When Art Leads to Prayer

Maria V. Gallagher has found some wearable art that can lead a soul to prayer.

I have been known to wear my faith on my sleeve.

I get a kick out of wearing jewelry that symbolizes my belief in the salvation of Christ, the queenship of Mary, and the profound wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

I used to wear all kinds of baubles on my arm, signifying nothing but a peculiar fashion sense. For the most part, I have stopped wearing “statement” pieces that say nothing at all and, instead, I look to my Higher Power to give me inspiration for my jewelry purchases.

I bought a sturdy-looking string of pink beads with blue accents and a silver-looking crucifix at the Padre Pio Center in Barto, Pennsylvania. When I look down on it, I am reminded of a beautiful day of prayer and exploration.

When I traveled to Irondale, Alabama, to appear on two episodes of EWTN’s At Home with Jim & Joy, I picked up a Rosary bracelet in the studio gift shop. I promptly lost it somewhere between the plane and home. So I perused the EWTN website, selected another Rosary bracelet, and ordered it.

That, too, disappeared—somewhere between my arm and the Devil’s Triangle known as my living room.

Undaunted, I ordered a third Rosary bracelet, this time from the Marian Fathers. So far, that bracelet has stayed on my wrist like butter on popcorn. I hope to hold onto this one—it is white with purple accents, a crucifix, and a medal of Our Lady. It is probably much too dainty a piece for me, but I am game to attempt to carry it off with a fashionable flourish.

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The ring I wear is emblazoned with two years: 1972 and 2022. ’72 was the year before the tragic U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade; ’22 was the year Roe was finally overturned. I think of it as a promise ring: God gave me the promise long ago that Roe would someday be history and I was fortunate enough to live to see the day when the High Court ruled there was no federal Constitutional right to abortion. Of course, the long, arduous work of rebuilding a culture of life continues. There are so many times when that little ring gives me so much courage in the face of adversity. I cling to it as I cling to the Cross.

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Spiritually-inspired pieces can be inspirations for prayer, particularly during trying times. #CatholicMom

If you enjoy jewelry, why not add some spiritually-inspired pieces to your collection? They are heavenly reminders of the enormous love that God bestows on each of us. I have found that such pieces can be inspirations for prayer, particularly during trying times. They are a “prayer pick-me-up” that can last for years—provided you are ready to offer plenty of appeals to St. Anthony, finder of lost articles!

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