I was chatting with Jon Leonetti yesterday morning on Iowa Catholic Radio from the EWTN National Radio Conference. We talked about the need to be countercultural as parents and grandparents among other things. In case you missed it and would like to tune in, check it out right here.
This morning I was blessed to speak with Anna Mitchell on the Son Rise Morning Show. We talked about family dinners and struggles, and more. If you didn’t get a chance to tune in, here’s the link to listen in. Move the marker to the 10:30 mark to hear our visit, or listen to the whole thing.
I haven’t had time to write a blog post in a while because I have been working hard on developing a new EWTN TV series called “Feeding Your Family’s Soul” and I am happy to report that I am just about finished! All forty shows are developed, but I just need to do some final preparations (like figuring out what I am wearing on 41 shows! 🙂 As well, I have a few other things to do too. But, don’t worry! I’m just teasing about the 41 outfits. Maybe I’ll just pack 8 or 9 outfits 🙂 ).
My new series is comprised of 40 episodes to start with and I will also do a guest appearance on another show while I am there–hence the 41 shows. I’ll be flying down to the network very soon to film. I’m very excited about this new series because it is an opportunity to offer encouragement and the Catholic “tools” to Catholic and Christian parents and grandparents.
Just before developing all forty shows to begin the series, I was busy with the writing of my Fatima book which is titled Our Lady of Fatima; One Hundred Years of Stories, Prayers, and Devotions. It will release March 2017.
In my busyness, I almost forgot that it was time to plant the garlic! That is something I do annually. Every year at about this time, I am digging lots and lots of holes in my raised bed garden and planting hundreds of cloves of organic garlic. It is actually a bit back-breaking for me, but since I am so obsessed with garlic, believing it is very healthy and even medicinal, I am committed to growing it. I use it in home-made soups and meals I make for the elderly and sick. I also use it in our family meals. Sometimes, I give the bulbs of garlic away. But, I always need to save some from the late summer’s harvest to replant that fall.
So, I took full advantage of the warmer weather the other day and got down in the dirt to plant a bunch of garlic–all the while offering many prayers while out in God’s Creation.
The garlic is planted. Now I need to add a thick bedding of straw.
On another note here is a recent radio chat I had on “Seize the Day.” I hope you’ll enjoy it. It was right before Mother Teresa’s Canonization so I guess it is not exactly “recent.” But, I just received the link to it today.
Mark your calendars. In addition to the shows I mentioned above, I’ll be appearing on EWTN’s Bookmark show on December 11, 2016 and another show coming up in January that I’ll tell you about soon.
On still another note, if you receive Legatus magazine you will see my new column in the upcoming November issue.
This morning I was blessed to speak with John Harper on Relevant Radio’s “Morning Air.”
In case you weren’t able to join us this morning, you can listen at your leisure right here. You can slide the little time marker over to the “40.35” mark to hear my segment.
You can see my new Feeding Your Family’s Soul website here.
The family is such an amazing blessing created by God!
Would you like to send me a photo of your family sitting at the dinner table for consideration of being included on my “Feeding Your Family’s Soul” website? I would include your family photo in some of my blog posts or somewhere on that website!
Every photo that is sent to me will be placed in a drawing to win a copy of my book Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality!
So, what are you waiting for? Please send them to me at: DMCOBoyle@aol.com.
I am 
NOT looking for perfection! Just normal everyday family photos of you gathered together at the dinner table–no matter how small or large your family is. And, mind you, this is requested by a mother of five and grandmother (yours truly!). So, I know that dinner times could get messy at times! It is rarely Norman Rockwell picture perfect!
If possible, in addition to your family name with the photo, please give me a sentence or two about your family dinners together.
Thanks in advance and God bless you!
Donna-Marie
I recently had the blessing of chatting with Catholic author and radio host Bear Woznick as a guest on his “Deep Adventure” radio show. You can listen right here at your leisure. It’s a long one, so you might want to get yourself a beverage and get comfy. Or, just play the audio as you put the dishes or laundry away. 🙂
Bear and I discussed our prayer lives, deep scary struggles, God’s mercy, the Blessed Mother and the Rosary, forgiveness, and so much more. I hope that you enjoy our radio chat. As Bear mentioned on the show, if you would like to hear more, write to him and request that he have me on his show again.
