Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Reading Catholic: A Tale of Two Books About .... Pregnancy
Reading Catholic: A Tale of Two Books About .... Pregnancy: When I review certain books, I have often shared them informally with others--such as medical experts or even kids--to help me discern if t...
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Catholic Mom's Cafe: Catholic Mom's Cafe filled with Faith, Hope, and L...
Catholic Mom's Cafe: Catholic Mom's Cafe filled with Faith, Hope, and L...: "I treasure my morning prayer time, which sets the tone for the rest of my busy day. And yet, we moms often have the best of intenti...
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Catholic Mom's Cafe: My recent adventures at the EWTN network to film C...
Catholic Mom's Cafe: My recent adventures at the EWTN network to film C...: For some time now I have been creating and preparing a five part television series for EWTN called "Catholic Mom's...
Friday, April 26, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
A Garden of Visible Prayer: Creating a Personal Sacred Space One Step at a Time
A Garden of Visible Prayer:
Creating a Personal Sacred Space One Step at a Time
By Margaret Rose Realy
Margaret Rose Realy has released a new book! This is what I said about her lovely book:
Long time gardener and author, Margaret Rose Realy believes that solace and the gentle voice of God can be heard in a garden. Take a walk with her within the pages of her beautifully crafted unique book, A Garden of Visible Prayer as she descriptively guides you every step of the way to create your own personal retreat space, incorporating a variety of elements, which will lead you to prayer. Even with meager means or a small space, by following the steps in this book, your end result will be a distinctive and beautiful setting in which you can bask in God’s creation and where you may very well hear His voice telling you to, “Be still and know that I am God.” Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is a Catholic speaker and author of numerous books and EWTN TV host.
 |
| Margaret Rose Realy |
Why did you write this book?
About five years ago I saw a need for
gardens at St. Francis Retreat Center in Dewitt, MI. Specifically, prayer gardens
where people could sit and draw closer to God who often speaks to us through
nature. Retreatants would ask how I created these spaces and could I teach them
to do the same in their own yards. Through this book I describe the step-by-step process of how to build
personalized gardens that make prayer visible. In fact, that’s where the title
comes from: “A Garden of Visible Prayer.” My hope is that the beginner or
experienced gardener will use this book to create a personalized outdoor prayer
space at home.
How does gardening integrate with our spiritual lives?
When working in a garden you cannot help but recognize the presence of God. To not feel God would be like standing next to a fire without feeling its heat. I read somewhere that to touch the earth is to touch the skin of God. One cannot but hope in the garden; we plant seeds and hope they sprout, we water and prune and hope for proper growth, we learn that winter always comes and we hope for rebirth. Here there are many similarities between gardens and gardeners, God and his children. Gardens are places of growth, not only for plants but for our souls as well.
When working in a garden you cannot help but recognize the presence of God. To not feel God would be like standing next to a fire without feeling its heat. I read somewhere that to touch the earth is to touch the skin of God. One cannot but hope in the garden; we plant seeds and hope they sprout, we water and prune and hope for proper growth, we learn that winter always comes and we hope for rebirth. Here there are many similarities between gardens and gardeners, God and his children. Gardens are places of growth, not only for plants but for our souls as well.
There’s a quote I read in Magnificat; “Give me Lord what will rebound to your own profit,” which reflects my own faith in creating prayer gardens. What I do is done to promote His will, and to help other people quiet themselves enough so they too can find a way to communicate with God in His creation. There are so many ways to pray and each of us has our own. The question is how do we find it? I want to help answer this question, and that’s part of why I wrote this book.
What are one or
two ideas from the book I can use in my own garden?
The book doesn’t start by telling you how to build a garden. Instead it tells you how to focus on your own intentions and faith. I break the process up into three parts, “discern, design, and develop.” First you have to discern what type of garden is important to you by looking at your own spirituality and how you would translate your spirituality into an outdoor prayer space. For example, for some people rocks or boulders are great element to include in their garden because they are seen as solid or stable, and this is comforting to them. But because of those same qualities others could see them as cold and hard, not necessarily a loving reflection of God. Next, you design what the garden will look like while incorporating these spiritual elements. It’s helpful to flip through magazines or web images for ideas of how to arrange the things you want to include. Finally, the last step is developing, or constructing your outdoor prayer space.
