Mother Teresa in Catholic Digest.
Catholic Leaders and Real Men Pray the Rosary.
Donna-Marie answers questions on Catholic Answers Live.
A Friendship Forged in Faith in the News Times about Mother Teresa and Mother Teresa.
Press release in Religion News Association. August 30, 2016.
An article from the National Catholic Register: June 14, 2013: Saintly Friends
At the Monastery Kitchen–an article and special recipe!
New Times article (September 4, 2016–Mother Teresa’s Canonization day) about Mother Teresa and Donna-Marie.
St. Anthony Messenger Magazine article about Mother Teresa including Donna-Marie.
An article about my speaking about Mother Teresa at the Knights of Columbus Museum.
The Catholic World Report interviewed Donna-Marie about her life and memoir The Kiss of Jesus. You can see it here.
A review/article about “The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers, and Devotions” is here at Integrated Catholic Life.
At Catechist Daily, Elizabeth reviews The Kiss of Jesus.
At “Book Notes” at Catholic Mom, Roxane Solonen reviews Donna-Marie’s The Kiss of Jesus.
At “Water Into Wine” at Patheos, Lisa Mladinich review Donna-Marie’s book The Kiss of Jesus.
At The National Catholic Register, Katie Warner writes about “Fostering Holiness” in the Domestic Church and quotes Donna-Marie in the article.
At Patheos, Mark Shea talks about Donna-Marie’s memoir The Kiss of Jesus.
A Publisher’s Weekly article highlighting Donna-Marie’s upcoming book: Bringing Lent Home with Pope Francis
A review of Donna-Marie’s book: The Miraculous Medal: Prayers, Stories, and Devotions
A review of Bringing Lent Home with St. John Paul II in the National Catholic Register.
An article/review of Bringing Lent Home with Saint John Paul II at Epic Pew.
An article about Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa at Patheos.
An article (complete with many photos) about a diocesan retreat day in Corpus Christi, Texas (October 2014) in which Donna-Marie was the primary presenter: 52 Parishes Participate…
In the National Catholic Register about the Holy Family
An article about Donna-Marie and her book Prayerfully Expecting: Nine Month Novena For Mothers To Be.
An article from the National Catholic Register: June 14, 2013: Saintly Friends
“Donna Marie Cooper-O’Boyle, also a member of the U.S. delegation, left Rome feeling energized and willing to do her part to spread the message.’We feel so blessed to have been given this message but we represent everyone,’ Cooper O’Boyle said. ‘We’re over there trying to absorb it all so that we can bring it back for everyone else.’ The mission for everyone who attended the conference is to bring this message of healing and hope to women in the homes and communities and parishes and dioceses of the world. Cooper O’Boyle said. ‘And when they feel confident in their own dignity they’re going to be able to carry their head high and be that example and spread the message. That’s how it will be spread, one by one by one.’ ” (excerpt from “A New Season of Grace for Women” by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS)
An interview of Donna-Marie with Zenit regarding her book “Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship” and her friendship with Mother Teresa is here: http://zenit.org/article-28678?l=english
Article from The A. D. Times about a retreat Donna-Marie gave to the Allentown, PA diocese:http://www.allentowndiocese.org/news/AD10-1-09.pdf
[Jan. 29, 2010] Here’s an article from Boston Pilot, America’s oldest Catholic paper about Donna=Marie’s keynoting at the Boston Women’s Conference and her friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa: http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=11390
Article in “Today’s Catholic” newspaper regarding Donna-Marie’s visit to San Antonio, Texas in October, 2010
The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home
Author Delivers a Message for Catholic Mothers
Filed under: News, Press — Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle at 11:19 am on Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Author delivers a message for Catholic mothers
By Patricia D’Ascoli
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-TIMES
October 11, 2006
Author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle has a mission. As a devout Catholic and mother of five who has dedicated the past 29 years to raising her children, O’Boyle is now encouraging other Catholic mothers to embrace the vocation of motherhood.
With the publication of her new book “The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home,” she hopes to share her message about the sanctity of motherhood.
O’Boyle is passionate about her ministry to mothers, and says that this is something she has been doing since last year’s release of her bestselling book, “Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers.”
The author frequently speaks to groups about the vocation of motherhood and its importance. Not a fan of public speaking, however, O’Boyle says that she has had to overcome her hesitation because she feels that she has been called by God to share her message with other mothers.
