The Church Is Our Mother: Seven Ways She Inspires Us to Love

"The Church is woman, she is mother, and this is beautiful. You must consider and go deeper into this." When Pope Francis spoke these words to Gina Loehr and her companions during a private audience in October of 2013, she felt a tug on her heart—a kind of commission.

In The Church is Our Mother, Loehr asks what is meant when we refer to the Church as "she" or "Mother," as well as what this reveals about the nature of the Church and the nature of motherhood. Each chapter explores one theme mothers and Mother Church have in common: creation, caring, teaching, acceptance, sacrifice, healing, and celebration. A study guide offers relevant meditations from the liturgy, the Catechism, the saints and the sacraments, and also shares personal stories from seven other mothers to inspire readers on their own journeys of faith and family.

Both a personal memoir and a universal call to understanding, Loehr's book will act as a springboard for other women to delve ever more deeply into the beautiful mystery of Mother Church, and offers a new perspective on the tremendous importance of the vocation of motherhood itself.