The Catholic Bookworm

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Michael Stalla on his book The Disciple Christ Deserves: A Catholic Spiritual Director’s Approach. ​

The journey to the Father is a joyful one, but there are times that the fragments of life, like bits and pieces of broken glass, seem shattered, seem useless. God takes those seemingly worthless moments, and shapes them into patterns of beauty, that only his eye can see. Like a patient stained-glass artist or sculptor, God reminds us that the ultimate pattern of our life cannot be visible in this life, but the Divine Artisan already sees the finished masterpiece.

Spiritual direction is looking at our life through God’s eyes, seeing that even amid life’s disappointments and difficulties, amid the joys of the journey, that every moment is meaningful. “Though I am sure that God could do a perfect job without our assistance, He takes joy in working with His beloved little ones. Working hand in hand with humanity must warm the Sacred Heart, just as it fills us with a sense of purpose, importance, and happiness. It is an honor to be invited to such a noble task.”

 https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/disciplechristdeserves/

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Miss Robyne L. Ferri on her book Slow Dancing with Jesus: Living Joyfully as a Single Catholic Woman!

Slow Dancing with Jesus invites single Catholic women to discover joy, peace, and fulfilment in God during their single life journey, regardless of the length of that journey. Not even one full stop was set down without first being entrusted to the intercession of the Saints. Warm, candid, and personal with an opportunity for healing, this book encourages women to live as beloved and cherished daughters of God. Every purchase directly supports Robyne’s evangelisation apostolate, Live Catholic Joyful!

https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/slowdancingwithjesus/

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Patrick O'Hearn on his book The Lamb of God: The Story of Our Lady of Knock.

Acclaimed authors Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC and Patrick O'Hearn bring the story of Knock to life for young readers, with beautiful illustrations by Ann Kissane Englehart. Endorsed by the Knock Shrine! Although many years have passed since Mary appeared in Ireland, the stories and memories of this Apparition continue to touch many lives. Her appearance shows us we are not alone. At Knock, Heaven is reminding us to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory since 100 Masses were offered for them prior to the Apparition. Mary wants us to keep our eyes fixed on the Holy Eucharist, the Lamb of God. When we receive Holy Communion, we are receiving Jesus. He is the true food for everyone who hungers for eternal life.

https://www.amazon.com/Lamb-God-Story-Lady-Knock/dp/1596146699/

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Sara Beth Meyer on her book Our Lady’s Love for Little Ones (August 31, 2026)

In Our Lord's final hours, He promised His disciples that He would not leave them orphans (John 14:9), and placed His Mother & beloved disciple in each other's care (John 19:26). Over the centuries and across the miles, Our Lady continues to care for her children, calling all to prayer, especially for the conversion of sinners. Here, from the creators of the inspiring Gospels for Little Ones series are the stories of 14 of Our Lady's visits, told in rhyming verse and beautiful watercolor illustrations for all to share. May we, like the Baby Jesus, entrust ourselves to His Mother, echoing the greetings of Angel Gabriel and St. Elizabeth in Luke 1 and knowing that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16). May we become children of the light, beloved disciples who share a tender love for the mother of Jesus, knowing that we will never be orphaned by our Savior or His Heavenly Father.


Our Lady's Love for Little Ones: Meyer, Sara Beth, Hsu, Allison: 9781596146716: Amazon.com: Books

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Susan De Bartoli on her book Padre Pio’s American Daughter: The Story of Mary Pyle. (August 24, 2026)

