Association Of Catholic Bloggers

If you are looking for something unique and engaging, consider  Laura Pearl's online book club ! Join women from around the country and share thoughts, gain insights, and just have fun! Laura is the author of two novels:  Finding Grace  and her latest novel  Erin's Ring . She's a gifted storyteller and a funny and warm-hearted blogger (as well as mother of five grown sons...)  Nancy Carabio Belanger  (author of The Gate which won first place in the 2014 Catholic Press Awards for novels) has said about Laura's  latest novel : " This wholesome novel had me shed tears of sadness and joy, and these brave young Irish-Catholic women from different generations drew me in. Lovingly and tenderly written,  Erin's Ring  is a story of true friendship, sacrificial love, and above all, the God Who is never bound by time or space."

Maybe you’ve heard it was coming. Maybe in your heart of hearts you knew you were going to be part of it. Personally, I didn’t need much encouragement to join. Join what, you ask? The Digital Detox of 2015. In fact, I only happened to come across the naming of this phenomenon in passing so I’m already pretty much Internet detoxing. Have been for a while. read more here

I come from a long line of strong women. Women who overcame difficult odds and overwhelming heartache. Women who will never be known to anyone other than those in their immediate family. The older I get, the more I think about these incredible women. I wonder if I am made of the same stock and marvel at the way they lived their lives. Faced with the difficulties they had faced, how would I have fared? Every woman I know is able to say the same thing: Strong women are part of their history. In that way, we all share a common thread. I remember when the movie  My Big Fat Greek Wedding  came out and the clever promotion that replaced the word “Greek” with “Polish” and “Italian” and any number of different heritages. It is because that thread runs through all of us. We can all relate to some of the same things when we take the time to look into our history. read more here

This Lent I’m doing some different things. Or maybe I should say I’m doing things differently. Regardless of my intentions, I’ve noticed that the last few Lenten Seasons (and Advent, too) have started out as gangbusters but then have really petered out. I’m reminded of the saying “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” Talking with some friends, I’ve found that it is a far more common occurrence then most of us are willing to admit. We purchase the Lenten book, we buy all the pieces for the Advent wreath, we envision the holy and anointed times that will take place in our homes and in our hearts during these sacred seasons. Of course, the more we plan, the more likely we are to fail. After all, 40 days is a long time to stay committed. It is test of endurance and we unwittingly set ourselves up for failure because we aren’t always realistic in what we set out to do. So this Lent, I’m doing something different: I'm setting myself up for success. continue readin...

Young adult books are big sellers…for the over 18 crowd. This, according to a recent Nielson poll and reported by CBS news. I’m not surprised by this "new" poll—and you shouldn’t be either. And I would hazard a guess that the numbers are mostly women—or are even higher if only women were polled. After all, we want more than pornography and vampires. We want to be transported to that place of hope and kindness despite odds. Speak to us about the realities of our lives and remind us of all the great potential we have! Long ago (okay, about 3 years ago), I reviewed Nancy Carabio Belanger’s “Olivia”books. What I couldn’t get over—and tried to get across in my posted reviews—was how much I enjoyed the books that were written for tweens and teens. Me, a slightly older than middle-aged woman truly loved them. I likened them to Anne of Green Gables: a timeless book that can be read by anyone of any age. Nancy’s books are that good. They take you back to a place filled with ...