Remembering a friend's holy influence

Today in the feast of St. Clare of Assisi. I had the great blessing of praying before St. Clare's remains in Assisi alongside my husband and daughter, back in 2004. Clare remains a good spiritual friend in heaven. But my thoughts today turn also to another spiritual friend. Today is also the 5th anniversary of her death. May she rest in peace, and may I ask you to lift a prayer on her behalf?

Judi was a wife, mother, grandmother, and a writer. She was also a lover of Jesus. She stepped boldly into my life when she heard I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. And when the crisis was over, she hung around. Our lives were in different orbits most often, and our get togethers rare treats. But when we did get together, she and I talked and prayed and laughed and lunched and read each other's works-in-progress.

If I have written anything worth reading in the last 15 years or so, it is because Judi's words and example coaxed me out of the cocoon where the writing had retreated when I gave up my career in radio to be at home with my children. I was always a writer, but for many years I simply diverted that creativity into other things. Judi reminded me of that love and nudged me to produce something more than journal entries. I will always be grateful.

The end was hard, and every August as I have celebrated another year cancer-free, I remember her too.

My former pastor would always talk about God's little saints... the people whose names may never make it onto the canonization roles in heaven... but who have done our souls great good by their prayers and loving service. I'm sure you can name a few in your own life. Judi was one in mine.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen.


St. Clare, pray for us!

Among Women #86- Spirituality and Creativity

Among Women 86 celebrates the gift of creativity and its integration within the spiritual life.  Come join me for a very engaging discussion with author Vinita Hampton Wright as we tackle the subjects of being intentionally creative in life, and discover the beauty of the imagination and its place in our life with God. Together we unpack some of the themes found in Vinita's books The Soul Tells a Story, Engaging Creativity with Spirituality in the Writing Life and Days of Deepening Friendship: For the Woman who Wants an Authentic Life with God.

Also in this episode, a reading from St Therese of Lisieux.

Would you like to have your voice be heard on Among Women?  Pat is planning the next AW Special Edition on the Bible.  Write or call Pat with your favorite bible verses and a brief description as to why it is meaningful for you.  Email Pat at amongwomenpodcast@me.com or send your voice feedback to 206-203-2024. (Please note this new number for 2011.)

Helping to give a soul to the Internet....

From Pope Benedict XVI this week: 


"Without fear we must set sail on the digital sea facing into the deep with the same passion that has governed the ship of the Church for two thousand years. Rather than for, albeit necessary, technical resources, we want to qualify ourselves by living in the digital world with a believer’s heart, helping to give a soul to the Internet’s incessant flow of communication". 


More here.

OH MY! She's gooooood! Must see! (Less than 2 minutes!)

It Makes Me Think...

Each individual lay[person] must stand before the world as a witness to the resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus and a symbol of the living God. All the laity as a community and each one according to his ability must nourish the world with spiritual fruits. They must diffuse in the world that spirit which animates the poor, the meek, the peace makers-whom the Lord in the Gospel proclaimed as blessed. In a word, "Christians must be to the world what the soul is to the body."


----Lumen Gentium, paragraph 38, (From the Documents of Vatican II).