First things first…The first day.  Our first day together was eventful.  My assistant, Linda, and I have eleven beautiful saints in training who are all in second grade with one third grader.  Believe me, if you don’t know by looking you will know by the end any given session.  I have to remember to address that with our wonderful DRE.

Of the eleven children-seven girls and four boys-I only have one, true discipline problem and his issue is pretty understandable. He just needs attention…constantly!  J  Don’t we all?

I took pictures the first day to insert into the binders I mentioned we bought at Wal-Mart.  They turned out really nice.

Those name tents I bought at Target, however, aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.  They stopped doing the whole “tent thing” the first day!  We’ve taken to just letting them hang off the side of the tables the children sit at.

We also decided to keep the children’s book and send home “Fun Work” ‘cause we don’t do “homework.”   Basically, they are the same thing but “Fun Work” is entirely optional and earns you a trip to our Inspirational Treasure Chest from Oriental Trading Company.  Be warned, it’s seemingly sturdy cardboard but I’ve had issues with the thing staying together-the sticky tabs de-stick all the time.  The prizes, considering what you pay, should be better quality and variety.  The fastenings on three of the little Bibles (Protestant) broke during normal use.  I’m just saying.

It’s shameless bribing, but I don’t do it every week and do let the children and parents know that it’s entirely optional.  Oh, I put together a Fun Work Tracking System in Excel.  I know. I know. My OCPD is showing.

That’s it for now.  I needed to write something. I am hard at work on the next few articles as we go into Advent.  Also, I have some updates on our learning of the Act of Contrition and would welcome your ideas on making prayer memorization Fun and Faith-filled.

Copyright 2010 Dione Grillo

It was a good meeting.

Since then, I have started entering data into my Catechist Guide and discovered that I miss those lines on the monthly calendar more than I thought I would…but I am using it!  Once I have a final roster, I will enter the children’s names.  Yes, my OCPD is rearing its ugly head! We can’t very well have mistakes in our planner, can we??

As we only have one hour per week in which to catechize the children, it’s going to be a bit of a struggle to get through the chapter in a meaningful way. How do you handle your time constraints?  Download a copy of my preliminary planner and tell me what you think.

At my former parish, we had 1 ½ hours, and that didn’t seem like enough time.  Effectively catechizing the children in under an hour (let’s face it, not everyone is going to get there on time!) is proving a daunting task. Please keep me in your prayers!

Next week, I will share with you my plans for our first day together.  Drop me a line and you could win a Reflect n’ Connect Conversation Starter Ball courtesy of our friends at Our Sunday Visitor Curriculum Division.  To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, September 25, 2010.  The giveaway will end on September 25, 2010.

Copyright 2010 Dione Grillo

Here’s a brief description of Ginny’s book:

How does Mary, the Mother of God, speak to the modern female experience? Does she comfort, challenge or inspire?

Ginny Moyer wanted to know how women today would answer those questions, so she invited women of all ages, some cradle Catholics and some converts, some lay and some religious, to share their thoughts on Mary. In the process of collecting women’s stories, Moyer learned that the answers to these questions are as diverse as the women themselves.

In Mary and Me you will discover:

* An eating disorder activist who describes how Mary helped her overcome her struggles with anorexia.
* An attorney who reveals how a trip to the Holy Land inspired her to see Mary not as a passive figure but as a tough and resilient woman.
* A religious sister who shares how the Visitation inspires her work with recovering drug addicts and prostitutes.
* A music teacher and mother who explains her difficulty in relating to Mary’s perfection, but how she still treasures Mary as a personal friend and ally.

Woven with commentary and Scripture references, Mary and Me offers a fresh, compelling look at the depth and breadth of Mary’s influence on women today.

Good luck and Happy (early) Birthday Mary!

Until then we are offering you a chance to win a copy of the Catechist Handbook & Planning Guide.  Four individual winners will be randomly selected on one DRE/CRE will win one dozen copies of the guide for their team. To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, September 11, 2010 and please indicate if you are entering for the individual prize or the DRE/CRE prize.  The giveaway will end on September 11, 2010.

Catechist Handbook & Planning Guide
From the editors of Catechist magazine
This trusty planner just got even better with more pages and more resources. It includes:

• Complete 12-month planner: two pages for each month, September through August, with saints days, feast days, and plenty of space for personal reminders.
• How to build a lesson plan: practical tips plus a reproducible lesson plan format to outline each lesson.
• Catholic essentials: beliefs, practices, and a convenient easy-reference liturgical year calendar.
• Student data: a chart for student information plus an attendance grid for up to 36 weeks.
• Personal inspiration: Sunday Gospel quotations with questions for personal reflection.

Thanks to the following authors, publishers, and donors who made this possible: Bezalel Books, The Christophers, Pauline Books & Media, Sophia Institute Press, Tribute Books, Alex Basile, Laraine Bennett, Michele Bondi, Peggy Bowes, Judy Dudich, Meredith Gould, Joe Hanneman, Lisa Hendey, Ginny Moyer, Mary DeTurris Poust, Heidi Schlumpf, Amy Welborn. Note: CatholicMom.com receives a small percentage if you purchase any of these books using the links provided below to Amazon.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, September 30, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.

ADULT NONFICTION

Finding Faith In A Godless World: A Catholic Path To God

Alex Basile

“How do I know for real if God exists?” “How does a person come to believe in God?” “What if I still continue to have doubts?” These are just a few of the questions we all have asked ourselves at one time or another. This book takes the unique approach of finding answers – and ultimately God – through a variety of creative approaches: such as a visit to Las Vegas with the French philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, and journeying the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard. For anyone looking to strengthen their faith and relationship with God.

The Gentle Road To Jesus: Bringing Christ To Every Classroom and Home

Alex Basile

This book is a remarkable down-to-earth resource for anyone with privilege of passing the Catholic faith. Basile points out how those who are troubled and confused can be identified and helped in a compassionate and understanding way. He insists on the need for creating a fruitful environment in which the young can grow in their faith. Basile shows ways in which parents, teachers and lay leaders can make Christ real in the classroom and home, while sharing his enthusiasm and love for leading others down the gentle road to Jesus.

Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus

Alex Basile

Basile takes an existential look at the teachings of Jesus and invites the reader to journey with the Master from the carpentry shop, to the Sermon on the Mount, to the Resurrection, as He unlocks the key to living a happy and fruitful life. He offers a number of beautiful reflections on the Scriptures and takes a fresh look at the life of Jesus that will leave the reader with solid answers to their questions about what Jesus really taught.

Mom to Mom, Day to Day: Advice & Support for Catholic Living

Danielle Bean

Packed with common-sense suggestions, spiritual musings, and hilarious tales of Danielle’s own gang of eight kids, “Mom to Mom, Day to Day” is sure to keep any mother reading, reflecting—and laughing! She writes about the joys and trials of being a Catholic mother and wife today. In this hilarious and touching account, Danielle reaches out to mothers on an intimate level. Ideal for any woman who wishes to benefit from Danielle’s lived wisdom and heartfelt advice. Especially helpful for new moms!

