“I Thirst”

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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The following is an excerpt from my book 52 Weeks with St. Faustina:

“I thirst. I thirst for the salvation of souls. Help Me, My daughter, to save souls. Join your sufferings to My Passion and offer them to the heavenly Father for sinners.”
— Jesus to St. Faustina (Diary, 1032)

Our Savior Jesus, amazingly, thirsts for our love. It might seem hard to believe — after all, He is God! How and why does He thirst for our love? We will take a thorough look at this holy “thirst” of Jesus from the Cross for the salvation of souls and what it entails in this week’s spiritual exercise. Let’s get to it!

The human heart is restless until it finds God. In the Psalms, we read, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:1-2). Saint Augustine penned the now familiar words, “[F]or you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (CCC, 30). Man might do tons of searching in all the wrong places and never have peace until he is right with God. But that’s not just a one-sided longing, or a one-sided quest. It’s true that our Lord yearns for us, too, though He is the Creator of the universe. He thirsts for our love.

When Jesus hung dying on the Cross, He uttered the words, “I thirst” (Jn 19:28; NABRE). It was not merely for water that He thirsted. He also thirsted for our love and the salvation of souls. This thirst was expressed immediately after He had gifted to His disciple John (as well as to all of mankind) the eminent gift of His own Mother, when He said, “Here is your mother” (Jn 19:27). Most of us cannot comprehend the full meaning of such a gift. However, we can at least try to remember to call upon Mother Mary often in all of our needs. She will pray for us, protect us, and mother us! Mary is our wonderful mediator. She will show us how to satiate her Son’s thirst for love and for souls.

Mother Mary knows all about the need to save souls — the souls for whom Jesus thirsts. Mary is fully aware of the problems and blessings of our sinful world, and has always been closely united to her Son’s work of salvation, right from the start. She continues to work from Heaven. We can recall that when Mary appeared to three simple peasant children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, she offered several “tools” to save souls. One such tool is praying the daily Rosary. Another is committing to the Five First Saturdays devotion. Further, praying a powerful prayer that she taught the children (Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta) is most effective: “O Jesus, this is for love of You, for the conversion of poor sinners, and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” The Blessed Mother taught the children this prayer during her July 13, 1917, apparition. It can be prayed at any time, especially when offering up a specific suffering or situation to our Lord, asking Him to use it for the purposes mentioned in the prayer. The simplest thing can be trans- formed into a formidable means to save souls! In this way, we are helping to satiate Jesus’ thirst!

Mother Teresa, St. Faustina, and Jesus’ Thirst


In discussing Jesus’ thirst for the salvation of souls, I can’t help but think of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was deeply impacted by Jesus’ thirst for the salvation of souls and, in fact, founded a religious order that would work to accomplish their salvation. Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun who received what she referred to as a “call within a call” when, on September 10, 1946, she was on a train en route to her yearly retreat in Darjeeling. Mother Teresa experienced a mystical vision of Jesus on the Cross, uttering the words, “I thirst.” Jesus called to this simple nun’s heart and asked her to take care of His poorest — “the least.” Mother Teresa totally embraced Jesus’ invitation. After an exercise of due diligence and following normal protocol, the Church’s hierarchy reviewed Mother Teresa’s proposal for the religious order she would found and gave her permission to step out in faith, following the call of the Lord. On August 17, 1948, Mother Teresa crossed over the threshold from the peaceful order of the Loreto convent into the unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, slums of the poor. On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa and 11 companions (some were her former students!) were established officially as a religious congregation of diocesan right.

Mother Teresa stated, “The General End of the Missionaries of Charity is to satiate the thirst of Jesus Christ on the Cross for Love and Souls.” She included these words in the order’s Statutes. In each of the Missionaries of Charity (MC) convent chapels all around the world, the words “I THIRST” are prominently displayed on the wall, close to the altar and tabernacle. Mother Teresa explained, “We have these words in every chapel of the MCs to remind us what an MC is here for: to quench the thirst of Jesus for souls, for love, for kindness, for compassion, for delicate love.”51 I have been personally blessed to meditate upon these simple, yet profound, words in many of the MC chapels in various places around the world.

On March 25, 1993, Mother Teresa explained the meaning of the words “I thirst” in a letter to her community. She wrote, “‘I thirst’ is something much deeper than just Jesus saying ‘I love you.’ Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you — you can’t begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him. The heart and soul of [Missionaries of Charity] is only this — the thirst of Jesus’ Heart, hidden in the poor. … ‘I thirst’ and ‘You did it to me’ — remember always to connect the two.”

Just after Mother Teresa passed on to her eternal reward, St. John Paul II described the saint of the gutters’ holy mission:
Her mission began every day, before dawn, in the presence of the Eucharist. In the silence of contemplation, Mother Teresa of Calcutta heard the echo of Jesus’ cry on the Cross: “I thirst.” This cry, received in the depths of her heart, spurred her to seek out Jesus in the poor, the abandoned, and the dying on the streets of Calcutta and to all the ends of the earth.

Later, at her beatification on October 19, 2003, the pope expressed similar sentiments:

The cry of Jesus on the Cross, “I thirst” (Jn 19:28), expressing the depth of God’s longing for man, penetrated Mother Teresa’s soul and found fertile soil in her heart. Satiating Jesus’ thirst for love and for souls in union with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, had become the sole aim of Mother Teresa’s existence and the inner force that drew her out of herself and made her “run in haste” across the globe to labor for the salvation and the sanctification of the poorest of the poor.

About 10 years before Mother Teresa experienced hearing Jesus’ words “I thirst,” another great saint in the making would be blessed to hear the same two powerful words spoken to her heart. It was during a vision when Sr. Faustina saw Jesus suffering on the Cross. Sister Faustina recalled, “During Holy Mass, I saw the Lord Jesus nailed upon the Cross amidst great torments. A soft moan issued from His Heart. After some time, He said, ‘I thirst. I thirst for the salvation of souls. Help Me, My daughter, to save souls. Join your sufferings to My Passion and offer them to the heavenly Father for sinners’” (Diary, 1032). What an awesome privilege to be asked by Jesus Himself to help Him save souls! Sister Faustina no doubt took these words to her heart and meditated upon them deeply. She searched for every opportunity to help Jesus save souls by joining her every suffering to His. The humble saint said she didn’t know how to suffer properly. Specifically, she wrote, “I understood that I did not know how to suffer. In order to gain merit for my suffering, I will unite myself more closely, in suffering, to the Passion of the Lord Jesus” (Diary, 1762). This she did often. At another time, Jesus told His bride, “I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion” (Diary, 186).