The book doesn’t start by telling you how to build a garden. Instead it tells you how to focus on your own intentions and faith. I break the process up into three parts, “discern, design, and develop.” First you have to discern what type of garden is important to you by looking at your own spirituality and how you would translate your spirituality into an outdoor prayer space. For example, for some people rocks or boulders are great element to include in their garden because they are seen as solid or stable, and this is comforting to them. But because of those same qualities others could see them as cold and hard, not necessarily a loving reflection of God. Next, you design what the garden will look like while incorporating these spiritual elements. It’s helpful to flip through magazines or web images for ideas of how to arrange the things you want to include. Finally, the last step is developing, or constructing your outdoor prayer space.
ISBN:
978-0-9790747-7-6
FAITH Catholic
Publishing
1500 E. Saginaw,
Lansing, MI 48906
1-866-763-2484
Margaret Rose Realy has a master’s degree in Communications from Michigan State University and is the author of A Garden of Visible Prayer: Creating a Personal Sacred Space One Step at a Time (FAITH Publishing, 2011) and Cultivating God’s Garden through Lent (Patheos Press, 2013), both available at Amazon. She is an Advanced Master Gardener with thirty-five years of experience as a greenhouse grower, garden consultant, and workshop and retreat leader. Margaret is a columnist, freelance writer and monthly contributor at CatholicMom.com and blogs about gardening and spirituality at Morning Rose Prayer Gardens on Patheos.com.
God bless!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Catholic Mom's Cafe: My third guest on Catholic Mom's Cafe!
Catholic Mom's Cafe: My third guest on Catholic Mom's Cafe!: I am very happy to introduce my third guest Lisa Mladinich. Lisa will be my guest on the segment "The Skinny on Catholic Fashion."...
Monday, April 8, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Interview with Author of "Under the Mantle: Marian Thoughts from a 21st Century Priest"
As a priest in the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Donald has completed advanced studies in Mariology and strives to share his own love of Mary. Currently Fr. Donald is the House Superior of the Marian House of Studies in Steubenville, OH, and Vocation Director for the Marians.
After I
published my conversion story in 2010 (No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy) I
began to receive tons of requests to speak at parishes, conferences, and other
events. For the last three years I
have been speaking all over the country and internationally, as a result. As part of my talks, I always give
teachings about such things as the Eucharist, the Church, the Papacy,
Confession, the Priesthood, Prayer, Divine Mercy, and Masculinity and
Femininity. The cool thing is that
all of these talks have a very strong Marian aspect and I always weave Our Lady
into all my presentations. People
seem to really like that Marian aspect of these talks and I got so many
requests to publish them in book form so that others could benefit from
them. So, that is exactly what I’ve
done in Under the Mantle: Marian Thoughts from a 21st Century
Priest. It contains my nine most
requested talks in written form.
Would
you be able to tell us when your personal relationship with the Blessed
Mother began?
I fell in
love with Mary when I read a book about her that my parents had on their
bookshelf some 20 years ago. My
parents are converts to Catholicism and had purchased a book about Marian
apparitions and put it on their bookshelf. After I lived a very sinful life, getting into all kinds of
trouble (that’s an understatement), that book could not have come at a better
time. Reading that book, I became
fascinated by this beautiful woman I never knew and wanted to know more about
her. What that ultimately did was
lead me to fall in love with her, God, Jesus Christ, and fall in love with
Catholicism. Without Mary, I
really would not know Jesus. Without Mary, I certainly would not be the man I am today.
Why do
you feel it is important to write about one’s relationship with the Blessed
Mother?
That’s
simple. Mary is a princess. All girls want to be one, and all men
want one. I’m a man, so I write
about my princess. She is my
beautiful lady and I see myself as a Knight for her, and I want to honor her in
any way that I can. One way is to
write about her.
