Awakening: by Claudia Cangilla McAdam: a review of a remarkable book

If you are looking for the perfect book for your teenage daughter to read during this Lenten season, I have found it.

Awakening by Claudia Cangilla McAdam is the story of a teenage girl, transformed, during an illness, back into the time of Jesus, on the Wednesday of Holy Week.

In the present time, the main character, Ronnie, has faced a devastating lose and is questioning the reasons for sacrifice and death. When she awakens in the year 33 AD she realizes it is her chance to stop the Crucifixtion of Christ. She can not make sense out of the fact that there is any reason for suffering and self-sacrifice, but as she accompanies Jesus on His path throughout Holy Week, she begins to realize why Jesus had to die.

This book is an easy read for a teenager, and is a real page turner. I read it in just a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. It would make a perfect Holy Week read aloud to enjoy as a family. Even children as young as 9 or 10 can get a lot out of this book, especially as a read aloud. Because the book follows Scripture closely, there are many aspects of the Passion to talk about as you read it as a family.

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from the Catholic Company. Visit the Catholic Company to find more information on Awakening.

Saint of the Day (Sixth Edition) - A Book Review

We have recently had the opportunity to review the book Saint of The Day:Sixth Resived Edition through the Catholic Company Reviewer program.

This sixth edition, published in 2009, includes some of the most recent saints and blesseds in the Catholic Church, including, Teresa of Calcutta, Martin and Zelia Guerin, Gianna Beretta Molla and Damien of Molokai.

We have been using this in our homeschool as part of our morning prayer time, when we read the short
biography of the saint of the day. It is a little disappointing that everyday does not have an entry. It is something the kids look foreward too, and when a day is "empty" they feel a little let down.

Also included in each entry is a short comment and quote section pertaining to the saint of the day.

I think this part is my favorite aspect of the book. These comments and quotes offer a great chance to reflect privately on these saints as we go about our daily lives, while we strive to live as the the saints lived.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Saint of the Day (Revised 6th Edition).

Graced and Gifted---a book review

Graced and Gifted: Biblical Wisdon for the Homemaker's Heart by Kimberly Hahn is the second book in a series of Bible studies based on Proverbs 31.

Written in six parts, Kimberly Hahn shows us how to incorporate the virtues of the woman of Proverbs 31 into our everyday lives as homemakers, wives, and mothers.

Each part of the book also includes a chapter on each of the seven sacraments. I love what Kimberly Hahn says about the sacraments as they pertain to a homemakers life in the introduction of the book. "The sacraments are not what we do for God but what God does for us. They are the means by which the Holy Spirit makes up for what we lack and gives us all we need to be faithful. They do not make us saints, but they make it possible for us to become saints." And for me, this is what I am striving for and need every grace available for help.

This book would be perfect for a women's book study and includes discussion questions for six sessions, in an appendix in the back of the book.

While reading Graced and Gifted I I was greatly encouraged and inspired by the way the role of homemaker was given the importance it deserves. I came to realize that the day to day tasks of a homemaker provides me with many channels of grace, and asking Our Lord for this grace helps many overwhelming days much more manageable. One of my favorite quotes from the book is this, regarding grace: " When we feed, clothe and contribute to a shelter that is peaceful, beautiful and orderly for our family, by the grace of God and with the gift of faith, we are walking in the good works God has prepared for us. It is grace from beginning to end as we cooperate with the gifts we have been given. To live by grace means that we admit how weak we are and how much we need His strength so that we can do these good works."

I highly recommend this book to every homemaker, whether you are strictly at home, out in the workforce, a mom to one blessing or to many blessings, there is something for everyone to encourage us on the path to building the best domestic church we can as we are filled with the "Gift of Grace" from God.

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book reviewer program from the Catholic Company. Visit the Catholic Company to find more information on Graced and Gifted: Bibilical Wisdom for the Homemaker's Heart.

Love is a Choice: The Life of St. Gianna Molla

As a Catholic Company Reviewer I was very pleased to receive the dvd: Love is a Choice-The Life of St. Gianna Molla. This is a very moving video that I enjoyed along with my husband and three of my teenagers. In fact, my 13 year old said that she may pick St. Gianna as her confirmation patron, she was so impressed with the story.

What makes this video extremely special is that is incorporates many old family movies, personal photos and love letters written between St. Gianna and her husband Pietro.

