Watch this video on YouTube.

The winner of The American Bible Challenge Fan Favorite contest will be announced during the show, as well, and will receive $10,000 for their team’s charity.

Should they win, the Dominican Sisters will use their winnings from the show to provide for the treatment and care of the aging Sisters in the Order, and to ensure that they are provided for as they advance into retirement.

They’ve had a terrific run on the show – surely their “winning attitude” has taught many about today’s Religious Sisters and the beauty of our Faith. We’ll be cheering for you tonight Sisters! Good luck!

Watch the Game Show Network’s “The American Bible Challenge” finale tonight at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

21 Ways to Worship

If the thought of a book about Eucharistic Adoration makes you feel guilty, sleepy, overwhelmed or uncomfortable, prepare to have your mind changed. That’s what happened to me when I picked up 21 Ways to Worship: A Guide to Eucharistic Adoration by best-selling author Vinny Flynn.

It’s probably a big, fat, sinful faux pas for for me to admit it, but I have suffered over the years from a bit of a guilt complex when it comes to the topic of Eucharistic Adoration.

My parish is blessed with a lovely 24 hour adoration chapel where I can luxuriate in Christ’s true presence, but I’ve declined to commit to a regularly-scheduled hour because of my sporadic travel schedule. For that reason, I don’t have access to the “key” that unlocks our chapel (sadly, secured because of prior acts of desecration). So my visits to that chapel are less frequent than I’d like. I’ve hesitated to “pop in” unscheduled in the past year, because I can rarely commit to an entire “holy hour”. Instead, I frequently visit a nearby chapel where I can make a visit to an unlocked chapel during the day, pray in Christ’s presence and move in and out quietly without disrupting other adorers.

OK, enough of “true confessions of Catholic Mom”. And enter Vinny Flynn’s amazing book 21 Ways to Worship: A Guide to Eucharistic Adoration. From it’s bright purple cover to its amazingly inviting tone, this is the book that will smash your previously held misconceptions of Adoration. Vinny’s tone is fun, inviting, and actually infectious. His sharing of his own personal experiences will have you nodding, smiling, and feeling less guilty than perhaps you’ve felt in the past. Adoration is a gift — indeed the greatest gift we can receive — and Vinny is the friend who wants to hold your hand and lead you to its riches.

My favorite chapter in this book is joyfully called, “Please don’t snore!” In it, Vinny Flynn addresses the concern that so many moms share on the fear that once they finally find two minutes to quietly pray, they run the risk of falling asleep. Vinny reminds us how we would feel if one of our beloved children slept (or worked, or played) lovingly in our presence — how filled with joy our hearts would be at the mere pleasure of their presence. And doesn’t God, our Father, desire the very same of you and I?

21 Ways to Worship: A Guide to Eucharistic Adoration is the perfect companion for those of us who need a reminder that we are “good enough” — just as we are — to deserve time in the presence of the God who loves us so greatly. If you’ve been away from Adoration for some reason, this book will be your faithful companion as you journey home. If you are already in the practice of praying in the presence of the Eucharist regularly, you too will benefit from Flynn’s work. There’s truly something for everyone between the covers of this book.

I’m pleased to be a small part of Vinny Flynn’s ongoing blog tour. To read what others are saying about this book, visit the rest of the tour.

Vinny Flynn

Known internationally as the best-selling author of 7 Secrets of the Eucharist, 21 Ways to Worship, and as the man who sings the Divine Mercy Chaplet on EWTN, Vinny Flynn is also a popular speaker at parish missions, conferences, and retreats. Formerly the Executive Editor at the Marian Helpers Center and General Manager of Divine Mercy International, Vinny is one of the foremost experts on the message of The Divine Mercy and is now the Executive Director of MercySong Ministries of Healing. His relatable style and his powerful teachings on the Sacraments, Our Lady, Divine Mercy, and the Father’s love have been called “Healing” “Uplifting” and “Life-changing. Visit him at www.VinnyFlynn.com. 

Order 21 Ways to Worship: A Guide to Eucharistic Adoration and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Be sure to check out our Book Notes archive.

Want to win a free copy of 21 Ways To Worship? Simply leave a comment below by midnight (Pacific time) on Monday, May 26, 2013. One winner randomly selected.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Is it a sin of envy to read a book, weep tears of love, and at the same time fall prey to green-eyed envy that you weren’t the one who penned the words between the covers? Yes, it likely is.

And yet I have to confess that this is what I felt much of the time while reading Bakhita: From Slave to Saint by Roberto Italo Zanini. As a devotee of St. Bakhita, I fell in love all over again with her as I devoured Zanini’s book. The English version of a memoir originally penned in Italian, Bakhita brings to life this amazing woman’s story of grace, forgiveness and absolute love. I truly believe that this book could be for St. Bakhita what Story of a Soul was for St. Therese of Lisieux — the vehicle by which so many could come to know and seek an intercessory relationship with a spiritual role model. Please check out the publisher’s information on this book below and consider it as a great option for inspirational summer reading.

From Ignatius Press:

SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2013 – The life story of an exceptional saint, Josephine Bakhita, is sure to be an inspiration to anyone who reads it. The new English edition of her biography, entitled Bakhita: From Slave to Saint, vividly recounts the unique details, tragedy, and virtues of her life. When she was about nine years old, Josephine Bakhita was kidnapped near Darfur, Sudan, by Arab slave traders. For several years she was subjected to brutal and humiliating treatment until she was ransomed and taken to Venice, Italy, where she eventually converted to Catholicism and became a nun.

Joyfully and serenely Bakhita served in a convent, school and infirmary run by Canossian sisters in a small, obscure town in northern Italy until her death in 1947. Then something even more remarkable than her redemption happened.

Hundreds of ordinary people came to see Bakhita lying in state, and along with these visits came stories about how the simple nun had given comfort, advice and encouragement as she went about her tasks as cook, doorkeeper, nurse, etc. Almost immediately graces and miracles attributed to Bakhita’s intercession began to be reported.

Ever since, the place where Bakhita died and the wonders began has been a shrine visited by people from all over the world. They come to seek the intercession of one who was no stranger to loss and suffering and yet had given herself with complete confidence to the Lord. It is here, in this sparsely furnished room, where Italian journalist Roberto Italo Zanini begins his story of Bakhita and her journey from slavery to sainthood.

Based on Bakhita’s autobiography, which she dictated to a Canossian sister in obedience to her superior, the canonization files and many other sources, Zanini records the life, virtues and miracles of this daughter of Africa who has become a sister to the whole world.

Mother Dolores Hart, Prioress at Regina Laudis Abbey and co-author of the book The Ear of The Heart: An Actress’ Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows, says, “Every story of sanctity is that of a person who takes her whole life – the gifts and the sorrows, wounds, and wonders all – and opens to the grace of God. Such is the story of Saint Josephine Bakhita told beautifully and with careful scholarship by Roberto Zanini. By choosing Christ and choosing forgiveness, Bakhita illuminates the darkest shadows of the human condition with the transforming light of faith in the one true Master.”

