New tea cups in the shop!

Makes a nice Christmas gift or any gift — even a gift for yourself!

By the way, I have some new pretty tea cups in the shop. I pair them with my book: A Catholic Woman’s Book of Prayers. A little card goes with the set (the autographed book and one tea cup and saucer) to encourage folks to strive to make every day a celebration.

I drew from my mother’s wisdom of when she was ill with cancer in the hospital bed and decided that life was much too short to save the good china for special occasions. She vowed that when she got home she would start using her fancy dishes stored away in her china cabinet.

I say, “Let’s use our good china with joy.“ ❤️❤️❤️ 

 

 

 

I am super excited to pair beautiful tea cups and saucers with my book for Catholic women of every state of life. One of the tea cup designs is shown on the left. A little card (which can be used as a bookmark in the book) accompanies the tea cup and saucer and has a story from the book (but a bit paraphrased to fit on the back of the card).

This pairing of tea cup with saucer and book will make a lovely gift for any woman–tea drinker or not! Though I am not a coffee drinker, I am sure that coffee or any other beverage, for that matter will taste just as elegant as a spot of tea in the lovely tea cups.

[Showing some of the designs here:]

All kinds of pretty designs!

 

Allow me, please to surprise you with the lovely tea cup and saucer to accompany your autographed book!

Tea cup and saucer (random lovely design) along with a copy of A Catholic Woman’s Book of Prayers for only $22.99 plus shipping and handling. Order here:

 

 

My Advent cookies!

Do you enjoy baking Christmas cookies with the little ones? Or with the “big” ones?! I recently wrote a book: Christmas Joy with Grandma! (published by Marian Press) and decided to conclude it with one of my own recipes for healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Because my story’s Grandma bakes cookies with her grandchildren Anne-Marie and Joseph, I decided to call my cookies, “Advent cookies”!

I hope to start a new trend in Catholic and Christian families — baking Advent cookies when getting together during the Advent season to light the Advent candle or just while enjoying one another’s company in the home — the domestic church during the Advent season. Baking these cookies can help to highlight the important season of Advent when we are to prepare our hearts for the Christ Child at Christmas!

I’m delighted to know that a family whom has read my book decided to use my recipe in my Christmas Joy with Grandma! book to make a batch of Advent cookies (which, by the way, are suitable for any time of the year).

Have a look at their fun in the photos below and see Sophia Monica and Olivia making the cookies. Receiving these photos brought a big smile to my face! I’m glad they had so much fun and enjoyed the end results! They are creating warm memories in their family while also relishing in their precious present moments together. This beautiful family also seized the opportunity to capture a few photos for their Christmas card!

Incidentally, I asked if they enjoyed the cookies, and Mom Allison said,

“Yes! We did enjoy the cookies! They were nice and flaky hot out of the oven, and became more like a light traditional cookie once cooled. The house smelled great!”

Allison Hsu

I hope more families will make and enjoy my “famous” Advent cookies. I think I’ll start a contest soon. Families who send to me their photos of the cookies and of making them will be put into a drawing to win something special! Stay tuned for more information on the contest!

To order a signed copy of this book

Available now!

Click here to learn more and to order an autographed copy of Christmas Joy with Grandma!

To learn a bit more about this book, click here. I think you’ll also love the lush watercolor illustrations by noted watercolor artist Ann Engelhart.

Kids love this book!

A new review just came in for “Christmas Joy with Grandma!”

Click here to learn more and to order an autographed copy.

I began reading Christmas Joy with Grandma aloud to my three children and after Chapter 1, they grabbed the book to read for themselves!  The illustrations are engaging and evoke a sense of nostalgia for this mom.   The story is great at introducing not only the Christmas story through scripture but the rich Advent traditions of the Advent wreath and creche.  I do think this book would be a great gift from grandparents to read aloud to their grandchildren to make special Christmas traditions of their own.  

Allison Hsu
Donna-Marie's brand new Advent and Christmas book for kids!
The Reviewer’s daughters, left to right: Sophia (face not pictured), Olivia and Monica

Divine Mercy on Women of Grace this Week!