Born into the glittering world of New York high society, Mary Pyle seemed destined for a life of comfort, culture, and worldly influence. Instead, she followed a call to a remote mountain town in Southern Italy and would thereafter be bound to one of the greatest saints of the modern age, Padre Pio. And now, Mary’s own cause for canonization is in its opening stages.At the dawn of the twentieth century, as waves of European immigrants were arriving on New York City’s shores, old American dynasties such as the Rockefellers, Morgans, and Carnegies mingled with newly wealthy families of the Gilded Age, including the McAlpins and the Pyles. It was into this world of privilege, Protestantism, and social expectation that Adelia McAlpin Pyle, later known as Mary, was born.Yet it was through the humble witness of her Irish Catholic nanny that she would encounter, as a child, the unmistakable presence of Christ – encounters that marked her soul forever. As her sense deepened that the Presence she felt at Mass was real, her family tried to suppress it. But her conviction only grew stronger.As a young woman, Mary traveled widely through Europe as an interpreter for Maria Montessori, moving with ease through intellectual and cultural circles. But truth demanded everything of her. At twenty-eight, she entered the Catholic Church – losing her inheritance and her mother’s affection yet embracing the sacrifice with serenity and courage.Then came the whispers of a friar bearing the wounds of Christ. When Mary finally met Padre Pio in 1923, his simple words – “Remain here” – ignited a fire that would define the rest of her life. Though she tried to leave, she found herself unable to do so, drawn as she was into a hidden mission she could not yet fully grasp.What followed was a life of extraordinary charity lived in profound humility. At Padre Pio’s side, Mary became a bridge between souls and a saint, founding a “house of charity” that served as a refuge for the sick, the suffering, soldiers, the poor, and the forgotten. With her gift for languages, her keen intellect, and her listening heart, she formed countless souls in the Faith – many of them young men who would become priests – and offered healing to those burdened by wounds seen and unseen.Mary Pyle’s life was not loud or dramatic but filled with love. Ordinary in appearance, heroic in self-gift, hers was a holiness shaped by obedience, Eucharistic devotion, and total trust. Today, as her cause for canonization gets underway, her story invites us to listen more closely to God’s quiet call – and to discover where love, when followed fully, might lead us.

Padre Pio’s American Daughter - Sophia Institute Press

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Theresa Hickey on her book Glimpses of Light.

Glimpses of Light gathers faith-filled poems and reflections that trace the quiet movements of grace in ordinary life—moments of healing, gratitude, struggle, and renewal. Drawing deeply on Scripture, prayer, and lived experience, these meditations invite readers to rediscover hope, compassion, and the sustaining light of Christ. Written in a clear, contemplative voice, this collection offers spiritual encouragement for anyone seeking peace, meaning, and deeper trust in God’s presence.

https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/glimpsesoflight/

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dominic G. Ciriaco on his book The Painted Pulpit: Corita Kent, Visual Theology and the Practice of Preaching.

In The Painted Pulpit, Dominic G. Ciriaco explores the intersection of art, theology, and preaching through the life and work of Corita Kent, the celebrated “Pop Art Nun.” Drawing on Scripture, the theology of beauty, and contemporary homiletics, Ciriaco demonstrates how Kent’s creative techniques can enrich the preacher’s imagination and transform proclamation into a vivid encounter with the Gospel. Blending theological reflection with practical guidance, this work invites preachers, teachers, and artists to rediscover visual theology as a powerful means of communicating the Word of God.

The Painted Pulpit: Corita Kent, Visual Theology and the Practice of Preaching by Fr. Dominic G. Ciriaco | En Route Books and Media

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. John Henry Hanson on his book The Fire and the Silence: Prayer, Thought, and the Battle for Inner Stillness.

Why is it so hard to pray without distraction? Why does our mind wander to everything except God when we kneel to speak with him? And what do we do with the flood of thoughts that seem to overtake us in the very act of prayer? In this deeply contemplative yet practical book, Fr. John Henry Hanson takes us on a journey through the battleground of the mind, where attention, memory, and imagination often seem like saboteurs to prayer. Drawing on Scripture, the Desert Fathers, saints like Teresa of Avila and Augustine, and insights from modern psychology, this book offers not a quick fix, but something far better: a quiet revolution against wayward thoughts, a spiritual reorientation toward God. Fr. Hanson helps readers to understand how God meets us even in mental chaos: how he works not despite our distractions, but sometimes through them. Along the way, readers will discover the role of grace in thought-life, how to respond to distraction, and what it means to have ""the mind of Christ."" With lyrical clarity, theological depth, and a pastoral heart, this book becomes not merely a guide to prayer, but a companion in it." 

https://scepterpublishers.org/products/preorder-the-fire-and-the-silence-prayer-thought-and-the-battle-for-inner-stillness?variant=47839455969457

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Phyllis Calvey on her book The Perfect Timing of Butterflies.

