Book Review: Prayer

Every time I sit down with one of Pope Benedict XVI's books I feel like I'm spending a series of afternoons with a good friend.  One of his latest books, Prayer, is no exception.  The book is comprised Pope Benedict XVI's series of talks on prayer that were part of his general audience catechesis.  He essentially takes us on an in depth tour of prayer.

While Pope Benedict is an amazing theologian, he makes his examination of prayer and the many forms it takes approachable to the average person who isn't steeped in theology.  As I read through this book there were many moments where he would be discussing a specific psalm or aspect of prayer with which I was already familiar but would have a take that came across as an Aha! moment.  I did find that this book is one that is best read at a slower pace so you can spend some time reflecting on each chapter.

Overall, I think this is a good book for someone who is trying to gain a deeper understanding of prayer and it's roots.  This book certainly has the potential to transform the way you view prayer and draw into a deeper relationship with God.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Prayer - by Pope Benedict XVI. 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.

Book Review: St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer

For a number of years I've been drawn to St. Monica.  Her example of persistent prayer for the conversion of her husband and her son is one that I find inspiring.  Let's face it, it's frustrating to pray for something continually and come to grips with the reality that God's timeline does not always match up with yours.  St. Monica gets that and because of that I look to her as an example of patience in persistent prayer.

As I read through Mike Aquilina and Mark W. Sullivan's St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer I found myself coming to a better understanding of St. Monica and how to apply her example to my own circumstances.  Drawing on accounts of St. Monica from the writings of her son, St. Augustine we learn that her persistence in prayer wasn't just a matter of patience and a determined spirit.  Readers will find that her example goes much deeper than that.  It's acceptance of God's will, trust in God, and a whole host of other virtues that transformed St. Monica as she relentlessly prayed for her wayward son's conversion.

If you are unfamiliar with St. Augustine, you will find that you come to know him better through this book.  If you are familiar with this great saint, then you will likely recognize many of the excerpts from his writings about his sainted mother.

Interwoven with the story of St. Monica are plenty of anecdotal stories about the mother and grandmother of the authors of this book.  I really enjoyed the stories about Nan and how they related to St. Monica.  It showed a modern day look at the application of the same strengths and virtues exhibited by St. Monica by the matriarch of the authors' family.

If you find yourself in the situation of praying for the conversion of a spouse or a wayward child, you'll likely find encouragement in the pages of this book and a powerful intercessor who knows well what it's like to be on the praying end of such an intention.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on St. Monica and the Persistent Power of Prayer. 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.


 

Book Review: Seeds of Faith for Children

I recently had the opportunity to review a new children's book called Seeds of Faith for Children.  I was hopeful that this book would be another great addition to the books we already have that are written by Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli.  My children have enjoyed their books on the Mass, the beatitudes, and both Little Acts of Grace books.  This book however didn't go over quite so well with them.

Seeds of Faith for Children seeks to help children cultivate a closer relationship with God.  The book includes prayers, an explanation of the creed, the ten commandments and the sacraments.  The writing for the book for the most part is very well done and will certainly reach young children. There were a few areas of the book where the writing seemed forced or stilted.  I think what detracted from the book the most were the illustrations.  So many of them are just not inviting for children.  Many of the people in the drawing look creepy or scary.  I had felt this way about some of the illustrations in the other books by these authors but in the past my middle daughter thought they were just fine.  Now at age seven, my middle daughter is seeing the same things I'm seeing and asking why the artist made everyone look like that.  I think with different illustrations this could be a very nice book.  Because of the illustrations I wouldn't recommend this book.

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 Seeds of Faith for Children. 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.

Book Review: Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History

When my eldest daughter came home from school the other day and saw me sitting on the porch reading a big thick book the first thing she said to me was "Mom, are you reading the dictionary?"  I flipped up the cover so she could see that it was the Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History.  She shook her head, told me it was pretty much the same as reading a dictionary and walked into the house convinced, I'm sure, that her mom needs a new hobby.

This book is a history book.  It's not going to be something that most people will grab for beach or poolside reading, unless, you're like me and you really like to read history books, encyclopedia entries and yes, even the dictionary and thesaurus.  I hear people call history books boring all of the time, but I've yet to come across more than two or three history books that I truly felt were absolutely boring.  This book is plenty interesting if you have an interest in the role of the Catholics and the Catholic church as it relates to U.S. History.

The Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History fills in the gaps that are often glossed over or completely ignored in history classes.  As I read through this book I learned a lot that I had never heard of in any history or political science class from elementary school through college.  Having spent a good portion of my college years studying American history and politics, you'd think that some of what is found in this book would have spilled out into one of my classes.

The book offers a great chronology of U.S. Catholic History at the beginning of the book.  So if you're unsure of where to start, with this 1,000+ page book, that's a good jumping off point.  From there the book is pretty much set up like a typical encyclopedia with the articles arranged in alphabetical order.  You can look up your state and read about Catholic history for the state, you can read about your diocese.  Perhaps you're interested in the role of Catholics in the Civil War, you'll find an article for that, too.  Throughout the book you'll find black and white sketches of notable people and various cathedrals and basilicas.

The encyclopedia also has a few useful appendices.  There's one which lists missionaries to the Americas and gives a brief description for each one.  There's a list of American saints that includes those canonized, beatified and declared venerable.  Another appendix lists those Catholics who are in Statuary Hall.  The final appendix lists all the cathedrals, basilicas, as well as shrines and places of historic interest.

Overall, the encyclopedia is a great reference book.  I think it will be a great resource for my children as they learn about U.S. history.  Referencing this encyclopedia will afford them the opportunity to see the role that Catholics have played in shaping our nation.

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 Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History. 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.

Book Review: Holy Crocodile!

Doesn't the title Holy Crocodile! just make you want to know what this book is about?  I was intrigued, and when I discovered that it was a children's book filled with stories about how animals helped saints, I thought it sounded like a fun book for kids.  My seven year old has enjoyed paging through this hardbound book.  It's filled with stories based on actual legends of twenty saints and the animals who helped them.

There were several saints in this book whom I have never heard of before so I found those stories rather interesting.  Then there are some stories of saints which I have heard or read before and I enjoyed seeing them in this book as well.

The illustrations for this book are fun and certainly different.  They're all done in ink and colored pencil.  They're vibrant and fun with all of the scribbles that make up different components of the pictures.  Our toddler really likes flipping through the book and pointing at the pictures.

I particularly like that the book offers a pronunciation guides for the saint's names that you don't necessarily see every day.  I always appreciate it when a children's book assumes that a child might not know how to say an uncommon name.

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 Holy Crocodile!. 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.

Book Review: Novenas for the Church Year

I have to admit that when it comes to novenas, I often feel overwhelmed by them, particularly the ones where there's a different prayer for each day.  Usually a few days into those types of novenas I wind up abandoning it completely.  Now, the novenas where the prayer(s) stay the same for the duration whether it's nine days, all of Advent or even nine months long, I usually do much better with being able to stay the course.  

When I saw that Fr. Cameron had written a novena book, Novenas for the Church Year, I knew that I wanted to check it out.  The book is a collection of nearly sixty original novenas.  I have read a few of Fr. Cameron's books, plus I have read many editorials and such by him in the Magnificat publication, and I'm always taken by how beautifully he explains the faith.  I suspected that whatever novenas he had composed along with their explanation would be inspiring.

In Novenas for the Church Year, you'll find a variety of novenas for every month.  The book is arranged by month.  Each novena has a beautifully written explanation and an equally beautiful novena prayer.  Let me tell you that I was thrilled when I saw that each of these novenas uses the same prayer for all nine days of the novena.  So if you're like me and you find novenas with prayers that change every day to be daunting, you'll like this book.

Now just because the book has the novenas sorted by month and date doesn't mean you can't use them throughout the year.  In the foreword there is a section on how to use this book.  Firstly, if you're intending to use a novena for commemorating a particular feast day such as All Saints' Day, you'll need to know to start it nine days before November 1st (The trick is making sure you plan ahead!).  But, if there's a novena you want to pray for a particular intention you can use it at anytime regardless of the date in the book.

The book itself is a nice hardbound volume.  It's about the same size as many other prayer books I have.  It's small enough to fit into a purse, but it's a touch too big for me to call it pocket sized.  Since it's hardbound, it should withstand frequent use far better than another paperback novena book that I have.

