Advent wreaths

Go on over to Anne's blog to see how she made this gorgeous Advent wreath as well as read about all its symbolism!

Traditional Christmas novena

From EWTN:

"Today begins the traditional novena to St. Andrew, which begins Nov. 30 and runs until Christmas. EWTN’s Father Joseph gave an awesome homily about this novena today, http://bit.ly/8OK0sJ. His great, great uncle, who had been declared legally blind, said the short novena prayer some years ago and received his sight back on Christmas Eve. Here is the prayer, which should be said 15 times a day from now until Christmas:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen."

I plan to print out the prayer and carry it around with me so that I can pray it 15 times a day now until Christmas. I'll probably have a copy near my computer, one in the bathroom, one in my purse...How about you? Novenas are powerful!

God bless you as you embark on this journey of Advent!

Donna-Marie

Just peeking...

I was just peeking at my friend, Joan Lewis's "Joan's Rome" blog and I happened to see that she mentioned me in the bottom of her post. Joan reports the news from the Vatican for EWTN. You can see it here.

Lisa Hendey's new book!

Go on over to my Embracing Motherhood blog to read all about The Handbook for Catholic Moms!

Mother Teresa and Me!

I just received word the other day that my book: Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship will make its debut very shortly. I know that many have pre-ordered and have been waiting so patiently. I want to apologize for the delays which often occur with publishing, but am rejoicing that my book will soon be in your hands or on your book shelves! I pray that it will bring inspiration. I will keep you posted about the release, but you can expect the book in about a week and a half to two weeks, God-willing! I am still taking pre-orders from my website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com (scroll to bottom of main page) and will fill your orders promply so that you will have your books for Christmas gift giving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Father, all powerful,
your gifts of love are countless
and your goodness infinite.
On Thanksgiving Day we come before you
with gratitude for your kindness:
open our hearts to concern for our fellow men and women,
so that we may share your gifts in loving service.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

(opening prayer Thanksgiving Day Mass)

Thanksgiving coming up!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is coming up so fast - tomorrow! It's been a whirlwind of activity and grace for me over the past few weeks with my trip to Rome, family things, birthdays, work, and now getting ready for Thanksgiving. I'll try to continue my posts on my Rome trip as soon as I can. In the mean time, here's a radio segment from another Thanksgiving about "Keeping it sane, simple, and holy" with Teresa Tomeo and me on "Mom's Corner."

Wisdom of the Church's Teaching on Providing Sustenenance for the Comatose

“'I want to read, talk with my friends via the computer and enjoy my life now that people know I am not dead,' he said, according to the Daily Mail."

Read on...

Brussels, Belgium, Nov 24, 2009 / 03:55 am (CNA).- A paralyzed man who was misdiagnosed as comatose for 23 years is again communicating with the world after new brain scans showed he was in fact conscious. A Catholic bioethics expert suggests the case shows the wisdom of Catholic teaching on the duty to provide sustenance for those believed to be comatose.

Rom Houben, a former martial arts enthusiast, was paralyzed in a 1983 car crash. The Daily Mail reports that his doctors in Zolder, Belgium used the internationally accepted Glasgow Coma Scale to assess his physical and verbal responses, but each time he was graded incorrectly.

“I screamed, but there was nothing to hear,” said Houben, who after therapy now communicates with the aid of a computer. “I dreamed myself away.”

Three years ago, new technology scans showed Houben’s brain was still functioning almost completely normally. His case has just been reported in a scientific paper by the doctor who discovered the mistake, neurological expert Dr. Steven Laureys of the Coma Science Group and Department of Neurology at Liege University Hospital.

Laureys’ re-evaluation of Houben showed that the patient had lost control of his body but was still fully aware of what was happening.

“Frustration is too small a word to describe what I felt,” Houben said. “I shall never forget the day when they discovered what was truly wrong with me - it was my second birth.” (Continued here)

Pausing a little

I am pausing a little today to drink in the graces and blessings surrounding me. It's my birthday and I have been receiving so many greetings on Face Book as well as cards and phone calls. I'm looking forward to birthday dinner tonight with part of my family and a continued celebration on Thanksgiving day and the week end!

