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.

Book Review: A Donkey's Tale

A Donkey's Tale by Stefano Gorla is a collection of stories told through the eyes of Ladan, the donkey who was there.  Ladan tells children the story of Jesus as the eyewitness donkey who was there from the birth of Jesus to His ascension.

The book is filled with illustrations that are pleasing to the eye.  While most of Ladan's tales are relatively short, I'd say that this book is best suited to elementary school children.  The book could be read as a read aloud, but I think it works best as an independent reading book for a child in the second to fourth grade age range.

What I like about this book is it pretty much gives a synopsis of the Gospel through the eyes of a friendly little donkey who is happy to tell his tale in a way that is easy for children to understand.  I thought the stories were done quite well.

In the book there is only one story that I take issue with.  Ladan, the donkey who has been with Jesus since before he was born, claims to be the donkey He rode into Jerusalem.  In Matthew 11:2-7 we are told that Jesus rode on a young donkey which had never been ridden before.  So for me, I had a hard time accepting that Ladan's claim that he was the donkey who Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  I'm not sure that many children would pick up on this discrepancy but I suppose it's possible that some might.

Overall, it's a nice story and I think it will appeal to children.

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 A Donkey's Tale. 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: The Catholic Prayer Book

A few months back I reviewed the paper back version of  The Catholic Prayer Book and while I liked it, my chief complaint that it wasn't exactly made for the long haul.  I recently had the opportunity to review the leatherette bound version of this prayer book and I find this version to be more to my liking.  In terms of content the book is exactly the same, just in a better format.  

The book is set up in an easy to use format.  The prayers are categorized according to type or specific situations.  Many of the prayers have a modern feel to them, but there are several that are more traditional or old-fashioned feeling.  Several of the prayers contained in this book are the same or are a variation of the ones found in my pre-Vatican II prayer books.  There are plenty of new prayers in this book as well.  Something that stands out to me about this book is the source of the prayer is noted for many of the prayers.



I was surprised at just how much is packed into this prayer book.  While some of my pre-Vatican II prayer books have a lot to offer, in some ways they're limited.  I'd say this book is close to being a modern version of Blessed Be God.  As such, I think this prayer book would be an excellent confirmation gift.  It's also great for someone who is going through RCIA.  You even have the option of personalizing this prayer book at The Catholic Company.


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 The Catholic Prayer Book. 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: The Sign of the Cross

I spent a few months engulfed in St. Francis De Sales Introduction to the Devout Life not too long ago and I was struck at how well his writing resonated with me.  I found him incredibly easy to read when compared to St. Ignatius Loyola or St. Augustine and his approach seems very down to earth and approachable.  When I was presented with an opportunity to read his apologetic treatise The Sign of the Cross I was eager to read it.

St. Francis De Sales penned The Sign of the Cross in an attempt to bring the Calvinists back to the Church.  His treatise is a response to the Calvinist Antoine de la Faye.  In this book, St. Francis beautifully explains the origins of the Sign of the Cross and defends the practice of this powerful prayer.  His explanation is such that you can't read this book without coming away with a deeper appreciation for this incredibly powerful prayer that I'm sure many of us take for granted as something that we just do as Catholics.

As a convert to Catholicism, I think this book is an amazing apologetic work.  Protestants don't make the Sign of the Cross when they pray.  And just like the Calvinists that St. Francis addresses in this treatise, many modern day protestants put forth the same arguments they did.  St. Francis beautifully lays it out there and explains the importance of this prayer in a way that I'm sure still has the power to draw our separated Christian brethren to the Catholic Church.  Throughout the book he references several of the church Fathers.  He masterfully weaves quotes from the likes of St. Augustine and St John Chrysostom to further bolster his defense of the Sign of the Cross.

This book absolutely gets my recommendation.  Once I started reading it I didn't want to put it down.  Its a book that I'm sure I'll come back to again and again.  

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 The Sign of the Cross. 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: 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: Umbert the Unborn A Womb With A View

A few years ago I became familiar with Gary Cangemi's Umbert the Unborn comic strip.  I had come across it in the Faith and Family magazine as well as online.  Umbert is a cute little baby who hangs out waiting to be born and shares his pro-life message.

