Act TODAY please!

From: One Nation Under God. org...
Dear Friends,

Given the holdout of 40 pro-life Democrats, and intense pressure by pro-life groups and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) over the federal funding of abortion, last night Speaker Pelosi conceded that she did not have the votes to push a vote on the Rule. After hours of negotiations Congressman Bart Stupak was given permission by the House Rules Committee to offer his pro-life amendment. A vote will occur this afternoon.

Pro-abortion leaders left Speaker Pelosi's office last night upset with the news that the Stupak amendment will get a vote. Planned Parenthood of America president Cecile Richards isn't happy with the U.S. Bishops efforts, and holds them responsible for this new development. The following email was sent to Planned Parenthood supporters this morning:

Late yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met with leaders in the House of Representatives in their bid to eliminate women's access to abortion care under health care reform.

We have just received news that their efforts are working, and Representative Bart Stupak has introduced an amendment to the health care reform bill that will result in women losing health care coverage for abortion.

We urgently need you, and your friends and family, to call your representative...and ask him or her to reject the Stupak amendment that will remove abortion coverage from health care reform.

If the bishops and their anti-choice partners in the House succeed, they'll permanently alter health care in America, even taking away benefits from women that they have today. The bishops want to effectively eliminate abortion coverage in both private plans and the public option. We simply cannot stand for such a discriminatory, mean-spirited attack on women.

Warning to Congress from Fr. Frank Pavone

This morning Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, warned the members of Congress that he would distribute the voting records of members of Congress on the Stupak-Pitts amendment to HR 3962 (and other abortion-related votes) to every Catholic parish in America, with instructions to each pastor on how to make clear to his congregation the implications of how that congregation's representative voted. "Whatever one's position on abortion itself," Fr. Pavone commented, "the vast majority of Americans have always opposed the idea that taxpayers should fund it. Our plan to inform pastors of these voting records is phase one of a year-long effort to activate Churches as never before regarding what they can legally do in preparation for next year's midterm elections. Publishing voting records in a non-partisan fashion is certainly one of those activities."

President Obama is making a rare Saturday appearance to Democrats on the hill to rally support. Democrats need 218 votes.

Ask your Representatives to Support the Stupak-Pitts amendment

What the Stupak-Pitts Amendment Would Do

The Stupak-Pitts Amendment would remove the two major pro-abortion components from H.R. 3962: (1) The amendment would permanently prohibit the new federal government insurance program, the "public option," from paying for abortion, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest; and (2) the amendment would permanently prohibit the use of the new federal premium subsidies ("affordability credits") to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest).

Note: The Stupak-Pitts Amendment explicitly allows private insurance companies to sell insurance policies that cover abortion (either abortion alone, or abortion coverage along with other coverage) to persons who pay for such policies entirely with their personal funds. Some pro-abortion groups have claimed that the Stupak-Pitts amendment would prohibit private companies from selling abortion coverage even to a person who receives no government subsidy, but this is false. - NRLC

1.) Contact your Representative and ask them to vote "YES" on the
Stupak Amendment. Contact your Members here.
or call the House switchboard at: (202) 224-3121

2.) Spread the word to 10 people.

3.) Continue to pray for our elected officials. Pray that our
nation -- founded on the inalienable right to life --
does not allow its government to fund the destruction
of human life at its most vulnerable stage.

That Congress will act to ensure that needed health care reform will truly protect the life, dignity and health care of all and that we will raise our voices to protect the unborn and the most vulnerable and to preserve our freedom of conscience.
We pray to the Lord.

Sincerely,


Lisa Correnti
Founder and Director
OneNationUnderGod.org

Check this link for more information.

Our Blessed Mother and Mothers

Here's an article: "Nearer to Our Blessed Mother" over at Catholic Mom.Com. It was originally written for the month of October but is really fitting for any time. You can see it here.

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Little Flowers

Have you heard of the Little Flowers Girls Club? I will be giving a talk to a local group tonight. It's really such a wonderful club. Here's some information for you here:

"Little Flowers Girls' Club® is a Catholic program for girls ages 5 and up based on learning Catholic virtues through the lives of Catholic saints, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Developed by a Catholic mom of nine, Rachel Watkins, and based on Fr. Lasance's Catholic Girls' Guide, the Club strives to bring the Catholic faith alive and inspire the girls to become authentic Catholic women.

