My recent adventures at the EWTN network to film Catholic Mom's Cafe!

For some time now I have been creating and preparing a five part television series for EWTN called "Catholic Mom's Cafe."Viewers have loved my show "Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms" and have asked me if I could possibly do a longer show. The wonderful folks at EWTN approved of my idea to create a series, "Catholic Mom's Cafe." I'm sure you know (because there's news about it all over this blog) that I have a book with a similar title: Catholic Mom's Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year which is being released at this time.

     So, just recently it was time to fly down to the EWTN network in Irondale, Alabama to film the series along with my five guests. When I arrived to "my" house which is provided by EWTN to stay while filming, I immediately noticed the set for the show which was all ready to go. I took a moment to admire the little special touches.

After setting my bags down and thanking Jerry, EWTN's driver, I went directly next door to another EWTN house to meet up with the first four of my guests who had already arrived. Lots of hugs and excitement ensued and then we all headed through the back yard and up to the EWTN chapel to pray in thanksgiving for this opportunity to serve Catholic moms through the series and in anticipation of the filming we would be doing the following day.

We then headed over to my house so I could show my lovely guests the sweet set I had recently discovered.

"This is it ladies! Isn't it pretty?" We chatted a short while and since it was starting to get late we bid our "good byes" and then took care of ironing our clothes for the filming the following day. I decided I should get to bed because we'd be starting early the next morning.

I love the Our Lady of Guadalupe image on my set. It was one of the "props" I had requested. My first guest would be Lisa Mladinich. Lisa and I chatted about "The Skinny of Catholic Fashion."

Lisa Maladinich getting ready

Chatting about fashion and modesty

"The Skinny of Catholic Fashion"




If you look closely, you'll see a photo of my family on the left on the counter.

A few minor adjustments

Okay, the dishes are all done!

My next guest, Marge Fenelon
Discussing "Kids and the Culture."







After Mass, we enjoyed lunch at St. Clare's dining room before filming later in the day.

Lisa Maladinich, me, Woodeene Koenig-Bricker, Marge Fenelon, and Lisa Hendey

Me, Woodeene, Marge, and Lisa Hendey. Lisa M. had to fly back to NY.

My third guest, Lisa Hendey
We discuss "Upholding Dignity through Contradictions"

Woodeene Koenig-Bricker and I discuss "Going it Alone" about single motherhood.

After that show, a photographer came to take some photos of me to use for promotion.

My producer, Jill Sanders, and director Fred, and cameraman Mike
at the end of a long day.







That afternoon Karen Edmisten arrived. The following morning she gets a little powder before our show.

Karen Edmisten and I discuss "Dealing with Loss through Miscarriage."

I also did some promo bits to announce the future series after filming was complete for the day. That afternoon I was honored to be Jim and Joy Pinto's guest on their Live show, "At Home with Jim and Joy." You can hear our segment here: http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=6696&T1=at+home Just scroll down until you see my name and hit the "download" button.

Blessed to be Fr. Mitch's guest on the EWTN Live show that evening.

You can see it here on Youtube: http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25_OZnazv8&playnext=1&list=PLA02A15AE776B6200%3AMy

The following morning I was honored to once again be Doug Keck's guest on EWTN's Bookmark show.
 We discuss two of my books. It will air on June 9, 2013 (air times on my website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com )

What a whirlwind of a trip! I am hoping and praying that God will continue to bless this endeavor "Catholic Mom's Cafe" to bring inspiration, guidance, and the Catholic tools to Catholic moms to aid them in navigating the myriad of circumstances in their lives. When I learn of air dates for the series I will indeed let you know. Stay tuned!

May God bless mothers everywhere and may we all reach up in prayer to Mother Mary who will certainly bring us closer to her Son Jesus.

