Prayer Wine Chocolate: from blog to ministry

Years ago I started Prayer Wine Chocolate to blog about two things:

One: to share our family’s journey to adopting without paying an adoption agency.

Two: to write Catholic gift guides for Christmas.

What’s that saying . . . you want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.

God had so much more planned and I feel like I understand the quote, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure” a little better than I did ten years ago.

I hosted a Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat because I wanted to make sure I got to visit the Saint Katharine Drexel Shrine in Bucks County, PA before it closed. I also hosted it because I was a little pouty that I couldn’t go on a Wine and Shrine Pilgrimage in Italy . . . so I created a way to do something similar close to home.

I can’t help but think of the words of Archbishop Nelson Perez right now:

“Never underestimate the power of God to work in you, through you and DESPITE you!”

Since that first Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat, I’ve hosted a few more, been asked to speak at “Prayer Wine Chocolate” nights for women’s church groups and have witnessed the birth of a Prayer Wine Chocolate community in a Catholic Parish.

I am completely dazzled by the work of the Holy Spirit.

But this last one, the birth of a Prayer Wine Chocolate community, only happened because one woman took initiative and action.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Scafidi purchased the How to Plan Your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat: A Guidebook and ran with it.

Betsy was kind enough to write the following description of how the OLG Prayer Wine Chocolate group came about . . .

Wondering how to start a Prayer Wine Chocolate group at your parish? Here’s how Betsy did it:

Several years ago my sister-in-law came across the information for one of Amy’s Prayer, Wine Chocolate retreats. Although my schedule was busy I figured I would just go along with it.

That day changed my prayer life forever.

As I headed home after a beautiful day that included Mass, learning about St. Gianna, Prayer, new friendships and wine, I felt more peaceful and refreshed than I had in a long time. 

I attended a few more of Amy’s retreats walking away from each one saying to myself, “I needed that.”

I began to wonder how many more women need the same things I was getting;

enrichment to my faith life,

an opportunity to pray with other women and

a place to build Catholic friendships.

So I began to ask the Holy Spirit to show me how to move forward.

One Sunday, I casually mentioned to a fellow parishioner that I was thinking about getting some of the women of the parish together. That was all it took. Those casual words took on a life of their own and before I knew it, I was talking with my DRE about my proposal for a Women’s Prayer, Wine, Chocolate Group.

The First Prayer Wine Chocolate Gathering

At our first meeting over 20 women showed up. We shared snacks, paired wine and chocolate and talked about  the retreats that started it all.

The women were given time to write out prayer intentions and we wrapped up the afternoon by praying the rosary. This was almost 2 years ago. Since then we have gathered about a dozen times.

We discuss living liturgically, participate in service projects, share meatless recipes, learn about prayer journaling and discuss Catholic gift giving all while socializing and praying. Each time we all walk away saying the same thing…

”I needed that.”

To those of you thinking about getting started I would encourage you with the words of Pope St. John Paul II, “Be Not Afraid.” Grab a retreat guide, a few friends and jump right in knowing that I’ll be praying for you!  

Prayer Wine Chocolate: Ministry and Mission

Prayer Wine Chocolate is a Rosary group that inspires and fosters amazing friendships

I sincerely hope more women start these communities at parishes. Betsy and I spoke of a mission statement for these parish groups, and this is what we feel the Lord is calling Prayer Wine Chocolate ministry to do:

Prayer Wine Chocolate provides a way to welcome and encourage women of the parish to embrace their faith more fully. By putting God first and nurturing Catholic friendships, it creates opportunities for women to grow spiritually and socially, accompanying each other as the heart of the home and parish. The time spent in communion with each other empowers women to bridge their prayer lives from the church building into their everyday lives.*

Betsy and I would love if you prayed for this ministry – and for us as we hope to encourage women like to you to start this ministry in your parish!

We’ve begun brainstorming, recruiting friends to help and praying that we can make this happen for more women seeking friendships founded in faith.

Grab your copy of the guide, sign up for the newsletter (and get a free Prayer and Pair sheet) and let’s stay in prayer and in touch!

Need a checklist? Here you go!

