A Call to Holiness
Holiness is attractive. Think of Mother Teresa, John Paul II or even that elderly woman at church whose encouraging smile and wave puts you at ease and somehow points you to Christ.
Regardless of our particular vocations or the circumstances in our lives, we are called to be living icons of God. However, sometimes in the griminess of life and the bumps and bruises we experience, we can begin to put holiness on an altar and think it’s just for nuns or priests or the aforementioned old lady at church. But not so.
There are women like the Mexican mystic from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, María Concepción Cabrera de Armida, (lovingly called Conchita) who show us that holiness is for everyone.
Conchita, who is now a Blessed, is one stage away from becoming a canonized Saint in the Catholic church. She was a wife, mother of nine, foundress of five Apostolates and author on the level of St. Thomas Aquinas.
I had the great pleasure of speaking with evangelist and author, Kathleen Beckman about her book on Conchita’s spirituality, “Beautiful Holiness: A Spiritual Journey With Blessed Conchita to the Heart of Jesus.”
This was a conversation I know I will come back to for all the grace-filled gems that Kathleen shared. We spoke about:
Conchita’s naturalness in sharing the Gospel
The power of loving those in our sphere of influence
How to fight discouragement like a saint
Why praying for priests is so essential as they are our “warriors on the front lines”
Resources to help you in your spiritual life
It was truly an honor to speak with Kathleen and I know this conversation will bless you as much as it did me.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
“Beautiful Holiness”: Learning From Blessed Conchita — Catholic Women in Business - A review I wrote on Kathleen’s book
Kathleen’s Books:
The Foundation of Prayer for Priests- Kathleen’s apostolate of spiritual motherhood and fatherhood for the holiness and protection of priests
You can watch this episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Be sure to share with a friend.
With love,
Valentina
“For when we say ‘Yes’ to God, we change the world”!