Tag Archives: Jesus

“Family Consecration to Jesus Through Mary: 33 Days of Preparation with Saint Louis Marie de Montfort”

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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Have you seen my Family Consecration book? I’ll post a few of the Amazon comments below from families who are using my book.

I gave a bit of background:

First, here’s a description:

“Saint Faustina warned parents that praying for their children is not enough. That’s why so many conscientious parents take the further step of consecrating their children to Jesus through Mary, thereby defending them from evil and paving their way to Heaven.

This book walks you through the simple process of doing just that. Its informed pages give you detailed instructions to help you lead your family (ages seven and up) through each of the 33 mini-retreat days recommended by Saint Louis de Montfort, the beloved eighteenth-century priest and confessor who tirelessly preached that Jesus is not known well enough because Mary is not known well enough. 

Adapted for the often less-than-ideal prayer circumstances of families — particularly those with young children — these 33 brief, stress-free daily spiritual exercises and family activities bring adults and children greater knowledge of Jesus through Mary, and a more fervent love of both. 

Don’t delay. There’s no book more immediately beneficial than this and no time better than now to seize the day and help all the members of your family — young and old — to consecrate their lives to Jesus through Mary.”

And a note from yours truly:

“Now, more than ever it is important to Consecrate our lives to Jesus through Mary and to help our children and grandchildren to Consecrate their lives too. That’s precisely why I wrote this book! I kept it totally true to Saint Louis de Montfort’s teachings. I’d also like to share that I am deeply touched by Saint Faustina’s words in her Diary (765) when she explained one of her visions in which she encountered a crowd of children about five to eleven years of age. They cried out to her, “Defend us from evil.” Saint Faustina then saw the Lord Jesus Who was distressed and told her, “You are to defend them from evil.” Saint Faustina said that from that moment she prayed for the children. She added, “But I feel that prayer alone is not enough.” Helping children to be Consecrated to Jesus through Mary will surely help to “defend them from evil” by greatly aiding their souls. It will be more than simply praying for them. Remember, St. Faustina expressed that she believed that, “Prayer alone is not enough.” I believe that the children’s Consecrations will surely please Jesus and Mary too. Their Consecrations will certainly help to pave the way to Heaven. May God bless you and your family, now and forever!”

A few Amazon reviews:

“I had previously completed the Morning Glory Consecration personal retreat which I loved, but we were looking for a guide with reflections for our family to complete together to prepare for our family Consecration to the heart of Jesus through Mary. The daily readings and prompts were great to lead us deeper in our faith and helped grow our relationship with Mary. The prayers were beautiful–we split half to pray at breakfast and half before bed. For context, we completed this book with our 2 sons ages 12y and 8y. They were so excited for our consecration day and I am grateful for this book to help teach us why mother Mary will help lead us to a faith filled life.”

***

If you are like me, and often feel concerned about whether or not you and your family will receive the grace of final perseverance and be united together with Christ in heaven at the end of your lives, reading this book with your family is like a breath of grace to carry you closer to Christ every day.
Christ says in Matthew 11:30 …”my yoke is sweet and my burden light.” (Douay-Rheims Bible) If you are feeling overwhelmed with everyday life and are looking for one of the best, easiest way to increase in holiness, “Family Consecration to Jesus Through Mary” will be such a blessing in your life as it takes just a few minutes each day to prepare for and make your consecration, although there will be deep spiritual work to be done if we are sincere in our consecration. I really enjoyed the user-friendly organization of having the traditional prayers recommended by St Louis de Montfort for each section compiled together in the back of the book along with the short family Scripture readings and prayers included in each chapter. I also love the familiarity of the book as it follows the
same template of the classic Marian consecration book “True Devotion to Mary” by St. Louis de Montfort.
I can already see my relationship with my child growing as we discuss important spiritual truths together through the child-friendly discussion questions in each chapter and pray together in our quest for holiness. She is visibly calmed in both body and spirit after each chapter and so am I. It has been such a sweet thing to have special time together in our family consecration readings and I am delighted to be able to finally share the experience of consecration to Jesus through Mary with my family as I longed to do during my first Marian consecration. Being a new Catholic, I also love the simple yet detailed explanations of how to physically carry out the act of consecration, family crowning of Mary, and many other Catholic devotional practices that have never done or observed before. Glory be to God for this timely aid in stepping heavenward. JMJ

