Our Not-Quite-Holy Family: A Practical Guide for Catholic Parents

Good book for parenting and marriage advice. It's short and easy to read. Worth it if you are interested in getting good advice for raising a Catholic family.

File this under “books I read because someone I know asked me to and wow, it’s so good that I’m glad I read it.” 🙌 What Mark & Melanie Hart have done his create a gem that is NOT- a book to shame you for what you are or are not doing- an exhausting how-to- filled with holier-than-you-can-imagine examples of their perfect life🤨👍🏻Instead, you’ll spend the introduction laughing out loud, rereading sections out loud to whoever happens to be in earshot (including pets), and maybe feeling the first surge of hope you’ve felt in a while. 🤣 Mark and Melanie are my people...and I’ve never even met her. (I do know Mark. Sorta. Kinda. #fangirlfriend) Even so, as I traveled through the 7 chapters and 2 appendices (one of which has a collection of other real-life parents sharing stories and encouragement, I just knew. Melanie Hart is the kind of friend we all need. The one who speaks the hard truth, but with a smile and in a way that motivates you and gives you hope that you can attain the goal. And Mark is the husband of that friend, the one who makes you pretty sure that yeah, they can come into my messy house and they won’t see anything that’s new or strange. 🤓 Mark and Melanie have years of wisdom and experience, but even more powerfully, they have a love of God and respect for the Church that shines through and puts perspective into everything they offer. 🔥 Highly, highly recommended.

I've read several works by Mr. Hart and I'm a long-time listener (never caller) to The Catholic Guy Show. In all past efforts and especially on the show,I appreciate his insight, humor and clear commitment to Christ. He further displays those great qualities in this compendium of stories, advice, scripture references and practical to-dos. I was skeptical about the "not so holy" part of the title, but some of his stories made me feel slightly better about the holiness label. I hope to implement his advice soon!

I love this book! With stories of wheeled cars given to children in church (don’t do it!) and parenting moments that most of us would like to pretend don’t happen in our house, the Mark and Melanie Hart bring the idea of raising a holy family down to earth. At the same time, they raise us up, reminding us that as people of faith, we are not left alone in our endeavors. Each chapter contains specific actions, prayers, and reflections to help reframe those stubborn problems that come up again and again in our parenting. Many of these pages spoke directly to me. In fact, the timing of one section was so appropriate, it could only be considered divine. Thank you, Mark and Melanie, for smoothing those angry waters! In the end, the Harts help us to remember that “the question is not where you are guiding your children but to whom.” and as we guide our children, we are brought closer ourselves.If your family is normal or not-quite-normal, holy or not-quite-holy, you’ll find something in here to encourage you and help you on the way. It’s well worth the read!

I found Our Not-Quite-Holy Family: A Practical Guide for Catholic Parents to be an absolute delight. The book provides a realistic framework for moving a family closer to Christ--with much fun along the way. The story about Ash Wednesday is priceless, and is well worth the price of the book. This work is a wonderful spiritual resource for families, especially as we approach the Lenten season.

Lord knows after this pandemic , we are definitely feeling like failures in the parenting department. This book brought me hope! What I love most about this book is that it’s not only relatable , but most of all it’s just purely genuine. I love how Mark and Melanie just come correct with real scenarios letting us in , making us feel more normal , and most importantly reminding us we are not alone on our journey . I love the support that the book offers , the reflections and prayer . I’m thinking this book will be one of my go to additions to my baby shower gifts! Wouldn’t it be great if we all the heads up that we don’t have to appear to be perfect or have it all together from the start ?

Both Mark and Melanie so beautifully capture what if means to do our best to embrace holiness as a family in even the craziest of times. Filled with practical strategies and very relatable experiences, as a father of 6 children, I was inspired by the Hart's stories and lessons and comforted in knowing that my wife and I aren't alone. Thank you Harts for inviting us into your home, your brokenness, and your journey to the Kingdom with your beautiful family!

We found Mark and Melanie Hart's book, Our Not-Quite-Holy Family, to be an honest and story-filled guide for the average Catholic family seeking holiness. My wife and I read this book together and were reminded and inspired by the grounded and practical approach to raising a holy family in today’s world. We especially liked the genuine accounts from their family life, relatable tips, and the way they challenge and encourage parents to grow.