---
title: "Real Life with Mary Book Club: Week 3"
description: "Our Book Club selection for May 2025: Real Life with Mary by Kelsey Gillespy. Watch the Week 2 video!"
image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Real%20Life%20with%20Mary%20hero.jpg
---

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[BOOKS](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/books)

# Real Life with Mary Book Club: Week 3

Jun 3, 2025 1:00:00 PM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs)

![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Real%20Life%20with%20Mary%20hero.jpg)

*Our Book Club selection for May 2025: *Real Life with Mary *by Kelsey Gillespy. Watch the Week 3 video!*

---

Our May 2025 Book Club selection is a book honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary! Kelsey Gillespy, in her new book, [*Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord,*](https://paulinestore.com/real-life-with-mary.html) encourages moms to grow in friendship with Mary and learn from her how to walk the daily path to holiness.

This week, Kelsey discusses chapters on compassion, perseverance, and determined cooperation with God — and what we can learn from Mary's response to the challenges she faced as we face our own challenges as mothers.

## Watch our Week 3 episode right here!

 

## What's the book about?

Grow in virtue and friendship with Mary through the chaos of life with these spirited, down-to-earth reflections by Kelsey Gillespy, author of *[In the Trenches](https://paulinestore.com/in-the-trenches-qs1009799-202117.html) *([our Book Club selection from Winter 2024](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/introducing-the-catholic-mom-winter-2024-book-club-in-the-trenches)). In this witty and profound guide to Christian discipleship for women, Gillespy contemplates the virtues of Mary and proposes practical and powerful ways to magnify the Lord — by folding laundry, raising kids, or training for elite athletics. Formatted for personal reflection or group discussion, [Real Life with Mary](https://paulinestore.com/real-life-with-mary.html) features short chapters, discussion questions, and prayers. 

 

![null](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/May%2025%20Book%20Club%20Week%203.png?width=860&height=1075&name=May%2025%20Book%20Club%20Week%203.png)

 

## Where can I get a copy of this book?

Pauline Books & Media, the publisher, is offering a generous discount on [Real Life with Mary](https://paulinestore.com/real-life-with-mary.html): use coupon code RealLifeBC at checkout to receive 20% off the cover price of this book! This offer expires June 21, 2025.

 

[![Order your copy of our Book Club selection](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/interactive-189261476726.png) ](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKPlA%2F%2FtX%2FQ2gBc0iahAiMGLu2IRLU6YHJnRz900BaCdVYbvSlgM%2BrpU3qP636aagkXrl%2BWAxFnClAofT7tdXDxK%2BxNFYoKTiS0qtuV0XSbAWfl2B7ghZiDmBKR5sRsm88g4G7BDyp35R7c68st%2FytRuyOs6jmZrctS5RkYUpgINe1h%2FwBfH7kt7xvZh3%2B6tqpd6YE%3D&webInteractiveContentId=189261476726&portalId=275132)

 

[Real Life with Mary](https://paulinestore.com/real-life-with-mary.html) would make a great gift for women in any stage of motherhood!

## Thank you for participating in our Book Club!

We'll be announcing details about our Summer 2025 Book Club soon. Stay tuned to our social media or [sign up for Book Club emails](https://share.hsforms.com/1YSHYn3YkR_yikYqLMpjIsg5wak) to be among the first to know about our summer book selection.

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!

 

[![Sign up for Book Club emails](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/interactive-189260589093.png) ](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKfSok4iVNo65pZcG21QYGgoBlHNSBVcuRryMfiZUM7%2BDwyEbUB%2Bhz8qsv303KtO2N2ZecAOslMv30Qn6CT%2BJIBrfm6gallsQELu1GYaB%2BzUS%2FeIjoTtVUZxyJ3WHYPNq7Ff%2BZZKrwdM0k724AAfTtSziQolikYw2DMgapmVmlTSdJSrftag%2FlNJU%2FFlmlpQtDIQc2qoERLGaRVZqig%2FZlsvdMk0EqqaoBRaSdHeGuXHY5ynNwpIlRxc%2Bks2bcbiqBZylX44lK%2BPEWnCVwfJ5HxjURk1nxa1l1aVwMUSGIvLkpeyx4R7wgFtBP24TCkvaTze%2FfqeMFMxu1twMx2Vh%2FJMr6wpKJymlQBW6jMyv33udRzbVdjJKwPMr21dVf5V9VL3Q1qFRguoQcOaWzguHDBYc0zN27wZYlw6Idg0g6OG3bUVa9hYkYU9ydn5lIgN%2Bp4%2FE53vEQOH%2BHuZILu9tm%2B8nlnmlzBceN3IIhn9%2FWHo95QIYrbW84Bckn7Y%2BfmfmSWwg%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=189260589093&portalId=275132)

[![Catch up on our Book Club articles](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/interactive-189260589123.png) ](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJiWV52jvFlaSn6nhJ4AvlkNKsHDTVLH7YPsBjMdMcroeejyUAwnLu0xg7k%2BfdOQAbgww17AYgRbS9xUnASLmlUQ6oFU8KUUA7vHI4fIg1CDrMkTjVobfoAI4C2Mn6Ah4djItJhaKGuaSdGKvATo%2Ff37eSguFTGWcfCKoJ12yZnh7Vb59EZk1F4JyljnXK0b15Famzp&webInteractiveContentId=189260589123&portalId=275132)

 

![CM spring 2025 book club](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CM%20spring%202025%20book%20club.jpg?width=1080&height=1350&name=CM%20spring%202025%20book%20club.jpg)

 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

---

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz  
Images: Pauline Books & Media

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#### About the Author

![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg)

### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs)

Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor.

## Related Blog Articles

[

 Real Life with Mary Book Club: Week 2

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[

 Real Life with Mary Book Club: Week 1

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](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/real-life-with-mary-book-club-week-1)

[

 Join the Real Life with Mary Book Club

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