Somewhat surprised by the response of women who have been moved to tears by her talks, O’Boyle remarked, “I am happy if the Lord can use me through the words that I say or write to help women.”
She added, “Motherhood is a very lofty vocation and hopefully they will be able to embrace it fully and have peace of heart and soul.”
O’Boyle notes that women can often feel confused, inadequate or depressed because they are trying to figure out what they are supposed to do.
“I’ve always tried to help mothers realize that life speeds by,” she said, “and it is important to be there for your children as much as you can when they are little because it is so critical to their development.”
In her soft-spoken voice, O’Boyle explains that her books are aimed at mothers who are striving to find more meaning in their vocation and are looking for a deeper relationship with God.
“I try to impress upon them that it really can be done and it really is quite easy,” said O’Boyle. Calling her concept a kind of revolutionary approach to prayer, O’Boyle says that she tries to help mothers realize that their very lives are a prayer, because they are the ones God put in the heart of the home to take care of the children. O’Boyle believes that her philosophy is empowering and hopes that it will provide comfort to mothers.
Her book has been blessed by Pope John Paul II and endorsed by Mother Teresa who read the manuscript, as O’Boyle wrote the book 16 years ago when she was on bedrest during a pregnancy.
The book offers Catholic mothers a way to practice their religion in a simpler, easier fashion. But the author is humble about her role in encouraging mothers to embrace the vocation of motherhood while also drawing closer to their faith.
“I feel God’s calling me to do it,” O’Boyle reflected. “God gave me the grace to write these words.”
O’Boyle finds her work extremely fulfilling. “It’s amazing what words can do. I weave these words together for inspiration to other people.”
Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle will be signing copies of “The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home” (Crossword Publishing, $14.95) at Waldenbooks at 7 Backus Ave. in Danbury on Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. For more information about the author, visit www.
donnacooperoboyle.com.
Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers To Be
Filed under: “Daily Donna-Marie”, News — Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle at 9:21 am on Saturday, February 3, 2007
Drawing upon inspiration
Mother, daughter team up on pregnancy prayer journal
By Patricia D’Ascoli
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-TIMES
Author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle and her daughter, illustrator Chaldea Emerson, have a new book coming out this month titled ?Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers-To-Be.?
When New Milford author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle turns the pages of her new book, “Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers-To-Be,” she feels a profound sense of fulfillment.
Although this is O’Boyle’s third inspirational book to be published in less than two years, “Prayerfully Expecting” has special significance to the mother of five. It was written more than 16 years ago, when the author was on complete bed rest during her difficult fifth pregnancy. And the keepsake prayer journal book is illustrated by her daughter Chaldea Emerson, who drew images of O’Boyle and her five children when they were babies.
It’s not the first time the mother and daughter have worked together as writer and illustrator, however. Emerson, who lives in Gaylordsville, provided several illustrations for O’Boyle’s second book, “The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home” and also for newspaper articles written by O’Boyle.
“Prayerfully Expecting,” which features original prayers written by O’Boyle, transforms a nine-month pregnancy into a nine-month novena. The book was blessed by Pope John Paul II and includes a foreword written by Mother Teresa, with whom O’Boyle shared a special relationship, particularly during her last pregnancy.
“At that time, I knew Mother Teresa very well and she prayed me through that pregnancy. Mother Teresa had a big influence on me with my spirituality and my writing,” O’Boyle said. “She encouraged me and praised me and told me it’s so important to get this information out there for moms.”
Providing inspiration to mothers is central to O’Boyle’s writing, and a topic about which she is passionate. As a stay-at-home mom for many years to her children, Justin 30, Chaldea, 25, Jessica, 21, Joseph, 18 and Mary-Catherine, 15, O’Boyle believes that motherhood is a vocation that should be celebrated and appreciated. And her new book seeks to establish pregnancy as a sublime and amazing time in a woman’s life.
Emerson, who is a graduate of Temple University, was delighted to collaborate with her mother on this project, which is the first book she has completely illustrated. She notes that in keeping with her background in fine arts, she chose to render the drawings in pencil. Mother and daughter spent time together looking at old photographs of Chaldea and her siblings, choosing those that would be featured in the book.
“It was especially neat when we went through the old baby pictures,” said Emerson, noting that it was a much more personal illustration process than those she has previously worked on.
Although the artist has sketched faces in the past, she has never done baby faces before, and O’Boyle is quite pleased with the result.
