Restore the Vineyard: Helping Our Sisters in Louisiana

Dear Friends,

The essence of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization is to meet women in their need and to nurture, encourage, and support them on their journey. Today, our sisters in Louisiana are in great need. Please consider joining us in reaching out to them in a special way.

Due to the floods, many of our sisters in Christ in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette dioceses have lost their homes, their businesses, their livelihood. Some have lost their loved ones.

Seeing this devastation, WINE wants to reach out and help our sisters in the south. So, through much prayer and discussion, an idea was born to give what we have—to give our simple loaves and fishes.

WINE is asking our friends to intentionally pray for those affected by the floods. Offer a Rosary, Holy Hour, Mass, or special intention for all suffering in Louisiana. Ask your favorite saint to intercede ... And do this every day.

Also, WINE is hosting a Catholic Women's Conference in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, on October 15. It is a day for women to come together and be encouraged, nourished, prayed for, inspired, pampered, and immersed in the mercy of God.

WINE is inviting our friends to donate to the Restore the Vineyard scholarship fund, which will pay the conference registration fee for women affected by the floods. 

We trust that many will be blessed by these funds, which will allow them to attend a day of fellowship, as they take a break from rebuilding their homes and allow others to rebuild them spiritually.

When I mentioned the idea for the Restore the Vineyard campaign to a friend in Louisiana she replied, "If someone would have offered me such a gift after Katrina, I would have burst into tears of gratitude. I longed for, and so could have used, a day like that, surrounded with women of faith."

Friends, this is our time to give to our sisters in the south! This is our time to help restore their vineyard and give them a hope and a future.

Please prayerfully consider joining us in our efforts. Please know that if they could they would do the same for you. To donate, simply click here: Restore the Vineyard.

Sincerely, Your Sister in Christ,
Kelly Wahlquist
Founder of WINE

Sharing Our Journey

Last year I was blessed to spend a week in Rome with "the middle child" and it was awesome! After our time in Rome (where we had a fabulous dinner with Joan Lewis), we met up with my oldest daughter who was traveling Europe; she was on a mission to visit 15 countries and 22 cities in 60 days—and she succeeded. You can bet that back home, her dad, brother, grandparents, family and friends were eager to follow her travels (and be assured of her safety.)

Luckily, modern technology kept us all connected via Instagram, FaceBook, Snapchat, Twitter, etc... (Yes, I was with teenagers so Snap stories were a common occurrence!)

This year, I am heading back to Rome! Teresa Tomeo and I will be leading  the first ever WINE & Shrine Pilgrimage Women's Pilgrimage through Italy, and we'd love for you to join us.... virtually! If you don't know what a Snap story is, don't worry, because you can walk with us in the foot steps of some great female saints, the martyrs, mystics, monastics and moms on our WINE Pilgrimages website (www.WINEpilgrimages.com).

Set www.WINEPilgrimages.com as one of your "favorites". When you go to the site, you will see a blue button that says "Journey With Us." Simply click on that button and you will be on our Pilgrimage blog, and in a sense, on our pilgrimage with us. From here you will be able to see pictures of our travels and get daily updates on our journey—voila! You will be  journeying with us, virtually! You will also be able to interact with the group of women in Rome by leaving a comment in the comment area. 

Looking forward to journeying with you!

Blessings!

Kelly

To journey with us on our WINE & Shrine Pilgrimage through Italy, subscribe to our posts and get an email in your inbox each day.

• Simply click HERE, scroll down to the bottom of the post, and sign up! 

A Resolution Worth Keeping!

Dear Friends,  

As we enter the New Year it is natural to look back on 2015 and tempting to resolve how we can make 2016 even better. We often focus on goals that deal with our health ("I’m going to snack on only carrots and celery!”), our weight (“Everyday I will work out and by March I’ll look like a supermodel!”), our work (“This year I am going to be über organized!”), our homes (“My house will look magazine-photo-shoot ready at all times!) And let’s face it, those goals usually last until the second week of January… or for me January 3!  

So, I thought I’d offer you a resolution you can keep, and one with an eternal effect!   We are in the Jubilee Year of Mercy, truly an extraordinary time in Church history. It is a time when the doors of God’s mercy are opened wide and we are invited to walk through them and into the embrace of His merciful love like never before. Simply put, why not resolve this year to embrace the gift of God’s mercy?

