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Catching Fire Becoming Flame by Albert Haase, OFMhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a solid overview of various Christian spiritual practices.
I'm working through De Doctrina Christiana by St Augustine in shameless preparation for my Homiletics course this fall and I'm reading Into Your Hands Father by Fr Stinissen, OCD
Mod
Newbery Honors 1961There is more to the Christian theme: Old Ramon knows all his sheep individually and he points out three leaders of the flock who are always found one out front, and two at each side, named Theresa, Juanita (=Johanna, the female version of John), and Maria.
This is a wonderful story of friendship between an old sheep herder and the son of his employer. The boy is sent by his father to learn a different kind of knowledge, one that cannot be taught from books. Old Ramon becomes his mentor and friend as the boy learns the ways of the land and the sheep.
As with any good Western there is a mythical, eternal quality to the story. The land itself functions as a character and shapes the people. Old Ramon has become so much part of the land that he physically resembles it. The boy is not given a name, for the apprentice-teacher relationship moves endlessly from generation to generation like the rhythm of the seasons. The novel seemingly ends rather abruptly, but then, from the perspective of the land these two characters are only a snapshot. The boy has learned many lessons and has become part of the eternal rhythms of the land.
Old Ramon is also a Christ figure. The name Ramon means both counselor and protector. "Old" Ramon implies he is wise. One could say he is the personification of a wise guardian. So like the boy, he really has no name. The Wise Guardian, the Pastore, eternally watches over His flock. At times, when they are on the right path, He follows. When they need guidance, He is out front to lead them. "Genlty. Always gently."
Their gear is packed on a burro or donkey.
I don't know if Schaefer was Catholic, I couldn't find any religious affiliation on my quick search. In any case, he left us a true gem.
Kerstin, I was so struck by this entry. In the book of essays, A Stay Against Confusion, which I’ve been mentioning in our discussion of Mariette in Ecstasy, Ron Hansen writes: “Christ’s story is so primary to our literature that the eyes of faith can find it in a thousand variations. Look at William Faulkner’s A Fable, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany; or, in film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Cool Hand Luke, and Shane.” (page 20)
Just finishedThe Templars by Dan Jones
www.goodreads.com/review/show/2947768652
This is a thorough history of the Medieval Order of the Knights Templar which lasted for nearly two centuries. Although this ecclesiastical order, for a time, wielded great economic, political and military power, it was its military campaigns in the Crusades for which it was best known. This book focused most of its attention on the bloody details of these battles. I am glad to have learned so much about this chivalric order which has taken on legendary status in popular culture.
Encountering Christ In The Eucharist by Bruce Morrill, S.J.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a brief, but dense, exploration of Christ’s presence in the Mass: through the community gathered, the proclamation of the Word, the consecrated bread and wine, the priest presider.
Encountering Christ In The Eucharist by Bruce Morrill, S.J.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a brief, but dense, exploration of Christ’s presence in the Mass: through the community gathered, the proclamation of the Word, the consecrated bread and wine, the priest presider.
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finishedGreat Is The Mystery by Joe Paprocki and D. Todd Williamson
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a basic explanation of the liturgical life of the Church and an exploration of its power to form disciples.
Finished! This is nnot a book I want to revisit.City of God by St. Augustine
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
What happens when you cross a brilliant, highly detailed, philosophical classic with a lack luster reader with a short attention span? A gigantic yawn. I know this 1,100 page tome is a cornerstone of Christian theology, but it left me beyond uninspired. The world view, the intellectual approach, the scientific and experiential underpinnings were so alien to my context that I never found an entry point or a moment of interest.
Irene, were you at least humbled by the timelessness of the book? It seems it should make us somewhat alert to the real and current antagonism that we see all around us, between people of God and people of Man...did you read Lord of the World? From the Tower of Babel to the Humanists/Progressives, Freemasonic people of today....it all seems constantly relevant.....no?
Susan, excellent points. We are as a people like the Israelites, forever asserting our faithfulness, trying to be pious, then no sooner than (in my grandson's words) we "figure out that God has our back," alternately slipping up, sinking down, and falling into sin and error.The objections to Christianity have been raised and refuted time and again. While Augustine seems to belabor the point, we have to remember that he already knew all that I just said and had lived through his own personal Israelite-style journey himself. In this work, he has put on the armor of God big-time.
Susan, True, the pattern of humanity toward God does not seem to alter much. Unfortunately, this book did not bring that home to me in the way other texts, including Scripture, has. But, as I acknowledge in my review, the book is a classic, penned by a brilliant mind and I am not nearly intellegent enough to appreciate it. Since this is a classic, the problem is obviously with me.
The Sign of Jonas by Thomas Mertonhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is several years of Merton’s journals while he was in his mid-30s. These are honest and almost too private to be read by a total stranger. But, I felt privileged to be able to read his thoughts full of spiritual fervor. I think you would have to be a Merton fan to enjoy this book. 4.5 stars
Just starting The One Thing Is Three by Michael Gaitley this morning.