EWTN television is airing my visits with Johnnette Benkovic Williams this week. In case you will miss them, you can also see them in these links:

Show # 1 right here

Show # 2 right here

So, you can watch anytime you’d like! 🙂 Please feel free to share this blog post with others. 🙂

By the way, Ralph Martin read my book 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina and offered his opinion. He said: “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.”

And he continued, “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 book to learn more

Pray for Ukraine Novena Prayer Cord

New color! Lighter blue.

NEW COLOR! As I mentioned the other day, I have designed a “Pray for Ukraine Novena Prayer Cord.” I have used beads in the colors of the Ukraine flag, a St. Benedict Crucifix, a St. Michael medal, and pretty silver plated components to be used to pray a novena of prayer for Ukriane. The nine beads represent a Novena of prayer. The novena can be continual. You can use whatever prayer you would like to pray on the 9 beads. I recommend praying the St. Michael prayer.

This Novena Prayer Cord will come to you with a St. Michael prayer card and a velvet gift bag. Saint Michael is the Patron Saint for Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine. Get the Novena Prayer Cord blessed by a priest or deacon and it will become a powerful sacramental.

The Novena Prayer Cord will also be a prayerful reminder to pray for those in need. Five dollars from every Ukraine Novena Prayer Cord sold will be donated directly to efforts to help those most in need in Ukraine and to those who have fled.

Saint Michael Prayer

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. 

To receive 1 “Pray for Ukraine Novena Prayer Cord” by First Class Mail (in the U.S.), please use the payment button below:

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My presentation on the Miraculous Medal

I recently presented a talk at Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Jackson, Michigan. It is such a lovely church dedicated to the Queen of the Miraculous Medal. I felt very blessed to be there.

The presentation was live-streamed, so you can see it now even if you missed it the night of March 13. Unfortunately, due to a slight technical glitch, the first 5 or 6 minutes did not stream and was not video-taped. However, I do have an audio of the talk and you can listen to the first part of the audio and then you can watch the video (in the link below the audio). How’s that for “jerry-rigging”?

(just a screen shot of the video)

I suggest listening to this very short beginning of the presentation which includes some important information. You can listen by clicking below.

Click above to listen to the short audio which leads into the video in the link below.

You can see the video-taped presentation by clicking here. I hope that you enjoy the teachings about the Miraculous Medal and St. Catherine Laboure.

Book available here

Christmas Novena Beads

Christmas Novena Prayer Cord

Have you prayed the Saint Andrew Christmas novena? I have designed this prayer cord which contains 15 white “Pearl” beads capped with decorative silver plated components and on one end — a lovely silver Saint Benedict crucifix (measuring approximately 1 1/2 inches long) and on the other end — a Holy Family (Nativity scene) Medal. It measures approximately 11 1/2 inches long. Using a prayer cord such as this will help us keep count of our Novena prayers.

This prayer cord or chaplet comes in a red velvet gift bag along with with a beautiful Holy Family prayer card with the novena prayer on the reverse side. I will post it today for purchase on my website. What do you think? Would you use one yourself? Would you get one and tuck it away for next Advent season? Would you pray this novena prayer at any other time of the year?

According to the EWTN website:

“Beginning on St. Andrew the Apostle’s feast day, November 30, the following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.”

The prayer: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request]through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

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Donna-Marie on Springfield’s “Real to Reel” show

I presented a Divine Mercy Women’s Retreat Day at St. John the Evangelist parish in Agawam, Mass. last October. I gave two talks on Divine Mercy in a woman’s life with St. Faustina as our guide and conducted a workshop in which the women could share of their hearts — their struggles and joys, and how they have navigated various issues, to whom they looked to and for whom they spiritually mother — and just so much more.

It was so wonderful to spend precious time with the women gathered there. Springfield Diocese’s “Real to Reel” television show interviewed me and some of the beautiful women who attended the event. You can see the interview below.

Click on the video below to watch

Watch the entire show or scroll to the timer at the 11:52 point and it will end at about 19:30.

You can learn more about Divine Mercy in a Woman’s Life here.

Saint Benedict Chaplet

Brand NEW creation! I designed this with Benedictine Monks in mind — two Monks in particular. The two Benedictine friends have prayed for me and for the ministry. I wanted to make something special for them for Christmas. I thought they could keep the chaplet of beads, or “prayer cord” in their pockets as a protection and a reminder of prayer. After it is blessed, it becomes a sacramental.

