Catholic books | summer activities | Scripture Study | Book Club
CatholicMom.com announces our first-ever Summer Virtual (Zoom) Book Club featuring Jesus Heals: Finding Hope, Wholeness, and Peace with author Allison Gingras.
Our Catholic Mom team felt the summer was the perfect time to try something exciting, interactive, and, well, downright fun! I have hosted virtual book clubs for years as part of my spiritual development. Initially drawn in by the convenience, since I had small children at home at the time, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by the unexpected intimacy and vulnerability experienced through connecting with faces on my computer.
I am blessed that the team chose my new book, Jesus Heals: Finding Hope, Wholeness, and Peace from Our Sunday Visitor for this new adventure. During my time in women's ministry, I have observed that everyone needs healing. For some, that healing is physical, but for most of us, it is emotional, mental, or spiritual. Jesus healed many people during His earthly ministry. Yet those healings weren't fancy magic tricks to show off His divinity. Every miracle healing reveals something about Jesus and teaches us about who He is and who we are in Him.
Another unforeseen benefit of a Zoom-based book club is the ease with which everyone can recognize the most comfortable time to enter the conversation. To reduce background noise, I asked everyone to mute, and when they wanted to speak, to unmute as a signal to the group that they would like to say something — beautifully creating a safe, welcoming, and comfortable place to grow in faith and friendship!
Wondering if This Study Is for You?
Knowing that the summer is a hectic time for all moms, yet also recognizing the importance of not getting too busy for Jesus, we are offering a seven-week book club via Zoom beginning on July 9, 2025! We'll meet every Wednesday evening at 9 PM Eastern until August 20. **We realize it may feel a little late for our East Coast mommas, but we hope it allows more West Coast Catholic moms to join us!
Important things I want each of you to know about participating in this book club:
- Attendance each week is not mandatory; come when you can.
- Finishing all your reading (please don't think of it as homework) is also not required. The best part of reading a book with other women is when you don't get a chance to read, others have, and they can help you catch up!
- The odds of a Scripture scholar joining the study are very unlikely, so there's no need to worry about how well you know the Bible. The bonus of a Scripture-based book club is that it allows you to broaden your understanding of the Word of God and how you can apply it to the everyday, ordinary moments of life!
Tell Me More About Jesus Heals?
Jesus Heals guides women through selected Bible stories of Jesus' tender care of ordinary people, all suffering in some form. Through story, Scripture reflections, and discussion questions, this prayer journal and Scripture study shows how Jesus is still healing us today, even when his healing doesn't happen in the way we expect. Whether he heals us physically or spiritually, he fulfills the promise of his words in John 10:10: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
Jesus Heals is part of the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women series, which I developed to help women deepen their connection with Jesus through inspiring stories, reflections, Scripture study, and prompts for prayer and journaling.
Where Can I Get My Copy?
Our Sunday Visitor, the publisher, is offering this book at a special Book Club discount. Use coupon code HEALS30 at checkout to save 30% off the cover price of Jesus Heals. This coupon expires August 31, 2025.
When Does the Book Club Meet?
This new virtual book club will meet seven times over the summer via Zoom. The link to join each week will be sent via email in our Book Club newsletter; you'll have seven opportunities to drop in and check it out! Please note: We'll have replays only of the introduction to the chapter, which will also include answering any general questions about that week's topic.
One of my hopes for this online format is that after experiencing the fellowship, ease of connection, and spiritual lift from being part of a small group faith sharing, you'll be inspired to step out and launch your own! We are building resources here at Catholic Mom to help support you, beginning with this study to give you the hands-on experience as a participant before venturing into facilitating.
Join us Wednesdays for any (or all) of these seven Book Club sessions:
- July 9
- July 16
- July 23
- July 30
- August 6
- August 13
- August 20
All sessions will be held at 9:00 PM Eastern; we truly hope you will consider joining us live.
It's free to participate in our Book Club, and we hope you'll consider joining us and inviting a friend to join as well!
Copyright 2025 Allison Gingras
Images: Our Sunday Visitor and Canva-Pro