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Funny you should mention that book. I was cleaning out my bookshelves and that book popped up. I had not read it but have wanted to. I still do. I may nominate it for our next read. Unless you tell me it's not that good. Let me know. Explaining the Trinity is probably the hardest issue in all Christianity.
I have just purchased two books, The Shepherd Who Didn't Run, by Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda, and Love in a Fearful Land, by Henri Nouwen. Both are about Father Stanley Rother, recently beatified. He was a missionary first from a small town near Oklahoma City who was martyred in 1981 in Guatemala. I have a personal interest in his story and in his possible canonization, and my husband and I intend to pay a visit to his parish in Okarche, Oklahoma. More to my story than I'm ready to share, but what started as mere interest in a beatified martyr so close to home (we have some family in Oklahoma too) intensified with discovering Nouwen's book. I have a lot of reading (and writing) on my plate right now and am trying not to feel overwhelmed. But Father Stanley, well. Just wow.
Madeleine, Fr. Stanley's cousin once remove moved to our parish several years ago. She has introduced our parish to his story and I have read "The Shepherd Who Didn't Run". Formed.org has a video about him, if your parish has a formed.org subscription.
Irene, Thanks for letting me know! Our parish does have Formed, and I will check out that video. He still awaits a miracle for canonization, I believe.
Irene, I watched the video on B!eased Stanley. What an inspiring man, so simple and ordinary but what extraordinary dedication and courage! Twenty thousand people at his beatification ceremony. The first American martyr.
Yes, And I keep thinking that he is the tip of the iceburg. How many other pastors and catechists and doctors and teachers and farmers gave their lives in that horrible situation to serve the poor and broken and violated. Fr. Stanley, being American, has been able to have his story told. But, I am certain that he is just one of many many saints from that country.
One of my former classmates spent several years doing mission work for our diocese in Honduras and possibly other parts of Central America. He has some horror stories of his own, I'm sure. He is not a priest, but I mean to ask him what he knows about Fr. Stanley. He and his wife live in our former parish in Fort Worth.
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by Michael E. Gaitley."Almost everyone I know gave that five stars. I’ll have to put it on my reading list.
Divine Renovation by Fr. James Mallonhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fr. Mallon argues for the need for bold renewal in Catholic parishes. He lays out a plan based on his efforts as a pastor. I found some of his comments to be challenging, some of his recommendations to be inspiring, some of his suggestions to be ill advised and the entire book to be thought provoking. It would be worthwhile to have an entire parish leadership team read and discuss this book together.
Mod
Now this would be a challenge in and of itself!
The Shed That Fed A Million Children by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrowhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is the story of the founding and growth of an international aid organization, Mary’s Meals, which is dedicated to providing food and education in the poorest communities around the world. Fueled by his family’s lively Catholic faith and energized by a pilgrimage to Medjugorje as a teen, the author began to organize relief shipments to war ravished Bosnia. The awareness of one great need led to the next. From housing for AIDS orphans in Rumania to a school for deaf street children in Liberia, the author found ways to fund-raise and meet needs around the globe. His efforts eventually took shape as Mary’s Meals, a program that provides starving children with one nutritious meal per day if they attend school. By linking food to education, the hope is to break the cycle of poverty in a generation. Mary’s Meals now operates globally, from Haiti to India to Malawi. This is an amazing story.
A Long Retreat by Andrew Krivakhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The spiritual memoir is one of my favorite genres. I love to hear how people recognize and respond to the promptings of God in their lives. This is a very well written, deeply personal, honest account of the process of discerning a vocation to the Jesuits over a decade. After eight years in formation, the author will realize that he is being called to a life of love and service as a husband and father. But along the way, he will learn to pray, to listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to surrender all to the will of God.
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The spiritual memoir is one of my favorite genres. I love to hear how people recognize and respond to the promptings..."
I love to hear those stories too. Looks interesting.
Irene wrote: "A Long Retreat by Andrew Krivakhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The spiritual memoir is one of my favorite genres. I love to hear how people recognize and respond to the promptings..."
This looks so good. Another for my TBR !!
I also love religious journey memoirs.
Manny and MaryAnn, I would recommend this one. The literary quality is strong and the spiritual journey is faith-filled and offers the reader much to consider.
My Sisters The Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbellhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I stumbled on this spiritual memoir while searching for a book to use for a summer women’s group at my parish. Campbell takes the reader through 15 years of her young adult life. For each key moment, she shares a saint whose writings or witness inspired her at that moment and the spiritual wisdom she strove to integrate for herself. Although Campbell’s and my lives are quite different, I found in this narrative, a story that was particular enough to be unique and universal enough that even I could relate.
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I stumbled on this spiritual memoir while searching for a book to use for a summer women’s group ..."
I remember when that book was published and even though it was a woman's story I was tempted to get it. Then I got to flip through the book somewhere and when I saw she did not include my beloved St. Catherine of Siena, I passed on it. ;)
LOL, no St. Catherine does not make this book. But I see she has another one with more saints. I wonder if Catherine is in that one.