Anthony Ryan, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ignatius Press, says, “Ignatius Press is pleased to offer this definitive biography of St. Josephine Bakhita, which vividly describes her amazing journey from being kidnapped by slave-traders, to her conversion to the Catholic Faith and path to sainthood. This inspirational book, which includes 16 pages of photographs from her exceptional life, is sure to encourage readers to imitate Bakhita’s heroic example of forgiveness and sanctity.”

About the Author

Roberto Italo Zanini is an editor and writer for Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian bishops. His articles have appeared in many Italian publications, both Catholic and secular.

Order Bakhita: From Slave to Saint and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Be sure to check out our Book Notes archive.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood

I’d like to thank Brian Caulfield, Editor and Author of Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood for sharing the following information about this terrific new book.  With Father’s Day approaching, this seems like the perfect time to pre-order a book for the favorite father in your life! LMH

About this Book:

The identity and purpose of fathers in contemporary society is more uncertain than ever before. Cultural shifts such as rising rates of divorce and single motherhood, conception through sperm donation and in-vitro fertilization, and the educational and professional advancements of women have confused traditional paternal roles and family unit structures. As a result, a perception has been created whereby fatherhood is undervalued…or altogether unnecessary. But this perception is misguided-especially for Catholic fathers who are vital to supporting the structure of the family unit: the “domestic church.”

In this collection of faith-filled reflections by fourteen Catholic men, the value of a Catholic father’s identity and purpose is affirmed in the context of modern society. Acknowledging our workaholic tendencies and the constant struggle to strike a balance between family life and work life, fathers are provided with a realistic approach to making their relationships with God, their wives, and children more involved and fulfilling.

Blending personal anecdotes from Catholic fathers, models of fatherhood in Jesus’ parables, Scriptural passages, references to other publications, and allusions to Church teachings and figures of authority, this guidebook helps Catholic dads find the path to living as faithful family men through three simple steps: pray, love, confess.
Table of Contents:

• Foreword by Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan
• Introduction: Dads in Deed, by Brian Caulfield
• 1: The Prodigal Son Meets the Forgiving Father, by Mike Aquilina
• 2: St. Joseph: A Man’s Man, by Rick Sarkisian
• 3: Balancing Work and Home Life: Insights from the Experts, by Brian Caulfield
• 4: Five Steps for Disciplining Kids, by Ray Guarendi
• 5: Good Sports for Kids, by Gerald Korson
• 6: A Father’s Vital Presence, by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
• 7: The Best Sex You Will Ever Have, by Jonathan Doyle
• 8: Theology of the Body for Fathers, by Damon C. Owens
• 9: Millennials, Morality, and New Evangelization, by Jason Godin
• 10: Superdad: More Than an Action Figure, by Bill Donaghy
• 11: You Can Keep Your Kids Catholic, by Patrick Madrid
• 12: Repairing a Broken Marriage, by Peter Kleponis
• 13: Breaking the Chains of Porn, by Mark Houck
• Conclusion: Three Simple Steps, by Brian Caulfield

Pre-order Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Visit our Book Notes archives

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

We’re building a wonderful partnership with our friends at Catholic Relief Services and are happy to spread the news about their great work being done around the world. We’ll be regularly sharing information and stories from both the FaithWorks section of CRS and their other initiatives as well. This week, I want to point you to the following stories that are sure to inspire:

Watch this video on YouTube.

• Looking Up – Edward Hoyt reminds us not to miss what’s right in front of us while we’re looking for God in our lives
• Looking for a gift for your favorite Grad? Consider a Celebration Gift or something from the CRS Gift Catalog and give the gift of hope!
• Cyclone Mahasen Approaches Bangladesh and Myanmar – Learn how CRS is preparing and responding
• Love Facebook? Be sure to “like” Catholic Relief Services there to keep in touch!

As always, we urge you to consider prayerful support and a financial gift to Catholic Relief Services.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Today’s Book Note is a guest article from my friend and fellow Catholic author Lori Diez, who kindly gives us an update on the wonderful Angel or Not? series for children. I’m a huge fan of Lori’s work and hope you enjoy learning about her terrific fiction! LMH

The Angel or Not? Book Series now has two books available in the projected 3 book series.  The books were written by, Lori Diez, a Catholic mom of three who after 18 years in Catholic School realized the need for fun, real-life books that incorporated good morals, values while reinforcing the Catholic faith.

The Angel or Not? series are engaging books for preteen children that focus on real life ups and downs of being a girl in Catholic school. Students will follow along with Angel as she travels through fourth grade and learns to handle her own conflicts while attempting to stay in ‘angel-mode’ even though, sometimes her thoughts and actions aren’t so angelic. Readers will associate with Angel as she realizes that every action has a consequence.

The books are not meant to teach our Catholic faith, but rather to integrate our faith with a story-line that children/students want to read because they feel a strong connection with the main character – Angel, her family and friends.  In addition, teachers like the books for class readers because they include bolded vocabulary words throughout the story and include word banks in the back. There is also a workbook PDF available for additional class participation. They are the perfect book series for 3-5th graders for summer reading. Children want to find out what happens in Book one and are eager to get their hands on its sequel!

The first book in the series focuses on Bullying and how to handle the bully, while the second book focus is that of cheating on a test and the consequences associated with cheating and lying. Both books can be ordered AND autographed by the author, directly off the website:

SPECIAL SUMMER PRICING: Buy both books for: $11.95  www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com                              TEACHERS: SPECIAL SCHOOL PRICING AVAILABLE ON TEACHER PAGE

Angel or Not? Angel for Sure! Book One:  In the first book of the series, Angel, the main character is being bullied and must figure out how to handle and befriend the bully. You’ll meet Sister Rita, Angel’s family, friends and her first crush—Dreamboat Tony!

It’s easy to be drawn into Angel’s world while she tries to solve the Sonya Mystery. You’ll understand why she feels stuck in the Twilight Zone during Sonya’s and brother Anthony’s accidents. The first 5 chapters are available on the website to review.  208pgs ~ RL 4.6

NOTE: Book one which came out in 2010 BUT has recently been revised to follow national bullying guidelines AND  the author felt the main character needed a slight attitude adjustment. Visit www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com  to read the REVISED first 5 chapters.

Angel or Not? Ohhh So Not!!!  Book Two: Your favorite characters are back and the drama continues!  As Angel, a fourth grader in Catholic school discovers why Sonya was a bully and must say “Goodbye” to the “Sonya Mystery.” Dreamboat Tony is still a dreamboat and Sister Rita is full of her usual surprises.  You’ll meet the new neighbors and get an “ear-full” from Angel’s Grammy. From a fender-bender with Dad, to playing on the Jesuit football field, brother Anthony is back in action!

