Blog
Encountering the Death Symposium
Click here to learn more and purchase The Good Death of Kate Montclair. The origin story of my novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair In Panera bakeries, as you may know, there is typically a community bulletin board on the wall going toward the restrooms. That’s...
Female Religious in the Catholic Church: An Evolving Role
When considering the history of the Catholic Church and the direction it is going, one constant in its structure is the distinctive roles men and women play in its running. Following in the path of its predecessor of ancient Biblical times, the Catholic Church has...
Self-Exploration and Art Through a Catholic Lens
Catholics believe art is a powerful tool for self-exploration and discovery. During the creative process we explore our own thoughts, feelings, and experiences to better understand ourselves and our place in the world, which is an important part of finding our...
Art and Catholic Social Teaching
Catholics believe that sacred art has the power to inspire and encourage the practice of our faith’s social teachings. From the earliest Christian catacomb paintings to modern-day street art, we have used art as a means of expressing our faith and promoting the...
Art and the Process of Recovery
Art long has been recognized for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in regards to overcoming trauma and facilitating the healing process. Experience and observation show that art can help us express emotions and process difficult experiences safely and...
Meeting the Needs of Catholic Working Mothers in a Modern World
Motherhood is a sacred vocation imbued with great meaning and purpose in the Catholic tradition. It is a calling to nurture and raise children in the faith, to love and care for them, and to guide them as they grow and develop. The joys of motherhood—Catholic or...
The Role of the Church in Supporting Mothers with Young Families
Consider what comes to mind when the word mother is used: an image of a healthy, fit woman in her early thirties wearing a stylish haircut and outfit, carrying a baby on her hip and holding the hand of a toddler. She smiles so genuinely that a row of perfect white...
Announcing our latest acquisition: Royal and Ancient by Amanda Lauer
We at Chrism Press are pleased to announce our latest acquisition: Royal and Ancient from award-winning historical fiction and young adult author Amanda Lauer. About the Book: Bronwyn Campbell’s end-of-summer plans were simple: wrap up her job at Saint Andrews Country...
“Trallak Tree: A Noxxiin Lullaby,” an Original Song for the Release of Markmaker
Mary Jessica Woods writes: I am absolutely thrilled to reveal “Trallak Tree,” an original song written by myself and my extremely talented friend, Ethan Rogers. This collaboration was a blast, and I could not image a more fitting musical setting for my alien lullaby....
The “Far Things”: My Personal Take on Catholic Fiction
What are the “far things” O’Connor is talking about? It is the connection between close-up realism on Earth and a higher spiritual Truth.
Truth in the Flesh: Tattoos and Tradition in the World of Markmaker
When I first began writing Markmaker, I had nothing but a name and a premise: Mariikel Serix, an alien tattoo artist who had broken his oath to paint the truth. I didn’t know why he was an oathbreaker; I assumed he was involved in forgery or smuggling or some other criminal venture. But I didn’t know for certain. He wouldn’t tell me…
“The Tattoos He Reveres Are Not Always as Truthful as They Seem”: An interview with Mary Jessica Woods
Markmaker tells the story of Mariikel Serix, an alien tattoo artist living in a society where everyone’s life history is written on their skin. He is devoted to his craft, but after he is coerced into giving a mark of banishment to an innocent man, he realizes that the tattoos he reveres are not always as truthful as they seem. He has to grapple with this moral dilemma while facing increasing persecution from the Ascendance, a warmongering political faction that wants to use the ceremonial tattoos for its own ends…