Author Archives: jptomey

GoodRead: The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion

I was able to get my hands on a galley copy of The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion in order to review it here, and I am so glad that I did! I have had the privilege of praying with this book of daily reflections for the past month, and it has refreshed my prayer life in wonderful ways. The book, edited by authors Lisa Hendey and Sarah Reinhard, is a compilation of reflections by many different writers. There are many devotionals out there by single authors — great ones. But this book is unique in its multi-vocal quality. You hear the voices of many different women — some like you, some different from you — and I found that really valuable.

As a mom seeking to grow in my prayer life, I am always grateful for a fresh perspective, a different vantage point. As I read through various entries each day, I was struck by the beautiful diversity of Catholic motherhood that is represented in these pages. It reminds me of what St. Therese says about all the different kinds of flowers. The wildflower is not less beautiful than the rose or the lily; they are just different beauties in God’s garden. The diversity is God’s design. Diversity is important for the edification of the body of Christ, and books like this help with that edification — particularly in the flourishing of our prayer lives.

Here are a few additional things that I liked about the Prayer Companion, and I think a lot of other Catholic moms will appreciate these too: Continue reading →

New on CatholicMom.com…Space for Solitude

In case you missed last week’s post at CatholicMom.com about making space in our lives for solitude, here it is. Excerpt:

“Because we live in a world of devices that is full of noise, we have to do more than just set aside space for solitude; we have to protect that space as well. We have to be both offensive and defensive. What does that mean? It means asking yourself where you are vulnerable. Where and how does your solitude continually get interrupted? What technologies or uses of technologies allow you space for solitude, and what uses encroach upon it?”

If you have thoughts, comments or insights, feel free to post them here or there.

 

#GoodRead: Reclaiming Conversation

Reclaiming ConversationReclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, by Sherry Turkle, is one of the most important books for right now in both interpersonal relationships and public discourse. The main thesis: Digital technologies have consumed the time and spaces for conversations in our lives, and we are raising generations of young adults and children who don’t know how to have conversations. I found this book recommended in several places, and I am so glad I picked it up. (Actually, I listened to it read by Kirsten Potter — who was great!) I usually only recommend books on this blog that I think a wide range of people should read, and this is one of them. Why? Because the problems with our use of technology that Turkle addresses are problems that touch the daily interactions of 99% of the people I know, including myself! I wasn’t really surprised by anything in the book, but I was extremely surprised by how little I had previously considered the full impact of our devices on our relationships and our culture.

Though I don’t think people would describe me as someone who is “on her phone all the time,” I realized that I had allowed my phone (and the pull of everything on it) to be all too “present” to me at all times. I wasn’t too many pages in before I made some immediate changes to my iPhone notification settings and started to conceptualize an intentional use of digital devices in my life and the rhythms of our family. The book contained so many important critiques of technology, questions regarding normative uses of it, and sobering realities of its impact on us. Here are a few such points that grabbed my attention: Continue reading →