Overall, it's a nice prayer book and is a timely volume for the Year of Faith.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Novenas for the Church Year. The Catholic Company is the best resource for gifts for every Sacrament celebration, such as First Communion gifts and Baptism gifts, as well as a great selection of limited-time Year of Faith gifts and resources.

Book Review: Jesus and Mary In Praise of Their Glorious Names

I recently had the pleasure of reading Father Benedict Groeschel's latest book Jesus and Mary In Praise of Their Glorious Names.  In this book Fr. Groeschel explains the meaning behind various titles of Jesus and Mary.  A majority of the titles explored in this book are taken from the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Litany of Loreto.

Fr. Groeschel really has a gift for beautifully presenting the faith, and this book is no exception. For every title there is a brief quote from either scripture, a saint or spiritual writer, this is followed by Fr. Groeschel's beautiful reflection and concludes with a prayer.  When I finished reading this book I had a deeper appreciation and understanding of many of the titles which I had heard before but hadn't given much thought or reflection.

I found the book to be quite interesting.  As with other books written by Fr. Groeschel, this book is approachable and an enjoyable read.  The book is certainly worth reading.

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 Jesus and Mary: In Praise of Their Glorious Names. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your family Advent activities and supplies this year, such as Advent wreaths and calendars for kids, as well as Christmas decorations such as nativity scene sets and religious Christmas gifts for the whole family.

Book Review: Praying the Rosary for Intercession

I recently had the pleasure of reading Catherine Odell's Praying the Rosary for Intercession.  The book has a wide range of appeal for anyone who's interested in the rosary.  Whether you pray the rosary daily or are curious about this beautiful prayer, you'll find something in this book.

Aside from giving a brief history of how the rosary came to be and how to pray it, this book looks at the four sets of rosary mysteries and, in turn, each individual mystery on it's own.  The in depth look at each mystery starts with a related scripture passage which is then followed up with a thought provoking reflection, a section entitled "The Rosary in Our Lives" followed by a prayer related to this mystery along with a list of intentions to pray for.

The book as a whole really resonated with me, but I particularly enjoyed the stories found under "The Rosary in Our Lives" section.  There were just so many beautiful stories about how the rosary has transformed the lives of the people featured in these stories.  I enjoyed the stories so much that I am convinced that a book comprised of just these types of stories would be a great idea.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading a good book on the rosary.  I've read numerous books on the rosary and this book ranks up there with some of my favorites.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Praying the Rosary for Intercession . This is also a great online Catholic store for all your religious shopping needs, such as gifts for Confirmation and gifts for a baby baptism.

Book Review: Mothers of the Church

I recently had the pleasure of reading Mike Aquilina and Christopher Bailey's Mothers of the Church.  As you might guess from the title, the book takes a look at some of the Mothers of the Church.  I pretty much expected when I saw that Mike Aquilina was one of the book's authors that I would find this book both informative and enjoyable and I'm pleased to say that those expectations were certainly met.

Many of the women presented in this book are saints who I had already encountered.  Happily their stories contained bits and pieces of information that I had not previously known, so it's safe to say that you're unlikely to read through this book and feel like you've read this all before if you're familiar with many of the popular early Christian women.  There were many other women whom I had never heard of before, as well.

Overall the book gives you a refreshing overview notable women in the early church.  This book is certainly a history book, but for those of you who may shy away from such books, I can assure you that it reads more like a story than a dull history account.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  For more information on Mothers of the Church or to purchase, visit The Catholic Company.  They are also a great source for baptism gifts or first communion gifts.

Book Review: The Saints In My Life

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of reading Fr. Groeschel's book, The Saints In My Life.  In this book Fr. Groeschel introduces us to some of his favorite saints.  In all, you'll read about nineteen saints who all have left a lasting impression on him.

To date, every book I've ever read by Fr. Groeschel has had the ability to captivate me.  He really has a gift for telling a story.  In this particular book he tells us how he came to know each saint and how they've influenced or inspired him.  He also gives a short history of each saint.  Many of the saints are well known favorites, but Fr. Groeschel weaves in some lesser known details about many of the saints for added interest.

