Rooted in Love segment with Teresa Tomeo

http://avemariaradio.net/archiveListen.php?file=cc_20121227_2 

Teresa Tomeo and I began our chat this morning about my book, Rooted in Love at about the 13.17 point in this archive link (for December 27, 2012).

Check it out!

God bless you and yours!

Rooted in Love Blog Tour: Day # 11

My first exposure to Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle was when I was pregnant with my second child. She had found my blog and asked me to review a book of hers. When she found out I was pregnant, she sent me a delightful package that had in it, among other things, a copy of her lovely pregnancy prayer book, Prayerfully Expecting (which I love!).

Donna-Marie has become quite the well-known Catholic personage since then, and she’s the host of the EWTN show Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms and the author of a dozen books, including her latest, Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women.

I tend to have had, well, enough of all this “be a happy Catholic woman” stuff. Maybe I’m just still too jaded, maybe I’m overdue for confession (well, I certainly am), or maybe I am just unworthy, but it seems the market is saturated.

So I appreciate someone who keeps it real. I tend to begin Donna-Marie’s books with a feeling of “here we go again, brace yourself.” I don’t know why I always have this attitude, because I know without a doubt that:

1. Donna-Marie is just as human as I am.

2. Donna-Marie is neither judgmental nor nasty.

3. I am sure to at least like the book, because I’ve enjoyed all the others.

Over the years, as I’ve watched Donna-Marie become something of a superstar, I’ve been amazed that she seems to remain–I can’t think of another word for it–little. She still replies to my emails. She still seems to interact with people in various places (like the comboxes and Facebook conversations). She seems to have taken to heart the idea of smallness and humility within her own calling to be a Catholic public persona.

And that is what comes out in this book, that feeling of our shared humanity and how our woman-ness draws us to love.

My one sentence summary of Rooted in Love: it’s great.

And I have this to say about Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle after having read this book: she’s an even tougher cookie than I thought.

In this book she shares pieces of her past and her struggles that I have never read nor heard from her before, and they opened me to her message in a way that I wouldn’t have been otherwise.

The book is a journey and it’s a gentle look at where you might be now and where God would have you go (hence the “calling” reference in the subtitle).

It’s neither sappy nor inaccessible, which I’m always sort of afraid of when I see these sorts of titles float my way.

Rooted in Love is the combining of Donna-Marie’s life experiences with the wisdom of the Church and Church teaching in a way that even jaded me could enjoy and like.

All in all, a good gift idea for that woman in your life. And then, after you’ve bought her copy, buy a copy for yourself.

You’re sure to find Rooted in Love at your local Catholic bookstore. Lacking that, you can can purchase it online atAquinas & More Catholic Goods, Ave Maria Press, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. [Editor's note: and also at www.donnacooperoboyle.com. Autographed copies available there.]

As seen here: http://snoringscholar.com/2012/12/rooted-in-love/   

________________________________
Advent blessings to you!

Rooted in Love Blog Tour: Day # 10

E komo mai! (Welcome!) to our stopover for Donna's book tour!

It is very exciting to be able to participate in this book promotion because Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women is simply a very special book!  

For those of you who may not yet know Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, she is a prolific and a very devout Catholic author.  All of her books are written in her unique and thoughtful manner.  She speaks to her readers through her books in the same personal way that a friend would.  One will find that reading her insight into Catholic womanhood is the next best thing to speaking to Donna one on one.  I cannot recall reading another book in recent times where the author seems to understand one so well.  She answers  concerns and questions that I feel most of us as Catholic women may have.   Rooted in Love surpassed my expectations.  It is a book I will read over and over again. I will keep it on my special shelf of books which I keep the Catholic "reference books".  I have had the pleasure of reading most of Donna's books.  She really opened up about private life, concerns and crosses in her newest book.  I also found her writing to be quite humorous in a gentle way.  Rooted in Love was written by a devout Catholic woman for Catholic women who want to grow more deeply in their love with their faith.  It amazed me that such a small book was packed full of good advice, prayers, tips on evangelizing in our daily life, appropriate quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, saints, her own special friends like Blessed Mother Teresa and Servant of God, Father John Hardon, S.J.  and so much information to guide a Catholic woman in the path of sanctity.

Mahalo nui loa Donna!

Oh, and I almost forgot!   You can enter to win a copy of Donna's newest book. All you have to do is send me an email and you are entered! The deadline is December 17th. Email:  estherjoeysmom(at)gmail(dot)com.