Endorsement from Father Donald Calloway, MIC, STL

"Everyone knows that a mother's love is something special, and every day is better when a mother s love is present. Indeed, mothers are such a special gift that God himself desired to have one. As part of her daily life the mother of Jesus would ponder, offer, pray, and savor the wisdom and loveliness of the great treasure of her vocation. This wonderful book can help all mothers to do the same. Catholic Mom s Café offers all mothers the opportunity to make a daily retreat that only takes 5 minutes! Pondering, offering, praying, savoring what a beautiful way for any mother to start the day!"~Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, STL, Author Under the Mantle: Marian Thoughts from a 21st Century Priest

Twelfth stop along my blog tour!

From Lisa Hendey:

Today, I’m happy to host a “tour stop” on the virtual junket of my dear friend and fellow author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle. Those of you familiar with Donna-Marie’s apostolate will know that she has devoted her life to the care and support of Catholic Moms. Through her writing, her television work with EWTN and her online presence, she has a unique and amazing way of reaching out to women in the throes of the mothering vocation.

With Donna-Marie’s newest book, Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year, she delivers a formula that can help you make the daily prayer you so desperately desire a reality in your busy life. Here’s an overview of what you’ll find in Catholic Mom’s Cafe.

For most, setting aside even a few minutes a day can be a challenge. Cooper O’Boyle’s new Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013) meets that challenge. A 365-day devotional book for Catholic moms, the daily reflections highlight the virtues of faith, hope, and love, and are brief enough to be enjoyed in just five minutes. Each meditation includes quotes from the Bible, a spiritual reading or relevant quote, an engaging and to-the-point meditation, a prayer that relates to the daily theme, and a brief “sound bite” to ponder throughout the day. Cooper O’Boyle encourages women to use the book however it fits into their schedule, and to consider it a “mini-retreat” for energizing their resolve and their faith.

Along with supporting your prayer life through this lovely book, Donna-Marie has created a blog and a Facebook page to continually uplift you in your vocation. Both of these are places to take the precepts that she is teaching us in the book and — incommunity — to apply them to the challenges we face in our day-to-day lives. A tool like Catholic Mom’s Cafe is the perfect way to refresh your spiritual life if you’ve felt separated from daily devotion, or to increase the blessings of the daily time you’re already spending in quiet prayer.

Keep an eye out for the wonderful “Catholic Mom’s Cafe” television series in development with EWTN — it promises to be another wonderful gift to Catholic moms everywhere. And today, treat yourself to a heaping scoop of inspiration and love with Catholic Mom’s Cafe!

See Lisa's post here: http://catholicmom.com/2013/04/29/catholic-moms-cafe-nourishes-a-mothers-spirit/

Eleventh stop along my blog tour!

Catholic Mom’s Café is open for business!

Catholic moms, you are in for a treat!

EWTN host and best-selling author, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, has a new TV series and a book to match, and I am very proud to announce them both!

Catholic Mom’s Café is the title of her terrific new book (available now) and her new television series of the same name, which will premiere on EWTN some time in the near future! (Watch local listings for your area.)

As a busy mother of five, Donna-Marie understands that our hectic lives make it difficult to find time for prayer and reflection; so her new book provides 365 five-minute mini-retreats that highlight faith, hope, and love, in an engaging and flexible format that any woman can adapt to meet her own needs.

Like everything Donna-Marie sets her heart and hands to do,Catholic Mom’s Café is geared toward real women, coping with real-world problems. Her work is clear, Catholic, and always encouraging. Here is some of what you’ll find in her book:

Motherhood is a miraculous vocation – sometimes the miracle is just making it through the day!

Let’s face it: being a mom is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes we just hit the ground running without giving our faith a second thought. This collection of quick “mini-retreats for moms” can change all that.

Consider these your spiritual “daily vitamins” that will energize you and help you find the faith, hope, and love you’ll need to be the mom God wants you to be – today and every day.

• Ponder quotes from the Bible and other spiritual readings

• Offer yourself to the Lord through an easy activity or idea

• Pray suggested prayers that match the daily theme

• Savor a little “sound bite” to carry throughout the day

The first five episodes of the EWTN series were filmed last week in Irondale, Alabama, and I was honored to be one of Donna-Marie’s first guests, talking about modesty and how we can adapt today’s fashions in a way that supports our dignity as children of God.

