Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms

A Mother's Study Guide

By the way, my daughter illustrated the cover!

Pope John Paul II wrote that the little domestic church, like the greater Church, needs to be constantly and intensely evangelized: hence its duty regarding permanent education in the faith. The home is a center of living faith, a domestic church, and motherhood is a vocation. This book offers a systematic course for mothers that is equally useful for groups and individuals. The leader's guide contains helpful suggestions for women on how to begin a study group in their parish or neighborhood, a format for weekly sessions, how to create a comfortable, inspiring atmosphere, and tips for leading each lesson. 

"Though an individual would benefit from reading, this book is arranged as a study guide for a group, with discussion questions at the end of each section. (And, pssst ... don't worry, busy moms -- the answers are there, too! So don't worry about passing class.)
The Domestic Church, like all of Donna-Marie's books, backs up its exhortation with solid sources such as quotes from Scripture, encyclicals and saints. I love Donna-Marie's realism, too. In this book, she includes a beautiful quote from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta:
"A living love hurts. Jesus, to prove His love for us, died on the Cross. The mother, to give birth to her child, has to suffer. If you really love one another properly, there must be sacrifice."

And she honestly addresses temptations to abandon the heart of the home," noting that mothers can get discouraged, or feel unrecognized and unappreciated. She writes: "A mother who is fighting this interior battle may feel, or even state that she is 'just' a mother. I have heard this so often, and I will tell the mom that she is 'not just a mother!
This is the heart of Donna's message, and this is her mission: to help other moms realize that their work is a vital, vibrant, holy vocation.

I highly recommend Donna-Marie's books to newly married women and new mothers, and to moms of any age who seek encouragement and affirmation in their vocation.
And so, dear moms, if you have any doubts about the worth of your daily struggles, sacrifices and joys, dig into these books. When you've finished, you'll close them with a contented sigh, knowing that someone out there understands your worth and knows what you're going through...that you are storing up treasures in heaven."~Author and blogger, Karen Edmisten

Thank you for your beautiful review, Karen Edmisten!
Autographed copies available at: www.donnacooperoboyle.com Discounts available on bulk orders for group studies. Inquire at: DMCOBoyle@aol.com

Releasing in the spring!

Releasing in March 2013!

More information will follow as we get closer to the release date. For now, I thought I'd share the cover image and release date!

Becoming holy in our domestic church

Radio tomorrow morning: Son Rise Morning Show

Son Rise Morning show tomorrow morning (Tues.) with Brian Patrick at 8:20 AM Eastern. I hope you can join us!

http://www.ewtn.com/radio/weekday/thesonrisemorningshow.asp

Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers to Be

My book Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers to Be is now reprinted with a lovely hard cover. It's the same content, but with a nice sturdy cover.

I wrote this book while I was on complete bed rest during a high risk pregnancy with my fifth child, Mary-Catherine. Blessed Mother Teresa whom I knew at that time, gave me a Foreword for the book. This book is meant to celebrate a pregnancy as a wonderful time of anticipation as the mother awaits childbirth. It offers the expectant Mom the opportunity to transform her pregnancy into a novena of prayer to God. It's a "baby book" for the unborn baby! An expectant Mom will be able to follow her baby's progress and record her thoughts and prayers as well as save her ultrasound pictures to cherish in years to come.

Many expectant mothers all around the world have used this book throughout their pregnancy and have felt spiritually nourished while using it.

Here's a very brief description of the book: This beautifully crafted book is a reflection guide, keepsake, and prayer journal that offers inspiration for each month of pregnancy in the tradition of the popular nine-day prayer, the Novena.

Here are a some of the reviews:

"Prayerfully Expecting is a different kind of pregnancy journal. Imbued as it is with Scripture, exhortations from John Paul the Great, wisdom from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and both traditional and original prayers, it steeps expectant mothers in an atmosphere of holiness, reminding them that what they are experiencing is sacred. I plan to put away three copies of this book -- one for each of my daughters -- for "someday."~Karen Edmisten


"My best friend gave me this book when I was expecting baby number 7. I had never seen anything like it and read it through pregnancy 7, 8, and 9. I'm now expecting baby number 10 and will read it again. I couldn't wait to get to the next month (and I was tempted to read ahead!) It's the perfect read whether this is your first baby or your 10th!! It's also perfect for busy moms. I'm so blessed to have received this as a gift and will treasure it always!!"~Amy Ekblad

"Prayerfully Expecting's beautiful prayers and reflections helped me to make the most of this precious time. It gave me the encouragement to approach my pregnancy and motherhood with utmost gratitude, reverence and faith. This was my favorite pregnancy book by far and prepared me in the most important way. I'm still using it for reflection now. This is a book you'll be able to go back to again and again. It includes space to write your own reflections as well, so it can be a wonderful keepsake."~J.H.S.

"This book brought amazing comfort and peace to me it what was a very complicated and stressful pregnancy. I love that you can journal all of your experiences and save pictures. Great book! I recommend for anyone who is pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant!"~D.R. King

"Excellent book for mothers to be! I definitely recommend this one!! Wonderful prayers and its kind of like a diary too. So I think its beautiful memories to be kept and later share with that child. Wonderful prayers for parents to be to pray together and beautiful moments to share. I prayed all the prayers in this book with all my heart and many people tell me that my child is very calm. I think it has to do with all the prayers that were said while the baby was in my womb. Wonderful book for a gift too."~Vanessa R.

