• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Prayer Wine Chocolate

a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

  • Home
  • Wine and Chocolate
  • Faith
  • CSMI
  • Adoption
  • Life
  • Prayer Journaling
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Be Yourself!: A Journal for Catholic Girls
  • Donate a Be Yourself Journal
  • Catholic Coloring Pages
  • Shop

May 15, 2017
Catholic Influencers

From California to London: Catholic Social Media Influencers, Volume 4

From California to London- Catholic Social Media Influencers, Volume 4.pngCatholic Social Media Influencers is a group I created and manage on Facebook.  This amazing community of both men and women write, own businesses, create products and truly embrace God’s will in their lives.  Each of them inspire, educate and genuinely care for their readers.

Do you Pin?  Follow all the Catholic Social Media Influencers on Pinterest here:

Catholic Social Media Influencers Board on Pinterest

Today I am sharing two interviews.  The first is with a young blogger currently residing in California, and the second is from a Mom “across the pond”; an Italian living in London.

Caitlyn Anderson

Blogger at Mrs. Andy: Anchored by Faith

Tell us about yourself!
CaitAndersonMrsAndy

My name is Caitlyn Anderson, but I am also known as “Mrs. Andy”- a nickname that my husband’s coworkers gave me the first time we met that has stuck ever since! I’m a blogger, fur-mama, Navy wife, and Catholic: in reverse order.

I have been happily married to my husband Jacob for two years. We are currently living in Southern California with our beloved fur-child Remington. The three of us enjoy eating pizza, binge watching classic movies, and going to the beach. We also enjoy growing in the faith and finding ways to incorporate our Catholic beliefs into everyday activities.

I started the Mrs.Andy, Anchored By Faith blog as a way to share my Catholic beliefs and how they helped me navigate life as a military spouse. As I continued to share my experiences, this blog grew into a place for me to link everything about my life- mind, body, and soul- back to my faith in God and my relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope that by sharing how the faith keeps me anchored in my crazy life as a young adult and military spouse, I can inspire others to anchor themselves in faith and face their temporal and spiritual storms knowing God is by their side.

Where can you be found on social media?

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/mrsandyanchoredbyfaith/

Instagram- https://www.facebook.com/mrsandyanchoredbyfaith/

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/mrsandy2016/

What type of wine is your favorite?

I only turned 21 a few months ago, so I haven’t had a whole lot of time to explore the wine world… but so far I am a fan of Merlot! I’ll update you later on if this changes.

What is your favorite chocolate?

I love me some dark chocolate! Unless it is a Dove Milk Chocolate Square… but anything white “chocolate” is a no-go for me.

What is your favorite prayer and/or quote?

I love praying the Holy Rosary. I am a total mama’s girl, so being able to ask the Blessed Mother for her intercessions has always been very special and reassuring to me. Never underestimate the power of the rosary!!!

As far as quotes go… It would have to be a tie between Hebrews 6:19 (the verse that inspired my blog title) and “Welcome to the military, where everything is set in jello!” I think both of those sum up my life pretty nicely. It is a combination of faith and humor that get me through the day!

What services do you provide?

Through social media and the Mrs. Andy, Anchored By Faith blog, I provide support and encouragement for women of all vocations. Being a 21-year-old Catholic Navy wife, I am able to provide a unique perspective of Christian living in a modern world, offer faith-based advice for young adults navigating relationships (platonic, romantic, or spiritual), and shed light on the different challenges married people face with a focus on military life.

I am available to write for faith-based websites and do sponsored posts. Please contact me for my rates!

Contact info

Feel free to contact me on any social media sites (especially Facebook and Instagram) or email me at contactme@mrsandyanchored.com   

Chiara Finaldi

Founder of Catholic Mothers group on Facebook, blogger at The Pearl of Great Price

chiaraf.jpg

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Chiara (37) Italian living in London UK where I moved 18 years ago after marrying my teenage sweetheart, Pierpaolo (40). We have six children (17yrs-10months) and with the help of God we try to live our life to the fullest, fighting together for the Truth. We are fruits of Pope Saint John Paul II’s Papacy. We blog as part of our apostolate and run the ‘Catholic Mothers’ Facebook Page. Eating good food and drinking good wine is part of our Mediterranean culture, I have fun cooking and I am not afraid of feeding an infinite number of people. I enjoy painting Icons, creating elaborate Christmas crèches and making pretty things. I love dancing flamenco, listening to my husband’s beautiful baritone voice and singing with my musical family. My mum used to call me a ‘volcano’ when I was younger because I was constantly erupting with ideas and grand projects … things have not really changed, so watch this space!

