The Loveliness of a Personalized Litany

February 8, 2012 By 7 Comments

The saints have long been a special love of mine. It’s just SO COOL to have a group of heroes and mentors and real-life people who are already in heaven. They weren’t perfect, either. They were a colorful, often crusty bunch.

As I’ve been reflecting on the importance of praying for others, I realized that I’m not tapping into this heavenly crew nearly enough.

I’ll send a shout-out to a favorite patron here or there, but am I doing it with any regularity? Nope.

In the last few weeks, I’ve composed a personalized litany. I looked up all the former patron saints I’ve had from previous years and included my patron saint, my children’s patrons, and saints who have become special to me over the years. Because I have a special devotion to about 100 different titles of Mary, I alternated the saints with titles of Mary.

After each name, I pray, “pray for us,” thinking of all the intentions and family members and close friends and perfect strangers who so need divine intervention and the graces of God.

The final litany has become one of my favorite parts of my morning prayer time. I generally pray it before I pray for my list of intentions, so it feels like I’m tapping into a whole group of pray-ers. As I drink my coffee and invoke my heavenly friends, I really feel the reality of the Communion of Saints.

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Quick Takes, New Year Style

January 6, 2012 By 3 Comments

 

— 1 —

Good news! I’m going to be attending the Behold Conference in East Peoria, IL, on March 10! It’s quite a line-up going on over there: Kate Wicker‘s the keynote speaker and Jennifer Fulwiler, Hallie Lord, and a host of other people I stalk follow enthusiastically will be in attendance.

I’d love to meet you if you’re going–let me know! You can register at their site and if you’re in my neighborhood, let me know and we’ll carpool. :)

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I haven’t set any resolutions for 2012, though I’m reminded that Lent is coming at the end of February. That’s always a good time to resolve and succeed (or fail, as the case may be), so I think I’ll play copycat to Danielle and wait.

One thing I did do, though, as I have for quite a few years, is select a patron for 2012. Thanks to the Saints Name Generator, I was given…St. Matthias the Apostle.

He’s the patron of alcoholics (current and reformed), carpenters, and tailors. His feast is May 14.

And what’s his tie to me this year? I’m not completely sure, but I’ll be incorporating him into my conversations this year.

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Speaking of Lent…my newest book is out and available!

Welcome Risen Jesus: Lent and Easter Reflections for Families has one page for each day of Lent and the first week of Easter. Every day features sections for Think, Act, Fast, and Pray, designed to help your family work together to embrace the spirit of Lent to lead you to the joy of Easter.

Find it from your local Catholic retailer, your favorite Catholic online retailer (Aquinas & More and the Catholic Company are two of my favorites, though they don’t have it available just yet), Liguori, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

— 4 —

And, while we’re on the topic of writing, exciting news: Welcome Baby Jesus and Welcome Risen Jesus are being released in Spanish!

Pardon me for being a wee bit excited.

And very, very humbled.

— 5 —

Have you seen ImmaculataArt.com? Here’s a little sample of a piece I really love:

I first “met” the artist, Nellie Edwards, a few years ago through some work we both did over at Catholic Exchange.

You can purchase prints on canvas or on paper and there are also greeting cards available.

— 6 —

I’m a big fan of good fiction, and that makes me a huge fan of the Catholic Writers Guild‘s Catholic Arts & Letters Award. This is the second year for awarding it, and I’m looking forward to it.

If you’re interested in applying, do check it out — you only have until January 31! Update: You have until February 29 to apply (thanks to Ellen Gable Hrkach for correcting me).

— 7 —

The other day, I was reading about no-poo, which is basically using baking soda and apple cider vinegar in place of commercial shampoo. I found myself, in the midst of my reading, forwarding it to a friend (who will laugh when she reads this) and suggesting that I might try it.

My husband thinks I’m a little crazy.

In the category of not-so-crazy, I am barely restraining myself from buying My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking, by John Besh. After hearing all about it on Catholic Foodie episode 126 and thinking about the clips he played, I’m thisclose to breaking my standing “no buying books” resolution to buy it. Because, after all, it’s a cookbook. Which is different than a novel or a nonfiction book. Right?

Visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

Filed Under: Books, Quick Takes, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Saints for Moms (and for everyone else, too!)

October 19, 2011 By 24 Comments

Nothing has challenged me like motherhood. Nothing could have prepared me for it, even if I had wanted it all along.

And yet here I am, a mom.

It’s been a blessing to have the communion of saints to turn to in my journey through the phases of motherhood. I’ve made new friends, been inspired by seemingly unlikely patrons, and my faith life gained a new perspective.

Now I have an even bigger reason to appreciate the saints: Lisa Hendey’s new release, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul. (Read to the end to find out how you could win your own copy!)

It’s  just what I needed, when I needed it. Lisa shares her intimate view of the saints with every entry, as though she really knows them. She not only makes them accessible and relatable from a mom’s point of view, she brings us an opportunity to learn more about the saints in a way that’s uniquely suited for the nitty-gritty of everyday family life.

