Losing Peace

Maggie: Father, I lost my patience with the kids again yesterday. By the end of the day, I felt completely frazzled. Then I got distracted in prayer, and I went to bed thinking, “I should be farther along than this.”

Fr. Sal: You didn’t think you’d still be tempted?

Maggie: I guess not. At least not this much.

Fr. Sal: Because the saints were never tempted?

Maggie: Well, no.

Fr. Sal: And Jesus was never tempted either, I suppose?

Maggie: No. Of course He was.

Fr. Sal: Then is it true that holy people aren’t tempted?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: So where’d that idea come from?

Maggie: Not from Jesus.

Fr. Sal: That’s for sure. And if it doesn’t come from Him, do you want to keep listening to it?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: What happened when you did?

Maggie: I got anxious. Discouraged.

Fr. Sal: Before the impatience?

Maggie: Yes.

Fr. Sal: Before the distraction in prayer?

Maggie: Yes.

Fr. Sal: Then where did all this really begin?

Maggie: When I believed the lie.

Fr. Sal: And what was the first thing you lost?

Maggie: My peace.

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Not Every Feeling Is a Choice

Maggie: Sometimes I feel guilty the moment an impatient thought pops into my head.

Fr. Sal: Did you choose the first thought?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Did you invite it in and offer it a chair?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Then why assume you’ve already failed?

Maggie: Because it feels so real.

Fr. Sal: The feeling is real. But is it a choice?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Is feeling impatient the same as choosing impatience?

Maggie: No. I suppose not.

Fr. Sal: Absolutely, one hundred percent not.

Maggie: I think I spend a lot of time condemning myself before I’ve even decided what to do.

Fr. Sal: Condemning yourself—or listening to a condemning voice?

Maggie looks down and grows quiet.

Maggie: I never thought about the difference.

Fr. Sal: Does Jesus correct us?

Maggie: Yes.

Fr. Sal: Does He leave us without hope?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Then if a voice tells you, “You’ve already failed. You’ll never change. God must be tired of you,” does that sound like Him?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Where’s your attention when you’re listening to that voice?

Maggie: On me. On everything wrong with me.

Fr. Sal: That’s right. And where is Jesus calling you to look?

Maggie: At Him.

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Caring for Your Heart

Fr. Sal: Let’s shift gears a bit. When is it hardest for you to remain peaceful?

Maggie: Late afternoon.

Fr. Sal: Why do you think that is?

Maggie: I’m hungry, the kids are tired, dinner isn’t ready, my husband isn’t home yet, and everybody needs something from me at once.

Fr. Sal: And before you hit that breaking point, what’s usually running through your mind?

Maggie: I’ve got to keep pushing.

Fr. Sal: Does that sound like Jesus—or not Jesus?

Maggie: Not Jesus.

Fr. Sal: Good. Maybe it’s exhaustion. Maybe it’s habit. Maybe the enemy’s taking advantage of both. But if it isn’t leading you toward Christ, do you need to keep listening?

Maggie: No. So what would Jesus want me to do instead?

Fr. Sal: What do you think?

Maggie: Stop pushing. Come back to Him.

Fr. Sal: Come back to Him?

Maggie: Yeah. Breathe. Say a little prayer. Look at the crucifix. Maybe stretch for a few seconds.

Fr. Sal: And what if everybody needs you at once? Are you gonna tell the kids, “Sorry, Mommy’s taking a contemplative retreat”?

Maggie: Exactly. That sounds lovely, Father, but at four-thirty I don’t exactly get to disappear for twenty minutes.

Fr. Sal: Who said twenty minutes?

Maggie: Well, how long?

Fr. Sal: Five seconds.

Maggie: Five seconds?

Fr. Sal: Sure. Will it fix the whole afternoon?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: But might it keep you from carrying the next moment alone?

Maggie: Yes. Though I might need to do it more than once.

Fr. Sal: You probably will. Come back five seconds now, five seconds later, five seconds after that. Jesus isn’t rationing His help.

Maggie: So I don’t have to restore myself for the next two hours.

Fr. Sal: Can you?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: But can He give you grace for the next moment?

Maggie: Yes.

Fr. Sal: And what if noticing that you’re pushing is already Jesus inviting you to return?

Maggie: Then He’s already helping me before I even turn.

Fr. Sal: Now you’re getting somewhere.

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Turn to Him

Maggie: But what about when the temptation is already here?

Fr. Sal: Have you ever stood in the ocean?

Maggie: Many times.

Fr. Sal: Did the waves always knock you over?

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: And when they did?

Maggie: I laughed, stood up, and kept going.

Fr. Sal: Why?

Maggie: Because that’s what happens at the ocean.

Fr. Sal: Perhaps life is like the ocean. The waves keep coming.

Maggie: And you’d be silly not to expect them.

Fr. Sal: Right. So when the wave comes?

Maggie: Let it pass without panicking. Keep my feet if I can.

Fr. Sal: And if you can’t?

Maggie: Get back up.

Fr. Sal: With a little drama or a lot?

Maggie: As little as possible.

Fr. Sal: Good. We’re talking about ordinary waves here—impatience, distraction, comparison, a stumble. Something serious and repeated needs more. But every splash doesn’t need a funeral.

Maggie: So I can laugh a little, get back up…

Fr. Sal: And?

Maggie: Turn to Him.

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Begin Again

Fr. Sal: Back when you thought holy people shouldn’t be tempted, how did you expect Jesus to look when you fell?