I blog at ‘The Pearl of Great Price’ https://catholicpearl.blogspot.co.uk/ . The name is taken from a passage from the Gospel of Matthew (13:45-46) ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.’

Where can you be found on social media?

You can find me on twitter at @CFinaldi

On Instagram as Chiara.fin

Or you can join us on Catholic Mothers https://www.facebook.com/groups/catholic.mothers/

There you will discover a beautiful virtual community of mothers sharing, praying and walking together on this journey of faith.

What type of wine is your favorite?

I have really expensive tastes but no money and that goes for wine too…For this reason I am even more grateful to be Catholic…Though to fast or to make sacrifices (whether because of lack of money or because of the liturgical season) can, at times, be hard… we are asked really to make an effort around important feasts and to celebrate them to the full.

To mark important liturgical festivities (especially Christmas and Easter) we stock up usually with full bodied reds like Amarone, Barolo, Chateauneuf Du Pape or Brunello di Montalcino.

Out of the ones I have just mentioned I would say Brunello di Montalcino is definitely one of my favourite wine. Exquisite red, delicate, gentle on the palate and yet full of flavour, a wonderful companion to a good English roast or a fine steak.

When summer comes I really enjoy accompanying a nice salad with a big cold glass of Retsina, a white, resinated unsophisticated Greek wine with a very singular taste and very refreshing. It reminds me of our honeymoon in the Peloponnese!

 What is your favorite chocolate?

Green and Blacks is my favourite English brand of chocolate. The company was founded in 1991 and produces a beautiful range of high quality chocolate bars. Among the large selection offered my favorite one is the organic dark chocolate with crystallised ginger pieces. It gives me the right boost to face the school pick up and I really enjoy it in the evening with Pierpaolo (and his mint chocolate) accompanied by a nice cup of tea and the well-earned silence of hardworking household. 

What is your favorite prayer and/or quote?

The Prayer of the Heart, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ is one of my favourite prayers. It is nice and concise. I recite it on a loop at any point of the day especially when feeling discouraged, during stressful moments or when upset and about to lose my patience.

What services do you provide?

I’ve written for the Everyday Ediths blog, Regina magazine and have some writing projects in the pipeline. I’m planning a series of interviews with Catholic Mothers who have other extraordinary stories to tell. Beginning with pro-life speaker and novelist Fiorella Nash.

I run the Catholic Mothers Facebook group, which I founded in 2015 as a reaction to a secular Mother’s group I was part of. Within that group I encountered a microcosm of all the things I disliked and went against my Catholic faith.

It was a group for mothers but that somehow hated motherhood and was constantly trying to reinvent it. It was a group for women who despised the very fact they were women and their attributes, were disrespectful to their husbands, partners or any male figure in their life.

Catholic Mothers is an apostolate where women are encouraged to live their femininity to the full and to embrace their vocation with God as their leader and Christ before them to show them the way!

Though based in the UK, Catholic Mothers is an International community that is constantly growing. Moved by the wonderful American spirit and ‘can do’ attitude, we have many projects lined up to support us in our calling and in the passing on the faith to our children.

A Catholic Mothers’ planner will be available for sale soon, children’s books will be published in December and we hope to organize the first Catholic Mothers Conference in London. We have started a little Youtube channel so that our Mothers from across the pond can participate and we can walk together on this journey towards the Father’s house.