When you read  A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, you’ll experience the saints as real people. They stubbed their toes and struggled to keep their voices down. They weren’t perfect…and that gives all of us hope!

You’ll meet saints who are new to you and revisit known-forever saints in a new light. Keeping this kind of company is sure to rub off on us at least a little, don’t you think?

Before you think this book doesn’t apply to you because you aren’t a mom…well, stop right there. This book was written by a mom for moms, but there are a lot of dads and sisters and brothers out there who could benefit from this devotional.

However you read this book–straight through or as a devotional–you’re sure to find yourself growing and stretching in your own faith journey.

I highly recommend this book for you (whether you’re a mom or not). Consider sharing it with others, especially as the gift-giving season rolls around.

 Click here to see embedded video.

Want to win a copy? Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, October 24, with the name of your favorite saint. I’d love to hear about how your saint helps you in the challenges of your life (whether you’re a mom or not).

Lisa’s making a tour of the blogosphere in the next few weeks, so be sure to join her on the whirlwind. The complete list of stops is over at CatholicMom.com.

Filed Under: Books, Contest, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Lessons of St. Gerard

October 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Mary Moment Monday post

I’ve been receiving the Mary Vitamin via email for quite a while, and it’s one of the only email subscriptions I’ve kept over years. It’s also one of the only ones I actually read regularly.

Last week, there was one titled “St. Gerard,” and after I read it, I kept thinking of it. St. Gerard’s feast day was yesterday, October 16. He was special to me before my daughter was born on his feast, but now he’s special in a whole new way.

Each of my kids has been born on a Marian feast. The daughter born on October 16 had a few ties to Mary: she was born during the month of the rosary and the feasts of both Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At least, that’s what I thought her birthday ties to Mary were. And then I read this in the Mary Vitamin:

“‘Before and after every meal,’ [St.Gerard] wrote in his resolutions, ‘I will recite three Ave Marias; when taking a drink of water, one Ave Maria; every time the clock strikes, one Ave Maria.’”
Father Edward Saint-Omer, C.SS.,R.
St. Gerard Majella (Tan Books:1999), 66.
 The email included more about St. Gerard’s devotion to Mary:
“The Redemptorists are bound by rule to recite five decades of the Rosary, to make a visit to the Blessed Virgin and to say a certain number of Ave Marias every day. They fast, also, on the eves of Mary’s feasts and abstain from meat every Saturday in the year [Saturday being Mary's special day of the week]. Gerard was not satisfied with these marks of filial love. Still more, he recited a Gloria Patri every time he saw an image of the blessed Virgin, whenever he heard her name pronounced and at the beginning and end of every action. His devotion to the Immaculate Conception was incomparable. How often he was rapt in ecstasy before her image!”
Father Edward Saint-Omer, C.SS.,R., 
St. Gerard Majella (Tan Books:1999), 66-7.

I couldn’t help but think, after reading this, of the way this daughter often asks to hold a rosary when she’s in bed. It comforts her. She has a nest of blankies and, now, an assortment of rosaries. When I wash her sheets, I find them, and I tuck them away for when she will ask for them before bedtime.

It is no accident that she’s linked to St. Gerard (not that I ever thought it was), and now that I have read more about his devotion to Mary, I will ask him to guide me in mine and as I expose my children to Mary (especially this daughter with the special link to him).

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Filed Under: Inspired by the Virgin Mary, Mary Moment Mondays Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Mary and My Mom

October 3, 2011 By 1 Comment

A Mary Moment Monday post

My relationship with Mama Mary has seemed to grow almost accidentally. Maybe I was looking for a mom when I found the Catholic Church. Maybe I was looking for more than just a mom, but I needed a mom to lead me to it.

Today, as my real mom celebrates her birthday, I can’t help but smile that it’s also the original feast of one of my favorite saints, Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. (Her feast was moved to October 1 after 1969.)

Therese has been a good friend of mine over the years. We don’t seem to have a lot in common, but I continue to learn a lot from her. As I struggle with her little way–doing small things with great love–I naturally think of the moms in my life.

I don’t think I really appreciated my mom until I had my own kids. It’s cliche to say that, I know, but it’s true.

I didn’t realize how brave she had been until I found myself fighting for my own kids.

I didn’t see how much I must have hurt her until I saw the weak spots in my own emotional armor, imagined my children being like I was (and am).

My mom’s not perfect–and neither am I. In fact, I face a huge hurdle when I think of my Heavenly Mama and how perfect she was–and is.

How in the world do you relate with someone who’s perfect and who raised a perfect kid?

Mama Mary found me. She scraped me up off the floor and held me.

Her intercession has led me to reconciliation–both the sacrament and the experience in my own life. She has led me, again and again, to her Son–in the Eucharist at Mass, in the Blessed Sacrament at Adoration, in the people around me.

Today, on my real mom’s birthday, I want to encourage you to embark on this October with a rosary in your hand. Think of your moms–the one here on earth and the one up in heaven–and say a prayer or ten for them. If you’re as blessed like I am to have extra moms, pray for them as well, whether they’re stepmoms or moms-in-law or special mom-figures.