Maggie: Disappointed.

Fr. Sal: Almost exactly how you looked at your kids when they were learning to walk, right? Every fall, another crushing disappointment.

Maggie smiles.

Maggie: No. I smiled and encouraged them.

Fr. Sal: Hmm. So do you think Jesus…?

Maggie: I know what you’re trying to make me say.

Fr. Sal: I’m not trying to make you say anything. Do you believe it?

Maggie: I want to believe He’s smiling and encouraging me. I’m just not sure I always can.

Fr. Sal: Does your difficulty believing it change His face?

Maggie pauses.

Maggie: No.

Fr. Sal: Then maybe He’s smiling at you right now while you listen to this crazy priest.

Maggie: Maybe He is.

Fr. Sal: St. Francis de Sales reminds us to be patient with everyone, but especially with ourselves. Not because sin doesn’t matter. Discouragement may visit us, but surrendering to it never brings us closer to Christ.

Maggie: So when I stumble, I don’t stay there.

Fr. Sal: Nope.

Maggie: I lift my eyes.

Fr. Sal: Yep.

Maggie: I reach for His hand.

Fr. Sal: And then?

Maggie: Begin again.

Fr. Sal: Begin again—peacefully.

Maggie: Father, I came in thinking my problem was temptation.

Fr. Sal: And now?

Maggie: Temptation isn’t the whole problem. It’s what happens when I start pushing and lose my peace.

Fr. Sal: And what are you gonna do when you notice that?

Maggie: Return my heart to Christ and let Him care for it.

Fr. Sal: That sounds like the beginning of wisdom.

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In a world that often praises productivity and output, a Christian can easily lose sight of the fact that we were never meant to live life at a frantic pace.

St. Benedict offered a rule of life that ordered the day around a different rhythm: prayer, work, and rest held together in harmony. His wisdom is surprisingly practical, even for those of us not called life in a monastery.

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St. Benedict of Nursia (c. 480–547), whose feast day is celebrated this month, is best known for the Rule of St. Benedict, a guide for monastic life that shaped Western Christianity for centuries. At its heart is a simple principle often summarized as ora et labora—pray and work–giving us a vision of the human person ordered toward God in every part of life.

Benedict insists that prayer, work, meals, rest, reading, and the steady hearing of God’s Word are all given their place within the day. Ordering life in this way reminds us of what we believe is most important; it is a way of keeping first things first.

It is one thing to say we love God. It is another to actually stop seven or eight times a day to pray the Psalms, to set aside what we are doing and return to prayer. The day is continually re-centered on God. 

We often think of ourselves and our health in separate categories—spiritual, physical, emotional, relational—but in reality those parts of our lives are deeply intertwined. The spiritual life is shaped by the physical, and our relationships inevitably form our inner emotional world. St. Benedict’s wisdom assumes this unity rather than trying to separate it. Work becomes an expression of prayer; everything we do is ordered toward the glory of God. 

Benedict is also clear about what disrupts this order. “Idleness is the enemy of the soul,” he writes. But idleness is not the same as true, life-giving rest. Idleness is aimlessness, a drifting away from presence and purpose. Rest or Holy Leisure, on the other hand, is active. As Catholic German philosopher Josef Pieper in his book, Leisure: The Basis of Culture, leisure is “...the opportunity to engage in activities that truly nourish the soul.” 

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This distinction matters in a particularly modern way. Many of us move quickly from one thing to the next without ever fully inhabiting any of it. Even our rest is often restless—filled with distraction rather than restoration, noise rather than stillness.

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What Benedict offers in response is not another demand placed on an already overfull life, but a way of recovering shape within it. 

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Finding a Benedictine Rhythm in Modern Life

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The wisdom of St. Benedict can help shape our ordinary life and daily routine. 

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1. Begin the day before the noise begins
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Before checking messages, news, or even the mental list of what needs to get done, begin with prayer. This does not need to be long. Praying with Scripture or reciting a Psalm, or even morning offering is enough to set the tone before everything starts pulling for attention.

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2. Let prayer mark the day in small, steady ways
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Instead of trying to “fit prayer in,” think in terms of returning to it. A short midday pause, a prayer before meals, a quick turning of the heart back to God while folding laundry or driving in the car; these small returns keep the day from becoming purely reactive.

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3. Give ordinary work its proper weight
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Cooking dinner, answering emails, cleaning the kitchen, homeschooling, commuting—none of it is spiritually neutral. When offered with intention, these are not interruptions to a spiritual life but part of it. Even a simple “Lord, I offer this” quietly changes the way we approach what is in front of us.

Pietra Fitness classes offer one way to intentionally practice this today. Instead of separating exercise as “work for the body” and prayer as “work for the soul,” our classes reflect a more Benedictine rhythm: the whole person moving, praying, and offering effort as one unified act.

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4. Protect real rest, not just distraction
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There is a difference between rest and numbing out. Rest restores attention; distraction scatters it. Real rest might look like an early bedtime, reading something good, keeping Sundays free from unnecessary work, or simply being present with your family without a screen in hand. It does not always feel productive, but it is necessary.

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5. Build a rhythm you can actually keep
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Consistency matters more than intensity. Small habits you can live with on ordinary days will form you far more deeply than an ideal schedule you can only manage occasionally. The Benedictine life is not built on extremes, but on faithful repetition.

