Kathryn Griffin Swegart's Blog

My husband and I live in an old farmhouse that has a granite foundation. We sit on a base built of blocks cut from giant boulders that still lay deep in the woods behind our house. Needless to say, we have gaps in our foundation, gaps that are superhighways for field mice seeking food and warmth. Autumn is a troubling time of year in the mouse war.

In this battle, we have discovered fascinating abilities in this cute rodent with big ears and bright eyes. Recently, we discovered that they could scale the slippery sides of a refrigerator to feast on bananas. My husband spent time trying to figure out how they seem able to do the impossible. We still are not sure the route Mighty Mouse (for it had to be big and strong) had taken.

This morning, I was startled to discover a mouse trap that had been sprung and somehow ended up in our kitchen sink. Was it teamwork? Did mice get in a huddle and decide how to play mind games on human beings? If that was the case, they won. 

We decided to spray insulating foam in the cracks to block the invaders. Our friend, who paints and replaces clapboards on this old house, thought it a good idea. 

“Routes into your house are now passed on from generation to generation. You can’t let the mice win,” he said.

My guess is that this battle with the mice, this battle of the wills, will continue despite our investment in foam insulation.

I must admit, mice are smarter than I thought.

The post Mouse Wars first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

Hello there… give it a try…it’s easy and fun.

Simply be the first to email me with your address . Choose the book you would like to receive and I will mail it to you. I am grateful to all the loyal readers who have bought my books over the years. This is my way of saying thank you.

October 13 is the anniversary of The Miracle of the Sun that occurred in 1917. More than 70,000 gathered in Fatima, Portugal to witness an extraordinary cosmic event. As you can see, I do plenty of research for my books.

The post Win a Free Book! first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

How my guardian angel saved my life…a true story.

June 1, 2011-Springfield, Massachusetts. In the quiet of a library, I first heard news of the tornado watch. A mother and her young daughter gave clues that danger was afoot. Hurriedly, she gathered up an armload of books. “Radar shows that an F-3 tornado has touched down 50 miles away. We are leaving.” Tornadoes were not on my radar. After all, I was a New Englander living in western Massachusetts, not exactly in Tornado Alley. Still, I was a houseparent at MacDuffie School, a college prep school that served a population of international students. I had responsibility for the safety of twelve high school students, so I drove back home, picking up Chinese food for the boys on the way back to campus.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, although it was unusually warm for early June. I did notice that hot winds stirred the tops of sturdy old shade trees. Thinking back, all these signs should have been a warning to me. Instead, I was dismissive. I drove onto campus, past colonial style stone houses, parked, and entered the main school building. All was quiet on the first floor. That was strange. Where was the receptionist? Where were the students? Where were the teachers? I thought nothing of it and went downstairs to the mailroom to check my box. I was delighted to find a sizable tax refund from the IRS. Sweet, my husband will be happy, I thought.

Life was good. Students were preparing to leave. Summer was on the way and I had a fat check in my hand. I walked down a corridor and saw a curious sight. Instead of the usual teenage bantering, I saw worried students clustered tightly in a narrow aisle between lockers. The dean of students stood in the middle of the group, ordering everyone to stay together on the basement level. “Should I bring my students back from the student home?” I asked. “There is not time,” she replied grimly.

In the next few minutes, some people would say I acted bravely. Others would say I acted foolishly. All I knew was that I had to protect those young men still in the student home. I went upstairs, out the front door, and outside just as the tornado slammed into our campus. Meteorologists observed radar characteristics akin to an historic supercell that had devastated Tuscaloosa, Alabama a month earlier. The Springfield tornado was rated high-end EF-3 (severe) — on the cusp of EF-4 (violent), packing 160-mile-per-hour winds. Three people died in this cyclone; hundreds were left injured and homeless. Every building in the small town of Monson was destroyed. Nearby Cathedral High School sustained heavy damage and ultimately had to be torn down. Pieces of the school were thrown 43 miles away.