There are many ways we can do this—make a point to go to confession once a month… volunteer at a homeless shelter… be extremely forgiving… comfort a friend in need… perhaps make a pilgrimage to a local cathedral and walk through the holy doors, which have been opened for this Jubilee year. This is a beautiful outward sign of and inner yearning to transform your heart and turn back to God. Or, better yet, why not join us for the upcoming WINE & Shrine Women’s Pilgrimage through Italy, June 17-26, 2016!  

This is going to be a spectacular pilgrimage! Our saintly female focus is unique, our timing during the Jubilee Year of Mercy is perfect, and our itinerary is beyond fabulous. This pilgrimage has been prayerfully planned with the intercession of some seriously saintly women who we will be spending time with in Italy—Catherine of Siena, Rita, Clare, Monica, Helena, Scholastica, Cecelia, and Priscilla—to name a few!

We will walk through the holy doors in Rome, have a tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel with American-born art historian Dr. Elizabeth Lev, experience the peace of Assisi and the beauty of Siena, celebrate Mass in historical churches, shop in quaint areas, enjoy a wine tasting and cooking lesson in Umbria, grow in fellowship with our sisters on the tour, and our sisters in heaven!  

Make a resolution that is worth keeping! Take advantage of this extraordinary time in Church history!

Sign up today, and experience the graces that come with pilgrimage to Rome during a Holy Year…. And do it with your sisters!  For more information, a flyer, and to register visit: WINE & Shrine: Visiting the Great Female Saints of Italy.  

Blessings and Happy New Year!

Whatcha Waiting For?

The days are shorter, the nights are longer, the waiting grows, but what are we waiting for? Here's a quick 2-minute reflection for the third week of Advent produced by Franciscan Media. Don't wait—watch it now.

Anticipation... It's Making me Wait

If Advent is a time of waiting, does that mean we do nothing but ... wait?

If you can't "wait" to find out the answer, just click on the picture below and watch a quick two-minute video.

Second Week of Advent; A Video Reflection by Kelly Wahlquist and Fransican Media

Advent Reflection for Week 1

During this busy time of year, how can we make the most of Advent? Luckily Franciscan Media made me slow down, sit down, and reflect on that question. Here's a quick 2-minute video to help you find peace mind the hustle and bustle.

Kelly Wahlquist, founder of W.I.N.E., Women In the New Evangelization, gives a beautiful reflection for the first week of Advent.

All In the Family

This past weekend, I was blessed to go to our family reunion. You know, that fun event where you get to reunite with cousins you haven’t seen in ages and decipher with distant, distant, relatives how you are connected. And did I ever have a lot of deciphering to do!

Last Saturday and Sunday, I was with 186,000 of my brothers and sisters in Christ in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection to welcome our Holy Father—a journey, no doubt under the protection of our Heavenly Mother. I have to tell you, it truly was one, big, happy family!

I’ll admit, my goal in going to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families was two-fold: to spend time with some good friends who were joining me, and most importantly, to see the Holy Father in person. Not only were my expectations met, they were super-sized in ways I never fathomed!

The city was buzzing with excitement, leading up to the arrival of the Holy Father. I’m not kidding when I say everything was super-sized. I have never seen so many people; I have never seen so many law enforcement officers; I have never seen so many volunteers; and I have never seen so many porta potties! Now, one would think that this gathering of so many people from so many walks of life would be the recipe for chaos. But not at all! This was truly a reunion filled with the joy of anticipation and the happiness of belonging. This was the body of Christ!

Sure the hotels were packed; the walk to various places was blocks, sometimes miles; we were packed in like sardines in long security lines; and we spent six to seven hours in one crowded place just hoping to get a glimpse of the Holy Father. But what surprised me in all of this was that I loved every minute of it, because everyone was so kind. I mean über-kind! Rarely did someone walk by one of the thousands of police officers, state troupers, TSA agents, boarder patrol, reserve officers, etc. without saying, “Thank you so much for all you do.” In tight lines where people could be frustrated waiting four hours to go through security, fights didn’t break out. Rather, conversations did. And ironically (though not to God), as we found ourselves physically closer to people then we deemed comfortable, we learned how spiritually connected we are, and we rejoiced in it. New lifelong friendships were made (shout out to Fr. Ubald, and Patty & Greg), and all experienced what Pope Francis said, “Goodness always tends to spread” (Evangelii Guadium, 9). This past weekend, people truly reached out to others and saw the good.

So, while I went to Philadelphia with the hopes of getting a glimpse of the Holy Father, God surprised me and gave me a glimpse of something better—He showed me that my family, though separated by oceans and borders, is truly united in His body.

