How the Saints Taught This Catholic Mum to Love Better

Artwork: Our Lady of Grace by Almaza Illustration

Many people have the wrong understanding of the saints.

They can too easily be reduced to just an 'interesting story' or distant figures in stained glass—respectable, admirable, but ultimately unreachable.

But this is never why the Church canonises people. The Church never canonises someone just to put them into a history book or on a fancy list.

What the saints really do is pull us up to where they are. They come alive in your life to make us more faithful, more humble, more forgiving. In short, a better Catholic and mother

This week, I've had the opportunity to Q&A Almaza Caracoglia, a Maronite Mum and artist who has discovered this truth and lives it out more than most.

In this Q&A, Almaza shares how the saints have walked with her through motherhood, faith, and life's challenges.

Almaza hasn't just become holier through the saints. Amid the chaos of family life, Almaza has found something many mothers are searching for - a way to pass on the faith not just in words, but through beauty and a living example.

Despite everything on her plate, she has the unique gift of spreading this joy through art to people across Australia.

Alamaza is someone who has been slowly transformed by embracing what has often been overlooked in our spiritual lives, and as mothers - our necessity for true beauty and the saints. 

This is how the saints have transformed this artist, woman, and mother;

What inspired you to become an artist? 

I’ve always loved art. Growing up, though, I never thought about becoming a professional artist or having any kind of career in the visual arts. My father, God rest his soul, was quite traditional in the sense that art wasn’t an acceptable career. I kept it a hobby all through school and in my early 20s. It wasn’t until grief struck in 2018 that I turned back to art. Even at that point, I wasn’t drawing anything religious. In 2020, the death of the Abdullah and Sakr children rocked me, and I decided to draw their portraits for their families. A friend of mine saw my work and asked me to draw the Sacred Heart of Jesus. My work as a Catholic artist evolved from then.

Many Catholic mothers struggle to balance personal creativity with family life. How have you learned to navigate that tension?

In the beginning, I struggled a lot. I don’t think I’ll ever find the perfect balance, but like any other working mother, we make it work. I make sure that my husband and children come first, my home is somewhat well kept and if I get extra time to draw, then that is a bonus. Creativity for me comes through the inspiration of the Saints. The more I learn about them, the more inspired I become to draw them. I spend more of my time learning than I do drawing. This is the beauty of Catholicism: we have so much to learn, so many Saints to accompany us through life’s challenges. I do feel like particular Saints find me. I never have trouble looking for my next subject, and I share my journey with the Saints with my children.

Your artworks often depict saints. Is there a saint whose life has profoundly shaped your own journey as a mother or artist?

All of the Saints that I have come to know have accompanied me through different stages of my life. And boy, have I needed them during those times. Saint Charbel was the very first Saint I drew. He helped me become more humble and detach from this material world. I always thought that Martydom was essential in becoming a Saint however, Saint Charbel lived until old age and died a holy death. With well over 30,000 miracles attributed to him, I wondered what made God choose him for such a responsibility in the church. And the answer was simple. Sacrifice. Saint Charbel has taught me to sacrifice as a mother, a wife, and as a daughter of Christ. He gave up his own mother as a sacrifice to God. I never understood why until I started learning about offering your pain for the salvation of souls. When he refused to see his mother, I’d imagine he felt a sword pierce his heart, and in turn, would have saved thousands of souls. Saint Therese helped me bite my tongue when I was put into uncomfortable situations with particular people I had to learn to live with. St Padre Pio led me to confession and helped me to fear the devil less. Saint Gianna inspired me to offer my labour pains during childbirth for the barren women. Saint Mary MacKillop is continuously inspiring me to serve my church and serve the less fortunate. Saint John Paul II has been my example of true forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act of the heart and not of the mouth. SJP taught me to make consistent efforts to evangelise the people who hurt me. Someone I used to quarrel with for years, now wakes up at 3 am every night and prays for me. How blessed am I? All because a Saint told me to love when I don’t feel like loving.
For every curveball life throws at me, God sends me a saint to swing me back onto the path of salvation. To God, I am eternally grateful. 

It’s clear that you have a deep passion and sense of wonder for your faith. How do you try to pass that on to your children daily?

By leading by example. There is nothing more or less. Most of the time, it’s by accident that they see my faith shine through the hard times and the joyful times. I didn’t know what kind of impact my faith had on them until my daughter knelt beside me one day while I was praying. I said to her, “You can go and play with your brother if you like, I’m just saying a quick prayer.” Her response to me was, “But mum, you make praying look so inviting.” She was only seven at the time, and I was taken aback. I always have guilt that I don’t plan enough activities, read them enough stories, celebrate all the feast days, but I can see they are growing in virtue. I always think that when they grow up, they may forget what they have read, but they will never forget what they have sacrificed. 

There’s growing interest in how sacred art can help evangelise and form people spiritually. In your experience, how can art help both artists and viewers come to know and love God more deeply?

It’s more the journey that has helped me spiritually. I never really intended to set out to evangelise, but I do receive some beautiful feedback now and then about how my work or faith journey has helped other people grow in faith. As an artist, it’s important to share the journey that led you and inspired you to create these works of art. The challenge for me is deciding how much of my personal life to share, and at what moment I share it. The Holy Spirit has played a pivotal role in guiding me from the very beginning and has never left me confused or without answers. All I had to do was ask. 

What sacrifices have you made as a mother, and are you glad that you made them?
The main sacrifice would be the loss of income. I was working 5-7 days with my first two children, and I was stressed. I was always frustrated with getting home on time, there were a lot of takeaway dinners. My patience was wearing thin, and I felt immense guilt. It also left little time for prayer and art. My house was always a mess, and I was just exhausted. I think what really pushed me to leave the workforce was my son’s behaviour. 

 

What’s one lesson you’ve learned from Mary’s example as a mother that continues to shape your home?

What’s something you’ve learned that you wish every Catholic woman could know?
One of the many lessons I’ve learned from Our Lady is to always say yes and trust in God’s plan. I think of how Our Lady went through 33 years of suffering and didn’t complain once. She never asked, "Why me?" And she never let her sorrows take away from raising Christ into the man he was destined to be. Although we don’t know what God’s plans are for our children, we have the comfort of knowing that their souls belong to God. Whatever his plan is, it is good. It is right and it is just. 

What’s your favourite Catholic book—and how has it formed your heart or shaped your faith?

My most recent read is the book about Saint Gemma Galgani. Her devotion to God at such a young age is something I've always admired. There have been times when I've been so frustrated with my own sins that I’ve asked God, "Why didn’t you make me holy at birth?" "Why didn’t you give me that grace like you have to Saint Gemma, Saint Therese, St Padre Pio, St Maria Goretti, and Saint Charbel?" I don't have any regrets, but it is human nature to ponder these thoughts. And then I am quickly reminded that I have chosen this path and God has allowed me to walk it. 

 

Almaza is an inspirational Catholic whose example of love, I'm sure will help many Catholics. Within a few hours of his post, she just delivered her newborn son! Congratualtions Almaza, it's clear that you'll make a very good mother.

If you want to learn more about Almaza, you can checkout her Instagram here. Or similarly, you can find some saint books to help you grow in faith here.

 

Happy Mother's Day and God Bless,

Virtue Books and Gifts