by Theresa Cavicchio Sometimes it seems that life in this age of technology is nothing but one announcement after another. At times, the text message, cell phone call, or email announces happy news -- the arrival of a long-awaited new baby in the family, for example. At other times, the announcement might elicit a shudder or groan -- as in much of the daily news blasted at us via...just insert your preferred form of media. We need only consider the current tense state of world affairs to bring home that point.
by Theresa Cavicchio “During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Lk 1:39).
August 17 "Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels." -St. Augustine Today's Reflection: What opportunities has the Lord given me in the last week to lay the "foundation of humility" in my life? Did I see these opportunities as such when they were given me? Can I cooperate with grace to see them as such now? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
December 14 "God's sign is his humility. God's sign is that he makes himself small; he becomes a child; he lets us touch him and he asks for our love. How we would prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God's power and greatness! But his sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, he is Goodness itself. He invites us to become like him. Yes indeed, we become like God if we allow ourselves to be shaped by this sign; if we ourselves learn humility and hence true greatness; if we renounce violence and use only the weapons of truth and love." - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Today's Reflection: How can I use the "weapons of truth and love" today? How will that change my heart into a place of humility, and ultimately, greatness? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
March 1 "Mary, Queen of Peace, is close to the women of our day because of her motherhood, her example of openness to others' needs, and her witness of suffering." -Pope St. John Paul II
June 4 “The heart that resembles that of Christ more than any other is without a doubt the Heart of Mary, His Immaculate Mother, and for this very reason the liturgy holds them up together for our veneration” -Pope Benedict XVI Today’s Reflection How can you draw closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary today? How can you also assist your family, your friends, and every person entrusted to your spiritual care to draw closer to them? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
by Theresa Cavicchio During this Marian month of October, we delve into the four groups of life events that we call the Mysteries of the Rosary: the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries.
February 2 “Things were in God's plan which I had not planned at all. I am coming to the living faith and conviction that—from God's point of view—there is no chance and that the whole of my life, down to every detail, has been mapped out in God's divine providence and makes complete and perfect sense in God's all-seeing eyes." -St. Teresa Benedicta
October 6 "What do you want of me?" - Lucia dos Santos to Our Lady of Fatima Today's Reflection: Ponder Lucia's question to Our Lady of Fatima? How is her docility of heart something we can emulate in our own lives? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
May 4 "The soul of a woman must...be expansive and open to all human beings; it must be quiet, so that no small weak flame will be extinguished by stormy winds; warm, so as not to benumb fragile buds; clear, so that no vermin will settle in dark corners and recesses; self-contained, so that no invasions from without can peril the inner life; empty of itself, in order that extraneous life may have room in it; finally, mistress of itself, and also of its body, so that the entire person is readily at the disposal of every call." - St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) Today's Reflection: Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, woman is called to receive the life of God within her through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that she becomes a channel through which love enters the world. A love truly able to aid humanity in not falling. Like our Blessed Mother we must bring God's word to His people, intercede before God's throne for the sake of the world, and unite our sufferings to the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. By so doing, we give birth to God's life in others and thus fulfill our divine mission of spiritual motherhood. This call is not for the fainthearted, but for women of courage, faith, perseverance, and hope. In rereading that last line, how is God calling you to be a person of "courage, faith, perseverance, and hope" in order to bring God to others? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
June 13 "Behold this Heart, which has so loved men that It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love. In return, I receive from the greater part [of humanity] only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of the Blessed Sacrament, be appropriated to a special feast to honor My Heart by receiving Communion on that day, and making reparation for the indignity that It [My Heart] has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of My Love on all who will render It this honor or will obtain My Heart being given this honor." -Jesus to Sister Josefa Menendez Today's Reflection How does this quote increase your desire to honor Jesus by making the first Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Prayerfully make this spiritual practice part of your life. If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
February 12 "The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." -St. Teresa of Calcutta
October 23 "Mary is our great intercessor with the Lord, and interceding with her through the Rosary can be an especially uplifting and fruitful way to pray for those we love." -Vinny Flynn Today's Reflection: Whom am I called to pray for today? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
Feast Day Mini-Study February 8th Saint Josephine Bakhita 1869 - February 8, 1947 To view more sacred art by TIANNA WILLIAMS, visit www.sacredartbytianna.com It is natural to express thanksgiving for
by Theresa Cavicchio To honor the August 11th feast of Saint Clare of Assisi (1194 - 1253 A.D.), we consider the life and spirituality of this first female Franciscan religious.