***

“Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s new book, “Family Consecration to Jesus through Mary” is excellent. She has thought of all the tools that families need in order to prepare for and consecrate their family unit to Mary. The book is well planned out with daily prayers and exercises for family members age 7 and up. Donna-Marie has based the 33 days of preparation on the well-founded spiritual exercises and writings of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. The “How to Use This Book” section is brief and clear for the step-by-step preparation. The Appendices contain many additional prayers and practices that can be used during the preparation as well as all year long. One question that I thought about was when to start the preparation – how to choose an appropriate date. Donna-Marie suggests choosing a special Marian Feast for the Consecration and she helps by providing a chart of monthly feasts (one or more just about every month) to choose from. Then, she backs up the calendar by 33 days to provide the start date for the family preparation. As an example, the Marian Feast of the Assumption is on August 15th, so Donna-Marie tells us that we should start our preparation with Day 1 on July 13th. That suggested to me a great way to start, by having family members decide together their favorite Marian feast day, then working together to prepare for that family Consecration date by following the daily prayers and exercises together during the 33 days of preparation. I found, above all, that this is not meant to be a one time preparation and consecration. Donna-Marie’s daily preparation and consecration can be used at least annually to strengthen our family in the faith as an entire unit. Donna-Marie definitely put together an excellent, well designed book to easily help us consecrate our family unit to Mary!”

Editorial Reviews:

“Mary loves families.This book is a wonderful way for families to open themselves to Mary s love for them, and her deepest desire that they join her in wholeheartedly surrendering to God and doing what Jesus tells them.”
Ralph Martin, S.T.D.
Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Archdiocese of Detroit 

“Abandoning ourselves to God is the certain way to salvation; St Louis Marie de Montfort teaches us that Mary is the surest, shortest, and most perfect way to approach Jesus and make this act of abandonment. It is a journey we do not take alone, it is one we make in communion with others, most appropriately with members of our family, the domestic church. In this book, Donna-Marie Cooper O Boyle deftly guides families through St Louis Marie s plan of preparing to make the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, providing a catechism of Catholic faith and spirituality while helping parents in their role of forming their children as disciples of Christ. This is a beautiful book which, I hope, will enhance the spiritual lives of many Christian families.” 
Fr John S. Hogan, OCDS
Co-host of EWTN’s Forgotten Heritage, Author of “Thomas Becket: Defender of the Church” 

“Jesus says the greatest commandment is to Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28-31). “Family Consecration to Jesus Through Mary” is a beautiful, clear, practical guide to understanding these commandments and most importantly living them out in your daily life.” 
Patrick Madrid
Host of the Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio 

“In an era when family prayer consists of praying around the dinner table and before bed, and a time when more catechesis takes place at the parish church than in the home, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s Family Consecration to Jesus Through Mary will introduce families to prayer and assist them in handing on the faith to their children. Families together will consecrate themselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who will surely obtain many graces from her Son, as husbands, wives, and children, live out their Consecration and baptismal promises.” 
Fr. Edward Looney
Author of A Lenten Journey with Mother Mary

According to the experts:

“Don’t delay. There’s no book more immediately beneficial than this and no time better than now to seize the day and help all the members of your family — young and old — to consecrate their lives to Jesus through Mary.”

Order your autographed copy:

$18.95 plus shipping for inside the United States:


For ordering outside of the United States:
$18.95 plus shipping


Chatting with Teresa Tomeo on Catholic Connection

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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I recently had the pleasure and blessing of chatting with Teresa Tomeo on the airwaves on her show “Catholic Connection” on EWTN Radio. We chatted about my new book with EWTN Publishing: “30 Marian Eucharistic Visits: Adoring Jesus with His Mother.”