You can join us here https://www.facebook.com/groups/catholic.mothers/

Support here: Catholic Mothers Fundraiser

Contact info

 c.finaldi@talktalk.net

catholicmothersuk@gmail.com

Want to read about other Catholic Social Media Influencers?  Check out these posts:

Catholic Social Media Influencers: Volume 3

Catholic Social Media Influencers: Volume 2

Catholic Social Media Influencers: Volume 1

Share45
Tweet
Pin9
Share
54 Shares
Previous Post: « When You Want to Give More Than Prayers . . . (The Catholic Goodie Box Review!)
Next Post: 5 Ways to Connect With God and Recharge Your Spirit Today »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kirby Hoberg says

    May 17, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    So many of my favorite people!

Primary Sidebar

       

Amy is the Co-Founder of CatholicsOnline.net

10 Free resources

10 Free resources

10 free resources for subscribers!

10 free resources for subscribers!

GUIDE: How to Plan your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat

Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

Easter gift ideas for Catholic boys… #Catholicbo Easter gift ideas for Catholic boys…
#Catholicboymom #Catholicmom #Catholic #Catholics #Confirmationgift #CatholicChristian #catholicmemes #catholicreels
Be Yourself Journal on sale for $17.00… today on Be Yourself Journal on sale for $17.00… today only!!!
“Be who you are and be that well. So that you may bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.”
~Saint Francis DeSales 

#Catholicbooks #CatholicSaints #CatholicMom #Catholicgifts #boystomen #Catholickid #Catholictween ##Catholickids #saintquotes
Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… 

This type of advice can be really helpful for all of us… especially for a young girl navigating middle school or her early teens.

This advice would have helped me.
Why?

Because it takes some pressure off the high expectations often felt by us as individuals.

It makes God’s will for us feel achievable and realistic.

It’s totally relevant to a student in junior high
(And a slightly stressed out adult)

This page in the Be Yourself embraces scrapbooking fun- just like the back cover. Only this page encourages photographs. Yes, actual printed ones 🎞️📸

Take a deep breath.
Love the next person that comes near you.
#Catholicmom #Catholicsaints #middleschool #juniorhigh #Catholicquotes #inspirationalquotes
A prayer and the story behind the picture… Oh S A prayer and the story behind the picture…

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, 

I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; 

so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. 

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. 

St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

My children had off from school on Friday. I had committed to an hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays from to 2 to 3 during Lent… so since they had off, they had to come with me.
It was stressful.
They CAN NOT sit still.
Once I got one to stop walking around or talking, another one started.
But in the middle of all this… I witnessed a sweet moment.
I hesitated to pull out my phone because I really try not to during Adoration.
But, the beauty of the moment struck me, and I had to capture it.
📸 
Motherhood is hard. Parenting is difficult.
But I’m often reminded it’s like farming… and I’m planting seeds.

I just hope and pray I’m planting more good seeds then bad ones.

Thank goodness we can pray and ask for prayers from others!

Saint Joseph, pray for us!
#Catholic #Catholicmom #mustardseedfaith #catholicteacher #CatholicChristian #CatholicSaint #CatholicSaints #catholicparenting #liturgicalliving
THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! If you have left THANK YOU! Thank you!
Thank you!

If you have left a review on Amazon for either of the Be Yourself Journals… thank you from the bottom of my heart!

When you leave a review on Amazon it makes me SO HAPPY… plus it sends a signal to Amazon to show more people these books!
I’d love for more girls to get this book in their Easter Basket this year!

I’m so grateful this book is being used and appreciated!

God is good!

If you like this book and haven’t left a review, please write one! It’s okay if you didn’t buy it from there!

Tag someone with a 10 or 11 year old girl!

#Catholic #Catholicmom #liturgicalliving #litany #Wwp #CatholocChristian #CatholicEaster #CatholicEasterbasket #ComeHolySpirit #trueidentity
I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 videos on YouTube!

And last week’s interview with Dr. Matthew Breuninger (@askacatholictherapist ) still has me thinking about the “psychology of prayer journaling “!

The last 4 videos posted consist of two new interviews (Jessica Castillo from @athrivingcatholic and Dr. John Spitzer @johnspitzermd ); 

a box opening of @pinksaltriot ‘s latest JOY BOX and finally 

a “how to” video that demonstrates how girls can design the back cover of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls!
Whew!