I decided to make more of them and make them available for you for purchase. Though I made them for my Benedictine friends, this prayer cord is appropriate for anyone (male, female, Religious or layperson). Saint Benedict is beloved among many and he is known for his powerful protection.

When a St. Benedict medal or crucifix is blessed with the FULL exorcism blessing, it becomes a powerful “weapon” against evil. While my supplies last, I’ll include a leaflet with the full description of the St. Benedict medal and background on St. Benedict.

In addition, I will include a copy of the exorcism blessing for the medals, which can be carried out by a Catholic priest or deacon.

The St. Benedict Crucifix and the lovely and sturdy St. Benedict Cross, both measure about one and a half inches long. The cord measures approximately 10 and a half inches long and is made out of brown and white swirled glass beads and silver plated components and end caps on the beads. A decade of prayer can be prayed on the cord, or the entire Rosary, praying one decade at a time. In addition, one can pray a novena of prayer and an extra prayer on the 10th bead in thanksgiving (like Mother Teresa has done).

What do you think? You can comment below if you’d like.

It comes in a velvet gift bag and sells for $35.99 plus shipping. Or, two for $66.99! I will include a leaflet about the St. Benedict medal. I will also include the blessing formula for a priest or deacon to use to bless your prayer cord.

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“Birds of the Air” Novena Bracelet

Have you ever seen my “Birds of the Air” creation? It’s a special Novena prayer bracelet to remind us of God‘s loving providence (Matthew 6:26).

“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

By the way, the little picture of the bird on the clothesline with the patchwork quilt (on the card) is actually my painting ☺️. This photo shows the front and back of the prayer card that comes with the bracelet which comes in a gift box. The little “faith“ charm on the bracelet is actually a silver color. In this picture, due to the lighting, it looks a bit different. 

It comes in a gift box with the prayer card and sells for $42.99 plus shipping. Or, two for $79.99!

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New! Mother Teresa “Emergency” Novena Prayer Cord!

I was inspired to create this prayer cord because a very dear friend of mine, who is dying asked me to make a cord of prayer beads for her. She loves the Mother Teresa Emergency Novena Prayer Bracelet that I had sent to her. However, she just recently desired a cord of beads, as well.

As I was making it for my special friend, I decided that I should make more of them so that it will be available for others who would like to purchase it for themselves or for loved ones. It’s a tangible item that becomes a sacramental after it is blessed. It can bring comfort to those who desire to pray earnestly for urgent matters in their own lives, their family’s life, or for some other reason. It has a very nice feel to it and you can keep it in your pocket, purse, back pack, or on your night table.

The crucifix I have used has a St. Benedict medal as part of it. So, I have had the crucifixes blessed with a full exorcism blessing. This Mother Teresa “Emergency” Novena Prayer Cord is suitable for anyone, but I think especially for women because of the feminine design. I have another design in mind that will be less flowery and I hope to make it soon.

Don’t worry with regard to the men! I just designed two other kinds of Novena Prayer Cords for men, but with St. Joseph the Worker as the theme. I’ll post it very soon!

This special Novena Prayer Cord measures approximately 10 1/4 inches in length. I recommend getting it blessed by a priest or a deacon after receiving it. It will still retain the special exorcism blessing already on the crucifix (which is my gift to you).

Comes with lovely velvet bag and prayer card

Memorare prayer on back of card.

It sells for $35.99 plus shipping. Or, two for $66.99!

To receive by First Class Mail (in the U.S.), please use the payment button below:

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Adopt a FORGOTTEN Soul!

A prayerful challenge for Catholic families

For Catholics, November is a special month set aside to pray for souls. There are souls waiting in Purgatory to be purified so that they can enter Heaven.

I am proposing that every Catholic family adopt a soul. Especially, a forgotten soul. In addition to praying for all souls, they can pray and ask God to use their prayers for a particular soul who is forgotten. They can make efforts to pray extra for that forgotten soul. They might even have a Mass said for that special person. Imagine the graces abounding!