In the end, I did get to see the Holy Father; he was 10 feet away from our group and stopped to kiss little four-week-old baby Matteo Augustine, who was next to me. And though I was over-joyed to be so close to one who exudes holiness, what will stay with me forever is all the stories of those around me who waited patiently, and the joy of knowing how we are all connected. All in all, it was the best family reunion this side of Heaven!

*Originally posted on WINE: Women In the New Evangelization www.CatholicVineyard.com

A Seeking Heart focuses on Created to Relate

This week, Allison Gingras is talking about "Created to Relate: God's Design for Peace and Joy" on her radio show, which airs on Real Life Radio. If you tune in daily at 9am CST, you can listen as Allison not only unpacks the book, but adds her own insightful, and very witty, comments.

Allison truly has a heart for sharing the fruits that come from learning and growing in the faith in the small group setting. When she first posted that she was going to be reviewing my book, she told people a little bit about who I am and then added #SeparatedAtBirth. I had to chuckle when I saw it, and now after hearing her talk about the importance of building relationships, and how deeply she believes that we must support and encourage one another on this journey, I think she might be right!

Through the gracious donation of Servant Books, one lucky raffle winner will win 8 copies of "Created to Relate," but should you win, your victory comes with one little caveat—you have to invite 7 friends, or acquaintances, or whomever the Spirit prompts you to invite, to join you for a "Created to Relate" book club. If you've never led a small group, no worries, Allison explains how easy it is on her podcast from 8-4-15. And truly, if these are 7 of your friends, no need to worry, the reflections and the questions are provided at the end of each chapter, and if you serve anything chocolate, you're sure to be a hit! 

To enter the raffle to win 8 books, click here.

OUR LADY OF SORROWS

 

The novena to Our Lady of Sorrows is a beautiful prayer in which we ask, through Our Lady, to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to grow in virtue.

I was honored to speak with Hallie Lord at the Duluth Women's Conference on Saturday, March 7, and was blessed to meet many beautiful and inspiring women. As promised ladies, here is a little summary of  the conclusion of our time together and the handout.

How do we maintain the courage to live our “unexpected” lives as faithful women?

We look to the one who is the perfect example of courage from the moment she is told that God has a plan for her and it will radically change her life... and the lives of all humanity, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From the moment of the Annunciation on she lived with the greatest courage, because she lived with the greatest love. I believe we learn from and are nurtured in our virtue of courage by entering with her into that which embodies the greatest courage ever exhibited in one of God creatures—Mary's Seven Sorrows.

"One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving." St. Gianna

The key to understanding Mary’s courage is to understand her seven sorrows. Through the seven sorrows comes the realization that God does not spare us from pain. Our pain, however, can co-exist with God's peace and God can use our pain to draw us closer to him. To succeed in this, we must learn from Our Lady of Sorrows how to have the courage to open our hearts to God's will. If we close our hearts to His will and cling to our own understanding, we carry not only the original pain, but we also lack the peace of surrender. This tends to lead to live in the valley of vice: anger, self-pity, and despair.

Whatever pain or trials enter your life, look to Our Lady. She has experienced all and through every experience, she constantly believed in and lived the will of God.

Click here for the handout -> Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Novena

“Do whatever He tells you…”

One invitation can have an eternal ripple effect.

Ten years ago a friend invited me—well, to be honest, more like “volun-told” me—to join a Bible study, and ten years ago my life was drastically changed. I’ve spent the last decade deepening my relationship with Jesus, falling in love with each person of the Trinity anew and traveling the country to share the joy of the Gospel. My heart was transformed and my spirit lit on fire to share the faith, and all because of one simple invitation. It’s amazing to imagine what one invitation can do.

In fact, here’s a perfect example: “On the third day, there was a marriage in Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus was also invited to the marriage, with his disciples” (John 2:1). Think about that. Someone invited Mary to a wedding… and they also invited Jesus.

Perhaps the scenario went something like this:

The young engaged couple is sitting down with their parents and making their wedding guest list. They’ve determined how many people can fit at the wedding and how many mouths they can afford to feed. The mother of the bride says, “Let’s invite Mary of Nazareth. She’s always been such a dear friend and there for me whenever I need her.”

To which her husband responds, “She still has a son living at home. If we invite her, we have to invite him too.”

The young bride quickly says, “That’s ok. He’s single and I hear he’s a nice guy. Might be fun to have him at the wedding.”

The young groom chimes in, “And he has a great group of friends.”