In a meditation on Jesus’ words, “I thirst,” Pope Francis said:
“Love is not loved”: This reality, according to some accounts, is what greatly upset St. Francis of Assisi. For love of the suffering Lord, he was not ashamed to cry out and grieve loudly.55 This same reality must be in our hearts as we contemplate Christ Crucified, he who thirsts for love. Mother Teresa of Calcutta desired that in the chapel of every community of her sisters, the words “I thirst” would be written next to the crucifix. Her response was to quench Jesus’ thirst for love on the Cross through service to the poorest of the poor. The Lord’s thirst is indeed quenched by our compassionate love; he is consoled when, in his name, we bend down to another’s suffering. On the day of judgment, they will be called “blessed” who gave drink to those who were thirsty, who offered true gestures of love to those in need: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

Something to Ponder


Both Mother Teresa and St. Faustina acted upon the great invitation of Jesus to help save souls. Also, the shepherd children at Fatima responded to Our Lady’s requests to save souls with their prayers and sacrifices. Calling to mind Jesus’ invitation to Sr. Faustina to “join [her] suffering to [His] Passion and offer them to the heavenly Father for sinners,” can we strive to do the same? Jesus’ cry from the Cross expressing His thirst for the salvation of souls should echo deeply in our hearts. Take time today and this week to ponder these things. Make your life all about being lovingly attentive to the needs of those around you and to saving souls — “connecting the two,” as Mother Teresa suggested. Also, ponder Jesus’ great thirst for your love. Can you strive to satiate His thirst? Jesus has asked in a particular way two of His daughters (Sts. Faustina and Mother Teresa) to help Him to save souls. He beckons to us, as well.

A Merciful Action


Who near you is most in need of God’s love? Knowing that each human heart desires deeply to rest in God’s love, how can you satiate their thirst for God’s love? What work of mercy can you put into practice throughout this week? Pray about it. Here are a few suggestions:

• Go out of your way to help a stranger.
• Take time to truly listen to someone who needs to share (even if you’ve already heard it!).
• Strike up conversations with people around you, allowing them to vent.
• Always mention “prayer” and “God.” Get those powerful words in your conversations! It can help change someone’s life!

A PRAYER OF MERCY FOR THIS WEEK


(To be prayed each day this week.)
Dear Merciful Lord, my Crucified Jesus,
I love You.
I am Your unworthy servant.
Thank You for thirsting for my love.
I want to satiate Your thirst for love and I want to offer my life for the salvation of souls. Mother Mary, please help me.
Saint Faustina, please pray for me.
Jesus, I trust in You!

Sharing a Hopeful Miracle

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
7

I hope and pray that you are well and hanging in there as best as you can during this terrible deadly pandemic. Let us keep up our many prayers, stay safe in isolation, and trust God. I have a busy writing day today, but I feel a need to pause from it for a bit so that I can write this blog post. I want to share a good dose of HOPE with you.

Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s entrance into Eternal Life. I prayed for his intercession and went about my busy book writing day. My heart felt a bit heavy because with each passing hour, things got terribly worse in New York City where one of my children lives.

I am not an alarmist.

Trust me…

I don’t watch every single news report or get caught up in hysteria. I only get the news from what I hope to be credible sources. I consider myself a realist. On top of that, I believe that my Faith is strong and I do believe in miracles. As well, I know that we have to be smart. We can’t fool around and be stupid at a time like this. We have to stay safe and isolated and do the best that we can.

That said, the news reports were getting more and more grim as reporters told of the thousands of body bags bought and shipped to New York City for the Covid-19 deaths that were being predicted. And, it sure doesn’t make a mother’s heart feel very good hearing about the make-shift morgues consisting of the many tractor trailer trucks pulling up outside of the New York City hospitals. As you must well know, there’s so much more to this, and my point is not to dwell on the negative aspects of our current situation. We can’t live in crippling fear.

A tidbit more…

My husband’s friend showed him a video filmed by his friend who, supposedly (I take most everything with a grain of salt) filmed in the basement of a New York City hospital. The video showed many rooms overflowing with filled body bags. My husband told me about it and I questioned it. Was it “fake news”? Who knows? It could be true. So, all of the above was weighing on my mind as I went about my morning–working and praying.

A bright splash of color…

Though it was a rainy day, I decided to step outside for a moment to cut some daffodils since the vase in my foyer contained just a few lonely daffodils –waiting for some company. At that particular moment, I might not have bothered to go out in the rain to pick them. However, because I had accidentally broken a few daffodils when I raked out my flower gardens on the previous sunny day, I needed to fix that silly looking bouquet.

By the way, my arms are sore as I write this. 🙂 I haven’t raked since last year. And, I’m getting old!

Well, I’m glad that I took a moment to step outside. After picking a few more, I popped the bright yellow happy flowers into the vase and set it on my foyer table. I noticed quickly how the yellow paint on my foyer walls perfectly matched the flowers. I also recalled that I was not particularly fond of that paint color twenty years ago when I moved into this new home. I even declared at that time that I would paint it another color as soon as I had the chance. Funny thing, the yellow grew on me–I began to appreciate the bright splash of the color in the entryway and in the stairway.

The picture of the daffodils on the table of my foyer didn’t get posted on Instagram as I had planned. I had wanted to post a hopeful image at a time when the world is so worried. I never did get a chance, though. I was beckoned by my work and I got caught up in the busyness of the morning. The picture would need to wait for later…

Yellow has grown on me! If you look closely you will see something else that is special. I’ll remind you about it later…

Instead of posting the daffodils, I ended up posting this photo…

J.P. 2, we love you!

I’m holding up a special relic card of dear St. John Paul II.

So, on with the day I went, working and praying, asking God for protection and help for everyone and to please especially watch over my son in NYC. I had asked Joseph the other night if he could come home to Connecticut. I knew things would get worse and there would be a time when he couldn’t get out and would have to wait it out there–for better or worse.

But, Joseph felt he had to stay there. He didn’t want to chance infecting anyone by leaving. He wasn’t sick, but knew that there are carriers of the virus and that is one of the reasons we are all to stay home. He believed he would be okay. He said he would be careful and stay in and only go out once a week for groceries, but several times a day to take the dog out for a short walk.

Though he was staying there for now, I asked him to consider coming home and to bring his girlfriend (and her dog) and that he and his girlfriend could be quarantined for 2 weeks here before we get close to them. I’m sure you can imagine my concern that I can’t simply put him under my wing to protect him like a mother hen would. I knew that he didn’t have surgical face masks. They are impossible to buy at the moment.

So, I needed to continue to trust God and continue to pray.

A cry for help from the other side of the world…

Before everything got so bad here in the United States, a man in Hong Kong who had read one of my books and had gotten in touch with me a year or so ago, recently got back in touch again. The first time that he wrote to me was about his reading and enjoying my book, The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers, and Devotions. Another time to ask for blessed Miraculous Medals though he was not yet a Catholic (but hoping to be one day).