Catholic families can visit cemeteries throughout the month of November and hopefully, at other times too. It’s a wonderful example for the children when parents and grandparents teach them to give of themselves by making efforts to pray for those in need. And indeed, the souls in Purgatory are in need of our prayers. Try to pray an extra Divine Mercy Chaplet each day for the forgotten souls. We can also offer up little aspirations throughout the day for the holy souls in Purgatory.

If you would like to take a picture of yourself (selfie) or of your family in a cemetery, or praying at church or in your own domestic church, please do and post it on my Facebook page along with the hash tag: #adoptaforgottensoul Possibly, we will raise awareness of the plight of the holy souls in Purgatory.

I recently wrote a blog post about the holy souls which you can see here.

Please consider adopting a Forgotten Soul. That soul will surely remember you and pray for you! God bless you!

Discussing Advent with Deacon Harold

I was blessed to sit down with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers through the airwaves on his show “Walk by Faith Wednesday Webinars with Deacon Harold” to discuss the very holy season of Advent. Since Advent is just 3 weeks away, it’s wise to begin to think about our plans and put them into place to make a holy Advent journey. I hope you like our discussion and I encourage you to share this blog post with your friends and family members who might be interested.

Learn more and order here.

NEW! Domestic Church Gift Set

Domestic Church House Warming, Wedding, Shower, or Baptism Gift

Additional versions coming soon!

Whether this gift is for yourself and your own family or for gifting to a family at a marriage, at the Baptism of their child, a wedding or baby shower, when moving into a new home, or at any other time — it is a beautiful blessing to have special holy items in the Catholic home. 

This gift includes blessed sacramentals (“visible forms of invisible grace,” shared Augustine of Hippo in the fourth century) for spiritual protection of the family and home, as well as books (and possibly a DVD) to thoroughly nourish the family and teach the Catholic Faith.

The 100% beeswax candle should be blessed and used in the home during special occasions and even in times of storm or unrest. Bring the candle to a Catholic priest or Deacon and ask for a blessing upon it. 

The Holy Water bottles should be filled with blessed Holy Water from church and kept on hand at all times in the Catholic home for purposes of blessing people and things. It’s a very good prayerful habit to bless one another with Holy Water in the form of a cross on the forehead in the morning and evening, and before leaving the home. Blessed Holy Water is a sacramental and a form of spiritual protection and reminds us of our Baptism. 

The Holy Water font can be hung by the front door and should contain blessed Holy Water to be used upon entering and leaving the home, or at any other time. Its can also be hung in a bedroom or any other place in the home.

FREE: gift to you from Donna-Marie —The blessed St. Benedict medals (already have been blessed with a full exorcism blessing) and can be placed at the 4 corners of the home for spiritual protection.

FREE: gift to you from Donna-Marie —The jar of Blessed Salt (already blessed with the full exorcism blessing) should be used (sprinkled) any time and anywhere spiritual protection is desired. The formula for the blessing of salt (on page 3 and 4) can be taken to a Catholic priest or Deacon, along with a supply of clean fresh salt. You can request that your new salt be blessed. You can then use that clean salt in recipes, in salt shakers at the table, (even put a couple granules on your tongue) and also to sprinkle (in homes, cars, hotels, etc.), anywhere you’d like spiritual protection. It is not a superstition to used blessed salt and it should not be used in a superstitious way. Blessed salt is a sacramentals of our Catholic Church. Salt is mentioned in the Bible and Jesus mentions salt. Using sacramentals requires faith in God.

The books: Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality and Reclaiming Sundays, both written by noted author, speaker, and television host Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, will help equip parents, grandparents, and caregivers with the Catholic tools to teach the Faith and to reclaim their family Sundays. Donna-Marie knows that families are very busy and gives them sure ways to slow-down to make time for family togetherness, learning the Faith, to pray and carry out works of mercy.

Donna-Marie has it all mapped out in the books and encourages parents, grandparent, and caregivers to seize opportunities to give 10 to 15 minute faith lessons right at the dinner table, or wherever and whenever it works for the family. The author also gives ways in which to carry out the lesson’s theme throughout the weeks.

The DVD: Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Simple Lessons for a Faith-Filled Home(if included in this gift set) offers 7 inspiring lessons in practical and meaningful ways. With compassion, humor, and encouragement, along with striking imagery, Donna-Marie empowers parents to reclaim their role as the primary catechists to their children. 

