Mercy: Brokenness Transformed into Beauty?

Last updated on: April 26, 2025 at 8:50 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

When I lived in Philadelphia, a friend of mine–an artist and musician—spent hours collecting broken glass from city streets. Why? She was determined to transform these unused, sharp and uneven broken bits into beautiful mosaics. Even with occasional scrapes and scratches from the shards she had collected, she was eager to add the remnants of car windows, storefronts, and robberies to her latest mosaic. In fact, here is an article published about her studio in CatholicPhiilly.com. God’s mercy This artwork... Read more

Earth Day 2025: Honor Pope Francis, Care for Creation

Last updated on: April 21, 2025 at 10:10 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

Today, the entire world mourns the loss of the inspiring, gentle, and wise Pope Francis, who guided the world with love and truth. Pope Francis embraced the poor and suffering, even choosing to take public transportation alongside everyday citizens in Rome. He fostered global care and concern for the earth, immigrants, the marginalized, and the afflicted. After Easter, before Earth Day Pope Francis died the day after Easter, on April 21st, 2025; the day after he met with United States... Read more

Did Jesus see beauty in those who crucified Him?

Last updated on: April 18, 2025 at 9:24 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

In a previous blog post, The Incarnation: Read to Find Out Why It’s Beautiful, I pointed out that the birth of Jesus is beautiful, because Jesus is the Love of God made flesh. Likewise, according to the Catholic tradition, Jesus is the source and summit of beauty (read more in this incredible document entitled Via Pulchritudinis, Latin for Way of Beauty). So we definitely see beauty in Jesus—incarnate Love. Did Jesus see beauty in His crucifiers? But does Jesus see... Read more

Don’t stop singing America the Beautiful

Last updated on: March 28, 2025 at 8:24 am By Samantha Mattheiss

Most of us can relate to belting out the words of America the Beautiful in school assemblies, sports events, or national holidays. We might not have thought much about the lyrics at the time, but we knew it was a patriotic song and thus, an important one. In particular, we may not have realized the deep significance of recognizing America’s beauty—something that we need to appreciate and protect now more than ever as deportations threaten the inherent beauty of our... Read more

“When you sing to me”: How to experience God in song

Last updated on: January 14, 2025 at 2:17 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

Have you ever loved a singer-songerwriter so much, that it was as if they were singing to you? When I was in high school, I was absolutely in love with Ricky Martin. I loved his music, but more, I loved him, and when I listened to his music, it was him who was singing to me—just like in Marc Anthony’s 90’s hit, You Sang to Me: How I long to hear you sing beneath the clear blue skies And I... Read more

The Incarnation: Read to find out why it’s beautiful

Last updated on: December 24, 2024 at 9:22 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

Whether or not you’re a practicing Christian, you’ve most likely encountered some beautiful images of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus—born in a manger. Maybe you attended a Christmas concert with beautiful music or watched a beautiful Christmas movie. Most likely, amidst the busyness and bustling of the holiday season, you’ve found at least a bit of the beauty of Christmas. The beauty of the Incarnation But the beauty of the Incarnation—when the Word of God became flesh–extends beyond beautiful... Read more

How moral beauty might inform your vote

Last updated on: October 29, 2024 at 11:22 am By Samantha Mattheiss

Lifted Up in Virtue When I was in high school and just under voting age, I became such a passionate Democrat that, dismayed after the election results came in, I wrote off voting for the next twenty years of my life. I decided I could do more with my time than delve into politics which could very likely lead to absolutely no change at all. Instead, I allowed that youthful passion for life, love, and liberty to lead me to... Read more

Could creative movement be your path to healing?

Last updated on: October 8, 2024 at 12:25 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

Have you ever been inspired to do something creative? Maybe paint, dance, draw, or create something new in the world? Renoir and his call to paint French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir surely did. He was determined to celebrate the beauty of creation by painting. What some people don’t know, is that Renoir suffered debilitating and painful rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, according to an exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum, Renoir was faced with such physical pain, that he perceived a choice... Read more

Boost Love this Fall by Reading This Book

Last updated on: September 23, 2024 at 5:48 pm By Samantha Mattheiss

Fall is the perfect time to cozy up by the fireplace and read a good book as you watch colored leaves rock back and forth gently to the ground. There are plenty of incredible books to choose from; but there’s one book that I can’t recommend enough- and I recommend it to everyone regardless of individual beliefs or dis-beliefs. It’s technically considered an encyclical, which is a Vatican document produced by the Pope, for the world and the Church. It’s... Read more

Does modern science support the wisdom of St. Benedict?

Last updated on: July 12, 2024 at 12:26 am By Samantha Mattheiss

St. Benedict’s spirituality includes an emphasis on autonomous communities as well as stability. Benedictine monks or sisters who resided in a particular community committed to staying in that particular place and with those particular religious. This contrasts with the practices of other religious orders and diocesan priests who are often sent from one location to another. The need for connection In today’s world, we’re less and less connected to our neighborhood and neighbors. We may walk out of our houses... Read more