Book Review: Catholic Mom's Cafe

At this point I've read several books written by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle and I'm always impressed with how well her writing resonates with me as a Catholic mother.  Catholic Mom's Cafe is no exception.  This book is a daily devotional filled with quick mini-retreats that only take five minutes.  If you're a mom, you know how precious every minute of the day can be, so having something like this that only requires five minutes to help you spiritually recharge is great.

I like daily devotional books like this where the book is laid out with a specific passage for each day of the year, but I have to tell you that I don't always use the books like that.  I can't always rely on picking up the same book day after day.  I have a short attention span in that regard, so I'm more likely to pick up a book like this and pick a day, any day and go from there.  Sometimes I'll just page through and find something that jumps out at me and then zero in on that particular passage and it's not unlike me to sit down and pick two.  Sure it's not following the exact way it was meant to be used, but that's ok.

So you're probably wondering about these mini-retreats, right?  As a mom, if you're like me, you might consider a mini-retreat that moment where you're able to sneak a treat without your little ones clamoring for it, or maybe it's getting to chat with a friend on the phone for a few needed minutes of conversation with an adult.  All good things, but they don't necessarily feed the soul.  The mini-retreats in this book can give you a nice spiritual pick-me-up.  Each daily retreat has four components.  First there's an inspirational quote for you to ponder which is focused on a particular virtue.  Next you'll find a section that offers a meditation that ties in nicely with the preceding quote to provide more food for thought. This is followed by prayer and concludes with a thought to savor for the day.  For the busy mom who is pressed for time these daily retreats can't be beat.  (No, I didn't actually intend for that to rhyme and sound hokey, but I'm leaving it there.)

With Christmas approaching and this book being a daily devotional that is ordered by month, I think this would make an excellent stocking stuffer for the busy mom in your life.  This would also be a thoughtful gift idea for a new mom.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. I was provided with a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Catholic Mom's Cafe. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.