"You have been blessed with the privilege of conceiving a child, whose heart beats within you. Cradled inside you, your unborn child will be nourished and kept warm in your womb for the next nine months. What an incredible miracle!" With these words, Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle planted a seedling of hope in my heart with this, my second pregnancy, and nurtured it over the course of months. She didn't spoil the fun of what I would find in this nine-month journey - because not only am I not a rookie at it, but I am also not finished with it - but she did reframe it for me in a way that I never would have thought of - she turned me back to God with this, the incredible miracle of life within me. She changed my paradigm from one of self-focus to one of heavenly focus, and taking the nine months of my pregnancy and transforming them into a novena, a series of prayers, has made my bond with my baby and my Savior completely different...I can't help but feel, as I continue to read Prayerfully Expecting, that I'm not alone. I knew that before, though. Of course I did. It just didn't seem as obvious. Donna-Marie has made this a journey I'm taking with Mary, an adventure I'm undergoing with Mother Teresa's blessing, and an opportunity that's full of scriptural wisdom and advice. With this book, she has given expectant mothers a new approach to their vocation right from the start, without any strings or preconceptions."~Sarah Reinhard

Autographed copies are available at my website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com

A Mom's Call to Holiness

Do you feel called to holiness?

The Pain of Miscarriage

Catholic Connection Radio chat

Recent Catholic Connection segment chatting about Catholic stuff and my new book Embracing Motherhood: 

http://www.donnacooperoboyle.com/audio/CC_DMCOB_03-07-12.mp3

Enjoy!

Is your prayer life lost in housework?

Meeting Jesus at the "Well" of Prayer

My vocation of motherhood!

Jennifer Send reviewed my book Embracing Motherhood. Her review can be seen at Amazon and here:

Another beautifully written book by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle! "Embracing Motherhood" is a must read for all mothers who are striving to be the wives and mothers God has called them to be. Donna-Marie offers many wonderful ideas for passing on the Catholic Faith to our children, through the rich tradition of The Church. She has raised five children and has a lot of wisdom to share with mothers who are raising their children now and are struggling with trying to create a "domestic church" in our families, while fighting the temptations of the culture. Through reading this book, I have a deeper understanding of how important my vocation of motherhood is and how I must keep my eyes focused on Christ, who will give me the strength I need to be the best mother I can be!


Thank you very much, Jennifer! I am so glad that my book has inspired you in your vocation of motherhood. God bless you and your family!

"Little" things are not so little!

Women are entrusted with the human being!

Coming very soon!

From the publisher's website:


"How many mothers actually embrace their vocation? I wonder. How many revel in it all and recognize their role as an actual vocation?"—from the introduction

Celebrating her great love for the family as a "domestic church," Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle leads the reader to a deeper appreciation of the role that motherhood plays in the sanctuary of vibrant family life. Her observations and advice are grounded in personal experience and informed by a profound understanding of the Church's teachings on the feminine genius and the importance of the Christian family in the modern world.

My book trailer for "Embracing Motherhood" soon to be released!

I just found out that the publisher is tweaking the book trailer and it will be released again in the near future. I'll keep you posted!

A Mother's Never-Ending Prayers!

One of my segments of my EWTN series: "Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms."

A DVD of Season One which contains 25 episodes is available at my website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com

Review: Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers

Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers

by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's delightful pocket-sized volume, Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers, is like all her work in that it comes from the depths of her heart. But it is so much more. Yielding her days, moment by moment to God through the example of Our Lady, and guided by the extraordinary teachings of the Catholic Church, Donna-Marie has received along the way the luminous and enduring grace of a mother’s wisdom, which she shares with affection and humility.

I always light up under the influence of this wise and tender friend to women; one who has prayed, suffered and rejoiced with Our Lord through all of life’s varied moments in an attitude of trust. This little book makes me think of a garden, with its smaller beds of ferns and flowers, overflowing with life and beauty. In each chapter, you’ll discover small blossoms of scripture, quotes from popes, saints, and the Catechism, traditional and original prayers and poems, and personal thoughts for meditation.

This compilation is a wonderful gift for every mother or grandmother who needs a reminder that her hidden life of dedication to her children is “an integral part of the means to their salvation,” and that God’s grace is available to her in abundance for their every need. Like the author herself, the Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers is here “…to assist you in keeping your heart always lifted up toward Heaven, communicating with the Divine, even as your hands are occupied with household and motherly tasks.”

~Lisa Mladinich

Author, “Be an Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children”

Founder, AmazingCatechists.com

*******

Thank you very much for the wonderful review, Lisa!

May God bless you and yours!

Donna-Marie

Mother's Day is tomorrow!

Thinking of ALL mothers...

Take a look... http://donnamarieembracingmotherhood.blogspot.com/2011/05/with-mothers-day-fast-approaching.html  

A Mother's Prayers are powerful!

Did you ever doubt the power behind a mother's prayers? Here's some food for thought for you today.