Reading Catholic

Reading Catholic and catholic

Nancy Piccione

Meet a Reader: Sister Jacque Schroeder

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Here is this month’s “Meet a Reader” feature.  I’m delighted Sister Jacque Schroeder agreed to share her reading loves with us.   Sister Jacque is well-known to more than generation of TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) and Cursillo attendees in the Peoria area.   I wrote about her lector skills here last week.  Thanks Sister Jacque!
Who: Sister Jacque Schroeder
How you know me:
I’m Sister Jacque Schroeder, a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception since 1966.  I’m currently in Pastoral Care at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, but I’ve been privileged to serve our diocese in many ways.  I have been an elementary and junior high teacher & principal, spiritual director for the TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) and Cursillo Movements, and formation director of my Franciscan religious community, and a pastoral care worker in the Standing Rock Reservation in our sister Diocese of Rapid City, SD. Over the past 30 years I’ve also enjoyed been privileged to journey with many people in the ministry of spiritual direction and retreats.
Why I love reading:
My mother set the pattern when I was very small.  She read to us every night before bed – Bambi was my favorite.  I loved listening to her read because she made the story come alive in my mind as well as in my heart.  With such a superb example one would have thought that reading would come easily to me, which it did not.  I’m told that between 1st and 2nd grade I completely forgot how to read.  It apparently was not too traumatic since I don’t even remember it – I was far too interested in riding my bicycle and playing outside.  However, that event started another tradition in our home:  all of us (there were 6 children in our family) had to come in for an hour in the afternoon during the summers to read.  I mostly enjoyed books about horses and families while growing up.  In spite of this (and the speed reading courses in college) I remain to this day a painfully slow reader.

My favorite book(s) and why:
How does one choose a favorite book?  For me, it is not possible.  However, a book that is representative of my reading loves is The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  As a children’s book, written as much or more for adults as children, it disarms the reader and allows him/her to go to the heart of reality.  It combines wonderful adventure with the intricacies of relationships among family and friends.  Most of all, it tells our Ancient and Primal Story – The Paschal Mystery – revealing the Goodness, Fierceness and Beauty of our GOD Who is Love.
For spiritual reading, probably my favorite book is the 16th century classic Abandonment to Divine Providence by  Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J.,   I keep it with me, go to it often, and recommend it to anyone called to the ministry of spiritual direction –and, indeed anyone seeking to go to the heart of our journey with the Lord. The book is actually a collection of his letters to those he directed in the spiritual life.  Two scripture quotes come to mind that sum it up quite well:  “Do whatever He tells you.”  (John 2:5)  And “My food is to do the will of my Father.” (John 4:34)  A particularly helpful quote from his writings for me is “Perfection consists in doing the will of God, not in understanding His designs.”  I continue to discover that my need to understand is about me, whereas my need to be obedient is about GOD.  The second brings far more Blessings, Grace and Peace into our lives.

What I’m reading now:
I just began reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.  It is the real life accounting of a man (Mortenson) who stumbled into a Pakistani village in 1993, after failing in his attempt to climb the most difficult mountain peak in the world (K2).  The generosity and kindness of the villagers moved him to promise to return and build a school. This he did – and much more.  He began a humanitarian effort, enlisting the help of many people worldwide, from many walks of life, and began the Central Asia Institute to build schools in impoverished areas.  Over the next decade he built 55 schools – especially for girls.  I think that this book will make obvious the truth that, in the long view, books are a far more powerful agent for world peace than bombs can ever be and that the most powerful agent is, of course, true friendship.

Review: How to Get to "I Do" by Amy Bonaccorso

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How to Get to “I Do”:  A Dating Guide for Catholic Women is a treasure of sensible advice from the recently married Bonaccorso about dating, its pitfalls and the difficulty of making a healthy Catholic match in our modern world.
I love so much about this book it’s hard to limit myself to just a few things, but here goes:
*She recommends singles seriously discern their vocation to either marriage or to the religious life.  If the answer is marriage, she recommends getting busy to help make that happen.  It is work, but worth it.
*Bonaccorso learned to look for flexibility, compatibility and maturity in potential mates more than just passing a Catholic or political “litmus test.”  She recognizes that marriage, even with the grace of the sacrament, requires a lot of work and two people committed to grow together.
*Cute: there are little snippets of commentary from Bonaccorso’s husband throughout, and he doesn’t always agree with her.  I love that realism!
One of the reasons I so enjoyed this book is that I, like Bonaccorso, met and married my Italian husband in Washington, D.C., and I experienced some of the dating pitfalls she writes about so engagingly.  But she’s a lot more mature than I was as a newlywed, and I appreciate her sharing her grounded perspective.  How to Get to ‘I Do’ would be a great book for young singles to read (and discuss together!), but even for older teenagers to read and discuss with parents on discernment.
Check back next week when I’ll have an exclusive (and fun!) author interview with author Amy Bonaccorso!

