by Mary | Oct 11, 2012 | Uncategorized
To kick off the Year of Faith, which begins today and runs through Nov. 24, 2013, I’m talking catechism over at the Huffington Post religion blog today. Here we go:
It’s Not Your Grandmother’s Catechism
By Mary DeTurris Poust
Admit it: When you hear the word “catechism,” you’re eyes start to glaze over, or, if you’re of a certain age, you may even have flashbacks to those line drawings of a red-horned devil that once filled the pages of the old Baltimore Catechism. But if you haven’t tried the “new” Catechism of the Catholic Church (20 years is new in a Church that moves by the century), you’re really missing out on something remarkable.
This is where you can read about adultery, angels and environmentalism all in one place; where you come face to face with all those things you thought knew about the Catholic Church only to realize you didn’t really know the whole story after all.
Continue reading HERE.
by Mary | Oct 10, 2012 | Yoga
I always get to the 5:45 a.m. yoga class at least 10 minutes early, better to settle in and spend a little time in silence before the studio fills up. Today was no different, at least not at first. I stretched a bit before closing my eyes and taking up half-lotus, patiently waiting for our teacher to arrive. Soon. Shortly. Any minute now…. (more…)
by Mary | Oct 9, 2012 | Uncategorized
We’re just days away from the start of the Year of Faith, a time of renewal, prayer, and study for Catholics around the world.
Pope Benedict XVI has specifically asked that Catholics spend time studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which, as you may recall, I covered page-by-page in my book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism.
Here’s what the pope had to say on the matter in his apostolic letter announcing the Year of Faith:
“From Sacred Scripture to the Fathers of the Church, from theological masters to the saints across the centuries, the Catechism provides a permanent record of the many ways in which the Church has meditated on the faith and made progress in doctrine so as to offer certitude to believers in their lives of faith.
“In its very structure, the Catechism of the Catholic Church follows the development of the faith right up to the great themes of daily life. On page after page, we find that what is presented here is no theory, but an encounter with a Person who lives within the Church.”
So I’m pretty psyched to get back on the catechism bandwagon and maybe bring some new folks along with me. Here’s what I’ll be doing to get the Year of Faith party started:
On Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012, at 8:10 a.m. EST, I’ll be talking about the catechism and the Year of Faith with Brian Patrick on the Son Rise Morning Show. You can catch that on Sacred Heart Radio 740 AM and 89.5 FM in Cincinnati, Ohio, or you can go to this link and listen online.
Then on Thursday, Oct. 11, the official start of the Year of Faith as well as the 20th anniversary of the publication of the catechism and the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, I’ll be kicking off a weekly series here on Not Strictly Spiritual.
Throughout the year, I plan to post some of my favorite catechism-related excerpts. Do you find it hard to believe I could actually have “favorites” from the catechism? It’s true. Despite how it looks in its intimidating, almost 1,000-page form, it’s actually a super cool read. Of course, if you don’t have time for 1,000 pages of catechism, there are always shorter, easier-to-read versions, like, oh, I don’t know, the Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism, which has an imprimatur, meaning it is all kosher according to the Church.
Finally, I’m happy to tell you that I’ll also be sharing posts occasionally throughout the Year of Faith over at Catholic Moms Talk. Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle was nice enough to invite me to join a cast of impressive Catholic moms who will be offering their take on the catechism as it relates to family life. Be sure to visit there regularly to see what we’re saying. (I’m sure I’ll find a way to let you know when I’m appearing over there.)
There will be more tantalizing catechism goings on in the months ahead, some I’m not at liberty to talk about just yet (doesn’t that sound intriguing?), so stay tuned. And make sure you have your catechism or your Complete Idiot’s Guide — or, better yet, both — on hand for the Year of Faith.
by Mary | Oct 5, 2012 | Books, Everyday Divine
My other new book is nearing its release date, and I realized this morning that I’ve been kind of quiet about it. I’ve been so caught up in so many other projects, this one has been slowly and silently creeping up on me, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t near and dear to my heart. It most definitely is, and here’s why.
Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality, which will be released on Nov. 6, grew out of my own need and desire to figure out how to fit prayer into my extraordinarily busy life. I simply can’t get to daily Mass or Adoration on a frequent (confession: even occasional) basis. It just never seems to happen. I am Rosary-challenged, and I can’t seem to string together nine straight days of a novena. Bottom line: Regular, traditional prayer is a constant struggle for me. So I had to come up with more creative ways to include prayer in my everyday life. And that is how “Everyday Divine” was born.
This book — using stories from my own life, stories from friends and colleagues, advice from the saints, and, yes, traditional prayers and devotions — covers everything from how to weave prayer into your exercise routine or morning commute to how to find pilgrim moments in the most unlikely places. It was a labor of love, and so many wonderful people — some you may even know — shared their own tips and techniques with me. There are practical suggestions, meditations, and more. And if you buy now, and only now, I’ll throw in the Ginsu knife. Okay, not really. But, still, buy now. It’s available for pre-order at all the usual spots. (Link above takes you to Amazon.)
Here’s what Jesuit Father James Martin had to say about my book when he “blurbed” it for the cover:
“I love this book because it’s practical. Too often spirituality is seen as something reserved either for mystics or, well, ‘someone else.’ Mary DeTurris Poust shows us that the spiritual life is not removed from your daily life, it is your daily life. Her new book will invite you to try some simple, down-to-earth and accessible ways of encountering God in what you might consider your ‘ordinary’ life. But after you’ve discovered God while you pray, but also while you work, clean, hike, exercise, do yoga and look at a sunset, your life will begin to seem pretty extraordinary indeed. Because it is.”
— James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything.
Let me give you a brief look at the Table of Contents (with a tiny explanation):
1. Creating Calm amid the Chaos (mindfulness)
2. Building a Spiritual Foundation (prayer essentials)
3. Turning Chores into Spiritual Practice (‘Little Way’)
4. Bringing the Body into Prayer (exercise)
5. Work of Our Hands (home and office)
6. Sounds and Signs of the Spirit (nature, song, and more)
7. Silence, Simplicity, and Solitude (sacred rhythm of life)
8. Dark Nights and Dry Spells (self-explanatory)
9. Pilgrimage of the Heart (walking the way of faith)
10. All of Life as Prayer (finding God in every moment)
So there you go. More to come in the days ahead as we close in on the release date. Still no decision (on my part) as to whether to do a release signing and party, mainly because I hate to burden my friends with yet another book signing. Especially when another book (Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God) is coming out six weeks after this one. If I do decide to go ahead with a signing party, you’ll be the first to know. Okay, maybe the second or third. Well, definitely in the top 100.
by Mary | Oct 4, 2012 | Uncategorized
Earlier today, I was out in our sun porch doing some gentle yoga in hopes of loosening up a nagging back muscle problem. As I stretched upward to begin a basic sun salutation, I realized I was looking up at my beautiful clay crescent moon, given to me by a good friend many years ago. Then later, as I turned to do a warrior pose, I noticed the clay sun hanging directly opposite. Suddenly all felt right with the world on this Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
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