I'll pick up tomorrow with my updates on my Rome pilgrimage. I thought I'd post a bit each day so I can still keep up with work and family here.

God bless your day! I hope it's a happy one. Don't forget to share your smile to brighten some one's day!

hugs,

Donna-Marie

Archive of radio show on the Vatican

I was unable to post this until now since I was in Rome at the time.

From Catholic Connection Archive...

"November 18, 2009

Segment 2 - Joan Lewis is EWTN's Rome Bureau Chief. She joins Teresa this morning to talk about the latest news out of the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI and his weekly audience. Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle is a Catholic mom and author. She reports on her week in Rome and her experiences with Joan."

To listen to the segment, just click here.

If you don't have time to listen in to what is before our segment, you can skip ahead to our segment by dragging the tiny button on the bottom to the right a bit (that you'll find when you click the link above).

St. Cecilia's feast day.

Today is St. Cecilia's feast day. I visited St. Cecilia's church with my friend, Teresa Tomeo while in Rome this past week. It was a very beautiful church and we spent some time there. I was most struck by a man who was pushing a broom, cleaning up the courtyard just outside the door. We stopped to talk with him and ask a few questions about St. Cecilia. I had remembered that I had read something about her recently and I wanted a find out more. The man stood there, leaning on his broom - his eyes gleaming as he told us the story he knew. We felt blessed to hear from this seemingly simple man who appeared to us to have a deep faith. The photo here is one I took of the altar in St. Cecilia's church. Her relics are below the altar.

Here's a bit about St. Cecilia...

"Although Cecilia is one of the most famous of the Roman martyrs, the familiar stories about her are apparently not founded on authentic material. There is no trace of honor being paid her in early times. A fragmentary inscription of the late fourth century refers to a church named after her, and her feast was celebrated at least in 545.
According to legend, Cecilia was a young Christian of high rank betrothed to a Roman named Valerian. Through her influence Valerian was converted, and was martyred along with his brother. The legend about Cecilia’s death says that after being struck three times on the neck with a sword, she lived for three days, and asked the pope to convert her home into a church.

Since the time of the Renaissance she has usually been portrayed with a viola or a small organ." (From A Saint a Day)

A View from Rome...

Photo is taken at night from my friend, Joan Lewis's home. This amazing view is right outside Joan's dining room window!


Doing a little work at the computer at Joan's home; updating Face Book and writing emails to my family. What a great location, huh?




More photos and news soon...

Recent post from Joan's Rome

You can check out a recent post from Joan Lewis, EWTN's News Bureau Chief in which she mentions Teresa Tomeo and me here.

I'll be filling you in soon on our visit to Our Lady of the Archway – La Madonna dell’Archetto that Joan mentions in her post. But first, I think I'll start at the beginning. I will find time to upload my photos from my Rome trip and give you snippets each day as I also catch up at home and prepare for Thanksgiving and many birthday celebrations in my family.

God bless your Saturday!

hugs,

Donna-Marie

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond."

(From Saint A Day)

Lisa Hendey's new book!

Just found this review this morning about Lisa Hendey's new book. Take a look here. Lisa invited me to offer a piece in her book too. I am very happy for Lisa about the release of her book and know it will be a wonderful resource for Catholic Moms!

Hello from Roma!

Hello!

I have not been able to access my blog until now but it is after 1:00 am here in Rome. I thought I would at least say "hello" and let you know that I am praying for all of you here at the Vatican. I am taking amazing photographs that I will share with you when I return home to the US.

I will try to write more soon.

God bless and hugs from Rome!

Donna-Marie

Just happened to come across this article...

I just happened to come across this article that was published last year regarding my trip to Rome. I will be going to Rome again TODAY!!! This time to attend an evangelization summit along with Teresa Tomeo. Here's the article...

To visit the Vatican is a trip many folks only dream of

"But for Connecticut resident Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, her recent trip to the Italian city-state ruled by the Pope was an opportunity of a lifetime, one that provided further insight into a theme to which she has devoted her adult life.

Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle was one of 260 people chosen from around the world -- only one of six from the U.S. -- to participate in the Pontifical Council for the Laity's International Congress at the Vatican in February.

The event marked the 20th anniversary of the apostolic letter "Mulieris dignitatem, On the Dignity and Vocation of Women," written by the late Pope John Paul II.

'I felt excited about the anniversary and that the church was recognizing the anniversary to reflect on the document and its relevance to women today,' Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said during a recent interview.

The letter's milestone is especially significant to her. She has quoted segments of it in some of her books, which focus on the theme of women, children and mothers.

'It was a pilgrimage/mission for me to travel to Rome,' Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said of her experience. 'It was such an honor.'

The soft-spoken, petite mother of five said she believes she was invited to attend the Congress in recognition of her continued work celebrating women and mothers by writing articles and books and giving presentations to various groups.

The author has had a respected relationship with the Catholic Church for more than two decades, having first traveled to Rome 20 years ago (while pregnant with her fourth child, Joseph) to hand-deliver papers from her spiritual director, Fr. John A. Hardon S.J., to then-president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity Cardinal Eduardo Pironio.

In addition, she met Mother Teresa in the mid-1980s and corresponded with her over the years, and has received letters from both Pope John Paul II and reigning Pope Benedict XVI, all in acknowledgement of and praise for her work while encouraging her to continue.

This trip was especially close to Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle's heart. It gave her an opportunity to be "part of a history-making event" and reflect on her faith, and her role as a woman, mother and writer, she said.

Plus, she was able to take two of her daughters, Chaldea, 26, and Mary-Catherine, 16, with her for some family time away from her attendance at the Congress.

'It was amazing to me to be in the same room with people from five continents, from some 48 or 49 countries, [who] were there for the same mission and reason -- to go deeper into our Catholic faith and the apostolic letter,' she said of her experience at the Congress.

The purpose of the three-day event was to 'review the progress made over the past 20 years in the field of the advancement of women and the recognition of their dignity... [and address]... the new cultural paradigms and the difficulties faced by Catholic women as they strive to live according to their identity and to collaborate with fruitful reciprocity with men in building up the Church and society' among other things, according to the letter of invitation Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle received from the Council on Laity.

Delegates attended several conferences led by theologians, Biblical scholars, women authors and others, some of whom presented panel discussions, and a workshop of their choice.

Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said she found the workshop she attended, which focused on technology and consumerism and their relationship to women, informative and reaffirmed her belief in the importance of 'hang[ing] on to family time, not allow[ing] technology to take over and not allow[ing] the demands of our culture to' impact our children.

'Women are the target of mixed messages in our culture and the demands of perfection in the workplace and home are really tough for women,' Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said.

As a delegate, Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle also attended a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Papel Palace, which turned out to be one of the highlights of her trip.

'We were all on the edges of our seats trying to get closer,' Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said, noting the Pope thanked the delegates for their attendance at the Congress and offered them a special blessing.

Another highlight was hearing the encouraging words of Cardinal Rylko during the Congress' closing ceremony.

Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said Cardinal Rylko suggested the delegates "come down from the mountain and go against the current -- be a contradiction giving witness" and reminded them not to be concerned with being a minority.

'Salt is a minority but it gives flavor, yeast is a minority but makes the whole dough rise,' he said.

These words touched a special chord in her heart, Mrs. Cooper O'Boyle said, noting she has used similar words in her presentations and books.

Hearing his words 'resolidified my vow to do what I feel God calling me to do,' she said with a quiet confidence.

'I'm so happy if God can use me," she said. "I'm not hiding my light under a bushel.'"






Copyright, 2008, The News-Times (Danbury, CT)
Record Number: 8717300

Update coming up

I'll update you tomorrow (Wednesday) about things. For now have a BLESSED night!

hugs!

Donna-Marie

Here's the full cover

Sharing the new cover image!

Are you ready?

Here's the new front cover image of my Mother Teresa book due to be released shortly.