This time around he was in touch to ask me an unexpected question. Could I possibly find surgical masks and mail them to him? He said they couldn’t purchase any and people were panicking as the Covid-19 Virus aggressively attacked. Well, it’s kind of a long story and I told about it at length in my newsletters, but I’ll TRY to keep it short right now, and give you a nutshell version.

By the grace of God, it turned out that I was able to order a large quantity of the best masks available to protect from virus and flu. Still, I wasn’t sure if my order would actually make it to my house or if I would get a notice that they were out of stock. I had heard this was happening all over. Thankfully, the masks arrived!

I had not known…

I was surprised to find out that my new friend was a doctor of a small clinic and was rapidly running out of supplies as he was treating people and exposed to illness. That was the first I heard from him that he was a doctor. He told me that he was wearing the blessed Miraculous Medal that I sent to him and praying for protection as his wife and son stayed isolated at home

He also said the government was not helping them at all to get the necessary supplies. I was so happy to help. I shipped off the package to him after saying a prayer. My new friend was so very appreciative when I told him that it was on its way to him. Yet, we didn’t know if my package would get to him– would ever make it to Hong Kong. It seemed to take forever. As well, we felt that there was the chance that it could be stolen or confiscated. Our prayers were answered–it arrived safely. Praise God.

At the time I sent the masks to my new friend, I didn’t save any for ourselves. I didn’t think that shortly thereafter, it wouldn’t be possible to purchase masks. After my purchase, the mask prices immediately skyrocketed (companies were taking advantage of the pandemic) and then it soon became completely impossible to purchase the masks because factories could not keep up with the manufacturing. We are still in that situation.

Uncertainties loomed…

I asked Joseph about the possibility of making masks out of fabric as many people are doing now. Did he have any handkerchiefs or fabric? The fabric masks won’t fully protect from the Covid-19 virus, but at least it is somewhat of a barrier. Joseph assured me that he and his girlfriend (who also lives nearby in New York) would do so. They’ll probably do this sewing by hand. I planned to pull out my sewing machine very soon…but, I wanted Joseph to have something sooner than I could make and send them. It seemed that every hour counted…

Last night as my husband and I prayed a Rosary together, we prayed for all who needed help and I asked for special protection for Joseph and his dear girlfriend. Towards the end of our Rosary, I felt as if I was struck with a lightening bolt (not literally!). I suddenly remembered that once upon a time we had a few masks in the house. It was about 3 or 4 years ago when needed for a home construction project.

I was thinking that I might have thrown the package away at some point. Or, maybe there were some left and the package was someplace tucked away SOMEWHERE! Bringing my focus back, I kept my mind and heart on finishing up the Rosary.

Well, I knew exactly what I had to do as SOON as we finished!

I didn’t say anything to my husband because I wanted to surprise him. I got right up from the Rosary and as I quickly walked to our garage, I prayed.

“Please God, show me where they are…please lead me RIGHT to them!”

I opened the door from the house to the garage and walked straight over to a box, carried it to the kitchen and opened it up.

Imagine my surprise…

Guess what was right at the top, under the flaps of the box???

TWO (not one!), but two N-95 masks! They were in a protective plastic package. I praised God and thanked Him on my knees. Then, I brought the masks to show my husband and immediately texted my son. I told him that miraculously, I found 2 N-95 masks and would send them to him the following day!

Thank you, dear St. John Paul II!

I added some “survival” food items to the package, sealed it up promptly, and my husband took the package to the Post Office this morning. But, before that package left here, I blessed it with Holy Water so that it would arrive safely to my son. We had heard reports that some New Yorkers aren’t getting their mail deliveries.

The package is in God’s hands. Please Lord…get it there safely…

God is forever showing us that He loves us very much and that He is in the very details of our lives. As well, I thank dear St. John Paul II for his intercession.

Please be assured of my prayers for you and yours.

God bless you!

Donna-Marie

PS I almost forgot to tell you! Take a look again at the photo of the daffodils. Notice the Divine Mercy image reflected in the mirror of my foyer from my front door window? The Image of Divine Mercy has been added to our front door at the encouragements of Fr. Chris Alar, MIC. He said we should “seal our doorposts”! Exodus 12!

One more thing…I posted this on Instagram today. Remember, Our Lady of Fatima requested that we pray for souls in danger of dying. Please, let us remember them continuously in our prayers.

There’s more to share, but must go for now. I am going over to an empty church with my husband to meet up with two friends to pray the Stations of the Cross. We will be on opposite sides of the aisle, keeping a social distance. I haven’t been out of the house since last Sunday when I went to the same empty church to pray.

I will be praying for you tonight. Please pray for me too. Please check on your elderly neighbors and reach out by phone, text, or email to those you know who need encouragement. These simple acts of love indeed make a huge difference in someone’s life–especially if they are anxious.

We are in this together!

Pope Francis blessing the world

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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What a moment!

Yesterday was a very special day when Pope Francis and the faithful of the world came together spiritually and virtually to beg God’s mercy to stop the coronavirus that has been attacking the world. In a very empty St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis carried out a prayer service which included the reading of the Gospel, after which he gave a very moving homily, followed by a time of Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, as well as an Urbi et Orbi blessing to impart a plenary indulgence (if you are in the proper disposition–no attachment to venial sin). This blessing is usually reserved for Christmas and Easter time.

I knelt on my living room floor for most of that hour, participating in the deep spiritual moments. It was powerful and moving.

Here is a video of some of the scenes from yesterday.

Another video which is the entire prayer service.

Another video from Rome Reposts.

Here is an article from Vatican News with the text of the homily.

Keep praying everyone, and please stay home.

Have not had a minute…

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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I haven’t had a minute to write a blog post. I’m forcing myself to pause from my work to at least say, “hello!” I’ll send these two recent newsletters (here and here) to you in case you don’t receive them by email. And, I’ll try to write a proper blog post soon (complete with some photos!)

Meanwhile, the “MOM in me” asks that you please stay home during this precarious pandemic. Please. It’s so necessary to flatten the curve and help stop the spread of he coronavirus.

I hope that you enjoy the newsletters (in the links above)…

With warmest regards,

Donna-Marie

Let’s talk about authentic JOY

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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The following is an excerpt from the Marian Press book 52 Weeks with St. Faustina by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle:

“Sow happiness about you … They should take leave of you with their hearts filled with joy.” — Diary, 55

Our spiritual exercise this week is all about joy. We will delve into how our desires for happiness must correspond to God’s desires for us, and that we can be joyful as we endure trials at the same time. Many times, St. Faustina’s joy was intertwined with tortures she felt in the spiritual life. This week, we learn authentic joy from St. Faustina and the other saints. Let’s get right to it!

