Catholic Fire

By Jean M. Heimann THE BOOK I have to admit that while I enjoy watching science fiction films, I am not an avid reader of science fiction books, but I definitely enjoyed reading Discovery by Karina Fabian . In fact, I loved it! It is authentically Catholic – complete with saint quotes and filled with Catholic themes. Some of these themes include: mercy and redemption, evangelization, respect for human life, and surrender to God’s will. Discovery is a gripping, suspense-filled science fiction tale that takes you on a journey into the unknown and the unexpected. It is an irresistible page turner! It grabs you by both arms and doesn't let go until the last page.  Discovery is an exhilarating, fun-filled read that contains all the makings of a great book. It has a titillating plot, complex characters, humor, mystery, and romance. The plot of Discovery is intriguing. The Rescue Sisters, Sister Ann St. Joseph de Cupertino (Ann), Sister Thomas Aquinas Krueger (Tommie), an...

Today, the lovely Lisa Mladinich , the author of  True Radiance: Finding Grace in the Second Half of Life , interviews me at Amazing Catechists , where she is giving away a FREE paperback copy of Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir and at Patheos . So Be sure to enter to win! This is what Lisa has to say about Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir: "Jean M. Heimann's Learning to Love With the Saints is wise and full of beauty, a memoir to be savored and brought to prayer. Read it and be blessed, and then share it with someone you love."  Visit these sites for the remainder of the blog tour: Tuesday, May 17—Nancy HC Ward, Review, Joy Alive in our Hearts Book Giveaway! Wednesday, May 18 -- Esther Gefroh, Review, A Catholic Mom in Hawaii Thursday, May 19 -- Barb Szyszkiewicz, Review, Franciscan Mom   Book Giveaway! and Catholic Mom Friday, May 20--Jeannie Ewing, Interview, Love Alone Creates Book Giveaway! Saturday...

With Lent beginning tomorrow, February 9, on Ash Wednesday, it's time to take a look at some inspiring reading material to help us grow in holiness. Here are some suggestions: 1. The Kiss of Jesus: How Mother Teresa and the Saints Helped Me to Discover the Beauty of the Cross by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle This book is ideal for Lent as it teaches us about suffering, God’s grace, and living a holy life. It also touches on God’s great love and mercy in this Jubilee Year of Mercy. In this candid, astonishing autobiographical account, this soft-spoken, delicate, and devout Catholic media celebrity reveals the shocking struggles she has tackled in life. She became engaged to a drug addict who held her against her will, threatening harm to her family. She faced miscarriages, abuse, serious illness, divorce, financial difficulties, custody battles, and single motherhood – all with great inner strength and tremendous courage. Through God’s providence, she met Mother Teresa,...

1. Mary of Nazareth: The Life of Our Lady in Pictures by Fr. Donald Calloway -- Ignatius Press, 2014 I have this book and love it! It is one of the most inspirational books I have read! Beautiful photos, uplifting quotes from the saints about Mary, all make this an ideal Christmas gift. 2.  Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything (and Still Does) by Scott Hahn -- Image, 2014 3. Practical Theology: 350+ Ways Your Mind Can Help you Become a Saint by Peter Kreeft -- Ignatius 2014  4. St. John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Everett -- Totus Tuus Press and Lighthouse Media, 2014 5. Bringing Lent Home with St. John Paul II: Prayers, Reflections, and Activities for Families   by Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle -- Ave Maria Press, 2014 This is the perfect book for family communication and reflection! It is power-packed with great stories on Pope St. John Paul II that you will love reading! ...

Today, Leticia Velasquez at Cause of our Joy reviews Seven Saints for Seven Virtues . You can read her review HERE. The remaining blogs in the tour are: Tuesday, Oct. 21 -- View from the Domestic Church Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle Wednesday, Oct. 22 -- Entering into the Mystery Janet Moore

Today, Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur at Spiritual Woman is our hostess for the blog tour. You can read her review of Seven Saints for Seven Virtues HERE . You can follow the rest of the tour by visiting these blogs on their scheduled days: Monday, Oct. 20 -- Cause of our Joy  Leticia Velasquez Tuesday, Oct. 21 -- View from the Domestic Church Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle Wednesday, Oct. 22 -- Entering into the Mystery Janet Moore

Today, Jane Lebak at Seven Angels Four Kids One Family is our hostess for the blog tour. You can read her review of Seven Saints for Seven Virtues HERE. Here is the blog tour schedule: Sunday, Oct. 19 -- Spiritual Woman  Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur Monday, Oct. 20 -- Cause of our Joy  Leticia Velasquez Tuesday, Oct. 21 -- View from the Domestic Church Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle Wednesday, Oct. 22 -- Entering into the Mystery Janet Moore

This is the third day of the Blog Tour for Seven Saints for Seven Sinners . Today, Barb Szyszkiewicz  at Franciscan Mom  will be hosting the tour, where she will be reviewing the book and giving away a copy. Here is a schedule for the rest of the tour: Thursday, Oct. 16 -- Can we Cana? A Community to Support Catholic Marriages  Karee Santos Friday, Oct. 17 --   Bergers Book Reviews  Alice Berger Saturday, Oct. 18 -- Seven Angels Four Kids One Family Jane Lebak Sunday, Oct. 19 -- Spiritual Woman  Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur Monday, Oct. 20 -- Cause of our Joy  Leticia Velasquez Tuesday, Oct. 21 -- View from the Domestic Church  Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle Wednesday, Oct. 22 -- Entering into the Mystery Janet Moore Bookmark and Share

Advent is only a few weeks away, so it's not too early to start thinking about books to help put you into the spirit of the season. This year Advent begins on the First Sunday in Advent, December 1, 2013. Here are a couple of my favorites for 2013: 1. The Advent of Christ: Scripure Reflections To Prepare for Christmas by Edward Sri -- Sri includes reflections for each day of Advent and for each day of the Christmas Season, including the Epiphany. Each daily entry consists of:  a brief Scripture passage, a daily meditation, questions for reflection to apply the passage to your life, and a short closing prayer. I particularly enjoyed reading the entries in the fourth chapter about the Blessed Virgin Mary, entitled, "In Mary's Footsteps: Her Call and Her Journey of Faith", which is a concise, but comprehensive treatment of Mary's journey through Advent. In The Advent of Christ, we also journey through Advent with: St. Joseph, Zechariah, and St. John th...

Here are my top five picks (in no special order): 1. Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood   by Pat Gohn 2 .  Catholic Mom’s Café: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year by Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle 3.   Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women by Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle 4.  StangeGods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life by Elizabeth Scalia 5. The Ear of the Heart: An Actress' Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows by Dolores Hart All of the above books were published within the past year. Which are your top picks of books published within the past year? Please include links to reviews so we can learn more about them.

Grace Café: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering By Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle, released October 2008, Circle Press, North Haven, CT, 220 pages, Paperback $14.95. Available from CirclePress.org, Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Major books stores and Catholic and Christian book stores. Reviewed by JEAN M. HEIMANN, freelance writer, wife and mother, retired educator, psychologist, and oblate with the Community of St. John. As the mother of five children for the past thirty years, and as a personal friend of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle has plenty of advice “from the trenches” to share with Catholic/Christian mothers. In Grace Café: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering, she offers mothers a method in which they can find a deep, enriching spiritual life, while remaining attentive to their families. In Grace Café, Donna passes along the blessings and lessons of love which she has learned in her life on her spiritual and maternal journey, we...