I was very humbled to be included with her four other, wonderful guests: Lisa Hendey, Karen Edmisten, Marge Fenelon, and Woodene Koenig-Bricker, discussing a wide variety of topics, all near and dear to any mother’s heart. (For more information on the guests and their topics, head over to theblog!)

So join the conversation at Donna-Marie’sCatholic Mom’s Café blog, where you’ll find all the updates and featured links to reviews and news on both the book and the TV series; and stop by and “like” the Catholic Mom’s Café on Facebook, where Donna-Marie will share ideas, book excerpts, reviews, inspiration, news, and recipes!

Here’s a link to Donna-Marie’s recent interview on EWTN Live, with Father Mitch Pacwa, where she shares lots more about the book and the TV series!

Personally autographed copies of the book are available at Donna-Marie’s website, but you can also order (non autographed) copies at Our Sunday Visitor, Barnes & Noble.com, andAmazon.com.

Enjoy!

Love,

Lisa 
check out Lisa's blog here and leave a comment or share through social media: http://amazingcatechists.com/2013/04/catholic-moms-cafe-is-open-for-business/#comment-25733

Post coming up - meanwhile here's my appearance on the EWTN Live show.

Hello friends,

I am planning to post very soon about the adventures at EWTN filming the five part series of Catholic Mom's Cafe.

In the meantime you can watch my appearance on the EWTN Live show with Fr. Mitch talking about the series and the book here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25_OZnazv8&playnext=1&list=PLA02A15AE776B6200

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Tenth stop along my blog tour!

From Patti Maguire Armstrong:

Do you think you would benefit spiritually by spending thirty hours in prayer and meditation?  Yeah, right, you are likely thinking.  Where would I find time for that? I’m a very busy mother.

Motherhood has its ironies.  When we are pregnant and feel the need to “rest up,” sleep is often hard to come by.  Having children requires lots of energy but time to recharge our batteries is almost non-existent.   Often, it is when we have children that we also develop the desire to grow spiritually, understanding our awesome blessing/responsibility and need for God’s help. But by then, free time is little more than a faded memory from our single days. Yet, every mother also knows that time is valuable and a lot can be packed into a short time.

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is a wife, mother of five children, catechist, and EWTN TV host who understands the ironies.  She also understands that if a mother doesn’t make time for prayer and reflection, it won’t happen.  So, Donna-Marie has developed a short but concentrated book of daily retreats for busy moms to help them refresh their spirit in between their responsibilities—and all in just five minutes.

Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every day of the Year is a 365-day devotional book for moms with daily reflections that highlight the virtues of faith, hope and love.  Each day of prayer and meditation takes only five minutes so it’s actually doable for even the busiest of moms.  Five minutes upon rising in the morning, with a cup of coffee, or during kids nap or playtime can be slipped into any schedule.  Over the course of a year, that adds up to 1,825 minutes or 30.4 hours.

The mini retreats are a power-packed few minutes with quotes from the Bible, a spiritual reading or quotes, an engaging meditation and a prayer that relates to the daily theme and brief “sound bite” to ponder throughout the day.

To give you an idea of the simplicity yet deepness, here is an example from March 1:

Ponder

“All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”  -Helen Keller

Offer

Our children are already a part of us, but as we grow together in the blessedness of a family we become even more entwined on the journey that is our lives.

One afternoon when my son Joseph was little, he made a pit stop to my lap after a busy morning playing.  There he laid his little body against me to take a break and check in with Mom.  As he gently closed his eyes, I ran my fingers soothingly through his hair.  “Better than chocolate,” he whispered.  “What was that Joseph?” I wasn’t sure I heard him properly.  “Better than chocolate!” he repeated.

Pray

Lord Jesus, grant us an increase in the beautiful virtue of love.  Help us to be sensitive to the needs of our family as well as those we encounter daily.  Blessed Mother Mary, teach us how to love.

Act of Love, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Savor

A mother’s love is better than chocolate!