You can also purchase the book at:  

Ave Maria Press, Amazon and Barnes and Nobles . This book would make a terrific gift to all the women on your gift-giving list. [Editor's note: autographed copies available at author's website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com]

As seen here: http://hicatholicmom.blogspot.com/2012/12/rooted-in-love-blog-book-tour.html
_____________

Advent blessings!

I appreciate someone who keeps it real

As seen on Amazon...

I tend to have had, well, enough of all this "be a happy Catholic woman" stuff. Maybe I'm just still too jaded, maybe I'm overdue for confession (well, I certainly am), or maybe I am just unworthy, but it seems the market is saturated.

So I appreciate someone who keeps it real. I tend to begin Donna-Marie's books with a feeling of "here we go again, brace yourself." I don't know why I always have this attitude, because I know without a doubt that:

1. Donna-Marie is just as human as I am.

2. Donna-Marie is neither judgmental nor nasty.

3. I am sure to at least like the book, because I've enjoyed all the others.

Over the years, as I've watched Donna-Marie become something of a superstar, I've been amazed that she seems to remain--I can't think of another word for it--little. She still replies to my emails. She still seems to interact with people in various places (like the comboxes and Facebook conversations). She seems to have taken to heart the idea of smallness and humility within her own calling to be a Catholic public persona.

And that is what comes out in this book, that feeling of our shared humanity and how our woman-ness draws us to love.

My one sentence summary of Rooted in Love: it's great.

And I have this to say about Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle after having read this book: she's an even tougher cookie than I thought.

In this book she shares pieces of her past and her struggles that I have never read nor heard from her before, and they opened me to her message in a way that I wouldn't have been otherwise.

The book is a journey and it's a gentle look at where you might be now and where God would have you go (hence the "calling" reference in the subtitle).

It's neither sappy nor inaccessible, which I'm always sort of afraid of when I see these sorts of titles float my way.

Rooted in Love is the combining of Donna-Marie's life experiences with the wisdom of the Church and Church teaching in a way that even jaded me could enjoy and like.
All in all, a good gift idea for that woman in your life. And then, after you've bought her copy, buy a copy for yourself.

__________________

God bless you and yours,

Rooted in Love Blog Tour Day # 9

How many books begin with an invitation to a slumber party?

This one does! Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s richly personal, but powerfully catechetical new book, “Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women,” is as delightful, intimate, and honest as a 3 a.m. chat with your best friend over a cup of hot chocolate, and I can’t recommend it heartily enough.

This is my top Christmas gift recommendation for every Catholic woman on your list; married, single, divorced, actively raising children, or empty-nesters, and would be a superb gift for your DRE, your volunteer catechists, and the moms who help out in your parish program. It is an authentic, faithful exploration of the meaning, beauty, and purpose of our holy calling as Catholic women. It would be a genuinely bonding and exciting book study, but it’s a wonderful read for individuals, too.

And you have a chance to win a copy! But first, a few words about the author.

I was very fortunate to meet Donna-Marie a few years ago when we were both speaking on a panel for one of the Catholic Writers’ Guild’s annual conferences, and I have had the joy of getting to know her as a friend, since then.

She is an extremely unusual person, but I don’t know if I can quite capture the reasons in words. A dedicated parish catechist of 25 years and counting, a mother of five children who suffered through a heartbreaking divorce, battled poverty as a single mother, and suffered a number of personal tragedies, she is also a best-selling author and popular speaker, EWTN television and radio personality, and personal friend of Servant of God Father John A. Hardon, SJ, and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. She is both ordinary and extraordinary all at once.

But to me, the credentials that really make Donna-Marie unusual and special are her simplicity and naturalness in the midst of it all. She is that rare creature; wise and deeply loving (the kind of person I have always wanted to buddy up with) a truly humble, gentle soul in love with God.

Like her other books, “Rooted in Love” is packed with wisdom gleaned from the Church; from documents, scriptures, and saints. And as with the others, she shares illuminating, charming, and often deeply moving anecdotes from her own life and the lives of others. And consistent with every single endeavor she undertakes, the person you meet in the printed text matches the real Donna-Marie, a surprisingly shy person whose obedience to God has led her to share her heart with the world.

