A shout out to the lovely Moms and their daughters (and goddaughter) who were able to come to our altered camp last weekend in KY.

Our previously planned camp had to be drastically altered when the camp we had planned to use had a water main break. The anticipated rainstorms also impacted our plans. As a result, we quickly re-planned our event into a one day extravaganza that included drama (by that I mean lovely skits), sculpting and painting.

The girls were just delightful. They made us laugh to the point of tears at some points. Their enthusiasm for each other and our day brought the sadness we had due to changed plans into real joy. Meeting the Moms was wonderful.

With that in mind, maybe you had different plans for your summer. You had hoped for a vacation that never came. Maybe family news arrived that caused tears or stress. We understand and we’re praying for you. We have been in similar circumstances.

We never know what the future holds for us. Every day brings its own problems and its own solutions. We can have days of real joy and surprise and days of absolute sorrow, all within the same week. But remember, regardless of what the day brings, we are not alone. Christ is carrying our cross with us even as He carries His own. May this prayer from St. Theresa Benedicta (Feast Day – 8/9) carry you through the day you are having:

“O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of the road before me.”

Photo by kliverap on Freeimages.com

What happens when you get 50,000+ Catholics together? When you gather such famous Catholics as Sr. Miriam, Bishop Barron, Chris Stefanik and many, many more? You have a Catholic party in Indianapolis! And as my kids are known to shout, “There ain’t no party like a Catholic party ‘cuz a Catholic party don’t stop!”

Joan and I were blessed to be able to bring all of our Behold Club groups to this amazing gathering of Catholics from around the world. We were present at the vendor area, sharing space with such companies as Ascension Presents, Tiny Saints, and more religious orders in one place than I have ever seen.

We talked about Little Flowers, Blue Knights, the Little Way and all of our clubs to families of all sizes, to educators and DRE’s. We bragged about all of you and the hard work you are doing to strive to grow in holiness, one virtue at a time.

A few highlights from our booth:

-meeting all of the Little Flowers who came with sashes on to meet us and get their gifts as a small thank you.

-meeting young adults who did Little Flowers or other programs ‘way back when’ and remembered their time with real love and affection. More than one said our programs helped foster their love of Jesus and His Church. More than a few took pictures of Joan and I to send to their parents.

-meeting a Dominican from Nashville, whose name tag is hidden in the photo we have so I don’t know her name :-{ who did LF’s while on a base in Germany. I teared up when she said her time with LF certainly helped her vocation. And her brother, now a priest, was once a Blue Knight!

Those meetings meant the world to us as our small size can make us feel small in the world of Catholic groups/apostolates. These encounters reminded us that we can imagine ourselves as the small mustard seeds that grow into bushes large enough to hold perching birds (Mt. 13:21). We may be small but we are mighty.

We remembered all of you at every Mass and evening Adoration (with the biggest monstrance I have ever seen) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/knOlvWu7mXY

Each Mass had a 15+ minute processional of over 50 bishops and even more priests and seminarians. Watching Jesus being taken and received throughout Lucas Oil field was profound. We were also able to hear amazing talks. And Joan was able to take part in the amazing Eucharistic procession down the middle of Indianapolis. Our memories of this amazing time will remain with us.

Sound exciting? It was, and we want to encourage you to give you and your family its own mini Eucharistic Congress by watching any of the videos uploaded on YouTube. Check out the images of the procession.

My recommended talks?

Msgr. James Shea – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Q2kgvA31k

Jonathon Roumi, The Chosen – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7iZEOxAWoE

Of course, I enjoyed all of the talks but Msgr. Shea’s taught me some things about the Eucharistic I had never contemplated. And Jonathon Roumi reading the John 6:46ff, (Jesus, the Bread of Life) as “Jesus” was moving.

As he was quick to remind us, he is “TV Jesus, not real Jesus. TV Jesus, not real Jesus” but many of us have had our faith, and the faith of our children, family or friends encouraged by The Chosen. We know this discourse will not be filmed as a part of the series so hearing him, as Jesus, say those power words, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” and more was just powerful.