“I am that man that you mentioned in your life…”
What was that? How could he be?
Allow me to back up a bit to explain…
When I wrote my book The Kiss of Jesus: How Mother Teresa and The Saints Helped Me To Discover The Beauty of The Cross I deeply desired to offer a huge dose of hope to those who had suffered from any form of abuse or have suffered in some way. I had learned along the way that it is important to share about our struggles and God’s redeeming grace so that others could be helped. I wanted to share the power of prayer and God’s grace, especially in the dark corners of life.
As well, I hoped to get across the need to forgive. I figured that though my memoir was written for men and women, that perhaps the majority of the people my book would most likely impact would be women. Since the release of my memoir, I have heard from countless women who have thanked me and told me that they were changed for the better by reading The Kiss of Jesus. I was not looking for thanks but I am praising God for His mercy and love and for working through me to help others. I am deeply thankful.
But, I never expected to hear from an eighty five year old man who recently wrote me a letter.
“I am that man that you mentioned in your life…”
I had to stop and think…
I read further through a bit of shaky writing and then realized that this man had seen me on EWTN talking about my life, struggles and suffering. He had recognized himself in my story.
Wow. His letter was extremely powerful for me to read. My heart was deeply touched as I continued to read his words. He explained that after watching me on EWTN he knew that he needed to ask God to help him and to also forgive him. The man thanked me for helping him to find “peace and serenity” now at eighty five years old.
He wrote so much more and ended his letter by thanking me for my “suffering…” He said, “Now, I know what my wife went through.”
Oh, dear God, please continue to help this man and anyone who has suffered or is suffering. Please grant them the graces they need to forgive and to be forgiven. Thank you dear Lord for your LOVE. Amen.
I have created a new wrap style bracelet which you can see below. The difference between the WRAP style and the classic clasp bracelets are the way in which the bracelet fits around the wrist. There is less worry about a proper fit with the wrap style.
Here are a couple of new military styles in the NEW WRAP bracelet, as well as two classic (non-military style) “Prayerfully Expecting & Hoping” novena bracelets shown first with turquoise hearts and accenting beads in the NEW WRAP style. Secondly, with pink pearl beads and lovely tiny white pearl beads with silver accents.
You can see the history of these bracelets here and also see purchasing information. Every bracelet is comprised with nine major beads to symbolize a novena of prayer, a pregnancy representing human life, as well as the nine choirs of Angels.
In case you didn’t get a chance to see Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R and me recently on EWTN’s Sunday Night Prime discussing the family and my new book Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality, you can see it here and also below:
I have some happy news for you. I am excited to tell you that I have created a new television show for EWTN titled “Feeding Your Family’s Soul”! They will be short 2 minute shows filled with inspiration, encouragement, and the Catholic tools for today’s families. I’ll be going to the EWTN network soon to film forty shows! Yes, that’s right–forty! I’ll begin with those and go from there.
So, please keep me in your prayers to do a good job in presenting the Catholic tools and encouragement to Catholic parents and grandparents.
In addition, did you see my new website “Feeding Your Family’s Soul”? I created it recently to have a specific place to aid Catholic families. I’ll be building upon it steadily with all kinds of valuable information for the family, news about my shows, and wholesome recipes for family life, as well as food recipes too! Take a look here.
May God bless you and keep you!
Donna-Marie
NEW REVIEW: Feeding Your Family’s Soul:
When I was a child, my family did not gather around the dinner table to share life together. Sure we ate at the same time, but on most nights, it was at the kitchen counter with the evening news blaring on the TV. When I visited my aunt and uncle’s home, I savored the commraderie around the dinner table—dishes being passed around, conversation flowing, even clean up and the rotation of chores was a novelty that I secretly wished was part of my normal routine.
When my husband and I married and started our family, dinnertime became very important to us. I don’t recall us talking about how we would gather together; we just did it. Perhaps my childhood experience unconsciously made dinnertime sacred to me. I am grateful that both of us knew the significance of coming together at the end of the day to pray, talk, and share a meal together.