At the center of St. Benedict’s vision is a steady rhythm where prayer, work, and rest belong together rather than competing with one another. 

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Incorporating this rhythm into our own days then invites us back into a more integrated way of life—one where our attention can be gathered, our work can be offered with purpose, and our rest can actually restore us.

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As temperatures rise and summer days become more active, hydration often requires a bit more intention. It’s easy to think of it simply as drinking enough water, but true hydration goes beyond drinking enough ounces each day.

Our bodies rely on a delicate balance of fluids, electrolytes, and minerals to support everything from muscle function and energy levels to digestion and temperature regulation. Understanding this balance can help us care for our bodies more effectively, especially during the warmer months.

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Hydration is often reduced to a simple instruction: drink more water. But in reality, true hydration is less about volume and more about balance. It occurs when the body has enough fluids and the right mix of minerals to allow water to be properly absorbed and used at the cellular level.

This is where electrolytes come in. Minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride carry electrical charges that help regulate fluid movement, support nerve signaling, and enable muscle contraction. Without them, water alone does not always reach where the body needs it most.

This balance becomes even more important in the summer months. As temperatures rise, the body relies more heavily on sweating to regulate internal temperature. And when you sweat, you lose more than just water.

We need to replenish both the water we lose and the minerals that help our bodies absorb and use it effectively.

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The Role of Key Minerals in Hydration

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Each electrolyte plays a distinct role in maintaining hydration and overall wellness:

Sodium helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure. While often misunderstood, it is one of the primary minerals lost in sweat and is essential for proper hydration.

Potassium works in tandem with sodium to maintain fluid balance and supports healthy muscle and nerve function. It is found in foods like bananas, potatoes, avocados, beans, and yogurt.

Magnesium supports hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, including energy production and muscle relaxation. Low levels may contribute to fatigue, cramps, and poor recovery. Good sources include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Hydration is most effective when it is supported through whole foods that naturally provide both fluids and minerals. Fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cucumbers, oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes contribute water along with nutrients that help the body retain and utilize it. Likewise, broths, soups, yogurt, and smoothies offer an easy way to restore both hydration and mineral balance at the same time.

For simple at-home support during especially hot or active days, a basic electrolyte drink can be helpful:

• 2 cups water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A pinch of sea salt
• Optional teaspoon of honey

This combination offers fluid, a small amount of sodium, and natural carbohydrates that can support absorption.

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Hydration Tips for Summer Exercise

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Hydration during movement is not something that follows a fixed formula; it shifts with temperature, intensity, duration, and even how rested or nourished the body is going into a workout. Because of that, the most reliable guide is often not a schedule, but the body itself.

Before exercise, it helps to begin already hydrated rather than trying to catch up mid-activity. Drinking water in the hour or two beforehand gives the body time to absorb fluids and establish a steadier baseline. On especially hot or demanding days, a small amount of sodium, such as a lightly salted snack or a pinch of salt in water, can help the body retain fluid more effectively and reduce how quickly it is lost through sweat.

During exercise, steady, moderate sipping is often more effective than large amounts taken all at once or waiting until thirst feels urgent. In longer sessions or in high heat, electrolytes can help replace what is lost through sweat and support more stable energy.

After exercise, hydration becomes part of recovery. The body continues to restore fluid and mineral balance long after movement has stopped, especially if sweating was significant. Rehydrating gradually, rather than trying to do so all at once, tends to be more effective. Pairing fluids with a real meal or snack can also make a difference, since many foods naturally provide sodium, potassium, and other minerals that help the body absorb and retain the fluids more efficiently than water alone.

Across all of these phases, thirst is only one signal among many. Fatigue that feels disproportionate to effort, lingering headaches, muscle tightness, or unusually slow recovery can all indicate that the body needs more support. 

Staying well-hydrated is one of the simplest yet most foundational ways to support how the body functions, especially in seasons that demand more from it. The quality of what we drink—and the nutrients that accompany it—can meaningfully shape how we feel, move, and recover throughout the day.

At Pietra Fitness, we see wellness as something integrated rather than isolated; each daily decision affects your body, mind, and spirit including how you hydrate.

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A Friendship That Feels Good

“Father Sal, can a friendship feel good and still not be good for you?”

“That depends, Maggie. Good in what way?”

“That’s exactly the problem. When I’m with Claire, it feels good. We laugh. She understands me. I don’t have to explain everything. But afterward, I’m not peaceful.”

“What happens afterward?”

“I come home stirred up. I’m sharper with the kids. I think worse of my husband. I replay the conversation. I feel justified, but not free.”

“Justified, but not free. That is worth noticing.”

“I know. And I feel guilty saying it because Claire isn’t a bad person. She’s warm and funny, and honestly, sometimes talking with her feels like the easiest part of my week.”

“Then let’s not begin by judging Claire. Let’s begin with what the friendship is producing in you.”

Maggie sighed.

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

“What is it producing?”

“Complaint. Comparison. Drama. Sometimes resentment.”

“Toward whom?”

“My husband, sometimes. Other women. Even the kids. I hate admitting that.”

“And after being with Claire, are you more able to love them?”

Maggie looked down.

“No.”

Depth Is Not Always Good

“That’s the hard part,” Maggie said. “In the moment I feel seen. But afterward, I’m less loving.”

“Then perhaps the question is not only, ‘Do I enjoy this person?’ Perhaps the question is, ‘What kind of woman am I becoming through this friendship?’”

