At the end of each of our Pietra Fitness classes, you will have the opportunity to meditate on the spiritual reading with the accompaniment of sacred music or Gregorian Chant. 

Perhaps if this type of music is unfamiliar to you, you might wonder why we would choose to incorporate this type of music into our sessions. 

The short answer: Gregorian Chant nourishes your body, mind, and spirit. 

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Gregorian Chant began as pure melody with lyrics from Latin verses of Scripture–particularly those verses found in the Mass ordinaries, Divine Office hymns, antiphons, and responsories. 

Monasteries and convents around the world kept this tradition alive for centuries though it is once again growing in popularity. And with good reason. 

Gregorian Chant stands in stark contrast to today’s pop hits. It speaks to our souls in a way that other songs cannot. It goes beyond entertainment and brings the listener into the realm of the Transcendent. 

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‍The Power of Music 

Beauty–true, transcendent Beauty–plays a necessary role in the life of the Church particularly in the liturgy. It captivates us and opens our minds to wonder, drawing us ever-closer to the source of all Beauty. 

Beauty paves the way for a deep, life-giving (and life-changing) love. 

We can encounter God’s beauty through so many mediums–art, literature, nature– but few are so transformative as the power of music particularly because of its role in the liturgical celebrations of the Church. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church writes: “The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art…[because] it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy.” (CCC 1156) 

Since the pontificate of Pope Gregory the Great (540-604), Gregorian Chant has been the musical language of the Church; it communicates the sacred to us. 

Gregorian Chant was made to accompany the liturgy in order to make the mysteries of God, specifically the Paschal Mystery, present to the people. 

When it is sung during the Divine Office or listened to in your home, it extends the liturgy throughout your day making your whole life an offering to God. 

By encountering this form of contemplative prayer at the end of each Pietra Fitness class, its ancient beauty and mystery will pull your eyes heavenward and your heart into the Beauty and Mystery of God. 

Nourishing the body, as well as the soul. 

However, the benefits of Gregorian Chant goes far beyond the spiritual ones.  

Professionals in various fields of science and medicine have discovered that Gregorian Chant has positive impacts on both bodily and mental health. 

For instance, Dr. Alan Watkins, a senior lecturer in neuroscience at Imperial College London in his research on chanting noted that “the musical structure of chant can have a significant and positive physiological impact,” and that chanting has actually been shown to “lower blood pressure, increase levels of DHEA and also reduce anxiety and depression.”

Similar studies also suggest that Gregorian chant can help the right and left hemispheres of the brain communicate more effectively, therefore creating new neural brain pathways.

Benedictine nun Ruth Stanley, head of the complementary medicine program at Minnesota’s St. Cloud Hospitals found great success in easing the chronic pain of patients by having them listen to chant. 

French audiologist Dr. Alfred Tomatis found that monks of a Benedictine monastery suffering from fatigue, depression, and physical illness regained their well-being after re-establishing their daily chanting. He concluded that Gregorian chant could charge the central nervous system along with the cortex of the brain which directly influences overall health and feelings of happiness.

By including Gregorian Chant at the end of each class, we hope you will feel more at peace in body, mind, and spirit, and that you come to see yourself as a beautiful cathedral for God’s glory. Also, we hope you start to fall in love with this type of music and allow yourself to be transported beyond the material and into the presence of God.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!...or is it? 

With trying to balance the demands of Christmas shopping, family gatherings, parties, and out of town guests, the holiday season can often feel more overwhelming than festive. 

Instead of excitement and joy, you may find yourself experiencing feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. 

The holiday blues are not uncommon but they don’t have to ruin your Christmas. Use the following tips to help manage them.

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Set reasonable expectations

The commercialism of the holidays can make you overly concerned with the details surrounding your celebrations--you need to have a large home-cooked dinner, you need fancy gifts and expensive toys for your children, you need the perfect Christmas tree.

However, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if your expectations for the holidays are unrealistic and unattainable. 

If you find yourself stressing about the things that you need or should do to make this Christmas special, let it go and focus your energy on what you can do. Take mistakes and missteps in stride. The significance of the season goes far beyond what the world tells us.

