Catholic Momcast

This week, children's book author Jennifer sharpe joins Danielle Bean for a discussion of how to not just survive but THRIVE with kids at Mass.

Jennifer's unique, award-winning book is My First Interactive Mass Book from Ascension. This hands-on book helps kids learn more about the church, the Mass and their Catholic faith, all while keeping little hands busy.

Jennifer shares ideas abut ways to use the book as well as tips for managing even unruly children at Mass. We also discuss ways that parish communities can be more welcoming to families with young children.

Join us and be sure to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

This week, Lisa Hendey and Danielle Bean talk about the importance of grandparents and the pivotal role they are called to play in their grandchildren's lives. 

Lisa shares about how she recently became a grandmother and they joy this sweet little girl is already bringing to her life. They also shares thoughts on what opportunities we have as grandparents to be a good role model and source of encouragement for the next generation. Lisa shares some tips readers have offered her on Facebook recently, and they discuss the fact that traditions do not have to be fancy or complicated to be deeply meaningful.

Join us for this inspiring conversation and then let us know your thoughts too. You can send us questions, feedback, or ideas for future topics at [email protected].

Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean share ideas about making your home a "domestic church." What does that mean, and what is the value and importance of Catholic "stuff" like statues, pictures, medals, crucifixes, and holy water?

Some links to some of the favorites they mention:

The Catholic Company

Smith Catholic Art

Brightly Hued

That Catholic Design

How about you? In what ways is your home a Catholic space that inspires thoughts of God, Mary, and the saints? What are some of your favorite pieces, old or new? We love to hear from you!

Our special guest this week is illustrator and graphic designer Ted Schluenderfritz. Ted is the illustrator for the book, Portrait of the Son, which we featured in last week's podcast interview with author Josephine Nobisso.

But today, Ted is sharing about a new initiative he and his family have begun: 5 Sparrows is a website chock-full of creative tools, games, reflections, and puzzles to help encourage Catholic kids in their faith.

Ted shares how he and his family came to build the site together and the hopes he has that it can be a real gift to families. The website is free to use, but you can sign up to support with a monthly membership if you like. Check out 5 Sparrows and share it with your kids, grandkids, and students. More to come in the months ahead!

This week our special guest is children's book author Josephine Nobisso. Josephine chats with Danielle Bean about beauty and truth and ways we can use children's literature to reach young people's hearts and build them up in their faith.

Josephine shares about working with illustrator Ted Schluenderfritz and their new project together, Portrait of the Son.

To learn more, check out Josephine's author page on Amazon to learn more, or visit her publishing website, Gingerbread House Books.

This week, our guest is Barb Szyszkiewicz, author of The Handy Little Guide to Prayer.  Barb chats with Danielle Bean about what prayer is and why it is important.

Barb and Danielle discuss ways to make prayer a regular part of your everyday routines and share ideas for new ways to pray and encouragement for those who struggle with prayer.

The Handy Little Guide to Prayer is an excellent resource that can support you in your daily prayer life and inspire you to pray more, but it is also a handy toll for evangelization. Keeping some copies in your bag or in your car for handing out to others is a great, no-too-pushy way to encourage others in their prayer lives.

And ... bonus content! Barb has put together a Spotify playlist to accompany The Handy Little Guide to Prayer. You might enjoy praying as you listen to the beautiful and inspiring music she has gathered here. 

What's in your book bag this summer? This week, Danielle Bean and Allison Gingras discuss what recent books they have read or are reading so far this summer along with suggestions for non-fiction, fiction, and spiritual reading.

Also, we share ideas for ways to make more time for reading, as well as ways to encourage kids to read even when school is out for the summer.

How about you? What are you reading this summer? We would love to hear from you with your ideas and questions. Send us an email at [email protected].

Our guests this week are Greg and Lisa Popcak, co-directors of the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life.

Greg and Lisa share about the founding of the Institute and the good work it is doing to help support families in raising kids in the Faith. 

We discuss the idea of the "Liturgy of the Domestic Church," what that means and some easy ways we can implement it in our homes and families as we raise our kids to love their Catholic faith.

Join us for an enlightening and helpful conversation!

Join Lisa Hendey and Danielle Bean for a discussion of how moms can make room for fitness in their everyday lives. Lisa shares ways that even very normal activities, like cleaning, waking, or caring for small children can "count" as daily exercise. The important thing is to keep moving!

Some tools we mention:

Silver Sneakers

Peloton app

How about you? How do you make room for physical fitness in your life? How do you find time and motivation to keep moving? we would love to hear from you! Send us an email with  your ideas, feedback, and questions: [email protected]

What are your family's plans for fun this summer? Vacation? Relaxation? A break from typical routines? Danielle Bean and Allison Gingras share some ideas from their own family plans for fun this summer,as well as some things they have enjoyed in the past, when all their kids were younger.

Having fun together as a family does not have to overwhelm moms with work or break the budget. We discuss how sometimes the simplest of ideas make the most lasting memories.

How about you? Let us know what your plans are for fun this summer as well as any tips you have for vacationing or road tripping with your family. We love to hear from you! Email. us at [email protected] or connect with us on social media.