What is different about this inspiring book is the depth of personal revelation, and the power of the resulting intimacy. Donna-Marie has a great passion for the saints, the Catechism, and Sacred Scripture, so that the weaving of her life with the writings of the Church is remarkably familiar and seamless, comfortable, yet exciting in its freshness and vibrancy. This work has elements of both memoir and study guide, but rises above both genres in a way I can only attribute to the bond of love between the author and her Lord.

I’m going to share the table of contents with you, because it will give you a flavor for the book:

Part One: Discovering Myself in Christ

• Who Am I?
• Becoming a Whole Woman

Part Two: Christ is My Strength

• Always at My Side
• Offering Me Living Water

Part Three: Christ is My Life

• In My Home
• In My Work
• In My Struggles

Part Four: Meeting Christ in Others

• A Woman for Others
• When Did I See You, Lord?

Part Five: Christ is My Joy

• My Soul Magnifies the Lord

I admired and enjoyed the discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which fall into three categories, and are followed by a simple prayer. “My Mind to Know Him” gives you something to think about, like behavior in the workplace, or learning more about the saints. “My Heart to Love Him,” gently poses questions that help us take inventory of our hearts in relationship to God. “My Hands to Serve Him” frames our work and service to others in light of our love for God, but in practical, simple ways that I’ll wager will touch your heart as much as they did mine. Her closing prayers are utterly humble, heartfelt, and very brief.

I have a copy to give away, so enter a comment in the box below, and I’ll be putting all the names in a Christmas stocking and picking one at random on December 12^th, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

But don’t wait to win a free one, order a whole bunch!

A very blessed and happy Advent to you and yours! Thanks for reading!

Love,

Lisa Mladinich

Founder, Amazing Catechsts^TM

Enter here for a chance to win the book as well as to see the post at "Amazing Catechists" http://amazingcatechists.com/2012/12/red-and-green-alert-christmas-book-giveaway/

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

Website: http://www.donnacooperoboyle.com/

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is an award-winning author and journalist, speaker, reviewer, and the EWTN television host of Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms, which she created. A Catholic wife and mother of five, Cooper O’Boyle was noted as one of the Top Ten Most Fascinating Catholics in 2009 by Faith & Family Live. She enjoyed a decade-long friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and became a Lay Missionary of Charity. For many years her spiritual director was Servant of God John A. Hardon, S.J., who also served as one of Mother Teresa’s spiritual directors.

Cooper O’Boyle was invited by the Holy See in 2008 to participate in an international congress for women at the Vatican to mark the twentieth anniversary of the apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women). She received apostolic blessings from Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on her books and work and a special blessing from Pope John Paul II for her work with Blessed Mother Teresa. Cooper O’Boyle is the author of several books on faith and family, including Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa and Me, Embracing Motherhood, and The Domestic Church. She has been featured by Zenit news and Rome Reports, and is a frequent guest on EWTN’s Bookmark, Faith & Culture, and Vatican Insider.

Follow Donna-Marie on Facebook.

Follow Donna-Marie on Twitter.

Enter here for a chance to win the book as well as to see the post at "Amazing Catechists" http://amazingcatechists.com/2012/12/red-and-green-alert-christmas-book-giveaway/

God bless you and keep you!

Rooted in Love Blog Tour Stop # 8

Sometimes for a woman, the Urgent is the enemy of the Important. 

Amid the cacophony of family life—the homework, the laundry, the dishes, the after-school football practice—it’s a temptation for a mother to simply overlook the really important part of her day, her relationship with Christ.  For the 75 percent of American women who also work outside the home, the challenge is compounded by the distraction of daily job pressures.

Whatever a woman’s station in life—single, married with children, or older and facing the special challenges of impaired health or widowhood—Rooted in Love will inspire the Catholic reader to pause and draw strength from her relationship with Christ.

When Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle invited me to participate in the blog tour for her latest book,Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women, I accepted enthusiastically.  Donna-Marie brings to her writing a softness, a peaceful witness born of time spent in prayer.  Gently, she draws her readers toward our real purpose in life:  loving and serving God.

In Rooted in Love, Donna-Marie inspires Catholic womento give their minds, hearts and hands to God, and she encourages her readers with “You can do it” messages and anecdotes from her own life experience.  She caps each chapter with a Moment to Reflect—steering the reader toward greater holiness with questions for thought and a brief prayer.

Hint, hint:  This would be a great Christmas gift for any woman who is serious about her faith!

