Happy New Year!

I resolve to do a lot more blogging this year!  Check back often to keep me honest.  

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas -- may the best of health, wealth, happiness and peace be yours now and throughout the new year.  

Church definitions...

From the Chicago Archdiocese web-site...

PARISH: A parish is an active community of the faithful providing full sacramental and liturgical services.

MISSION: A mission is similar to a parish usually meeting the needs of a specific community of believers.

SHRINE: A church or other sacred space used by the faithful for pilgrimages. Limited sacramental and liturgical services are available.

AIRPORT CHAPLAINCY: A sacred space providing limited sacramental and liturgical services for travelers passing through, and workers at, the major area airports.

ORATORY: This is a public place of prayer, other than a parish church, where limited sacramental and liturgical services are available.

Good scripture reading for weddings...

"Happy the husband of a
good wife, twicelengthened
are his days, A
worthy wife brings joy to
her husband, peaceful and
full in his life. A good
wife is a generous gift bestowed
upon him who
fears the Lord; Be he rich
or poor, his heart is content,
and a smile is ever on
his face.”

Sirach 26: 1-4

Barat Academy - New Catholic High School

Barat Academy -- a new Catholic high school just opened in St. Charles county (part of the St. Louis metro area). There are over 80 students in the first freshman class at Barat. You know what's pretty cool? An anonymous donor paid the $11,000+ tuition for each of the more than 80 students to attend this innaugural year at Barat. Isn't that awesome? :)

Ste. Anne's Catholic Church - Mackinac Island, MI

While on vacation last month we enjoyed the special privilege of being able to attend a vigil Mass at Ste. Anne's Catholic Church on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Ste. Ann's parish is more than 300 years old. It's a beautiful church. Someday I'll shoot a wedding there. I might even do it for free it's so beautiful! :)

Interior of Ste. Ann's Catholic church...

The Return of the Old Latin Mass

Here is a link to a recent article about the return of the Old Latin Mass in St. Louis. I was born post-Vatican II so I've never experienced an Old Latin Mass like my parents did. I plan to attend one at St. Francis De Sales very soon.

On the importance of private time at Mass...

One of the most important things I've learned while attending Mass is that it's important to arrive early -- to meditate for a little while. I can't even remember which priest used to preach this (probably all of them!), but he used to say..."take a few moments now, to greet the Lord."

I feel extremely peaceful if I can just sit in silence for a few minutes before Mass begins. I read the following from a recent church bulletin insert titled Growing in Faith:

"While Mass is a community celebration, take some time before it beings to
renew your connection to Jesus. Open up your heart to Jesus during those
few minutes and ask for his loving, powerful help for your daily life.
Then experience the Mass with your whole heart and mind."

Belated Happy Easter!

Hello! I hope everyone had a glorious Easter. For Lent I gave up one of my photography forum addictions so, as a result, my blog posts suffered too! I have some more images from a recent Catholic wedding that I will be posting very soon.

Dona Nobis Pacem!

--Dan

St. John the Evangelist - Indianapolis, IN

I traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana earlier this week for a photography conference. I had the honor to attend noon Mass at a beautiful church just two blocks from the hotel where I was staying. The Saint John the Evangelist church is a beautiful house of God built in 1871. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures from my visit. Enjoy!

Ad majorem Dei gloriam!
--Dan

Wedding at the Shrine of St. Joseph's

Shrine of St. Joseph Wedding

This past weekend I had the unique privilege to photograph the wedding of Kristy and Doug at the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis. The Shrine of St. Joseph is one of the most amazingly beautiful churches I've ever been in -- and I've been to well over 100 Catholic churches in my life! Thank you Kristy and Doug -- for giving me such a great honor!

Handy Web Site for Traveling Catholics

During the past ten years or so I've probably only missed Mass on about five occasions -- most of those due to travel. I came across a handy web-site for Catholics to use to find Mass times and locations almost anywhere! It's called Mass Times -- click here to check it out.

Wedding at St. Francis Xavier

Amanda and Jeff were married December 30th, 2006 at St. Franics Xavier Catholic Church (on the campus of Saint Louis University)

A Very Talented Artist...

Check out this video about a child prodigy painter -- amazing!

World Marriage Day - February 12th

Cindy and John's Wedding Ceremony - St. Paul's Catholic Church

Tomorrow, February 12th is "World Marriage Day." At Mass this weekend our pastor, Father Mike, recognized the couple attending Mass who had been married the longest (62 years) and the newest married couple. For the 5:00 PM Mass we attended, the newest married couple were my clients Cindy and John who were married September 30th. Each of the two couples got roses.

I came across this article which gave suggestions on what married couples can do to celebrate World Marriage Day. I love that one of them is "display your wedding album." :)

Seven Holy Founders Catholic Church

Annie and Frank's wedding - December 2nd, 2006 at Seven Holy Founders Catholic Church

Little Flower Parish - Richmond Heights, MO

Marian Devotion - Barb and Tim's wedding, October 28, 2006

A Christening...

Samantha's baptism - Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church - New Melle, MO

Weddings aren't the only sacrament I'm invited to photograph! :)

St. Joseph's Catholic Church - Imperial, MO

Rachel and Tim were married September 16, 2006 at St. Joseph in Imperial, MO

St. Joseph's - Manchester, MO

Wedding ceremony of Katy and Mike - St. Joseph's Catholic Church, May 12, 2006

St. Ambrose on "The Hill"

Exterior of St. Ambrose Catholic Church - St. Louis, "on The Hill"

View from behind the pipe organ during the ceremony of Lindsay and Jeremey, June 3rd, 2006

Wedding at Our Lady of Lourdes - Washington, MO

Steve and Meghan were married June 24, 2006 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Washington, MO.

Jesus' First Miracle - Wedding at Cana

Today's gospel reading came from the Gospel of John and detailed Jesus' first miracle -- turning water into wine at the marriage at Cana. This first miracle was performed to reveal His glory and is one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

Matrimony - A Beautiful Sacrament

Matrimony in the Catholic Church is one of the seven sacrements...it's a sacrament between God, the man, and the woman (1).

My wife Maria and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary this year. I look back at our wedding day as one of the most amazing days of my life. We had so much fun together that day...we felt truly as one...with 246 people there to support us...and, most important, God there to guide us.

We have three children -- Dominic, Katia, and Jonah -- each born premature (3 weeks, 9 weeks, 5 weeks) and each a blessing and a gift from God.

We are active in St. Paul's Catholic Church in Fenton, MO, where our oldest son also attends grade school. I had the experiene of both public school education and Catholic education...and it's certainly my desire to make sure that our children have the opportunity to attend Catholic schools.

Welcome to the Catholic Wedding Photographer blog!

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church - St. Louis, MO

Welcome to the Catholic Wedding Photographer!



My name is Daniel J. Watkins -- I'm a Catholic and a wedding photographer from St. Louis, Missouri. I have been photographing Catholic weddings for over half of my life. I plan to use the blog to connect with Catholics pursuing the sacrament of holy matrimony in the Catholic church. Together with my loving wife, Maria, we love taking pictures and love being Catholic. We'll share with you some of my favorite pictures from Catholic wedding ceremonies and beautiful Catholic churches. I also intend to use this blog to network with other Catholic wedding photographers.





We'll be working on the new website in the weeks ahead -- for the meantime, we'll be posting on this blog so be sure to bookmark us and check in often. If you are a Catholic photographer, I'd love to hear from you and add you to my list of referral photographers for Catholic weddings. :)

Welcome aboard. Dona nobis pacem!

Daniel J. Watkins
Daniel J. Watkins Photography - St. Louis, MO