What can
the average Catholic do to deepen their devotion to Mary?
I highly
recommend that people pray the Rosary. The Rosary is such a powerful prayer. It can change hearts quickly and effectively. It changed mine. I don’t go anywhere without my
Rosary. Praying the rosary is like
holding Mary’s hand. I also highly
recommend that people make a Marian pilgrimage. There are so many Marian Shrines all over the world. I lead one every year, and this year
I’m going to Fatima, Spain, and Lourdes from June 19-28. Most importantly, people just need to
talk to Mary in prayer. Share the
joys and pains of life with her.
She loves us so very much and wants to be close to us, and we get to
know her best through praying to her.
You
include “Marian Gems” to the end of each chapter. Can you tell us about them?
I love the
Marian Gems section of my book. It
has taken me almost 10 years to collect all of them. They are quotes about Our Lady from Saints, Blesseds,
Venerables, Servants of God, and Popes.
They are profound statements made about Our Lady that go along with each
section that they follow. I have
gotten so much good feedback about them and can’t wait for others to read them
and meditate on them.
What are
your hopes for this book?
My greatest
hope is that people fall more in love with Jesus and the Catholic Church
through reading this book. That is
what Mary would want, and so that is what I want, too.
Is there
anything else you’d like to mention?
I highly
recommend that people read the book slowly. There is a ton of material in it, and if it is read too fast
they might miss key things. I also
think it is a great book for parish book clubs because it gets people
discussing important topics about our faith.
Do you
have any special speaking events coming up?
Yes, my
pilgrimage to Fatima, Spain, and Lourdes this summer! It’s going to be a great pilgrimage during
the Year of Faith. I can’t
wait.
Finally, Father Calloway, where can our readers get this book?
People can
purchase my book and find out about the pilgrimage by going to my website: www.fathercalloway.com
God bless!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Surprise Radio Interview!
It will be a surprise. :) You'll discover what it's about when you tune in. You can check out an interview I did with American Catholic Radio. You will be able to listen to the a shortened version of the interview beginning today by going to the website: http://productions.franciscanmedia.org/sections/acr/program.aspx and look for program # 13-12. I will be featured in the "Sharing Faith" segment and it will also be it’s own podcast.
I hope you enjoy this short 5-minute interview.
God bless you and yours!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Interview with Michael Seagriff O. P.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Seagriff O. P. about his book, Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire!
Here's our interview:
Michael, would you share something about your background with our readers?
Your book is lovely, Michael and the cover is stunning. What was your inspiration for this book?
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Like many contemporary Catholics, I
did not know my faith very well and did not think I had the time to do anything
about it. But I began to read a little bit at a time. The more I read and
reflected on Scripture and the works of great spiritual writers, the more I
came to understand and value my faith. Over the years, I would write the words that
most touched my heart and stirred my soul on index cards. Keeping these life
changing “gems” in my desk drawer was not only selfish but contrary to my
Dominican vocation. I had to share these truths.
Would you mind sharing a bit of your writing process for this book?
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
This 366 page volume is one that you
will use and refer to frequently. Priced modestly ($13.99 for soft copy), it makes
a great companion during this “Year of Faith” and travels nicely on your Kindle
or (with a free Kindle Book App) your android and i-phones for only $2.99. It is available through Amazon.com. and
my blog (http://harvestingthefruitsofcontemplation.blogspot.com/).
God bless!
Here's our interview:
I am from a working class Catholic family
of seven children - born and raised in New York City (Brooklyn and Queens). Two
of my brothers died – one of polio and the other of pneumonia, having lived
during a time when there was neither polio vaccine nor antibiotics. My father
came from a large family and ended his formal education during the Depression
to help support his family. His lack of formal education made his earthly life
more difficult. He did not complain. My father did everything he could to pass
on his Catholic Faith and to assure his children a quality education – sending
us to Catholic elementary school and Catholic high school. I was the only child
blessed to receive a college education.