God wants us to be happy. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is possessed by angels and human beings. Joy grows in our souls out of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Saint Teresa of Calcutta used to say, “A joyful heart is a normal result of a heart burning with love.” She told her sisters that if they didn’t have joy in their hearts, they could pack up and go home. It might sound harsh, but she knew that the poor did not deserve to be served by grumpy nuns! She also often said, “Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls.” This is a bit similar to the phrase that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Speaking of which, no one wants to associate with a sour-faced person! Once when lacking the time to deal with pettiness, false piety, and grumpiness, St. Teresa of Avila said, “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us!” The authentic joy that radiates from our loving souls can deeply affect those in our midst. As Christians, we are to exude joy. It actually will help to transform lives (our own, too!).

My former spiritual director Servant of God Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, agreed with St. Teresa of Avila that our joy needs to be real. He also emphasized that our desires for happiness must correspond to God’s desires for us. In a lecture about joy, he said, “Who is the happiest being in existence? Who? God. And the most fundamental reason why God made us is that we might share in His happiness. Why go into the subject?” he asked. “Because Christianity is the religion of joy. There’s a sure way of turning people off or turning them away from the true faith if we who profess the faith are obviously unhappy. That is something, by the way, you can never mask. You can pretend to be happy. You can claim to be happy, but if you’re not happy, you’re going to reveal yourself. And finally, why go into the subject? Because even people who are more or less happy ought to be more happy.”

How do we become more happy and possess joy? Father Hardon explained, “Joy is satisfaction, or the satisfaction of having one’s desires fulfilled … But … only those desires satisfied which are truly good. What then is truly good which, once we get it and possess it, we are happy? [When] your desire corresponds with what God wants.”

One time when Sr. Faustina was given spiritual counsel by Fr. Andrasz, SJ, he told her:

Act in such a way that all those who come in contact with you will go away joyful. Sow happiness about you because you have received much from God; give, then, generously to others. They should take leave of you with their hearts filled with joy, even if they have no more than touched the hem of your garment. Keep well in mind the words I am telling you right now (Diary, 55).

She strove to do just that.

Torture and Joy Intertwined 

Earlier, we discussed the time at Plock when Jesus revealed the Divine Mercy Image, and Sr. Faustina felt much uncertainty because there was no one who could tell her that she was on the right road. Then one day, one of the sisters heaped her anger upon Sr. Faustina. “You queer, hysterical visionary, get out of this room; go on with you, Sister!” She continued to lash out at her. Sister Faustina held her upsetness inside and rushed to her cell, where she fell down on her face before the Crucifix. She looked at Jesus, but she was speechless. “I could no longer say a single word,” she recalled (Diary, 128). Suddenly, Satan took advantage of her pain and planted doubts and discouragement in her mind. Sister Faustina thought, “How can one be sincere when one is so misunderstood? Jesus, Jesus, I cannot go on any longer.” She again fell to the floor under the weight of her anguish. “I broke out in a sweat, and fear began to overcome me.” She felt so alone. “Suddenly, I heard a voice within my soul. ‘Do not fear; I am with you.’ And an unusual light illuminated my mind, and I understood that I should not give in to such sorrows. I was filled with a certain strength and left my cell with new courage to suffer” (Diary, 129).

Even though Sr. Faustina felt a renewed strength after that trying incident, for some reason, she grew a bit negligent. In part, she was afraid of being deceived. She wrote, “I did not pay attention to these interior inspirations and tried to distract myself. But despite the noise and distraction, I could see what was going on in my soul.” God doesn’t leave us alone. He seeks us out. Sister Faustina wrote, “The word of God is clear, and nothing can stifle it. I began to avoid encounters with the Lord in my soul because I did not want to fall prey to illusions.” She continued, “However, in a sense,” she said, “the Lord kept pursuing me with His gifts; and truly I experienced, alternately, torture and joy” (Diary, 130). Sufferings were mounting and would soon come to a peak. Sister Faustina would make up her mind what to do about the doubts she was experiencing.

Something to Ponder

We know God wants us to be happy — truly happy. Yet, in the spiritual life, we will endure many trials. As St. Faustina shared in her Diary, she humbled herself in prayer before God when she was at her wits’ end with sufferings. God gave her peace and an abiding joy in her heart. We can be joyful and endure trials at the same time. The deep and abiding joy in our hearts is in knowing that in the end it will all work out. We know that there is eternal life, where we will indeed be happy forever with God in Heaven. When our hearts are heavy in anguish and trial, let’s be sure to always look up to God and ask for His help. Let’s ask for the gift of joy in our hearts, especially so that we can share that joy with others who might be struggling. Saint Teresa of Calcutta told me often, “Keep the joy of loving Jesus ever burning in your heart and share this joy with others by your thoughtful love and humble service.” That particular quote was taken from a personal letter that Mother Teresa wrote to me on October 5, 1988 (the 50th anniversary of St. Faustina’s death and now her feast day)!

A Merciful Action

All those around you in your family and beyond deserve to see your joyful demeanor and actions, and to hear your joyful words. It can be difficult when we are tired or suffering in some way. We need to pray for the graces and put forth the efforts. Carry out beautiful deeds of mercy this week with a joyful, loving heart!

A PRAYER OF MERCY FOR THIS WEEK

(To be prayed each day this week.)

Dear Merciful Jesus, help me to radiate Your love and joy to all I meet. Mother Mary, show me how. Saint Faustina, please pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen.

See this excerpt at the Marian Press website.

Let’s talk about HUMILITY…

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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Here is an excerpt from my book 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina: A Year of Grace and Mercy.

Saint Faustina has much to teach us!

“Today, as God’s Majesty swept over me, my soul understood that the Lord, so very great though He is, delights in humble souls.” — Diary, 1092

Indeed, the Lord delights in humble souls. Saint Faustina wrote in her Diary: “The more a soul humbles itself, the greater the kindness with which the Lord approaches it. Uniting himself closely with it, He raises it to His very throne. Happy is the soul whom the Lord himself defends. I have come to know that only love is of any value; love is greatness; nothing, no works, can compare with a single act of pure love of God” (Diary, 1092). This week’s spiritual exercise is all about humility. Let’s take a look at this virtue, which is absolutely necessary for salvation, and let’s see how it grew in Sr. Faustina’s heart.

Jesus taught in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3). It was C.S. Lewis who said, “As long as you are proud you cannot know God.” We must strive to be humble souls. Even so, humility is said to be one of the most difficult virtues to acquire. Yet we must be humble in order to pray properly. For instance, contemplative prayer, which St. Teresa of Avila has said is simply a “close sharing between friends,” is a loving conversation between ourselves and God, a conversation that requires of us humble hearts (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2709). As the Catechism states, contemplative prayer is “the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty” (2713). The Catechism also teaches that contemplative prayer “is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus” (2715, emphasis in original). We must humble our hearts and seek God in all of our prayers. In humility, we must take time to adore God, praise Him, and love Him.