Dr. John Spitzer shared parenting advice for moms and dads of tweens;

Jessica Castillo shared how our physical and spiritual health are connected;

The Joy Box had some fun surprises… one will be going in my daughter’s Easter Basket;
And my friend’s daughter was the perfect co-host in the “how to design “ video!

Tell me which topic interests you the most… maybe I’ll dedicate an Instagram post highlighting that content!

#Catholic #BeYourselfJournal #CatholicYouTube #Catholicyouth #CatholicsOnline #catholicsofinstagram #Catholicblog #Catholicauthor #Catholicblogger #catholicinspiration #Catholictalk #joybox
FLASH SALE ON BOY’S Journal ends tonight!!! Link FLASH SALE ON BOY’S Journal ends tonight!!!
Link in bio!
#Catholic #Lent #bhlent2023
“I got this for my 10 yr old daughter’s Easter “I got this for my 10 yr old daughter’s Easter basket. She immediately was attracted to it. Later, she came to me and said that it was her favorite item in her basket. She loves it and really has spent time with it. It is motivational, inspirational, engaging and most importantly, designed to encourage a habit of prayer and meditation at a young age. All while focusing on God’s love for us and our uniqueness…”
Review left on Amazon about Be Yourself:a Journal for Catholic Girls
#Catholic #RomanCatholic #BeYourselfJournal #BeYourself #Catholicmom #Catholicgift #Christianyouth #Catholicyouth #journal #prayerjournal #catholiccrafts #Catholics #Tweengirls #tweengirl #Youthministry #bookstagram #Catholicfamily #catholicphotography #Catholicprayers #catholicreels
FLASH SALE!!!! Boy’s journal sale ends MONDAY!!! FLASH SALE!!!!
Boy’s journal sale ends MONDAY!!!
Finish up Lent strong… and add this fun book to an Easter Basket!
Link in bio!
#Catholickids #Catholicmom #Catholicyouth #CatholicChristian #Catholic #catholicyouthministry #Catholicdad #Catholicgift #Eastergift #Easterbook #Easter #easterbasket #Lent
I adore you Jesus, true God, and true man, pres I  adore you Jesus, 
true God, and true man, 
present in the Holy Eucharist, 
kneeling before you 
and united in spirit 
with all the faithful on earth 
and all the saints in heaven. 

In gratitude for so great a blessing, 
I love you with all my heart, 
for you are worthy of all praise 
and adoration. 

Lord Jesus Christ, may I never offend you with my lack of love. 

May your Eucharistic presence refresh me in body and soul. 

Mary, Mother of the Eucharistic Lord, pray for me 
and obtain for me a greater love for Jesus. Amen.

#EucharisticAdoration #Lent #EucharisticRevival #BlessedSacrament #40hours #prayforvocations #Catholicmom #Catholicsonline #manyhailmarysatatime #catholicsofinstagram #Holyhour
Seriously, if all the @catholicsonline shops had a Seriously, if all the @catholicsonline shops had a mall I’d… I don’t even know… it would be AMAZING!!!
#RomanCatholic #Catholicgifts #Catholicmom #Catholicwoman #Catholicwife #Christiangifts #SaintJude #CatholicSaints #Catholicshop #Eastergift #Eastergifts #Catholicsonline #Catholicreels #catholicsofinstagram #prolife
Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… thes Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… these numbers are NOT in my favor?

Years ago, I was lonely, depressed and wondering if I would ever not be lonely and depressed.

I dreamed of falling in love and getting married.

But, I wanted to marry a faithful Catholic man… and I believe I saw that only 22% (?) of Americans were Catholic.

And then I thought…
Half of them aren’t men, a large percentage are not practicing and … also how many are BOOMERS?

Lucky for me, God math goes like this…
5 loaves 
2 fish
=
5,000 meals and leftovers 

This is my handsome husband and our awesome nephew with the Bishop that Confirmed him on Friday.
Matt was -and is- such a proud Sponsor and Uncle!
God bless Grayson Patrick FRANCIS!

Thank you God for all of your gifts!!!
“You pay God a compliment when you ask big things of Him.” ~ Saint Teresa of Avila

#Catholic #confirmationsponsor #CatholicSacraments #EucharisticRevival #EucharisticAdoration #ComeHolySpirit #Saintquotes #CatholicSaints
Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a retreat and you see joyful faces! 