___________

The above post can be seen here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2012/12/rooted-in-love-tools-and-inspiration-for-catholic-women/
God bless

Rooted in Love Blog Tour Day # 7

From Roxane at "Peace Garden Mama"

 

Welcome to Peace Garden Mama! I'm so pleased to be part of the effort to help spread word of my sweet friend Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's brand-new book, "Rooted In Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women." 

I can think of no better time than now for a book like this to find its way into my own hands, head and heart. This week has been my first working at home full time after a year of trying to manage work outside the home. With the surrender, my life has changed overnight, and all for the better so far. In these first days of being immersed fully in the depths of family life, I've been rewarded richly as I've rediscovered the deepest calling through serving my family. And there's no one who more assuredly affirms women in their roles as mother, wife and daughter of God than Donna-Marie.

My hot-off-the-press copy of "Rooted in Love" is sitting right next to my nightstand. I've already begun dipping in and am looking forward to journeying further with Donna-Marie by way of her blessed, wise words throughout these next weeks. To whet my and your appetites, Donna-Marie has graciously answered a few questions about her book and how it came to be. By leaving a comment at the end of this post, you'll be entered in a drawing to receive a free copy!

Donna-Marie, thanks for allowing me to be one of the hosts of your blog tour. I'd love to know more about why you wrote"Rooted in Love." In what specific ways do you feel it will benefit women?

Thank you for asking, Roxane. I wrote "Rooted in Love"because I believe that Catholic and Christian women are grappling with so many issues and I feel this book might very well bring them the peace they’re aching for.

Women wrestle with scores of struggles. They are sometimes stressed, depressed, and worn out. They battle with demands for perfection and can sometimes feel alone and discouraged trying to make sense out of all of the mixed messages aimed at them. The world tries to push a false identity on women based on its corrupt values. Most of that comes to us through an onslaught of messages via the mass media and the culture, which is hard to escape.

Women are stretched beyond measure trying to do it all—all of what they need to accomplish on any given day and even the extra bunch of things that they add to their own shoulders (inadvertently or mistakenly). In addition, certainly we must face the facts that women have not exactly been acknowledged or affirmed properly throughout the centuries.

With all of that going on in a woman’s life, she might (and often does) totally lose sight of her true purpose (if she was ever aware of it), as well as the joy she deserves to feel, being a daughter of God, possessing so many beautiful gifts.

I hope that by my offering encouragement, support, and advice in "Rooted in Love," Catholic women will garner a sense of affirmation of their God-given dignity and even feel a renewed peace. I’m hoping and praying that women will fully realize their true feminine genius and endeavor to unearth it with gusto.

As I wrote in the introduction, “Today’s Catholic woman need not feel alone or discouraged. There is an amazing richness to the Catholic faith that can be unearthed and applied to our lives. Catholic womanhood is steeped in tremendous love, transforming grace, and fulfilling joy. Our mission and vocation are rooted in love of God, who actually stoops down to serve us, his creatures, even as we strive to serve him. Amazing!”

Later on, I mentioned that “Somewhere beneath the surface of our lives exists an incredible God-given and magnificent dignity as a woman. I say that it’s hidden because, for many women, when they recognize their true dignity, it’s a sheer delight, perhaps even an unexpected surprise.”

Throughout the book, I discuss the innumerable facets of a Catholic woman’s life, offering suggestions of Catholic tools that can help navigate it. I also propose the solution to the problems of objectification, exploitation, and the mass confusion aimed at women: to earnestly and prayerfully seek to discover our true dignity as women, reveal it with great joy, and then do our part to assist other women to unearth their true God-given dignity.

Why is this the ideal time for "Rooted in Love" to release?

In the chapter titled, “In My Struggles,” I talk about the many challenging issues that women face, including sickness, grief, stress, sense of failure, discouragement, anger, resentment, jealousy, divorce, difficult pregnancies, loss of a spouse, being stretched to the limit, dealing with demands for perfection, and being bombarded with lopsided messages from the culture.

Because of this and the fact that women could certainly benefit from encouragement and guidance, I think the book comes at a very good time. Despite these issues, women are pressing forward, moving deeper into their faith, and feeling more recognized as an integral part of the Church.

In "Rooted in Love,"I draw on solid Catholic teachings and weave in uplifting as well as dramatic stories throughout. I endeavor to hearten Catholic women to strive to explore how they can live an amazingly meaningful and happy life as they come to know, love, and serve God with their feminine minds, hearts, and hands. Imagine what could happen if women would gather together to share their faith and insights by using this book in a study group! 

