The Cloistered Heart

     Having read Nancy Shuman's Cloistered Heart Blog, I was very happy to receive her book in the mail. The Holy Spirit inspired validating words in The Cloistered Heart far surpassed my already high expectations. Within the pages of this humble book, satiating remedies to distractions in prayer are gently imparted. Thoughtfully addressing lay Catholics, this book also faithfully encourages those called to religious vocations. The seeds of vocation are lovingly planted in the heart of the reader fortunate enough to be beckoned by the whisper of Jesus.

     This is a work to be read  many times during the Christian prayer journey. Each reading is sure to reveal some previously unnoticed gem. This is not a how to book of mediocre prayer formulas. Rather, it is a work which divinely unmasks each readers' unique God given prayer gifts. I look forward to sharing copies of this work.  I'll be sure to keep a copy among my Adoration prayer books.

~You may purchase The Cloistered Heart @ Amazon.com~ 

Monastery Soups

The soup recipes in this cookbook
 introduce the taste buds
to a world of hearty and sumptuous flavors.

(Levisticum officinale~Loveage from One Third Acre Farm)

You can learn more about Monastery Soups here.

Faith, Farming, Family

     Any undertaking immersed in prayer aligns us with the holiness God's will. Rural/agrarian life can be simultaneously challenging and grace filled. An excellent prayer companion, The Rural Life Prayer Book, compiled and written by Alban J, Dauchauer SJ, is rich in its descriptions of the relationship between faith, farming and family life. It is filled with beautiful, timeless, prayers, devotions and novenas. This prayerbook bears a wealth of encouragement for families seeking to live out their Catholic faith within the context of a rural/agrarian lifestyle.  It can be read online @ the EWTN Online Library or purchased  @ the National Catholic Rural Life Conference website.

Take Notes

     Contemporary trends bombard us relentlessly. We are encouraged to demand unrealistic outcomes from painstaking plans. This often leads to frustration. Failure, by the world's standards, is the most likely result. Abandonment to Divine Providence offers the reader a clear view of the supernatural rewards of complete surrender to the perfect and holy will of God. Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade's classic work presents us with the option to free ourselves of the burden to acquire wealth, popularity and status. Quietly living within God's will fills our every day with the joys of holy simplicity. We are strengthened to bear our trials with constancy and hope. This is an excellent book for a spiritual journal. 

Read Abandonment to Divine Providence on line @Catholic Treasury or puchase a copy @ TAN Books

Peace of Soul

     Consolations offered by secular media are fleeting. Food, fashions and fantasy line the sinuous path to "nowhere". Empty promises of tranquility are merely fragile moments of complacency. Disappointment leaves us feeling spiritually ill.

     The Sacraments, "instituted by Christ to give grace", are impervious shields for the souls of those who persevere. Archbishop Fulton Sheen's classic work, Peace of Soul is elegant and deeply thought provoking. This collection of humble answers eclipses any tower of spurious panaceas. Fulton Sheen's classic work, Peace of Soul, can be purchased @ Catholic Company.

"Jesus~my rest and tranquility

Jesus~my peace my sweetness..."

from the Prayer of Saint Bonaventure

holy transformation

Jesus takes us on His journey of love

Mary shows us how

to love Him with all that we are

to transform us from a simple structure

into messengers of His immeasurable love

to be with all of the angels and saints

living Eternal life with Him

      33 Days to Morning Glory  is so simply and beautifully presented by Father Michael Gaitley ,of the  Marians of the Immaculate Conception. Following the prescription of Saint Louis de Montfort, this glorious 33 day retreat is a path to Holy Transformation, into the heart of Jesus through Mary.

Trusting in God With St. Therese by Connie Rossini-Chapter 13

Trusting in God With St. Therese 

by Connie Rossini

     Throughout her religious life, Saint Therese made little acts of sacrificial love, not to store up the merits for herself, but for the eternal benefit of other souls. Self  offering was a remarkable characteristic of her spiritual life. Not concerned about her own possible entry into Purgatory, she selflessly, freely, and lovingly, concerned herself with the salvation of other souls. 

     Thank you Mrs. Rossini for this chapter, which so lovingly teaches us about the last four things-death, judgment, heaven and hell. We are gently reminded that the God we fear compassionately takes into account our weaknesses when judging us. God is justice itself. We are responsible to ardently seek out what God desires of us. With this knowledge, it is our duty to elect to obey God. Our failures during this struggle, increase our humility. We must be confident in His forgiveness. The Holy Spirit helps us to differentiate between hope in His mercy and the presumption of His forgiveness. Prayers and sacrifices on behalf of souls dear to us who have passed from this life are of great importance. What a gift it is to trust in His will regarding the eternity of our loved ones. 

   I am grateful to have experienced the past thirteen weeks with this candid and beautifully written book. I look forward to sharing this, and reading more of Connie Rossini's writings.