You can learn more about Donna-Marie’s books, work, and ministry by visiting her website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com  

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

(Ephesians 6: 10-11)

Order here for a version without the DVD

The version without the DVD but everything else (not shown above) is $49.00 (plus shipping)

 

 Order here for version WITH the DVD

More than a $100.00 value, but on sale for $87.95 plus shipping (within the USA) Use the “Add to Cart” button below.

More versions of the Domestic Church Gift Set will be coming soon.

They will include various other books and a choice of other DVD’s.

My Grandmother book and Novena Bracelet on EWTN Religious Catalogue Show

Have a look…EWTN Religious Catalogue has featured a couple of my items on their recent show. I designed the Grandmother Novena Bracelet exclusively for them. In addition, one of my newest books for Grandmothers is featured…

Click “play arrow” above to watch.

My article about my experiences with Mother Teresa in Catholic World Report

An undated file picture shows Blessed Teresa of Kolkata holding a child during a visit to Warsaw, Poland. Mother Teresa was canonized by Pope Francis Sept. 4 at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Tomasz Gzell, EPA)

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be staying at Mother Teresa’s homeless shelters. And not just once, but twice. Truth be told, I have endured times of poverty, but my days spent in the shelters were not during those times, and they were in two different parts of the world.

The first time was in Harlem, New York about 30 years ago, when it was very dangerous to be on the streets of that barbed-wire jungle. The second time was just a few years ago in Rome, Italy.

Allow me to back up a bit in order to tell the story about meeting my spiritual mother, whom others knew as the Saint of the Gutters, or simply as Mother Teresa. Almost 30 years ago, I first laid eyes on the little saint of the poor, dressed in a simple white cotton sari trimmed in Blessed Mother blue. I caught my first glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, when she walked right past me quietly in her bare feet just before Mass was about to begin at the Missionaries of Charity convent in Washington, DC.

I was visiting the nation’s capital because my spiritual director, Father John A. Hardon, SJ, had asked me to bring my family to see him for a face-to-face meeting. After our time with him, at Father’s encouragement, we set out to visit the sick and dying in the “Gift of Peace” home at the convent. We had a very meaningful visit, observing the great love and tenderness shown to the poor and suffering living in the home, at which there was a clear and beautiful aura of holiness. The MC sisters invited us to return the following day for a private Mass in their chapel. I was honored to be invited, but imagine my excitement when one sister informed me that Mother Teresa would be at one of their two Masses the next day; she didn’t know which one. My heart secretly soared hearing that Mother Teresa was there at the convent. Still, as much as I had always admired her for her selfless work with the poor and had considered her to be a living saint, I didn’t want to take up her time if we happened to see her the following day.

Early the next morning, we arrived at the convent’s chapel and I spotted several pairs of sandals lined up outside the door, which prompted us to take off our shoes before entering. Once inside, one of the first things I noticed was actually a lack of things. The chapel was very stark, yet so very meaningful. The few items there—an altar, a tabernacle, a crucifix, a statue of the Blessed Mother, and the words, “I Thirst” painted on the wall beside the tabernacle—drew my heart to what was most important. Those two words—“I thirst”—would echo in my heart for years after, and still do. I settled my children and we all knelt down to say our prayers before Mass.

Meeting the Saint of the Gutters

We had picked the right Mass, for Mother Teresa unexpectedly walked in. She seemed to float right past me. I needed to quickly direct my mind back to the Mass that was about to begin. Never mind the fact that a living saint was in our midst! I was kneeling down on the chapel’s bare floor with my husband and children, trying my best to prepare my heart for Mass, while still keeping an eye on my children: Justin, Chaldea, and Jessica. Mother Teresa’s presence certainly seemed to send a holy jolt up and down my spine!

Another surprise unfolded right after the Mass. As we were leaving the modest chapel, my children genuflected to Jesus in the tabernacle when unexpectedly a Missionaries of Charity nun came running up behind my six-year-old daughter Chaldea and gave her a hug. I surmised that the sweet sister must have been touched to see a little girl saying good bye to Jesus. Before I could finish my thought, I realized that it was none other than Mother Teresa! But, as quickly as she came into the picture, she was heading out of the room in another direction. The door closed behind her. I was so overcome with gratefulness after witnessing a living saint hug my child—but there was more to come.