In this captivating sequel, Angel’s world spirals out of control when she makes the worst mistake of her life!  Find out exactly what Angel did to earn the book its title: Angel or Not? Ohhh So Not!!!  - The first 5 chapters are available on the website to review visit: www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com   226 pgs ~  RL 4.9     

Students in 4^th and 5^th grades around the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas loved the first book and couldn’t wait for the second to find out how the Sonya Mystery turned out and to read more about Brother Anthony—the soon to be star Jesuit football player;

BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY:  The following are quotes taken from letters the students in fifth grade at St. Lawrence Catholic School in Tampa Florida, wrote after they read,  Angel or Not? Ohhh so Not!!! and participated as Jr. Editors in the final editing of the book. Also included are book reviews from teachers and principals for Angel or Not? Angel for Sure! And Angel or Not? Ohhh so Not!!!

Mrs. Hernandez, Principal: “Finally…a book for our Catholic children that is packed full of Catholic values amid real life situations. Bravo!”

Mrs. Cruikshank and Mrs. Williams: “The characters are real and down-to-earth.  Family life is portrayed with positive parental role models and with realistic relationships between siblings and friends.  A definite for our school library…can’t wait for the next book!”

“Mrs. Healea, teacher:  “A fabulous book for young Catholic children, a book filled with Catholic values.  In this book, children have the opportunity to read how their Catholic values are very influential with helping them make wise choices.  A must-read book for young Catholic children.”

STUDENTS:

Kevin: “The Angel or Not, Ohhh so Not” book is one of my favorites books!”

Alexis: “The book was full of funny things and ‘suspense.’ Like when Angel cheated and when Grammy’s hearing aid broke.”

Vincent:  “I have to say I really liked the book, but poor Sonya.  My class and I can’t wait to read the sequel. There will be a sequel, right?”

Olivia: “I loved your book. I loved it because it was about our Catholic faith. It was very good.”

Dillon: “I love your books they are quite exciting.  I also enjoy all the details in your books.  You are doing a Fantastic job as an author!

JP: “The book was a great book to read. I liked the part when Big Bud scores a bunch of touch-downs. The football game was a really cool part!”

Rosalice: “I can relate to that book because my family is just like that.”

Sara: “I enjoyed your book and it was a good lesson to not cheat and to tell the truth.”

Breanna:   “The book was great. My favorite thing about the book is that at least once on every page Angel asks herself (if she is being) an Angel or Not?”

Sophia: “Me and my dad read your book together and there were some very funny parts like with grandma’s hearing aid.”

Caroline:  “My favorite part of the book was the volleyball part.  You made the characters seem real!”

Christopher:  “I loved the Angel book because I love sports!”

About The Author

Lori Diez — as a young child at Sacred Heart Catholic School — had a dream, and today she embarks on making that dream a reality. Her aspirations started during Lent when she, a fourth grader, was collecting money to put in her rice bowl for children in need. Lori told her parents, “If I get a dime from everyone I meet I could buy a lot of rice to feed the children.” It was this vision and the desire to make her dream come true that started her writing.

As a truly blessed mother of three healthy, amazing children, she noticed that after their eighteen years (and counting) in parochial schools there were few books if any that were geared toward the children attending Catholic or Christian schools. Thanks to Randy, her loving husband of twenty-seven years whose own personal dreams made it possible for her to be a stay at home mother giving her the opportunity to be active in the daily lives of their children and the time to put her words on paper, she began Angel or Not? Angel for Sure!

To see her dream of caring for children in need to fruition and to show appreciation for the gift of life that was given to her by her maternal and adoptive parents, the author will donate 75% of the net profits from the sales of her book to The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay. The Heart Gallery is a national organization that is instrumental in helping children find permanent homes with loving adoptive families. She hopes to make a dramatic difference by taking an active role in seeing that the monies generated by her book sales go directly to improving the quality of life for children waiting for adoption.

Copyright 2013 Lori Diez

Missio – an App from the Pontifical Mission Societies

From the Catholic geek files news desk comes the exciting update that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, will engage in a historic moment on Friday when he activates a brand new smartphone app called “Missio”. I’ll share the full press release below, but just have to say that this is a fascinating development in the New Evangelization. Having recently had the opportunity to attend and speak at the National Meeting for Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, I truly feel a part of their “One Family in Mission“. To see them employing the most modern technology available to aid all of us in better understanding and embracing our role as missionaries is a true gift. I’ve already downloaded my Missio App and will be waiting and watching on Friday when Pope Francis “unlocks” it!

My “locked” Missio App is waiting to be unlocked by Pope Francis on Friday!

Pope Francis to ‘Launch’ New Mobile App entitled MISSIO

Missio will feature news, videos, photos, prayer and opportunity for personal reflection

ROME – On the Friday before Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis is set to “unlock” a new media initiative of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States — MISSIO App.

“This App is a way for the Church and our Holy Father to reach the growing number of the world’s people who have access to handheld mobile devices — a way to connect as the one Body of Christ,” said Father Andrew Small, OMI, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies.  “We’re delighted our new Holy Father will ‘unlock’ the new App. What a great use of the Keys of St. Peter!” The launch will take place during an audience with the Pope of the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies who are participating in the annual meeting to distribute collected funds.

“Handheld mobile devices and smartphones are increasingly democratizing the information superhighway, and have a capacity to empower the poor in particular,” said Father Andrew.  “In fact, by the end of 2013, there will be more mobile devices on earth than people.  Smartphones worldwide exceed one billion, growing globally by some 40 percent a year, especially in the some of the poorest parts of the world served by the Pontifical Mission Societies, namely in Africa and Asia.”

Over three-quarters of Americans age 43 and under now use a smartphone. Research suggests mobile technology could benefit education in poor countries.

“The response of the Pope’s Twitter account has been phenomenal,” continued Father Andrew.  “Jesus called people to be His followers, and if used properly, the new media allow for a more intimate relationship between peoples and nations, fostering peace and mutual-understanding.”

The App is currently available for download but remains in a “locked” position. During Friday’s event, the Pope will press a button marked “Evangelizantur” which is a Latin phrase meaning, “They have been evangelized.”  Subsequently, a push notification will be sent to all those who have downloaded the App indicating that the Pope has launched the MISSIO App.

“Ever since his election, Pope Francis has reached far beyond the Vatican, touching people’s lives in simple and meaningful ways,” noted Father Andrew.  “His great message of unity and communion will be expressed in this unique event, as he puts the missionary Gospel in the pockets of millions of people, young and old, rich and poor, believer and searcher.”

Supported by Apple and Android devices, the App provides the Pope’s daily homily, and includes news from Rome and around the world.

“With mission stories available in eight languages – English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic – the App fits very well with the Church’s celebration of Pentecost, when the disciples began preaching the Good News in all tongues and dialects,” he added.

Supported by Apple and Android devices, the App provides the Pope’s daily homily, and includes news from Rome and around the world.  Sources are FIDES, the international news agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, and the Vatican’s own news site, News.va.  There are videos as well, from Catholic News Service and News.va.  MISSIO App includes photographs from various Missions around the world, intended to encourage personal reflection and prayer.  There is also the opportunity for mission support.

To create the MISSIO App, the Pontifical Mission Societies commissioned Little i Apps, LLC, an App development company headed by Catholics committed to making connections, when able, between digital and sacred spaces, contributing in this way to efforts for the new evangelization.