Nine virtues are included in each of three different wreaths or years of study. A fourth year, studying the fruits of the Spirit is also available. The format of the Clubs is flexible, with groups meeting monthly, bi-monthly or weekly. Badges for the virtues are earned by studying the saint associated with the virtue, memorizing relevant scripture verses and studying the Catechism. The program is flexible enough to use with a variety of age groups. Little Flowers Girls' Club® has also been successfully implemented in the family. Sashes, vests, skirts, bandanas, t-shirts and other items are extras that add to the experience, but are not necessary to running a successful Club.

The Leader's Guide for each wreath offers suggestions for running meetings, planning crafts and activities, talks on virtues and other relevant information. The Member's Guide includes the activities, saints' biographies, pictures of the saints, and prayers for each girl. Each of the girls in the Club should purchase their own Member's Guide.

Other items that leaders find useful are the Memory Verse CD/Cassettes, the Tea and Luncheon Manual and the Craft Companion and Merit Certificates.

Leaders should have fun with the program and use the flexibility to choose the items that are right for your group's needs. God bless you in your work for His work!"

Please take a look at the link here.

Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers To Be

Anne McClure at "Catholic Mommy Brain" has just reviewed my book: Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers to Be:

"Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is a Catholic wife, mother of five, author, speaker, and Lay Missionary of Charity. Inspired by the idea that pregnancy spans nine months, Donna Marie created a guide to using this period of time for a novena of prayers and reflection on the blessing of new life.

This reflective journal helps you pray through your pregnancy, using beautiful meditations on all the mysteries of the Rosary and asking the intercession of Saint Anne and Saint Gerard Majella in particular. Interspersed with these prayers are descriptions of the baby’s development and quotes from wonderful models of love such as Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (a personal friend of Donna-Marie’s). These nuggets of wisdom will deepen your experience on the incredible dignity of life.

I am praying through this book myself and am so grateful for the peace I am finding. It can be so difficult to simply appreciate pregnancy. After all, everything about a pregnancy is oriented towards its conclusion. We can’t help but ponder names, prepare for labor, and dream about cuddling a new baby. These thoughts can be fun, but they can also prevent us from enjoying the experience of pregnancy itself. Prayerfully Expecting allows us an opportunity to slow down and find God in the process and not just the product. It offers a window into how God sees pregnancy– as a gift of self and an act of love.

Donna Marie is an inspiring witness to the joy of mothering. Prayerfully Expecting seeks to help every mom deepen that joy. To purchase this book, or to learn more about Donna Marie’s other writings, visit her website. You can also find her blogging at View From the Domestic Church, Moments of Inspiration From Your Favorite Saints, Embracing Motherhood, and Daily Dose of Donna-Marie. Her new TV series, “Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms” will soon premiere on EWTN as well."

Visit Anne's blog here.

Exciting contest at Catholic Mom.Com

Lisa Hendey at Catholic Mom.Com is running an amazing contest...

"Bringing new life into the world is a profound miracle; but for some women, pregnancy itself isn’t easy. To show our support, celebrate the blessing, and pamper our pregnant friends, we decided to offer a pregnancy giveaway during the month of November. Leave a comment on this post, and you’ll be entered to win one of two pregnancy prize packages.

Prize Pack 1:

1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
1 Bella Band
1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care; 1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle
1 copy of Margo Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”
Prize Pack 2:

1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
2 boxes of Organic Preggie Pop Drops
1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care; 1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle
1 copy of Margo Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”
Visit Kate Wicker at Momopoly for a detailed review of the Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set. Visit Anne McClure at Catholic Mommy Brain for reviews of the Bella Band, Laugh and Learn package, and Prayerfully Expecting."

So, go over to Catholic Mom.Com and see how to enter!

Praying for souls...

I'm praying for the souls in Purgatory today especially, but I pray for them every day. Go on over to my blog "View From the Domestic Church" to read a couple of posts about fellow Catholic authors writing on the poor souls and Purgatory.