Look now at me: a bespectacled grandmother running into the heart of a killer tornado. One woman saw me disappear behind a building and knew for sure that I was dead, flung somewhere above the treetops of Springfield, like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Yes, I was about to die and I knew it. I sensed extreme danger. I felt hot, swirling winds sucking up dirt and hurling debris at me. Objects hurtled through the air — Frisbees, sticks, rocks — each with the potential to cause serious injury. There was no turning back; I could only keep running. As the cyclone roared through campus, I was swept off my feet, carried away and out of control. Ahead was a brick wall. Ahead was the end of my life.

Now, I know that you are waiting for a different end to this story. After all, I did not die because I am telling you this scary story. How did I survive? As I flew off my feet, some mysterious force pulled me down to the ground. That just does not happen in a tornado. Objects — like the MacDuffie gazebo — are thrown up into the air. It felt like I had been lassoed around the ankles, cowboy-style. I crashed into a lamp post in front of the student home, rolled on my belly, and crawled to safety under bushes. I covered my head as flying debris continued to smack me. Seconds later, all was quiet; danger had passed.

I went into the house, covered in dirt with my eyeglasses askew, and checked on the students. They were all safe and stared at this wild lady who rode a tornado like Pecos Bill. One student looked me over and asked for the Chinese food. I ignored that question, as you can well imagine. However, I did have something in my hand: the fat check. After all, how could I explain to the federal government that I lost my refund check in a tornado? IRS workers would have put me on hold for weeks. It took many months to heal from this experience. My leg was black from bashing into the lamp post. I had nightmares, depression, and nervousness on windy days. I thought hard about that moment when I felt pulled down by invisible hands. Over the years, I have heard stories about guardian angels intervening in dangerous situations. As a child, Mother Angelica also felt invisible hands rescue her from a speeding car.

Guardian angels are real. Today, on this feast of the Guardian Angels, I thank my angel for saving my life.

The post My Guardian Angel to the Rescue! first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

…our visit to one of his relics.

Nine years ago this week, a true relic of this great saint came to Boston upon the request of Cardinal Sean O’Malley. A crowd packed the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston for the grand event. Miraculously, my husband and I were in the front pew. It was a special moment to be able to venerate the relic of Padre Pio’s heart.

Padre Pio is a remarkable saint who bore the stigmata (wounds of Christ) for 50 years. Those wounds included the shoulder wound like that of Our Lord’s borne from carrying the cross. Saint Pio once said that was the most painful physical pain from the stigmata.

My book, Miraculous, has an amazing story about him averting bombs from damaging the monastery during WWII. Check it out!

The post Feast of St. Padre Pio… first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

… our monthly book give away.

Becky from Maine was first to email me to win the prize. She sounded wicked happy (Maine talk) that she won. She will receive a free copy of Miraculous! Catholic Mysteries for Kids. One of the stories is about Saint Carlo Acutis so it was a timely choice.

Look for the next book give away in October. Maybe you will be the lucky winner next time.

The post We Have a Winner… first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

…well sort of. My husband and I visited Assisi, Italy back in 2019 and saw this display on the future saint. He had a great love for the Eucharist and took pilgrimages to sites of Eucharistic miracles. Carlo and his parents traveled on the highways and byways of Europe, trips in which he documented 136 Eucharistic miracles. He compiled them on a website, enabling him to send a world-wide message of Jesus alive in the Eucharist. Next, he designed an exhibit with large panels that displayed the photographs and told the history of each miracle. This exhibition, called the Vatican Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles, has appeared in parishes and schools throughout the world. Now we have a new intercessor in heaven.

At the age of fifteen, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. On October 12, 2006, Carlo Acutis died. Carlo left behind many seeds of inspiration, including a quote that sums up his short life.

Jesus is my great friend and the Eucharist my highway to heaven.

The post Me and Saint Carlo Acutis! first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

Be the first to email me!

Recently, I took a peek at how many of my books have been sold since I started this second career writing for children. It surprised me to see that Catholic families have purchased more than 55,000 of my books, all written to share our Catholic faith through engaging stories. In gratitude to these families for buying my Catholic books for children, I now offer a monthly book giveaway. Simply email me through this website, leave your mailing address, and I will send you a book of your choice. The first person to email me is the winner. So don’t delay. No strings attached. Honest.