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‍Stick to your routine (as much as possible)

With all of the travel, festive gatherings, and added commitments on your calendar, sticking to your regular routine may seem impossible during this time of year. And while some of your routine will change during this exciting season, maintaining important parts of your routine will help manage feelings of stress and overwhelm. 

 Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy, regular meals, and spend some time (even if only 15 minutes) in prayer each day. Give your body, mind, and soul what they need to thrive. 

Maintaining some semblance of routine will also help you keep up on your healthy lifestyle choices which will contribute to your overall health and wellbeing even during the chaos of the holidays. 

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‍Set boundaries

In order to maintain your peace (and stick to your routine as much as possible), you’ll sometimes need to say “no” to an invitation or two. 

Take some time to consider what you want for yourself and for your family this season. Communicate your needs open and honestly to family members and friends and allow yourself to say no when you need to. 

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‍Don’t over indulge in the holiday goodies

When feelings of depression or anxiety come on, you may feel yourself turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms--like binge drinking or overeating-- to feel in control. 

However, overeating can lead to uncomfortable physical and mental responses like gas, bloating, sluggishness that won’t help you feel better. And alcohol, a depressant, can actually exacerbate negative feelings. 

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a drink or two at your family party, or eat a few of your grandmother’s famous cookies, just make sure you enjoy everything in moderation and not as a response to feeling sad. 

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Exercise

While it can be difficult to stick to a workout schedule when you’re feeling down (or during the holidays in general), physical activity can reduce and even prevent feelings of depression. Pietra Fitness offers some Advent-specific workouts to help you move your body, still your mind, and enter more fully into the Church season. Sign up for your free trial today. 

Last month, I wrote about laying a foundation for healing during Advent. Everything during this time of preparation should be oriented toward receptivity to the great gift of Christmas, which is encounter with Christ the King. The point of healing is not simply to be well for our state in life (although that is a great good!), but so that we might approach His manger-throne with clarity and purity... to be capable of full surrender to His sovereign love. 

Haven't had the most focused Advent? It's okay. Let's start again. Jesus is waiting to make all things new. We can do this by entering into the season with authenticity, childlike energy, and total surrender.

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AUTHENTICITY

We prepare during Advent to celebrate Christ, yet it is tempting to make the celebration only about Him instead of deeply rooted in Him. A superficial Christmas is similar to posting a meme about prayer on Facebook without actually praying it. We might go through the motions, expressing every external piety, and fool ourselves into thinking that we have reached the pinnacle of Christmas…

Filled with cheer. Sated with food. Arms filled with gifts. Family present. And yet we often fail to go deeper, into the depths with Christ, the Divine Healer. 

To avoid making an idol of Christmas for its own sake, our faith must become deeply sincere and practical. The first step is acknowledging the need for transformation and opening up to the possibility that an authentic Advent might not look like anything we have experienced before. Perhaps begin and end each day with a sincere and simple prayer, something like this:

“Lord Jesus, please show me your face. Make Your will my will. I surrender. Change my life. Transform me by your grace, that I may look back on this Christmas as the beginning of a radical new life in You.”

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RUNNING ENERGETICALLY

Healing is not a passive effort but involves a tirelessness which knows when to run and when to rest. It requires our will and our intelligence, to correctly discern which efforts bring health and which leave us depleted, stagnant, or backsliding. But it also requires a childlikeness which expands our capacity for hope and healing.

Not all energetic efforts are the same. To run energetically towards Christ is not the same as racing frantically toward Christmas Day, so we must discern which actions are wasteful and which are healing. We also have different levels of energy depending on our health status or state in life. I am not suggesting adding busyness or an increased pace, but a childlike stretching for what is beautiful. God does not wish to be an accessory to our Christmas, but He wants to be our everything. 

How many of us sacrifice the gift of our health, our peace, and our awareness of Christ so that we might meet the superficial demands of the world? We elevate the idea of innocence and wonder… but undermine it in ourselves.

During prayer or throughout the day, perhaps imagine yourself as a young child running energetically towards the Christmas tree. There are no presents wrapped there, only the Christ Child. Your heart’s desire is to hold Him, to sit with him, and to dance forever in His beautiful peace. 

