Catholic Mommy Brain

When my first son was born, I didn’t have a large network of Catholic friends in my community.  As I gradually connected with like-minded Catholic women, my appreciation of my faith and my confidence in my parenting choices both increased.  The Handbook for Catholic Moms reminded me of how much I benefited (and still do!) from the advice, support, and friendship of other Catholic moms because this book feels like a personal letter from a good Catholic friend.

In her first book, Lisa Hendey– writer, speaker, podcaster, and creator of CatholicMom.com– explores ways that Catholic women can nurture their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.  Within each section, she discusses relevant topics such as creativity or physical health that are components of a healthy and unified female Catholic identity.  Each chapter ends with a list of reflection prompts and action items designed to help readers take positive steps.  Chapters also include lists of additional resources for further exploration.

When I first received this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I happen to love the “Catholic mom” literary genre, so I was curious to see how Lisa’s book differed from other books I had read about Catholic mothering.  Lisa’s approach was imbued with her own unique perspective and was structured in a completely different way.  Most significantly though, at least to me, was the friendly, comfortable tone.  I’ve never met Lisa in real life; but this book felt like she’d lifted my spirits and encouraged me on my journey as we chatted over coffee.

I was particularly inspired by the chapter on creativity.  As I reflected on a mom’s need for a creative outlet, I realized the importance of continuing to nurture this aspect of myself.  After my first son was born, I felt called to write.  Writing and blogging fulfilled that creative outlet and inspired in me an appreciation for the creative action of the Holy Spirit.  Yet reflecting on my need for creativity helped me to see that I’d changed my focus as a writer: I had begun to see writing as work.  This chapter in The Handbook for Catholic Moms set me on the path of refocusing on why I write and who I’m writing for and encouraged me to let go for a bit in order to really listen for God’s call before taking the next step.

This is a book that a mom could read and re-read because each chapter will touch you differently throughout your life.  When I pick up this book again in a year, different quotes from Scripture, the saints, or the Catechism will speak to me at that point.  Lisa has beautifully identified the needs of a Catholic mom’s heart, mind, body, and soul and created a book that will guide Catholic women towards truly caring for themselves so they can better love and serve those around them.

I received a review copy.

I had always heard about Lectio Divina, and after completing a four year Bible study program this past spring, I feel like I am entering into a new relationship with Scripture.   But this book really made the technique of Lectio Divina come alive for me.

Praying Scripture for a Change, by Dr. Tim Gray, is an excellent resource for readers who are seeking a clear explanation of Lectio Divina and a step-by-step approach to practicing this prayer technique.  Lectio Divina, or “divine reading,” is a technique that seems straightforward but draws you into an infinitely deep experience of God.  Dr. Gray employs a conversational style and interesting comparisons to clearly explain this beautiful process of using Scripture to progress towards contemplative prayer.

Dr. Gray uses the metaphor of a ladder to unpack this technique, and each chapter leads the reader higher on the ladder.  Dr. Gray explains how we must begin by reading Scripture, meditating on a particular phrase or passage, and talking with God about how those words impact our lives before we can achieve the experience of contemplative prayer.  He also adds a final step–action– since a genuine experience of God’s loving presence transforms us.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will return to it frequently to continue to deepen my appreciation for God’s word.  Both experts and beginners like myself will find beautiful insights into this ancient practice– a method of prayer that Pope Benedict said could bring “a new spiritual springtime” to the Church.

I received a review copy of this book from Catholic Word.  For more information about Praying Scripture for a Change or to view collective books and resources from over 20 Catholic publishers, visit CatholicWord.com.

An analysis of various atheist arguments wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I decided to peruse the Catholic Company reviewer list and choose my next book.  At 9 months pregnant, I was more in the mood for a nap.

Yet I was drawn to this book because it offered both a profile of a number of atheist and theist scientists and philosophers as well as a story of the author Kevin Vost’s reversion from atheism to Catholicism.

In section 1, Vost explores the thinking of several prominent atheist thinkers, explaining how their ideas attracted him initially and then how their philosophies’ internal logic fell apart as he came back to his Catholic faith.  Section 2 discusses the philosophers and psychologists whose work led him to consider the possibility of believing in God.  And Section 3 talks about the Catholic thinkers whose writings convinced him of the truth of the gospel and the traditions of the Catholic Church.

Growing up without much catechesis, although schooled at Catholic institutions, Vost drifted away and embraced atheism before eventually returning to the faith of his childhood.  An intellectual to the core, Vost can interest both atheist and Christian readers since his background in academia and logical approach present him as one unlikely to be hoodwinked by a fable.

I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the philosophies of some atheist thinkers.  My copy of this book is now heavily underlined, bracketed, and starred.  Yet I wished the book had been a more concise account and rebuttal of these beliefs.  The author touches on the ideas that appealed to him personally, but I felt that he could have presented the beliefs more thoroughly or offered more substantial rebuttals.  I was hoping for an action plan for responding to atheist arguments which really wasn’t the purpose of this book.

Additionally, the author frequently explained where each chapter was headed instead of simply heading there.  While certainly dealing with challenging material, Vost seemed to rely on “telling” versus “showing” in order to communicate the material in a manageable way (i.e. “In this chapter we will…” or “What I would like to do is…”).  This approach contributes to the readability of the book and makes the material more accessible in some ways; yet it felt at times like a barrier to actually engaging with the arguments.

From Atheism to Catholicism was an interesting read.  Readers will encounter several perspectives on reason, science, and faith and learn a bit about certain prominent thinkers.  It may fit the needs of a reader interested in learning how these philosophies influenced one man’s spiritual path.

This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on From Atheism to Catholicism .