A CATHOLIC MOTHER’S COMPANION TO PREGNANCY
Walking With Mary From Conception to Baptism
By Sarah Reinhard
Ave Maria Press, 2012
237 pages, $14.95
To order: avemariapress.com or (800) 282-1865, ext. 1
In a culture that often does not recognize motherhood as a vocation, Sarah Reinhard’s A Catholic Mother’s Companion to Pregnancy comes as a much-needed affirmation of this most important calling. It offers expectant moms ready-made prayers, meditations and simple activities aimed at helping them live their faith.
Reinhard guides her readers through pregnancy with one chapter a week. Each chapter consists of five easy-to-read sections, beginning with a short description of baby’s or mom’s physical development, followed by a meditation on a mystery of the Rosary. A section entitled "One Small Step" offers a faith-related task, and "Faith Focus" explains an element of our Catholic faith. Each chapter ends with a heartfelt prayer. Tired moms will especially appreciate this already prepared invocation.
Moms will relate well to the reflections and faith-strengthening activities. For instance, in meditating on the Annunciation, she explains how Mary said "Yes" to God without hesitation, despite the challenges. She notes that just as Mary did not seek to control her situation, there will be many aspects of pregnancy and motherhood that will be beyond our control.
Readers will appreciate her honesty as she shares her own spiritual struggles. Her suggestion — "Say ‘Yes’ to God this week by attending Mass with your full attention — or at least as much of it as your state in life will allow" — can be welcomed by many moms as a merciful and useful reminder. She suggests putting a crucifix on your desk so that when you are organizing your papers you find a reminder to stop and pray. Other suggestions include saying only positive things about your spouse and praying the Creed as you write it down in order to really focus on the words.
A plus for Catholic mothers is that this book, unlike so many secular pregnancy guides on the market, does not end with birth, but also guides moms through baptism, providing an overview of the sacrament, offering ideas for its preparation and ways to pass on the faith.
Readers will be grateful for Reinhard’s warning in the introduction that her book will address some difficult topics, including miscarriage, depression and carrying to term a baby who might not live. For those instances, however, Reinhard calls upon writers who have experienced such situations to offer words of support and advice.
Throughout the book, Reinhard shares her feelings about marriage, pregnancy and children; and while readers will likely appreciate her honesty in this area, her feelings are admittedly somewhat negative at times. For instance, she states, "I wasn’t so keen to get married," and "I’m not a baby person." But she does recognize that some, especially those struggling with infertility, will find it difficult to understand her sentiments.
Overall, this is a great guide for mothers, with wonderful insights from the Blessed Mother and a real-life mom.
Mary Walsh writes from
Hamden, Connecticut.
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How sad for ‘moms’ that the Vatican II council gave Our Blessed Mother only one chapter in its 16 documents. Salvation depends on our devotion to our Mother Dearest and Mother Fairest dispenser of all graces. To Jesus through Mary is what St. Louis DeMontfort teaches Catholics.
Mary,
How good to see your work online. I had been trying to reach you, but had no way of contacting you. Should you read this, please get in touch.
Is it in libraries? This book is indispensable for moms to be and should be in each and every library across North America. Perhaps, wishful thinking, but I pray the Blessed Mother to help us.
I found this beautiful prayer for mothers:
Prayer to Be Recited by Catholic Mothers
O Mary, “full of grace and blessed among women,” stretch out the hand of thy motherly protection, we beseech thee, upon us who gather round thy queenly throne as thy handmaidens, obedient to thy command and resolved with thy help to bring to realization in ourselves and our sisters the ideals of truth and Christian perfection.
Our eyes are fixed on thee in admiration, Immaculate Virgin; thou who art loved by the Heavenly Father above all others! O Virgin Spouse of the Holy Ghost! Tender Mother of Jesus! Obtain for us from thy Divine Son the grace to reflect thy sublime virtues in our conduct, according to our age and condition of life. Grant that we may be spotless and pure in our thoughts and in our behavior; gentle, affectionate, and sympathetic companions to our husbands; to our children solicitous, vigilant and wise mothers; prudent administrators of our homes; exemplary citizens of our dear country; faithful daughters of the Church, ever ready to allow ourselves to be guided by her in thought and deed.
Help us, loving Mother, to be truly devoted to the duties of our state of life; help us make our homes true centers of spiritual life and active charity, schools where consciences will be rightly formed, gardens where every virtue will flourish. Give us thy help that in social and political life we may be patterns of deep faith, of consistent and gracious practice, of incorruptible integrity, and of well-balanced judgment based upon the solid principles of religion.
Bless these resolutions which thou hast inspired us to make and the trials thou hast helped us to bear; may we with thine aid come to see their abundant fruits in time and in eternity. Amen.
— Composed by Pope Pius XII, May 26, 1957
I posted a prayer by Pope Pius XII and got this message: “Since your comment has been flagged as ‘potential’ spam, it will be reviewed before acceptance. Sorry for this inconvenience”.
Why is a prayer by a Pope considered ‘spam ‘?
I’m pregnant with my first child, and I love this book. She’s honest, and so insightful. I love being able to meditate on Mary while I go through my pregnancy. She offers insights I never would have thought of, and I love having the prayers I can do every morning with my morning offering. I totally recommend this book to any expectant mother.
nice gts here~~ nice lalala~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ gts http://www.nicegts.com
THE MEMORARE
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.
suggested book for mothers and mother’s to be:
“WOMAN - Her Influence and Zeal as an Aid to the Priesthood” by Very Rev. James Alberione, S.S.P., S.T.D
Library of Congress card #64-24361
another very good book:
“The Child” by Monseigneur Dupanloup. Msg. Dupanloup is noted for his exceptionally good teachings on raising and the education of children.
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