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SURRENDER

On the first Sunday of Advent this year, I lost a dear family member. A week later, we said goodbye at the cemetery and now step unsteadily back into the flow of the holiday season. The grief is a burden, but the Rite of Christian Burial always brings an anointed clarity. We are reminded that Christmas Day is not the goal line, and our hearts must not stay fixated there.

As a mother of a large family, I am convinced that the art of Christmas preparation is really the act of surrendering with joy. I can’t recall a holiday season which didn’t have a significant disruption because of sickness or other life circumstances.

I’ve lost presents and ruined meals. We’ve had stomach bugs and busted plumbing. Sometimes relationships are painful or strained. And yet…

The repeated act of surrendering the mind, body, and will to Christ and to His eternal truths makes Christmas transformative, as it ought to be. We don’t have the power to change anything without Him. Whatever our circumstances, the light of Jesus Christ is the answer to our need. It is only in true encounter with Him that deep healing is possible.

As German priest and martyr, Fr. Alfred Delp, wrote from a Nazi prison:

“We will be better able to cope with life, more efficient and capable of life, if we open ourselves to the instructions of this coming night. Let us hike and journey onward, neither avoiding nor shunning the streets and terror of life. Something new has been born in us, and we do not want to tire of believing the star of the promises and acknowledging the singing angels’ Gloria–even if it is sometimes through tears. Our distress has truly become transformed, because we have been raised above it.”

Between family get-togethers, drinks with friends, and the office holiday party, do you find your healthy eating habits falling apart each December?

You’re not alone. 

Overeating is a common holiday problem, one that can lead to low energy levels, heartburn, weight gain, difficulty sleeping and more. 

So how do you stay on track for your wellness goals? (Other than maintaining your fitness routine.) ‍

Simply restricting what you eat won’t work because it leads to feelings of deprivation and anxiety that often contributes to the problem of overeating. Instead, follow these suggestions to help you eat in moderation and to more fully enjoy all of the tastes this season has to offer. 

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Don’t skip meals

Skipping meals might seem to make sense; if you “conserve” calories earlier in the day, you can overindulge later, right? Well, not exactly.

When we skip meals, it tricks our brain into thinking that food is scarce which leads to overeating at the next opportunity. It also lowers your metabolism making it harder to burn calories, as well as your blood sugar making it difficult to concentrate. 

Instead, eat at regular intervals during the day and try to make most of your meals healthy and nutrient-dense.

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Practice Mindful Eating

When it’s time to sit down for that big holiday dinner, approach your plate with a mindfully. 

According to Harvard Health, “mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food” and can combat the mindless eating habits that often contribute to overeating and obesity.¹

Practicing mindful eating during the holidays will not only help you to make healthier choices when it comes to food, but will also help you more fully enjoy everything on your plate.  

To practice mindful eating:

-Eat slowly, savor the flavors, and stop when you feel full.

-Eat with others and at designated times. (No sneaking bites of the Christmas dinner until it’s time to eat). 

-Do not eat while multitasking. 

-Eat when you feel hungry, not as a response to a negative feeling like stress or anxiety. ‍

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Banish the guilt‍

The key for eating this holiday season is moderation. You can enjoy all the delicious smells and tastes the season has to offer. You can celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, of God becoming man, with the most human of gifts: food. 

But you cannot approach the table freely with an unhealthy mindset. 

Avoid using words such as 'cheat meal' to describe your holiday eating habits. Guilt is not empowering; it doesn’t motivate you to stick to your goals. 

Feelings of guilt and shame around food can perpetuate unhealthy eating habits like overeating. Like anything off-limited, “forbidden” foods often become more exciting then before.

Fostering a balanced mindset when it comes to food will encourage a more balanced approach to eating especially during this Christmas season.

The Pietra Fitness online studio is thrilled to start offering resistance training! We have always had it in our classes using our own body weight, but now we are adding weights and other different types of resistance equipment. In the series, you’ll learn how to safely and effectively use weight to enhance your fitness and increase your fitness level. However, you can participate by simply using your body weight and being intentional about the contraction and engagement of your muscles in the targeted muscle group.