“That question makes me nervous.”

“Why?”

“Because I know the answer. Claire draws out a version of me I don’t really want to become.”

Father Sal nodded gently.

“That is very honest.”

“But she also gives me things that feel good. Relief. Laughter. The feeling that someone understands how hard things are.”

“Those are real goods. But depth is not always good.”

Maggie looked up.

“What do you mean?”

“Two people can speak deeply and still not help each other become free. A conversation can be intimate without being holy.”

Maggie sat back.

“That’s exactly it. I think I confused intimacy with friendship.”

“How so?”

“Because Claire and I talk about personal things, I assumed we were close in a good way. But maybe we’re just sharing things that make both of us more agitated.”

“That can happen.”

“So what makes a friendship holy?”

The Friend Who Helps Me Become Better

Father Sal smiled.

“Is there someone in your life whose friendship leaves different fruit?”

Maggie thought for a moment.

“Anna.”

“Tell me about Anna.”

“She’s another mom from the parish. We don’t talk constantly. She’s quieter than Claire. Honestly, she’s not as entertaining.”

“And yet you thought of her.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because after I talk with Anna, I’m different.”

“How?”

“Calmer. More honest. Less dramatic. If I complain about my husband, she listens, but she doesn’t feed it. She might ask, ‘Have you brought that to the Lord?’ Or, ‘What do you think he was carrying that day?’”

“How do you like those questions?”

Maggie laughed.

“In the moment? Not always.”

“Why not?”

“Because part of me wants her to just agree with me.”

“And afterward?”

“Afterward, I’m grateful. I’m more likely to pray. Or apologize. Or be patient with the kids.”

“So what is different?”

“Claire makes me feel understood. Anna helps me become more loving.”

Father Sal let the silence remain.

Maggie nodded slowly.

“That’s the difference, isn’t it?”

“What do you think?”

“I think I need to be understood. But I need to be loved in a way that helps me become holy, not just validated in a way that keeps me stuck.”

“Well said.”

Charity Without Confidences

Maggie rubbed her hands together.

“But now what do I do about Claire? I see her at school. Our daughters like each other. I don’t want to be cold.”

“Good…don’t be cold.”

“But I can’t keep doing what I’m doing.”

“Then what might charity look like without confidences?”

Maggie was quiet.

“Charity without confidences,” she repeated.

“Yes.”

“I could still be warm at pickup. I could still smile. I could still ask how she is. I could still pray for her. But maybe I don’t need to text late at night or go to coffee every week.”

“Why those two?”

“Because that’s where the conversation gets too intimate. Too emotional. Too much about things that don’t leave me peaceful.”

“What else?”

“I could stop sharing details about my marriage.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t help me love my husband better. Anna does. Claire doesn’t.”

“That is clear.”

“It sounds harsh.”

“Is it harsh to know where someone belongs in your life?”

“No. I suppose not.”

“Are you making Claire an enemy?”

“No.”

“Are you refusing charity?”

“No.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m admitting that she may be an acquaintance I treat kindly, not a friend I give my heart to.”

Father Sal smiled.

“That sounds like wisdom.”

A Gentle Unstitching

“But what if she notices? What if she asks why I’m not getting coffee as much?”

“What could you say that is honest without making her feel accused?”

Maggie thought.

“I could say, ‘This season has been full, and I need to keep my mornings simpler.’”

“That seems honest.”

“Or, ‘I’m trying to be more present at home, so I’m cutting back on extra things after drop-off.’”

“Also honest.”

“And if she texts late at night, I don’t have to answer right away. I can answer the next day and keep it shorter.”

“What might you say?”

“Maybe, ‘I’m sorry that was such a hard day. I’ll pray for you.’”

“Good.”

“Or maybe I could borrow Anna’s question.”

“How?”

“If Claire starts spiraling about her husband or another mom, I could say, ‘Have you brought that to the Lord?’”

“And what would that do?”

“It might turn the conversation without attacking her.”

“Could it also help Claire?”

“Maybe. Or she might not like it.”

“And if she does not?”

“Then I’ll learn something.”

Father Sal smiled.

“Yes, you will.”

Maggie sighed.

“This feels like unstitching.”

“Unstitching?”

“Yes. Not tearing the whole relationship apart. Just gently loosening threads that were sewn too tightly.”

“That is a good image.”

“It still hurts.”

“Of course. Even unhealthy closeness can give us something we wanted.”

“What did this give me?”

“What do you think?”

“Relief. Attention. The sense that someone knew how hard I was trying.”

“Are those bad desires?”

“No.”

“What do they need?”

“To be brought to the Lord. And maybe entrusted to better friends.”

“Like Anna?”

“Yes. Though Anna won’t let me stay dramatic.”

“Which may be part of the gift.”

Maggie laughed.

“Probably.”

More Able to Love

Father Sal leaned forward.

“Maggie, what question do you want to carry from this?”

She thought for a long time.

“After a conversation, am I more able to love?”

Father Sal nodded.

“That is the question.”

Maggie sat quietly.

“Then I know what to do.”

“What?”

“I’ll be kind to Claire. But I’ll stop giving her the inner room of my heart. Less texting. No late-night conversations. No weekly coffee for now. Warmth at school. Prayer for her. And when the conversation turns toward complaint, I’ll try to turn it toward the Lord.”

“And Anna?”

“I’ll be grateful for her. And maybe I’ll let myself learn from her.”

