Catalog of Topics and Posts

Because sometimes you just need a Table of Contents

Jun 17, 2023

assorted-title of books piled in the shelves — Photo by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash

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We try to cover a wide range of topics here at Whole and Holy, all with the goal of building up wives and mothers (or spouses and parents and families, more broadly) as they pursue holiness in the midst of ordinary life. While you may choose to subscribe and receive all of our posts, you may also have a particular set of interests you’d like to explore. I hope this catalog of topics helps you get a sense of our work and find what you’re looking for. If you’d like to opt in or out of certain topics, you can click here to manage your subscription.

Corporal Works of Mercy
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Beatitudes
Catholic Social Teaching
Virtue Formation
Family Life
“Crunchy” Topics

Corporal Works of Mercy

The Lord’s words in Matthew 25 have often caused a great deal of fear and anxiety in my heart - the fear that I am not "doing enough". I often want to read into these words the command to go "out" - wherever "out" is - to find the least of these. I am learning that, at least in this stage of our family life, the least of these can include my husband, our children, and those friends and family members who come through our door. Caring for the physical needs of those entrusted to me has to become the primary way in which I live out these works of mercy, my bread and butter every day. My family must be fed, and clothed, and housed. After all, it is through our marriages and our family lives - not in spite of them - that we will be sanctified. We are called to find holiness in and through the ordinary items on our to-do lists, the chores we do around the house, the interactions we have on a daily basis. These provide plenty of opportunity to grow in virtue, even heroic virtue, if we recognize them as such. So I look forward to exploring with you the ways - obvious and perhaps not-so-obvious - that we, as mothers, can live out these corporal works of mercy as commanded by the Lord. Not in such a way that we are piling on yet another devotion or prayer or task that is "absolutely necessary for salvation", but in a way that is intuitive, authentic, intentional, and absolutely necessary for the survival of our family, while also contributing to our sanctification and that of our children.

Spiritual Works of Mercy

When diving into the spiritual works of mercy as a new mother, it can often feel like these are tasks we will be called to at some time in the future, or tasks that we can (or, even, should) delegate to others who are more competent than we are. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, things that are so mundane and taken for granted as part of our role that they are hardly worth discussing. My hope is that, as we explore these works of mercy further, they will become less intimidating, and we as mothers will be empowered to love our families in these ways. As St. Edith Stein said: “The woman's soul is fashioned as a shelter in which other souls may unfold.” We are built for this work, and if the Lord calls us to motherhood, he will equip us to fulfill that calling.

Beatitudes

If I'm being honest, the Beatitudes have always intimidated me. As a middle-class white woman in the United States, I was keenly aware, even as a child, that I certainly didn't count as "poor" and that my charmed life didn't offer much opportunity for mourning or persecution. But I've realized that these are important lessons for us to pass along to our children, even (or especially) for those of us who are not in financial, economic, or social hardship. We can teach our children to be detached, to "not grieve as others do who have no hope", to be merciful and pure and peaceful (1 Thess. 4:13 ESV). And, God-willing, in so doing, we can become more of those things ourselves. Goodness knows my home could use a little more mercy and a little more peace, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching is drawn primarily from writings of the popes and other scholars within the church, and The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is the most complete document on the topic. It is, as you can see from the link, quite hefty. These are teachings that are bound up with some of our most fundamental duties as mothers, and they can offer us a unique perspective as we strive to build up a family culture that fosters holiness and virtue. These are teachings from the Church, our mother, on how we can best support human dignity, especially in a world that is increasingly promoting unethical treatment of the human person.

Virtue Formation

When I talk about virtue formation, I'm thinking in terms of habits. Grace builds on nature, and ultimately all virtue is a gift from God, not an accomplishment of our own. But if we can give the "nature" half of the equation a leg up, we aren't doing anyone any harm. By making intentional choices about how we run our households and how we raise our children, we can instill good habits in them that will, God-willing, allow grace an easier foothold to grow in their souls. I want to explore virtues that fall into the more traditional category - patience, reverence, charity, chastity, and the like. I also want to explore more of the "social virtues" - things like independence, speaking up for oneself and others in a kind way, holding intelligent conversations, and thinking critically. While this is certainly a broader-than-normal use of the word "virtue", at least in the Catholic sphere, I don't think it's too much of a stretch.

Family Life

Marriage | Motherhood & Parenting | Education

Crunchy Topics

Elimination Communication | Montessori | Baby-Led Weaning | Cloth Diapering