Happy All Saints' Day!

Feast of All Saints

"Let us rejoice in the Lord and keep festival in honor of all the saints. Let us join with the angels in joyful praise to the Son of God."

Entrance Antiphon

This morning's segment with Teresa Tomeo on "Mom's Corner"

Here's the link to this morning's show in case you were unable to listen in at the time. Just
click here to hear my chat this morning with Teresa Tomeo. We talked about Halloween, alternatives to the tradional Jack O'Lanterns, All Saints Day, kids, families, the culture, my week end retreat at the Abbey, our upcoming trip to Rome, my Mother Teresa Book and more!

Saint O'Lanterns and Pro-Life Pumpkins!

How about focusing on the saints and precious life this time of year and stay away from the gory scary images? I am going to have an All Saints party with my CCD class this week rather than a Halloween Party. We may even carve a pumpkin or I may bring it with me for a decoration.

Teresa Tomeo and I chatted about these images earlier this morning on our segment together, "Mom's Corner" on Catholic Connection (Ave Maria Radio) and aired through EWTN.

Here are a few images and directions:


Go on over to Catholic Cuisine for some more great ideas and the directions.



Check out the American Life League website for directions and down loadable template for this unborn baby image.

Have fun with these. I'll be back later to post some additional ideas.

God bless your day!

Donna-Marie

"Mom's Corner" LIVE this morning...

Teresa and I will be at it again LIVE this morning on "Catholic Connection" Ave Maria Radio on our "Mom's Corner" segment which is aired through EWTN. We'll discuss All Saints Day, family spirituality, and our upcoming trip! Where will that be? Well, tune in to find out!

Just tune in at 9:15 AM Eastern Standard Time or before by clicking here at avemariaradio.net and then click "listen live."

I hope you can join us. Feel free to call in.

God bless your day!

Donna-Marie

Mom's Corner Coming up!

I hope you can tune in to my chat with Teresa Tomeo on Monday morning on Ave Maria Radio on "Catholic Connection." Just tune in tomorrow, Tuesday at 9:15 AM Eastern Standard Time by clicking here at avemariaradio.net and then click "listen live."

I'll be back later to post a link as soon as I can in case you can't tune in.

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Special treat at Catholic Mom.com

Lisa Hendey at Catholic Mom.Com says, "We are thrilled to announce that on Monday, October 19, Catholic Mom.com readers will have the first opportunity to read the brand new novel Sweet Dreams, by noted Catholic author and Catholic Mom.com contributor Katherine Valentine."

So go on over to Catholic Mom.com and take a look.

Natural Family Planning and Family Planning

Vatican City, Oct 13, 2009 / 03:58 pm (CNA).- "The expert Italian gynecologist Elena Giachhi said last Friday at the Synod for Africa that natural family planning through the Billings Method “fosters conjugal love, family unity, respect for women and generous openness to welcoming life.”

During her remarks at synod hall in Vatican City, Giachhi said that the simplicity of the Billings Method makes it accessible to all couples, “regardless of their educational level, religion or socioeconomic state,” whether they are Catholic, Muslim, Hindu or profess any other creed.

Giachhi, who belongs to the Center for the Study of Natural Family Planning at the Sacred Heart University of Rome, explained to the assembly that, 'Couples can manage their fertility in a natural way, both for obtaining as well as for avoiding pregnancies in all the situations of fertile life.'

This method, she said, also contributes to “promoting the family and responsible procreation in a way that respects life, love and conjugal fidelity; promoting the dignity of women; preventing abortion, avoiding the use of artificial fertilization and helping couples with fertility issues to obtain pregnancy in a way that respects ethical values; preventing sexually transmitted diseases; teaching young people mature sexuality that encompasses the spiritual, bodily and psychological dimensions.”

The Billings Method, Giachhi said, 'helps to spread human and Christian values, contributing to our pastoral commitment and to evangelization.'"

From The Catholic News Agency

This is why I do not eat red meat.