“What will you learn?”

“That a real friend doesn’t just make me feel understood. She helps me become free.”

Father Sal smiled.

“That sounds like a friendship worth cherishing.”

Maggie nodded.

“And a kind of woman worth becoming.”

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Many Catholics long for a deeper community but are unsure how to build it.

We want friendships rooted in faith. We want our children growing up surrounded by joyful Catholic families. We want homes filled with conversation, prayer, laughter, and people who feel more like extended family than acquaintances from the parish parking lot.

But a strong, faith-filled community rarely appears on its own. It is built slowly, often through ordinary acts of hospitality.

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Hospitality is one of the most overlooked virtues of Christian life. Many of us think of it as optional, or as a talent reserved for naturally extroverted people with spotless homes and beautiful tablescapes. But hospitality transcends entertaining. 

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At its heart, hospitality is about charity. We practice generously making room for others because Christ has first made room for us.

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And summer may be one of the best seasons to begin practicing it.

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Hospitality Is a Christian Virtue

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The modern world often treats the home as a private retreat from everyone else—a place to hide away from inconvenience and interruption. But throughout Christian history, the home has been something more: a place of welcome, fellowship, and communion.

The early Christians gathered in homes to pray, share meals, and build the life of the Church together. Monasteries became known for welcoming travelers and pilgrims. Saints throughout history practiced radical hospitality, opening their doors not only to friends, but to strangers, the poor, and the lonely.

This spirit of hospitality flows naturally from the Gospel itself.

Again and again, we see Christ sharing meals with people. He attends weddings, dines in the homes of friends, feeds crowds, and welcomes sinners to His table. Even now, the heart of Catholic life is a meal—the Eucharistic feast where Christ continually welcomes and nourishes His people.

Hospitality, then, is not simply a pleasant social custom. It is deeply connected to the Christian understanding of love. However, hospitality often feels intimidating today because we have confused it with performance.

We assume hospitality requires a perfectly clean home, homemade sourdough bread, coordinated décor, and enough energy to prepare a magazine-worthy evening. Social media has only intensified the pressure. Hospitality begins to look less like charity and more like event planning.

If we wait for perfection before opening our homes, we may never open them at all.

The truth is that most people are not longing to be impressed; they are longing to be welcomed. They do not care if your floor has crumbs on it. They are not evaluating your furniture. In fact, some of the best gatherings are wonderfully ordinary: paper plates on the patio, popsicles melting onto little hands, children running through sprinklers while adults talk late into the evening. Don’t overcomplicate it. 

Hospitality Builds Catholic Culture

If we want strong Catholic communities, we must build them intentionally.

Parishes alone cannot carry the full weight of Christian fellowship. Programs and events have their place, but deep community–a true Christian Culture–is usually formed through repeated ordinary encounters.

Here are just a few ways you can begin to build this Catholic Community and practice hospitality this summer: 

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Start Small

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Hospitality does not need to begin with a large dinner party. Invite another family over for brunch after Mass. Ask neighbors to come by for lemonade. Host a simple cookout with hot dogs and watermelon. Text someone you would like to know better and invite them to join your family at the park.

Small acts of hospitality are often the most sustainable—and the most fruitful.

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Celebrate the Liturgical Year

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Summer is filled with beautiful feast days that lend themselves naturally to gathering together.

Celebrate the Nativity of St. John the Baptist with a bonfire. Invite friends over for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Host a Marian garden gathering around the Assumption. Pray evening prayer after dinner together.

Catholic hospitality becomes richer when it is tied to the rhythms of the liturgical year.

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Practice “Open Door” Hospitality

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Not every gathering needs to be carefully planned weeks in advance.Some of the warmest hospitality happens spontaneously. 

Keep extra food on hand. Let friends know they are welcome to stop by. Sit outside in the evenings where neighbors can easily strike up conversation.

An open and welcoming spirit often matters more than elaborate preparation.

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Remember Those Who May Feel Forgotten

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Christian hospitality should always stretch beyond our immediate social circle.

Invite the new family at church. The elderly parishioner who lives alone. The seminarian staying nearby for the summer. The overwhelmed young mother. The college student far from home.

Hospitality becomes distinctly Christian when it seeks out not only friends, but those who may otherwise be overlooked.

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Let Your Children Participate

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Children learn hospitality by watching it practiced. Let them help greet guests, set the table, carry drinks outside, or prepare desserts. Teach them that welcoming others is part of what Christians do.

Some of their future memories of the faith may not come from formal lessons, but from watching their parents joyfully open their home to others.

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In a culture increasingly marked by isolation and loneliness, even small acts of hospitality become deeply countercultural. A simple invitation to share a meal, linger on a porch, or pray together can become the beginning of real Christian friendship and lasting community.

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You can follow the perfect workout plan, drink enough water, hit your protein goals, and still feel stuck in your fitness journey. Often, the missing piece is not another supplement or a more intense workout routine. It’s sleep.

And not just how much sleep you get that matters, but the quality of that sleep.

You can spend eight hours in bed and still wake up exhausted if your sleep is fragmented, restless, or shallow. On the other hand, truly restorative sleep can improve energy, recovery, performance, and even weight management.

If you feel stuck in your fitness goals despite your best efforts, your sleep quality may deserve more attention.

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Much of your body’s repair work takes place when you sleep. During deep sleep, muscles recover from exercise, growth hormone is released, inflammation is reduced, and energy stores are replenished. Your body is actively restoring itself while you rest. 

