“O, that we could proclaim throughout the whole world and impress deeply upon the heart of every mother the words: Pray! Pray incessantly! Pray earnestly and fervently for your children.” (Bishop Cramer) That is the opening page to one of my favorite books. So much a favorite, that if I were allowed to only keep a couple of books–let’s change that to handful because I’m not sure pretending I can only keep two books is a fun way to start a post. If I could only keep a handful of books in my personal library, this book would be one of them. Today I’m going to share some Book Notes from Mother Love: A Manual for Christian Mothers.
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The first part of Mother Love: A Manual for Christian Mothers is divided into five parts containing prayers. The next part of the book is divided into 15 sections all under the heading, “Little Book of Instructions for Christian Mothers on the Christian Training of Children.”
The first section begins with Morning Prayers…
Next is “Morning Prayers Which a Christian Mother Should Teach Her Little Children.” These are followed by “Night Prayers” and “Night Prayers Which a Christian Mother Should Teach Her Children” followed by the common before meals and after meals prayers.
There are also prayers I was not familiar with: On Taking Holy Water, When the Clock Strikes, At the Sight of a Crucifix and At the Sight of the Picture of a Saint.
These prayers are followed by “Points of Doctrine Which a Christian Mother Should Teach Her Children.” This small section is a self contained catechism: Six Truths, Ten Commandments, Six Precepts, Holy Days of Obligation, Seven Sacraments, Seven Capital Sins and Their Opposite Virtues, Four Cardinal and Three Theological Virtues, Seven Gifts and Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost, etc.to
The next section is one of my favorites, “Prayers at Mass.” These prayers from the heart of a mother, follow the priest through the different parts of the Mass. There are also pages of “Devotions for Confession” as well as “Devotions for Communion” and “Devotions for the Way of the Cross.”
Next up are “Prayers for the Necessities of a Christian Mother.” These include: A Wife’s Prayer, Prayers of Mothers for Their Children, Prayer for Resignation and Fidelity in One’d Vocation, Prayer for Perseverance in Grace, Prayer in an Unhappy Marriage, various prayers for labor and delivery, A Mother’s Prayer to the Guardian Angels of Her Children, prayers for our children’s vocations, sick children, wandering children and grown children. There are private litanies to St. Monica, St. Rose of Lima, Our Mother of Sorrows to name a few. There are also indulgenced prayers and devotions. And finally, the “Little Book of Instructions for Christian Mothers.”
Do you see why I say if I could only keep a few books, Mother Love would definitely be one of them? I would obviously choose my Bible and Missal. I would choose Mother Love and probably The Imitation of Christ, Abandonment to Divine Providence and Introduction to the Devout Life. Oh and my collection of Fr. Jacques Philippe books. So there you have it, my top dozen spiritual books I don’t think I could live without. What are yours?
*The Rosary Bracelet shown in the Featured Image of this post was purchased from my friend Ruth at Loreto Rosaries.
Michelle says
Oh sure, now that I’ve committed once more to not buying any more books do you present this must have! I love those prayers. And I read somewhere that since our adversary is relentless, so we need to be in prayer. I’m putting that on my wish list.
I just told my daughter that after the Bible, it would be The Imitation of Christ and then Searching for and Maintaining Peace. Abandonment to Divine Providence has been tempting me greatly and the Devout Life I have, but have not read. (hence the abstinence)
For retention, do you own a copy of Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else): Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters?
Jenny says
I used to own a copy of Memorize the Faith. I could not wrap my mind around that book!! To me it seemed like I had to memorize more things, lol! My sister loves it though and so does everyone else I know so I think it’s just me.