Have you heard the news about the 22 year old woman who is now paralyzed after eating dinner with her family? She went into a coma after feeling incredibly sick. Her stomach ached and she thought she had a flu. The poor woman is now in a wheelchair because she ate a hamburger. You can read the full news story here. This is the biggest reason why I do not eat red meat. It's not safe. Granted you can also get e-coli from fruits and vegetables that are eaten before they are washed and from other foods. But, e-coli is generally contracted from red meat. The other reasons why I do not eat red meat is because I do not think it's healthy. I've done the research and choose not to eat it. I'm praying for this poor woman who used to be a dance instructor.

Faith & Family Live reporting on my EWTN series

Faith & Family Live reported on my new television series for EWTN. Go on over and take a look!

God bless your day!

Donna-Marie

Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship

Amazon is now taking pre-orders of my Mother Teresa book: Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship. You can go here to order. You can also pre-order through my website (an autographed copy) or by clicking on the book cover image at the top right column of this blog. I am told by the publisher that it should be released soon.

Here's a new book for your kiddies!

Dear God, I Don't Get It!

By Patti Maguire Armstrong

"This is the perfect story for 3rd through 6th grade Catholic kids and classrooms with excellent writing, vocabulary and thinking activities incorporated at the end of the book. It combines a great story with age-appropriate apologetics and is endorsed by best-selling authors Emily and Jeff Cavins as well as Bishop Zipfel.

Mary Kochan, Senior Editor of Catholic Exchange and homeschooler, endorses 'Dear God, I don't get it!' and explains, 'Sixth-grader, Aaron Ajax is happily comfortable, with not much more than the annoyances of a little brother to disturb him and he takes his friendship with God for granted. When a sudden change in family circumstances uproots him from the home and friends he has known his whole life, Aaron wonders what has happened to his relationship with God. Through this true-to-life story we follow the journey of a young boy coming to grips with a lesson we all need - that real friendship with God means God is in charge.'"
(From the publisher's website)

My endorsement is here:

"Dear God, I Don't Get It is simply delightful! Intended for a second to fifth grade reader, the story entertains and engages as the main character, fifth-grader Aaron Ajax, grapples with everyday life in a family and his faith in God. The story is very relatable, taking us through Aaron’s upheaval when his family is transferred to another state and his journey to eventual acceptance of God’s will in his life. Throughout it all, you will come to love Aaron and his family. The world needs more books like this one!" ~ Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

I really enjoyed reading this book before endorsing it. You can visit Bezalelbooks.com to order a copy for your children or someone you know. It sells for $12.48.

Happy feast day!

Go on over to my saints' blog to learn about St. Francis of Assisi.

Upholding the Dignity and Blessedness of a Mother's Vocation

Upholding the Dignity and Blessedness of a Mother's Vocation

By Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
How wonderful that holy Mother Church upholds the dignity of women and motherhood. This fact alone should help us feel at peace in our hearts and souls knowing that our womanly gifts are fully recognized and that our loving service to our families is encouraged for its intrinsic beauty -- for all that it entails -- with all its challenges, sacrifices, deep and inexpressible joy, and at times, when hearts are pierced with sorrow when a mother loses a child to miscarriage or at any time after their child’s birth. Every moment of mothering is overflowing with grace and blessings in one form or another. It’s a vocation of unquestionable blessedness to a faithful woman who embraces her vocation.

Our late dear Pope John the Great expressed his deep and brilliant understanding of the human heart quite often in his encyclicals, letters, and to his audiences. In describing the many faceted duties of parenthood, he said in Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women): “The eternal mystery of generation, which is in God himself, the one and Triune God (cf. Eph. 3:14-15), is reflected in the woman’s motherhood and in the man’s fatherhood. Human parenthood is something shared by both the man and the woman. Even if the woman, out of love for her husband, says: ‘I have given you a child,’ her words also mean: ‘This is our child.’ Although both of them together are parents of their child, the woman’s motherhood constitutes a special ‘part’ in this shared parenthood, and the most demanding part. Parenthood – even though it belongs to both – is realized much more fully in the woman, especially in the prenatal period. It is the woman who ‘pays’ directly for this shared generation, which literally absorbs her energies of her body and soul. It is therefore that the man be fully aware that in their shared parenthood he owes a special debt to the woman. No program of ‘equal rights’ between women and men is valid unless it takes this fact fully into account.”