There are many ways to pray and of course our own individual communication with God is important to develop a meaningful relationship with him.  This collection of inspiration can add to that relationship.  Donna-Marie provides a structure so we don’t have to think about it beyond grabbing 5 minutes somewhere.

The retreats have assembled profound thoughts that a busy mother can soak in throughout the day. Some of my favorites are:

“We must be devoted children, who place our trust in our father and do not foolishly spurn Him.  Whatever we do, we do to God!” –Father Jacques Bunel, O.C.D. Resistor to Nazis, WWII,

“Hope dies last.”  – Mexican saying

“Love is to will the good of another” –Saint Thomas Aquinas

Through the concentrated 5-minute retreats, the time adds up and at the end of the year, we will have the fruits of that time: 30 hours of spiritual growth. And that is certainly worth a few minutes a day.

See this post at Catholic Lane:http://catholiclane.com/catholic-moms-cafe-5-minute-retreats-for-every-day-of-the-year/ Feel free to leave a comment there and share on social media. Leave a comment here as well if you'd like.

Ninth Stop along my blog tour!

BLOG TOUR: Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle stops by The Working Catholic Mom

April 24, 2013

Celebrating the gift of motherhood and challenging momma’s to ponder their vocations deeply, popular Catholic author, blogger, speaker, and EWTN host, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle gives us, “Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year” (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013). You can also check out the facebook page for both the book and the television series here.

I try to read everything Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle puts out there. First of all, she is such an exemplary role model for women of the Catholic faith…how to put your faith in practice, how to handle disappointments and stumbles along the way, and how to find Catholic mentors and role models. Additionally, Donna-Marie has a new book out for Confirmation kids: My Confirmation Book. When does this woman sleep??? Believe it or not, she is also an incredible role model for balance, healthy eating (known for her love of garlic), and for maintaining ministry in the middle of it all.

For all women who say, “I don’t have time to pray,” -GET THIS BOOK

For all working women who say, “I don’t have breaks during the day to pray,” -GET THIS BOOK

For all women wrought with anxiety, worry, and general compulsions to do things perfectly – GET THIS BOOK

For all women with a desire to deepen their faith-life, and journey to our eternal home -GET THIS BOOK

For all women who have not thought these things -GET THIS BOOK

Catholic Mom’s Cafe is a gift to every Catholic woman out there. This book, and the EWTN television series creates vignettes and quick, but deep pondering for women, as we listen to the cries of our hearts. Written as a devotional (in a way), these vignettes can be used as 10 minute prayer sessions, or for further pondering and journaling. You guys know I LOVE JOURNALING!

From the back cover of Catholic Mom’s Cafe:

Motherhood is a miraculous vocation – sometimes the miracle is just making it through the day!

Let’s face it: being a mom is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes we just hit the ground running without giving our faith a second thought. This collection of quick “mini-retreats for moms” can change all that.

Consider these your spiritual “daily vitamins” that will energize you and help you find the faith, hope, and love you’ll need to be the mom God wants you to be – today and every day.

• Ponder quotes from the Bible and other spiritual readings
• Offer yourself to the Lord through an easy activity or idea
• Pray suggested prayers that match the daily theme
• Savor a little “sound bite” to carry throughout the day

Author, speaker, and EWTN host Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle knows what it’s like to be a busy mother who has to carve time out of her day for the Lord or it just won’t happen. With five kids of her own, she developed this book to fit into a mom’s lifestyle.

So, go out and buy this book, as a gift from yourself to yourself. Maybe buy multiple copies – you know women who would benefit from the gift of this book.

Autographed copies of the book are available for purchase at Donna-Marie’s website:www.donnacooperoboyle.com. They can also purchase through the publisher: Our Sunday Visitor, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and their local Catholic bookstore.

Thank you, Donna-Marie! You are an inspiration!

Go to Mary's blog: http://theworkingcatholicmom.com/2013/04/24/blog-tour-donna-marie-cooper-oboyle-stops-by-the-working-catholic-mom/ to leave a comment or share through social media. Feel free to leave a comment here too!

Eighth stop along my blog tour!