You can listen to our conversation here.

Order your autographed copy here

Click on book cover image to learn more.

Part One: “Mary & The Eucharist: A Path to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament”

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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I was Johnnette William’s guest on EWTN’s “Women of Grace” show, discussing my new book “30 Marian Eucharistic Visits: Adoring Jesus with His Mother.” Here is Part One of our two episodes. You can check it out right here.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Catechism teaches, “Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony, and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us: ‘The Son of God … loved me and gave himself for me’ [Gal 2:20]. He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, ‘is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that … love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings’ without exception” (CCC, 478).

Have a look at an excerpt of my book “52 Weeks with Saint Faust in a: A Year of Grace and Mercy.” You can read it here.

You can purchase an autographed copy of my book here.

Photo from an interview with Ralph Martin on his show, “The Choices We Face.”

“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!

Judas or St. Peter?

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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Kindly allow me to ask a question. Have you given much thought to the virtue of patience? It’s a virtue that comes into play each and every day–perhaps more so in Lent when we might experience trials and tribulations to a greater degree. Our Lord tells us, “By your patience, you will save your souls” (Luke 21:19 ). Wow. Let’s unpack that a little further…

In case you don’t know already, I happen to love Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I quote him often (you might have noticed!). You will see him throughout my newest book By Dawn’s Early Light. Well, he wrote, “A person who believes in nothing beyond this world is very impatient because he has only a limited time in which to satisfy his many wants.” Sheen goes on to say that we are not born with patience–that it is something that is achieved. We develop patience over time–some better than others, I might add.

Sheen said, “There are many who excuse themselves, saying that if they were in other circumstances they would be much more patient. This is a grave mistake,” he says, “for it assumes that virtue is a matter of geography, and not of moral effort. It makes little difference where we are,” he points out. Rather, he says,”It all depends on what we are thinking about. What happens to us is not so important, but rather how we react to what happens.”

Certainly, our responses to the person or situation trying our patience are what is important to God. As well, of course, it is critical to our own souls and to anyone who might be observing. It is in those crucial moments of trial, when our patience is tested that we can develop that wonderful virtue of patience. Sheen reminds us, “Judas and Peter both sinned against the Lord, and He called them both devils. But one became a Saint, because he overcame his weakness with the help of God’s grace.”

Sheen pointed out that the winds and cold of winter pounce on the flowers and shrubs and that only the strongest survive. It is the same with us. Sheen explained, “Tribulation tries the soul, and in the strong it develops patience, and patience, in its turn, hope, and hope finally begets love.”

Further, he said, “Patience is a great remedy against becoming panicky. To be able to use reason and good judgement when everyone else goes to pieces, not only saves self but also neighbor…the patient soul can use judgement and counsel when all others are agitated and disturbed. Patience is power…the yoke sits easiest on the neck of the patient ox, and he feels his chain the lightest, who does not drag, but carries it.”

We might ask ourselves a few honest questions. Do we make excuses for our impatience? Do we say it is the other’s fault and not ours? Do we strive for the virtue of patience? We can ask God to grant us the graces we need to be more patient and to save our souls (Luke 21:19)! As well, can we strive to go over and above this Lenten season to grow in the virtues? Virtues are like muscles that must be flexed and used. We pray that our virtues will grow and that we can be a shining light to others along the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven. So many have lost their way and Our Lord is counting on us to be patient and attentive!

Do we want to be a Judas or a St. Peter?

Discovering the Cross and God’s grace in our lives

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
2

Years ago when I found out that I had osteoporosis I committed to get out there every day and get some walking in. Walking is supposed to help create bone mass. I think the walking has helped me.

