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Testimonial: Sylvia
We love sharing the inspiring stories from our Sacred Sisters of their experiences with Women of Grace. Today we're hearing from Sylvia. If you would like to share your story, click here! Stay tuned for regular testimonial stories.
"My name is Sylvia and I live in New Mexico. I took the Women of Grace Study back in 2013-14. I learned about the study through our church bulletin. I’ve been a facilitator for four years. I don’t have the words to express what the study means to me. I was very active in our parish for many years. The study came to me, or I should say God brought this study to me at a time when I was lost. My youngest daughter moved away with our granddaughter who I helped raise. My heart was broken. I found women like myself searching for comfort and healing. I have formed relationships with women I needed so desperately.
We meet once a month for dinner and we meet for Mornings of Grace once a month. Each year I get the privilege to meet new women coming to our study and continue to grow in my Catholicism and in deep relationship with our Lord and Savior. Thank you for this study- God Bless!"
Franciscan Christmas: A Time of Miracles
by Theresa CavicchioTo view the feast of Christmas through Franciscan eyes, we turn to the two saints who most embody that spirituality: its founder, Saint Francis of Assisi (1182 - 1226), and his beloved spiritual daughter, Saint Clare of Assisi (1193 - 1253). One of many hallmarks of Franciscan spirituality which they shared was a deep, intense love for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, in the poverty of His birth. Both were gifted with evidence of this love in miraculous ways.
Testimonial: Anne Gerard
We love sharing the inspiring stories from our Sacred Sisters of their experiences with Women of Grace. Today we're hearing from Anne Gerard. If you would like to share your story, click here! Stay tuned for regular testimonial stories.
"My first-ever experience attending the Women of Grace Retreat at The Malvern Retreat House was, in a word — AMAZING! The grounds of the center are tranquil and inviting, lending itself beautifully to assist the attendees in having an enriching and fulfilling experience. But, it is the focus of the retreat, Women of Grace, the speakers and their content that provides the BANG! Each talk provides an opportunity for the listeners to learn more about scripture, the Catholic Faith, as well as their role in God’s Divine Plan for our world. One can’t help but come away empowered and confident in herself as a daughter of the Most High God.
The challenge however, is to maintain this new found understanding once we return to our everyday lives. I know for me, I said to my husband, 'I’m glad to be home. But, I’m going to miss the environment.' What I meant by that is, I am going to miss the profound sense of sisterhood that is prevalent throughout the retreat. The sense of feeling that you are part of something greater than yourself, specifically, part of God’s Great Plan, can be felt by all in attendance to some degree. Again, in my own experience, after I spoke those words to my husband, I heard the soft voice of the Spirit whisper to my heart, 'Then create one (the environment of sisterhood) where you are.' And with those words, I know that I am to start a Women of Grace Foundational Study group in my area. At the moment, I have no idea of how to make that happen. But with all the graces that came along with my presence at the WOG Retreat, I have no worries that it will be done if it is God’s will.
Besides the whisper to my heart, I also came away with the knowledge that I had just experienced something so special. As I’m sure every woman did, I had moments of grace and clarity in my alone time during the retreat. The Malvern Retreat House is a holy place where the Spirit of the Lord can be found by anyone looking and/or praying for It. During each of my private prayer times (twice on the grounds with a statue of Jesus and once in Adoration) I felt His Holy presence there with me. Each time, I felt His deep love and was moved to tears. Feeling the presence of the Lord is a blessing unlike any other. And, those moments will be with me always, just as Jesus Himself promises to be with each of us always. I‘ll take that!
If asked if I would recommend the Women of Grace Retreat to others, I would say unequivocally 'YES!' Do not hesitate should the opportunity present itself. And if that doesn’t happen when you want it, look for a Women of Grace Foundational Study group to join either in your area or online. The Women of Grace Study provides women with the truth of our purpose in God’s Divine Plan. All I can say is — learn it so you can live it! Be blessed my sisters!"
-Anne Gerard
The Angelus: Perfect Prayer for Advent
by Theresa CavicchioHow is your Advent going so far? Now that we’re about halfway through this season of waiting and preparing, it may be a good time to switch spiritual gears, so to say, and to introduce a prayer that wouldn’t necessarily be associated with the Advent season, despite its appropriateness.
The Year of Saint Joseph: Looking Back, Looking Forward
by Theresa CavicchioJust a year ago, the faithful received the welcome news that Pope Francis had proclaimed the time beginning last December 8th through the same date in 2021 as the Year of Saint Joseph, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his designation as Patron of the Catholic Church.
Month of the Holy Rosary: Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries
by Theresa CavicchioThe Mysteries of the Rosary close out in a blaze of glory, in keeping with the spiritually powerful events they signify. Elevating our spirits to the interplay between heaven and earth, they lift us outside the realm of strictly human experience. The Glorious Mysteries traditionally are prayed on Sunday and Wednesday.
Month of the Holy Rosary: Reflections on the Sorrowful Mysteries
by Theresa CavicchioThe Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary follow the Luminous in exact sequence. As one group ends and the other begins, the events of Holy Thursday evening descend from the heights -- the solemnity of the upper room -- to the depths at Gethsemane. Following traditional practice, we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday.
Meet the Team: Thomas K Sullivan
It's time to meet the team that makes Women of Grace the impactful apostolate that it is!
Today we're featuring Thomas K Sullivan, our Director of Operations and Producer of the EWTN's Women of Grace Television Show. We hope you enjoy learning more about Tom from his answers to the questions below. Stay tuned for regular "Meet the Team" features!
1 How long have you been on the Women of Grace team and how did you begin?
"I have been with Living His Life Abundantly / Women of Grace for 20 years. I was recruited by Johnnette after we had worked in ministry together for 5 years prior."
2 What do you love best about Women of Grace's apostolate?
"You may ask, 'Why is a man working in an apostolate for women?' My answer is best summed up by the late Archbishop Fulton J Sheen when he said, 'To a great extent, the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women.'
I have experienced the truth of this statement in my own life, in my marriage, with the women I work with, and with the thousands of women, I have met through this apostolate. Each of them trying to respond to Christ's call to holiness, and to give their own 'Fiat' or 'yes' to God. By doing so, these women seek to not only become virtuous and valiant
3 What is your favorite devotion?
"The Rosary is my favorite devotion. Specifically, the Warrior's Rosary."
4 Who is your favorite saint?
"St. Jose Sanchez del Rio has become one of my favorite saints."
5 If you could have lunch with Jesus today, what would you want to talk about?
"I would like to know more about what Jesus was doing before He created."
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace®Month of the Holy Rosary: Reflections on the Luminous Mysteries
by Theresa CavicchioAs we continue our month-long look at the events of Our Lady’s rosary, we turn toward the second group of Mysteries. The Luminous Mysteries, filling the gap between the Joyful and Sorrowful, were given to us by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2002 as an addition to the three traditional groups of long standing.
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