“Her pictures are identical to the photos,” O’Boyle said proudly.
In addition to the baby pictures, sprinkled throughout the book are icons Emerson created, and at the beginning of each of the nine chapters there is a beautiful rose that unfolds until it is in full bloom, meant to symbolize how a mother blossoms throughout a pregnancy.
Emerson is also engaged in painting and printmaking, and recently had a show at the Grand Patisserie featuring her landscapes, both urban and rural, rendered in oil pastel. A collection of her linoleum block prints will be shown at Roxbury’s Minor Memorial Library in June. She also creates greeting cards which have been sold in the past at the Brookfield Craft Center.
“My art is of the different places I’ve been in life “” my local surroundings,” explained Emerson, who works in the greenhouse at Maplebank Farm in Roxbury and also part-time at Thompson Studios in Waterbury.
“Prayerfully Expecting” will be available in mid to late May, said O’Boyle, who has a number of local signings planned in connection with her new book. She will launch the book on May 26 at Borders Books in Danbury at 2 p.m. and will also have a booksigning following the 5 p.m. Mass at St. Francis Xavier Church in New Milford.
For more information about Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle and her works, visit her Web site www.donnacooperoboyle.com. Her blog “Daily Donna-Marie: A Dose of Inspiration” can be found at www.donnamariecooperoboyle.blogspot.com.
From Calcutta, with Love
U. S. A. | APOSTOLATE | NEWS
The story of an American mother’s ten-year friendship with Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
February 15, 2010. There are not many women who can say that their lives and families have been illuminated by a friendship with a saint of Mother Teresa’s stature. Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle can.
Her most recent book, Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship (published by Circle Press), tells the story of a friendship that unfolded in her life as an unexpected gift, bringing blessings of spiritual growth to her entire family and to the people she went on to serve in her many apostolates.
It is a book well worth reading, full of personal words of advice from Blessed Mother Teresa, and sprinkled with stories of the many miracles, small and great, that flow from a life of authentic prayer and surrender to Jesus.
The start of a friendship
It all began with a hug. Donna-Marie and her three small children were attending Mass at the Missionaries of Charity
convent in Washington, DC. When Mother Teresa saw her six-year-old daughter Chaldea making her little genuflection before Jesus in the Eucharist, she swooped down on the child (who was about her height) to embrace her.
Later, as the family stood outside the chapel, Mother Teresa appeared again and greeted the young American family. As they were chatting, the two-year old Jessica squirmed out of her mother’s arms and “made a beeline for the nun.” To Donna-Marie’s astonishment, Mother Teresa and the child held hands and simply gazed at each other for a long time.
“That was when Mother Teresa told me that Jessica might become a sister of the Missionaries of Charity one day,” writes Donna-Marie.
That was also the day a friendship was born. Over the years, Donna-Marie wrote letters to Calcutta, sharing personal situations, including some heavy crosses and trials. Mother Teresa always wrote back in her carefully typed letters, written on the same antique typewriter.
For Donna-Marie, each of those 22 letters—and the handful of personal meetings that followed— was a beacon of hope, an encouragement on her own path toward holiness.
A mission to encourage
But beyond the letters, there was another form of communication at work: the exchange of prayers, and the sense of communion in the mission to live the Gospel. Not surprisingly, Donna-Marie’s own spirituality was deeply influenced by Mother Teresa’s example. Before too long, an apostolate of writing and speaking was born alongside the works of mercy that she had long practiced with her family.
“God has given you many gifts—make sure you use them for the glory of God and the good of the people. You will make your life something beautiful for God. You have been created to be Holy,” wrote Mother Teresa. “Keep the joy of loving Jesus ever burning in your heart, and share this joy with others.”
Mother Teresa and Me does just that. In a world that yearns for heroes, for true saints who live the Gospel authentically and honestly, it is deeply encouraging to read the story of this friendship and of the many miracles and graces that have flowed from it.
At the same time, the story of Donna-Marie’s journey of faith sends another message: we are all called to holiness. Each of us has a mission in life, a role to play in God’s plan, a task that begins with prayer and is consummated in acts of love. As Mother Teresa used to say, the poorest of the poor are not only in Calcutta. They are all around, and each of us is called to be “Jesus with skin on.”
Mother Teresa and Me is an inspiring push toward that goal of holiness, a reminder that God has big plans for us… if we let ourselves be led by him.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2010-02-1
