Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Champion
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Would you like to find a deeper connection to the Blessed Mother this upcoming May? I highly recommend this new book release: Universal Mother: A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary by Holly Schapker and Cecelia Dorger (Franciscan Media). I have loved Holly Schapker’s Mary paintings for years, and am thrilled that this book has finally been released. It features 21 original Marian paintings from various times, cultures, ethnicities, and styles, and includes her moving reflections on her artistic and faith journey. Each reflection is also paired with an engaging mini memoir-like narrative by Cecilia Dorger, an internationally recognized sacred art historian. There is so much love for Mary here! And to top it off, each section closes with soft, stirring prompts with generous blank pages to journal. One of my favorites is “What suffering in your life cries out for Mary's gentle guidance?”. And, “Look at the painting and contemplate the way Mary has come through for you”.
There are so many books that crowd the Catholic and Christian marketplace, but I can offer firmly that this one should move to the top of your list. For me, the wash of colors and motherly contours of the artwork, the vulnerable indwelling of the reflections, and the invitation and space to write down my own desires and thoughts, all add up to a rare gem of a book. I will put the link to the book below so that if you decide to order it, you can get it to start the month of May ready to embark on a fresh, new path to Our Lady.
Maureen O’Brien is the author of two spiritual memoirs from Franciscan Media: “What Was Lost: Seeking Refuge in the Psalms” and the most recent, “Gather the Fragments: My Year of Finding God’s Love” She can be found on Instagram at maureen_obrien_writer.