If you use weights, it may be a process of trial and error to find the appropriate weight size for you. We will give some suggestions, but it is up to you to adjust considering your age, sex, and fitness level. Make sure you can always keep proper form and listen to your body.

As you increase your body awareness through resistance training, you will come to see that this type of exercise will provide a stress that will lead to adaptation. Our program will follow a simple set of rules that will prevent overtraining but continuously allow the stress to accumulate, which will result in the desired change. Ultimately, this is what exercise is designed to do with our bodies.

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In resistance classes that use lighter weight, the changes that we are striving for are things like: muscle tone, muscle length, and muscle endurance - just to name a few of the benefits of this exercise modality. When talking about muscle tone and muscle length, please know that we refer to the shape and length of the muscle that already exists in your body. As we use repetition and light weights, then over time, we will see a greater range of movement along with more definition in the targeted muscle group. Another excellent bonus from resistance-type exercise is that this type of exercise creates an environment in the body where you are burning fat around the muscle for a more extended period of time, lasting well beyond the duration of the actual class. We can think of it as an “after burn."

The resistance exercise we will be doing in the studio shows us that the quality of the exercise outweighs the quantity of the exercise. As you move through the various resistance training classes and their progressive levels, remember to listen to your own body, recover well, and strive for consistency. The instructors that take you through these classes will focus on form and technique to help you move well. Through good form and technique, you will begin to see the improvement in your movement and muscle tone, whereby achieving your fitness goals.

Recovering well means taking the appropriate time off between resistance exercise sessions and, of course, using Pietra Fitness classes to increase the quality of your recovery. As your body adapts to the weight and movements which these classes provide, you might feel fatigue, soreness, and weakness as your body seeks to adapt to the demands of this type of exercise. This is temporary as you continue to use resistance exercise in your fitness plan in a consistent manner. We could liken this to an alarm clock - just as an alarm clock wakes us up to alert us to the new day ahead, resistance training wakes up our body and alerts the kinetic chain to the new stimulus - which is your resistance training!

The resistance training classes are designed to be short bursts of exercise. If you desire to increase your training volume, feel free to repeat the class one, two, or maybe three times, depending on how long the video is. Again, we recommend taking a break from resistance training or weightlifting the following day of the session. For example, if you work the arms on Monday, you would work the legs on Tuesday. However, when taking a full-body resistance training class, it is important to take an entire day off from resistance training the following day.

It is important to stretch after resistance training, so it is recommended to add on a Pietra Fitness class. Be sure to choose a  video that stretches the area you worked, or better yet, one that stretches the whole body so your body may begin to move through the recovery process well.

We at Pietra Fitness would like to thank you and congratulate you on adding this modality to your fitness program. Resistance exercise is good for everyone, but specifically as we age. It is not only good for cardiovascular health but bone health as well!

We are excited to be on this journey with you! If you would like to see other types of workouts added to our studio, don't hesitate to contact us. We love hearing from our Pietra Fitness Community!

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Laying the Foundation for a Healing Advent

 Thanksgiving is the perfect preparation for Advent! It solves the problem of a distracted and harried season even before we get to the starting line. If we can use Thanksgiving Day as a starting point for the season--instead of a pit stop for food before we commence with shopping--we can have the most fruitful Advent of our lives!

Advent is rightly known as the season of waiting and preparation for Christmas. But Advent itself is a gift that unfolds in us and in the world. As we inch closer to this season of holy awakening, let us lay the proper foundation, so that we might be ready--body, mind, and soul--for the healing which Christ desires for us. 

Here are three ways to prepare that foundation even while we are still enjoying our hayrides and Thanksgiving pies.

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PRIORITIZE GRATITUDE

Gratitude is the non-negotiable cornerstone for healing!

Many of the anxious and depressive feelings that come with the holidays are the result of losing a sense of gratitude. Throw in the daily drip of inflammatory Christmas cookies and the downhill slide can become a significant physical and emotional burden. Maybe I have lost focus… but we can fix it later! After Thanksgiving, after Christmas, after the New Year...