1. Purchase a Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat/Gathering Guide**
2. Sign up for the newsletter (you’ll get some free resources and you will know about future events, topics to discuss at meetings, etc.)
3. Start talking about starting a Rosary group with snacks. See if anyone is interested, then tell her about Prayer Wine Chocolate!
4. Schedule a meeting with your parish office and offer to run this Rosary group that will benefit the women of the parish in many ways. (*If it helps, share our mission statement above)
5. Pray for this ministry and our ability to provide more resources and support to you! **If after you purchase the guide, you’d like more help, book a consultation call with me here!

The post The First Step to Starting a Parish Prayer Wine Chocolate Ministry appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.

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When I was writing the first Be Yourself Journal, I wanted to approach the topic of purity – but in a gentle way.

The Saint that came to mind immediately for me to discuss this topic was Maria Goretti.

I recalled her short life ending in an effort to preserve her purity.

To be honest, I knew only a very little about her.

I had the feeling that when she died, she was around the age of 11 – which is within the age range that I was writing the book for . . . so, I decided that she would be a great person to feature in one of the Saint Spotlights found in Be Yourself: A Journal for Catholic Girls.

Before I wrote the Saint Spotlight, which includes a fictional letter to the reader from the Saint (based on her life), I had to do some research.

Saint Maria Goretti : more than a model of purity

When I looked up Saint Maria Goretti, I came to realize that she did not only die to preserve her own purity – but fought for her life in an effort to preserve the soul of the boy who attacked her.

As I read, one particular fact struck me.

Maria’s mother taught her to avoid sin at all costs.

Maria’s mother taught her the danger of sin in a way that I never before contemplated.

As I read further I realized quickly that Maria was not only concerned with the danger sin would have to her own soul, but to the soul of the young man attacking her. It is often cited that Saint Maria Goretti said to him, “No! No! It is sin. God does not want it. You’ll go to hell.”

Saint Maria Goretti teaches us the gravity and danger of sin

Maria understood the gravity of sin.

I’m not sure my generation was taught that.

In fact, I remember learning a definition of sin in grade school – this was the definition I remember learning:

Sin is “missing the mark”.

That’s a far cry from what Maria Goretti’s mother taught her.

True, when we sin we are not being the best version of ourselves. We are not being who God calls us to be – but there is a lot more to it than that, isn’t there?

This weekend at Mass the priest giving the homily stated:

“Sin is slavery; sin is death.”

The health of our soul is just as important as our physical health

Perhaps if we looked at sin the way we looked at eating unhealthy foods we would be in much better shape spiritually.

Our society is very much aware of and concerned with physical health.

In recent years, we have become much aware of the importance of mental health.

But spiritual health – the health of our soul – nonexistent.

It’s not that we as a culture don’t believe in souls. It’s evident that we do believe every person has some kind of spirit that moves on after death by the popularity of mediums and psychics.

It’s common knowledge for most parents to lock up the bleach so that toddlers won’t drink it.

Personally, I’ve called poison control at least twice in my short time of being a parent.

As a Catholic, I now see the value of confession in a way that the world sees the importance of that poison control phone number.

Care for your soul the way you care for your body

God created us – body and soul. We must care for both.

Saint Maria Goretti’s witness reminds us of that.

And on top of that extremely valuable lesson, she also teaches us the power and beauty of forgiveness.

How can Saint Maria Goretti inspire us today?

Maybe the letter I wrote in the Be Yourself Journal inspired by Saint Maria Goretti is not only helpful to 11 year-olds.

Here is the advice I think she has for all of us:

Make a conscious effort to avoid sin every day.

Make it your responsibility to know what acts are sinful and avoid them.

Be generous with forgiving.

Below is the letter inspired by this saint inside the Be Yourself Journal for Catholic Girls. You can view the whole book on Youtube – click here to preview Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls

From Corinthians 6:18-20:

Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body.

Do you not know that your body is a temple-of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.

Saint Maria Goretti is featured in the “feelings” part of the Be Yourself Journal.

Grab your copy today!

Be Yourself: A Journal for Catholic Girls on Amazon.

Purchase from me here: Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls

The post An Urgent Message from Saint Maria Goretti appeared first on Prayer Wine Chocolate.