As we were standing in a huddle in the convent’s foyer, the door opened across the way and this time Mother Teresa didn’t walk past me—she began to walk straight towards me. I was holding my little precocious one-and-a-half-year-old Jessica in my arms so that she couldn’t get into trouble or run around the convent. Then Mother Teresa was standing directly in front of us. She asked me a question.

“Is this the baby who was singing at Mass?”

My heart was rejoicing. Mother Teresa was referring to Jessica’s little babbling which had caused me to tip-toe in and out of Mass several times so we wouldn’t disturb the others. My little daughter was a bit restless in the hot little room. You see, Mother Teresa made sure that the sisters lived just as the poor live, without creature comforts.

Mother Teresa’s question opened up a beautiful conversation about the family. She told me my children were very fortunate to have a family. The Saint of the Gutters was accustomed to picking babies up out of dustbins. Those little ones discarded by leper parents, perhaps, who could no longer care for them. I told her I was so blessed to have my children. At the time, I had three children on earth and three in heaven. We chatted for a long while and I felt as if I had known that tiny woman all my life. Mother Teresa radiated Jesus’s love and joy. It was transforming. Before she left to go back to her duties, my children and I gave her warm hugs. As Mother Teresa walked away, she turned to us and asked again for our prayers for the poor she served, as well as for herself.

Bunking with the homeless women at Mother Teresa’s shelter

In the moments after that amazing encounter with holiness I couldn’t fathom that anything else could ever top that experience. Yet, in God’s Divine providence, my life and ministry would unfold in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

It turns out that Mother Teresa and Father Hardon would keep my life interesting. I got a call from Father Hardon inviting me to spend a weekend in Harlem at the Missionaries of Charity convent. He would be giving a retreat to Mother Teresa and her sisters. How could I refuse? Though I was married and had three children (and one on the way that I was not yet aware of), I agreed to take a few days away from the family and partake in the activities of the sisters, to benefit from a holy retreat, as well as to serve hundreds of hungry guests in their soup kitchen. In order to make this happen, I was to sleep on a bunk bed in the women’s shelter among the many guests from all sorts of backgrounds.

I jumped at the chance. I’ll never forget being dropped off at the convent’s door and clutching my Rosary beads tightly in one hand as I pounded on the huge door with the other. I wanted to get off the Harlem streets as quickly as possible. The Missionaries of Charity sisters greeted me warmly. I was escorted to a little room and served a modest meal. Next, Father Hardon came to greet me.

“Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves,” was his gentle prodding for me to jump into action and help the sisters. I was eager to do just that. The long weekend was filled with grace and beauty. I observed the sisters in action and in prayer. I was involved in preparing food in their soup kitchen—making meals from food that had previously been discarded, a bit past expiration date or slightly bruised. I learned a great lesson from the sister who retrieved the pear I had tossed into the garbage, telling me that there was still one good part left on it. Ever since, I have become more cognizant about not wasting any food. Every good little bit can help to feed someone.

I’ll never forget looking into the eyes of the hungry guests we served, while heaping food upon their plates, knowing it might be their only meal that day. Some of them were sworn enemies coming together to break bread, enveloped in the prayer of the sisters. And those nights sleeping (or rather trying to sleep) on a bunk bed in the women’s shelter while others around me snored the nights away are etched in my memory.

Books born out of a precarious pregnancy

Upon returning home I learned I was pregnant with my son Joseph, who was blessed to be within me while holy sisters, Mother Teresa, and Father Hardon were around us. Later on, I’d see Mother Teresa again and she placed her hand on my stomach, blessing my unborn child. Still later, she would hold Joseph, rejoicing in his birth. She had prayed for Joseph in utero because I had a heart condition. A couple years later, I would be just about flat on my back on complete bed rest with another pregnancy. The doctor said my baby wouldn’t make it; I had hemorrhaged profusely. I had to stay still, wait, and pray. I got word to Mother Teresa, who prayed for me and sent a blessed Miraculous Medal, promising me that Mother Mary would take care of me. She taught me a simple yet powerful prayer, “Mary, Mother of Jesus, be mother to me now.” We sure do need Mary “now.” I prayed that prayer often.