My Cup of Tea: Musing of a Catholic Mom

Danielle Bean

Share the happiness—as well as the challenges—of Danielle Bean’s sometimes chaotic, often inspiring, always blessed life as the mother of six (when this book was written!) young children. Thirty short essays deliciously brewed with love, spiced with wit, and steeped in faith. Every Catholic mother will delight in discovering these beautifully-written stories.

The Temperament God Gave You

Art & Laraine Bennett

Unlock the secret of your personality and become a better spouse, parent, and Christian! Learn how to identify your own temperament and use it to become what God is calling you to be. This rich Catholic understanding of the four classic temperaments will draw you closer to God and help you find the path to holiness that’s right for you.

The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse

Art & Laraine Bennett

Love, honor, cherish … and understand. Temperament wisdom designed especially for couples and guaranteed to improve your marital communication, intimacy, and happiness. In no other kind of human relationship is knowledge of the temperaments — fundamental personality traits, hard-wired into us that affect how we respond to the world around us — so critical, and so fruitful, as in a Christian marriage. It’s only through mutual understanding of our own patterns of reaction, and those of our spouse, that we can motivate, nurture, respect, and above all, love each other with the selfless patience to which Christ calls us in the sacrament.

Your Personal Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Michele Elena Bondi

Each of us has a personal apostolate that we fulfill throughout our lives.  Our mission does not begin when we reach a certain age or accomplish a specific goal, nor does it reach its pinnacle when we attain a certain objective.  Rather, an apostolate begins the moment a person is created and comes to fruition over time, through all the circumstances of life.  Our mission is fulfilled in every moment, through every day.  Critical to our success is our willingness to accept, return, and share the Love of God.

The Rosary Workout

Peggy Bowes

“The Rosary Workout” is a means to care for body and soul together. It is a goal-centered program focused on the integration of exercise, prayer and meditation to work the muscles of the spirit in harmony with the muscles of the body.  The ultimate aim of the program is to lead you to become more Christ-like.  By reflecting on the mysteries of the Gospels through the mind-clearing effect of rhythmic exercise, you will learn to imitate the virtues portrayed in the examples of Jesus and Mary.  Learn more at www.rosaryworkout.com

Three Minutes a Day

The Christophers

This annual favorite offers brief stories and meditations that offer a positive perspective every day and reflect the Christopher motto, “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”

How to Handle Worry: A Catholic Approach

Marshall J. Cook

Today’s world is busy and non-stop—one filled with eighty-hour-work weeks and too little time left over. Author Marshall Cook offers a practical approach to deal with the worries and anxieties that creep into our chaotic lives. He explains how we can create and maintain harmony in our lives through faith and prayer. Begin your own journey toward serenity today.

Let Me Go to the Father’s House: John Paul II’s Strength in Weakness

Stanislaw Dziwisz and Czeslaw Drazek, SJ; Renato Buzzonetti; Angelo Comastri

John Paul II’s private secretary, his personal physician, and others nearest him during his last days share memories of that precious time in a story of courage, gratitude, and love. Incorporates previously unpublished details on the dramatic events of the 1981 assassination attempt. A remarkable tribute to the life of an “untiring prophet of hope.” A full-color photo insert included.

St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love

Giovanni Falbo

Using extensive excerpts from the writings of St. Augustine, notably from his Confessions, Giovanni Falbo sheds new light on Monica’s patience, sweetness, and unwavering determination. This mother never yielded in her efforts to see her beloved son find comfort and peace in God, and she endured countless sacrifices to help Augustine embrace the faith.

The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day

Meredith Gould

A single sourcebook that details home-based celebrations and rituals for every season of the Roman Church calendar. With good humor, Gould explains the importance of each special season, feast day, and sacrament, inviting readers to dissolve boundaries between parish and home.

The Journey Home: My Father’s Story of Cancer, Faith and Life-Changing Miracles

Joseph M. Hanneman

The inspiring story of a father’s battle with cancer, and the miraculous parting message he left for his family. Despite crippling symptoms from cancer, David Hanneman finished his life with renewed Catholic faith. His example and the miracles witnessed by his family give compelling witness to how each life has an incredible destination – in eternity. From the foreword: “This is the story of how Dad lived with his lung cancer. But it is much more. Through his illness and the miracles we experienced, I came to see that Dad’s was not just a journey. It was a journey home. Home to God.”

The Handbook for Catholic Moms

Lisa M. Hendey

Drawing from the deep tradition of the Catholic faith, Hendey coaches Catholic moms how to care for themselves–heart, mind, body, and soul–so that they can better love and care for their families, their neighbors, and their Church.  With warmth and wisdom, Hendey creates an environment where Catholic moms can reflect peacefully upon often-competitive topics like parenting style, types of schooling, and working outside the home. By sharing her own story, Hendey inspires readers to better balance their own needs with the demands of family life and faith commitment.

Paths Through Grief

Helen Jaeger

Grief comes to us in different ways, whether through bereavement, loss of a friendship, or emotional or physical pain. Yet however it visits us, we are not alone in our pain, for grief is a part of the universal human experience. Helen Jaeger has lived through her own dark valley of suffering; in this book, she shares the wisdom she has learned.

You Can Change the World

Father James Keller

Dynamic, thought-provoking, and intensely practical, this book by the founder of The Christophers (which means Christ-bearers) demonstrates how one’s role in life, though it may be a humble one, can be a vital force in creating a better world.

Bless Me, Father, For I Have Kids

Susie Lloyd

As she did in her beloved first book, Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water, in these pages Susie Lloyd will charm and edify you with her offbeat — but always pitch-perfect — take on the joys and challenges of raising a Catholic family in today’s world.

Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water

Susie Lloyd

Homeschool days, Rosary nights, and other near occasions of sin. Come along as wry homeschooler Susie Lloyd faces the trials of Family Rosary, and tangles with snide education experts, gruff confessors, and pushy relatives who tell her it’s time to wake up and join the “real world.” Lots of humor here!

Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God

Ginny Kubitz Moyer

“Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God” shares the stories of forty-six women, from their twenties to their nineties. They are laywomen and religious sisters, cradle Catholics and converts; they are single, married, and widowed, teachers and lawyers and musicians, mothers and grandmothers. All of them share their candid thoughts on Mary, reflecting on the often-surprising ways that she speaks to their lives. Woven with commentary and scripture references, Mary and Me offers a fresh, compelling look at the depth and breadth of Mary’s influence on women today.

The Nativity Story: A Film Study Guide for Catholics

Rose Pacatte, FSP

The Nativity Story invites us to explore our faith and listen for God’s word in our daily lives, and this film study guide is a wonderful road map for the journey. Complete with sections for personal study, for group study, and for whole community catechesis, this booklet is a practical guide for delving prayerfully into the mystery of our Savior’s birth.

Into Great Silence: A Film Study Guide

Rose Pacatte, FSP, and Ron Schmidt, SJ

Best-selling author and media educator Rose Pacatte, FSP, combines her writing and teaching talents with those of Jesuit priest and documentary filmmaker Ron Schmidt. Together they have created a comprehensive film study guide that offers audiences an immersion experience into the Carthusians’ ancient way of life, bringing it to bear on today’s busy working world.