After all, this Congress was organized to remind us all that Jesus is truly present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharistic at every Mass. And it remains up to us not only to remember that, reverence that awesome reality, and share it with others.

In closing, we are grateful for those who shared with us, through their donations, to help us get to the Congress: Bette Green, Rick Schaefer, Ann Dardis, Sarah Bauer, and Gloria O’Neill. Our time in Indianapolis may be over, but will continue to spread seeds of our own.

Real girls exercising virtue in real life

Many of you are probably familiar with the Wreath I Virtue Stories. It contains nine short stories, one for each virtue in Wreath I, exemplifying how that virtue can be lived, learned, and nurtured through everyday interactions. What you may not realize is that all of those stories are based on real events. My mom, Joan Stromberg, wrote those stories, and as the oldest child I remember many of them myself. Sometimes she alters names or the exact sequence of events, but the basic stories really happened. Growing up in a house with ten kids provided many opportunities to practice virtue, and I was blessed to be surrounded by parents and siblings who nurtured and exemplified those virtues.

What’s better than virtue stories? More virtue stories!

If you do know and love those stories, I have great news for you. Wreath II Virtue Stories are finally here! Now there are nine more short, beautiful little tales written by my mom, showing how young girls can (and do) live lives of virtue in the ways they interact with their friends, family, and everyone else that is part of their daily lives. This time, the book is illustrated by the incredibly talented Michelle Mahnke, who also illustrates all the Little Flowers Student Guides. Get your copy now and inspire your girls to live virtuously!

Share your stories of virtue

Do you have inspiring tales of how your Little Flower, Blue Knight, or other Catholic club member has exemplified virtue? Share it with us! We love hearing about how these programs help kids (and their parents) grow in holiness. Get involved with our Facebook page, Instagram, or comment below to share your virtue stories too.

We are so pleased to announce that we have been invited as an exhibitor to the upcoming Eucharistic Congress in July! This is such good news as we will be able to share Little Flowers, Blue Knights and all of the Behold Clubs with families from all over the country.

Being present at this event would be wonderful as we introduce the families present with our Catholic to Core programs with over 30 years of presenting authentic Catholic teaching, virtue, saints and so much more. 

There are other choices of clubs/organizations that will also be there but nothing like Little Flowers and Blue Knights.

Can you help make sure we get to the Eucharistic Congress?

This is huge news but – as with many such things – it comes at a cost. May we be forward enough to ask for your help to get to the Eucharistic Congress?

We are hoping for help in covering the exhibitor registration fee and travel costs.

Check out this link:  https://catalog.beholdpublications.com/product/donate/?v=2320522a6676

If you are able to help us in any other manner, a different amount or otherwise please let us know!

Thank you for considering our request. We are grateful for all of you! God Bless, Rachel & Joan

As my busy weekend starts, I want to wish all of you a very Happy Mother’s Day! As our very own St. Therese of Liseaux reminds us, “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

And her own mother, St. Zelie shares this wisdom, “Above all, during the months immediately preceding the birth of her child, the mother should keep close to God, of whom the infant she bears within her is the image, the handiwork, the gift and the child. She should be for her offspring, as it were, a temple, a sanctuary, an altar, a tabernacle. In short, her life should be, so to speak, the life of a living sacrament, a sacrament in act, burying herself in the bosom of that God who has so truly instituted it and hallowed it, so that there she may draw that energy, that enlightening, that natural and supernatural beauty which he wills, and wills precisely by her means, to impart to the child she bears and to be born of her.”

That is much to ponder. I know I fall short of the motherhood as reflected by the life of the Blessed Mother and the wisdom as shared by St. Zelie, but I also know of God’s mercy and admiration for our attempts and tries. So to all you beautiful mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

Extra love and prayers to those mothers for whom Sunday will be hard due to loss. Our Blessed Mother understands our pain in a unique way. My Rosary will be said for all of us.