Dear Pope John Paul II was certainly a hero to mothers! Isn’t it so wonderful that he has asked men to consider all of woman’s services to life and take all of it into account? Further, he says that men actually owe a special debt to women! I find those words uplifting and amazing! Pope John Paul II so beautifully recognized and expressed what it means for a woman to give her body to God and to her husband so that it can be used to bring new life into the world. I love that Pope John Paul II was not afraid to acknowledge the fact that it is the woman pays directly with the selfless gift of her life and her own body. She is subject to wear and tear of body and spirit as she gives her “Yes!” to God to new life and the special role of her motherhood.

Gift of Body and Spirit
We can certainly understand the physical wear and tear we mothers experience as we house our unborn infants within our bodies and stretch beyond the point we imagined our bodies could possibly extend, and as we are sometimes subject to morning sickness, as well as the kicking and poking of little feet up under our rib cages keeping us up at night, and even sometimes when facing precarious health issues.

What about the wearing down of our spirits too? Yes, we women “pay” for bringing forth new life and the mother’s role in parenting is realistically the most demanding position in many ways. To add to that, our braising culture batters and bombards women with many misleading and confusing messages causing them at times to doubt their divine purpose in their vocations of motherhood. Even during an economic recession when jobs are difficult to be secured, our society still looks down their noses mockingly at the role of a faithful mother who is dedicated to raising her family within the guidelines of holy Mother Church. Our society and much that comes through the secular media imply that mothers should be searching for something much more satisfying than dishes, demands, and diapers within the confinement of the walls of the home. We do know though know that a mother’s role at the heart of the home is immensely more than merely doing housework and caring for the myriad of demands that come with the territory of raising a family today. It is a mission that is actually responsible for raising little saints to heaven! What can be more important than this?

This is what Pope John Paul II was talking about when he said, “It is the woman who ‘pays’ directly for this shared generation, which literally absorbs her energies of her body and soul.” As well, women pay directly and dearly when they are ridiculed for their faithfulness and dedication because they have more children than the standardized one child or two children sized family that our society expects.


Discovering the Holy in the Ordinariness of Life

Yet, today’s Catholic mothers can rise above the onslaught of mixed messages and the downright belittling criticisms aimed at them from an ungodly culture and rally together to encourage one another in their roles as the hearts of their homes – actually on a journey together towards Heaven. Today’s Catholic mothers have many God-given gifts that are meant to be shared. They can come together physically or even through the Internet to compare notes, share ideas, encourage one another, and relish in their Catholic camaraderie. Some ways that this can be accomplished is through everyday encounters within our family and community and also in gathering together to study and share the faith. We can look to our Blessed Mother as a model to follow and the saints to emulate their virtues. A deep prayer life will give us the strength and faith to accomplish all that God wants to do through us. When we open our eyes to a new day each day, we should give our entire day over to the Lord and ask Him to use us for His glory. He will do the work and sometimes will give us the glimpses of amazing transformations occurring.

Pope Benedict XVI recently spoke about looking to the example of the saints to “provide a credible and comprehensive answer to the human and spiritual questions which give rise to the deep crisis of the contemporary world: charity and truth.” He also mentioned that to follow the saints’ example is not necessarily an easy task, but indeed a necessary one for authentic Christian life.

Especially during this month of September, when we celebrate Blessed Teresa’s feast day on the 5th and “inspiration day” on the 10th when she received her “call within a call” from our Lord to serve the poorest of the poor, I can’t help but be reminded of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta’s teachings about our own individual call to holiness. She told us again and again that “Holiness is not a luxury of a few, but a duty for us all.” How do we become holy? One certain way is by being faithful to the nitty-gritty details of our lives with prayerful and loving hearts. Blessed Teresa reminded us that small things done with great love are works of peace. As mothers, we know that our days are chock full of small loving acts, many times unnoticed by others around us. But we must be convinced in our hearts that these seemingly tiny acts of love are actually huge in God’s eyes. He is the one who placed us in the hearts of our homes. Every little act of love can be redemptive and holy.