A Mother’s Rule of Life

Holly Pierlot

How to bring order to your home and peace to your soul. With your own Mother’s Rule of Life, you’ll transform motherhood and its burdens into the joyful vocation it’s meant to be. Learn from Holly Pierlot how to craft a Rule that’s right for you and your family.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism

Mary DeTurris Poust

This study guide to the Catechism of the Catholic Church takes the teachings of the faith — Creed, sacraments, Ten Commandments, and prayer — and puts them into plain English so that any reader, Catholic or not, can understand and appreciate the beauty of the faith. Every paragraph is numbered and cross-referenced to the official Catechism, making this book the perfect side-by-side companion for those studying the full Catechism of the Catholic Church. This book, which carries an imprimatur, offers readers a chance to understand the theological and moral teachings of the Church within the context of Scripture and Tradition.

Parenting a Grieving Child: Helping Children Find Faith, Hope and Healing after the Loss of a Loved One

Mary DeTurris Poust

This practical, faith-based guide for parents of grieving children — as well as teachers, caretakers, neighbors and friends — uses personal stories, advice from professionals, and wisdom from seasoned parents to help lead children of any age successfully through the grieving process toward healing and happiness. Looking at how children may view death and experience grief at various ages and stages, the book seeks to help parents and others understand and recognize signs of grief, whether the loss is that of a beloved pet, an elderly next door neighbor, a grandparent, parent, sibling or friend. Each chapter includes practical activities.

Marriage As Gift: A Catholic Approach

Josephine Robinson

Looking for the secret of a happy marriage? Marriage As Gift offers solid wisdom on how to build a lifelong marriage. Based on John Paul II’s theology of the body, this volume is perfect for couples seeking to deepen their understanding of sex, love, and the meaning of a life lived together. Includes stories of married saints and questions for personal reflection and group discussion.

While We Wait: Spiritual Reflections for Those Trying to Adopt

Heidi Schlumpf

“While We Wait: Spiritual Reflections for Those Trying to Adopt” is a collection of reflections that detail how author Heidi Schlumpf found God in the process of adopting her children. A valuable resource for anyone adopting or thinking of adopting, it also is helpful for those who know someone adopting a child. I draw upon elements of my Catholic faith as well as other spiritual traditions.

Saint Edith Stein: A Spiritual Portrait

Dianne Marie Traflet

This is no ordinary saint biography! Pulling from Edith Stein’s own writings, Traflet infuses this biography with Stein’s spirituality: carrying light into the world and understanding human suffering. The result is a deeply moving and readable book that is sure to inspire those familiar with Edith Stein’s life and work and new readers alike.

A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days

Amy Welborn

“A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days” is a 365-day devotional for any Catholic woman, and all Catholic women. The brief daily entries are loosely tied to the liturgical year, the book is a very handy size, and features special devotions for several saints.

ELECTRONIC BOOKS

I Surrender

Judy Dudich

Making Christ the center of daily life is key to a happy marriage, joyful friendships, personal enrichment and a healthy family life! “I Surrender” is an e-book focusing on Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”! Apply this to your daily life as wife, mom, teacher, employee, friend, etc… Each chapter ends with questions to ponder to help you make Christ your daily center!

Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Your Daily Life

Deacon Steven Lumbert & Karina Lumbert Fabian

Do you feel distant from God? Do you want a closer relationship with him? God is with us always, sometimes in ways we don’t even realize. Deacon Steven Lumbert and his daughter, Karina Lumbert Fabian, share personal stories & simple tips for learning to find God in the day-to-day of Catholic living. Great for the casual or converting Catholic longing for something more in their relationship with God, or the “advanced” Catholic wanting light spiritual exercise.

YOUTH & CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Make Your Own Noah’s Ark

Clare Beaton

Kids can create their very own Noah’s ark with this activity book. Just fold out the ark on the cover and add the press-out background pieces. Then count on hours of fun, coloring and cutting out figures of people and animals to complete the scene! Includes a simple glossary.

Your Preteen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Nicholas Joseph Bottesi and Michele Elena Bondi

Every person has a  mission that is accomplished throughout our lives, beginning the moment we are created.  Accepting, returning, and sharing the Love of God are an important part of every apostolate. ìYour Preteen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of Godî helps preteens understand that their efforts and contributions are important and necessary.

Your Teen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Andre Joseph Bottesi and Michele Elena Bondi

Every person has an apostolate begins the moment a person is created and is accomplished over time, through all the events of our lives, in good times and during hardships.  Our mission does not begin when we  reach a certain age or achieve a certain goal;  it is  fulfilled in every moment, through every day.  Our success depends upon our willingness to accept, return, and share the Love of God.  “Your Teen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God” reminds teens that their efforts and contributions are vital.

Saint Martin de Porres: Humble Healer

Elizabeth Marie DeDomenico, FSP

Brother Martin was “only a humble friar in Peru”—but this gentle saint used his healing skills to care for people of all races and nationalities. Discover why the story of Saint Martin is still so relevant today!

God’s Wonderful World

Jan Godfrey; illustrated by Peter Adderley

God made a wonderful world and filled it with beautiful, glorious, strange, and peculiar trees and flowers, stars and planets, and creatures of every kind. Then he gave it to us to take care of. Bright, colorful illustrations accompany rhythmic text that retells the story of God’s creation of the world. God’s Wonderful World is sure to become a family favorite! Ages 6–12.

The Road to Christmas Day

Jan Godfrey & Marcin Piwowarski

The story of the first Christmas is recounted through lyrical text and vibrant illustrations. The Road to Christmas Day is a fun, faith-filled way to highlight the Advent and Christmas seasons. A lovely gift for children and families that will be cherished year after year. Perfect for children ages 5–8.

57 Stories of Saints (Revised)

Anne Eileen Heffernan, FSP; illustrated by Jerry Rizzo

Some of the best-loved saints of the Church are featured in a revised and updated edition of a classic collection. Wonderfully written biographies and illustrations of Saints Lucy, Monica, Augustine, Benedict, Francis Xavier, Edith Stein, Juan Diego, Katharine Drexel, and many others. Perfect for intermediate readers and school or church libraries.

Saint Paul: The Thirteenth Apostle

Mary Lea Hill, FSP

From a persecutor of the early Christians, St. Paul was changed forever when he met Christ on the way to Damascus. Although he was not one of the original twelve apostles, he became known as the “thirteenth apostle.” He traveled great distances, preaching and writing as he went along, to bring the Gospel of Jesus to everyone. His great love for the Lord and for all people will inspire young readers to follow his example!

Saints of Note: The Comic Collection

Diana R. Jenkins; art by Patricia Storms

This comic collection takes children on a journey with time-travelers Paul and Cecilia as they travel to the past and meet saints from around the world and throughout history. Their exciting adventures bring the saints to life and make them meaningful for children today. Saints of Note is packed with biographical information, facts, quotes, prayers, and more! Great for kids ages 8–10.

Saint Nicholas: The Story of the Real Santa Claus

Mary Joslin; illustrated by Helen Cann

Here’s the story of the real Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, whose unfailing kindness and generosity led to many of the gift-giving traditions of Christmas. This beautifully retold legend features highly detailed and decorative illustrations. Ages 6–8.

My Muslim Friend: A Young Catholic Learns about Islam

Donna Jean Kemmetmueller, FSP; illustrated by Laura Jacobsen

“How are our beliefs different? How are they the same?” Mary, a Catholic girl, and Aisha, a Muslim, seek answers to these questions as each learns about the religion of the other. Catholic children, parents, and teachers will gain a new understanding, respect, and appreciation of Islam—and, in doing so, will come to deepen their own faith.