In Umber the Unborn: A Womb With a View we are not only treated to many Umbert comic strips from over the years, but we also get to see the development of an unborn baby from conception to the end of the third trimester.  There are life sized and scaled drawings depicting these changes.  Throughout the book readers are also treated to "Umbert's facts of life" in which you will learn interesting facts about unborn babies and some interesting fun facts.

Overall, this is a fun book filled with lots of Umbert comic strips.  I think Umbert is pretty cute and witty.  Because this is a comic strip it appeals to kids and adults alike.  My eleven year old couldn't wait for me to be finished reading this because she wanted to read it, too. [The book gets her seal of approval, by the way.] I don't mind my children reading through this book because I think it's a great way to help reinforce the pro-life values that we are raising them to have.  Now, if you're a parent and you're worried that you child is going to ask what an abortion is and you aren't prepared to answer it, then you might not want to hand this book off to your child.  The topic of abortion is mentioned in the comic strips but there's nothing that I would deem inappropriate.  In fact, I would have no reservations about handing this book off to my seven year old.

 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 Umbert the Unborn - A Womb with a View. 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: 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: Who's Who in Heaven

My eleven and seven year old daughter's enjoy reading about the lives of the saints, so when I was given the opportunity to review Fr. Thomas G. Morrow's Who's Who in Heaven: Real Saints for Families in Plain English, I was pretty confident that the girls would be interested in reading through this book.  The book is one that works both as a read-aloud for younger school aged children and independent reading for older children.

In Who's Who in Heaven, the reader will learn about eleven saints.  All of whom are pretty well known.  I was happy to see that this book had some of the girls' favorite saints.  Both were pretty happy to discover that St. Therese of Liseux was featured in this book.  St. Anthony of Padua, who is called upon by us quite regularly, is also found in this book.

I like the set up for this book.  Each chapter is devoted on one saint and that chapter is broken up by various subtitles making it easy to break the saint's story up in bite size pieces so the story can be read over the course of a few days to accommodate for short attention spans.  At the end of each chapter there is a reflection and several discussion questions that will get your children thinking about the lessons they have just learned from reading/listening to this saint's story.

Each chapter in this book has a single black and white illustration.  For older children this is sufficient, but younger ones might not be very content with the scarcity of illustrations.

Overall, I think the book is nicely done.  The stories are interesting and well written.  I do feel the book is most appropriate for children in the middle school age range.  You can certainly use this book as a read aloud for younger kids, but I felt it was better suited to my eleven year old than it was to my seven year old.

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 Who's Who In Heaven. 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: My Baptism Bible

My Baptism Bible Catholic Edition from Pauline Kids is a lovely little keepsake bible that is perfect for gift giving.  This beautiful little picture bible has a dedication page and several pages where you can fill out personal information about the baby such as milestones and family tree.

My Baptism Bible is richly illustrated with loads of colorful pictures.  The stories are simply put and are appropriate for toddlers through kindergarten aged children.  This picture bible contains over fifty bible stories.  At the end of the book there are several pages of prayers and blessings.

As far as picture bibles for little ones are concerned, I think My Baptism Bible is quite nicely done.  It has a nice selection of bible stories, some which, are not often found in other picture bibles geared to this age set (such as the story about the widow's mite).  I also like that it has a section with prayers.  Too often that seems to be missing in picture bibles.

My Baptism Bible would make an excellent and very appropriate baptism gift.  I know I'll be keeping this bible in mind as a gift idea for any baptisms I attend in the future.

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 My Baptism Bible Catholic Edition.  I was provided with a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  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: 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: Saint Catherine Laboure

My eleven year old really enjoys reading about the saints, so she was pretty happy when a copy of Saint Catherine Laboure And Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal showed up at our house.  This book is a nice biography of St. Catherine Laboure.

My eleven year old read this book in a few days, but I'm fairly certain she could have devoured it in a single day if she wasn't enjoying the final days of summer vacation at the time.  She enjoyed the book but felt that there were parts of it that weren't very exciting.  So I suppose she was looking for a bit more action in the story which she didn't find.  She was surprised to learn how the miraculous medal came to be.  She was certainly impressed by that part of the story.