But what if our days of preparation and feasting for the holy days contribute to our healing rather than add to our burden this year? What if we can “give thanks without ceasing” as St. Paul exhorts so that we might not fall into the pit of regret, self-inflicted illness, and spiritual regression?

 It is not easy but it IS simple. Here are tips for making one of the most important changes of your life, for Christmas and beyond…

+ Make a daily gratitude list. Resentment cannot survive long in the presence of gratitude, but it is a muscle that must be worked. If you aren’t a writer, take a couple minutes to make your list mentally. Then… don’t stop until it becomes a way of life.

+ Get out of the victim mindset. Gratitude releases us from our bondage to selfishness. Trouble will always come, but the inconveniences of daily life do not have to hold us prisoners. Selfishness places our irritations and unhealthy desires at the front of our minds, making it almost impossible to be at peace until we have what we want. Gratitude liberates. 

+ Make a habit of thanking God for everything. Pretend you are a little child and, always and everywhere, give thanks, even for sufferings. In moments of anger, regret, crankiness… repeat words of thanks and praise for as long as it takes until He transforms you.

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you… May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16

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HONOR THE GIFT OF THE BODY

Your body is quite literally the only tool you have with which to love the Lord and serve others. God, in His wisdom, created us as integrated people. As long as we live on earth, our spiritual efforts will be connected to our physicality. 

Advent is a time of busy material preparation for the great feast of Christmas and also a time to prepare spiritually. But Advent only becomes transformative when we allow the grace to transform our physical preparation ...

Set down the cell phone. Recollect. Increase prayer. Continue with good health habits. Work toward virtue. Fast. Prepare the body, mind, and soul to serve and to welcome Christ!

This season provides a unique opportunity to restore our physical health in gratitude to God who created it. When united with prayer, bodily movement becomes its own form of meditation and a remedy to a world that does not know Him. Thanksgiving Day is a perfect day to rest, restore, and recommit to every healing action.

If I were the enemy of God, I would work to make sure that God’s people entered into the Christmas season sick, anxious, and resentful; their bodies as weak as their souls; their minds occupied with the stress of the minutiae of life, forgetful of gratitude and God. Instead…

I wish to be a living testimony to Jesus Christ. And that is why I don’t give up my workouts, I continue to nourish my body, I try to set my physical life in healing order when the world tells me to give up. 

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PRAYER

The great power of Advent is the potential for going deeper than we ever have before, closer to the heart of Jesus. If we are serious about our preparations, then we should become serious about prayer. Now is the time to establish roots so we aren’t swept away in the bustle of the season. 

There are many good resources for teaching us how to pray. Here, I will just offer two important practical tips for the season:

1. Set down your cell phone. Turn off non-essential notifications. Maybe remove some apps and work only from a desktop. Check your average usage and make a goal of cutting it in half. 

2. Turn off the radio. Every corner of our lives tends to be filled with noise. Every car ride, every store, every social visit.  Music and programs have a time and place, but perhaps this is the perfect season to restore our relationship with healing silence as well. 

Our scrolling and digital activities can rewire our brains and cause us to struggle more with mental prayer. They also consume our time, convincing us that we have none left to spare. Even our participation in Christian community online can deceive us into thinking that reposting memes about God is the same thing as spending time with Him. 

Healing this Advent means being shaken from the surface and going deeper into the heart of Christ. To do that includes rooting out habits which keep us shallow and keep us from His presence. 

Once we have adopted habits of gratitude, caring for the gift of our bodies for service, and reclaiming wasted time for God, we will find that our health begins to shift. We will still battle with illness, disease, anxiety, deadlines, and other obstacles, but having invited God into the center, we will be more capable of finding the joy and peace of Christmas which so many desperately seek. Thanks be to God!

The cooler weather ushers in a season of cozy sweaters and hearty soups to keep out the chill. 

Below you will find 7 healthy soup recipes that will warm you right up this Fall!

Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup‍

By using the convenience of canned veggies and your choice of beans, this easy-to-make and savory stew is perfect for a busy weeknight.

