Cath-Lit Live! Episode 9 with guest Sr. Kathleen Glavich

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Mary Kathleen Glavich is a Sister of Notre Dame from Chardon, Ohio. She is the author of more than eighty books on spirituality and religious education for children and adults. Formerly, she taught every grade from first to twelfth and served as a vocation director for the Diocese of Cleveland. She enjoys giving talks and retreats, playing the piano, and crocheting baby blankets.

G.K. Chesterton said, “Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.” Humans exhibit certain characteristics toward a loved one, for example, constantly thinking of them and delighting in being together. When you are involved in an intimate relationship with God, these characteristics hold true for God and you. In A Love Affair with God, twelve of them are explained. Each chapter presents how God shows one trait toward you and how you reciprocate if you are love God. It is a goldmine of ways to express love for God. Scripture verses, quotations, and stories are woven through the book. Questions for reflection are included. This book promises to make you more aware of the immense love God has for you and to stir you to love God back with all your heart. This love affair is for time and eternity. It makes life worth living.

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Monday Book Review: The Haunted Cathedral by Antony Barone Kolenc

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After a bit of a hiatus from writing book reviews (thank you, dissertation), I’m so excited to share with you The Haunted Cathedral, Book #2 of Antony Barone Kolenc’s Harwood Mysteries series.

In book 1, Xan becomes an orphan when his village is attacked, and he ends up living in the care of the Benedictine monks at Harwood Abbey. In this second book, Xan has settled in at the Abbey and made friends with a number of people, including Brother Andrew, fellow orphan Joshua, and Lucy, who lives at the nearby convent.

When book 2 opens, several problems confront Xan. First, his friend Lucy has been called away from the convent to travel with her father for a while. Then, a bailiff from his old village of Hardonbury arrives at the monastery to inform Xan that he is still a serf of Hardonbury, even though he’s an orphan. He must either pay the head money to become a free peasant or return to Hardonbury as a serf.

Xan has one chance to escape that. He must find his long-lost uncle and convince him to either adopt him or pay his head money. But finding his dad’s brother means traveling to a distant city in a wagon with the criminal responsible for his parents’ death.

I enjoyed this second book even more than the first. There are really two mysteries for Xan to solve. First, he must find his uncle. Second, while he’s in the town where his uncle is believed to reside, he discovers that the local cathedral is rumored to be haunted, and Xan wonders if the ghost could reconnect him with his dead parents.

Like the first book in the series, I’d recommend this for middle grade students who enjoy both adventure and mystery. A love of history doesn’t hurt either, as Kolenc bases part of his story on two actual buildings, Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral. A nice addendum at the end of the book shares the history of these two structures and what actually happened there.

Looking forward to the next adventure with Xan and his friends!

Teacher Survival Hack #1

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In anticipation of my upcoming book Sweet Jesus, Is It June Yet?: 10 Ways the Gospels Can Help You Combat Teacher Burnout and Rediscover Your Passion for Teaching, I’m creating a series of videos with “teacher survival hacks.”

The winter months are always a challenging part of the school year, especially February. One former principal used to call the month of February, “the armpit of the school year.” As I’m typing this, I’m looking at the week ahead and realizing that the temps are going to be so dangerously cold that the kids probably won’t get much, if any, outdoor recess time this week. Cabin fever is about to set in big time!

Thus, I’ve plucked out a few of my tips from my upcoming book, plus some bonus ideas, and am sharing my hacks for making it through this challenging part of the school year.

Teacher Survival Hack #1

I’d be so grateful if you’d consider sharing these videos with any teachers or principals you know. Trust me, they could all use a little pick-me-up right now. 🙂

Cath-Lit Live! Episode 8 with guest Patrick O’Hearn

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Patrick O’Hearn grew up in the Midwest and spent close to three years in a Benedictine Monastery before discerning the call to marriage. He graduated with a master’s in education from Franciscan University of Steubenville and a bachelor’s in marketing from St. Ambrose University. He founded Contemplative Heart Press to lead readers to a deeper union with God.

Discover the hidden heroes behind Sts. Faustina, Giana Molla, Josemaría Escrivá, Pope John Paul II, Maximilian Kolbe, Padre Pio, Thérèse, and countless others. Learn how over 100 parents formed their children into great saints by way of their virtuous lives, namely their seven hallmarks: sacramental life, surrender, sacrificial love, suffering, simplicity, solitude, and the sacredness of life. Each chapter of this book examines a particular hallmark in depth.