What better gift than a month of prayers for the important women in our life? I think St. Therese would approve, don’t you?

image credit: ClearlyCatholic.com

Filed Under: Inspired by the Virgin Mary, Mary Moment Mondays Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Recent Reads & More In Seven

September 16, 2011 By 6 Comments

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Stealing Jenny, by Ellen Gable

I mentioned it a while ago, but wanted to bring it up again because it is now available for purchase. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and probably destroy your sleep pattern as you stay up to find out what happens. But beyond being a great suspense, it’s also an excellent example of morals in action and family life redeemed. As a fan of Ellen Gable’s work already, I’m now officially getting a t-shirt!

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Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body, by Kate Wicker

Weightless is the kind of book I need to buy in bulk, because it’s the kind of book I think just about every woman I know needs to read. What woman hasn’t questioned her physical appearance, wondered if she should change, felt a prick of unsurety in the face of a full-length mirror?

Kate Wicker is no stranger to body image issues, and she speaks to the reader as if to a close friend–the kind of friend you can tell the hard stuff to, with complete honesty. Kate shares her struggles candidly, even as she pushes you to seek the higher way.

Kate speaks to the hidden part of each of us, to that small voice that whispers, when we least need it, that our butt’s too big or that he can find someone better looking (as though that’s his top priority anyway). Kate brings the love of Jesus to her readers, even as she makes you smile and want to hug her.

Don’t miss this book. Every woman I know deserves a copy.

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Wholly Mary: Mother of God, by Chris Padgett

This book was a delightful surprise and testament to the fact that there is always something more to say about the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Padgett’s words are vivid and he describes deep theology with a sense of humor and complete humility, a combination I found both unexpected and enjoyable.

Whether you have a devotion to Mary or are looking to learn more, I recommend this book as a great addition for your personal (and parish!) library.

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A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul, by Lisa Hendey

Over the years, I’ve come to know and love Lisa Hendey. It was a joy and a blessing to read her latest book.

Lisa inspires me with her intimate view of the saints. She not only makes them accessible and relateable from a mom’s point of view, she brings us an opportunity to learn more about the saints in a way that’s uniquely suited for the nitty-gritty of everyday family life. You’ll experience the saints as real people even as you grow in your faith journey.

One of my favorite books this year, and perfect for a group study, an individual devotional, or a gift.

So don’t wait. Preorder it now.

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I’m currently reading an upcoming novel by Karina Fabian (who I met in person–at last!–in August).

Oh wow.

She is so converting me to “speculative fiction” (because I’m more likely to read it if it’s not called sci fi/fantasy, and I realize that probably makes me silly or shallow…but there you have it).

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Speaking of books, today’s the LAST DAY of the Marian Novena of Giveaways at CatholicMom.com.

And WHAT a last day it is!

Stop in, pray with us, and enter to win a great book.

Then pray some more.

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My #1 fan told me the other night that he’s disappointed lately when he reads my 7 Quick Takes posts.

“I always hope for pictures. And there are never pictures anymore.”

This is for him (and for those of you who might not have “liked” me on Facebook yet).

Stop by to see Jen at Conversion Diary for all the fun that is 7 Quick Takes Friday!

Filed Under: Books, family, Quick Takes, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recent Reading: A Novel, A Singer, and Saints

July 27, 2011 By 1 Comment

Dancing with Gravity, by Anene Tressler

This novel examines a priest’s life, and I’ll admit, I found it difficult reading. I’m not sure if it challenged me because the priest’s interior life had conflicts or if it was a result of what the conflicts were.

In the end, I enjoyed it. It’s character-driven and it made me consider the challenges of a priest’s vocation in a more ongoing way.

Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth, by Dion Dimucci

This is a book I might have missed if it hadn’t come to me as a review copy, and what a pity for me. I wasn’t even sure who Dion DiMucci was at first, but then I heard him interviewed on The Catholics Next Door and I realized just who he was. (What’s that say about me? Well, never mind that. This is about the book, not me.)

This book is a delightful conversion story of the return to the Catholic Church of someone who had it all. Dion doesn’t hash out things he’s shared in other biographies, but rather examines how his spiritual life changed, and how that brought him back to the Catholic Church.

It might not be a book that will change your life, but it’s a worthwhile read. It’s also a slice of modern rock-and-roll history, which makes it fun.

Meet the Saints, by St. Anthony Messenger Press

I’m a sucker for a book about the saints, and this book does not disappoint. It’s easily tucked into a purse, but for its brevity, it still packs a punch. In the twelve chapters, you’ll meet 145 different saints, grouped together in ways that I didn’t expect. There were old favorites of mine, such as St. Francis of Assissi and St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and also some that were new to me, such as St. Isaac Jogues and St. Sharbel Makhlouf.

The lessons shared in each chapter aren’t rocket science, but they made me pause and reflect. At the end of each chapter, there’s a small task associated with each saint…some of them are more achievable than others, but I liked the way it was presented and integrated.

Highly recommended. This would make a great gift or a wonderful addition to your home or parish library.

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