Saint James taught, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6). Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori reiterated that fact. He said, “Prayer must be humble: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble … The prayer of the man that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds … and he will not depart till the Most High behold. The prayer of a humble soul at once penetrates the heavens and presents itself before the throne of God, and will not depart thence till God regards it and listens to it. However sinful such a soul may be, God can never despise a heart that repents of its sins, and humbles itself: A contrite and humbled heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”

Humility is a precious virtue in the spiritual life. The devil absolutely hates humility. He flees from it. He can’t get his way with a humble soul. Saint Vincent de Paul said, “The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”

The Lord Delights in Humble Souls 

One time St. Faustina told her Lord Jesus that she wished to be hidden from everyone but Him: “I want to be a tiny violet, hidden in the grass, unknown in a magnificent enclosed garden in which beautiful lilies and roses grow.” She explained that the “beautiful rose and the lovely lily can be seen from afar, but in order to see the little violet, one has to bend low; only its scent gives it away” (Diary, 591). Saint Faustina wanted her soul to be firmly rooted in God.

Her confessor Fr. Sopoćko told her, “Without humility, we cannot be pleasing to God” (Diary, 270). Sister Faustina came to realize the secret in learning true humility. She wrote, “He who wants to learn true humility should reflect upon the Passion of Jesus. When I meditate upon the Passion of Jesus, I get a clear understanding of many things I could not comprehend before.” Sister Faustina understood that she should strive to imitate and even resemble Jesus. She continued in her Diary, “I want to resemble You, O Jesus, — You crucified, tortured and humiliated. Jesus, imprint upon my heart and soul Your own humility. I love You Jesus … “ (267).

At one point, Fr. Sopoćko told Sr. Faustina… [You can see the remainder of the excerpt here]

You can order 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina here at my website and here at the Marian’s.

Rebuild the domestic church!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

Here is PART of a chapter from my new book “Reclaiming Sundays.”

Reaching Out Sunday

“On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.”

—Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2185

 FAMILY MORNING PRAYER

Read the verse above and pray the Morning Offering together as a family.

Morning Offering: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of today—your day. Please guide our family as we strive to grow closer to you and to one another. Open our hearts and teach us to be more generous with our time. Open our eyes to opportunities today to love others. Amen.

Pray: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

 REFLECT

Every Sunday should be about offering mercy to others in one form or another. The problem is that we might pack so many things into our weekends, and most especially our Sundays, that they will prevent us from enjoying the experiences of family, rest, worship, and service. To actually reclaim our Sundays means we need to live countercultural lives, since the world outside our doors has a completely opposite idea. Let’s do our best to cut back on our outside activities, unless they include special time with our family, with worship, and service to the needy. As well, when we are home, let’s do our best to resist the temptations to pick up devices to check updates, or engage in senseless activities. Rather, we should enjoy our family time and have wholesome conversations. Let’s reclaim our Sundays!

CHOOSE AN ACTIVITY


Focus on the hungry: When planning your works of mercy, consider the hungry. Is there a local soup kitchen or food pantry where you can donate food or some time? Could your family choose a Sunday, perhaps today, to make an extra portion of your Sunday dinner to gift to a needy neighbor? Take time with your family to pray and discern where your works of mercy could be most helpful.

PONDER

Strive to find ways in which you can become more alive in your faith in doing your works of mercy. As you pray, allow God to transform your heart and soul so you will be an exemplary Christian example to your family and others.

FAMILY EVENING PRAYER

to be prayed each evening this week

Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings of this day—your day. If we have failed you in any way, please forgive us. If we have failed one another by not taking care of our responsibilities, please forgive us, Lord. Please help us to grow in holiness each day. We love you! Amen.

Pray: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Purchase an autographed copy here!

Today is THE official release day for “Reclaiming Sundays”!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
2
“Reclaiming Sundays” officially releases TODAY!

Pray, play, serve, rest, refresh, and CELEBRATE! Let’s RECLAIM our Sundays!

(Have a look at the video to the left!)


You can ORDER here at my website for a signed copy and also at the publisher Paraclete Press!

Very excited to tell you!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

I just got word from my publisher that my book Reclaiming Sundays has been printed and is all ready to ship next week! That means I might see copies by the end of next week and I’ll be able to ship out pre-orders, as well as any new orders that come in!

That said, if you’d like to purchase a copy or more for Christmas gift giving, now is the time. You can order here. As well, here is a blog post that gives many pertinent details about the book.

I’m excited! Can you tell? That’s because I believe that this book will immensely help Catholic and Christian families far and wide to RECLAIM their family Sundays!

You know what? I just decided–right now–to offer a special deal (for a limited time) when buying more than one copy! If you’d like to order in bulk (10 or more copies), just let me know. You can email me: DMCOBoyle@aol.com with “Bulk order inquiry” in the subject line. I’ll be happy to help if I can.

If you have already taken advantage of pre-ordering, you have received more than a dollar off per book. Your order will be shipped as soon as those books arrive to my home!

ORDER NOW!

Brief Description: Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle encourages Catholic families to reclaim a significant tradition: setting apart Sundays as a day of worship, true rest, teaching, and simply spending precious time together. In fifty-two creative chapters Donna-Marie presents fun and meaningful ideas inspired by the seasons (both natural and liturgical), holidays, saints days, and holy scripture, to help keep Sundays special, just as God said we should.

On another note, I hope that your Advent season is going well. This morning on the radio, I discussed the Advent season and my book Advent with Our Lady of Fatima (The Son Rise Morning Show).

Stay the course! Don’t let the advertising frenzy get to you! Carve out those times for very necessary prayer. Prepare your heart for the Christ Child!

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Priest Prisoner continues his discussion on “52 Weeks with Saint Faustina”

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

Father Gordon MacRae continues his discussion in a blog post at “These Stone Walls.” Among other things, he said:

“Donna-Marie writes of the “tremendous transforming power” of our works of mercy, but that transforming power is not only directed to the recipients of our mercy. It transforms us as well. I do not recommend picking up hitchhikers but the young man who stopped on my road to Jericho that night was also transformed by his own work of mercy. And I was transformed by the one that resulted in my being stranded on that road…”

Are you intrigued? Well, you can read his blog post here.

Evicted from his “home,” a tent in the bush

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
12

Recently, I gave a Saturday morning talk and did a book signing at a parish. Beforehand, I took a few moments alone with Jesus to prepare my heart and to ask HIM to work through me that morning and that day. As always, I wanted to be open to His amazing graces and prayed to be able to impart His love, mercy, and teachings to those who would be gathering soon.

I spoke about the Blessed Mother and the Rosary. I am thankful that it was received well. After my talk and book signing, as well as chatting with many who had attended, a woman (I’ll call her Ella) wanted to linger after the others had left so that she could talk with me privately about matters of the heart.