Let us go forward, then, each day – confident in our vocations of motherhood, striving to satiate the thirst of Jesus in all whom God has put in our midst, starting first within our own families and when all are satisfied, reaching out into our communities. By doing so, we will be helping to sanctify our families and others by our examples of love.

Oh dear Lord, allow us to be YOUR love to our families and others and help to bring countless souls to You! Amen.

(This article first appeared in the TORCH website for homeschooling families and is used by permission.)

_________________________________
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle is a Catholic wife, mother of five, catechist, award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and Lay Missionary of Charity. She is the author of "Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers", "The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home", and "Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers To Be" (with a foreword by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta). All were endorsed by Blessed Teresa and blessed by Pope John Paul II. Her latest books are "Catholic Saints Prayer Book", "The Domestic Church: Room By Room: A Mother's Study Guide", and "Grace Café: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering". They are available through her website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com and she offers daily inspiration at her blogs: "Daily Donna-Marie: A Dose of Inspiration", "Embracing Motherhood," "Moments of Inspiration with Your Favorite Saints" and "View from the Domestic Church." Her work can be seen in several magazines, newspapers, and Catholic websites. Her forthcoming books are: "Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship" (September 09) and "The Heart of Catholicism" (July 2010).

Happy feast of the Guardian Angels!

Happy feast of the Guardian Angels to you" Don't forget to thank your Angel and your family's Angels for all of their good work in helping our families and leading us down the right road. Let's call upon them many times in the course of our day...

"Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not just for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.
The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux, the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar."

From American Catholic.org - A Saint a Day

You can read a post I wrote about the Angels last year here.

I'd like to take this opportunity to mention again a great book I read and endorsed recently by Mike Aquilina - Angels of God. It's a wonderful book and will teach you even more about than Angels, our devoted friends. You can see my review here and here.

"Mother Teresa and Me" on the Among Women Podcast

If you'd care to listen to the "Among Women" podcast by the very talented and gracious, Pat Gohn, please click here. Pat recently interviewed me about my friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa and about my new book about to be released: Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship. You'll also hear Mother Teresa's beutiful inspiring voice!

Visit Pat at her blog here.

Happy feast day!

Go on over to my Saints' blog to read about St. Padre Pio whose feast day is today by clicking here.

Among Women...coming up soon!

Stay tuned...

God bless,

Donna-Marie

Tune in this morning to "Mom's Corner"!

I hope you can tune in to my chat with Teresa Tomeo this morning on Ave Maria Radio on "Catholic Connection." Just tune in at 9:15 AM Eastern Standard Time by clicking here at avemariaradio.net and then click "listen live."

It's the first day of Autumn! I'll be back later to post a link a little later on in case you can't tune in.

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Tomorrow's "Mom's Corner"! Join us!

I hope you can tune in to my chat with Teresa Tomeo this tomorrow on Ave Maria Radio on "Catholic Connection." Just tune in tomorrow, Tuesday at 9:15 AM Eastern Standard Time by clicking here at avemariaradio.net and then click "listen live."

I'll be back some time after the show to post a link in case you can't tune in.

God bless!

Donna-Marie

My review of The Lost and Family Family

Here's my review of The Lost and Found Family at Catholic Exchange...

"The Lost and Found Family (rated PG) is a heart-tugging and inspirational family drama starring: Lucas Till (Hannah Montana: The Movie and Walk the Line), Ellen Bry (TV’s St. Elsewhere) and Jessica Luza (Downpour) which will debut on DVD on September 15, 2009.

The story opens and we are introduced to Esther Hobbes (Ellen Bry) who lives a high society life until the sudden death of her husband. Esther loses her grip on her comfortable lifestyle when it’s suddenly stolen away with her husband. She is flabbergasted to discover that she had been living a façade all along. Due to her husband’s bad investments her only inheritance is a rural Georgia house which had seen better days. Esther realizes that her only option for survival is to evict the tenants, sell the house and secure a suitable place to live.

As the story unfolds Esther makes her way down to the southern town clad in her big city clothes and flashy jewelry to take necessary measures to get on with her life. She meets the family consisting of foster parents, rebellious teenagers, played by Lucas Till and Jessica Luza, and three younger children with their own set of issues. Once a seemingly composed and adept woman, Esther wrestles with conflicting perspectives and feels as an orphan herself. Tension swells between the characters facing the fact that the unwanted stranger suddenly showing up may take their home and the only semblance of family stability they’ve struggled to establish.