Introducing: "Catholic Mom's Café"

It is my pleasure to introduce to you my friend, best-selling author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, and her latest project, Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year.

Donna is a renowned speaker, blogger, EWTN host, and author of numerous books, including Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship. Although we’ve never met in person, I’ve had the pleasure of calling Donna my friend as well as my colleague for many years.

Donna writes and speaks about faith and family in her numerous blogs—check here and here, for example—always with a special fervor for Catholic motherhood.

This post is part of a Blog Tour launching Donna’s new book. Drop by herCatholic Mom's Café blog and Facebook page to check out the rest of thestops on the Blog Tour—as well as Catholic ideas, book excerpts, reviews, inspiration, news, and recipes.

As a mother of five, Donna knows what it’s like to be a busy mother who has to be deliberate about carving time out of her day for the Lord—or it just won’t happen.

Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year is a 365-day devotional book for busy Catholic moms. The daily reflections highlight the virtues of faith, hope, and love, and are brief enough to be enjoyed in just five minutes.

“The focus in this book is about living lives of faith, hope and love within the vocation of mothering our children. God as a free gift gives us these wonderful theological virtues at our baptism. These virtues are key to living a Christian life, and I think sadly sometimes we forget about them. I thought it would be helpful to write a book in this way, which offers the busy mom a chance to discover the virtues already present in her life, but unfolding more and more each day. I think the book can be a reminder to "flex" a particular "muscle" of virtue each day to "grow" the virtues! Practicing these virtues makes us more like our Creator.” 

~Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

Donna describes the meditations as “spiritual daily vitamins” to energize youand help you find “the faith, hope, and love you’ll need to be the mom God wants you to be – today and every day.”

By the way, Donna will be hosting on EWTN an upcoming five-part television series by the same name, "Catholic Mom's Café." Check your local listings for details.

One more thing—autographed copies of Catholic Mom's Café are available for purchase at Donna-Marie's website. You can also purchase the book through the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor.

Here's a sampling. Today's meditation in Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year:

April 23rd

Ponder
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." 
~Hebrews 11:1

Offer
I used to visit an elderly blind man at a nursing home. My first time visiting him, he reached his hands forward and ran them all over my face. That's how he "saw" me. It was the first time I had ever experienced something like that, so it was a tad startling.

In a way, his gesture demonstrates how difficult faith can be: Even when we are literally blind, we struggle to "see." And yet God calls us to have conviction about faith--these "things not seen"--even though we cannot put our hands out and "feel" it. Let's trust that He will help us grow in faith and pass it on to our children.

Pray
Lord Jesus, strengthen my faith in you so that I may share it with my family and others. Act of Faith, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Savor
I want to reach out in faith as the blind man did.

Please visit Maria's blog here: 

http://daybydaywithmaria.blogspot.com/2013/04/introducing-catholic-moms-cafe.html
Feel free to leave a comment and/or share through social media. As well, feel free to leave a comment here.

Seventh stop along the blog tour!

Book Review: Catholic Mom's Cafe

 

Ponder. 

Offer.
Pray. 

Savor. 

Four quick steps to get the day going. 

Catholic Mom's Cafe: Five-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year offers daily entries that are meaty enough to be meaningful and short enough to be manageable. 

Ponder a quote. 

Offer a thought. 

Pray a short prayer. 

Savor a Godsend. 

I opened the book at random, and found this great quote from Dorothy Day: 

"Because I am a woman involved in practical cares, I cannot give the first half of the day to these things, but must meditate when I can, early in the morning and on the fly during the day. Not in the privacy of a study - but here, there and everywhere - at the kitchen table, on the train, on the ferry, on my way to and from appointments and even while making supper or putting [my daughter] to bed."

Dorothy Day and Donna-Marie ... these two understand. 

Catholic Mom's Cafe will be here, there, and everywhere in my house. 

(This post is a stop on Donna-Marie's blog tour. Visit Donna at her Catholic Mom's Cafe blog to follow all the stops, or go to Our Sunday Visitor's catalog for more information on the book.)