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When sleep quality suffers, however, the body may not spend enough time in these deeper restorative stages, even if you technically slept “long enough.”

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This is one reason poor sleep can make fitness progress feel frustratingly slow. Workouts may feel harder than usual. Recovery may take longer. Soreness can linger for days. You may notice yourself feeling more fatigued, less motivated, or mentally foggy throughout the day. Many people assume they need a more disciplined routine or a more intense workout plan when, in reality, their body is simply under-rested.

Sleep also plays a significant role in weight management and appetite regulation. Poor sleep disrupts hormones that control hunger and fullness, often increasing cravings for sugary or highly processed foods while making it harder to recognize when you are satisfied. At the same time, low energy from poor sleep can lead people to rely more heavily on caffeine, convenience foods, or skipped workouts simply to get through the day.

In this way, poor sleep can quietly undermine healthy habits without us fully realizing it. Even with the best intentions, it becomes much harder to make healthy choices when your body and mind are exhausted.

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Signs Your Sleep Quality May Need Improvement

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Poor sleep quality is not always obvious. Some people assume they are sleeping well simply because they are in bed for seven or eight hours each night. But waking frequently, struggling to fall asleep, scrolling on a phone before bed, stress, or an inconsistent sleep schedule can all reduce the restorative quality of sleep.

If you regularly wake up tired, feel sleepy throughout the day, struggle to recover from exercise, or feel like you’ve plateaued in your fitness joruney, your sleep quality may be part of the problem.

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How to Improve Sleep Quality

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Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day helps regulate your internal clock.

Reduce Screen Time Before Bed
Blue light from phones and tablets can interfere with melatonin production and make deep sleep harder to achieve.

Watch Caffeine Intake
Even afternoon caffeine can affect sleep quality later that night.

Create a Restful Environment
A cool, dark, quiet room often improves sleep dramatically.

Support Your Nervous System
Gentle stretching, reading, prayer, journaling, or quiet routines before bed can help your body transition into restful sleep.

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Fitness culture often celebrates pushing harder, doing more, and staying disciplined at all costs. But sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your health is simply to rest well. 

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When we begin to value true rest alongside movement and nutrition, we give our bodies the support they need to heal, recover, and function the way they were designed to.

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“True devotion never harms anything, but rather perfects all things.”  —St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

When Life Pulls You in Different Directions

“Father,” Maggie said, “today I’m just… frazzled.”

Father Sal nodded. She looked like a woman who had already lived a full day before lunch.

“I’m trying to pray, be patient with the kids, keep the house from falling apart, make meals, answer questions, find shoes, remember appointments, fold laundry, and not lose my temper before dinner.”

She gave a tired laugh.

“And whichever direction I turn, I feel guilty that I’m not doing something else. If I pray, I feel like I should be taking care of the house. If I’m taking care of the house, I feel like I should be praying. If I sit with one child, I remember what another child needs.”

She looked down at her hands.

“I’m trying to be devout, Father, but mostly I just feel behind.”

Father Sal was quiet for a moment.

“That sounds heavy.”

“It is.”

He waited another moment, then asked, “Does it feel like being a mom and becoming holy are two different things?”

Maggie looked up.

“Yes,” she said. “That’s exactly it.”

“Devotion must be practiced differently by the nobleman, the artisan, the servant, the prince, the widow, the young girl, and the married woman.”  — St. Francis de Sales

Devotion Fits Like a Glove

“What do you think holiness looks like right now?” Father Sal asked.

Maggie did not have to think long.

“More,” she said. “More prayer. More patience. More spiritual reading. More peace. More consistency. More everything.”

“And how does that feel?”

“Crushing.”

Father Sal looked at her gently.

“Crushing?”

Maggie nodded.

“Does God the Father want you to feel crushed?”

She was quiet for a moment.

“No.”

“What does that tell you?”

“That maybe those thoughts are not coming from Him.”

Father Sal nodded.

“St. Francis de Sales says devotion has to be tailored to your actual vocation. It should fit like a glove.”

“So I am not supposed to become a nun with children?”

“No,” he said. “And you are not called to be holy and a mother, as if those were two separate lives. You are called to be a holy mother.”

Maggie sat back.

“That feels different.”

“It is,” Father Sal said. “Your path to holiness passes through the life God has actually given you: these children, this home, this season, these limits, these duties.”

She took that in.

“Grace perfects reality,” he said. “It does not ask you to pretend your real life is somewhere else.”

“As the bee draws honey from flowers without damaging them, so true devotion gathers sweetness from our duties without destroying them.”  — St. Francis de Sales

The Soul of Your Vocation

“Francis gives a beautiful image,” Father Sal continued. “True devotion is like a bee visiting a flower. The bee draws honey from the flower, but does not damage it.”

“I like that,” Maggie said.

“He also says precious stones cast into honey become even more brilliant. That is what devotion is supposed to do. It does not dull the duties of life. It makes them shine.”

Maggie was quiet.

“So devotion is not supposed to take me away from my duties.”

“No,” Father Sal said. “True devotion is meant to become the soul of your vocation.”

She repeated it softly. “The soul of your vocation.”

Fr. Sal’s eyes sparkled. “Yes. Not one more burden stacked on top of motherhood. Not one more impossible expectation. The soul. The inner life. The love of God moving through the duties God has given you.”