Those were precarious times, not only because of the pregnancy, but also because of my marriage. I recount this in my memoir, The Kiss of Jesus.

Mother Teresa was my hero and spiritual mother—always offering loving prayers and advice, imparting her holy wisdom. Miraculously, my daughter Mary-Catherine not only survived that pregnancy of bed rest and was born safely, but books were born too! I had never planned on writing, but I became so inspired to write for expectant mothers and mothers during that pregnancy. I suddenly saw a pregnancy as a nine-month novena of prayer. God knew what he was doing when he put me still. Mother Teresa would end up writing the foreword for my book Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers to Be, and she encouraged me to write for mothers, saying she would pray that my book would “do much good.”

You can see this book own my website.

Years later I found myself in another women’s shelter—this second time in Rome, Italy. Things were pretty chaotic after landing in Italy on Mother Teresa’s feast day, and the doorman was not available with a key to let me into the apartment. It’s a long story that I tell in The Kiss of Jesus, but suffice it to say that because of God’s mysterious ways, I felt more than a bit displaced and caught in a perplexing situation. I got a ride down the street to the Missionaries of Charity convent and was welcomed warmly by the MC sisters, who were actually expecting me. What they and I did not expect was that I arrived there much earlier than planned. While waiting to figure out where I was staying that night, I ended up mingling with the shelter’s guests. One young woman in particular seemed very fascinated with talking with me. She sat across from me at the shelter’s picnic table. As I spoke with her I looked up and I saw Jesus in her eyes. It was a special moment and reminded me of Mother Teresa serving Jesus in each person she met. I then rested a short while on a bed in the shelter after taking a quick shower and using a borrowed towel.

You can see this book own my website.

After the fascinating, yet perplexing adventure, the Mother Superior found me and said to me, “Oh, Donna-Marie! Our Lord brought you here to us on Mother Teresa’s feast day so you could feel homeless!” I had not told her about the interior trial that I had experienced. She went on to describe the beauty of knowing and understanding how Jesus often felt and how his poor often feel. She warmed my heart when she told me that Mother Teresa was watching over me. It certainly was a profound and moving experience.

Feeding dishes of rice

Mother Teresa taught the world about love. She would say that authentic love often “costs us,” that love often “hurts.” We can ponder her teachings and consider those we care for or those with whom we live. We can ask ourselves if we are willing to push beyond our comfort zones and really love that other person to heaven. Mother Teresa passionately taught that the United States suffers from a worse poverty than those in Calcutta who are starving for a piece of bread. She said the Western world is starving for love.

Mother Teresa never had her head up in some spiritual cloud of heavenly bliss, she was wholeheartedly aware of the needs of the day. She was a saint right in our midst.

My dear spiritual mother, the humble unassuming saint, taught the world that it is a lot easier to serve a dish of rice to someone on the other side of the world to meet the need of hunger (where we might feel some sort of satisfaction in doing it) than it is to serve that dish of rice (dish of love) to someone in our own home or neighborhood. Who is that someone? Our spouse, our teenager who is acting up, our neighbor who belittles our Christianity, the person cutting us off in traffic? Are we showing them love with our actions and with our prayers? Do we push beyond our comfort zone and love until it hurts? Mother Teresa taught me that I should strive to see everyone, even those who are hurting me, as “Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.”

It almost seems like light years ago when I met that tiny woman—beautiful Mother Teresa, a bit hunched over and looking frail, but in actuality, a powerhouse of faith, hope, and love. Yet I feel so very close to my spiritual mother in my prayers. As the dear Saint of the Gutters is formally canonized Saint Teresa of Calcutta by our Church, her words, “Love begins at home,” ring in my heart. To be in Rome, Italy right now is tempting, but I know in my heart that I belong right here, sharing the lessons of love that I have learned from my dear Mother Teresa in interviews through the news media and in my talks, presentations, and face-to-face encounters; all the while striving to see and to serve Jesus in everyone I meet.

Let’s pick our eyes up off of our devices and strive to live in the present moments of our life and become more attentive to “Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor” all around us. Mother Teresa will help us. God is counting on us.

(This article originally appeared on the CWR site on September 2, 2016.)

You can click here to see the article at Catholic World Report.