Catholic Readers discussion

Good grief...it's almost Lent! In the Traddie calendar we're in Sexagesima, which means it's only a few days to Quinquagesima, which is all the run-up signals one needs.

We're all, I'm sure, in different ways planning our Lenten observance (see Fr. Z's post here), and a group of folks here are making their way through C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters during February.

I'd like to invite you to share any good, solid, Catholic reading you're taking on for Lent. Books intended to help in your purification and preparation for the great feast of Easter!

Right now I'm considering two:

We started reading this last year, but I couldn't get through - so it would be good to finish it off in 2012.

There's also
I read this through a few years ago and remember being very impressed with it. I think it would be good to visit it again.

What are you reading in Lent 2012?

Why not try some Catholic fiction this Lent? Catholic fiction is struggling with so few (or no)Catholic publishers who will take a chance with it. I just finished reading 'Rachel's Contrition' winner of the Catholic Arts and letter award given by the Catholic Writer's guild and found it inspirational.
My novels have all received the Seal of Approval by the Catholic Writer's Guild. Based on the graces of the mysteries of the Rosary - my lastest work, 'Down Right Good' is available on amazon as an ebook for just $2.99 if you don't want to take the plunge into fiction for too much money.
Remember - Jesus taught His greatest lessons in parables and we today can learn great truth from great stories. God Bless, Karen Kelly Boyce

Thank you, but I do not wish this thread to become an advertising platform. Please keep that to the discussion category specifically set up for that purpose.

Sorry Lisa,

I just got carried away. I am passionate about Catholic Fiction - It won't happen again. Karen

I'm going to try to get through two books (at least) this Lent. One is a daily read based off the concept of The Screwtape Letters with a letter for each day from Ash Wednesday through Easter.



I started reading this last year, but got distracted. I won't let that happen this year!

-------------

The second is to help me focus on what Jesus went through for us, which seems very appropriate for Lent leading into the Triduum.

I'm reading both The Screwtape Letters: Also Includes "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" and Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux.

Oh yeah, and I always read some of Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ at some point in Lent (usually Good Friday).

Needless to say, this is quite a task for the next 40+ days, given the other books also on my "currently-reading" shelf, but I think I'm up to it.

All of a sudden I'm charging through the rest of Abandonment in a way I simply wasn't able to last year. I'm finding it (this may sound weird) very consoling in some ways. Deo gratias for it becoming a suggestion in this group.

I have decided to improve my prayer life this Lent. I am meditating on a Bible verse each morning and allowing God to lead me into an understanding of the verse and how it relates to my life and what grace I need to follow Christ more closely. Instead of 'giving up' something I plan to add the daily Rosary for Peace in the World. (I don't like the rumblings of war I hear on the news) Perhaps I will watch less TV and read more. I may tackle 'Story of a Soul' which I have never finished Any other suggestions?
Thanks, Karen Kelly Boyce
www.karenkellyboyce.com

Lisa wrote: "All of a sudden I'm charging through the rest of Abandonment in a way I simply wasn't able to last year. I'm finding it (this may sound weird) very consoling in some ways. Deo gratias for it becoming a suggestion in this group. "

Maybe you are just more "ready" for it this year. I finding quite amazing what one year's difference can make when reading something that may have made less impact earlier.

Karen wrote: "Any other suggestions?"

I think it's important to not try to do too much as it may make everything you are doing have less meaning (i.e. overload). I'm guilty of that all too often.

Carlos wrote: "Maybe you are just more "ready" for it this year. I finding quite amazing what one year's difference can make when reading something that may have made less impact earlier."

Very possibly true. There are several things that have happened in the last 12 months or so which mean this book 'speaks' to me much more now than it did then.

Thanks - I have a tendency to do that and become so overwhelmed that I just give up. I will watch it! Karen

Well, yesterday I finished Abandonment, a whole liturgical year after we started reading it together as a group! I'm glad I persevered with it, as the last part especially I found very consoling when I look at my own life.

It's perhaps not a read everyone can get on well with, but maybe you need to be in the right 'place' to be able to receive it well, as Carlos suggested in #10.

Anyway - recommended!

Though it is almost to a close this Lenten season, I would like to say I gave up secular books for Lent. I am reading my fifth catholic/religious book which is titled, "Women, Sex, and the Church"

Oh, I've read about that book on some blogs (Conversion Diary, amongst others, I think). Is it helpful? I'm put off a bit by the title, but that's probably because I'm a prude.

Lisa wrote: "Oh, I've read about that book on some blogs (Conversion Diary, amongst others, I think). Is it helpful? I'm put off a bit by the title, but that's probably because I'm a prude."

It is not bad as far as I have read. I will give a review of it when I finish it :)