Review: The Domestic Church

When I ordered The Domestic Church: Room By Room, A Study Guide for Mothers by noted Catholic author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, I was expecting something of a hands on guide to whipping my physical "domestic church" into shape. What I got was something much more meaningful!

Much more than simply a Bible study, Cooper O'Boyle weaves together Scripture, the Catechism, papal encyclicals, as well as quotes from the apostolic letters and various saints, inviting mothers to ponder and live out their vocation with the fullness of our Catholic faith.

Starting with the foyer and ending at the patio, each chapter's theme is a different room (for example, Chapter Two: The Garage focuses on the husband wife relationship, while Chapter Three: The Nursery looks at children and openness to life). The chapters are broken into two parts, each ending with questions and space to write out thoughts, as well as a summary. This layout works fantastically for busy mothers, allowing you to stop easily without becoming lost. Instructions for group usage are included at the beginning, but the book also works perfectly for independent study.

Cooper O'Boyle treats the vocation of motherhood realistically and respectfully, and with a warm and gentle tone that compliments and rounds out the myriad references through out the book. Mothers of all stripes, of many or few children, adoptive mothers, some-day mothers, and those whose children have all grown and gone; all will find The Domestic Church an affirming and inviting exploration of the beauty of our faith and the joy of our vocation.


This review was written as a part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company.