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July 21, 2003
Christendom Alumna Makes New Book a Labor of Love

Agnes Curley graduated from Christendom College in 1997. A couple of years later, she married convert to the Faith and Christendom grad Daniel Penny, ‘97. They were very much excited about raising a family and were well-versed in the Church's teaching on the nature of marriage and the family. But, the specifics of the various trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows to be experienced during pregnancy had never really been "catholicized" in a book before. So, Agnes Penny, being the English Literature major that she is, decided to write a book for expectant mothers, but this time, with a Catholic twist to it. She chose to name it, Your Labor of Love: A Spiritual Companion for Expectant Mothers, thus turning pregnancy into a grace-filled nine months.

"I wanted to sort out for myself the seemingly endless morning sickness and discouragement of the previous nine months," says Agnes, "and the inexpressible joys I was experiencing in caring for a baby all my own at last."

In her book, Agnes shares the very Catholic spiritual solutions she found to the problems and struggles of pregnancy. In 36 short chapters, everything the expectant mother experiences is covered, including, tiredness, mood swings, waiting, post partum, praying for your baby, marital difficulties, in-laws, and much more.

The book is written for women who are trying to accept the joys and challenges of motherhood according to God's Holy Will, rather than the "wisdom of the world" by avoiding children.

Although only a young mother of three (so far!), Agnes seems to have made her mark on the world of Catholicism through her deep insights into this most treasured time of a woman's life: pregnancy and motherhood.

This book is available through Tan Books (www.tanbooks.com) and is Number 1913, ISBN-7789, $12.00. (Toll-Free 1-800-437-5876)
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