MSI Press Blog

  Sula in the creche In many churches around the world, cats have joined the congregation, so to speak. One can find cats in many churches; parishioners welcome strays, and often strays stay. At this time of year, cats often become quite involved with the ways in which the church is directed and in the activities of Advent and Christmas. Sula at Old Mission San Juan Bautista especially loved the creche and the Nativity scenes and would join into the scene. Sometimes, if she sat quite still, visitors did not even notice that she was there, but the parishioners knew there beloved cat there. Sula died two years ago. She left a lasting impression on the church for her 15 years of bringing love to the parishioners. Her books are still sold in the gift shop and remain popular. Her grave is a stop on the Mission tour. This year, if you have a cat at your church, include him or her in your gift-giving. Sardines? A toy? And take the time to let the sweet creature share its love. Sula, with ...

  The following excerpt comes from  Saints I Know   by Sula, Parish Cat at Old Mission. Appropriate for Caturday -- the book is "written" by a cat -- and for the Easter season.  Saint Joseph This statue of St. Joseph can be found at the feet of one of the statues of Mary in our Mission garden. I think that is the perfect place for his statue because he always supported Mary, marrying her though she was a pregnant virgin, and becoming the legal father of Jesus. Joseph's first thought when he found out that Mary was carrying a child he knew nothing about was not to marry her even though they were betrothed. However, an angel came to him in a dream, revealed to him what had happened, and told him to take Mary as his wife. He did. Joseph was a carpenter (a worker) and raised Jesus as a carpenter’s son. Today, we would say that they were part of the working class. It makes me feel closer to Jesus, knowing that He did not come into this world in glory and privilege but rat...

  What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Each month, we share near-daily, or as often as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  Easter at the Mission  by Sula, parish cat at  Old Mission . Description Discover Easter Through the Eyes of a Church Cat! Join Sula, the now-famous church cat, on a fascinating journey through the meaning and traditions of Easter in her fifth book! With her signature mix of history, Catholic dogma, and humor, Sula explores questions like: 🐾 What is Easter, and why is it called the Paschal Mystery? 🐾 Why do Catholics observe Lent, Ash Wednesday, ...