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“Real Moms of Real Saints by Colleen Pressprich“

Colleen Pressprich’s “Real Moms of Real Saints” is a must-read for any mother inevitable navigating her vocation with sincerity, doubt, and frustration. Pressprich masterfully weaves together the challenges of motherhood across time, culture, and circumstance. If you have ever experienced overwhelm, uncertainty, or suffering in your motherhood journey, this book will speak straight to your soul, offering hope and perseverance to run the race God has set before you.

Beyond its inspiring content, the book’s format is wonderfully accessible. It contains ten chapters that read almost like short stories, averaging about 17 pages each. I found it easy to pick up a chapter here and there — perfect for the busy, often unpredictable days of motherhood. Pressprich’s conversational writing style made me feel as though I were sitting in a book club, discussing these women and how their lives echo our own. Each chapter blends historical context with the personal challenges these mothers faced, and Pressprich shares how their stories speak to her own life — when she seeks their intercession or reflects on their resilience. This participatory, reflective approach makes the book deeply engaging.

The content itself is fascinating. I loved learning how God works in and through generations, bringing beauty and goodness from hardship. Mothers like Martha, mother of Venerable Augustus Tolton, who raised her children while escaping slavery, and Columba, mother of Blessed Hong Pil’chu, persecuted for her faith in early South Korea, showcase courage and steadfastness. St. Monica, who prayed tirelessly for her son Augustine, and St. Zélie Martin, who labored faithfully without seeing the full fruit of her daughters’ sanctity (Thérèse and Léonie), offer powerful examples of patient endurance. Reading about Maria Rosa (mother of Venerable Lucia dos Santos), Margaret (mother of St. John Bosco), Giuseppa (mother of St. Padre Pio), and Maria (mother of St. John Bosco) left me in awe of the heartache carried through suffering with steadfast faith. Emmelia and Marina (mothers of St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Macrina the Younger, and St. Basil the Elder, respectively) reminded me of the importance of friendship and companionship on this journey, while Gertrude (mother of Blessed Stanley Rother) showed how even the most ordinary life can leave an extraordinary legacy. These women did not lead easy lives; many suffered extreme loss and sadness, sometimes difficult marriages, and even times when their own children pushed them away. They knew heartache and suffering yet persevered anyway. These stories are powerful, and I anticipate returning to them as my own station in motherhood evolves.

I especially loved how many of these women reminded me of my own mother, who passed into Eternal Life just over three years ago. The sections highlighting how these mothers catechized their children and spoke truth over them resonated deeply with memories of my mom. The phrase that kept echoing in my mind as I read was something she often said: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” In times like ours, that can feel daunting — but these stories remind us that the battle is already won. By living our vocations with eyes fixed on heaven, we can carry forward the legacy of these beautiful mothers and bring God’s goodness to the world.