I found this book to be quite good.  When I came to the end I found myself wanting to read more--it was that good.  If you are looking for an enjoyable book on a handful of saints, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company for more information on The Saints In My Life.  They are also a great source for baptism gifts and first communion gifts.

I was provided with a complimentary review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Doctors of the Church

It seems like I've been reading the Pope's book, Doctors of the Church for ages [or roughly two months].  The book itself is actually very good, but my leisure time as of late has been scarce which leaves little time for reading.  As you can probably infer from the title of the book, the focus of this book is on those who have been named doctors of the Church.  Thirty-two doctors of the church are presented in this volume.

Like many other books written by Pope Benedict XVI, this one is taken largely from the Pope's Wednesday general audiences.  I have read several of these books and I enjoy them all immensely.  For each doctor featured in this book you'll find a short biography of them and learn about their contributions to the Church.

Reading the story of each of these saints is a great source of inspiration.  The Pope has a wonderful way of retelling their stories.  I certainly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about the doctors of the Church.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Doctors of the Church.  They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Book Review: Patron Saints

I recently had the opportunity to read Thomas J. Craughwell's Patron Saints.  This book is a collection of patron saints for a variety of situations, family members and so on.  The book is divided into eleven chapters so you can easily pinpoint the type of patron saint for the situation at hand.

I enjoyed the easy to use format of this book.  Each saint falls under a subtitle within the chapters so finding a patron saint for say a teenager is a snap.  For each saint highlighted in this book you will get a short explanation of why he or she is the patron saint for that cause and when his or her feast day falls on the calendar.

Overall I found the book to be both informative and amusing.  The book is certainly light reading and one could either read it cover to cover or use the index or table of contents to find specific saints.  It's sort of a fun reference book.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Patron Saints.  They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Book Review: Listening to God with Padre Pio

Listening to God with Padre Pio is yet another book in the Listening to God series published by Our Sunday Visitor.  Just like the other two books in the series this book offers one hundred Padre Pio quotes, which cover a variety of topics, and a related piece of scripture.

The little hard back book is not exactly light reading.  Some of the Padre Pio quotes are very deep and will get you thinking.  I'm not sure if it's Padre Pio's writing style [the quotes are taking from his writings] or just how in depth the quotes are, but the book came across as daunting to me at times.  I likened it to reading St. Augustine.  I have a touch and go relationship with good old St. Augustine.  In short, he makes my head hurt and reading too much of what he has to say too quickly results in what can be best termed spiritual indigestion.  Even taking this book one quote at a time, I frequently found myself on the verge of spiritual indigestion.  Like any form of indigestion, I try to avoid it when possible.

Despite the feelings of being overwhelmed by some of the quotes, the book isn't bad.  I certainly would not recommend reading this one from cover to cover in an afternoon.  In fact, I'm not sure doing that is even possible without giving yourself a severe headache.  I approached this book from the standpoint of reading a quote here or there and reflecting on it.  I think that is really the best way to use this book.  Using the handy table of contents that give you a list of quotes that you can find to suit your current situation, you can turn to a Padre Pio quote that will likely be a source of inspiration or wisdom for you in that moment.

This book was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Listening to God with Padre Pio.  They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

I was provided with a complimentary review copy of this book by The Catholic Company in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II

Our Sunday Visitor has a nice series of little books called Listening to God.  Each of these books focuses on a different saint or blessed of the Church.  Previously I have reviewed Listening to God with Mother Teresa. I recently had the opportunity to read a new book in this series, Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II which was compiled by Amy Welborn.  Just like the Mother Teresa book in this series, the Blessed John Paul II book did not disappoint.

This book is separated into a collection of one hundred quotes from Blessed John Paul II and a related piece of scripture that will inspire the reader.  Each of these quotes and it's related scripture only covers a single page in the book.  This is a book that will best serve the reader when read one quote at a time.  It's really not a book which you can read in an afternoon and fully absorb all the wisdom which it has to offer. You could really take this book one quote a day (use the table of contents and find a topic that speaks to you at the moment) and spend the rest of the day pondering what it has to offer.

No matter what your station in life may be, this book will surely have something in it which will resonate with you and help lead you to a deeper relationship with God.  The quotes, which are taken from various homilies, addresses, General Audiences, and writings, serve a wide range of audiences.  This book is a nice treasure trove of inspiration.

