{"id":5157,"date":"2016-05-24T08:30:17","date_gmt":"2016-05-24T13:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=5157"},"modified":"2016-05-21T20:23:15","modified_gmt":"2016-05-22T01:23:15","slug":"cbb-review-the-little-oratory-a-beginners-guide-to-praying-in-the-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2016\/05\/24\/cbb-review-the-little-oratory-a-beginners-guide-to-praying-in-the-home\/","title":{"rendered":"CBB Review: The Little Oratory: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Praying in the Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"little_oratory_spotlight\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

The peace and wonder and awe of the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament\u2026. ooooohhh.\u00a0 The beauty of a Basilica, an exquisite piece of religious art, or an icon revealing the glory of God\u2026.aaaaahhh.\u00a0 If only we could bring that peace, wonder, awe and beauty home with us\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

We can!\u00a0 The Little Oratory: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Praying in the Home<\/a> $\"\"$ \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>by David Clayton & Leila Marie Lawler with illustrations by Deidre M. Folley (Leila\u2019s daughter)show us how!\u00a0 Not only does this book lead us to develop a deeper prayer life, it helps us to set the stage,<\/em> so to speak, by creating an oratory in a corner of our home, or\u2026. expanding the sacredness of this little shrine to encompass our entire home \u2013 to glorify God with<\/em> and in<\/em> our home.<\/p>\n

An oratory<\/em>?\u00a0 David and Leila Marie explain: \u201cWith this book, we are interested in reviving the little oratory, as the Catechism<\/em> calls it (CCC 2691) \u2013 prayer table, home altar, or icon corner \u2013 in the home.\u00a0 It\u2019s an almost lost tradition that can be a simple and beautiful bridge between these two places \u2013 home and church \u2013 for the sake of the family\u2019s life of faith \u2013 and consequently for this whole project which is the life of the Christian.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a new iconographer,\u00a0 I was excited to begin reading this book when I saw the beautiful icons and drawings throughout the pages. I was even more excited when I read \u201c\u2026you may like to print these to use as models to copy if you are teaching (or learning) to draw iconographic and Gothic-style images.\u00a0 They also make beautiful coloring pages.\u201d\u00a0 So\u2026 not only do the authors explain how to create an oratory \u2013 they give you the supplies to do it!<\/p>\n

David and Leila Marie explain further:\u00a0 \u201cThe thought behind our exploration of all the details of the little oratory in this book is to take this further, to develop this side of family life as a \u201cdomestic church.\u201d\u00a0 We want to encourage traditional and personal ways to make a lovely space in our home that is both a space set apart, church-like, and a space that apotheosizes the beauty that we try to express in the rest of the home.\u201d<\/p>\n

David and Leila Marie go on to say:\u00a0 \u201cThe prayer table is a way to bring the Sunday worship with its deep connection to the eternal into the home, extending it throughout the week, anchoring family life in the Eucharistic celebration.\u00a0 It\u2019s the physical connection between the altar in the church and the altar of the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The appendices were filled with prayers and applications to this idea of \u201coratory\u201d and David and Leila Marie\u2019s respective websites were a delight to explore and really added to my enjoyment of this book.\u00a0 Whether your home is filled with people, or you live alone- following the suggestions in The Little Oratory: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Praying in the Home <\/em><\/strong>will enrich your life. Thank you David and Leila Marie!<\/p>\n