Maggie looked down.

“I think I keep asking, ‘How do I get away from all this so I can pray?’”

Father Sal nodded.

“And maybe the better question is, ‘Lord, how can I love You here?’”

Maggie was quiet again.

“That feels smaller,” she said.

“Smaller is not always less,” Father Sal said. “Sometimes it is where love can finally enter.”

“We must practice the virtues required of us, not merely the virtues we prefer.”  — St. Francis de Sales

Less Can Be More

Maggie rubbed her forehead.

“I think I am trying to change too much at once. I want a better prayer routine. I want to be more patient. I want the house to be peaceful. I want to stop rushing. I want to be gentle. I want to be holy.”

“All good desires,” Father Sal said. “But good desires still need order.”

“That makes sense.”

“Is there one devotion, practice, or expectation you have put on yourself that could become smaller for now?”

Maggie hesitated.

“Maybe my spiritual reading. I keep thinking I should read a whole chapter every day. But then I fall behind and feel guilty.”

“What would smaller look like?”

“Maybe one page.”

“Could you feel good about one page?”

She thought about it.

“Yes. Actually, yes.”

“Or even a paragraph on very full days?”

Maggie laughed. “That sounds almost too small.”

“Would doing less make you a better mom?”

She looked surprised.

“I think it might.”

Father Sal smiled.

“Then that seems worth noticing.”

Maggie let that settle.

“I think I needed permission to not turn every good thing into a rule.”

This Too, With Love

“Maggie,” Father Sal asked, “do you love your children?”

She looked almost offended.

“Of course. More than anything.”

“When your daughter is learning something new and gets frustrated, what do you tell her?”

Maggie’s face softened.

“I tell her she is learning. I tell her to slow down, take a breath, and try again.”

“Do you love her less because she struggles?”

“No.”

“Then if you could look at yourself with a little of that same tenderness, what would you tell yourself?”

Maggie’s eyes grew moist.

“That I am learning…

“That I do not have to change everything at once…

“That feeling overwhelmed does not mean I am failing.”

Father Sal nodded, “Yes, and maybe take a breath.”

Maggie wiped at one eye, sucked in a breath, and laughed. “I would never talk to my daughter the way I talk to myself.”

“Most people would not.”

“So what do I do today?”

“Take one simple phrase with you.”

“What phrase?”

“What about: ‘This too, with love’?”

Maggie repeated it. “This too, with love.”

“Not as another assignment,” he said. “As a little sanctuary. A place to return when the house is loud, when someone needs you again, when you are tired, when you forget and begin again.”

“This too, with love,” she said.

“Not perfectly. Not anxiously. Just as a way of inviting God into the duty in front of you.”

“And if I fail?” Maggie asked.

Father Sal smiled. “What would you tell your daughter?”

Maggie looked down, then smiled.

“Breathe. Begin again.”

“And if you forget?”

“Breathe. Begin again.”

“And if you say it through clenched teeth?”

She laughed.

“Then I guess I would tell her, ‘That still counts as trying.’”

Father Sal nodded. “That sounds right.”

Maggie took another deep breath.

“One phrase,” she said. “Over and over again.”

“This too, with love.”

A Simple Practice

Today, choose one phrase and return to it throughout the day:

This too, with love.

Say it when the house is loud.

Say it when someone interrupts you.

Say it when you are tempted to rush.

Say it when you have to begin again.

Not perfectly.

Not anxiously.

Not as one more burden.

Let it become a little sanctuary in the middle of your real life.

Because true devotion does not ask you to escape the life God has given you. It teaches you how to love Him there.

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In the pursuit of a healthy, balanced life, it’s easy to focus only on what is visible like our strength, our routines, our physical progress; however, as Catholics and as members of the Pietra Fitness community, we know that true wellness is never just about the body. It is about the integration of body, mind, and soul, ordered toward the love of God.

But what does that actually look like in daily life? How do we grow not only in discipline, but in holiness? How do we ensure that our efforts are shaping more virtuous hearts?

In the spiritual classic True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort offers us a clear and beautiful path: look to Mary. He identifies the “ten principal virtues of the most Holy Virgin Mary” and in practicing these, we can help grow closer to Jesus through Mary.

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Profound humility

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“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.” (Luke 1:46-49).

Through the words of the Magnificat, we can see the depth of Mary’s profound humility. Mary knew who she was before God and she rejoiced in it. She recognized both her littleness and God’s greatness, and it allowed His grace to work powerfully through her.

Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but seeing ourselves truthfully. It is recognizing that everything we have is a gift, and allowing that truth to free us from comparison and the need to prove ourselves.

Some ways you can practice this in your own life is by regularly praying the Magnificat or the Litany of Humility. You can also meditate on Christ’s example of humility throughout His life, or by choosing to serve others quietly.

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Lively faith

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“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)

Elizabeth’s words reveal the heart of Mary’s faith: she believed. Not because everything was clear or easy, but because she trusted in the One who spoke.

Mary’s faith was not passive; it was alive. It moved her to say “yes,” to go, to trust, and to persevere even when she did not understand—whether at the Annunciation, the Nativity, or standing at the foot of the Cross.

Faith is one of the three theological virtues and therefore, not a virtue we can obtain by our own effort; it is a gift of grace. However, we can open our hearts to fully receive this grace by seeking communion with the Giver of such a gift. Daily prayer, reading Scripture, frequent reception of the Sacraments will help you grow in this Marian virtue.