Who Is Jesus?

Lois Rock; illustrated by Gail Newey

Kids learn why Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness is so important and inspired so many people to follow him, both in his own time and to this very day. includes an index, a table of contents, and a “look it up” feature that encourages children to look up passages in their own Bibles, maps, pictures, artwork, cultural lessons, and more! Ages 9–12.

Isabel’s Sister

Harriet Sabatini

“Isabel’s Sister” is a beautiful story of life and promise in the Resurrection. Once again, author Harriet Sabatini captures the beauty of faith in this, her second book. For everyone who loved “Josephís Hands,” this book is sure to please. For those not yet familiar with Harrietís prose, or Marieís magnificent art work, ìIsabelís Sisterî will be a newfound treasure in books that every Christian family should have!

Joseph’s Hands

Harriet Sabatini

This book has received Apostolic Blessings from the Vatican and is endorsed by Archbishop Foley of Alabama and Catholic author Bert Ghezzi, “Joseph’s Hands” is the beautiful story of a young child’s understanding how God has made each person unique and how these unique gifts can serve God. The ideal book for vocation awareness!

Adventures of Saint Paul

Oldrich Selucky; illustrated by Zdenka Krejcova

Vivid full-color illustrations highlight the life of St. Paul in this exciting biography. Adventures of Saint Paul is an engaging, educational, and action-packed novel for young readers, ages 7-9, that accurately tells the story of this inspiring saint’s life. Encourage children to learn from the best examples – the saints!

Saint Bakhita of Sudan: Forever Free

Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

Kidnapped into slavery at the age of seven and brought to Italy as a teenager, the indomitable Bakhita eventually became a Catholic nun and spent over fifty years joyously serving her Lord as a Canossian Sister. In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized her. This Aftican saint’s engrossing life story, heroic choices, and forgiving heart make her a wonderful role model!

Saint Faustina Kowalska: Messenger of Mercy

Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

Here is the inspiring story of Saint Faustina, apostle of Jesus’ mercy, who was canonized in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. Growing up in war-torn Poland, she felt called to give her life to God as a religious sister. Jesus revealed the devotion to Divine Mercy through Faustina—and with prayers and faith, she was able to bring the wonderful message of the Lord’s mercy to the whole world!

Friendship With Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks to Children on their First Holy Communion

Amy Welborn

Based on a dialogue the Holy Father had with children in 2005, this beautifully illustrated children’s book is published by the Catholic Truth Society in England, and has not yet been published in the United States. Ann Engelhart’s watercolors bring out the innocence and hope of young faith and the Holy Father’s words offer profound, yet simple wisdom directing that faith towards deeper, lifelong intimacy with Christ through the Eucharist.

The Loyola Kids’ Book of Saints

Amy Welborn

“The Loyola Kids’ Book of Saints” offers several dozen lives of the saints, from ancient to modern, written for the upper-elementary and middle-school level child. The sections are organized thematically: “Saints are People Who Love Their Families” “Saints Are People Who Tell The Truth” “Saints Are People Who Travel Far From Home” “Saints Are People Who Help in Ordinary Ways” are some of the sections.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, September 30, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.
//

Thanks to the following authors, publishers, and donors who made this possible: Bezalel Books, Pauline Books & Media, Sophia Institute Press, Nancy Belanger, Regina Doman, Anne Faye, Carol Grund, Ellen Gable Hrkach, Mark Sebanc, and Gerard Webster. Note: CatholicMom.com receives a small percentage if you purchase any of these books using the links provided below to Amazon.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, August 31, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.

ADULT FICTION

The Stoneholding AND Darkling Fields of Arvon (package of 2 books)

Jim Anderson & Mark Sebanc

“The Stoneholding” is the first installment in a major new epic fantasy series. It is the tale of Kalaquinn Wright, who is called to assume the mantle of leadership during a time of unprecedented upheaval. In the second book, “Darkling Fields of Arvon,” his adventures continue, as he passes through many dire perils. Reminiscent of the stories of King David, Frodo Baggins, and the mythical realm of Narnia, fantasy fans will recognize the many classic influences that inform the series. As the co-authors explain, however, they do not write Christian fantasy, but they are Christians who write fantasy.

Bleeder

John Desjarlais

When professor Reed Stubblefield is disabled in a school shooting, he retreats to a rural cabin to recover and write a book. Oddly, in the chill of early March, the campgrounds and motels are filled with the ill and infirm seeking the healing touch of the town’s new parish priest, reputed to be a stigmatic. Skeptical about religion, Reed is drawn into a friendship with the cleric. The priest collapses and bleeds to death right in front of his parishioners. Discovering he’s the prime suspect, Reed races to find the truth before he gets arrested . . . or killed.

The Story of Peace

Miriam Ezeh

A truly astonishing and engaging story of what it means to live responsibly in a time of love, war, and peace. Should be required reading for every teenager and adult, wherever they live, whatever their situation. I could not put it down. Would make a great movie. – Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D. Author, Producer, and Distributor Nineveh’s Crossing

Through the Open Window

Anne Faye

Lucy Lyons is trying to escape her past. Content to work as a librarian and live with her dog, all she wants is a simple life with no complications. When she decides to take the plunge and write a novel during National Novel Writing Month, she gets more than she bargained for. Her writing will not only force her to face secrets, but will also put her in the path of a handsome artist who shares her love of the written word. “Through the Open Window” is an engaging novel about the secrets we keep and hopes for second chances.

Emily’s Hope

Ellen Gable

The gripping story of one young woman’s spiritual journey from high school to adulthood. Interspersed throughout the story are flashbacks to Emily’s great-grandmother’s troubled life, with a climax culminating in the surprising revelation that Emily and her great- grandmother are connected more deeply than by ancestral ties alone. Based on a true story.

In Name Only

Ellen Gable

Caroline Martin’s life has finally taken a turn for the better. After years of hard work, she has met a virtuous and wealthy man whose love seems to promise the kind of life realized only within the comforting novels she keeps on her night table. Tragedy, however, will teach Caroline of the complexity with which God Himself authors the lives of those who turn towards him.

Sand and Water

Anabelle Hazard

Innocent idealist and devout Catholic Alana O’Keefe prayed three Hail Mary’s everyday for her future husband from six years old. Heaven answers her prayers in a most unexpected manner by sending her charming Atheist Lukas Swenson. Heaven intervenes and orchestrates a surprising meeting with a woman he cannot forget. What follows is a series of twists and turns, of hits and misses, of discovering God’s will and one’s destiny and finding true love in a romance that can only be written by the Mother of God.

The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years

Rosemary McDunn

It’s amazing how naturally McDunn weaves God’s sovereignty into the story to explain why God allows hurt, death and disappointment into our lives. The story has a lot to say about how, in the midst of tragedy, God is at work through the silent, selfless works of sacrifice and love, which are paid back one hundred fold. [It] is the type of historical fiction that is at once both educational and morally sound. – Pam Williams, Public Middle School Teacher, Catholic Religious Education Instructor

Joey’s Journey

Brad Thomas

“Joey’s Journey” follows one man’s path to the papacy. Electing an American pope won’t come easy but God’s will certainly prevails amidst drama and deception. Filled with inspiration and hope, “Joey’s Journey” is a “must read” that will keep the reader engrossed until the very end where the words “Habemus Papam” will bring a joyful leap to the reader’s heart!

