Eucharistic Motherhood: St. Cecelia

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

St. Cecelia

A new favorite saint and basilica: St. Cecelia. I've known her story for many years. Refusing to denounce her faith, she was martyred by decapitation. Legend has it that she continued to praise God for several days. She is the patron saint of musicians.
This church is so BEAUTIFUL! When they found her body INCORRUPT in the catacombs in the 8th century, they moved it here. And in the 17th century, Moderno sculpted an incredible depiction of her slain, which lies above her casket. So moving.
The jewel of the basilica is the underground crypt, covered with mosaic and bas-relief from floor to ceiling. Gorgeous.
I've asked her to pray for many of my friends and family, whom I love so much. St. Cecelia, pray for us.

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About Me

Born in Texas, raised in NYC, I earned my Ph.D. in philosophy and married a gorgeous theology student who rides a motorcycle and looks like James Dean. We now have six kids, are based in Irving near the University of Dallas where my husband teaches theology and where I sometimes teach philosophy. We currently live in the Castelli Romani, just outside of Rome, Italy. In addition to teaching some semesters and raising our 6 wonderful children, I am studying theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Passionate about the vocation of motherhood, I founded a Catholic mother's ministry, Mighty Is Her Call. Our retreats and blog can be explored here: https://mightyishercall.com.

My book, Motherhood: An Extraordinary Vocation was released August 2021.

What's Special about Motherhood?

Motherhood is patterned on the life of Christ, particularly the Eucharist, in a way that no other vocation is. Some mothers shed blood for their children in childbirth--just as Christ shed his blood for us, a gift we celebrate in the Eucharist. Some mothers nourish children with their own bodies--just as Christ nourishes us with his body in the Eucharist. Mothers give themselves up in countless ways for their children--just as Christ gave himself up for us: "This is my body, given up for you." Every aspect of our day, from feeding our children, to cleaning up their messes, to disciplining them, to listening attentively to them, to hugging them, to laughing with them, to cherishing them, reflects the ways Christ gives himself to us. Motherhood is a role fashioned in the image of Christ, more so than perhaps any other vocation. It is singularly close to and reflective of the Heart of Christ.