Also, keep your eye out for my next book…Rescued II…filled with more inspiring stories about noble deeds and heroic people. It will be published this fall.

I look forward hearing from you!

The post September Book Giveaway! first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

…reflections on the beloved children’s book.

Of a recent evening I gathered with friends round the campfire, praying, singing, and chatting. It was a pristine evening with the Milky Way smudged across the sky and a half-moon off to the east. Hidden in the grasses, crickets sang of summer ending. 

I thought of a chapter in Charlotte’s Web. E.B. White described the cricket song.

“Summer is over and gone. Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying.”

For Charlotte, it meant that her life was coming to an end. E.B. White devoted two pages to the emotions stirred by the crickets. Everyone heard the song. Fern Arable knew that school would start soon. Mrs. Arable sighed softly, lamenting that another summer had gone. The sheep were so upset that they broke a hole in the fence and wandered across the road. A maple tree turned bright red with anxiety.

“How many nights till frost?” sang the crickets.

Now that is a question that hovers in the mind of my neighbors in Maine. I see firewood dumped in door yards in early July. We had three cords of wood delivered on an eighty degree day. Soon we will pull up the cucumber plants and turn over the soil, add compost and let it lay dormant for the winter. I prowl amongst the zucchini plants for remnants of squash bugs. Thankfully, I say good riddance to them all.

A cricket song reminds us of a clock ticking, of our lives someday dwindling to a close. Now I look forward to the blaze of colors in our maple trees. Autumn leaves proclaim the glory of God, just like the crickets.

The post The Crickets of Charlotte’s Web… first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

...in our monthly book giveaway.

I am pleased to announce that we have a lucky winner in our monthly book giveaway. Helena N. from Virginia was first to email to win a book in the contest. She chose the bestseller Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids. One of her children is preparing for First Holy Communion. Helena was excited to win the book. It is so important that our children read inspiring and exciting Catholic books for children.

Maybe you will be the winner next month. Watch for the September announcement at this website.

I hope that you all are enjoying your summer. We are having an unusual heat wave in Maine. It gave us an excuse to spend a few days at the Franciscan Retreat House in Kennebunkport. We enjoyed starting the day with Mass, stopping at the local coffee shop for breakfast and then down to the beach. It was fun frolicking in the surf.

May God Bless you on this day. St. Maximilian Kolbe pray for us!

The post We Have a Winner… first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.

Monthly book giveaway is now underway.

Each month a lucky reader can choose one of my books… mailed to your door at no cost.

Simply email me with your name, mailing address, and email and I will send it to you. There will be only one lucky winner. The first person to email me will win the book.

Here is what some happy readers wrote about Miraculous!

Sarah V. 5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Catholic book!Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2025Verified PurchaseI got this book for daughter for her birthday, and she has really enjoyed it! It cool learning about miracles that have happened and some of them I haven’t even heard about! The pictures are well illustrated and the text is easy to read. I would probably recommend it for ages six and up, but honestly it can really be read by anyone! Overall it is a good book to learn about the saints and miracle!
HelpfulReportKathryn Bevis5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and unique storiesReviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025Verified PurchaseWonderfully written, stories are engaging! Not to long but long enough to get complete information. I teach 5 & 6 grades and they were clamoring for more!
HelpfulReportAmazon Customer5.0 out of 5 stars Well writtenReviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024Verified PurchaseI read this book before I gave it to my grand daughter for her 1st communion . It is a great faith-builder!
HelpfulReportmaria5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful for all agesReviewed in the United States on March 7, 2022Verified PurchaseThis book is a beautiful blessing for children and adults, it tells you about the miracles in our Catholic faith. It’s a wonderful book I’m using it to teach my children about miracles that can’t be explained by science but only by our God, and his beautiful work.

Good luck and happy reading!

The post Free book! first appeared on Kathryn Swegart.