Hazelnuts: Revelations at the Edge of Catholicism
Monthly news, insights, and reflections from the founders of Hazelnut Catholic.
“It was a little round thing, the size of a hazelnut…”
Saint Julian of Norwich was a 14th century English anchoress. A contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer (I know your high school English teacher made you read The Canterbury Tales, or at least maybe you’ve seen the 2001 adaptation of A Knight’s Tale, with Heath Ledger), she is thought by scholars to be one of the first women to write a book in English, and hers is one of the few that survives.
In her book, Divine Revelations, St. Julian recounts that God “showed her a thing the size of a hazelnut” in the palm of her hand. And when she asks him what it is, he responds simply, “all that is made.” Meditating upon this revelation, St. Julian wonders how it could be that this tiny nut might last, “for it was so small,” and she realizes the perspective of a loving God who made us and holds us in the palm of His hand. In her further reflection, she experiences a further revelation: “it lasts and ever shall because God loves it. And all things have being by the Love of God.”
Indeed, our very being is affirmed by the minute - by the second - by our God who loves us and sustains our being by His love.
It’s our mission, here at Hazelnut Catholic, to spread that revelation of love far and wide.
Whether you’re a “cradle Catholic,” or brand-new to our beautiful faith; whether you consider yourself a convert or a revert, an introvert or an extrovert; whether you are jumping in with two feet or just dipping your toes,
You are welcome here. You are valued here. You are a part of Hazelnut’s orchard.
Read more about who we are. We invite you to make Hazelnut Catholic your home for faithful, Christ-centered and communion-focused integrative experiences that cultivate peace, joy, and hope-filled relationships with God, ourselves, and our communities. We meet you where you are and inspire you to become the imago dei God made YOU to be.
Join our community.
Every month, we’ll send you a FREE reflection from one of our founders (and some amazing guests from the Catholic community of Western Oregon and beyond!).
You’ll also be the first to find out about registration discounts for our Liturgical Seminars (our Lenten Seminar is right around the corner!), online courses, and in-person Retreats!
Even if a seminar or retreat isn’t in your plans for now, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us anytime.
“God is to us everything that is good, tenderly enfolding us;
and everything that is made is as nothing, compared with almighty God;
and how a man has no rest until he counts himself and everything as nothing but for the love of God.”