MISSIO is available for free at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Read more of our Tech Talk columns.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

Let me admit up front that when it comes to the book The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by my friend and fellow Catholic author Daria Sockey, I’m not objective. I loved the book from the moment I saw it. And as a contributor to the book’s Introduction, I had a sneak peek while it was in the works. As someone who’s struggled to incorporate praying the Hours into a busy mom’s life, I was attracted to Daria’s realistic, gentle and encouraging approach to this amazing devotion. Today, I’m thrilled to share my recent conversation with Daria Sockey.

Q: Please briefly introduce yourself and your family to our readers.

I’m a Catholic Mom—of seven children. A Catholic Grandmom—of two. I live in northwestern Pennsylvania in a century-old farmhouse with my husband, Bill, and the 3.5 kids who are still at home. (the .5 refers to the one who is away at college most of the year.) Bill has worked for a variety of Catholic organizations, and currently works or the World Apostolate of Fatima. We just celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary. I’ve been writing for years for a number of publications, and back in the 80s wrote some of the student texts for the Faith & Life catechisms. But I consider this my first “real” book, since the catechisms were done under the direction of an editor.

Daria Sockey

Q: What prompted you to write The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours? How would you describe this book to our readers?

Every journalist wants to write a book eventually. When I finally had the time to do this, I wasn’t sure what to write about—it seemed that for every popular Catholic topic there were scores of well-done books out there. But then I realized that there weren’t many books written for lay people about the Liturgy of the Hours. I’d been praying the hours for years, and loved it. I also realized that many people found the LOTH to be intimidating, either in terms of figuring out how to use a breviary or how to fit this kind of prayer into their schedules. Furthermore, lots of Catholics don’t even know what it is, and that is a problem that just had to be fixed! The Church has been begging us lay folks to give this a try for a long, long time, longing for it to become the prayer of the whole people of God, but that really hasn’t happened. I’m hoping my book will help get the word out about this hidden treasure of scriptural prayer.

The book’s title explains it all. It’s a guide for ordinary people who are interested in what the LOTH is, why they might want to learn this prayer, what resources—print and digital—are available. and for those who already pray the LOTH, there is material that will help them to get more out of it, and maybe reignite their enthusiasm.

Q: What is your personal history with praying the Hours and how did the writing of this book impact your prayer life?

Although I’d participated in a vespers service a couple of times while I was a teen, it didn’t make an impact on me. I didn’t really know what it was all about. But then in junior year of college I went on a summer semester abroad. Our chaplain led Compline (Night Prayer) in the chapel every night, and aggressively encouraged us to attend. So I tried it and really fell in love with these “bed time” psalms and antiphons which are among the most beautiful and consoling prayers in the liturgy. Phrases like “my soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn” and “Into your hands Lord,I commend my spirit” and “Protect us Lord as we stay awake, watch over us as we sleep, that awake we may keep watch with Christ and asleep rest in His peace.” I was struck at how these words were perfect expressions of trust and confidence—such a great way to end the day. This led me to make Night Prayer a personal habit, and later, to get a breviary and add Morning and Evening Prayer as well. Later, I also added the Office of Readings, and finally, Daytime Prayer. Now, don’t think that all through the years of raising babies, homeschooling, and all the busyness of a mother’s life that I faithfully did every liturgical hour of every single day. Far from it. For years I was doing well if I did only one or two of them per day. There were often stretches of weeks at a time when I got away from it entirely. But it was always something I kept coming back to. No other form of prayer has worked better for me. Now that my kids are older it’s pretty easy for me to take five liturgical prayer breaks daily. And it’s funny, writing my blog and book about the Liturgy of the Hours certainly cemented that faithfulness because now it was on my mind so much of the time during the writing process.

Q: Did you learn anything new in the writing process?

I finally got straight in my mind some of the more obscure rules for which prayers one chooses for the various feast days, memorials, and optional memorials. Also, since I had to do a chapter on resources, I was really glad to become familiar with all the online resources—digital breviaries and tutorials—that are out there. The computer age has been one of mixed blessings, but one really monumental result has been the way the Internet has made the Liturgy of the Hours accessible to everyone.

Overall, it brought my awareness of the benefits of liturgical prayer to a higher level, two things especially: the way it connects us to the universal Church at prayer, and the intimacy with Jesus that it brings, since the psalms are the prayers He prayed while on earth, and continues to pray in, with, and through us as members of His mystical body.

Q: For people who think they are too busy to pray the hours – how would you encourage them and where should they get started?

I’d say to start small, with just one of the hours (or at the most, two) daily. Be faithful to that, and once that is a firm and loved habit, only then discern whether you should try adding more. Night prayer is the easiest to do using a print breviary, so unless you are just too tired to pray well at night I would start there. On the other hand, if you are that classic “morning person” who loves to be up ahead of the rest of your family, then Morning Prayer might be a good starting point for you. If you are a heavily scheduled person, or are just kind of scatter brained like me, then right away do whatever it is you normally do to remind yourself about important things: calendar, day planner, chimes on your mobile device, sticky notes over the kitchen sink, whatever it is that helps you to remember. Also, it might help to link prayer to some activity you always do: just before or after a meal; just before or after a favorite TV program; just before or after you read the daily newspaper. Whatever it is that you wouldn’t dream of NOT doing each day, link prayer time to that.

One more thing: podcasts of the liturgical hours at divineoffice.org can be a godsend to moms with small children and babies, or to moms with a long commute to and from work each day. You can listen and pray along while your hands and eyes are occupied.

Q: When you have a week where you are feeling busy and overwhelmed by life, how does your prayer of the Divine Office bring solace and comfort?

In so many ways! For one thing, the psalms speak to every state of the human condition: joy, sorrow, gratitude, fear, stress. So very often the psalms of the day seem to speak to my problems, and remind me that despite my difficulties, trust and hope are the answer.

On the other hand, this kind of prayer simultaneously reminds me that it’s not just about me and my problems. The whole Church needs prayers and liturgical prayer unites you to the joys and the sorrows of your brothers and sisters worldwide. You are forced to get beyond your own problems to lift up everyone in prayer. And you are reminded that despite temporary stressors, there is always something to be thankful for: creation, redemption, forgiveness of our sins, salvation.

Most of all, stopping in my tracks five times daily prayer forces me off that hamster wheel of activity, into a space of peace and rest.

Order The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Visit our Book Notes archives

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

• Today’s Scriptures
• USCCB Video Reflection
• Saints of the Day

Watch this video on YouTube.