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Cath-Lit Live! Episode 7 with guest Maddie Evans

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Today I’m sharing my interview with romance author Maddie Evans.

Maddie Evans has lived in three New England states for over two decades. When she’s not spending time with her family, she’s running or doing things with yarn.

In Heart of the Violist, we meet Ashlyn and Michael. Still reeling from her teacher and father-figure’s terminal illness, Ashlyn is struggling toward a brighter future. On the heels of a breakup, Michael is fighting to piece together his past by finding his biological parents. What neither realizes is the depth of the secret at the heart of their families, and how prying it open may destroy the harmony they’re trying to create.

Want to make sure you don’t miss an episode of Cath-Lit Live!? Then you’ve got a couple options:

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Know a faith-sharing community that needs something different to do this Lent?

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Check out my Lenten Guide for Viewing and Praying with The Chosen. This 27-page, full-color guide will walk you through watching and discussing the viral streaming TV series The Chosen  over the course of seven sessions during Lent.  It includes discussion questions, journal prompts, opening prayers, and specific scenes to re-watch and discuss in detail. The program is very adaptable and can be used with both small and large groups, in-person or virtually.

If you like to have Google slides while you lead a group, I’ve also created a set of Google slides you can use. They make this program very easy to implement. The discussion questions are included right on the slides. The journal prompts come with embedded timers with meditation music. The scene study slides have the scenes of The Chosen embedded straight from their YouTube channel and cued up to the precise spot you want to start watching.

I put all my expertise as an educator into this guide and these slides. Seriously, my friends, I could not have made this easier for you or your favorite faith group leader unless I set up the Zoom calls for you. 🙂

You can get both the guide and the Google slides here.

Cath-Lit Live! Episode 6 with guest Karina Fabian

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Today I’m sharing my interview with science fiction and fantasy author Karina Fabian.

Karina Fabian writes product reviews and business articles by day, and has wild adventures in time, space, and fantastic realms just about any other time. Her stories are known for their humor, optimism and faith.

Want to make sure you don’t miss an episode of Cath-Lit Live!? Then you’ve got a couple options:

  • Follow me on Facebook. Then click the three dots under the blue “Send Message” button and click on “Follow Settings” and change the notifications to “Standard.”
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Cath-Lit Live! Episode 5 with guest Jeanie Egolf

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Today I’m sharing my interview with illustrator Jeanie Egolf.

Jeanie Egolf is a retired physician-turned-homeschooling-mom/author/illustrator/publisher. She has written four books, plus served as illustrator, designer, and/or Art Director for almost 100 books and projects since 2009, the year she sold her Internal Medicine practice to stay home with her children. Jeanie is also a catechist at St. Patrick parish. Her family enjoys playing music, sports, and rescuing various animals.

Jeanie is the illustrator for the Tiny Virtue Heroes series by Cathy Gilmore. In this episode of Cath-Lit Live!, Jeanie talks about the new picture book Wisdom Finds a Way.

In this nativity-themed story, Amel the camel, can’t see the wisdom of following a star to bring gifts to a baby in tiny Bethlehem. But Amel learns a lot from the love, prayer, and sacrifice of his hero, wise king Balthazar, with whom he meets the King of Kings!

Want to make sure you don’t miss an episode of Cath-Lit Live!? Then you’ve got a couple options:

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Cath-Lit Live! Episode 4 with guest Leslie Lynch

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Today I’m sharing my interview with novelist Leslie Lynch.

Please note: As you’ll hear in the interview, this is an adult novel covering mature topics. (Since I write books for teens and tweens, I thought I should make that clear.) However, if this book sounds like your cup of tea, please check out it on Leslie’s website at www.leslielynch.com.

Want to make sure you don’t miss an episode of Cath-Lit Live!? Then you’ve got a couple options:

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Cath-Lit Live! Episode 3 with guest Elizabeth Fust

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Today I’m sharing my interview with picture book author Elizabeth Fust.

Based on what she says in the interview, it sounds like this book could be a great Christmas gift for little ones. It’s a nativity story told from the perspective of a young sheep who needs a really good shepherd.

Want to make sure you don’t miss an episode of Cath-Lit Live!? Then you’ve got a couple options:

  • Follow me on Facebook. Then click the three dots under the blue “Send Message” button and click on “Follow Settings” and change the notifications to “Standard.”
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