Fourth stop along my blog tour!

From Ebeth:

Catholic Mom's Cafe: A blog book tour

 Prayer life getting a bit dry?  Maybe you would like something new to read and get ideas to ponder about faith.  I know that there have times when I've searched for a new resource to help me along a dry and just plain boring time in my prayer life.

 Five years ago, I was invited to participate in my first blog Book tour and it was one of  Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's books, a few years later I got to meet her in person at a Catholic Media Network/Catholic Writer's Guild conference in Philly, what a very genuine and kind spirit she is!  Reading her other books were a joy, so this time when Donna-Marie asked me to participate for her newest book, how could I refuse!

Each book Mrs. O'Boyle writes is a true spiritual journey into a mother's heart.  She, as a mother, knows just what we go through and need to sustain us through thick and thin times in the raising and nurturing of a family.  In her new book, Catholic Mom's Cafe, Donna-Marie provides moms with a daily 5-minute retreat, and in just 5 minutes she packs in words of wisdom, a prayer, and something to think about.

When I received "Catholic Mom's Cafe" I began my preliminary scan; the table of contents, acknowledgements, and I usually flip through the contents of the book to get the feel and guesstimate how long it should take me to read the book for my review.  What I discovered at the first scan is that this book is one I will take with me during the day and read it during violin lessons and piano lessons, during a 15 minute break at work and possibly during a boring school meeting, shhhh!!

The book is a retreat book for the entire year with each month a concentration of one of the three theological virtues, Faith, Hope, and Love.  Each day is divided up into four sections: Ponderis a scripture verse or a quote, Offer is Donna-Marie's thoughts on the Ponder, then we Pray prayers that are provided in the front of the book, such as: Act of Faith, or Act of Love, and other prayers that she lists for easy reference and then a final thought to Savor throughout the day.

 This book is a real treat and I know that I am going to enjoy taking a daily break and be inspired, pray, and ponder my motherhood and my life in light of Holy Scripture and our Holy Mother....and I know you will too!

Please look for autographed copies of the book are to  purchase at Donna Marie's website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com. Also, you can purchase Mom's Cafe through the publisher: Our Sunday Visitor, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and their local Catholic bookstore.

Check out Ebeth's post here to leave a comment and/or share through social media: http://acatholicmumclimbingthepillars.blogspot.com/2013/04/catholic-moms-cafe-blog-book-tour.html

Third stop along my blog tour!

From Kathy Schiffer:

The Catholic Mom’s Lament: “There’s No Time to Pray!”

My story is every mother’s story: 
My children are grown, but oh, how I remember those days of math homework and spelling bees, Cub Scouts and softball practice, teacher conferences and playdates and lunch on the run….  Some days, it seemed there was barely enough time to throw dinner on the table before rushing off to one more event in our school-centered lives.

How could I ever find the time for meaningful prayer?

That’s why it was such an honor to be invited to participate in the Blog Tour for Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s new book, Catholic Mom’s Café:  5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year.

I mean, maybe some days—cuddling with a fussy baby, braiding a little girl’s hair, cleaning up a spill—I couldn’t make it to daily Mass, or linger over a chapter of the Gospel of John.  But on the busiest of days, I could commit to five minutes!

That’s all Donna-Marie asks of you.  She skillfully weaves little “POPS” into a mom’s busy day.  POPS, that is, are four aspects of the Catholic spiritual life:   Ponder, Offer, Prayer, and Savor.

Donna invites the reader to “Ponder” a short passage:  perhaps a Scripture verse, an excerpt from the writings of Pope Pius XII, or a poignant quote from C.S. Lewis.

And then in “Offer” comes what may be the most relevant advice for a mother’s day.  Here, Donna looks at how a mother’s daily activities in the home are themselves a form of prayer.   By approaching the day with an attitude of service, by teaching her children to love their heavenly Mother, by planning ahead, by following the example of the saints, by nurturing her children and handling small details, a woman shows love and serves her heavenly Father and her earthly family.

In the third section, “Pray”, Donna-Marie suggests a paragraph (or a single line) which, spoken from the heart, is a fitting ejaculation for a busy mom.  She encourages mothers to pray, first, her quick meditation; then to append an Act of Faith, Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.  Sound advice for all of us—mothers and not!

And lastly, we “Savor” the peace we’ve found from these few minutes of prayer and meditation, strong in His love, secure in our roles.

Thank you, Donna, for helping those of us who are “too busy” to hone in on what really matters.  Prayer needn’t last an hour; we can make a mini-retreat in just five minutes a day.

 *     *     *     *

For more information about Catholic Mom’s Cafe, check out Donna-Marie’s blog dedicated to Catholic Mom’s Cafe (both the book and the TV series), or at her Facebook page. 