Someone invited Mary and Jesus to the wedding, and look what happened! Lives were change and hearts were transformed on that day, and every day since.

Because of one invitation, on that day in Cana, a need was met, a family was spared humiliation, water was miraculously turned to wine, Jesus began his public ministry and the Blessed Mother spoke words that have an eternal effect: “Do whatever he tells you.”

The story of the Wedding in Cana perfectly sums up WINE: Women In the New Evangelization.

WINE is about meeting women in their need and inviting them into relationship—relationship with other women and relationship with Jesus Christ.

WINE is about growing in our love for the Lord by following the example of the perfect woman, Mary, and striving to always do the will of God, striving to do whatever he tells us.

WINE is about living our Catholic faith with renewed confidence, with conviction and hope, and one of the beauties of our faith is that we are a community. We’re all in this together. It’s not always easy to know and live the will of God. How blessed I am to have strong Christ-centered friends who help me as I stumble along this path. And many of these friendships are the result of one simple invitation years ago to join a Bible study.

We invite you to visit our new website at www.WomenIntheNewEvangelization.com and to set it as one of your favorites. It is our hope at WINE, that you find peace, joy and a sense of belonging in the friendships that come about as a result of spending time laughing and learning and growing in your faith with other women. 

May we always be there to assist each other as we grow deeper in our personal relationship with Jesus. May we open our hearts to an invitation from the Lord to follow him and invite others to journey along with us. And may we always be there to guide, encourage and support one another as we each strive to do the will of God—to do whatever he tells us.

This Year, I'm getting in shape—spiritually!

My New Year's resolution this year is to get in shape —SPIRITUALLY!

Ladies, how about you? Could you use a SPIRITUAL make-over? Start the new year off by not procrastinating. Sign up for the WINE: Catholic Women's Conference now and invite some friends to join you!

Merry Christmas

And the Word was made flesh… and dwelt among us.

Mother of Mercy, Pray for Us

This time of year can be difficult for many. For example, 2,000+ years ago a young woman was close to giving birth, traveling by foot (or perhaps donkey) over rugged terrain, not knowing where she would be during childbirth, yet knowing something astonishing was about to take place that would drastically change her life—and the world….. forever!

If you're struggling right now with difficulties in your life, ask Our Lady to help you. She is our Mother of Mercy. Ask her to untie the knots that cause you anxiety or pain or distress. She'll do it! 

One of the most powerful novenas is Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. In fact, it is one of Pope Francis' favorites. Start today, and begin the new year knot free: Novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots

The picture above (which I absolutely love) was painted by my new friend from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the very talented Mercedes Fariña. Be sure to check out her website: www.mercedesfarina.com.ar/habemus-papam

A Week to Ponder

A week away from the birth of her son. No ultra-sound to pinpoint the date. No weekly check-ups to chart her progress. No Lamaze or breast-feeding classes to drag Joseph to. What must Mary have been thinking?

Mary's entire life was a Lectio Divina—a meditation on the Word of God. On this day, some 2,000 + years ago, she had to be pondering the words of the angel to her 9 months earlier…. and pondering to Mary didn't just mean thinking, "Hmmm, what does this mean?" Pondering to Mary was deep prayer. No doubt Mary's pondering consisted of, "What does this mean in light of God's will for my life?"

In one week, the Son of God will be born anew in your heart—the place you've been preparing for him all Advent. Perhaps today is a good day to ponder, "What does Jesus' coming this Christmas in 2014 mean in light of God's will for my life?" 

*Follow along with the WINE: Women In the New Evangelization quick daily Advent Reflections on our FaceBook page: WINE: Women In the New Evangelization

How Does A Soul Magnify the Lord? With Pure JOY!

I had the pleasure of speaking at the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women's Advent Retreat this morning where I was asked to speak on how we can live as women of JOY! What an awesome topic!

Here's the Reader's Digest version of the talk: 

You want to be joyful? Then follow in the footsteps of the Blessed Mother. Say "yes" to God and trust him. Prepare a place in your heart for Jesus to dwell and invite him in. Be a divine helper and share with another your story of how Christ changed your life. And, above all, love the Lord your God with all your heart and praise him with all your soul! You want your soul to magnify the Lord this Advent? Then let the JOY of Christ dwell in your heart and it will.

