Saint Ethelflaeda’s Secret Gift

She gave quietly but led with strength—trusting like the birds that what is shared in love always returns.

Ethelflaeda lived in England during the 10th century. She was the daughter of Æthelwold of Wessex and became a nun at Romsey Abbey, a peaceful community in southern England known for prayer and service. After her teacher, Abbess Morwenna, passed away, Sister Ethelflaeda became abbess and guided the sisters with kindness and steady faith.

When food was served, Sister Ethelflaeda would save a small part of it. Late at night, while the abbey slept, she walked quietly to the wall and left the food there. By morning, a poor man would find it waiting.

She helped in secret. The abbey had little, yet it never ran out. What she shared always found its way back—like the birds that don’t store food, yet are never left hungry.

She led with calm faith and quiet strength. In time, Sister Ethelflaeda was remembered as a saint—not for miracles, but for the way she trusted God with every simple act of love.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not plant or harvest or store food in barns, and yet your Father in heaven feeds them.” — Matthew 6:26

This account is drawn from early writings about Romsey Abbey, including a 14th-century manuscript known as the “Life of Æthelflæda of Romsey.”

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ

Traces of courage, silence, and sacrifice—this is Saints.

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Saturdays with Mama Mary

Two gentle weekends invite us to find Mary not in miracles, but in the quiet spaces of our ordinary lives.

October 11 & 25, 2025

October brings two quiet Saturdays for Mary—days for us to slow down, breathe, and remember Her calm faith that never faded.

Every Saturday, the Church quietly honors the Blessed Virgin Mary. This long-loved custom is called the Saturday Memorial of Our Lady, a gentle tradition that began centuries ago. It recalls Holy Saturday—the day between the Cross and the Resurrection—when the whole world waited in silence, and only Mary kept her faith alive.

For October 2025, these memorials fall on October 11 and October 25—two peaceful Saturdays for us to pause, pray, and bring a bit of Mary’s quiet strength into our daily lives. (Some Saturdays are skipped when a saint’s celebration comes first.)

🌹 Simple Things We Can Do

  • Let’s pray the Rosary, even while having coffee.

There’s no rule saying we must sit perfectly still or be in a chapel. The Rosary is a meditation, not a performance. We can pray it while walking, waiting for sunrise, or yes—while sipping our morning coffee. What matters isn’t our hands or our surroundings, but the direction of our hearts. Doing something simple and peaceful while praying can actually help our minds stay steady and sincere.

  • Let’s clean our space.

A tidy table or room can mirror an ordered soul. Mary’s life was simple and ready for God—keeping things clean and calm is one quiet way to honor that.

  • Let’s do one hidden kindness.

We can help someone today without them knowing it was us. Small unseen acts shine brightest in Heaven.

  • Let’s end our Saturday with one “Hail Mary.”

Even one prayer, said slowly before sleeping, can wrap up our day with grace.

Because in the end, Mary doesn’t count our posture or our pace—She listens to our heartbeats.

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