This book was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II.  They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

I was provided with a complimentary review copy of this book by The Catholic Company in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Great Teachers

Over the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of reading Pope Benedict XVI's Great Teachers.  Having enjoyed other books based on catecheses from his weekly general audiences, I suspected that I'd be equally pleased with this book.  I'm happy to report that I found this book every bit as good as his series entitled The Fathers.

As you can probably surmise by looking at the title of this book, Pope Benedict XVI, discusses the great teachers of the church in this volume.  His ability to tell the stories of each of these inspiring great minds will hold your attention and keep you wanting to know more.  Some of those featured in this book have been discussed to some degree in his volumes on The Fathers, but by no means are the stories redundant.

In reading this book I came to know a handful of saints a bit better, and I was introduced to the work of many other great minds.  The Pope's way with words will leave you wanting to read more when you come to the final page of this book.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Great Teachers-Pope Benedict XVI.  They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

As a reviewer for The Catholic Company's Catholic book reviewer program, I was provided with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Linking Your Beads

I recently had the pleasure of reading Patrician Ann Kasten's Linking Your Beads.  The book gives the reader a tour of the Rosary's history, mysteries and prayers.

What I like about this book is it's overall simplicity.  You could pick up this book as someone totally unfamiliar with the Rosary and this book will fill you in and give you an appreciation for this powerful prayer.  Of course, that's not to say that only those who know little about the rosary will benefit from reading this book.  I know a decent amount about the rosary and I learned quite a few new things by reading this engaging book.  I particularly liked the author's explanations of the rosary mysteries.  She explains them in a way that surprised me.  As soon as I read her chapters on each set of mysteries, I realized I had a new source for teaching the rosary mysteries to my religious education class.

At only 118 pages the book is chock full of facts and insight that are sure to keep you turning pages.  Each of the chapters are relatively short, so reading the book is short five to ten minute spurts is absolutely possible.

The book is an interesting read for anyone who is curious about the rosary.  With the Lenten season upon us, I can't help but think this would be an excellent book to give to someone who is currently in RCIA.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Linking Your Beads: The Rosary's History, Mysteries and Prayers.  They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Book Review: Listening to God with Mother Teresa

The latest book I have had the pleasure to read is Listening to God with Mother Teresa which was compiled by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker.  This tiny book is an inspiring collection of one hundred quotes from Mother Teresa and a related piece of scripture.  The purpose of this book is actually quite simple: it serves to focus your heart and mind towards being a better follower of Christ.

At first glance this book may seem like there's nothing to it.  It's not a book that you are going to curl up next to the fireplace and read for several hours.  In fact, if you were to sit down and read this book cover to cover, you could do so in under an hour.  This isn't a book that should be read in one sitting.  The reader should consider this book like a box of fine chocolates which you want to savor.  Each quote and it's related scripture is something which you can ponder and reflect upon.  Some quotes may cut to the core and cause you to take a second look at yourself.  I paged through this book when it arrived and a few pages into the book I came across such a quote that gave me pause.  I wasn't expecting to immediately find something in this book that would resonate with me, but it did.  It may not have necessarily been what I wanted to reflect on, but it was nonetheless something of value which I could take to heart.

This simply stated book is filled with plenty of wonderful gems upon which you can gain inspiration to be a better follower of Christ.  This lovely book beautifully illustrates the deep wisdom of Blessed Mother Teresa.  This is a book which I am sure I will turn to again and again for inspiration and reflection.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Listening to God with Mother Teresa.  They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Book Review: Truth for Your Mind Love for Your Heart

I just finished reading Fr. Alfred McBride's Truth for Your Mind, Love for Your Heart Satisfying Your Hunger for God and I have to say from start to finish the book was an absolute pleasure to read.  The book is an enriching read that is sure to please those who are interested in deepening their spiritual life
The book is separated into three sections.  As you might guess from the title, the sections are entitled Truth for Your Mind, Love for Your Heart and Satisfying Your Hunger for God.  Given that life has been a bit frantic around here for the past several weeks, I didn't pick up on the fact that the section titles were directly related to the book title until I reached the final portion of the book.  Anyway, those titles perfectly reflect what you will find in those sections.