I have recently finished Austin Ruse's new book, "Under Siege: No Finer Time to Be a Faithful Catholic." I was on the launch team, and highly recommend it, especially since the substance of the book develops the idea in our current reading that the official cultural narrative in our time has assumed the trappings of a religion in itself, and he develops that idea with excellent documentation and highly readable prose. I would nominate it except that it is excessively political but he makes a great case for why we need to remain strong in our faith, especially today. He also mentions some very young recent martyrs most of us probably have not heard of. Many of us have been wondering who, besides JP II and Mother Teresa, are the Catherine of Siena, Joan of Arc, and Thomas More for our time.And if you don't know Austin Ruse, he heads C-Fam, an organization that lobbies at the UN and other places for pro-life issues, and on the board (I think) of Crisis Magazine, among other noteworthy pieces in Catholic journalism. He is also a convert!
I look forward to reading Joseph Ratzinger's "In the Beginning..." It is 4 homilies on the Creation and the Fall. It is a short book, but anything by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is dense and erudite. I look forward to reading it at Adoration or before Mass!
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I read it a long time ago. It is fantastic.
Women in the Old Testament by Irene T Noelhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Catholic scripture scholar Sr. Mary Irene Noel, OSB looks at each of the major female characters and many of those who only get a brief mention in the Old Testament. She gives us the biblical passages along with solid commentary.
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Catholic scripture scholar Sr. Mary Irene Noel, OSB looks at each of the major female characters and man..."
Looks like a good book
Between Heaven and Mirth by James Martin, S.J.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Written for a popular audience, this book argues for the importance of humor, laughter and joy in the spiritual life, in personal and communal prayer, as a fruit of the spiritual life and as essential food to nourish the spiritual life. I did not find anything earth shaking in this book, but I did find many great quotes and a good reminder to cultivate a lighter spirit.
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Here is the full text of my review:
”Far too many children grow up without reading the great classics of children’s literature.” Probably most of us fall into this category. Cheri Blomquist contributed a most valuable resource for all those who want to catch up on good children’s literature, though we are not the main focus of her book, lovely as the thought is. She also ponders the question if we rush too fast into adult classics before children and teenagers are ready for them. A very valid question! I have often wondered why we had to read tediously boring books in school when far more engaging literature could have been chosen without any loss of quality. It imparts on the student the false premise that classics are boring, when in fact the very opposite is true. A great story is a great story – what difference does it make whether it was written for children or adults?
Part of the premise of the book is that over the centuries great children’s literature has been written, it should be honored in its own right, and Blomquist proposes a “Children’s Great Books” catalog. In the first part of the book she covers the historical development of children’s literature within Western civilization over the centuries until the year 2,000 subdivided into different time periods. Blomquist highlights the most influential titles of each time period into “fundamental” and “important,” as these often birthed a new genre, such as Robinson Crusoe and the beginning of many adventure stories featuring islands or being stranded on a distant shore somewhere, or had some other major impact. Blomquist also gives each of these titles a short treatment on their themes and virtues. In addition, each time period has about 30 – 40 additional titles of note listed. As we get closer to the present, especially after 1965, there are more and more titles that are given a parental caution. These books have content that may be offensive or mature. I really like this feature. It gives parents especially a heads-up and the ability to discern if a given title is age-appropriate, should only be read with parental supervision, or simply ditched.
The second part of the book offers suggestions for students, parents, home educators, and teachers, various implementing strategies. These are not applicable in my case, so I pretty much skipped that part. There is a comprehensive appendix where all the titles are in list form for easy reference and further resources given.
To me the history of children’s literature and the impact of certain titles over time is the most fascinating part of this reference work. The titles were chosen not on the basis of personal preference of the author, but due to their importance to the genre, and she does note when she struggled including a title here and there. I like the honesty. Some titles are not my cup of tea either. Many years ago John Senior introduced the concept of reading a thousand good books in preparation for the greatest one hundred, and the “worksheet” (his word) of titles he prepared starts with age two. Blomquist’s book not only dovetails beautifully but fleshes out why the titles she suggests have merit and, most importantly, deserve our time.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I recently finished (He Leadeth Me ) Author: Walter J Ciszek May-2014 and it was outstanding! He had a clear and direct way of conveying his points, and some of the things he said have been in my mind ever since. Excellent book focusing on surrendering to God's Will.
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Kerstin wrote: "I think his story was also featured on a Lighthouse talk years ago. It was quite gripping."I learned about him through Hallow. I would have liked to have met him in person.
Catholic Thought
Books mentioned in this topic
[(He Leadeth Me )] [Author: Walter J Ciszek] [May-2014] (other topics)Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary: Unveiling the Mother of the Messiah (other topics)
Before Austen Comes Aesop: The Children’s Great Books and How to Experience Them (other topics)
The Children of the New Forest (other topics)
33 Days to Morning Glory (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
John Senior (other topics)Michael E. Gaitley (other topics)
Michael E. Gaitley (other topics)
Jack Schaefer (other topics)
James Martin (other topics)
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I may have to prioritize it. Another friend, who is an Evangelical Protestant, just saw me put it in my "To Read" category and said she was looking for a book by Nouwen and this seemed like the perfect one. Your review set a few things in motion. It's like the communion of saints praying for each other...lol.