top of page

Spirituality and the Contemplative Life

Award Winning Prayer, Biblical Wisdom for Seeking God

 

Honorable Mention at the 2022 Catholic Media Association Awards

From Liturgical Press
Order here

​

In prayer not only do we call out to God, but God endlessly calls out to us, enfolding us in mercy, drawing us close in love. Yet prayer can be daunting. We may not be sure where to begin or how to continue. In Prayer, Biblical Wisdom for Seeking God, Michelle Francl-Donnay explores what Scripture teaches us about prayer with insightful commentary on three key passages. The voices of the psalmist, St. Paul, and Jesus are our guides in this rich volume on one of the most essential topics of the spiritual life. Reflection questions and ideas for prayer are included.

Prayer Book Cover.jpg

​​Online 

 

​

Audiobooks

​

Great Catholic Scientists: Discoveries and Lives of Faith with Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Learn 25 (Also available on Audible)

​

Recent Work in Print

Easter 2019.jpg

  • The Songs We Never Imagined," Give Us This Day, December 2023

  • “The Weight of Light," Give Us This Day, March 2023

  • “In Torrents of Light," Give Us This Day, August 2023

  • “What are we praying for?,” Philadelphia Inquirer, 26 May 2022

  • “Alive to the love," Give Us This Day, September 2022

  • “Behold the wood of the cross," Give Us This Day, April 2022

  • “A reckless prayer," Give Us This Day, November 2021

  • “Knock and the door will be opened to you” in Thirsty and you gave me drink, Homilies and reflections for Cycle C (ed. James Knipper) Clear Faith Publishing, 2020

  • “Your face, Lord, do I seek” in Thirsty and you gave me drink, Homilies and reflections for Cycle C (ed. James Knipper) Clear Faith Publishing, 2021

  • “The Miracle of Water” Ave Maria Press, 2020

  • "Consider What You Carry – Or Don't," Give Us This Day, July 2021.

  • "The Temple of the Everyday," Give Us This Day, February 2021 (Opening essay)

  • A Stranger and You Welcomed Me, Homilies and Reflections for Cycle B (Homilists for the Homeless, ed. James Knipper): Solemnity of the BVM and 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Clear Faith Publishing, 2020

  • "Fashioned to be generous," Give Us This Day, 26 November 2020

  • Waiting in Joyful Hope, Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas 2020-21 (Liturgical Press)

  • "Uncomfortably Close," Give Us This Day, 14 February 2020

  • Not By Bread Alone, Daily Reflections for Lent 2020 (Liturgical Press)

  • No sólo de pan, Reflexiones diarias para Cuaresma 2020 (Liturgical Press), trans. Luis Baudry-Simon

  • "Warm and Wild Grace" Give Us This Day, August 2019 (Opening essay)

  • "Be Opened" Give Us This Day, 14 February 2019

  • Rejoice and Be Glad, Daily Reflections for Easter 2019 (Liturgical Press) with Jerome Kodell, OSB; Rachelle Linner; Ronald Witherup, PSS; Catherine Upchurch; Jay Cormier; Genevieve Glen, OSB

  • "Mercy Utterly Undeserved"Give Us This Day, 7 April 2019

  • "A Time for Way-Finding" Give Us This Day, December 2018 (Opening Essay)

  • "Eat My Words" Give Us This Day, 1 August 2018

Prisoner-cover_front.jpg

  • "Reaching for the Mercy" Give Us This Day, 8 April 2018

  • Not By Bread Alone, Daily Reflections for Lent 2018 (Liturgical Press)

  • "Pondering" Give Us This Day, 24 December 2017

  • "Overflowing with God's Glory" Give Us This Day, April 2017 introductory essay

  • "All Flame" Give Us This Day, 25 December 2016

  • "The Wisdom of the Nets" Give Us This Day, 1 September 2016

  • "Pope writes most tender answers to kids' hardest questions" A review of Pope Francis' book for children Dear Pope Francis, Catholic News Service, April 2016

  • ​​​"We are never alone" Give Us This Day, May 2016 (reflection on Psalm 139: from you knit me together in my mother's womb to If I bed down in Sheol—there You are); won 3rd place at 2017 Catholic Press Association Awards, for best essay in a spirituality magazine.

  • "Into the Torrents of Time" Give Us This Day, 26 March 2016 (a reflection for Easter Vigil)

  • "A Hard Teaching" Give Us This Day, 4 October 2015 (a reflection on marriage for the opening of the 2016 Synod on the Family)

  • "Una conversación imaginada: El encuentro de la ciencia y la fe" AL DÍA, 22 September 2015 (fiction) (English here)

  • "Prayer Before Study" Give Us This Day, September 2015 (on St. Thomas Aquinas' prayer before study)

  • "Overwhelmed by the Word" Give Us This Day, 1 July 2015

  • "Stealing Moments of Quiet" Catholic Update, May 2015

  • "Listen" Give Us This Day, 12 March 2015

  • "Sacred Family Portraits" Give Us This Day, 28 December 2014

  • Sick and you cared for me, Homilies and Reflections for Cycle B (Homilists for the Homeless, ed. James Knipper):  9th and 21st Sundays in Ordinary Time, Clear Faith Publishing, 2014

  • "An Ineluctable Longing" Give Us This Day, 15 August 2014

  • "Uninhibited Prayer" Give Us This Day, 1 March 2014

Waiting in Joyful Hope.jpg

Column at CatholicPhilly.com

From 2008 to 2018, I wrote a regular column for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's news site CatholicPhilly.com (formerly The Catholic Standard & Times). Read a column from December 2016 here. 

Other Media

 

bottom of page