If one has any doubts about the necessity and value of prayer in our lives, one just has to read today’s selection from the last discourse of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel.  We have Jesus himself sharing his intimate prayer with the Father and even helping us to see the necessity of outward expression such as lifting his eyes to the Heavens while he addresses his Father!  Jesus is praying for his friends, the apostles. He also is praying for all of us even those who do not believe in him.  His example of praying and teaching us how to pray comes to my mind as I reflect on this Gospel passage—especially the first five lines. I thought of the Lord’s Prayer (the Our Father, the Pater Noster from Matthew 6:9-13) where Jesus answered the petition,  Lord, teach us to pray.  He not only  teaches us the seven petitions in that great prayer but also allows us to enter the heart of his own intimate prayer at the waning hours of his life.  The prayer is simple, yet majestic. It is poetic, yet so real that it moves us to be aware of the importance of prayer in our lives.  If the Son of God prayed, how much more should we.  If he petitioned the Father to make us one even as he and the Father are one, then intercessory prayer is one of the essential ways of praying.  Gestures are important too as we learn from Jesus in his last prayers with those whom he loved.

The word “glorify” or “glory” may baffle us at times. Recently, learned that the glory of the Father and the Son is the love they have for each other and this is the Holy Spirit.  I linked the word glory to the Lord’s Prayer in the opening where we say “hallowed be thy Name” knowing well that the Name is the person of God—Father , Son, Holy Spirit.  The word for glory in Hebrew is kabod. It arises from the interior of a person and represents the person’s presence and actions that are overwhelming.  Psalm 3:3 gives us a glimpse of the meaning of glory applied to God: “O Lord, you are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.”  Fr. Prevost in the Short Dictionary of the Psalms has this important sentence: “The glory of God is the radiant manifestation of God’s being.  To speak of the glory of God is to speak of God’s radiance in the world, God’s self-manifestation outside the reign of heaven, and, finally, of God’s presence and dwelling in the world.”

Jesus prays that he will be glorified by the Father for accomplishing what he does in the sufferings, death, and resurrection.  Jesus prays for himself!  He prays for his disciples; he prays for us.  Like his disciples he prays that we be protected from the hostility of the world; that we remain faithful to him through our trust, our hope, and our love of him.  He prays for unity and peace.

We are amazed at the simplicity and intimacy of his prayers. We realize our own prayer must be like his—simple and reverent.  Perhaps, we may wish to be more attentive to the times we will pray the Our Father this day and maybe to see John 17 as a reflection of what is said in the Lord’s Prayer.   We may discover that the significance of Jesus’ life is contained in chapter 17 of John’s Gospel.

“All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your Name (Psalm 86:9) and “I will glorify your Name forever.” (Psalm 86:12). Amen.

Copyright 2013 Fr. Bertrand Buby, S.M. 

Real Men Pray the Rosary: 33 Day Rosary Challenge

“The Rosary is for old ladies and funerals.”

Yes, I was one of THOSE people. I thought I was way too cool and sophisticated to pray the Rosary. I was a man. Despite being blessed with a saintly Mom who lovingly tried to convince her eldest son that the path to true holiness and practiced Catholicism was through our Blessed Mother and faithful praying of the Rosary, such quaint and anachronistic practices were for others. Not for me.

Thankfully, my Mom never gave up hope that I would eventually see the light. Sure enough, the Holy Spirit slapped me around a few times in 2008 until finally I woke up and was born again as a revert Catholic. John 3:5.  My new fervor and conviction for our Blessed Mother and promoting the Rosary ignited my wife and I to form an apostolate known as “Real Men Pray The Rosary, Inc.” (“RMPTR”). Since its beginning, we’ve held on for dear life as the apostolate has been swept up in a global movement. In a relatively short period of time, our Facebook page has erupted to over 27,000 “likes” from throughout the Catholic world: the Philippines, Nigeria, Australia, U.K., Canada, India, and here at our home in the United States as well. This story is partially documented in our recently released book “Real Men Pray The Rosary: A Practical Guide to a Powerful Prayer” published by the wonderful folks at Ave Maria Press.

RMPTR’s most recent initiative is the “RMPTR 33 Day Rosary Challenge.” In this initiative, we invite all Christians to:

Pray the Rosary every day for 33 days. Pray it daily. Not for 30 days but 33 days. 33 represents the number of years that Jesus dwelt among us in the fullness of his humanity. 33 constitutes a direct connection to the fullness of the Divine- made man, a connection to Jesus himself. One day of praying the Rosary for every year that Jesus set aside his glory as God, and lived, breathed, and walked among us. Pray the Rosary daily for 33 days. Focus on the content of the mysteries. Meditate upon the richness of the Gospel story and apply the lessons to your life. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to receive the fullness of His mystery-the fullness of faith.

Praying the Rosary daily and mediating upon the mysteries permits us to employ the full gospel story, the new covenant salvation story, within our own continuing faith journey. Those who pray the Rosary daily and who respond to the call to faithfully meditate upon the mysteries of the day find that within one week, they live the imminent joy of Advent and the birth of our Lord; cherish the illuminating reality that Jesus walked among us, talked to and taught us directly; intimately observe, with Mary by our side, the sorrowful cruelty meted upon him by our sinful humanity and marvel at his loving response; and yet, experience the glorious joy of promises kept as we stand at the tomb and begin to understand the reality of the covenant satisfied. Our circle of faith is completed by the visceral story prayed by us and lived by us in this daily prayer.

Such frequent relationship with Jesus and Mary for 25-30 minutes a day is bound to change us. As Pope John Paul II reminded us:  “Just as two friends, frequently in each other’s company, tend to develop similar friends, tend to develop similar habits, so too, by holding familiar converse with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, … we can become similar to them” and live that elusive, virtuous holy life.

You won’t be praying alone. The entire RMPTR global community will be praying with you. Beginning May 1, the entire RMPTR community, the Body of Christ, will pray along with you. Share your journey with us – on Facebook- or post a comment on your favorite Catholic blog. Share your thoughts on a mystery of the day. You can subscribe to RMPTR’s daily reflection and receive it by email. Ask the RMPTR community to join in your intentions. Share your journey. Share your laughter. Invite someone you love to join the journey. We know it will change your prayer life. We know praying the Rosary daily for at least 33 days will change your life. If you, as I did, need some direction or a refresher on precisely how to pray the rosary, visit our website (www.realmenpraytherosary.org) or download one of our free Rosary pamphlets.

At the end of the 33 days, pray it forward. Share your experience with a loved one. Invite them to continue the 33 day Rosary challenge for themselves. Look closely at the 33 day challenge circular logo, notice the arrow – it continues. The RMPTR 33 day Rosary challenge invites you to make praying the Rosary a permanent and integral part of your spiritual journey. Pray it forward.

Real Men Pray The Rosary, Inc. is a nonprofit apostolate devoted to promoting the Rosary with conviction “in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the liturgy, and in the context of our daily lives.” RMPTR serves as an information source and as a catalyst to encourage praying the Rosary and for honoring our Blessed Mother.

Accept the “Real Men Pray the Rosary 33 day Challenge.” We know our Blessed Mother will lead you to her son. Totus Tuus.

Recipe for Joy by Robin Davis

As we continue to focus on the joys of motherhood this May, I wanted to share the good news about a lovely book that was recently released. Recipe for Joy: A Stepmom’s Story of Finding Faith, Following Love, and Feeding a Family (Loyola Press, April 2013) is journalist Robin Davis’ story of faith and family, compellingly told with a healthy portion of food and cooking mixed in for good measure. Today, I’m thrilled to share a guest article from Robin. I invite you to take a look at Recipe for Joy, which is a true gift for any Mom!