Indeed, I can easily see this book being used as a conversation starter and idea generator among groups of women. I think the fruits of women gathering together to share their faith and insights by using this as a tool would be bountiful.

Donna, thanks for sharing some of the gems of your book with us. We are indeed thirsting for words and thoughts such as what you have labored to offer us here. Thanks for digging deep into your own life as a mother, wife and daughter of God to bring us "Rooted in Love."

I'm excited to share this treasure of a book with one blessed reader. I'll be watching for those comments! [Enter to win the book here at this link: http://roxanesalonen.blogspot.com/2012/12/faith-fridays-blog-tour-with-donna.html ]

For those who would like to order a copy or two (Christmas is nearing), visit Donna-Marie's website and buy it at a special, early-bird price for a limited time here. 

Roxane's post can be seen here at her blog: http://roxanesalonen.blogspot.com/2012/12/faith-fridays-blog-tour-with-donna.html

God bless you and yours,

Rooted in Love Blog Tour: Day # 6

This is from Kate Wicker:

Not too long ago I had one of those days Alexander has – a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I can’t really say what happened to make my day turn out so lousy. Nothing devastating happened to me personally, although loved ones I knew were suffering from some crushing news. I don’t remember if I stubbed my toe or if the kids were bickering more than usual. What I do recall is the visceral feeling of depletion and defeat that was on the verge of swallowing me whole as I sat on my kitchen floor with a fussy baby clinging to me while I watched a cloud of dog hair studded with crumbs drift along like a tumbleweed in an abandoned desert town.

Life was overwhelming at that moment. The tearful baby, the mess on the floor were proof that I could not keep up with my house, the homeschooling, my children.

Flailing along on the edge of burnout was bad enough but what was worse were the feelings of guilt that here I was living just shy of Eden while others faced real suffering, including family members with debilitating, chronic pain and cancer. How could I feel even a shred of despondency while living in a beautiful home, married to a wonderful man, and being the mother to four healthy, energetic children?
Recently, a caring friend of mine invited me to help serve dinner for a single mom and her three children who were homeless because the mom couldn’t find work. This mom had a real reason to be overwhelmed. Meanwhile, I was playing the world’s smallest violin.

Or was I?

I once had a dear friend tell me something I’ve never forgotten. This friend had faced a mother’s worst nightmare. She had watched her child suffer surrounded by a maze of medical tubes only to die after several months of being in the hospital. The experience crushed in her in many ways, but she also confided in me that as difficult it was to lose her sweet girl, she also had never been more aware of God’s grace than at that tragic time in her life. On the other hand, the daily struggles – what seemed like insignificant, toothpick-like crosses – could really weigh her down and sometimes made her feel like she was alone and even abandoned.

As an American mother married to a kind, hard-working husband with a great job, I live a charmed life and I give thanks for all that I have, but I also know that I, like other mothers, do suffer in small yet significant ways. I was recently persecuted – that’s a strong word, but it’s true – for the size of my family. I wanted to look in to the narrowed eyes and tell this person that a family of six is paltry and that I’m a slacker compared to many of my friends who are bursting with blessings. Instead, I kept quiet and used every ounce of self-control to keep the tears at bay and to steady my voice as I spoke.

Yes, I suffer from sleep deprivation, feeling like the odd woman out or the old woman in the shoe with so many children she didn’t know what to do. I feel inadequate at times, overwhelmed, fearful, But I’m afraid to admit it.  Healthy moms of healthy children who have a house over their heads and all the comforts they could desire don’t feel like they should ever have anything to complain or grieve about so when they do have a less than perfect day, not only do they feel sad and overwhelmed but they feel guilty for feeling that way. We don’t want to complain of feeling persecuted when there’s bride burning and other horrific things happening in the world.

Our children are our blessings. Our husbands our rocks. In the United States, we (mostly) have the freedom to practice our faith. We have enough money to pay the bills. Ergo, we have no right to lament when the toilets overflow and flood our basement because at least we have modern plumbing. We better not ever resent those nocturnal children of ours and our interrupted sleep because at least we have healthy children. And don’t you dare admit that your preschooler sometimes drives you crazy with her irrational requests. Don’t sweat the small stuff – like the new glittery-pink graffiti a child added to one of the few pieces of new furniture in your home. People are more important than things, after all. And is another potty mishap – maybe a nuclear diaper or a puddle of pee on the couch – really that big of deal?