As Esther is thrust into a dingy room with not much more than a twin bed and a dresser, she starts to shed some of her jewelry, begin to soften up and go through a metamorphism of sorts. She lightens her need for material possessions, the Armani power suit is ditched and she begins to slowly embrace a faith she had previously avoided and gradually gives away the little she has left.

I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Ellen Bry from her California home and got the scoop about her personal experiences in filming and working with the cast and crew. During our interview, Bry joyfully expressed, “I feel like this movie fell from Heaven! On some level I feel I was destined to play the role.”

Bry wasn’t seeking this film but it found her. She was scouted out among several dozens of actresses for the part of Esther. Bry says she is not exactly like her character Esther but that she is similar in some respects. She said Esther is “sweet but no push over, nobody’s fool.”

Bry found the Jackson, Georgia set “an amazing place to film this movie,” Bry surmised that “Esther was a fish out of water and so was Ellen.” It was an actual culture shock for urban Bry. But the townspeople embraced the cast and crew with excitement in ways Bry said “that you just don’t get in the urban, sophisticated and jaded communities that I typically film. They showered us with love – they rolled out the welcome mats. It was so uplifting.”

The townspeople invited the cast and crew to their restaurants and shops. “It was kind of magical,” Bry said. She explained that the producer didn’t need permits for filming since the town was so willing to help, volunteering their stores; honored to have their restaurants and homes in the movie. The Lost and Found Family helped to create civic pride because it was “one of the biggest things that happened to Jackson, Georgia in a long time,” Bry explained

Most of the story took place in “a real house one step away from being condemned, so it was perfect for the film” Bry explained. “It smelled a little funky and you didn’t want to walk around in your bare feet,” she added. The house was scheduled for demolition after the completion of filming. Another possibility was to remodel it and turn it into a restaurant called, “Mrs. Hobbe’s House” if it wasn’t demolished.

Bry enjoyed working with a cast and crew. She liked the fact that “there were no divas, struggles, or people pulling rank. Everyone was happy to show up and work.” She said the children were “all quite different and just wonderful.” She said the positive attitudes of all brought “good energy to the set.”

Bry sees this film as inspirational on many levels but claims it’s “not preachy and will appeal to a general audience.” She hopes that the movie will “raise awareness to the special plight of foster kids.”

The movie is entertaining and engaging both for the spiritually oriented and those merely seeking a wholesome and enjoyable family movie experience. Faith-based nuances are woven throughout which will undoubtedly be recognized by Christian audiences. I hope this film won’t be pigeon-holed as strictly Christian since the messages supporting family values, as well as the virtues of faith, hope and love so desperately needed in our world today emerge vividly and can appropriately reach a broader audience. The Lost and Found Family also exemplifies the need for foster care and enlightens us to the depth of compassion and selflessness identified by foster parents giving their lives and homes, welcoming strangers into their families.

Visit the Lost and Found Family website to see a movie trailer and to learn more: http://www.lostandfoundfamilymovie.com/ "

***

While I didn't state this in my review, I would like to mention that I was once a foster mother. I became a certified foster mother just so that I could take in a 16 year old mother and her baby. I was told that no other foster family in our state wanted to take them in or was not able to do so. Because of this, God blessed us with additional family members for a time. I discovered a short time later that this young mother was also pregnant with another child. The mother and baby lived with my family for about six months or so, learning mothering skills until such time when she was emancipated and was given an apartment by the state.

You may see the review here at Catholic Exchange.

Your prayers are appreciated

Hello Everyone,

I pray you all have a blessed day! Please say a prayer for me as I travel today to head down to give a retreat to a wonderful group of faithful Catholic women in PA.

Thank you in advance!

God bless and hugs!

Donna-Marie

"The Lost and Found Family" DVD Debuts today!

My review should be out very soon and I'll post it here. Go get your DVD which debuts September 15th. I had a lovely interview with Ellen Bry the lead actress (which you'll read about in my review very soon). The movie is wholesome. inspiring and heart-tugging! Get it for your family!