Recipe for Joy

I used to say that I never wanted to be a parent because I’m too selfish. So God upped the ante and made me a step-parent instead. God is funny like that.

Now you might think being a step-parent would be easier than being a biological parent. I just fill in when needed. I’m not a “real mom,” right?

Wrong.

Robin Davis

My stepchildren lost their mother to breast cancer when they were 9 and 7. When I married their father, I became all they’ve got in the motherhood department for as long as they or I walk this earth. And that is an enormous responsibility, one that is so staggeringly heavy I can barely breathe under the weight of it some days.

How could I be a good mother to them and not intrude on the memories of their mother? How could I carry on the good she had started in their lives when I wasn’t sure how?

Clearly, mothering does not come naturally to me. In my previous life in California, I’d spent little time in the company of children. I didn’t know much about age appropriate development or any of that.

The only tool I saw in my arsenal was food. I’m a food writer, a recipe developer, a good cook most days. So I sought to do the majority of my mothering through cooking. Almost every night I made meals and gathered my new family around the table. It provided a place where we could talk and laugh, share our struggles and our accomplishments, filling our bellies and hearts with good things.

I hoped through these meals my stepchildren would feel my love for them, see a bonus, a positive I was bringing to their lives.

But I had the equation all wrong. My stepkids, even my husband, didn’t need me. They would have survived just fine in this world if I’d never walked into their lives. They were — and are — happy and faith-filled and complete. The one who was lacking in this relationship, the one who was broken, was me.

Being a step-parent taught me – forced me, really – to look outside myself. It took me out of the safety and comfort zone of my solitary existence and put me on someone else’s schedule. It made me become the kind of person others could turn to and depend on. It made me learn the joys and trials of living in community with others, adjusting the rhythms of my life to coincide with theirs.

And it made me realize that the weight of step-parenting might be great, but that God had given me all the tools I needed to accomplish the task. I didn’t have to be a super-mom. And I didn’t have to be the mirror image of their biological mother.

I just had to be me. I was enough.

Amazingly, that’s what God has been trying to tell me all along about myself: I’m enough for the plans he has for me.

Robin Davis is currently the food editor at the Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, Ohio,
and hosts a weekly cooking segment on the local CBS affiliate. She is wife to Ken and
stepmother to Ben, Molly, and Sarah.

Order Recipe for Joy: A Stepmom’s Story of Finding Faith, Following Love, and Feeding a Family and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase.

Visit our Book Notes archives

While we truly believe that mothers should be celebrated, thanked and appreciated every day of the year, we want to mark this moment in a special way by wishing all of you a blessed Mother’s Day.

Without you, CatholicMom.com would not exist. Since the year 2000, you moms have been visiting this site for support and encouragement in your Domestic Church. You come because you want the very best for your family, because you desire an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, and because you seek the companionship of others like you around the world. You come to download coloring pages and recipes, to share your philosophical thoughts on theology, to learn about good books and the latest geek tools, and yes sometimes even just to laugh or relax.

Many of you have become the heart of CatholicMom.com over the years – you’ve told your friends or parish about us. You’ve joined us as a writer. You’ve read our books. And most importantly you’ve prayed for us.

Some of you are moms of many, some of few. Some are adoptive moms and others among us have struggled with the devastation of infertility. Some of you are “spiritual moms”, grandmothers and great-grandmothers  And yes, a few of you are even dads, single guys, deacons and even priests. You are always welcome in this space, because in truth each of you are the heart and soul of CatholicMom.com.

It is good for us to take a moment today to reflect on the joys, responsibilities, challenges, rewards and blessings of motherhood. Please know that you are appreciated and that the work you do to serve your family, your Church and the world around you will never go unnoticed in God’s eyes. Take a moment today to treat yourself — you deserve it!

Today, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, I will be praying for each of you — our readers, our writers, our family — in a special way. May your life be filled with God’s richest blessings today and always!

Lisa

Saint Gerard Majella – The Mother’s Saint

I enjoy my friendly relationship with the Redemptorists who run the wonderful website and Facebook page devoted to serving women through the intercession of St. Gerard Majella. Here’s a bit more about them from their Facebook “about” section:

Our online community provides prayer, support, celebration, education and hope for all mothers, mothers-to-be, and those trying to conceive.

Biography

Saint Gerard Majella is a Redemptorist saint known around the world as the patron of expectant mothers. Born on April 6, 1726 in Muro, Italy. He was the son of a tailor who died when Gerard was 12, leaving the family in poverty. Gerard tried to join the Capuchin order but was denied because of his ill health. He was later accepted as a Redemptorist lay brother serving the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer as a gardener and a tailor. To learn more about St. Gerard and how he became known as the patron of expectant mothers, visit our website at http://www.themotherssaint.org/pages/saint-gerard.html.

The administrators of The Mother’s Saint Facebook page have set a goal of reaching 3,000 “likes” on Facebook by Mother’s Day and we’re incredibly close to helping them reach that goal. Today, I’m asking friends who use Facebook to please consider “liking” their page at https://www.facebook.com/saintgerardmajella. This is more than simply asking you to a click a button — it’s an invitation for you to learn about and enter into an intercessory relationship with a saint, and also with a tremendous community. At the page you’ll find inspiration, support, informational resources and much more. Your “like” will additionally help spread the good news about this resource and the work being done on behalf of mothers everywhere to your family and friends online.

Thanks for your consideration. Like the page at https://www.facebook.com/saintgerardmajella and help us help moms!

17-track album from Benedictines of Mary in stores/online today

Angels and Saints at Ephesus

Atlanta, GA, May 7, 2013 – The awe-inspiring music of ANGELS AND SAINTS AT EPHESUS, the highly anticipated CD from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, is available today from De Montfort Music/Decca.

This follow-up to last year’s number one hit ADVENT AT EPHESUS is a year-round collection featuring 17 English and Latin pieces sung a cappella for the feasts of the holy Saints and angels. Recorded once again at their Priory in the heartland of America, this new album, also available for digital download, is a dynamic yet pure fusion of their contemplative sound.

“We are truly excited that ANGELS AND SAINTS AT EPHESUS is available today,” De Montfort Music co-founder Monica Fitzgibbons said.  “This is a classic must-have recording for any collection of music, and an opportunity to experience the Heavenly sounds emanating from these holy hearts of the Benedictines of Mary whose singing sparks a heightened sense of the True and the Beautiful.”

De Montfort enlisted nine-time International Grammy® winning producer Christopher Alder, from Germany, and two-time Grammy® winning engineer Mark Donahue to capture the Sisters in their contemplative environment.

“I was surprised by how well [the sisters] sang,” Alder said. “I was already convinced that the quality of their singing was high, so I would enjoy myself musically. … The main feeling to listening to them is the belief in the thoughts that are being expressed and a familiarity and love of the style of music.”