Listen, this is the best retreat hack for Catholic girls!
****The Be Yourself Journal Scrapbooking activity.****

Give each girl a Be Yourself Journal.
Explain how, “We are all called to holiness but we take different paths.” ~ Saint Katharine Drexel.

Have each girl pick out a Holy card and two Catholic stickers.

Put scrapbooking paper and Catholic washi-tape (thank you @thestumpofjesse ) on the tables and get them started with decorating the back of their journals.

As they work add more stickers and quote cards to their table.

Point out that they were all given the same set of instructions… yet each cover design is unique.

The same is true for their calling!
God has a unique mission for each individual.

He calls us to follow the Commandments, embrace His Word and trust the teachings of the Church…
same set of basic instructions, different yet BEAUTIFUL results when followed!
“Be who God meant you to be and you’ll set the world on fire!” ~Saint Catherine of Siena
Huge thank you to the women who donated journals and holy cards!!!
#holycards #Catholickids #Saintquotes #BeYourselfJournal #Catholic #Catholicstickers #Catholiccrafts #Saintquotes #Catholicyouth #Catholicyouthgroup #Catholicretreat #Confirmationretreat #Catholicretreat #catholicteacher
Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? 

Holy cards can be a fantastic prayer journal prompt. 

Copy the prayer off the back and glue the card to the page ;next to, underneath or above where you wrote the prayer).

Follow me for more prayer journaling tips!
#Catholicjournal #biblejournal #Prayerjournal #prayerjournaling #bissisterhood #Catholicsonline #Jesusandcoffee #Lentideas
Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this week Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this weekend!

So excited to help these young Catholics see that each is called to holiness… but each mission is unique and unrepeatable!

Huge thank you to the women who donated journals for the retreat (11 donated!!!) and the women from my Bible study group who donated Holy cards!

If you would like to donate a Journal for one of the girls attending the retreat this weekend… send me a private message and I’ll explain how!

Holy cards are GREAT prayer journal prompts!

Which Holy card would you put in your prayer journal?
#prayerjournal #Catholicsaint #Confirmationretreat #Catholicretreat #catholicprayer
Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in! Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in!!! “The world offers you comfort… but you were not made for comfort, you were made for GREATNESS!”
Pope Benedict XVI
#Catholic #Saintquotes #prayfastgive #Lent #Catholicreels #Catholicmeme #Catholicmemes #catholicsofinstagram #Catholicmom #faithandfamily
New post up on the blog!! I found some awesome Hol New post up on the blog!!
I found some awesome Holy Spirit themed gift ideas!
Link in bio!
#catholicgiftguide #ComeHolySpirit #Catholicmom #religiouseducation #Catholicgifts #shopCatholic #catholicsonline
Holy Spirit activate!!! New gift guide up!!! One m Holy Spirit activate!!!
New gift guide up!!!
One might say … these gifts are on FIRE!!!!
Check it out… link in bio!!!
#holyspiritactivate #Catholicgifts #Catholic #confirmationgift #Catholic #youthministry #Catholicyouth #Catholicteen
Need Lent? #Catholicreels #Catholics #CatholicChri Need Lent?
#Catholicreels #Catholics #CatholicChristian #Catholicmeme #Catholicmemes #liturgicalliving
I need your help! This week I'm putting my final I need your help!

This week I'm putting my final touches on two talks . . .

One is for the Catholic Writer's Conference this weekend (it's virtual) and the other is for a Confirmation Retreat (live and in-person)!

How can you help?
In two ways… but I’m just going to ask you for one favor today… and that is, please answer these questions in the comments!

Have you ever purchased a book that you saw on social media? 

If yes, please share what motivated you to buy that book?

Also, tell me - where did you see the book on social media?  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter?  Some where else?

Your comments will help Catholic authors!

#Catholic #Catholicwriters #Catholicbooks #Catholicjournals #Catholicprayers #Catholickids #domesticchurch #bissisterhood
Load More Follow on Instagram

Footer

       
a spiritual journey to motherhood & beyond

Copyright © 2023 · Cultivate Theme theme by Restored 316