More recently, I have gotten my husband involved in exercise. I have long known that it would be good for him, but he has resisted the idea for some time now. But over the last few weeks I have enjoyed having a hiking buddy. Yes, I talked him into it! So, every morning, we take a hike. I say it’s a hike and not a walk, because it isn’t just a casual stroll on a level track or sidewalk. We live in the woods of rural Connecticut and there are a couple of dirt roads near our home. There are some decent hills along our route, so, whether we just hike a mile or have time to do our two mile hike to the farm and back, we get a pretty good work out (for old people!).

It has been hot an humid lately and in order to get that hike into our day, we have to do it first thing in the morning before it gets worse as the day unfolds, weather permitting, of course. When I say “weather permitting,” I don’t mean that we don’t go if it’s hot and sticky (and who in their right mind would want to go out and hike in those conditions?). We push ourselves and go out. But, if it’s pouring rain or thunder-storming, we skip it that morning. Thankfully, we very rarely need to worry about tornadoes in these parts.

I use an herbal bug repellant since I am still dealing with tick borne diseases and don’t want to get any more. I had four active ones (Lyme, Q Rosary_HikeFever, Anaplasma, and Babisia) for quite some time. The doctor and I are hoping that I might have just very recently defeated two of them–finally. We are not totally sure until we get results from another round of blood work. But we are hoping. I have been dealing with Lyme disease for over twenty five years now, with five different documented new cases of Lyme. I guess you can say that I have been a “Tick magnet.” I wish that weren’t so, but alas, it is. So, I deal with it, fight it, and have pretty good stuff to offer up to God.

Adding a Rosary to the mix

So, each morning my husband and I get up and get dressed quickly. After putting organic tick spray on ourselves, we head out the door–me with rosary in hand (my husband follows along with or without his beads). I love to pray the rosary first thing in the morning. Well, my Morning Offering comes first before I leave the house. But, if I don’t get my rosary prayed first thing, I might not get to it. It might be said in bits and pieces–a decade at a time. And, I don’t think that is so bad. Our dear Mother Mary knows that we are busy at the service of others. I often preach to others that even a decade at a time is okay. Many times those kinds of rosaries are prayed on my finger tips as I trudge (or run!) through my day. But, there is nothing worse for me than getting to the end of the day and lamenting that my rosary was not said and I am so exhausted by then to complete the whole rosary. Oy vey!

If I can pray my rosary in the morning before getting into all of the hustle and bustle of the day, I feel much better, knowing thatI have answered the Blessed Mother’s call to us through her messages at Fatima. She called for the rosary to be prayed daily for peace in the world and the conversion of sinners. Every rosary gives us the opportunity to offer all of our family and loved ones to God through those simple yet powerful beads. Mary takes our prayer offerings into her loving Immaculate Heart where they become extraordinarily beautiful, and she then delivers the prayers to heaven–truly amazing!

So, I am delighted that I have gotten my husband out the door and exercising with me every morning, as well as getting a whole rosary in before he leaves for work and before I settle down at my computer to get going on mine. Then, as the day unfolds, I can add to that rosary and pray additional decades.

Crosses in our lives

This morning when out on our rosary hike, I discovered this beautiful cross on the side of the dirt road. It is a perfect cross made out of God’s creation. It was yet another reminder to me about Our Lord’s holy Cross and great love for us.

Cross_Hiking_DiscoveryCross_Weeding

 

Earlier this month when I was weeding a little garden out back, I tossed some weeds and old stalks of plants on to the ground nearby. Afterwards when I was cleaning that up, I discovered that two of the pieces of stalks had landed to form a perfect cross. Pretty amazing, I thought. I believe that God is forever speaking to us through His creation. We need to have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Not too long ago, I felt inspired one morning to put the message out there to the world about forgiveness, love, and mercy, and the Cross of Jesus. I wrote a short blog post titled “Was it something he said?” In it I asked:

How often do we hold a grudge without even realizing it? A co-worker is in a bad mood and takes something out on you. It seems crazy and totally out of the blue–you were simply an innocent bystander. Someone makes a snide remark in a passive aggressive kind of way. Your husband is short with you. Or, he seems ungrateful for the countless things you do for him. Your mother-in-law just does not understand your mothering style–and she has voiced her opinion about that—on more than one occasion. Sound familiar? And the list goes on and on–little pin pricks actually hurt a lot. Little splinters from the Cross?

