Reviews for Praying with the Desert Mothers

The average rating for Praying with the Desert Mothers based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-05-15 00:00:00 Shane Walter There isn't much out there on the Desert Mothers. Mary Forman does a great job of bringing their lives and exhortations together in a meaningful and formative way. Each chapter focuses on a different virtue, beginning with a devotional Scripture reading and prayer before getting into the teaching for that particular area. She shares the teaching and example of the desert Ammas along with a contemporary example, often from her own life as a Benedictine. Finally, it closes with a reflective prayer practice based on one's own life experience. Forman does a great job of not only exemplifying the life and teachings of the Ammas, but also helping you to experience the reality of the practices for yourself.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-06-02 00:00:00 DRL HASS DLLH Mary Forman presents stories of the desert mothers according to themes such as Midwives of Wisdom and Heralds in the Desert, along with a contemporary example often from Forman's own experience in monastic communities. Each chapter begins with a scripture reference and ends with an invitation the spend time in prayer and reflection on the chapter's theme. I did not always look up the scripture reference nor did I take time to reflect after reading the chapter. Still I found it valuable and a different way to think about the sayings of the desert mothers. Forman's writing has an amateurish quality to it which I found distracting at first. I wouldn't go out of my way to acquire this book, but I'm glad I read it. It definitely gave me a hankering for the desert fathers and mothers!