St. Gianna Molla was born the tenth of thirteen children in Milan Italy. She lost three siblings at a young age, and at 15, when her sister died, she learned the lessons of great love and great loss. She wrote, " As to the past, let us entrust it to Divine Mercy, the future to Divine Providence. Our task is to live holy the present moment."

We learn of her great love for her husband, Pietro, through love letters. St. Gianna sent Pietro 73 letters over 6 years when business took him away from the family.

When pregnant with her 4th child, it is discovered that Gianna has cancer and to save her life, she is told she should have an abortion. Gianna's only concern is for her unborn baby. St. Gianna makes the sacrifice of her own life, just days after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

The scenes at the end of the video of St. Gianna's canonization, while her husband and children look on are priceless. The clip of Pietro, 92, as he stands to greet Pope John Paul II brought tears to our eyes.

One of Gianna Molla's girlhood friends say, "Gianna was not extraordinary, but she lived a saintly life as wife and mother."

In these times we live in, amidst the world's culture of death, we need this wonderful saint, a wife and mother, to show us that "Love is a Choice". And we can choose everyday to "live holy the present moment" as we all strive toward sainthood.

St. Gianna Molla, pray for us!

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from the Catholic Company. Visit the Catholic Company to find more informations on Love is a Choice(DVD).

Along our path to heaven

sometimes something comes along that can help us on our journey.
I was blessed to receive the month of May's Magnificat magazine. I am sure most of you are familiar with this pocket sized "daily prayer companion", but if you are not, it contains the daily Liturgy along with many inspirational daily prayers and meditations.
In a very busy family such as ours, it is nice to be able to find, in one spot, very beautiful morning and evening prayers.
Each day contains a medition and also a look into the lives of a saint. Some of these saints we have read about are men and women we hadn't "met" before--so through the Magnificat, we have learned about some new lives of which we can strive to copy on our path to Heaven.
I, myself, love the intersessions offered in both the daily morning prayers and evening prayers. I use these intersessions as my personal prayers during the day, trying to keep them in mind as I go about my day, trying to offer small trials to God.

It is a little expensive, but well worth the money for the amount of information and inspiration contained within its pages. You can order it for the same price from the Catholic Company as from the publisher.

Paul in a Basket-A Musical Adventure for Kids

We have been having the privilege of reviewing Paul in a Basket: Musical Adventure for Kids.
This was written by Rob Evans (The Donut Man) and was written to "hightlight the life and teachings of the Apostle Paul."

You can enjoy Paul in a Basket as a simple cd. Narration is provided for each song and adds so much to the understanding of St. Paul's life.

Also available is a director's cd. "The Director's CD equips you with everything you need to perform this musical yourself. This includes audio in stereo and split track; a "Production guide", an "Audience Hand-out with Family Reflections" and "Instrumental Tracks."
It is written for between 15-30 kids and the narration script can easily be read by a 2 or 3rd grader.
It would be great for a summertime parish musical performance.


My children, young and old, have been enjoying listening to and learning all the songs. Gracie's (7) favorite song is Shipwrecked. She says it is her favorite "because when St. Paul becomes shipwrecked he is sure that God will protect him because he loves God and God loves him."

Mark's (9) favorite song is Earthquake because he learned "about the powerful things that God can do to help us when we are in need of His help."

The only problem I find with this CD is with the song Christ Strengthens Us. The narration for this song is: "What made Paul so brave? He explained that it came from the grace he found in the Holy Spirit."
The songs chorus is this:

" I can you all things, all things, all things, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Philippians 4:13"
The song continues with the leader singing back and forth with the children. The leaders askes, "How many things can you do?" Children answer-"All things"
At one point on the CD a child says "can I ride my skateboard?" and is answered with "All things!"

After listening to this song one afternoon, Grace, 7, said to me "I prayed before softball yesterday that I would catch every ball, but I didn't do it. I must not believe enough." I struggled for an answer for her, and was also very surprised at how carefully she had listened to the song's lyrics. I then explained that God gives us the strength to help us practice softball and the strength to do out best. We can't just count on God to make is succeed, we need to do our part also, and we can do our part better with God's help.

I definitely recommend Paul in a Basket as either a CD for just listening too, and learning about St. Paul's life, and also as a musical for a children's performance. At $20.00 for the complete script, music and director's notes, this is a great bargain.