About Gretchen Filz

Gretchen is a Lay Dominican with a passion for fostering an increase in Catholic faith and devotion. After receiving her M.A. in Christian Apologetics, she converted to the Catholic Faith in 2011. She lives and works in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Latest

St. Catherine of Siena: Why the Desire to Suffer for God is Pleasing to Him

Apr 28, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

The following is a powerful passage in the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena. In this great spiritual classic, which made St. Catherine of Siena a Doctor of the Church, she record … Read more

The Saint Who Influenced Pope St. John Paul II's Profound Devotion to Mary

Apr 26, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

Pope St. John Paul II was well known for having a deep and abiding love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. His devotion to her was evident in all that he did: his teaching, his prayer li … Read more

Latest

The Story Behind the Making of the Official Fatima Statue

Apr 24, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

The below excerpt is taken from the book Vision of Fatima by Fr. Tom McGlynn, O.P., the sculptor who crafted the Our Lady of Fatima statue according to the instructions o … Read more

Latest

How to Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Apr 20, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a prayer taught to St. Faustina Kowalska by Our Lord, who revealed to her how to efficaciously invoke his Divine Mercy and its great power to save … Read more

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The Three Fatima Seers are Heading for Sainthood

Apr 20, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three Portuguese shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. Because this Marian apparition wa … Read more

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The Spiritual Significance of the Four-Way Medal

Apr 19, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

It's an ancient tradition for Catholics to wear religious medals around the neck, and the Four-Way Medal is one of the most popular because it combines four of the most po … Read more

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Everything You Need to Know about the Divine Mercy Devotion

Apr 17, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

The Divine Mercy devotion is a modern devotion to the attribute of God's infinite mercy that was promulgated by St. Faustina Kowalska in Poland, and later to the the Univ … Read more

Latest

Three Simple Ways to Celebrate the 50-Day Easter Season

Apr 16, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

Holy Week is the time of year we experience in a deeper way many of the events we remember each time we pray the Holy Rosary. The Sorrowful Mysteries take us through Jesus' Pa … Read more

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How to Pray the Divine Mercy Novena

Apr 14, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

The Divine Mercy devotion has spread throughout the Church since it was given near the beginning of the 20th century to the Polish nun and visionary St. Faustina Kowalska.The devot … Read more

Latest

Litany of Forgiveness

Apr 12, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

This litany is a great exercise in asking God for mercy and forgiveness for those times when have not been faithful to following His will for our lives.This soul-searching lit … Read more

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First Holy Communion Gift Guide for Boys

Apr 09, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

Springtime is here, and in parishes across the country children are being prepared to receive their next Sacrament of Initiation into the Catholic Church: First Communion.The Sacra … Read more

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Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows by St. Bonaventure

Apr 06, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, which accompanies the Blessed Virgin Mary in her grief as she watched her Son die for the sins of the world, is heightened during the season of Len … Read more

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About Gretchen Filz

St. Catherine of Siena: Why the Desire to Suffer for God is Pleasing to Him

The Saint Who Influenced Pope St. John Paul II's Profound Devotion to Mary

The Story Behind the Making of the Official Fatima Statue

How to Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Three Fatima Seers are Heading for Sainthood

The Spiritual Significance of the Four-Way Medal

Everything You Need to Know about the Divine Mercy Devotion

Three Simple Ways to Celebrate the 50-Day Easter Season

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Novena

Litany of Forgiveness

First Holy Communion Gift Guide for Boys

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows by St. Bonaventure