"Jump for Joy" by Corby Eisbacher

The morning was full of so many blessings. I was reconnected with a dear friend, and holy man, Fr. Steven Hoffman. I was reunited with women from around the archdiocese, some of whom I hadn't seen in years, some who knew me from a few years ago at the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, some who knew me in high school, and some who knew me way back when shoulder pads and leg warmers were all the rage. (Yep, that would have been grade school.)  I was welcomed by an amazing room of women on fire for their faith and I was inspired by the beautiful voices of the Schmitz Sisters. These lovely ladies have been singing together for over 70 years! (For the record, they started their singing careers very, very young. They made their big debut on the Arthur Godfrey show on May 13, 1957.) Today, they were a blessing to all as they sang "May You Always…"

As promised, here's the link to the beautiful print of Mary & Elizabeth at the Visitation, by Corby Eisbacher: Jump for Joy

Thanks ladies of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women! You are all such an inspiration to me! May God bless you abundantly this Christmas Season and always.

Open My Eyes Lord

When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith." And their eyes were opened. 
(Matthew 9:28-29)

Advent offers us an opportunity to open our eyes and to see the needs of others, to be compassionate, not condemning. When we are quick to judge another, it is as if we are covering our own eyes and not allowing our hearts to see that person the way God sees him/her.

Today when you are cut off in traffic or pushed aside in the checkout line or the recipient of some harsh words, "uncover" your eyes and look for God in that person. Simply say, "Open my eyes, Lord. I want to see your face." And offer a prayer for that person. Ask God to bless their day and bring them joy.

For daily 30 second Advent Reflections, check out the WINE: Women In the New Evangelization FaceBook page

Why Am I So Crabby and How Advent Can Help!

By Lucy Johnson

A few weeks ago, I found myself sitting in rush hour traffic on my way to an 8am meeting at the University of Minnesota. The traffic was so slow that I was able to journal about my feelings.  Lately, I’ve been feeling crabby, and I don’t know why.

I don’t consider myself a crabby person, although there were times, years ago when my children could have disagreed. Sometimes “Mean Mother” reared her ugly head while raising six children in ten years, but the kids are older now, so I can’t really blame this on them.  

Perhaps “Mean Mother” reappeared when I was Mother Nature for Halloween this year.  Although I warned people not to fool me, I seem to recall that shortly after Halloween, it snowed and got cold! That could make me crabby, but what I was experiencing seemed to be something deeper than the weather.

I was still pondering this question when I arrived at my meeting with female graduate students.  I was to be a part of a series titled Outside the Pharmacy: Conversations with Women in Leadership.  Perhaps somewhat ironic, our topic was about a meaningful life and what contributes to one’s happiness; not the pleasure/happiness but more the joy/happiness. 

I was surrounded by graduate students who were all joyful. I was amazed. Aren’t graduate students supposed to be stressed out and over-worked? That’s when I learned the secret.  Each of them told a similar story. They began the year stressed, but they took about three months to think about what they were doing. They had a gift of time, preparation and reflection before beginning their research and studies. They stopped and listened.

This is what I’ve been missing. I’m so busy that I haven’t taken the time to think, reflect and prepare. This is what Advent is all about. It’s a time to prepare more than our houses and gifts but our hearts and ourselves for the coming of Christ. Perhaps we can’t take three months to prepare, but hopefully we can take a few minutes each day.  

If you can take a little longer, there are many wonderful retreats in the upcoming days.  I would recommend the ACCW’s “Greet Advent as Women of Joy” with Kelly Wahlquist. There are still spots available.  https://events.archspm.org/accw-advent-2014 When we booked Kelly last May, I had no idea how much I needed this topic. I want to greet Advent as a woman of joy and not a crabby woman.

Lucy Johnson is the President of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and a member of the WINE: Women In the New Evangelization core team. Most importably, she is a wife and mother of six wonderful children, who at times don't think she's too crabby.

Anticipation…. It's Making Me Wait!

Reflection:

Advent is a time of patient waiting for the Lord to be reborn once again into our hearts. It is a time for us to come face to face with the truth captured in the words of St. Augustine. "You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our heart can find no rest until it rests in you."

Prayer: 
Dear Lord, why do I have to learn this lesson over and over again: to wait for you, that my heart will not rest until it rests in you? On this second day of Advent, give me patience, Lord. Give me patience to wait for your answer to my prayers. Give me patience as I wait to see my role in your plan of sheer goodness. Walk with me on this journey of preparation for your coming. Help me prepare my heart for you, and give me patience as I joyfully await your arrival. 

*Follow our simple Advent reflections on our FaceBook page at WINE: Women In the New Evangelization