Dr. Martha talks about holidays with family throughout her life in Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers. The word Lent has multiple meanings, and somehow it came to mean the forty days before Easter Sunday beginning on Ash Wednesday. One explanation is that the 40 days represent the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert. There was also this tradition—the only word I can think to describe it because it … Read more
In Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers, Dr. Martha discusses 4 generations of motherhood. But I wish they had lived longer. I have bunches of patients who are my age and whose parents are alive, or at least one is alive. I envy that. I tell people that my parents died young because I do think that 76 and 77 are young. Too young to be dead. I have a four-generation picture of my mother’s mother, … Read more
Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Have you thought about what you’ll get Mom or Grandma this year? If they grew up Catholic during the 60s and 70s, they will love Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers, a walk down a memory lane of baptism, naming ceremonies, confession, confirmation, marriage, divorce, and much much more. Dr. Lucas candidly recounts memories of her Catholic daughter’s childhood: beginning with her parents choosing which saint to name her after and … Read more
Dr. Martha Lucas has an interesting story about how she was named. This and much more from her on being a baby in her Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers book about life as a Catholic woman in the 60s, 70, and beyond. They named me after Saint Martha, the patron saint of housewives, servants, and cooks. Catholics turn to her when dealing with chronic stress and doubt. Martha was a worker, keeping everybody fed and … Read more
Being a single working mom attending college is hard enough. Find out what happened to Dr. Martha when she was also ready to date. Twenty somethings date. So I did. In my mind, I can’t apologize or punish myself enough for not being at home with my children every minute that I wasn’t at work or in school. Did you say Catholic guilt? Oh, I’m an expert at that. I was guilty then and I’m … Read more
Dr. Martha talks about shaming women about their appearance, a thing that seems timeless. Did your mother preach modesty or let you choose what you wore? Here’s an excerpt from Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers and one of Dr. Martha’s experiences on the topic from when she was growing up. Modesty and shame. Strangely, I think they go together or at least have gone together in my life. My mother’s focus on modesty created a … Read more
Dr. Martha learned the importance of taking time for self from her experiences as a child. She knows what it’s like to spend too much time worrying and what it does to the body mind and spirit. In this excerpt she shares her story and one way you can relieve stress. Martha’s Rat Brain Trauma is a strong, scary word. But honestly, my childhood experience drives my animal brain to think that if one of … Read more
You’ve come a long way, babe. That’s what Dr. Martha shows in the chapter about her divorce in Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers. In this excerpt she shows her willingness to challenge the beliefs of the day and set her life on a nontraditional path. My D I V O R C E Naturally, I was taught that marriage is for life. If you got divorced, you weren’t allowed to remarry unless the first marriage … Read more