Each chapter of this book follows the same format.  It begins with a scripture reference, and then there is commentary that explains it and shows how it relates to us today.  Each and every chapter is filled with insightful wisdom.  Throughout each chapter you will find asides that are related to the subject at hand.  I found the placement of some of the asides to be a bit distracting.  I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to have to interrupt a line of thought in a book, and I also don't like to have to flip back a page or two to read what I had to skip momentarily.  I'm sure some people aren't bothered by such things, but I certainly can be.  Each chapter ends with reflection questions and a prayer.  I liked that the reflection questions prompt you to not only ponder the material you just read, but also to stop and take a look at yourself. Because of the discussion questions,  I think it would be a great book for a group setting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book, but my favorite section was the one entitled Love for Your Heart where the sacraments were discussed.  Fr. McBride's explanations and insight on the sacraments just clicked with me in a way that I can't easily explain.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Truth for Your Mind, Love for Your Heart.  They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

I was provided with a complimentary review copy of this book by The Catholic Company in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Praying Constantly

I recently had the pleasure of reading Fr. Groeschel's latest book, Praying Constantly: Bringing Your Faith to Life.  In Praying Constantly Fr. Groeschel sets out to explain what St. Paul meant when he said "Pray without ceasing."  He covers the many ways in which we can make our prayer more meaningful and why these practices should be a part of our lives.

Maybe it's writer's block that I'm experiencing, or maybe it's that so much information is packed into the one hundred and fifty odd some pages of this book, but more profound words seem to elude me at present time.  The book is incredibly readable and very deep all at the same time.  Bear with me as I highlight some of what's in this book that resonated with me.

Fr. Groschel's explanation of the Blessed Trinity and how one should/might approach praying to the three person's of God is something that will stick with me.  I don't know how to explain it other than to say it's like looking at a painting and knowing that you like it before you know anything about it besides the fact that you like it, and then once you get the back story on that painting everything falls into place and you understand it on a completely different level.

There are chapters in this book that deal with praying at Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, as well as praying with scripture.  I found the chapters that covered these topics to be particularly interesting.

Page after page this book is filled with many pearls of wisdom to help lead you into a more meaningful prayer life.  I heartily recommend this book to anyone who is looking to deepen their faith and understanding of the many ways in which we can pray.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company for more information on Praying Constantly: Bringing Your Faith to Life and be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts while you are there.

Book Review: Little Acts of Grace 2

Little Acts of Grace 2 is a sweet book that teaches small children ways they can show their love for Jesus in doing small things.  The book is 47 pages in length.  Unlike many story books geared to children this book is broken into several different sections.  You could read this book all at once, or you could take it a small section at a time.  All of the sections, but one, are four pages in length comprised of two pages of text and two pages of illustrations.   The text tells children very simply the ways they can grow in holiness and show love to Jesus and others by lovingly doing small kindnesses and acts. Each section concludes with a scripture reference.  The illustrations are filled with ways that show the acts of grace mentioned in the text along with other objects that can spark talking points, such as rosaries, prayer cards, divine mercy images and so on.

This book is essentially a continuation of the catechesis presented in it's predecessor, Little Acts of Grace.  We have the first title and I actually think the two books combined are a great way to teach young children how to behave at Mass as well as explain why we do some of the things that we do while we're there.

My daughter, who is five, really enjoyed this book and the other books from this line of books.  She likes to see what the tiny church mice who are seen on just about every page of the book are doing.  She also searches the illustrations to find Jesus and other items that she recognizes from church.  This book piqued her interest in the sanctuary light and the tabernacle and she tells me she's going to show me where they are at Mass tomorrow.  I doubt she would have wanted to go through this book and the others from this series looking for the tabernacle and sanctuary light in the pictures if she hadn't learned about it in this book.

My daughter likes the book and the illustrations.  Given that it's a book geared to children, I would say that her opinion of the book matters more than mine when it comes to the illustrations.  I'm torn on the illustrations.  Some of them are really nice to look at and others just look creepy.  I can be critical of illustrations at times so I asked my husband what he thought of them and he agrees that many of them are of the creepy variety.  I suppose what is most puzzling is that Jesus' appearance changes from illustration to illustration.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Little Acts of Grace 2 and be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts while you are there.

I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.