The Song at the Scaffold

Gertrud Von Le Fort

“One of the great Christian classics of all time.” — Michael O’Brien. Blanche de la Force enters a Carmelite convent during the French Revolution — but is she strong enough to take the crown of martyrdom that awaits the Carmelites? An enthralling spiritual novel.

In-Sight

Gerard D. Webster

Ward McNulty had it all: successful career, beautiful girlfriend, and rich and powerful friends.  But he gained it at the cost of his faith…a story of fall, forgiveness, and redemption…of family values against a worldly culture…and of a lost son coming home.

Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes

Ann Margaret Lewis

A sudden death in the Vatican. An international incident over stolen artifacts. A priest’s wrongful imprisonment for murder. Follow the greatest detective ever as he investigates three baffling cases at the “express desire of his Holiness, the Pope.” Stories include: “The Death of Cardinal Tosca,” “The Vatican Cameos,” and “The Second Coptic Patriarch.” You’ll encounter baffling crimes, rich, historical settings, and a fateful encounter with Father Brown! These thrilling tales of murder and intrigue vividly bring to life three of Watson’s “untold tales!”

YOUNG ADULT, MIDDLE GRADE, & CHILDREN’S FICTION

Dear God, I Don’t Get It!

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.

Olivia and the Little Way

Nancy Carabio Belanger

Fifth-grader Olivia has moved to a new school and is eager to make friends.  Her best friend quickly becomes someone she has never seen-St. Therese of Lisieux.  With the help of her grandma, Olivia learns about the Little Way of serving God and how it can change everything! This beautifully illustrated novel celebrates the life of St. Therese and will inspire children to follow her example and discover their own Little Way miracles.

Little Rainbow Rosary

Rose Maria Dennis

Beautiful story of a young girl’s quest to learn about the beauty of the Rosary.

Alex O’Donnell and the Forty CyberThieves

Regina Doman

In this high-tech thriller, Alex returns from college to find that his dad has inadvertently discovered a mysterious website which leads to sudden wealth. But at what cost? Mayhem, martial arts, and murder ensue even as Alex pursues marriage with Kateri who wonders why she’s letting herself be a part of the madness. But in the end, it just might be the anti-technological Kateri who saves the day…

Catholic, Reluctantly (John Paul 2 High series, Book One)

Christian M. Frank

George Peterson would rather wrestle at a big high school, but he has to go to a new school run by Catholic parents: John Paul 2 High. Only seven kids in the whole school! The building is falling apart. Weird things keep happening. And then there’s Allie Weaver, drop-dead gorgeous, barely Catholic. Why did her parents suddenly transfer her to John Paul 2 High? And what is she so afraid of?

Trespasses Against Us (John Paul 2 High series, Book Two)

Christian M. Frank

Celia Costain finds it tough being thought of as the perfect principal’s daughter at John Paul 2 High. Being Catholic has never been easy, but now Celia’s friends are all dating and say she’s uptight. Celia can deal with that, but how can she relax with someone stalking her friend Allie? And no one will tell her what’s really going on!

Anna Mei: Cartoon Girl

Carol A. Grund

Sixth-grader Anna Mei Anderson is not only the new kid at school—she’s the new kid who’s Chinese and adopted. But when she starts transforming herself into someone less unusual, she soon realizes there’s a price to pay for her deception. God must have a plan for her—but how will she figure it all out? The answers only come when Anna Mei starts listening to her own voice, and the voices of the people who’ve cared about her all along. Humorous and poignant, wholesome but not preachy, it’s a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.

Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure begins when a young farm girl, Katie, finds an unconscious teenager in a meadow. When she and her siblings try to help him discover answers, they find themselves involved in intrigue and possible danger. Who is this mysterious stranger who suddenly shows up on a small Illinois farm? Where did he come from? Where is he going? This first book in the trilogy takes the reader on an adventure filled quest!

Hiding the Stranger on Baker Street

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure, which began in “Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley,” continues as our hero is followed by vicious kidnappers. While the teen waits at the house of a new friend, he finds adventure and narrowly escapes recapture in the town of Bedford. As our young stranger continues the quest to find his identity and reach home, his memory begins to return. He has the courage to run through fire and the wisdom to help Chris with a secret. This is the second book of the ‘Hiding the Stranger’ trilogy that takes the reader on an adventure filled journey!

Hiding the Stranger: The Journey Home

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure that began on a small Illinois farm comes to a conclusion in the active city of Chicago. Our teenaged hero’s quest to find his identity and reach home culminates at the historic Union Station. See how one boy’s fate will be changed by another’s act of total self-sacrifice. This is the third book in the trilogy (Hiding the Stranger on Baker Street and Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley) that takes the reader on an adventure filled journey! See why Mrs. Kelly’s work has been called “highly recommended for community libraries.”

My Big Feet

Joan L. Kelly

Becoming a part of a group and having friends can be a lot of fun; however, we have all gone through times when we didn’t quite seem to fit in. Rob Sanderson and his friends knew that they weren’t part of the ‘popular’ kids, but that didn’t stop them from accepting each other and facing life’s challenges. Join this group of misfits as they combine forces to find a way to outwit dangerous spies and save their new classmate and her family. Each copy includes a student resource section in back with reading comprehension questions, word searches, and writing assignments.

Friend 2 Friend: Twelve Short Stories

Diane M. Lynch (Ed.)

This collection of twelve short fiction stories includes a page of reflection and discussion questions after each story. Each story features a different aspect of the ups and downs of friendship and how the friends confront and resolve their problems and misunderstandings through faith and good humor. Perfect for classroom use as well as by middle-grade readers ages 8–12.

Awakening

Claudia Cangilla McAdam

Fear drives me forward as I rush down a rocky path in Jerusalem, trying to sort things out even as dusk makes it harder to hurry. Am I really an American girl, cast back to the time of Jesus? I don’t know anymore. But I do know that something awful is about to happen to my Jesus: they’re going to arrest him tonight, and kill him. It’s up to me to save him, hurrying down this dark path toward Gethsemane, toward the turning point of all history, the attempt to kill Jesus . . .

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, August 31, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.
//

Through his amazing ministry and this wonderful new book, Father Leo Patalinghug has cooked up the perfect recipe for a fun, faith-filled and delicious family life.  This book is packed not only with delectable meals any family can prepare, but also with thought provoking commentary to get conversations flowing around your dinner table.  You’ll enjoy Father Leo’s culinary treats, his spiritual inspiration, and the great wit and good cheer with which he draws friends and family closer together to celebrate life, love and great food.

Here’s a brief description of this book:

In Grace Before Meals: Recipes and Inspiration for Family Meals and Family Life, Father Leo Patalinghug (yes, the same Father Leo who defeated Bobby Flay on Throwdown!) helps you make family meals a way of life. Combining more than 30 simple but delicious recipes related to personal milestones, family holidays, and faith observances, along with scriptural references and short essays offering wisdom on faith, values, and family togetherness, Father Leo shows that mealtime is the perfect setting for discussing the major issues all families face. In fact, research shows that frequent family dinners can reduce many risks facing children, including drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, depression, eating disorders, and poor academic performance. These are meals that nourish body and spirit.