The Holy Name of Mary!

Today is the feast of the Holy Name of Mary

"This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters.The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV in Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church."

(From Saint a day)

Speaking at the Abbey

If you click here you'll see a lovely brochure of where I'll be speaking in October. It's at a beautiful abbey!

My talks are: 1) "If only I could Touch His cloak" and
2) "Guiding Others to Christ's Cloak."

Go on over to View From the Domestic Church to see another brochure about an upcoming retreat day I will be giving next week end in PA.

God bless your Saturday!

hugs,

Donna-Marie

Joy

Happy Birthday, Mary!

Oh happy day!

Happy Feast of Blessed Mother Teresa

“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus. ”Small of stature, rocklike in faith, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming God’s thirsting love for humanity, especially for the poorest of the poor. “God still loves the world and He sends you and me to be His love and His compassion to the poor.” She was a soul filled with the light of Christ, on fire with love for Him and burning with one desire: “to quench His thirst for love and for souls.”

This luminous messenger of God’s love was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje, a city situated at the crossroads of Balkan history. The youngest of the children born to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu, she was baptised Gonxha Agnes, received her First Communion at the age of five and a half and was confirmed in November 1916. From the day of her First Holy Communion, a love for souls was within her. Her father’s sudden death when Gonxha was about eight years old left in the family in financial straits. Drane raised her children firmly and lovingly, greatly influencing her daughter’s character and vocation. Gonxha’s religious formation was further assisted by the vibrant Jesuit parish of the Sacred Heart in which she was much involved.

At the age of eighteen, moved by a desire to become a missionary, Gonxha left her home in September 1928 to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, in Ireland. There she received the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In December, she departed for India, arriving in Calcutta on 6 January 1929. After making her First Profession of Vows in May 1931, Sister Teresa was assigned to the Loreto Entally community in Calcutta and taught at St. Mary’s School for girls. On 24 May 1937, Sister Teresa made her Final Profession of Vows, becoming, as she said, the “spouse of Jesus” for “all eternity.” From that time on she was called Mother Teresa. She continued teaching at St. Mary’s and in 1944 became the school’s principal. A person of profound prayer and deep love for her religious sisters and her students, Mother Teresa’s twenty years in Loreto were filled with profound happiness. Noted for her charity, unselfishness and courage, her capacity for hard work and a natural talent for organization, she lived out her consecration to Jesus, in the midst of her companions, with fidelity and joy.

On 10 September 1946 during the train ride from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, Mother Teresa received her “inspiration,” her “call within a call.” On that day, in a way she... (Continued here)

I'm embracing my motherhood with all of my might.

I've been embracing my motherhood for over 32 years! That's hard for me to believe! Aren't I still 32 years old? :) But, I have been quiet on the blogging front with the exception of getting the Mother Teresa novena out there for everyone and the Obama stuff going on as well as a little of this and that.

I did run a week of back to school stuff recently over at my blog, View From the Domestic Church and I need to announce the winner of a beautiful Rosary soon. The winner can use it to pray many Rosaries for the college-bound or school-bound children or the children that they home-school. Or give it as a gift to their college-bound "child."

I have a lot coming up too that I'll tell you about soon. I'm preparing for a big retreat day in PA. I'll be flying down to EWTN to do do some taping of something really special coming up that I'll also be telling you about soon.

I've also been busy getting some articles completed, finishing touches on a book due out very soon and working hard on another one due out next year. I can't wait for you all to see my new book about Mother Teresa, "Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship." It should be out later this month.

In addition to the above, I have been tremendously busy of late with getting two of my "kids" ready and off to college. One has left :( and one will leave very soon. :( When I asked my daughter, Mary-Catherine what will I do without her, she responded, "I don't know...write a lot of books."

So, I'm sharing a snippet of how my life is lately. Bittersweet times (I talk about this in my book Grace Cafe) lately for me. Sending my "children" forth to spread their wings - so proud of them, and feeling a bit sad for me. :( But, truly, I know that it is a special part of their lives and I am living in this precious moment and embracing it with all of my might.