I'm still here! (And this is what I've been doing.)

It's still January as I write this, so HAPPY NEW YEAR! Things have been really hopping for me since the summer: retreat, followed by choir practice (for our Christmas concert series); a women's retreat in Texas that had to be prepared and then actually given (it was delightful to be in Mineral Wells that weekend!); a week with my family (we visited Ocean Springs, MS); ten days of talks and book signings (and a radio interview!) in St. Louis (I had just enough time to read Pope Francis' new Sacred Heart encyclical; the first Sacred Heart encyclical in 68 years!). When I got back from Missouri, I had just over a week for self-guided concert practice, and then three weeks on the road with the choir; and, in the middle of January, a quick trip to Boston to give a presentation to our sisters who were then meeting for our Provincial Chapter.  As you can imagine, I was just going from deadline to deadline! Now I have a few weeks to catch up on everything else until the next series of deadlines comes. 

Happily, in between some of those events, I was able to finish editing and designing a group guide for the Nine First Fridays. It is a kind of supplement to my book, for people who want to make the Nine First Fridays with others, whether that's a group of friends, a prayer group, or a parish. It is a free download, so get your copy at this link: https://pauline.org/pbm-resources/come-to-me-group-guide/. Inside you'll find extra readings, discussion questions, kids' pages, even a chart for keeping track of your First Fridays! 

The Group Guide also features music: a Spotify playlist for each of the Nine Fridays, and one with music that is suitable for Eucharistic Adoration. In addition to these musical resources, there is something new (and very special!): an original Eucharistic Adoration song with lyrics that I wrote, set to music by one of my Chicago friends, Christian Stirling. The music can be copied freely; Christian and I just want people to sing to Jesus, and acknowledge his divine, merciful, Real Presence.

So download the Guide now, while you are still thinking about it! You can share the link or even a printed copy of the guide freely, especially with prayer group leaders and parish ministers. 

Let's get a movement started!

I also invite you to sign up for my community's new newsletter. See the inaugural issue at https://online.fliphtml5.com/untp/qibc/#p=4