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Blind obedience

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“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Mary’s fiat is the perfect example of obedience. She surrendered her will completely to God’s plan, without needing to see the full picture. Her “yes” was immediate, trusting, and total.

Obedience is often misunderstood, but at its heart, it means aligning our will with God’s, even when it stretches us or leads us into the unknown.

In daily life, this might look like responding generously to your vocation, being faithful in the responsibilities entrusted to you, or listening to God’s voice in prayer and following where He leads.

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Continual prayer

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“Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Mary lived in constant communion with God. She reflected, listened, and remained attentive to His presence in every moment. Her prayer was not limited to a specific time or place—it permeated her entire life. Whether in silence, service, or suffering, her heart remained turned toward God.

Continual prayer for us means cultivating an awareness of God throughout the day. It is inviting Him into our routines, our workouts, our conversations, and even our struggles.

Some ways to grow in this are by offering small prayers throughout your day, practicing moments of silence and recollection, and beginning and ending your day with intentional prayer.

Universal Mortification

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“...and you yourself a sword will pierce” (Luke 2:35)

Mortification, in its truest sense, is not about harshness toward ourselves, but about a heart that is freed to love God above all things. Mary’s life was not one of ease or comfort, but of continual self-offering.

Simeon’s prophecy reveals the cost of love: a sword will pierce her heart. Mary does not avoid suffering; she unites herself to it. From Bethlehem to Calvary, she embraces whatever God allows, trusting that even sorrow can be redemptive.

Universal mortification for us means learning to detach from comfort, preference, and self-will so that we can more freely belong to God. It is choosing what is good over what is easy, and offering even our difficulties in love.

Practically, this may look like small daily sacrifices, faithful discipline in our habits, or accepting trials without bitterness.

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Divine purity

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“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)

Purity is not just about avoiding sin; it indicates an integrity of heart. It is living with a clear and undivided love, free from disordered attachments. Mary’s heart was completely pure—undivided and wholly given to God. Her desires, intentions, and actions were all ordered toward Him.

Living out this virtue begins with rooting out sin from our lives through the frequent reception of the Sacraments, especially Confession. A daily examination of conscience will also help you identify patterns of sin and grow in greater freedom and clarity of heart.

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Ardent Charity

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“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste…” (Luke 1:39)

Charity is the greatest of the theological virtues, binding us intimately to God and our neighbors. It is more than just a feeling or emotion; it is an active choice to will the good of others, reflecting the selfless love God has for us. 

After the Annunciation, Mary did not turn inward after receiving such a great gift; she turned outward, bringing Christ to others, specifically her cousin Elizabeth. In doing so, she demonstrated her profound and self-giving love 

Similar to faith, the virtue of charity is first and foremost a grace, so prayer is at the heart of this virtue. Another way to practice this virtue in your own life is through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy which give us a model for how we should love and serve Christ by loving and serving our neighbors. 

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Heroic Patience

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“And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:4-7)

Mary’s life was marked by quiet endurance. From the journey to Bethlehem to the poverty of the manger, she embraces circumstances that are uncertain, uncomfortable, and far from what the world would consider ideal.

Mary does not resist the reality placed before her; she receives it with trust. Even in poverty, displacement, and obscurity, she remains at peace.

This kind of patience is deeply countercultural. It resists frustration, comparison, and the need for immediate resolution. Instead, it anchors itself in the belief that God is present and active even in delay and difficulty.

You can begin to grow in this virtue by offering small annoyances to God as acts of trust, reminding yourself that He is in control. Pause to pray when you feel frustration rising. By nurturing a calm and trusting heart, you can turn moments of impatience into opportunities for grace, gradually shaping your interior disposition to mirror Christ’s patient endurance.

Angelic Sweetness

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"When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?" (Luke 1:40-44)

Angelic sweetness is the virtue that reflects Mary’s gentle, peace-filled presence. At the Visitation, we see the effect of Mary’s presence: joy is stirred, the Holy Spirit is awakened, and even the unborn John the Baptist leaps in response.

Mary does not need many words or grand gestures. Her greeting alone carries grace. Her sweetness is not a bubbly personality; it is the overflow of a heart fully united to God.This kind of holiness draws others toward God rather than toward herself. It brings peace into a room, and consolation to those in need.

For us, angelic sweetness can be lived in how we speak, how we listen, and how we enter into the lives of others. It is choosing gentleness, patience, and encouragement over criticism, especially in the ordinary interactions of daily life.

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Divine Wisdom

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“Do whatever he tells you.” (Luke 2:5)

Mary did not rely on her own understanding; Her wisdom came from her closeness to God. She was deeply attuned to His will because she always conversed with the Lord before anything else; she sought to know His will so she could put it into action. 

She knew when to act, when to speak, and when to remain silent, like at Cana, where she simply instructed the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Divine wisdom for us grows through prayer, Scripture, and openness to the Holy Spirit. It helps us discern what is truly good and choose rightly in our daily lives.

You don’t need to take on all ten virtues today. In fact, holiness rarely begins that way. It usually begins with one small “yes.” Maybe this week, you simply choose one virtue to focus on—one way to imitate Mary in your thoughts, your habits, or your daily routines. 

Over time, these small practices shape something beautiful in us: a heart more open to God, more free in love, and more willing to say yes. 

In this month dedicated to Our Lady, let Mary teach you how to live each day with God at the center.

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