Love hurts too. Mother Teresa often said that to love authentically should cost us. Real love hurts, she explained. Is it possible to take the high road when attacked? Let love and prayer deflect that arrow to the heart? Jesus said, “Love your enemies. And pray for those who persecute” (Matthew 5:44)….

You can read the whole thing here. It was the kind of post in which readers did not leave comments because of the nature of the message. But instead, they contacted me privately to tell me how much it touched their heart and that they really needed to see it because they had issues brewing and wanted to be able to forgive.

With her permission I will share one woman’s reaction to the post:

My week got a bit sour on Tuesday when I returned to work! I was feeling down and I just read your blog post ‘Is it something he said?’ It just nailed it and gave me a lot of peace and solace…. I knew I was harboring un-forgiveness and that was the main reason for the dark spot in my heart….. last evening the Holy Spirit really convicted me and I asked God to forgive me and I felt better. Your blog article was like an extra aide to my heart which God has already started mending….After reading it, I went for walk (its lunch time down under!) went to the nearby park….. prayed the Rosary while walking and came back and spoke to the person who hurt me and made me feel small.. Now, my heart is so much lighter. Praise God.

Yes, praise God!

In my memoir The Kiss of Jesus: How Mother Teresa and The Saints Helped Me To Discover The Beauty of The Cross when talking about opportunities for grace that might be a bit difficult, I said:

The irritable, the angst-ridden, and the contradictory–those family members and neighbors who challenge us in some way–actually help us on our way to heaven. We need to ask God for grace and an extra dose of faith, hope, and charity to be able to love the very people God wants us to serve. We are actually called to love them to heaven! In the course of even just one day, God gives many opportunities to act on grace, to love our family members and others near us, to set an example by our selfless service to them. It’s not always easy; in fact, most times it is very difficult.

Dear Lord, please open our eyes and our hearts to see you in our family member, our neighbor, co-worker, and everyone you have put in our midst. Please grant us the graces to always act in love to serve them and bring them closer to You. Blessed Mother Mary, please guide and protect us, and help us to be attentive to your graces in our lives. All of the Angels and Saints, please pray for us. Amen.

There’s a NEW dust jacket!

- Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
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There’s a brand new dust jacket for my upcoming memoir: THE KISS OF JESUS! Click on the image below to enlarge it for easier viewing.

New description of the book on the dust jacket:

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is a Catholic author, a radio and television host, and an inspirational speaker known and admired from coast to coast. Yet with all of her public exposure, she has revealed very little about her personal history, that is, until now. When she discovered that sharing her struggles gives encouragement to others, she was persuaded to write this story of her life.

Growing up in a Polish-American Catholic family, Donna-Marie was blessed with hard-working parents who provided a stable home for their eight children. At times her childhood was golden and carefree, but other times it was tarnished by pain that she felt was best left unspoken as she sought God for help and strength.

After she left home after high school, her path took some harrowing turns. A Vietnam veteran fiancé snapped and held her against her will. She suffered pregnancy loss, serious illness, divorce, and single motherhood. Perhaps her greatest trial was an epic custody battle in which she needed to defend both her reputation as a mother and the safety of her five children.

Yet through all the dark valleys, Donna-Marie kept the fire of her faith burning. Helping her to see the beauty of the crosses in her life, and to rely on the presence and the providence of God, were saintly souls who became her friends and mentors. One of these was Blessed Mother Teresa, who was her confidant and spiritual mother for ten years.

 

Pre-order your autographed copy (on sale!) here.

Kiss_of_Jesus_DJ_Full_FINAL

What do you think?