Borchard, Therese Johnson

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BORCHARD, Therese Johnson

PERSONAL:

Married; husband's name Eric; children: David, Katherine. Education: Earned a B.A.; University of Notre Dame, M.A.

ADDRESSES:

Home—510 Third St., Annapolis, MD 21404; fax: 410-295-5912. Office—c/o Catholic News Service, 3211 Fourth St. NE, Washington, DC 20017. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Author and freelance writer. Former editor for U.S. Catholic (magazine) and Paulist Press; Catholic News Service, author of column "Our Turn."

WRITINGS:

(Editor) Women, Why are You Weeping?: A Lenten Companion for Women, Crossroad (New York, NY), 1997.

Everyone's Problem: Addiction and Recovery: Director's Manual, edited by Kieran Sawyer, Ave Marie Press (Notre Dame, IN), 1997.

(Editor) Let It Be: Advent and Christmas Meditations for Women, Crossroad (New York, NY), 1998.

Our Catholic Devotions: A Popular Guidebook, Crossroad (New York, NY), 1998.

Our Blessed Mother: Mary in Catholic Tradition, Crossroad (New York, NY), 1999.

Our Catholic Prayer: A Popular Guidebook, Crossroad (New York, NY), 1999.

Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord (juvenile), illustrated by Phyllis V. Saroff, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 2000.

(Editor, with Michael Leach) I Like Being Catholic: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories, Doubleday (New York, NY), 2000.

Winging It: Meditations of a Young Adult, Orbis Books (Maryknoll, NY), 2001.

(Editor, with Michael Leach) I Like Being Married: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories, Doubleday (New York, NY), 2002.

(Editor) I Love Being a Mom: Treasured Stories, Memories, and Milestones, Doubleday (New York, NY), 2004.

"EMERALD BIBLE" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

Whitney Coaches David on Fighting Goliath: And Learns to Stand up for Herself, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Whitney Rides the Whale with Jonah: And Learns She Can't Run Away, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Whitney Sews Joseph's Many-colored Coat: And Learns a Lesson about Jealousy, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Whitney Solves a Dilemma with Solomon: And Learns the Importance of Honesty, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Whitney Climbs the Tower of Babel: And Learns What Happens to Snobs, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Whitney Stows away on Noah's Ark: And Learns How to Deal with Peer Pressure, illustrated by Wendy VanNest, Paulist Press (New York, NY), 2000.

SIDELIGHTS:

Therese Johnson Borchard has written a number of books for younger readers, including her "Emerald Bible" series and the picture book Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord, which advises children to use their five senses to experience God's creations.

For somewhat older readers, Winging It: Meditations of a Young Adult is a collection of eighty-six brief meditations on many aspects of contemporary life. Sue Birnie noted in National Catholic Reporter that "from the physical/emotional impact of too many Doritos to life beyond the black and white of the film Pleasantville, the Notre Dame theology graduate finds meaning, clarity, and questions about faith for readers to consider." Borchard draws on such diverse sources as Dr. Seuss, Buddha, Jesus, Ray Charles, and Jerry Seinfeld. Kathleen Maloney Byrnes wrote in Journal of Pastoral Counseling, "Borchard has collected insights and quotes from this varied 'guest list' and provides young readers with a feast for the mind and soul. The reflections on topics ranging from love and marriage to work and faith inspire all of us Gen X'ers to pause and reflect."

Borchard and publisher Michael Leach coedited I Like Being Catholic: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories from contributors who range from everyday Catholics expressing their faith to celebrities and church figures who include Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Gary Cooper, Mary Higgins Clark, Mother Teresa, and Pope John Paul II. A Publishers Weekly contributor called this a "glowing collection."

Similarly, I Like Being Married: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories includes contributions from ordinary people, as well as celebrities, politicians, and literary figures. Subjects covered include courtship, marriage, interracial relationships, and raising a family. Included are contributions from Colin Powell, C. S. Lewis, George Burns, Tom Hanks, Grace Kelly, Bob Hope, Paul McCartney, Mel Gibson, Billy Graham, George Bush, and Celine Dion, as well as Benjamin Franklin, Homer, Chaucer, Queen Victoria, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Also included are love letters by Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, Jewish actor and comedian Jerry Stiller shares the story of his successful marriage to Irish-Catholic comic Anne Meara, a union that produced their son, actor Ben Stiller. Emilie Griffin wrote in National Catholic Reporter that although I Like Being Married is "a sort of coffee table book," a "careful balance between light-touch elements and passionate personal stories gives the book a surprising depth and readability. Many of the stories are riveting."

I Love Being a Mom: Treasured Stories, Memories, and Milestones is a collection of contributions by famous mothers, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Barbara Walters, Barbara Bush, and others. Library Journal contributor Mirela Roncevic said that the book will be favored by readers who enjoy reading about celebrities but felt that others would be "annoyed" by the concept of hearing from these, for-the-most-part, very wealthy and privileged mothers.

Borchard spoke to an interviewer for CatholicMom.com, and responded to the question of why she began her "I Like" series for adults. She said while watching The Phil Donahue Show, priest and author Andrew Greeley commented on a church position with which Father Greeley disagreed. When a member of the audience yelled, "then why don't you leave the church?," Greeley replied, "I like being Catholic." Leach asked Greeley to write a book based on that statement, and he did write an essay, but he did not have time for a book. Leach turned to Borchard, and the series began.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 1, 2000, Shelley Townsend-Hudson, review of Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord, p. 360.

Christian Parenting Today, September-October, 2001, review of Taste and See, p. 60.

Journal of Pastoral Counseling (annual), 2002, Kathleen Maloney Byrnes, review of Winging It: Meditations of a Young Adult, p. 122.

Library Journal, April 1, 2002, Pam Matthews, review of I Like Being Married: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories, p. 128; April 15, 2004, Mirela Roncevic, review of I Love Being a Mom: Treasured Stories, Memories, and Milestones, p. 110.

National Catholic Reporter, May 11, 2001, Sue Birnie, review of Winging It, p. 34; May 31, 2002, Emilie Griffin, review of I Like Being Married, p. 20.

Publishers Weekly, August 14, 2000, review of I Like Being Catholic: Treasured Traditions, Rituals, and Stories, p. 351; February 26, 2001, review of Winging It, p. 82; December 10, 2001, review of I Like Being Married, p. 63.