October 21 "Each time that my enemy would provoke me to combat, I behave as a gallant soldier." - St. Thérèse of Lisieux Today's Reflection: What does it mean to be a gallant soldier? How can you more closely model St. Thérèse's example when your enemy provokes you? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
March 24 “Oh how happy I am to see myself imperfect and to be in need of God's mercy." -St. Thérèse of Lisieux
June 30 Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence, and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject. Mindful, alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon, and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy Law. We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holydays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love; and, lastly, for all the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded. Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy Eternal Father on the Cross, and which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the saints, and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love, and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel and especially of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee, and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee. O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. Today's Reflection Now that you have spent the month of June reflecting upon the Sacred Heart of Jesus, please prayerfully consider making this Act of Reparation. If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
April 24 "For perfected souls every place is to them an oratory; every moment a time of prayer." -St. Catherine of Siena
A recent Facebook post shared this urgent prayer intention by one outspoken priest: "The police are afraid to be police The priests are afraid to be priests The Christians are afraid to be Christians The Americans are afraid to be Americans God, grant us the gift of fortitude to stand up against our oppressors." St. Catherine of Siena would probably agree with his sentiment. She once declared, “We’ve had enough of exhortation to be silent! Cry out with a hundred thousand tongues. I see that the world is rotten because of silence.”
April 1 “It is necessary that the heroic becomes daily and that the daily becomes heroic.” St. Zélie Martin
by Theresa Cavicchio Getting to know Saint Francis of Assisi (1182 - 1226 A.D.) is a fascinating exercise in discovery. As his feast day comes around each year, we can gain many fresh insights that take us beyond the widespread perception of Francis as merely a lover of creation -- most notably, animals -- and patron of ecology.
February 9 “Leaders are magnanimous in their dreams, visions, and sense of mission; in their capacity for hope, confidence, and daring; in their enthusiasm for the effort required to bring their work to a successful conclusion; in their capacity to challenge themselves and those around them.” -Alexandre Havard, Virtuous Leadership
June 18 "My Divine Heart is so passionately in love with humanity that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its ardent love. It must pour them out through [you], and manifest itself to them with its precious treasures, which contain all the graces which they need to be saved.” -Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Today's Reflection Jesus says that we are the instruments for His love to be poured out upon humanity. Are you open to being an instrument of His love? Why or why not? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
August 31 PRAYER FOR GOD'S WILL Lord Jesus, may I know myself and know Thee. And desire nothing save only Thee. May I hate myself and love Thee. May I do everything for the sake of Thee. May I humble myself and exalt Thee. May I think of nothing except Thee. May I die to myself and live in Thee. May I receive whatever happens as from Thee. May I banish self and follow Thee. And ever desire to follow Thee. May I fly from myself and fly to Thee, That I may deserve to be defended by Thee. May I fear for myself and fear Thee. And be among those who are chosen by Thee. May I distrust myself and trust in Thee. May I be willing to obey on account of Thee. May I cling to nothing but to Thee. May I be poor for the sake of Thee. Look upon me that I may love Thee. Call me that I may see Thee. And ever and ever enjoy Thee. Amen. ~St. Augustine For Reflection: I seek the grace to say "Yes" to all that is in this prayer. If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
March 31 “Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” -St. Gianna Molla
April 23 St. George, Martyr (280-303) "As for Saint George, he was consumed with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Armed with the invincible standard of the cross, he did battle with an evil king and acquitted himself so well that, in vanquishing the king, he overcame the prince of all wicked spirits, and encouraged other soldiers of Christ to perform brave deeds in his cause." -From a homily of St. Peter Damian on St. George Today's Reflection Could I be called "St. Georgette" today? In what way do I emulate St. George? Excerpt from Graceful Living If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
August 16 "What will be the crown of those who, humble within and humiliated without, have imitated the humility of our Savior in all its fullness! -St. Bernadette Today's Reflection: In this quote, St. Bernadette reveals to us the way in which humility comes "packaged." What is it? What is the connection between it and becoming "humble within?" If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
December 29 "The birth of Christ brought a healing message of peace to the world, but to receive it, faith and humility are required: Who has time to listen to His word and to become enfolded and entranced by His love?" -Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Today's Reflection: Ask Our Lady to share with you her faith and humility that you might enter into the fullness of God's peace and love as you continue your journey through the Christmas season. How can you bring this peace and love to others? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
“On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, 'Let us cross to the other side.' Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, 'Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?'" -Mark 4:35-40 Do recent events in the world or in the Church have you terrified? We see in the above scripture passage that even the apostles, those who were closest and spent the most time with Jesus, experienced fear, doubt, and terror. When it seemed that Jesus was asleep in the boat as it was being battered by the storm, He assured them that He was with them, and instantly calmed the storm.
1. “Simon Peter bar Jonah,” if taken in its literal meaning would mean that Peter’s name is actually “Rocky Johnson.”
January 12 "Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit...and the door that gives access to the other sacraments." -Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213 Today's Reflection: In what specific ways can you lie the grace of your Baptism? Excerpt from Experience Grace in Abundance If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
Dear Rosary Crusaders welcome to 2021! We humbly ask you to pray for the mission of Women of Grace as plans come together for upcoming events, programs, studies, and other spiritual formation opportunities.