Yes, sometimes it is. For some of us mothers the call to holiness is not about enduring dire suffering in the form of abject poverty, disease, or serious religious persecution. Sometimes it’s subtle eye rolling in your direction for trusting God or buying into the “fantasy” of faith. Every day it’s a slow dying to self. It’s mopping up toilet water from the basement floor. It’s folding laundry day after day. It’s sleepless nights. It’s giving up blogging or any other hobby to make more time for your family. It’s being proud of the small village you’re raising and overseeing on a daily basis.

Do you know what women inspire me the most? They’re not the moms who pretend they love every minute of being a wife and mother. They’re not necessarily the moms who flaunt enviable domestic prowess. They aren’t the moms who have half a dozen children or more and make it look easy. They’re the moms who aren’t afraid to show you that it’s hard. They are the moms whose children might go out in public looking like ragamuffins because combing unruly hair is less of a priority than reading lots of storybooks or being responsive to a needy baby. They are the moms who, though they stumble, rise with grace and continue to put one foot in front of the other even when they’re tired, frustrated, or frazzled. They’re the moms who say with their lives, “This is tough, tough, tough work, but it’s worth it. I love my kids more than life itself, but they sometimes drive me nuts. I feel overwhelmed some days. I’m scared sometimes and question things, but in the end I trust.  I can’t do it all, and I won’t pretend to. But whatever I do try and do I will try to do well. And when I don’t do anything well, I’ll sometimes sit on the kitchen floor and cry a good cry before getting back up again and finding my own brand of holiness in sweeping a messy kitchen floor while holding a cranky baby.”

They are the moms who accept where they are and what they are. They’re not always hauling around big, obvious crosses, but they do sometimes suffer nonetheless. And they recognize that each moment in their life – whether they enjoy it or simply must endure it – is “best and holiest thing”* that could happen to them. They are not flashy heroes, but they do practice heroic virtue.

They are rooted in love; they are rooted in God. And when the messes, exhaustion, wayward children, plumbing malfunctions, and profusely shedding dogs seem too much to bear, they’re not afraid to cry out and ask for help.

–

This post was not only inspired by a tough day in the trenches but also by this quote in Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s newest book Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women:

“What God arranges for us to experience at each moment is the best and holiest thing that could happen to us. Every moment we live through is like an ambassador who declares the will of God, and our hearts always utter their acceptance. We can find all that is necessary in the present moment….At every moment God’s will produces what is needed for the task at hand, and the simple soul, instructed by faith, finds everything as it should be and wants neither more nor less than what it has.”

Jesuit Jean-Pierre de Caussade* (1675-1751), as quoted in Chapter 7: In My Struggles

About the book: Donna-Marie marbles plenty of personal stories into this encouraging volume and closes each chapter with discussion questions as well as a prayer. Rooted in Love is a  gentle invitation to embrace your calling as a Catholic woman.

My Advent gift to you is a chance to win a copy of the book. Leave a comment below to enter to win. Contest ends December 15th at 8 pm EST. If you share this post on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll glean additional entries. Please leave a comment for each separate action so if you share on FB and Twitter, leave three separate comments (one for your general entry, on for FB, and one for Twitter).

Follow Donna-Marie along her Rooted in Love blog tour by visiting the book’s website.

To learn more about Donna-Marie, please visit her main website.

See Kate's blog post here as well as enter the book contest here: http://katewicker.com/2012/12/the-suffering-mother-rooted-in-love-blog-tour-giveaway.html

God bless!

Rooted in Love "Among Women" Podcast

This post is from Pat Gohn of "Among Women." I had a nice visit with Pat chatting about Rooted in Love. You can listen to our conversation by  clicking on the link below. You can also win a copy of the book!

___________

In this week’s episode of Among Women we look at the faith and testimony of St Catherine of Genoa, one of the Christian mystics from the Middle Ages who, despite heartaches and depression in her life, went on to live a life of heroic love of God and service to others. Today I’m also joined by Catholic author and EWTN TV host, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle who shares her wisdom about holy struggles as well, as she talks about some of the themes of her latest book, Rooted in Love, Our Calling as Catholic Women. 

I also spend a few moments recapping where I’ve been, and what’s to come in the next few weeks on Among Women.

____________

God bless!