them all!

We ate a lovely dinner right there in the Piazza, kept company by street performers and a cool breeze.

The post Rome – Day 5 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

Seeing St. Paul Outside the Walls was something I’d been looking forward to for years. When my father returned from Rome with Julia, Brian, and Nate, this was the place he spoke of over and over. Seeing the chains of St. Paul in person changed his life.

We arrived very early in the morning and it was so quiet. The sun was coming up over the Basilica and light was spilling through the pillars inside. I walked up towards the altar and there they were – the chains of St. Paul. I just stood there quietly, listening to the gentle choir singing.

We descended down the stairs to reliquary to see the chains. How do you describe looking at the chains that you grew up singing about? I could have stood there all day just being near to the history of someone who knew Our Lord.

We entered chapel to the left of the altar where the cross of Bridget of Sweden is kept. There were a handful of people praying in the chapel. I wondered if they were also asking Our Father if the cross would come to life for them. Can you imagine?

As we left, there was a stunning refugee sculpture. I wish I had words to put to my thoughts on refugees. Our Lord was a refugee and the Gospel of Matthew discusses how He will separate the sheep and the goats someday. I don’t need to add my clumsy words to His plain instructions on how to care for others.

I ate a delicious nutella croissant and watched as people drank their coffee out of cups at the counter. They smiled and spoke to one another as they had their morning coffee. They didn’t wait in a long line, looking down at their phones, only to rush out the door with a plastic or paper cup. This felt right to me.

Scala Santa

For so many years, I’ve wanted to kneel and honor the walk of our Lord. I truly wasn’t sure if my knees would make it, but they did!

Following my dearest Brian, I held rosaries in my hand that had been blessed by a priest at the bottom of the stairs. What I thought would bring pain brought sweet joy. For many years, my knees have been a source of great pain. A few years ago, I had a traumatic meniscus tear and my knee has had much pain and swelling since then. Being able to ascend the stairs that Christ walked up when He was sentenced by Pontius Pilate was the greatest honor of my life to date.

Sancta Sanctorum (Holy of Holies)

At the top of the stairs is a small, peaceful, enclosed chapel that you enter from the side. There, framed in the chapel, was a piece of the chair Christ sat in at the Last Supper. This chapel is called the ‘Holy of Holies’. It contains the Acheropita (Image of the Most Holy Savior) that is “not painted by human hand”

Saint John Lateran

The most amazing sculptures surrounded the room! Each apostle was sculpted with a representation of how they were martyred. I was especially taken with Saint Bartholomew.

Hidden in the back left chapel is a piece of the table of the Last Supper.

Note: Every amazing relic on this trip is special thanks to The Catholic Traveler. His website is amazing and he is so generous with his information.

The post Rome – Day 4 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

When I looked at Day 3, I just laughed. There was no details, just three lines of text:

• Vatican Museum
• Sistine Chapel
• Dinner at the Abbey Theater

This was by far my most physically challenging day. We logged 14.8 miles walking that day, so it is no surprise that I fell asleep before writing of any of the details of the day.

The Vatican Museum was so full of beautiful art, it was almost overwhelming. We did take a guided tour and our tour guide was fantastic. She was thoughtful and patient and incredibly knowledgeable. We were in a group of about 40 people and she did a fantastic job keeping us together among approximately 25,000 daily visitors.

I could have taken a picture of every sculpture and painting. It was all so incredibly beautiful. I’m so thankful for that they have gone to great lengths to preserve these sculptures and paintings (and so much more) for generations to come.

I didn’t expect the museum to be so large and to have so many representations of historical events and moments in time.

The tour ends in the Sistine Chapel. You could spend days in that room and never really see everything. I found a seat along the side next to lovely people from France that we had met the evening before at dinner! It was such a treat to meet such warm and genuinely kind people and find them the very next day! (Fransios and Aysseline, I’ll be emailing you very soon!)

We ended the day with dinner at The Abbey Theater, an Irish pub that Julia recommended from when she was studying abroad. We decided she may have been slightly homesick when she was raving about the hamburgers 🙂 Now, the gelato place across the street that she recommended, The Frigidarium, was amazing.

I wish I had pictures of The Sistine Chapel to share with you, but no pictures or videos are allowed.

The post Rome – Day 3 appeared first on Kate Eschbach.

In 2015, Julia and Nate were invited to sing for Pope Francis on New Year’s Day as a member of Pueri Cantores at St. Bernard’s of Clairvaux in Scottsdale. Brian, Julia, Nate, his parents, my father, and my brother traveled to Rome. Mom and I stayed home with a very young Riley and brand new Mary Alice. For so long, I’ve imagined them walking to St. Peter’s and I was giddy at the thought of standing where they stood.

On the way, we stopped at San Salvatore in Lauro and saw the relics of Padre Pio.

Do you know Padre Pio?

Oh friends. He loved Jesus so much.

Padre Pio, born in 1887, was a Capuchin priest who lived in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. Padre Pio had the stigmata of Christ and he bore these wounds of Christ for fifty years.

I cannot stop thinking about this precious statue. If we all had this passion for helping our Lord, can you imagine how beautiful this world would be?

We made it to St. Peter’s and the line moved very quickly. I was overheated, so I let the cool water in the restroom just wash over my hands. We sat downstairs for a little while. (Thank you, Brian, for your endless patience). We walked up to the entrance just as a Eucharistic procession was walking into St. Peter’s! I kept thinking about the verse that says ‘He has gone to prepare a place for you!’ (John 14:3)

As I entered, I was drawn to the right and there it was – The Pieta stood before me.

The Pieta was more lovely in person than I could have imagined. Nothing prepares you for that kind of beauty. We walked over towards the main altar, and there in the Chapel of St. Sebastian is the tomb of Saint Pope John Paul II. We said a rosary together and my heart swelled with thankfulness for this opportunity.

“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
― Pope John Paul II

We watched the end of the Eucharistic procession and listened to the divine music that filled the space.

As we turned, we noticed the gates to the Vatican Grottoes were opened. We quickly descended, wondering if we were allowed to be there. I tried to buy tickets months ago and was told they were sold out.

What a joy and privilege to watch Brian pray in from of St. Peter’s tomb, just below a painting of St. Sebastian!

As tours were rushed past us, we lingered with a very peaceful and cheerful nun, who was praying a rosary. I stood back and just watched my husband, amazed and grateful for this beautiful vocation we live together.

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