Father Leo and his publisher have kindly donated five copies of this book as a giveaway for our CatholicMom.com readers.  To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us what you think about the importance of family dinners.  Five winners will be randomly selected. To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight on August 14, 2010.  The giveaway will end on August 14, 2010.

Order Grace Before Meals: Recipes and Inspiration for Family Meals and Family Life and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase.

Update: Our lucky winners are Scott(#1), Chinwe (#13), Mary (#23), Sharon (#54) and Barb (#73). Your prizes will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click on the links below to download each item

I remember the days of standing in line and getting my copy of the latest Harry Potter book at midnight (or 2 AM, depending on where I was in line). Though those days are gone, and though I didn’t have to wait in a line in the wee hours of the night for my copy of Alex O’Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves, I felt the same anticipation I remember from those book party days.

The latest Fairy Tale Novel should come with a warning label, though.

“Warning: You may not sleep, eat, or function normally until you have read this book as fast as you can. Your thoughts will not be your own, as you try to figure out what could possibly be happening next, and your conversations will be interrupted by your glances down to continue reading.”

My husband was mostly understanding. My children were bribed with various things I shouldn’t admit here. And me? I was enthralled, enraptured, encapsulated once more in a world not of my making and a plot bigger and deeper and wider than me, one that I couldn’t figure out until I was supposed to (I love that!).

The Fairy Tale Novels are some of the only books I’ve ever wanted to reread immediately. Alex doesn’t disappoint in that regard, and, like the others, is a must-read, whether or not you’ve read the others. I have read them all out of order, and they are completely OK that way. (I love that too!)

Want to win a copy of Alex O’Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves? Share your most outrageous computer problem in the comments by next Friday, July 16, and you’ll be entered to win. Thanks to Regina for kindly sponsoring this contest!



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us how you value reading, and how you instill that value in your children, grandchildren or friends.  If you don’t have children or grandchildren, remember that this would be a wonderful gift to donate to your local parish, Catholic school or library.  Three winners will be randomly selected. To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight on July 31, 2010.  The giveaway will end on July 31, 2010.

Please remember to visit and support our sponsors, Catholic Summer Reading and Aquinas and More Catholic Goods!

Update: Our lucky winners are Nancy (#4), Mary (#8), and Kathryn (#16). Your prizes will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!

I know we all learned some of the basics in health or gym class, but no one told us that the boxes of Kraft mac and cheese or Hamburger helper that were getting more and more popular in the late 70’s were bad for us.  Margarine was going strong then and butter was still “bad for you”.  Today isn’t much better.  They may not be teaching the “four food groups” anymore, but now it’s the nasty “food pyramid”.  People are buying tubs of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” and think they’re helping their heart! (Ahhhhh!!!!!)  Even my nutrition class in nursing school was a joke.  Granted, it was only a one year LPN program, but there wasn’t a peep about getting plenty of healthy fats into your diet.  Even the more intense medical degree programs don’t teach much in the area of nutrition, especially none of the real food, traditional nutrition principles that are our only real chance for getting and staying healthy.

What difference might it make if our kids were taught about real food and cooking like our great grandmothers did again?!  And if it then trickled UP into the medical profession?!

My friend, Kristen, has written a new Real Food Nutrition and Health textbook that has filled a HUGE gap and could help build a new generation of kids armed with the TRUTH about food and the knowledge they need to be healthy, and later raise healthy families of their own!

Read more:  Win a FREE Real Food Health & Nutrition book! – HURRY!  CONTEST ENDS THURSDAY AT 11:59 PM EASTERN!

They didn’t know it at the time, of course. I was just one of their invisible fans, enjoying the immense work they do online. Though I’ve gotten to know each of them a bit better in the last few years, I still face close calls with my bladder and have difficulty not just going into psycho fan-girl mode with them.

They are, after all, Catholic moms, just like me. They get up in the morning, face the battles of their days, and plow on through to bedtime.

Maybe that’s why they are so popular. Maybe that’s why I’m just one of about a million of their fan-moms. Maybe that’s what makes their latest project, Small Steps for Catholic Moms: Think. Pray. Act. Every Day., such a treasure.

Small Steps isn’t a tome about how you can be more of a super-mom. This isn’t a book that will unlock the secrets of momhood and give you the elixir of needing less sleep.

What you’ll find, which is better, is a daily dose of inspiration, wisdom, and encouragement from women who know how lonely and hopeless it can be in the trenches of motherhood. This isn’t preaching, this is touching and giving in the most beautiful of Catholic traditions. This is a cup of tea with friends, a hug from a fellow trooper, an embrace from God Himself.

In Small Steps, you get just what it says: a quote from a saint, a short prayer, and a to-do item. Every month is centered around a virtue, and the companion journal gives you a chance to jot notes and reflect more deeply about that virtue, even as each day of that month takes you on a small step toward that virtue.

This book couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Early in my current pregnancy, I was hugging toilets and buckets and trashcans every morning. My prayer time was slashed in favor of sleep. By the time the kids woke me up, that precious quiet time was…gone. By the time the kids were in bed at night, I was collapsing along with them.

Small Steps is a lesson for all of us: we don’t reach sainthood in giant leaps, unless we look back over our entire lives. Instead, the road to heaven is a series of moments, of small steps we take, holding on tight to the hands of those who have gone before us and who are carrying us when we fall.

Would you like a chance to win a signed copy of Small Steps for Catholic Moms? Leave your name in the comments by next Friday, and we’ll choose one lucky winner.
//

The contest ended June 18…congratulations to our winner, Erin G (commenter #34)! For those of you who didn’t win, don’t forget that this book (and its companion journal) make a great gift idea.

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

As I near the arrival of Baby #2, I am starting to prepare for a similar experience; however, my tastes and interests have changed.  The more I’ve learned about cooking from scratch, the more I enjoy it and believe in its benefits.  Culinary adventures have become a hobby—one fostered by fellow Catholic Mom contributors Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Katie from Kitchen Stewardship.

I was both excited and relieved to get the chance to review Katie’s new eBook, Healthy Snacks to Go, since quick preparation of healthy, “real” foods continues to leave me stymied.  I might enjoy cooking, but it doesn’t come easily.  Could Katie’s recipes really be manageable for me?

Short answer: yes.

Katie’s website, Kitchen Stewardship, serves up a wealth of information for readers with varying degrees of interest and ability, and her eBook is no different.  Healthy Snacks to Go includes over 30 recipes, each with detailed icons explaining the level of difficulty, dietary ingredients, and storing instructions.  At the end of each recipe, she includes a cost breakdown, giving readers a sense of how the snack compares to a store-bought version.  She also offers timesaving tips, FAQ’s, and ways to make her already healthy recipes even healthier.

Now, it’s true that cooking from scratch isn’t as easy as opening a box.  If you haven’t ever soaked grains or used coconut oil, this book might initially feel overwhelming.  And if your taste buds still prefer high fructose corn syrup, the flavors in these recipes might require some getting used to.  Healthy Snacks to Go makes the transition a whole lot easier, though, by giving you taste-tested recipes and straightforward instructions.