We prayed in the church for awhile before Jesus the Blessed Sacrament and then decided to go out for a bite to eat. I had only had a meager early breakfast and it was now many hours past. So, instead of heading for home as originally planned, I suggested that we go out and get a late lunch together.

We set out for the center of town, deciding upon a family diner where we could sit down and chat. Over salad and soup, we discussed a number of the issues that were pressing on Ella’s mind and heart. During sips of hot Earl Gray tea, I observed that she seemed to be feeling a healthy sense of relief in sharing it all with someone she could trust. She had to get it off her chest. I was more than happy to listen and offer words of encouragement.

Ella and I left the diner because it was about to close up, and we both thought that stretching our legs around the town green seemed to be in order. As we headed down the sidewalk and after about twenty steps, I asked Ella if she would mind if I went back to my car to get my Rosary. So, we turned back to retrieve my red wooden beads from Poland (complete with a St. Faustina relic). I don’t like to be without my Rosary.

The clock strikes three

Just then, I happened to look up at the church on the green. The hands displayed on the clock face let me know that the huge town clock was just about to strike three in the afternoon. A good reminder that the day was flying by.

But, not only that–more importantly, it was almost the Hour of Great Mercy! I asked Ella if she’d like to pray the Divine mercy Chaplet together as we walked. She and I pulled out our Rosary beads and began to pray. Thinking back now, I wish I had snapped a picture of that clock. It seemed absolutely perfectly stunning set against an Autumn sky. Despite that, how wonderful it was to have that opportunity to pray the Chaplet with Ella–right at three o’clock!

So, around the town green we went, praying the powerful prayer that Our Lord had asked of St. Faustina and all of the rest of us as well. We got to a certain area where we could cross the street. I asked Ella if she wanted to cross or continue straight. I could see that there was something going on straight ahead and down the sidewalk a ways. From where we were, it seemed like it was a couple of homeless men with some belongings. Ella was indecisive, so I suggested that we continue ahead. If it was indeed a couple of homeless men, I wanted to at least say, “hello” to them.

We continued our Chaplet, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world…”

As we got closer, I could see a police officer who seemed to be standing over a man who was kneeling on the ground. But before we reached them, the man suddenly exited left somehow and I could no longer see him. He disappeared!

I said “hello” to the officer and remarked about the old and abandoned house which had been overgrown with foliage for some years. I thought maybe they were cleaning it out since some things were there on the sidewalk and there was some activity. The policeman said that the new owner would be cleaning the house up in a week or so. He did not let on about what was transpiring.

What is going on?

I spotted an old collapsed pup tent on the sidewalk amid a few odds and ends. It only took about another thirty seconds for me to realize what was actually happening. A homeless man was being evicted from his hidden shelter on the other side of the bushes. Apparently, he had set down some “roots” out of sight and had been camping out on the abandoned property.

Ella and I continued on our way. I felt there was not much I could do since the situation was being handled by the policeman. We crossed the street and headed towards our cars. I was wondering if I could help in any way. Then, I noticed that the police man left the scene.

What we observed next was incredible! We watched from across the street as the man quickly disappeared behind the tall hedges. He actually–just–walked–right through them! Or, so it seemed. It was like he was going into a secret garden!

We stood there on the other side of the green watching for him to emerge again. I told Ella, “I wish I had something to give him.”

In a flash, I remembered something.

“Oh! The cake that you packaged up for me to give to my husband! I’ll get a piece of that and bring it to him.”

And, Ella retrieved a new bottle of water from her vehicle and we made our way back to the other side of the green.

“Jesus in the distressing disguise”

The newly “evicted” man suddenly emerged from the bushes. He had a beard and was wearing scruffy clothes and a knitted cap. Mother Teresa would call him, “Jesus, in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.” He seemed to be getting all of his belongings out and on to the sidewalk. While Ella looked on, I went over to him and said that I was sorry that he had been thrown out of his “home.” He nodded and quietly looked down. I asked him what he was going to do now.

“I don’t know.”

“Where will you go?” I ventured to ask the stranger.

“I don’t know.”

I felt at such a loss as to what I could do or even say that would help.

“I wish there was something I could do to help,” I told him. “But, here, would you like this piece of cake?”

“No,” he simply replied.

“How about a bottle of water?”

“No, thank you.”

I knew he must have been upset to be thrown out of the place he had called, “home.” Plus, he didn’t know us and why should he trust us? Still, I felt the need to stay with him and prayed silently. I wanted to help somehow. I asked him his name and he told us that it was, “Chris.” I eventually ventured to ask him another question.

“Do you ever pray, Chris?”

“Sometimes.”

“Do you want to pray now?”

He agreed, and stood up. Facing him, I just naturally placed my hands on his shoulders like a mother would hold her son and I began to pray.

“Our Father, who art in Heaven…”

He prayed along with me and Ella who was standing behind me. My heart was soaring hearing Chris pray the words of the “Our Father.” I moved into the “Hail Mary” next and he quietly prayed that with us as well.

“Amen! Things are going to turn around, Chris. They will. You have to have hope.”

“I hope so,” he told me.

“It will turn around. Keep praying. Things will get better. Ask God to help you–every day–ask God.”

My heart went out to him

I started praying aloud a prayer to God as if I were Chris, asking God to help. I wanted to give Chris an idea of a simple heartfelt prayer–something he can say anytime.

“Please help me, God. Show me the way…help me to get better…”

My heart went out to him and I asked Chris if I could give him a hug. He said I could. I hugged him tight, patting his back and praying for him. I even, afterwards, made a Sign of the Cross with my thumb on his forehead, blessing him.

Chris started eating little bits of the homemade pound cake that I had given to him (that Ella had baked!). It had been resting on a napkin on one of the two big black garbage bags that contained what would be all of his belongings.

Our new friend went back to stuffing a few belongings into one of his bags. But, he struggled. I asked if I could help.

“Do you want me to roll up your sleeping bag, Chris?”

“Okay, thanks.”

Still dressed in my good clothes that I wore for giving the presentation that morning, and my dress coat, I bent down and stretched the worn dirty sleeping bag out on the sidewalk, all the while reassuring him that I had done this countless times before for my 5 kids. Perhaps, I was making light of his terrible situation, but it was meant to be friendly reassuring chatter. After getting Chris’s “bed” into a tight roll I asked if I should put it into the garbage bag. He said I should.

As I stuffed it into the tattered bag, I could then see clearly that Chris was minus all of his fingers on one of his hands–well, except for one! No wonder he was struggling with the bag.

Chris let me roll up the second sleeping bag too. It sure had seen better days. I did the same with that one, placing it into the garbage bag near the other. Right around that time, some boys walked by. There were five of them. Within minutes, they did an “about face” and came straight towards us. Huge smiles seemed plastered across their faces.