Check out a visual sneak peek of the album:

Watch this video on YouTube.

Order Angels and Saints at Ephesus and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

What I Love about You, Mom

Imagine giving your mother a gift that is born of the emotions in your own heart and hand-created simply for her, to share not only the love you feel, but the many ways in which she has touched and shaped your life. You may think you’re not creative enough to come up with such a treasure, but the new book What I Love About You, Mom by David and Kate Marshall makes giving a personalized gift easy and enjoyable. The amazing this is that you — the giver — will likely enjoy creating this gift as much as the mom you love enjoys receiving it! I hope you enjoy my recent conversations with the Marshalls and that you’ll check out What I Love About You, Mom today!

Q: Please briefly introduce yourselves and your family to our readers.

David and I have been married for nearly 30 years. In addition to raising two wonderful children – now ages 26 and 23 – together, we co-write guided, fill-in-the-blank journals that celebrate family, relationships, and personal growth. Our goal is to help people communicate in enjoyable, informative, and often profound ways with their loved ones. We’re grateful that over 760,000 copies of our journals have found homes. Our brand new journal – What I Love About You, Mom – has just been published as a gift of love to fill out for mothers.

David and Kate Marshall

Q: Tell us a bit about What I Love About You, Mom – what prompted you to write the book and what went into its design and contents?

When David’s mom had a special birthday a few years ago, we wanted to give her a memorable gift. She had no material needs; like many moms, all she really wanted was love and appreciation from her children. We decided to adapt an earlier journal that we’d published for couples – What I Love About You – for her. All four of her adult children filled it with memories and thanks, and presented it to her on her special day. She was floored. To this day, she says it’s the best gift she’s ever gotten from her children. We decided to create a version of this journal for others to do this for their moms, too.

What I Love About You, Mom is a little fill-in-the-blank journal that helps you tell your mother the many things you love, admire and appreciate about her. We provide the prompts, and you fill it with memories and love. It lets you share memories from the early years; express admiration for your mom’s special qualities and talents; say thank you for the many things she’s done for you over the years; and express good wishes for the future.

It’s not always easy to say what’s in our hearts, so the journal leads you through this in different ways: writing prompts with a few lines to answer, lists to checkmark or circle, spaces for photos or drawings, fun things like a template for a gift certificate, a place to trace the outline of your hand like we all did as kids…lots of different ways to express thanks and memories. Some of the prompts are more playful (I love this funny family sorry about the time you…) and some are more reflective (You are strong or unique in this way…).

Q: What are readers saying about their experience of using this book?

What I Love About You, Mom has only been out a few weeks, so we are just now hearing from people who have started writing in it. They’re saying that they can’t wait to see the look on their moms’ faces when they give it to them. They like making a one-of-a-kind gift like this for their mom. Some have said that the journal is giving them a deeper appreciation for how important their mom has been to them over the years.

We expect similar responses to this book as the ones we’ve gotten over the years from people using the couples’ version – What I Love About You. They share that it does take some time to write in the journal (at least a few sittings), but that the pleasure that it gave their loved one, many shedding tears of joy, made it a wonderful experience. We hear about how close it made them feel to each other.

Q: What’s your favorite section of or activity in the book?

As the co-author, I like everything, but David and I worked hard to include a mix of topics and activities so that everyone—all kinds of personalities and preferences—will find things that engage them and are comfortable to them.

I liked doing the more creative pages. Even though I’m not an artist, it felt right that a child-to-mother gift include a little drawing. One page in the journal asks you to pick one word that describes your mom and illustrate it. I picked “determined.” My mom is a great role model to me for aging well—she works hard at staying mentally and physically fit. She had a stroke a few years ago, but immediately started re-training and very soon was back to her farm work and hiking the hills.  I drew “D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E-D,” with each letter climbing up a hill. The final “D” was on the top of the hill, wearing sunglasses and a carrying a walking stick.

I also liked writing about things I look forward to in our relationship; things I want her to a part of in my life and that I hope we can do together, both big (celebrating future weddings and grandchildren) and small (tea time, watching our favorite shows, going on walks).

Q: Have you filled out the book and gifted it to your own mothers? What was their reaction?

David’s mom is still thrilled with her copy, years later. She has it on her coffee table for all her friends to see. She says she wishes she’d thought to do something like this for her own mother before she passed.

I filled it out for my mom as soon as we got the published edition earlier this year. We live on opposite sides of the country and don’t get to see each other often, so this was a nice way to stay close. She’s in her early 80’s now, and doing really well, but you never know what could happen, so I am immensely grateful to have been able to fully express my appreciation to her now. She loved it. She especially loved hearing my memories of our early days, which triggered memories of her own. As a result, we had fun exchanging stories, including a funny story she told me about a trip to the pediatrician when I was a girl that I had never heard before.

Q: How will children — including adult children — benefit from enjoying and sharing this book?

Performing acts of love feels good. In our experience, expressing love and gratitude like this is at least as beneficial to the giver as it is to the receiver. One person told us that the memories the journal extracted from his mind were as pleasurable to him as he expected they will be to his mom. In addition to the pleasure of recalling happy times, writing about the relationship, focusing on the positive blessings, makes you feel more connected and even more loving to the person. If the journal brings you closer together, that’s truly a gift to you both.

David and I feel more at peace knowing that our moms have heard what’s in our hearts. Saying “I love you” is great, but there is something powerful about giving something that can be read and re-read many times over. Now we can be sure that our moms know how much we love them back.

Q: Are there any additional thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

David and I wish your families all the best. We hope you find ways to connect and appreciate each other, whether with our journals or any other way that works for your families. If you like the idea of writing your thoughts, you might want to see our other journals, too:

My Life Map: A Journal to Help Shape Your Future helps people at any stage of life create a road map of both their past and their future in all major life areas. It encourages you to set goals and shape a future with intention and purpose.

Picture of Me: Who I Am in 221 Questions offers an engaging way to answer life’s most basic questions: “Who am I?” Fill in these entertaining, thought-provoking prompts to celebrate who you are, where you are in life, and all the things that make you unique.

What I Love About You offers couples a fresh way to say “I love you.” The questions and fill-in blanks prompt you to sing your loved one’s praises and say what’s in your heart. Playful and tender, this is the perfect gift for the love of your life.

The Book of Us: A Journal of Your Love Story in 150 Questions helps any couple remember and cherish the story of their most important love, from first date to wedding day and through the years beyond, with 150 simple yet thoughtful questions.

The Book of Myself: A Do-it-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions is a keepsake fill-in journal with 201 memory-evoking prompts to make it easy—and enjoyable—to tell your life story, one page and one memory at a time.

To learn more or to contact us, visit www.marshallbooks.net

Order What I Love About You, Mom and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

The Catholic Baby Name Book

In celebration of the launch of our next CatholicMom.com book, Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur’s The Catholic Baby Name Book, Ave Maria Press is launching the Catholic Baby Name of the Day Contest on its Facebook page.