‍Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound cubed lean stew meat
• 1 (12 oz.) package frozen seasoning blend 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (32 oz.) cartons vegetable broth
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen cut corn
• 1 cup frozen cut okra
• 1 cup frozen baby lima beans
• 1 cup frozen cut green beans
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup uncooked ditalini pasta
• Refrigerated basil pesto (optional)

Get directions here from Southern Living.

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Quinoa Vegetable Soup

This delicious soup includes Quinoa, one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It is gluten-free, rich in fiber and protein, and one of the few plant foods that contains all nine essential amino acids.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 large zucchini, cut into ½” pieces
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup quinoa
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 8 oz Tuscan kale, ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
  
  

Get directions here from Delish.

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Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup? This recipe takes a classic soup and makes it even healthier with the addition of yummy greens!

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 c.Chicken Broth
• 3 c. water
• Small bunch thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• (12-oz.) package gluten-free noodles
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and shredded
• Juice of 1 lemon

Get directions here from Delish.

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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Mushroom Barley Soup

A wholesome and hearty meatless soup for a cozy autumn feel. 

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup barley
• 5 to 6 cups water
• 1 + ½ tablespoons vegetable stock powder (or chicken stock powder)
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

Get directions here from from A Head of Thyme

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Butternut Squash and Turnip Soup

This vitamin-packed soup uses delicious seasonal vegetables and offers a host of health benefits. 

Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 cups cubed turnips
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅜ teaspoon ground coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch salt to taste

Get directions here from from All Recipes

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Autumn Carrot + Sweet Potato Soup

With carrots, sweet potatoes and apples, this savory soup with a hint of sweetness tastes like fall. 

Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, plus a bit more for serving
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 8 cups chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tart yet sweet apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Freshly ground black pepper

Get directions here from from Once Upon a Chef

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Minestrone Soup

This classic one-pot Italian soup recipe packs a punch with nutrient-dense vegetables and rich, tasty broth. 

Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (15 oz.) can white kidney beans (Cannellini beans), drained
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry shell pasta
• fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for serving)

Get directions here from from A Head of Thyme

Which one are you making tonight? Let us know over on social media!

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Who are the Holy Souls and why do they need remembering?

As Catholics we believe that, at the end of each of our lives, we will go to one of three places--Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. 

Those who die in the grace and friendship of God but still need cleansing from the temporal effects of sin go to Purgatory. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Purgatory as “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030).

Many saints have likened the suffering of the Holy Souls to those in Hell though instead of eternal torment, the Holy Souls’ experience a temporary, cleansing fire to ready themselves for full union with God. 

We believe that the Holy Souls still play an active part of the Body of Christ (often called the Church Suffering), which is why “praying for the dead” is a Spiritual Work of Mercy. The souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves and need our prayers and sacrifices to enter fully into the Beatific Vision.

The Church invites us to pray for the dead in a special way on All Souls Day and throughout the month of November.

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What do the saints have to say about the Holy Souls?

‍“I saw my guardian angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames, which were burning them, did not touch me at all. My guardian angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God.”  – St. Maria Faustina Kowalska‍

“If, during life, we have been kind to the suffering souls in purgatory, God will see that help be not denied us after death.” – St. Paul of the Cross‍

“By assisting [the Holy Souls] we shall not only give great pleasure to God, but will acquire also great merit for ourselves. And, in return for our suffrages, these blessed souls will not neglect to obtain for us many graces from God, but particularly the grace of eternal life. I hold for certain that a soul delivered from Purgatory by the suffrages of a Christian, when she enters paradise, will not fail to say to God: ‘Lord, do not suffer to be lost that person who has liberated me from the prison of Purgatory, and has brought me to the enjoyment of Thy glory sooner than I have deserved.’” – St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

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How can we pray for the Holy Souls?

In November, consider praying for your deceased family and loved ones in the following ways:

-Pray at a cemetery 

-Have a Mass offered for the dead

-Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

-Pray the Rosary

-Pray the Office of the Dead

-Offer up your workout for the Holy Souls

-Pray this prayer from St. Gertrude the Great: ‍

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

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