Katie’s recipes are clear and precise, and she includes photos of the finished products, advice about cooking supplies, and explanations of practices (like soaking grains) that her advanced readers regularly employ.  The eBook is well designed, easy to read, and full of helpful tips.  Best of all, Katie’s writing style is both engaging and thorough.  Her recipes are interesting enough for the accomplished cook yet explained in such a way that they feel approachable for those of us who routinely contemplate purchasing Cooking for Dummies.

After conducting my own taste tests, I much prefer Katie’s crunchy cinnamon and coconut-flavored granola to the over-sweetened batch I bought at the store several weeks ago.  Stove-top popcorn is a new family favorite, and the healthy chocolate pudding recipe she links to tastes surprisingly like the boxed version.

Even if some of the recipes require a bit of trial and error before I get the hang of things, I’ve picked up more than a few tips that will streamline healthy snack preparation.  Whether you’re an expert foodie or a curious beginner, Healthy Snacks to Go has something for you.

Healthy Snacks to Go is available for purchase at Katie’s website, Kitchen Stewardship.  Click here for a chance to win a copy as part of Catholic Mom’s June giveaway!

Copyright 2010 Anne McClure

I think it’s time for another book-give-away, don’t you? With summer fast approaching, I thought I’d have a contest: GRACE CAFE – TAKE ME AWAY! What do you think? Summertime is a great time to be rejuvenated as we attempt to slow down a bit and enjoy the season of summer.

So, with that said, all who leave a comment below will be entered into my contest. In your comment, tell me why you absolutely need to win a copy of GRACE CAFE: SERVING UP RECIPES FOR FAITHFUL MOTHERING for your summer reading. I will be awarding three books. Those of you who send me a photo of yourself reading one of my books to my email address DMCOBoyle(at)aol(dot)com) in addition to your comment, will be entered THREE times into the drawing! If the winners already own Grace Cafe, they may choose another of my books as their prize.

For full contest details and to enter this terrific contest, visit Donna-Marie over at her blog and be sure to submit those comments and photos.  Good luck and happy reading!!

Then I thought about where we would put this baby. I wondered how I would decorate a nonexistent room with a saint’s picture, with blankets made just for this child, with drawings made by older sisters over the course of months of waiting.

Did I mention that I have zero decorating abilities?

I have never “done” a nursery, though I’ve had two opportunities (and plenty of offers of help, subtly stated by friends and sisters-in-law). I just never saw the need; wouldn’t it be more fun for said child to decorate their room when they had their own taste? My five-year-old, for example, had a chance to pick out her own room color when we redid our upstairs, and she chose a color I would have never picked for her.

Though I seem to lack the “nesting” traits inherent to most women’s pregnancies, it was nothing less than delightful when the package came bearing a Birdie Banner arrived from Wee Gallery.

Here was something I could do for my new baby that would be fun, and yet not too much for my terrified-of-decorating self. They’re sturdy and lovely, but simple. According to the package, they’ll stimulate my baby, but I just love that they’re not ugly!

I’ll be checking out more from their website in the coming months, I’m sure, and perhaps I’ll tap into the talents of my five-year-old resident designer.

Don’t miss your chance to win your own Wee Graphics Birdie Banner in one of the prize packs in the June giveaway!



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

We send out a hug thank you to CatholicMom.com contributor and friend Anne McClure for organizing our special “Welcoming a New Baby” giveaway for the month of June.  Anne recently welcomed new son Elijah to her family and still found time in the final days of her pregnancy to gather these great prizes! Watch during the coming days for special reviews of many of these great products and please support the sponsors who have so generously made these prizes possible.

Whether you’re welcoming your first or your tenth, a new baby is a wonderful blessing—and a significant adjustment!  Our June giveaway is designed to help moms make the transition and rejoice in God’s gift!

Two “New Baby” prize packages are offered this month.  To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight on June 30^th, 2010.  Two winners will be randomly selected.  The giveaway will end on June 30^th, 2010.

Prize Pack #1:

• 1 Bébé au Lait nursing cover—Machine washable with a rigid neckline, this hands-free cover allows mom to nurse discreetly in public.
• 1 Fuzzi Bunz One-Size Cloth Diaper—These pocket-style cloth diapers come in a variety of fun colors and adjust to fit babies 7-35 pounds.
• 1 copy of Katie Kimball’s eBook Healthy Snacks to Go—This eBook, written by food blogger and Catholic Mom contributor Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship, includes over 30 healthy snack recipes and lots of real food cooking tips. Click here to read a review of this great eBook
• 1 copy of The Handbook for Catholic Moms—Lisa’s wonderful new book inspires Catholic moms to explore important ways to nurture their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.

Prize Pack #2:

• 1 My Brest Friend nursing pillow—This wrap-around pillow makes breastfeeding easier by helping moms achieve correct positioning.
• 1 set of Birdie Banner Wall Graphics from Wee Gallery—This cute and customizable decal banner includes repeating patterns and high-contrast images to stimulate an infant’s visual development. Click here to read a review of this wonderful product.
• 1 copy of Rachel Balducci’s book How to Tuck in a Superhero—And Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys—Rachel joyfully and humorously chronicles life as the mother of five rambunctious boys.
• 1 copy of Katie Kimball’s eBook Healthy Snacks to Go

Update: Our lucky winners are Monica (#22) and Angela (#42).  Your prizes will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!

This month’s giveaway celebrates the Blessed Mother’s month with some of the finest in Marian giveaways. To enter, leave a comment with a valid email address (will not be shared) by May 31. We’ll draw winners and contact them at the beginning of June.

Everyone’s a winner: Thanks to Jennifer Minson, who has offered half-off shipping for anyone who places a Tupperware order in May and mentions CatholicMom.com. Note: You have to contact Jennifer directly to receive this special shipping offer.

Enter your name in the comments for a chance to win one of the amazing prizes below:

Pink, Green, and White Pocket Rosary, courtesy of On this Day Designs
This single decade rosary is perfect for your pocket, purse, or clipped to your backpack so that you’re prepared for that unexpected quiet moment for prayer. Medal is a pewter crucifix; Our Father beads are lime green, pink, and blue flowered glass beads; Hail Mary beads are pink; white and green glass beads alternate between the Hail Mary beads (slight color variation possible).

Hail, Holy Queen, by Scott Hahn
Building on these scriptural and historical foundations, Hahn presents a new look at the Marian doctrines: Her Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, and Coronation. As he guides modern-day readers through passages filled with mysteries and poetry, Hahn helps them rediscover the ancient art and science of reading the Scriptures and gain a more profound understanding of their truthfulness and relevance to faith and the practice of religion in the contemporary world.

Blessed Blue Cord Knotted Rosary, courtesy of Real Life Rosary
Stuff it in your pocket, bury it in your purse, or clasp it in your hand while you jog…this is a rosary that will stand the test of time, make it through the washer, and not choke the little saints you’re trying to raise. AND it’s lovingly made by the Hahn family, no extra charge.