Autographed copies of the book are available for purchase at Donna-Marie’s  website; or you can purchase through the publisher (Our Sunday Visitor), at your local Catholic bookstore, or on-line at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

See this post here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2013/04/the-catholic-moms-lament-theres-no-time-to-pray/ and feel free to comment or share it through your social media.

God bless!
Donna-Marie 

Second stop along my blog tour for Catholic Mom's Cafe!

Thank you very much Marge Fenelon for hosting my tour today! 

Here's Marge's post:

Five Minutes to a New You

Sounds impossible, right? If you’re talking about changing yourself on the outside – your looks or physique – then, no, it’s not possible. BUT, if you’re talking about changing yourself on the inside – in five-minute increments over the course of a year, for example – then I’ve got just the thing for you!

Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year written by Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle and due for release May 9 by Our Sunday Visitor is exactly what busy Catholic Moms need to grow spiritually a little every day for an entire year. In each of the book’s 365 entries, there are four sections: Ponder, Offer, Pray, and Savor. The four sections work together beautifully to give the reader thoughts for contemplation, fodder for meditation, words for communication with God, and items for action, and all within a 5-minute span. Prayers used in the book are conveniently found right in the front pages of the book. By the time you’ve finished the day’s entry, you’ll feel as though you’ve just attended a mini-retreat – right at your own kitchen table over morning coffee! By the time you’ve finished the entire book, you’ll feel like a new you – a renewed you!

Here are a couple examples:

May 31st

Ponder

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now n all generations will call me blessed.’” (Luke 1:46-48, NRSV)

Offer

Today is the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. One year on this day, I went “in haste” to visit a grieving mother on the first anniversary of her son’s untimely death. It happened to be on the feast of the Visitation, and coincidentally, the mother’s name was Elizabeth. I didn’t want her to be alone since she was having trouble coping, so I took her out to lunch. Though Elizabeth had been feeling rather hopeless earlier that day, over lunch her spirits lifted. her heart was visibly renewed in hope.

In what ways can you “go in haste” to aid someone today? You can do this within your family without even leaving your home. Try to make time to meditate on the Visitation mystery of the Rosary.

Pray

Lord Jesus, open my heart. Motehr Mary, and Saint Elizabeth, pray for me. Act of Hope, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Savor

My soul can magnify the Lord!

September 28th

Ponder

“There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for lvoe, for kindness, for thoughtfulness; and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much.” ~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Offer

Even n the family, people are starved for love. maybe not in your family – but you never know. Someone may be feeling left out for some reason at a particularly trying time. That feeling can really hurt. Teach your children to say something thoughtful each day to someone they don’t particularly like or someone who may be shunned by others. In your own home, make a point to show kindness to everyone even if you are feeling weary. Ask God for the grace to be a vessel of love to others.

Pray

Jesus, I want to be your love! Act of Love, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Savor

I will be a vessel of love, by God’s grace.

You can order author-autographed copies of Catholic Mom’s Cafe on Donna’s website: http://www.donnacooperoboyle.com/

You’ll also find the book for sale at your local Catholic bookstore, at Our Sunday Visitor or onAmazon.

If you hurry, you’ll have it in time for Mother’s Day!
___________
You can also see Marge's post here: http://margefenelon.com/2546/five-minutes-to-a-new-you/ where you can leave a comment or share through social media. Feel free to comment here as well and share through your social media.

First stop along the Catholic Mom's Cafe blog tour!

Thank you very much to Jennifer Rey at Our Sunday Visitor for this interview which kicks off my Catholic Mom's Cafe blog tour!

Daily retreats for busy moms: An inside look with author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

Editor's note: OSV Daily Take is the first stop on Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s "Catholic Mom’s Café" blog tour.

With five children Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle knows how difficult it is for busy moms to maintain a robust spiritual life. In response, the author, blogger, speaker and EWTN host developed five-minute daily retreats for moms on-the-go in her new book, Catholic Mom's Café: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013).

Catholic Mom's Café is a 365-day devotional book for Catholic moms with reflections that highlight the virtues of faith, hope and love. The following interview gives an inside look at her new work.

Our Sunday Visitor: What was your inspiration for Catholic Mom's Café?

Donna-Marie: I am a Catholic mother of eight — five on earth and three in heaven. The vocation of motherhood is my life. And, because it is, I know firsthand how totally inundated and busy a mother can be. That’s why I wanted to write this book — to offer busy faithful moms something they can sink their teeth into, but in small enough portions they can fit it into their extremely demanding lifestyle. We have to face the facts — a mother's life is not her own. Her role is a 24/7 schedule since she is on call every minute caring for the needs of her family. There's no telling when one of the little ones will spike a fever in the night or wake up suddenly with teething pains, or any number of needs throughout the day with the young and the older children.

