Soul Garden: A Catholic Mother’s Collective

By Jennifer Gregory Miller ( bio - articles - email ) | Feb 28, 2025 | In The Liturgical Year

This past Saturday I was invited to have coffee with some CGS catechist friends. I had a mile-long to-do list and my introverted self just wanted to remain cozy at home, but I decided it was important to reconnect.

I am so glad I made that effort. It was so good to be with my friends. We have experienced multiple joys and sorrows of life with matrimony, children, grown children, grandchildren, deaths of family and more. Among the four of us, we have about 75 years of catechist experience, so we were also sharing perspectives in the atrium. Three and half hours later we had listened, shared, given advice, cried and laughed together. We all left filled with new perspectives, shared hopes and sadness, and had closer bonds, but also a determination that we need to get together sooner. We all agreed we needed that connection, support and collaboration with kindred spirits.

I bring this up because the book Soul Garden: A Catholic Mother’s Perspective, edited by Hope Schneir and Sia Hoyt reminds me of my Saturday gathering. The book is is a source of collective wisdom from other mothers in similar paths, and every time I read it, I feel supported and encouraged by mothers who are walking the same journey as I am.

Soul Garden was originally begun as a “pen and ink” publication in 2010, as a step away from the tech-filled world. Fifteen years later, Ignatius Press published Soul Garden as a compilation of some of the editors’ favorite pieces. (Soul Gardening Journal is still in publication.)

Why Soul Garden? As the editors say, “Truly, the work of a mother is that of a soul gardener.“ A mother’s work is cooperating with the Master Gardener in the home, her soul, and her family, and the journal is accompanying the journey.

When the book arrived I was a little discouraged by the size. 11 x 8.63 inches and almost 300 pages makes it a large and heavy book. It wasn’t something I could tuck into my purse for reading at short downtimes. The size forced me to make it intentional reading, which actually was a better use of the book. It was taking the time to sit with my coffee in hand and glean from the collective shared experiences and advice.

Reading the book itself is a treat to the senses. The book is softcover, but the cover itself is sturdy and glossy with folded endcovers—definitely durable. The thick pages have with a pleasing layout with illustrations throughout by Sia Hoyt and Mary Pemberton. There are delightful quotes in black boxes fall on every few pages.

The book organized the different articles and poetry into nine categories: Nurture, Ponder, Dwell, Read, Woman, Journey, Pray, Fiat and Table. All of these feel like suggestions, not restrictions that this article must be predetermined categories, except maybe “Table” which has a collection of recipes (which I can’t wait to try a few). For example, there’s an article on “Kitchen Prayers” in the Chapter “Dwell” that could also fit into other chapters like “Pray” or “Table.”

The editors mention that:

Soul Garden is not meant to be read cover to cover but to function more as a resource manual for a mother’s interior and exterior life. Flip through the pages to find what speaks to you and look for inspiration where you need it most. Whatever your life’s circumstances, we hope you may find rest in the pages of this book. We are each humbled through the trials, the gifts, the joys, the pains, and the lessons motherhood and femininity bring; we are all united in the sisterhood of these experiences.

which means I can keep this book out on my nightstand or coffee table to be able to enjoy it at any time.

Not all the articles speak to me in my current journey. I am past those sleepless nights with the babies and toddlers. I also don’t agree with every article, but not fundamentally different, just small differences of opinion. But that is actually what I love about reading Soul Garden. I’m opening a collective wisdom from many mothers. It’s like a coffee klatch, with each author speaking from their experiences and their heart. When I’m reading, I’m taking in their perspective. My brain is thinking maybe this idea doesn’t work for me now, but one part can be applied elsewhere, or I want to remember that to share with my niece, which is a little like my conversation with my friends.

Soul Garden: A Catholic Mothers’ Collective is available from Ignatius Press for $29.95. I think it would make a lovely Lenten companion for mothers who are fasting from technology.