“Let us not waste the graces of this year.“ I have a calendar hanging on the wall of my kitchen. I buy the same one every year—one that features beautiful art each month that can be cut up at the end of the year and framed. As a result, it’s a bit of a splurge … so I wait until […]
Joannie Watson
About the Author
Joan Watson was born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, but college and graduate school took her to Virginia, Ohio, and Rome. After graduating from Christendom College with a B.A. in History and Franciscan University with a M.A. in Theology, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to be part of the explosion of Catholic culture in the middle of the Bible Belt.
She has been blessed to work for Dr. Scott Hahn at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia at Aquinas College. She is presently the Director of Adult Formation for the Diocese of Nashville. She also serves as the Associate Editor of Integrated Catholic Life.
When she’s not testing the culinary exploits of new restaurants or catching up on the latest BBC miniseries, she’s FaceTiming with her eight nephews and nieces and enjoying her role as coolest aunt. She likes gelato, bourbon, and the color orange.
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Mercy: The Path to Healing
“Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.“ In one of his first homilies as Pope, Francis had some strong words for us. He said, “I think we [are] people who, on the one hand, want to listen to Jesus, but on the other hand, at times, like to find a stick to beat others with, […]
How — and why — do we celebrate Mary’s birthday?
The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8) is one of the most tender and natural feasts on the Church calendar. And although we date the liturgical feast to at least the sixth century, we can actually trace the celebration much farther back. After all, don’t you think Jesus celebrated Mary’s birthday? Join Him in the […]
The Gift of Labor
Work is a gift. Perhaps it doesn’t seem that way when we’re growing tired of the monotony of our commute, when the stress of deadlines is threatening our peace, or when we struggle with our coworkers or our boss. But our work is one way we partner with God in our sanctification and the sanctification of the world around us. […]
The Answer is Jesus
He may not remove burdens, but He will help carry them. A bishop was visiting one of his diocesan schools one day, and he stopped in to see the kindergartners. The children sat quietly in expectation, having been well-prepared by their teacher for this special visitor. The bishop tried to break the ice. “Do you know what I saw when […]
Let Yourself Be Duped
It often seems that following the Lord means bigger crosses. How is this fair? A Trickster? The first reading for Sunday’s liturgy might sound a little bold to us. Is Jeremiah honestly accusing the Lord of tricking him? Some translations say “seduced” or “deceived.” Does the Lord trick us? One of my favorite stories about this reading comes from a bishop I […]
The greatest threat in our world today
Are we as concerned about our spiritual health as our physical health? Most of us are doing all we can to limit the continued spread of the coronavirus. We are trying to be prudent and healthy, and we are striving to protect ourselves, our families, and the vulnerable. We have incorporated new habits into our lives in an effort to […]
A Crisis in the Single Life
“Some of us will have a path to holiness through a vowed vocation. But due to fallen human nature, not all of us will.” We speak a lot about a crisis of vocations, the crisis in the priesthood, and a crisis in married life. At their roots, these are all simply crises in holiness. In addition to these, there is […]
Stepping out of the boat… and sinking
“But when it counts, Peter knows his Savior.” I stared into the water which was gently lapping up against the boat. No one spoke, and all we could hear was the rhythm of the ripples – hardly even waves. The sunlight sparkled as the water lightly danced, and I continued to stare into the water, trying to imagine this little […]
If my life was radiant…
“My life, speech, and actions will be those of someone who is living for Someone else.” There’s a famous quote of St. Francis, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.” The problem is… he never said that. Even though it’s one of the most ubiquitous quotes attributed to him, there is no evidence of the quote in any of […]