I am also very familiar with the lack of affirmation and encouragement available from our society for Catholic moms today. Because we Catholic and Christian moms not only care for the exteriors, but also for the spiritual welfare of our children, we work hard to keep them away from indecent films, inappropriate clothing, and everything that is harmful to them.

I believe there's a great need to rally together and offer one another encouragement whenever possible.

OSV: You're not a coffee drinker, so why did you choose the café theme?

Donna-Marie: You're right, I don’t drink coffee but I do love tea and teas can be had in a café! I titled this book Catholic Mom's Café because I envisioned the experience as a sweet café of time to drink in inspiration. When I think of a café I envision nourishment and even taking a quick few minutes to refresh oneself.

I wrote this book thinking of the busy mom plunking down at the kitchen table in the morning with her children around her. After grace before meals is said together, hopefully the mom can open to the appropriate page and read the short verses to set the tone for her day. If the breakfast table doesn't work for her, hopefully she can designate a time when she can drink in the spiritual nourishment and be given her "spiritual vitamin" for the day.

OSV: Did your relationship with Blessed Mother Teresa help with writing this book?

Donna-Marie: Yes, I believe that knowing Mother Teresa has helped in writing this book because she touched my life so profoundly that I think her wisdom and love just naturally spills out into all I do and say and write about. I feel very passionate about inspiring Catholic and Christian mothers to go deeper into their faith, to trust God in their mothering, and to work hard at raising their kids in the Faith because God is counting on mothers to do so.

OSV: What made you focus on the theological virtues?

Donna-Marie: 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.

OSV: How does each day work?

Donna-Marie: Each day has four elements to work with: Ponder, Offer, Pray and Savor. Moms can pick up the book to the page of the day and read the verse at the top in the "Ponder" section, which sets the tone for the day. It could be a verse from the Bible, a snippet from the Catechism, a quote from a saint or from a well-known figure. She moves to the next section, which through an illustrative story invites her to "Offer" something — a suggestion of how she might work on a virtue, discover the blessings of the day, or teach her family something. After that, she can say the prayer in the "Pray" section. Finally, she is offered something to "Savor" — a thought to take her through the day to keep the message fresh on her heart.

OSV: How can this book benefit busy moms' spiritual lives?

Donna-Marie: I feel it's beneficial to provide bursts of inspiration in simple short devotions that will help bolster a mom’s spirits and give her the Catholic "tools" to get through her busy day (and night!). Moms can pick this book up at a set time of the day or simply weave it in as time allows — no worries, no pressure — simply bighearted inspiration always ready to serve.

OSV: Is there a way for readers to connect or to delve deeper?

Donna-Marie: I have created a "Catholic Mom's Café" blog and a "Catholic Mom's Café"Facebook page.  I love to create camaraderie among Catholic and Christian moms by giving them a place to meet and share their faith. Additionally, I often remark that when you get a bunch of faithful women together — watch out — amazing things can happen with faith, hope and love!

OSV: Can you tell me about the TV mini-series, "Catholic Mom's Café"?

Donna-Marie: My TV mini-series on EWTN is called "Catholic Mom's Café," same as the book! I linked them together by using the same title to again offer a warm inviting "environment" for Catholic and Christian moms. The television show is like an extension of the book. The moms reading the book will hopefully feel connected to the show where they can see me interviewing guests, offering advice, and speaking about that miraculous yet crazy vocation of motherhood.

Get your copy of Catholic Mom’s Café!

Autographed copies of Catholic Mom's Café are available for purchase at Donna-Marie's website. You can also purchase it through the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor, or at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your local Catholic bookstore.

PLEASE go on over to the Our Sunday Visitor blog to see this post there and to comment if you'd like or to use the social media icons to share through Twitter and Facebook and more: http://www.osvdailytake.com/2013/04/daily-retreats-for-busy-moms-inside.html

Announcing my fifth guest on Catholic Mom's Cafe!

I am so happy to tell you about my fifth guest on Catholic Mom's Cafe -- Karen Edmisten! Karen will be my guest on the segment, "Dealing with Loss through Miscarriage."

Karen Edmisten

Karen Edmisten is a former atheist who once promised herself she would never marry or have children. She says that she has gained a great appreciation for God's sense of humor because she is now a Catholic wife, and the homeschooling mom of three daughters, ages 19, 16, and 10. 

Karen is also the author of books about the faith, including After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope, The Rosary: Keeping Company With Jesus and Mary, and Through the Year With Mary: 365 Reflections. She has also contributed to several others, such as Style, Sex, and Substance: Ten Catholic Women Consider the Things That Really Matter, Atheist to Catholic, and A Little Way of Homeschooling. 

Karen is a monthly guest on Relevant Radio, has written for a variety of Catholic magazines, and blogs about faith, family life, books, homeschooling, the liturgical year, poetry, and "whatever else occurs to her" atkarenedmisten.blogspot.com.