Suddenly, I became concerned as they approached that they were coming back to make fun of the unfortunate man.

The Mama Bear in me stepped out a bit in front of Chris who was back kneeling on the ground rummaging around to put his things in the bags, as well as taking little bites of the pound cake.

I became a human shield.

“Hi boys! What’s up?” I asked them.

The Calvary!

“We are Boy Scouts from Troop XX and we want to offer a free meal ticket to our pasta dinner at the church tonight!” One of the boys exclaimed.

Wow! How Beautiful. These boys are great!

“That is so kind of you boys!”

I believe that they thought of this kind work of mercy all on their own. They beamed with pride–a special sort that sprang straight from the boys’ hearts. They chatted a moment with Christ to tell him where the dinner would be held. Chris acknowledged their instructions and thanked them. And off they went! But, before they did, I asked if I could snap a photo of them.

They were on their way again, but before long they were back to give a meal ticket to Chris. Chris held it in his good hand and stared down at it for a few long seconds. We all chatted for a few minutes and I thanked them so much for being kind to Chris. I also asked them if they pray and if they would for Chris to find a place to live. They agreed!

I have blacked out the information for privacy reasons.

Just then, a slip of paper fell to the ground. I picked it up. It was a hospital bracelet that had fallen out of Chris’s pocket. I asked him if it was his and what had happened. Chris told me that he had gone in to the ER the night before because his legs “weren’t working.” I noticed from the bracelet, (looking at his date of birth) that he was only 39 years old. He was around the same age as one of my own sons. No wonder I felt like a mother to him. I wasn’t sure of his age because he appeared somewhat older, most-likely due to street-living and a rough life. My heart went out to him.

Again, I asked him where he might go. He said for that night he would probably sleep on a park bench. I asked if he had a pillow and enough blankets and he said that he did. I told him that if it was at all possible that if I could, I’d come back to town that night and bring something to him.

That night

It rained that night and unfortunately I was unable to go out. I thought about Chris being out in the cold rain, as well as all unfortunate others. I was up half the night praying–and a lot of it was for him and all those in his situation.

I will go out again soon and look for Chris. I have a coat and an umbrella already in my car ready to give to him. As well, I’ll bring some hot food. I also have a blessed Miraculous Medal and chain that I will give to him.

I pray that a shelter and help can be found for Chris and others like him.

We must pray for and help the unfortunate. God asks us to do so. He gave us very clear instructions, when He said, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25: 31-46). As well, Jesus instructed St. Faustina that He demanded deeds of mercy from us. We should not only trust in God’s great Mercy, we need to impart that Mercy to others.

Special Endorsement!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

Here is a wonderful endorsement sent to me today by Ralph Martin:

“I’m not usually keen about reading one of the 30 days or 52 weeks kind of books as I don’t usually find them going into depth enough to decently treat the saint they are focusing on. But it was different with Donna-Marie’s book. As I began to skim through it in preparation for doing a Television interview with her I realized that this book was different and I wanted to read it from cover to cover. This is the best integration of the main events of St. Faustina’s life and the best presentation in a clear, orderly way, of her spiritual teaching that I know of. I am very grateful for this book and highly recommend it.”

Ralph Martin, S.T.D.

Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization

Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Archdiocese of Detroit

Click on the image to learn more and/or to purchase.

Saint Faustina and my trip to Renewal Ministries

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

I have been very busy of late and haven’t had the chance to blog much at all. However, I’ll pause from the deadlines to share a bit here today.

Not long ago, I was blessed to visit the Renewal Ministries television studio in Detroit, Michigan to film two television shows with Ralph Martin who had invited me to share with him on air about my new book 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina: A Year of Grace and Mercy.

It was a whirlwind trip, getting in one evening and up the next morning to be whisked to the studio to do the two shows before heading straightaway to the airport to fly back home. I think we got a lot accomplished that day of filming. All by God’s amazing grace.

I had posted this photo on instagram saying it was representing a special mission. It was really twofold. I was carrying a cassock to the studio for the priest who was also filming that day. He had forgotten it at the hotel. As well, my other important mission was for the reason that I was there in the first place–to film the shows! I had my carry-on suitcase with me because I would be leaving for the airport immediately after filming the shows.
Quick tweaking to make sure that I wouldn’t shine too much on camera. 🙂
A silly picture of me with my eyes closed, talking about something (God only knows what!) before the filming as I was getting miked-up.
Ralph and I had a lot to say about dear St. Faustina and Divine Mercy. In this first show though, we also talked about my life and spiritual journey.
One of the assistants snapped this photo out in the Green Room (where they could see us on this monitor). Again, I have no idea what we were talking about! 🙂 We were chatting while the tech guy re-adjusted Ralph’s microphone.
It was such a pleasure and a blessing to have that time with Ralph on his show to share about the wonderful Saint Faustina and her great mission from God to propagate Divine Mercy. The Rosary you can see on my book that is on the table contains a relic of Saint Faustina. I got that Rosary while I was in Poland two years ago when leading a pilgrimage. By the way, I kept a relic of Saint Faustina with me throughout the entire writing of the book.

The shows called “The Choices We Face” will air on EWTN television in the Spring of 2020. I will keep you posted. In my next blog post I will share something special that Ralph sent to me today…stay tuned!

My New Book: “Reclaiming Sundays”!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
10

I passionately desire to help families to reclaim their Sundays so I have written this book! In addition, I am very excited to offer to you a sneak peek at the cover of my upcoming book for families: Reclaiming Sundays: Play, Pray, Serve, Rest, Refresh, and Celebrate. It will be released late this year! Please take a few minutes to read the excerpts below as well as to read what some high-profile Catholics have said thus far. If desired, please leave a comment below in the comment box. Soon, I will have this book available for pre-sale.

Here is the Introduction of my book:

Introduction

Vivid memories of my Sundays growing up in a large family are etched upon my heart. My mother made sure that all her eight “ducklings” were home whenever possible. We went to Mass in the morning and came home to enjoy a pancake and egg breakfast. That was after one of us kids ran out to the chicken coop, dodging our protective rooster to collect the fresh eggs warm from the nests. Relatives stopped by later on and we often played board games together. Later in the afternoon, my mother made a nice family dinner and expected that we would all be at the table to enjoy it together. It was not an option. 

Those were the days! Times have changed. Sunday in many families has become just another day. It can be a significant challenge these days to honor and to live the Third Commandment to keep Sunday holy and as a day of rest. Years ago, in a simpler lifestyle, there weren’t as many distractions bombarding parents. Today’s families have a tendency to be stretched—constantly beckoned by technology—and are usually over-active. They might not give much thought to making Sunday the special day that it is meant to be. 

