The Handbook for Catholic Moms: Nurturing Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul

by Lisa M. Hendey

Overview

The Handbook for Catholic Moms, Lisa M. Hendey’s eminently practical and award-winning resource, has helped new parents balance and integrate the deeply personal needs of their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls with the demands of family life and faith commitment.

Since the first edition was published in 2010, it’s become an indispensable resource for two generations of Catholic moms, offering a unique perspective on all aspects of life and honest advice from fellow moms on topics ranging from marriage and finances to stress management and parish life.

The Handbook for Catholic Moms is not a typical parenting book: It doesn’t offer tips for calming a fussy baby or dealing with adolescent angst. In caring for yourself—heart, mind, body, and soul—you can better love and care for your family, community, and Church, according to Lisa M. Hendey, founder of CatholicMom.com and bestselling author of The Book of Saints for Catholic Moms and The Grace of Yes.

Hendey provides her personal stories and observations on a number of topics, including:

• stress reduction and sleep
• nurturing your marriage
• engaging in Mass as a family
• modeling lifelong learning to your children
• balancing your career with your vocation as a mother

Each chapter includes relevant scripture references, quotations from saints or noted Catholic figures, commentary and perspectives from other Catholic writers, and checklists of suggested steps moms can take in bringing better balance and integration to their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594713125
Publisher:	Ave Maria Press
Publication date:	08/02/2019
Series:	CatholicMom.com Book
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Lisa M. Hendey is the founder of the award-winning CatholicMom.com. She is the bestselling author of multiple books for adults and children, including The Handbook for Catholic Moms, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, The Grace of Yes, I’m a Saint in the Making, and the Chime Travelers fiction series.

Hendey has appeared on EWTN, CatholicTV, and as a part of the Momnipotent DVD series. Her work has appeared in Catholic Digest, National Catholic Register, and Our Sunday Visitor.

Hendey travels internationally, giving workshops for adults and children. She has spoken at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Catholic Marketing Network, the University of Dallas Ministry Conference, the National Catholic Youth Conference, the Midwest Catholic Family Conference, and the National Council of Catholic Women. Selected as an Egan Journalism Fellow with Catholic Relief Services, Hendey has traveled, written, and spoken on behalf of CRS, Unbound, and other non-profit organizations to support their humanitarian missions in Rwanda, the Philippines, India, Tanzania, Kenya, and Columbia.

She lives with her husband, Greg, in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Part I Heart 1

Chapter 1 A Match Made in Heaven 2

Chapter 2 Somebody's Mom 14

Chapter 3 Soul Sisters 30

Chapter 4 Faith Family 38

Chapter 5 Special Circumstances 48

Chapter 6 You're Never Alone 60

Part II Mind 73

Chapter 7 School's Never Out 74

Chapter 8 Working Things Out 84

Chapter 9 Bearing the Clock 94

Chapfer 10 The Family Banker 104

Chapfer 11 Weaving Your Way through the Web 114

Chapter 12 Cultivating Creativity 124

Part III Body 135

Chapter 13 Fitness Focus 136

Chapter 14 Fuel for the Journey 148

Chapter 15 "And Protect Us from All Anxiety" 158

Chapfer 16 Doctor's Orders 168

Part IV Soul

Chapter 17 Prioritizing Prayer 178

Chapter 18 Mass Matters 188

Chapter 19 A Mother's Mother 198

Chapter 20 Saintly Solutions 210

Chapter 21 The Beauty of the Bible 222

Chapter 22 Culture of Faith 232

Acknowledgments 243

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“If you’re a Catholic mom looking for the instruction manual—with a side of honesty and deep faith—you've found your winner in this book.” —Kathryn Whitaker, Author of Live Big, Love Bigger

“A book every Catholic mom should own!” —Danielle Bean, Catholic author and brand manager at CatholicMom.com

“The go-to book on Catholic motherhood.” —Brandon Vogt, Content director at Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, Author of Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too)

“Lisa Hendey’s reflections in this book are encouragement and inspiration, her honesty in them is a relief, and her candor is refreshing. I love this book.” —Katie Prejean McGrady, Catholic speaker and author of Follow

“No matter what stage of motherhood you’re living, this trove of wisdom will yield fruit for you, your children, and your children’s children!” —Lindsay Schlegel, Author of Don’t Forget to Say Thank You

“The Handbook for Catholic Moms is a welcome extension of Lisa Hendey’s wisdom and energy, enriched by the experiences of the community of women who have found community, support, and strength through CatholicMom.com.” —Amy Welborn, Author of A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days

“Not only is this a wonderfully inspiring book, it is also an informative, helpful reference manual for all mothers.” —Ellen Gable Hrkach, Catholic author and blogger

“Practical, easy-to-read guide to all things maternal and Catholic. Catholic moms will welcome this informative, upbeat guide as a resource that nicely blends the sacred with the secular.” —Publishers Weekly

“Lisa Hendey is the kind of friend whose advice you always treasure. Warm, wise, funny, compassionate, faith-filled, and, above all experienced in the joys and struggles of family life, her book will be a lifesaver to Catholic women who try, hope, and pray to be good moms.” —James Martin, S.J.

Editorial Reviews

As a Catholic mother, Hendey, the creator of CatholicMom.com, has had to find a new parish, learn how to navigate the Internet, and make new friends in a strange place, all while holding herself and her family together mentally, physically, and spiritually. In this practical, easy-to-read guide to all things maternal and Catholic, she shares her advice and that of some of her online colleagues. Knowing busy moms have fleeting attention spans, Hendey wisely has broken each chapter into short takes that include a story from her life, personal reflections of other moms, pithy quotes from church figures and texts, "Mom's Homework" to-dos and Web resources. She covers matters of heart, mind, body and soul in chapters on relationships, creativity, fitness and prayer, all infused with a uniquely Catholic outlook that emphasizes the importance of such things as frequent reception of the sacraments, befriending the saints, and getting the most out of worship during Mass. Catholic moms will welcome this informative, upbeat guide as a resource that nicely blends the sacred with the secular.

Publishers Weekly