May 27 "Women, you do know how to make truth sweet, tender and accessible, make it your task to bring the spirit of this council into institutions, schools, homes and daily life. Women of the entire universe, whether Christian or non-believing, you to whom life is entrusted at this grave moment in history, it is for you to save the peace of the world." -To Women, Vatican Council II Closing Speeches and Messaged, Pope Paul VI Today’s Reflection: Do you believe Church fathers when they say "it is for you to save the peace of the world?" What is one practical daily strategy you can employ help the world to be more peaceful? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
by Theresa Cavicchio On August 2nd each year, Franciscans world-wide celebrate a very special feast day, the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula.
by Theresa Cavicchio, OFS March 24, 2024, marked the 80th anniversary of a tragic World War II event brought to the forefront of global attention only fairly recently: the execution of seventeen human beings, ranging in age from adult to barely born.
By Jen Reed Promoting the dignity of women and their fundamental call to transform the world as daughters of God, the Women of Grace apostolate welcomed Hispanic women for a Morning of Grace on Saturday, April 1 at the Diocesan Center in Harrisburg.
August 18 "It is by humility that the Lord allows Himself to be conquered so that He will do all we ask of Him." -St. Teresa of Avila Today's Reflection: Do I allow myself to be conquered by humility so that I can do all the Lord asks of me? What evidence do I have of this in my life? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
Sign up to journey with us this May into Our Lady's spiritual maternity Hello! Sign up for our May Gracelines, and receive daily inspiration to imitate and enter into Our Lady's spiritual maternity. W
August 27th Saint Monica of Hippo 331 - 387 Most of us are familiar with Saint Monica, the mother of the great Saint Augustine. As the story goes, Monica had a wayward child in her son Augustine. He was a great success, but he wasn't living a moral life and he wasn't growling in holiness. In fact, his behavior was leading him away from holiness and away from God altogether. Back at home, his mother, Monica, prayed fervently for the conversion of her son, Augustine. Not only was St. Monica's prayer time consumed with the conversion of her son, but also with the conversion of her husband, who was known to be adulterous and abusive to Monica. St. Monica persisted in prayer. God would reward this beautiful Saint for her endless petitions with the answer to prayer she had sought for so long!
by Theresa Cavicchio, OFS For the many Franciscans around the world of the First, Second, and Third Orders – clerical, religious, and lay – the year 2023 inaugurated a series of important 8th-centenaries which will culminate in 2026. For our purposes, the timeliest of these has a deep spiritual significance as we approach Christmas this year.
July 7 "...We have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharist prayer set down by him...is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus." -St. Justin Martyr
July 7 "When Christ came, he banished the devil from our hearts, in order to build in them a temple for himself. Let us, therefore, do what we can with his help, so that our evil deeds will not deface the temple." - St. Caesarius of Arles Today's Reflection: What "stone" of virtue can I use today to help build a temple for Christ within myself? What one defaced "stone" can I work to remove? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
September 11 "The Blessed Sacrament is the first and supreme object of our worship. We must preserve in the depths of our hearts a constant uninterrupted adoration of this precious pledge of Divine Love." -St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier Today’s Reflection: One way to preserve constant uninterrupted adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is by making spiritual communions throughout the day, turning our hearts and minds toward the Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. One favorite prayer for spiritual communion is as follows: An Act of Spiritual Communion My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen. If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
July 6 "We must keep near to the souls God puts in our way, and try to understand and love them. Here we have discovered, by God's grace, the sources of peace and the means of possessing it fully." -Élisabeth Leseur Today's Reflection: Who is one soul near to me whom I can "try to understand and love"? How can I "reframe" my perspective to see this individual as an instrument of God meant to lead me to true peace and virtue? (Hint: Perhaps a family member with whom we are called to exercise patience or a co-worker with whom we are called to exercise kindness and gentleness...) If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
We love sharing the inspiring stories from our Sacred Sisters of their experiences with Women of Grace. Today we're hearing from Donnamarie. If you would like to share your story, click here! Stay tuned for regular testimonial stories.
June 9 "Would that I could exhaust myself in acts of thanksgiving and gratitude towards this Divine Heart, for the great favor He shows us, in deigning to accept our help to make Him known, loved and honored; He reserves infinite blessings for all those who devote themselves to this work.” - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Today’s Reflection: Knowing this beautiful testimony from St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, what prevents me from spreading the Gospel, the message of love, to all I see? How can I better prepare myself to do so? If you enjoy Daily Gracelines, please prayerfully consider making a donation to support and sustain our apostolate so that we may continue to provide this and all of our resources designed to nourish and grow your Catholic faith. DONATE