Multicolored Mount Carmel Bracelet, courtesy of On this Day Designs
These three stretchy strands of multicolored beads are a beautiful mixture of different semi-precious stones. Nestled among these beads is a medal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the same image found on the Brown Scapular. Medal is bronze Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Mary and the Christian Life, by Amy Welborn (3 copies)
In this book by best-selling author Amy Welborn, Mary comes to life for us, both as the mother of Jesus and as his first disciple. Through her expressive and meditative style, Welborn offers fresh insights into Mary’s story, with all of its wonder, love, and adversity. Each moment in Mary’s life serves as a mirror for us, showing us how we, as Jesus’ disciples, can open ourselves in the same way to whatever he wants for us. Each chapter features selections about Mary from saints, popes, and church fathers along with explanations of the history behind popular Marian devotions, hymns, and prayers, from the rosary to the Salve Regina.

Tupperware Canister Set, courtesy of Jennifer Minson
This chic canister set doesn’t just sit on the counter looking pretty. The special viewing window in the front reminds you when contents are running low. One Touch® seal comes on and off with the lightest touch, yet seals both air and liquid tight!

Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God, by Ginny Kubitz Moyer, courtesy of the author
How does Mary, the Mother of God, speak to the modern female experience? Does she comfort, challenge or inspire? Ginny Moyer wanted to know how women today would answer those questions, so she invited women of all ages, some cradle Catholics and some converts, some lay and some religious, to share their thoughts on Mary. In the process of collecting women’s stories, Moyer learned that the answers to these questions are as diverse as the women themselves.

Marian Tile Necklace, courtesy of Joy Filled Family
Necklace using a lovely Marian tile, handmade by Lena and her daughter, Rose.

Mary, Mother of the Son trilogy, by Mark Shea, courtesy of Aquinas & More
This three-volume set of books by Catholic author Mark P. Shea, takes the reader on a tour de force exploration of the Marian dimension of Catholic thought, life, prayer, and practice. These three volumes will give you what you need to come to more fully appreciate Mary’s role in your life and the life of the Church — and to defend and explain her role to your non-Catholic (and even your Catholic) friends.

Free download of the Rosary Quilt Set (2), including manual, workbook, virtue chart, and meditation page helps, courtesy Intercessiories Family Ministry
Establish a nightly rosary within your family as you learn and grow in virtue. Contains fun and engaging activities to reinforce the messages behind the mysteries of the rosary and the virtues they present to us. The workbook gives your child over 70 pages of activities to reinforce what he has learned about the rosary and the real life applications of the virtues he is cultivating. Other resources work together to make the rosary a seamless part of your family life.

Ave Maria in Pinks and Greens, courtesy of On this Day Designs
This delicate sterling silver Ave Maria medal is enhanced by the pinks and greens of the crackle glass beads and sterling silver accents. Necklace, length 19 inches, sterling silver lobster claw clasp. Medal: sterling silver Ave Maria initials, recast of a vintage European medal from the 1880s, .75 inches.

Rosary Meditations for Real Life, by James Hahn, courtesy of Real Life Rosary
A unique approach to praying the rosary by taking everyday life events and pulling them out of the mysteries of the Rosary. The mysteries are contemplated in light of the common events of our life – Work, Children, Addiction, Mass, Marriage, and Death. Additional meditations look at the mysteries through the eyes of various people like Joseph, Mary, Saint John, Judas, and others. This book will change the way you pray the rosary and help you learn to make the rosary part of everyday life!

Tupperware Clear Mates set, courtesy of Jennifer Minson
Clear Mates® 12-Pc. Set, a $101 value, for only $25!* Store it all for less. Includes two each of the Mini (3/4 cup/200 mL), Medium 3 (61/2 cup/1.5 L), Large 2 (63/4 cup/1.6 L) and Large 3 (101/2 cup/2.5 L) containers plus four Medium 2 (41/3 cup/1 L) containers.

The Rosary Workout, by Peggy Bowes (2 copies), courtesy of the author
This must-read includes chapters on the history of the Rosary and the Science of Exercise. Each workout offers illustrations on how to incorporate the Rosary, the different meditations, and how to determine and work at the appropriate spiritual and exercise level (Angel, Archangel, Principality, Power, Virtue, Dominion, Throne, Cherubim, Seraphim).

Our Lady of Guadalupe wooden rosary and keepsake box, courtesy of the Catholic Company (also online with a brand-new Spanish site!)
This solid wood box measures 4″ across and is 2″ high. The hinged box has on its lid the beautiful depiction of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It serves as the perfect place to store your rosary or could be used for jewelry or any other of your religious keepsakes. The outer edges and bottom of the box are painted in an antique gold finish.

The World’s First Love, by Fulton Sheen, courtesy of Aquinas & More
While considering the different phases of Mary’s life, Bishop Sheen discusses various problems common to mankind of every age and reveals clearly that every problem can be resolved. He emphasizes the unique dignity, strength and gifts of women and their ability to help heal the world’s problems. Sheen stresses mankind’s need of the Mother of God and her burning love for all her children. The great resurgence of devotion to Mary is God’s way of emphasizing the worth and dignity of every person against the false doctrines that have so confused the modern world.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Earrings, courtesy of On this Day Designs
A great everyday earring that’s a wonderful reminder of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Medal is a colored enamel-like image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with sterling silver ear wire.

Many thanks to all of our generous donors for the May Marian giveaway! Please consider them as you plan your Mother’s Day gift giving and future purchases.

Here are brief descriptions of these two Catholic novels:

In Name Only – 1876, Philadelphia. Caroline Martin’s life has finally taken a turn for the better. After years of hard work, she has met a virtuous and wealthy man whose love seems to promise the kind of life realized only within the comforting novels she keeps on her night table. Tragedy, however, will teach Caroline of the complexity with which God Himself authors the lives of those who turn toward Him.

Emily’s Hope – Emily’s Hope is the gripping story of one young woman’s physical, emotional, spiritual journey from high school to adulthood. Interspersed throughout the story are flashbacks to Emily’s great-grandmother’s troubled life, with a climax culminating in the surprising revelation that Emily and her great-grandmother are connected more deeply than by ancestral ties alone. Emily’s Hope won an Honorable Mention Award for Religious Fiction in the 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards and in 2009, received the Catholic Writers’ Guild Seal of Approval.

To enter to win this contest, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on May 14, 2010.  I’ll draw three random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Update: Our lucky winners are In Name Only – Louise (#4), Sarah M. (#35), Michelle (#15), Jennifer (#11), and Laura B. (#3). Our two additional winners are:  Kathy M. (#38), and Michelle (#22). Your prizes will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!

Raising healthy, holy, Catholic children is no easy task. Rocking the Cradle Catholic uses humor and simple, everyday examples – from how to choose a godparent, to prioritizing your vocation and other ministry work, to teaching children about war – in order to guide parents in practical imitation of the Holy Family. Recognizing parents as the primary catechists and family as the domestic church. Rocking the Cradle Catholic is meant to offer encouragement while challenging Catholic parents to be even more committed to their vocation of marriage and family life. Each chapter includes questions for contemplation and action that can be used for personal prayer or within a group setting.

To enter to win this contest, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on February 3, 2010.  I’ll draw three random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Update: Our lucky winners are Denise (#71), Susan H. (#97), Christine (#23),  and Christy (#104). Your prizes will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!