Altar boy and minor seminarian was I
until I decided I knew better than God. I later dropped out of college to
enlist in US Air Force where I served as a radio operator (primarily in air
traffic control) for nearly 4 years, including tours in Philippines, Vietnam
and Presidential Communications in Washington D.C.
I am eternally grateful that God
gave me a loving wife and that he used her, a persistent and caring priest and
our daughter’s first Holy Communion to bring me back to Him and His Church. The
seeds of faith were nourished over the years by my participation in Cursillo,
the Charismatic Renewal, Prison Ministry and most especially through
Eucharistic Adoration. My vocation as a Lay Dominican and a rediscovered love
for the Rosary created an insatiable appetite for the Truth, a hunger and deeper
love for the Eucharist, and a zeal for the salvation of souls, including mine.
Following a heart attack in 2008, I
retired from the practice of law after 30 years. Suddenly, I had time to write
– something I always felt the Lord was prompting me to do.
-001.jpg)
I simply took the index cards out of
my drawer, placed them on my desk, and sorted them to see if there were any
common themes or topics. It took me several months to go through that process.
I was surprised to see how many different topics were encompassed by the
thousands of quotes I had accumulated. There were simply too many to use.
How did you choose which quotes you would include?
That was the most difficult part of
the writing process. There are many quotes not in the book that probably should
be in it and some that probably should not have been included. Copyright issues,
restrictions on the ability to use quotations from Scripture and the Catechism
of the Catholic Church, and space limitations added complexity to and prolonged
the process.
I prayed constantly for guidance,
adding and deleting quotations as prompted or suggested to do so. I wanted the
selections to be diverse enough so that every one who read the book would be challenged,
inspired and instructed. I made no attempt to make the topics uniform in
length. A reader will easily be able to discern which topics were closest to my
heart and the most significant in my spiritual journey.
I divided the 1200 quotations
included in this book among seventeen chapters in a way that was similar to my
own spiritual walk. I went through eleven drafts, seeking input and comments
from priests and friends. Among the invaluable suggestions I received and
followed was compiling a suggested reading list and including indices of topics
and individuals quoted.
Have you received any feedback on your book you'd like to share?
Yes! In addition to your kind words and
those of fellow writer, Anne Costa, posted on Amazon.com, the feedback has been
quite positive and humbling. The Catholic Writer’s Guild (CWG) awarded Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire! its
Seal of Approval and featured it in the “Member Profile” column of its July
newsletter. The book was discussed
in the Syracuse diocesan newspaper, several local papers in Central New York, on
Catholic Lane.com and favorably
received by my Bishop. As “word spreads”, I have been invited to speak at a
number of parishes where the book and I have been well received.
Priests have been challenged by some of
the quotations in the book and find it a well of inspiration for homilies.
Fellow writers view it as a great resource for quotations to use in their own
work. Busy individuals and reluctant readers benefit from the wisdom of the
ages set forth in small digestible tidbits. Practicing and lapsed Catholics and
Christians from other denominations find it inspiring. One priest friend was
kind enough to suggest that his Bishop provide a copy to all of his priests.
Thank you for the opportunity to share
this time with your readers.
There is also an informative book
trailer that will give you a good sense of what the book offers: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mhS1aqdvQQ&feature=plcp).
If this book causes just one person who otherwise might have spent
little or no time thinking of God and his/her relationship with Him to do so,
my effort to compile these words of wisdom will have been richly rewarded. The
value and future success of this book rests where it belongs – in God’s hands.
Thank you very much, Michael for sharing with us. May God bless the book, all who read it, and you and your family as well!
God bless!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women: New Review
Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women: New Review: "I received Rooted in Love for Christmas. I can't speak highly enough about it. Filled with words of comfort as well as, uplifting, prac...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women: "Rooted in Love" Retreats!
Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women: "Rooted in Love" Retreats!: Are you craving a time to reflect about your God-given vocation as a Catholic woman? Get in touch with me and let's talk about setting up a...
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