Catholicism Archives - Starlight and Saucepans

The Surprising Joy of Ash Wednesday

In a few minutes from now I'll be leaving for a quiet, somber Mass with almost no singing, no Gloria, and at which we in the congregation will receive on our foreheads blessed ash in the shape of a cross.…

By Lizzie Hexam March 5, 2025Spiritual Life7 Comments

Spiritual Life

My 10 Favorite Advent Hymns

What ho, readers all! I apologize profusely for abandoning the blogosphere for so long; end-of-semester papers paired with some less-than-stellar time management will do that sort of thing sometimes. It's been so long since I last posted that we are…

By Lizzie Hexam December 12, 2024Spiritual Life8 Comments

Easter painting of the women finding the empty tomb

Spiritual Life

Happy Easter!

I don't just wish you a happy Easter; I wish you a deeply joyful Easter, an Easter whose meaning soaks into your innermost consciousness and which envelops every part of you - physical, mental, and spiritual. Worship the Lord in…

By Lizzie Hexam March 31, 2024Spiritual Life8 Comments

Quote from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday: "Something strange is happening - there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and He has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and Hell trembles with fear."

Spiritual Life

Short Ramblings on Holy Saturday

In December I think, "You know, Christmas really is my favorite time of year." And now, as we approach the Triduum, I'm saying, "Um...actually...you know what...I think this is my favorite time of year." I love Holy Week. I love…

By Lizzie Hexam March 27, 2024Spiritual Life9 Comments

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis book cover

Bookishness Spiritual Life

Heaven and Hell in The Great Divorce

Today's blog post was slotted to be something quite different (its elegant title in draft was "First Drafts & Writer's Block & Snippets"), but then I stumbled upon the Grim Writer's Remember, O Thou Man Lent link-up...and that put an…

By Lizzie Hexam March 8, 2024Bookishness, Spiritual Life11 Comments

St. Mary Magdalen at the foot of the cross

Spiritual Life

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return." We hear some variation on these words today as the priest or deacon marks our foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross…

By Lizzie Hexam February 14, 2024Spiritual Life2 Comments

Spiritual Life

Short Ramblings On Gaudete Sunday

This upcoming Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means "to rejoice." Advent is just over half-way through. We have only a short time until Christmas, the day of the breath-taking mystery of God's descent into humanity…

By Lizzie Hexam December 14, 2023Spiritual Life3 Comments

Bookishness Spiritual Life

Mini Book Reviews: All Saints’ Day

Last Wednesday was All Saints' Day. It seems fitting, therefore, to do a saint-related post, so I've decided to do mini-book reviews for the saint-related books I've read this year. (Would it have been even more fitting to put this…

By Lizzie Hexam November 3, 2023Bookishness, Spiritual LifeNo Comments

Spiritual Life

A Slice of Catholic Life: Three Spiritual Reading Recommendations

Welcome to my second Slice of Catholic Life! This time around, I'm giving three spiritual reading recommendations that have been especially helpful to me in my spiritual life. (Oh, and of course, the Bible is a given. Everybody should read…

By Lizzie Hexam October 1, 2023Spiritual LifeNo Comments

Spiritual Life

A Slice of Catholic Life

Hello friends, and welcome to a slice of Catholic life! This post is just a little hodge-podge of Catholic stuff and some things I find inspiring as a Catholic. I intend to make future Slice of Catholic Life posts more…

By Lizzie Hexam September 1, 2023Spiritual LifeNo Comments