As we rush around, trying to accomplish so much, our busyness typically spills into our Sundays. That’s a problem because often it becomes impossible to carve out the necessary time to rest and re-charge our batteries. There’s no time left! But, let’s hang in here because God has given us a way to do so. This book will help you to happily reclaim your Sundays.

God has set aside a full day each week for us to worship, rest, be refreshed, to serve, and to grow in holiness. At times, we have totally missed God’s invitation because we either forgot, we weren’t listening, or we were just too busy. We also need the reminders to slow down since life is packed with events. 

The Third Commandment is the reminder, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Catholic Catechism tells us, “The institution of Sunday helps all ‘to be allowed sufficient rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives’” (CCC #2194). Clearly our Church wants us to slow down on Sundays. Most importantly, God wants us to. When families make the (sometimes heroic) effort to put on the brakes to experience the proper rest and refreshment they are meant to enjoy on Sundays, they will not only feel healthier and more balanced, they will be better equipped to fulfill their duties throughout the week. 

God knew what he was doing when he created Sundays! Scripture tells us, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it” (Exod. 20:11).

I’ll also let you in on the first endorsements:

This may be the most important book you read this year. God gave us very few commandments, and one of them is to keep one day holy for worship and leisure in His presence. He did this not for His good, but for ours. The recovery of Sunday is key to our renewal of our families, parishes, society, and the environment. Please read this book.

Mike Aquilina
EWTN Host and Author of The Fathers of the Church

What a delightful book! Filled with great ideas of how to make Sundays special, Reclaiming Sundays is a treasure trove of prayers, reflections, and family activities to help every family delight in the Day of the Lord. As a priest, I will be recommending this book to families and newly married couples. I am certain this book will be a blessing for families and society in general. 

Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC
Author, 10 Wonders of the Rosary

Wow! Just, wow! Reclaiming Sundays is a must-have for any family that wants to take what they receive in word and sacrament at Mass on Sunday, and integrate a Eucharistic faith into their homes every day. Through the use of simple, practical yet powerful signs of faith and culture, Donna-Marie reminds us that God designed Sundays as sacred family time. She shows how works of mercy, arts and crafts, recipes, and celebrations can be catalysts for developing strong families that form the domestic church. This book will help parents build lasting memories in their children’s hearts, memories that they will bring into their own families one day. 

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Author, Father Augustus Tolton: The Slave Who Became the First African-American Priest  

If there were an antidote to reclaiming peace in our families and the world, Donna-Marie just wrote the book on it. Reclaiming Sundays is truly the answer to build and rebuild the domestic church.

Leah Darrow, author of The Other Side of Beauty and founder of Lux University

Finally, there’s a helpmate for making Sundays holy again! Donna-Marie has done a spectacular job of bringing to light the vital importance of the Lord’s Day to our spiritual, mental, and physical health and offering a practical, useful, and fun resource for reclaiming Sundays for ourselves and those we love. Keep Reclaiming Sundays handy – you’ll be referring back to it often!

Marge Steinhage Fenelon, speaker and best-selling author of Forgiving Mother, My Queen, My Mother: A Living Novena, and Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: A Living Novena. 

Okay! Here is some additional information excerpted from the book…

Family togetherness through meaningful activities…to help you to reclaim your Sundays.

What to expect from this book

Family togetherness through meaningful activities will be emphasized throughout this Catholic family guide to help you to reclaim your Sundays. By committing to reclaiming your family Sundays, you will be guided to fight the scores of temptations from the secular culture, which urges everyone to become preoccupied with unending busyness and things that take us away from God and immerse us into a darkened culture. At the same time, through using this book, families will be helped in a great way to recognize the importance of growing together spiritually, physically, and emotionally on the Lord’s Day within the blessedness of their family. 

You’ll be guided to words of wisdom from the Catechism and Church teachings, which tell us how to slow down and rest on Sunday. For example: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body” (CCC #2185). 

How to use this book

Each Sunday’s compilation will include an inspirational verse to set the tone for the day, original or traditional family prayers to be said together, and suggested meaningful and fun activities; these could be a work of mercy, a simple craft or project, or a story idea. There are mini teachings about the family and the domestic church woven throughout, and, occasionally, a suggested simple recipe to make together.

Have fun!

There are absolutely no rules in following this book. Keep Reclaiming Sundays nearby and handy to be reminded to slow down on Sundays and to reclaim them as the holy and restful days they are meant to be. Perhaps you will keep it in your kitchen or dining room to pick up and discuss at the table.

I invite you to turn to this book as often as needed for ideas for family togetherness, ministry, and fun while observing the holiness of Sunday. Skip around in the book to find whatever suits your family the particular Sunday that you wish to observe. For instance, you might be in the mood to celebrate a Sunday in a “Marian” sort of way. Simply skip to that section of the book and choose a Marian Sunday. You will discover many categories that are divided into seasons, ideas, and situations from which to choose. 

You certainly don’t have to do every single suggestion listed for each Sunday reflection. However, I encourage you to read the entire chapter each week so that you won’t miss the “mini teaching” and other tips and encouragement for your domestic church. I recommend that you take a look at the book throughout the week and pick out a Sunday theme that you’d like to put into practice the following Sunday. You’ll be prepared in every way and hopefully enjoy a stress-free week while you look forward to your family Sunday! For fun, and perhaps for a challenge, pick a chapter at random and strive to carry it out with your family; this might mean pushing a bit beyond your comfort zone.

I pray that you’ll find this book flexible, practical, and most of all, a welcoming tool to inspire your family to observe Sundays in a manner that is pleasing to God and nurturing for your family as well. All the while, you are sure to carry down family traditions from the past and possibly create new ones together. Enjoy every bit of it!

My heart holds fond memories of my family Sundays when I was a child. In addition to the traditions we kept each Sunday that I mentioned earlier, we never failed to have our treat of a dish of ice cream every Sunday evening! Let us together RECLAIM our Sundays! May God bless your journey.

So, what do you think? Please leave a comment below.

Talking about Divine Mercy: Part One

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Reply

EWTN television recently aired my visit with Johnnette Benkovic Williams on her Women of Grace show. We discussed my book 52 Week with Saint Faustina: A Year of Grace and Mercy as well as St. Faustina and God’s unfathomable Divine Mercy. You can see Part One here. Part Two is also in this link but you need to be a member of the Women of Grace website to view that one.

Unfortunately, the Part Two was pre-empted on the day it was to air. I don’t know when it might air. However, if you are a member of the WOG website, you can see it anytime. I still have not seen it myself! 🙂 I will keep you posted when I hear when Part Two will air on EWTN television.

Here is my book which can be read at any time of the year. It does not follow the Liturgical seasons. I hope that you get a chance to read it. Saint Faustina has a way of stirring hearts. You can purchase an autographed copy on my website.