Mind and Spirit

Taking care of mind and spirit is essential for total wellbeing. Our brains work even harder than our bodies these days. To effectively cope with daily stress we need to fill our minds with positive thoughts, and strengthen our spirits.

Finding Faith

Last summer, my father-in-law and I went to the Mass celebrating the 140th anniversary of Most Holy Name of Jesus parish, and the 125th anniversary of St. Anthony's Chapel in Troy Hill. The old neighborhoods there are so rich with the ethnic diversity that is characteristic of Pittsburgh!

The church itself is beautiful. St. Anthony's Chapel is breathtaking. If you've never been there, it's worth a trip. Tucked inside the little chapel are more than 5,000 religious relics that have come from all over the world...tiny pieces from Jesus' cross, bones and pieces of clothing from Apostles and Saints....the only place you'd find a larger collection of religious relics is at the Vatican in Rome! The chapel has a long history as a holy and healing place.

Bishop David Zubik was there with parish priests and deacons to celebrate the Mass, and to officially welcome the newest relic: a tiny piece of bone from St. Christina that was found in a family home in Paris.
The mass and ceremony were powerful and inspirational; and were strong reminders that when you're feeling like things are out of control, you can quickly bring balance by tapping into the power of prayer.

Get a Boost from Your Blessings

Take a few minutes as many days as possible to think about the good in your life. If you are feeling depressed or anxious, finding even one little thing to be thankful for might seem very difficult at first. But, psychologists say the more you do it, the easier it will become.

You have the power to retrain your brain to think of things from a more positive perspective.
It might also be helpful for you to keep a Gratitude Journal---just a little notebook that you can use to write down the things that you are grateful for.

On particularly down days, you can just page through your journal to quickly reconnect with the positive things that you have around you.