When a loved one dies, the grief we experience can feel so overwhelming. Helping a child navigate through loss can be even more challenging. How can we comfort them? What can we say? How do we explain things in a way they can understand? When my great-grandson was only four years old, my daughter’s lifelong friend died suddenly from a stroke. We tried our best to answer his questions, but it was difficult to explain what had happened to someone his age. For weeks, he could not let go of his weighty thoughts and wonders about dying. One day, I decided to tell him a story about Bella, a little girl who was just about his age when her Poppa died. When I finished the story, I asked him what he thought. His answer surprised me in a way I could never have imagined, and I realized that he was immediately comforted in just the way he needed. For decades, children and adults have shared with me their true stories, like Bella’s, of moments that felt too perfectly timed to be just a coincidence. Between the pages of this book, I share a small collection of those stories that I hope will serve as a powerful reminder of God’s love and presence during life’s most difficult seasons. In the perfect timing of butterflies, faith can transform grief into peace and remind us that we are never truly alone.

https://perfecttimingofbutterflies.com/

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Terry Modica on her books My Soul Shall Be Healed, The Father’s Heart, & Knowing God’s Will and Doing it Well (August 10, 2026)

My Soul Shall Be Healed: A Study Guide on Ecclesia de Eucharistia (The Church of the Eucharist)by Terry Modica

This easy-to-understand study guide explains in ordinary language how to understand the very important Church document, Ecclesia de Eucharistia (The Church of the Eucharist) an encyclical by Pope Saint John Paul II. You’ll be able to apply it to your everyday life in today’s world. You’ll discover how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist. You’ll learn why Catholicism teaches that the Eucharist as the “source and summit of the Christian life.” You’ll find out—with clarity—what Catholics believe and do not believe about the Eucharist. And you’ll gain a deep appreciation for the reason why only Catholic priests can consecrate the communion elements alongside the important role you have, with the whole community, in the Eucharistic celebration. 

My Soul Shall Be Healed: A Study Guide on Ecclesia de Eucharistia by Terry Modica | En Route Books and Media

The Father’s Heart: Meet the Real Abba Father–Book One: 10 Spiritual Exercises to Heal from the Wounds of the Heartby Terry Modica; foreword by Bear WoznickThis is the first in a set of three workbooks on The Father’s Heart, all to help you experience the wonderfulness of the True Father so that your faith can be set free to reach its full potential. Each one of these, Meet the Real Abba Father, Discover What You Mean to Father God, and The Victory of God’s Fatherhood, used in this order, are inspirational guides to healing that will enable you to experience God the Father as he truly is. The books use scriptures, true life stories, and theological reflection. We’ll identify and overcome the most common misconceptions that interfere with faith in God.

The Father’s Heart: Meet the Real Abba Father–Book One: 10 Spiritual Exercises to Heal from the Wounds of the Heart by Terry A. Modica | En Route Books and Media

Knowing God’s Will and Doing it Well: A Ministry Discernment Workbook based on the Daily Good News Reflectionsby Terry Modica; foreword by Bill SnyderA practical Catholic guide to discerning God’s will and discovering the mission He created you to fulfill. Do you wonder whether you’re making the right decisions? Have you ever wished you could recognize God’s voice more clearly and understand the purpose He created you for?In Knowing God’s Will and Doing It Well, Terry Modica guides you through a practical and prayerful journey of discernment. Drawing from years of helping Christians experience life-changing “AHA!” moments through her popular Good News Reflections, Terry offers twenty engaging reflections that will help you:

• Recognize how God speaks in everyday life
• Overcome fears and misconceptions that hinder discernment
• Discover the unique gifts God has given you
• Gain confidence in the mission He is calling you to fulfill
• Learn how to cooperate with God’s plans instead of merely guessing at them

More than a book, this is a workbook for spiritual growth. Reflection questions, journaling opportunities, and three self-assessment tests will help you identify your God-given strengths and discover where your gifts can best be used in service to others.Whether you are discerning a new ministry, seeking direction for an important decision, or simply longing to deepen your relationship with God, Knowing God’s Will and Doing It Well will help you hear His voice more clearly—and respond with confidence.

Knowing God’s Will and Doing it Well: A Ministry Discernment Workbook based on the Daily Good News Reflections by Terry A. Modica | En Route Books and Media