Follow along Monday through Thursday for the next two weeks. Each day, we will post two names—one girl’s name and one boy’s name—from The Catholic Baby Name Book. If your name is posted, or you know someone with that name, leave a comment under the post and/or tag your friend with the name on Facebook. You AND your tagged friend will be entered to win a book from our spring 2013 releases.

Winners will be notified Friday, May 24th.

About The Catholic Baby Name Book

With more than ten thousand names of saints and biblical figures, this first-ever guide to Catholic baby names helps expectant parents find a beautiful and creative name for their child. Each entry includes the meaning of the name, language of origin, variations in form, a capsule biography, and relevant feast days and patron saint information. While it has become increasingly popular to name a baby after a town or a food, readers will discover here a bounty of names that are fun, creative, and Catholic. This new book in the CatholicMom.com Book series boasts thousands of names of saints from Christian tradition and the scriptures, including those newly canonized by popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Among the fun facts to be discovered: there are ten ways to spell Regina, the perennially popular name Jayden means “thankful” and “God has heard,” and Sophia–the most popular girl’s name in 2012–was a saint who had three daughters named Faith, Hope, and Charity (who were also saints!).

About Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is a lifelong Roman Catholic, homeschooling mom, and freelance writer on topics of women’s spirituality. She is a senior editor at Catholic Lane and the author of Letters to Mary from a Young Mother. She holds a bachelor of arts in history and fine art and a master of arts in applied theology. MacArthur lives in western Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

Order The Catholic Baby Name Book and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

We’re building a wonderful partnership with our friends at Catholic Relief Services and are happy to spread the news about their great work being done around the world. We’ll be regularly sharing information and stories from both the FaithWorks section of CRS and their other initiatives as well. This week, I want to point you to the following stories that are sure to inspire:

Watch this video on YouTube.

• St. Joseph and the Dignity of Work – Edward Hoyt helps us celebrate one of St. Joseph’s two feast days with a perspective on work and Catholic social teaching
• Want to give mom a Mother’s Day gift she’ll treasure? Consider a Celebration Gift or something from the CRS Gift Catalog and give the gift of hope!
• Learn more about CRS’ School Feeding Initiative
• Are you a coffee drinker? Then you’ll want to read about how “leaf rust” is creating a serious coffee crisis and how Catholic Relief Services is working to mitigate the damage

As always, we urge you to consider prayerful support and a financial gift to Catholic Relief Services.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious by Pat Gohn

Today’s “Book Note” isn’t really a “note”. It’s a love song. The singer — although she’s not actually singing (but her words are really music to a woman’s ears) — is one of my best friends and favorite authors Pat Gohn, who recently penned the outlandishly awesome book Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood. Pat recently hosted a webinar with ENDOW Executive Director and the writer of Pat’s foreword, Terry Polakovic.

Since I know that most women aren’t sitting around in the middle of the day and that you may have missed this tremendous opportunity, I decided to share it here today. I hope you’ll carve out an hour of protected time (or two half hours), pour yourself a cup of tea, and treat yourself to a love song that will affirm your dignity as a woman. Here’s a blueprint of the webinar:

In this webinar Pat Gohn, author of the new book Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious, and Endow’s Executive Director and Bodacious Foreword writer, Terry Polakovic, discuss the top themes that celebrate the gift of womanhood from a Catholic perspective. In this “Top Ten” style presentation, (with apologies to David Letterman), Pat and Terry unpack the wisdom and the beauty of the feminine genius, with a special emphasis on a woman’s blessed dignity, beautiful gifts, and bodacious mission.

Using a “best of” approach, these two educators will offer fast-paced snippets quoting key resources and magisterial documents that can be used as conversation starters with women, as well as offering resources that can become the basis of local parish curricula or discussion groups for women.

The new evangelization will never move forward without women understanding their specific role in it. Here’s a great place to start.

Find Pat at http://www.patgohn.net

Find Terry and ENDOW at http://www.endowgroups.org

Watch this video on YouTube.

Video Link

Order Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Visit our Book Notes archives

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Erin Bethea

Editor’s note: I recently had the amazing opportunity to conduct a telephone interview with the talented young actress Erin Bethea. You’ll likely recall Erin as the talented young actress who played Kirk Cameron’s wife in the film Fireproof. But our conversation this week related to Erin’s work on the film This Is Our Time, which was recently on DVD. The film, which just won Best Feature at the International Christian Film Festival, is the kind of movie we parents want in our homes. I’ll include the film’s trailer below and hope you’ll check it out here. LMH

Watch this video on YouTube.

THIS IS OUR TIME

inspiring movie about following the call of God, comes to DVD and Blu-Ray April 16

Los Angeles, Calif. — THIS IS OUR TIME, an inspirational film about what it really
means, and what it really takes, to follow the call of God in your life, is coming to DVD
and Blu-Ray on April 16. It will be available nationwide at Family Christian Stores and
most Christian online and brick-and-mortar retail stores nationwide.

The movie, distributed by Pure Flix, follows the post-collegiate lives of five friends
connected by their strong belief in God who all long to make a meaningful difference in
the world. But when tragedy strikes the close-knit group, their friendship and their faith
are tested in ways they never imagined.

“The experiences the characters in THIS IS OUR TIME face are the kinds of real-life ups and downs, successes and devastation, all of us encounter living life,” said Lisa
Arnold, the film’s writer, director and co-producer. “I wanted to tell a story that would
resonate with young people just stepping out into the world to make their mark that
would help them see that no matter the circumstances they face, God is always with
them, loving them, guiding them.”

The movie tells the interwoven stories of Luke (T.J. Dalrymple) and Alé (Erin Bethea),
who marry right after school and move to India to serve as missionaries for Embrace A
Village, a ministry that cares for those afflicted with leprosy and their families; aspiring
financier Catherine (Kate Cobb), who joins a prestigious financial institution determined
to make an impact on corporate America; Ryder (Matthew Florida), who lands an
impressive job in social media and can’t wait to use the powerful medium for a greater
good; and Ethan (Shawn-Caulin Young,) seemingly the odd man out, who struggles to
find his God-given-purpose and feels sidelined by God.

“What they all come to learn is that it never really was their time,” Arnold said. “It always
was, always is, God’s time.”

THIS IS OUR TIME has received The Dove Foundation’s Family Seal of Approval
(earning the highest rating of five Doves) and is recommended for all ages. It also
features appearances by Hollywood veterans Eric Roberts, Erik Estrada and Dawn
Wells.

Coinciding with the movie’s DVD release, Pure Flix is teaming with Family Christian
Stores and other Christian retailers to award eight $2,500 college scholarships through
registrations submitted through FamilyChristian.com and other websites representing
more than 2,000 retail outlets nationwide. Participation eligibility and rules can be found
at www.thisisourtimemovie.com.

Pure Flix- Pure Flix is a Christian movie studio that produces, distributes, and acquires
Christ-centered movies for the sole purpose of changing our culture for Christ, one heart
at a time. Our mission since day one has remained the same and we continue to strive
to make a difference for His name. Learn more at www.pureflix.com

Video Link

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