When our children were small, conversation wasn’t very deep or insightful, but it was a chance for Greg and I to check in with each other after a long day. As more children joined us around the table, it became important to share highlights of the day. It gave the children a chance to share the spotlight, and it helped us connect the dots regarding what was reallygoing on at school and among friends.
We recently entered a new phase in our family life. Our two oldest daughters have started playing volleyball in the fall, and our family dinnertime has certainly been affected. Late-afternoon and early-evening games require us to eat in shifts. It can be tricky to have dinner ready for half of the family, when I am at a game. Missing out on the one time of the day when our entire family can be together can throw the rest of the evening off, too, since dinnertime is often the transition into our bedtime routine.
Thankfully, volleyball season has an end date, and our regular routine will return in about a month. However, this season of hit-or-miss meals together reminds me of the importance of the everyday dinnertime tradition and how all families need to fight to preserve it.
In her new book Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle gives families a companion in the fight to preserve dinnertime togetherness. In it, she shares 53 conversation starters for each week of the year. Not only do the chapters give parents ideas on how to shape dinnertime conversation, they include wisdom from the saints, prayers, Scripture quotes, questions, and delicious recipes to prepare together.
Each week, the family will learn about an aspect of the Catholic faith through storytelling and discussion, which will allow children (and adults alike) to ask questions and seek understanding. If a family has some extra time on Saturday and Sunday to introduce the week’s theme, it will provide a springboard for continued conversation during shorter, weekday meals.
This book can be utilized in a number of ways. A family could easily begin with Chapter 1 and go through the book in order. Or a family could skip around the book and focus on the chapters that line up with the liturgical calendar. For example, Chapter 4 on “The Communion of Saints” could be highlighted the week of November 1, when the Church celebrates All Saints Day, and Chapter 47 on “Why Catholics Honor the Blessed Mother” could be read and discussed during the month of May, which is dedicated to Mary. In addition, if parents want to focus on a particular virtue with their children, such as mercy, they could easily incorporate the corresponding chapter (Chapter 11 on “Learning Mercy from St. Faustina Kowalska”) to help that teaching along.
I am really excited about incorporating Feeding Your Family’s Soul into my family’s dinnertime conversation. Especially after this fall’s volleyball season, it will get us back on track with connecting to and conversing with each other on a daily basis. I am confident that the stories, questions, and prayers will enhance our family’s prayer life and extend our shared experience into other parts of the day.
If Feeding Your Family’s Soul is a book you’d enjoy adding to your spiritual library, I am pleased to give away three copies, thanks to Paraclete Press. To enter the giveaway, simply fill out the Rafflecopter giveaway below. I will pick three winners next Friday, Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
[Visit the blog here to enter the contest and to see more.]
It was a blessing to be at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, CT just two days before Mother Teresa’s canonization in Rome, Italy. The original portrait that was used for the canonization was hung on the wall of the Museum for all to see. It had been unveiled in Washington DC just days before. Here is an article about the painting in Aleteia. And another article here about Mother Teresa and events at the Museum.
Gazing upon the beautiful portrait and feeling like Mother Teresa was gazing upon me!
I had the wonderful opportunity to venerate a first class relic of dear Mother Teresa. It was a very moving experience.
It is always such a blessing to be with the MC Sisters. These Sisters are from the Bridgeport, CT convent. They were present on Friday before the canonization day. They were presented a stunning replica of the portrait for their convent.
This is on Mother Teresa’s canonization day at the Knights of Columbus Museum. I gave a reflection to more than 100 people who came out that day. I could have been in Rome but Mother Teresa’s words “Love begins at home” kept ringing in my heart when I was praying about where I should be on that day. There were various requests for me to be here in the US to speak about Mother Teresa and do many news interviews, and more. I knew my place was here, though I still felt united to all that was going on in Rome. Graces abounded on that beautiful day and I am sure they will continue.
I loved sharing about my spiritual mother, dear Mother Teresa.
Here is a recent article I wrote for Catholic World Report about some of my experiences knowing Mother Teresa.
God bless you! May St. Teresa of Calcutta guide you ever closer to Jesus!