I read through the book and thought it was well written and gave a great account of St. Catherine's life and her encounters with our Blessed Mother.  I also thought it was wonderful that throughout the book there are pronunciation guides for names that are foreign to those who are not familiar with French.  I also like that this book has a glossary in the back, so children can look up terms that they might not fully understand.

At the end of the book is a lovely prayer to St. Catherine and our Blessed Mother.

I think this book is perfect for children between the ages of about nine to twelve.  The book could be easily used as part of a home schooling curriculum.  We haven't read any other books from the Encounter the Saints series, but I'm sure we will after having read this one.

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 opinion.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Saint Catherine Labouré . The Catholic Company is a great resource for tools to help you participate in the Year of Faith, including Year of Faith bible studies and exclusive Year of Faith personalized gifts. The Catholic Company also has all your Advent needs in stock, such as Advent calendars and Advent wreaths.

Book Review: My Vocation Is Love

I recently had the opportunity to read Jean Lafrance's My Vocation Is Love St. Therese's Way to Total Trust.  I was struck by how deep and thought provoking this book is.  Having just read St. Therese's Story of a Soul a few months ago, I came to realize how much I simply didn't understand when I had read that book as I slowly made my way through My Vocation is Love.

It took me several weeks to make it through this book.  It is certainly not a book you can pick up and breeze through over a few lazy afternoons.  Throughout this book I needed to stop and process what I was reading, pray and reflect.  As I read through this book my understanding of St. Therese deepened and I have come to realize that her writings and her little way are every bit as  spiritually daunting to wrap my mind around as St. Augustine.

My Vocation Is Love is a book that you truly have to read in bite size pieces so that you can properly reflect on it and get the most out of it.  I'm certain that if I had powered through this book I not only would have had yet another case of spiritual indigestion (something I previously thought only St. Augustine's writings could give me).

I heartily recommend this book if you are seeking to gain a deeper understanding of St. Therese and her  little way.  If you have read her Story of a Soul and possibly found it all to be very sweet and sentimental but didn't catch the deeper message in it all, then I'd suggest this book as a great starting point to help you uncover the depth of Theresian spirituality.  After reading this book I became more amazed by this saint.

Now my oldest daughter who is about to turn eleven hounded me for weeks asking when I'd be done with this book.  She was hoping to read it, but honestly, I think the book is written on a level that is simply not going to be easily understood or read by a middle school aged student.  She loves St. Therese, but I'm certain that this book would be too daunting for her.  Because she showed a deep interest in this book I feel compelled to let you know that I would probably put this book in the ages 15 and up category.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. I was provided with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on My Vocation Is Love: St.Thérèse’s Way . The Catholic Company is also a great online store for all your Catholic gift needs, such as baby baptism and christening gifts. You can also find a wide selection of Catholic Bible Studies for both parish groups and individuals, as well as a variety of other Catholic Bible studyresources.

Book Review: Feast Days & Holidays

I recently had the opportunity to read Joan Marie Arbogast's Feast Days & Holidays.  The book is packed with crafts, activities and kitchen fun that you can use with your children at home or in a classroom environment.

The book follows the calendar year from January through December with a nicely laid out index that organizes everything by month.  While the primary focus of this book is celebrating Catholic customs and traditions, there are several secular holidays [for both Canada and the U.S.A.] also included in this book.  For the secular holidays, I like how the faith was woven into either the explanation of the holiday or the accompanying craft or activity.

Most of the crafts in this book are ideal for children between the ages of 5 to 8.  As I paged through the book I found several crafts and activity sheets that I thought would either be perfect for my kindergarten religious education class or my old girls who are 6 and 10.

Throughout the book there are many saints featured.  I thought some of them seemed a bit obscure, when compared to similar books on this topic, but that didn't make them any less relevant.

Overall, it's a decent book if you are looking for a way to introduce your child or a religious education class to some fun hands on activities to cultivate faith formation.  While I like the book, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that it's not my favorite book on this topic, but even my favorite book doesn't cover everything.  I do particularly like that this book has plenty of reproducible pages for activities and crafts.

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 Feast Days & Holidays. This is also a great Catholic gift store for all your seasonal shopping needs, such as Christian wedding gifts and Catholic Garden Gifts.

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.