Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting

by Laura Kelly Fanucci

In Everyday The Messy Grace of Parenting Laura Kelly Fanucci sees the Catholic sacraments through the smudged and sticky lens of life with little ones. From dinnertime chaos to bath-time giggles to never-ending loads of laundry, Laura stumbles into the surprising truth of what the seven sacraments really that God is present always, even in the messes of motherhood. A spiritual memoir of parenting’s early years and a sacramental theology rooted in family life, Everyday Sacrament offers an honest, humorous, and hopeful look at ordinary moments as full of grace.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Faith, Spirituality, Religion

152 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2014

About the author

Laura Kelly Fanucci is is an author, speaker, and founder of MotheringSpirit.com - an ecumenical gathering place on spirituality and parenting. Laura's work has been featured on the Hallow and Ritual apps, and she writes frequently for publications including OSV News and Give Us This Day.

Laura has authored seven books, including Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting and Grieving Together: A Couple's Journey through Miscarriage. Her writing has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and On Being and in popular outlets including People Magazine and the Kelly Clarkson Show. She and her husband live in Minnesota with their children.

Reviews

[Alyce Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

So relatable, tender, comforting and hopeful in my parenting journey 🤍🙏🏻

[CN · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theology here is spot-on and relatable and rings true, but the serial sentence fragments (maybe actually a blight on much of modern spiritual writing?) were a struggle for me.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has reaffirmed my vocation as a wife and mother. Anyone who feels disillusioned or worn down while caring for their families can benefit greatly from this mom's shared experiences. I found myself laughing and crying throughout. While it is a short read the wisdom throughout is profound. Maybe the best description I can give is that it is similar to spring cleaning...you clean off the dust and grime from the windows and suddenly realize there was so much light just try to come in and now it can.

[K Aust · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very moving passages; however, it’s definitely not trad-minded, so if you’re not into post-Vatican II theology and language, this is probably not the book for you.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, beautifully written mediations on motherhood.

[Courtney B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stunning. A book that doesn't shy away from the chaos of parenting and the toll it can take that provides a solid Catholic theological perspective. Fanucci is humble and profound, which is such a rare combination in this genre. Her meditation on the way that a mother's body is broken for her children as Christ's body is broken in the Eucharist is one that I cannot stop coming back to in my prayer and reflection. Wonderful reflections on miscarriage and infertility that respect a mother's dignity and grief. I read this book on accident, thinking my small group was reading it instead of another. The only explanation was the Holy Spirit guiding me to something profound. Probably my most recommended book of the year when friends ask.

[Lauren Mulholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed every part of this book! One of the most challenging things about my transition to motherhood was feeling like I didn’t have time or energy to pray. This wonderful book changed my perspective and helped me see how I can serve God through the daily tasks of motherhood. Laura shares her experience of becoming a mother and all the ways God’s grace abounds in ordinary family life. This is the best book about motherhood I have ever read - it’s not a self-help book with preachy advice but rather a down to earth and humble look at one woman’s journey through the ups and downs of life with little ones. It is so poignant and heartfelt. I know this book will stick with me for a long time.

[Amandanoel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s probably actually a 3 star book, but if you follow the author on Instagram you can read how much her writing has grown simultaneously more poetic and more raw and it is just so much gorgeous growth that it is hard to go back to when this book was written.
Laid out to mirror the seven sacraments of the church, there are some achingly beautiful moments, especially if you are Catholic and I wish I’d read it after having my first child instead of right now.

[Ashley Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to need a constant rotation of books about vocation and calling to keep me steady in the daily work of motherhood and writing. Everyday Sacrament delivered just that. These short essays on motherhood are perfect for reading in small sittings. Fanucci's writing is always encouraging, connecting the Catholic sacraments to the messy reality of everyday life in the world.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This booked helped me through the first two weeks of my vocation as a mother. Scared and overwhelmed I found so much comfort in the simple yet profound truth embedded into this book. Highly recommend for new, first time moms!

[AJ Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much truth. An inspiring look at how the sacraments are present in all of life’s moments.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a gift to read Laura’s writing.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book but so loved the parts I read. Would go back and read

[Brittany Brunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This was better meant for a first time parent but there were still little gems in there to help me remember the sacraments in my daily parenting journey!

[Brianna Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and heartfelt reflection on the grace involved in even the most mundane and distasteful aspects of parenting. Not an advice or "parenting" book, but a quiet meditation on the sacraments and the way each sacrifice and task is meaningful. Interesting stories, collected as brief essays, allow you to dip in to the different situations in the book as needed.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Love. This. Book. So. Much. It was phenomenal. It was the exact book I needed for this difficult season in my life. Laura has a way of making the Catholic faith come alive and grip you in the most compelling and dynamic way. The faith she describes is tangible, real, something you can sink your teeth into, get messy with your hands, taste, see, and smell.

This is the ultimate stay-at-home Christian mother bootcamp book. She writes with reckless vulnerability, and it is a pure joy to read at every turn. Her examples are personal, real, something you can hold onto and take deep consolation from.

I just found myself nodding through the whole thing, crying tears of relief, knowing that she “gets it.” She doesn’t sugar coat the fact that life as a mother to little ones is HARD. And she shows here that seeing all of that mess and pain through the lens of sacrament is what gives it all meaning. It was truly, truly fantastic.

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful look at parenting (not just motherhood). What a comforting, healing, and inspiring book. Thank you for writing it!

[Silvio Pellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Both my husband and I enjoyed it very much! Very light and fun read but also great experiences with deep religious and practical advice for parents. Thank you for writing!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Laura so simply enriches the day to day tasks of motherhood with the holy sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church.