[Most photos here by Aaron Joseph, Catholic Life Photography]
You can have a look at one of the chapters in my new book Feeding Your Family’s Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality by clicking here.
You can order the book here.
Additionally, I have some exciting news that I will share soon…Stay tuned! 🙂
It was lovely to see Bonnie Rodgers from Boston Catholic TV recently when I was at the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN) Conference this past summer. Check out our interview below…
“NEW MILFORD – Mother Teresa’s canonization by Pope Francis is bringing fresh focus to the legacy of a contemporary saint whose love for the poor transformed the lives of the world’s most destitute people.
[You can see the FULL recent News Times article about my friendship with Mother Teresa here.]
I recently visited with Jerry and Debbie on EWTN’s “Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie.”
You can listen to our hour-long radio conversation about Mother Teresa when you have time. Get yourself a beverage and pull up a chair and enjoy listening about dear Mother Teresa now canonized and called Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Truth be told, I will continue to call her Mother Teresa. 🙂
By the way, we also discuss my Miraculous Medal ministry and my memoir, The Kiss of Jesus.
Click here to listen.
My article “Being the ‘poorest of the poor’ with Mother Teresa” in the Catholic World Report is here below:
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…
[More here at Catholic World Report]
I was blessed to have been part of an event in Mother Teresa’s honor at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, CT a couple of days before her canonization day. The original portrait painting was unveiled and hung at the Museum. A photograph of the image was used to make over a million prayer cards for the canonization in Rome. The banners used at the canonization were taken from that image. It was a privilege to be part of the event.
I have been extremely busy this past week doing many media interviews including Fox News in New York City and doing many radio shows (at least 2 or 3 a day). You can listen to some of the interviews on this website. I’ll add more to my website when I get a chance.
I’ll be traveling to Ave Maria University in a couple of days to bring the message of Mother Teresa to University students there.
But, first, I’ll leave you with a couple of photos from the Knights Museum.
And today is Mother Teresa’s feast day! Pray for the graces!
God bless you! Please pray for me!
Recently I had the pleasure of speaking again with Relevant Radio’s lovely Wendy Weis who was so gracious to rearrange our visit due to my grueling schedule with all of the media interviews about Mother Teresa.
Please move the little marker to the 23:45 mark to hear my segment which is in the second part of Wendy’s show. Or listen to the whole thing.
It’s always special to chat with Wendy. We feel like we are sitting down and chatting over a cup of tea. 🙂
Enjoy!
I had the pleasure of being a guest on with Lauren Green on her show “Spirited Debate” On Fox News Online.
You can also see our visit here.
Remembering Mother…
Distinct details of meeting Blessed Teresa of Calcutta the first time remain etched in my memory. Her height, or lack thereof, especially struck me. Being short in stature and hunched over, she appeared a bit frail. But I was totally convinced that this “little” woman was a passionate powerhouse of faith, hope and love! I knew that along with God’s grace, she was responsible for incredible transformations in the lives of the “poorest of the poor,” all over the world.
My heart soared one summer morning, when straight after a Mass I attended with the Missionaries of Charity sisters, Mother Teresa approached me. I was immediately filled with an incredible peace. The tireless servant of the poor took time from her duties to speak to me about my children.
She asked if my daughter Jessica (who was secure in my arms so she wouldn’t get into trouble!) was the “baby who was singing at Mass?” (No doubt, her polite way of saying she was aware of my continuous tip-toeing in and out of Mass with my restless little one!) Then, she told me, “Your children are very fortunate to have a family.” I felt compelled to tell her that I was very fortunate to be their mother. At that time I had three children on earth and three in heaven.
Mother Teresa was accustomed to rescuing babies and children from the dust bins in Calcutta, India, disposed of by their dying parents. She took them in, gave them love and care, and placed them within families yearning for children.
Blessed Teresa never mothered a child biologically, but she in so many ways spiritually mothered countless people all around the globe. She indeed became a mother to me. Mother Teresa begged for all unwanted babies whose mothers contemplated abortion and said she’d care for them herself. She opened our eyes and hearts to the needy around us whom we should “mother.”
[See the entire article here]