Catholic Post Book Group Review: Beyond Blue shares Hope and Persistence in Mental Health Journey

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This is my review of Therese Borchard’s Beyond Blue  that appears in this weekend’s print Catholic Post.  Look next week for an exclusive Q&A with author Therese Borchard.  I think it’s appropriate, but coincidental, that this review appears in print and here on October 1, the feast of St. Therese, the Little Flower.  Happy Feast day to Therese Borchard and all “little flowers.”

You‘ve probably heard the old quip about the man who prayed to God every night for to win the lottery.  Faithfully the man prayed, night after night, unceasingly pleading to win the lottery.  Finally, he heard the voice of God: “You need to meet me halfway here—buy a ticket.”
Sometimes, people of faith can be prone to fall into a dangerous tendency, expecting prayer and a deep relationship with God to cure all ills in ourselves, in our relationships, and in our world, without any help from us.  Yet that’s not truly Catholic.  What is Catholic is to recognize the good in the world that God made, and utilize that good, along with our faith to help overcome difficulties (if not exactly win the lottery).
Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Best of Bad Genes is a searingly honest look at Therese Borchard’s struggle with mental health issues.  Borchard, a writer (formerly a syndicated young adult columnist for the Catholic Post, among other newspapers, and currently author of the popular Beyond Blue blog on Beliefnet) writes the book from a Catholic perspective, but the book is really about the good tools she uses to get to and maintain wellness.
Beyond Blue is terrifically written, but frankly, at times it’s hard to read.  Borchard shares low points that include two hospitalizations, dozens of drug combinations, bad physicians, and suicide plans.  So why read the book?  Let me quote from Borchard herself:
“My sincere intention for Beyond Blue is that anyone who struggles with anxiety or depression—even in the slightest way—might find a companion in me, some consolation in the incredibly personal details of my story, and a bit of hope to lighten an often dark and lonely path.”
I think she has absolutely succeeded with this intention—and much, much more.
Everyone can learn from the self-care principles Borchard recounts in Beyond Blue as part of her recovery.  She writes well of how prayer and the spiritual life, attention to diet, exercise and good sleep; and healthy friendships, can all help maintain or lift one’s mood.   For many people, practicing these can be enough to achieve or keep on an even keel.
But we also learn from Beyond Blue that for some people, even those who haven’t been through Borchard’s deep struggles, this kind of self-care may not be enough.   And we can and should be enormously grateful to God for the minds of scientists and physicians who create medicines to treat the mind just as they treat the body.
The overarching message of Beyond Blue is something a dear priest friend likes to say: “Keep on keeping on.”  For most, that means “keep on” practicing self-care principles.  For those who find themselves in crisis, that means “keep on” reaching out for help, and “keep on” trying to find the right counselor or physician if there is not a good fit at first.  If medicine is helpful in your journey, “keep on,” as Borchard did, working with a medical team to find the right combination of medicine and other tools to achieve mental wellness.
Jesus said, “I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10).  Beyond Blue provides an honest, inspiring and hope-filled look at how one brave person continues to seek that abundant life. 

“Beyond Blue” shares Hope and Persistence in Mental Health Journey

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This is my review of Therese Borchard’s Beyond Blue  that appears in this weekend’s print Catholic Post.  Look next week for an exclusive Q&A with author Therese Borchard.  I think it’s appropriate, but coincidental, that this review appears in print and here on Otoboer 1, the feast of St. Therese, the Little Flower.  Happy Feast day to Therese Borchard and all “little flowers.”

You‘ve probably heard the old quip about the man who prayed to God every night for to win the lottery.  Faithfully the man prayed, night after night, unceasingly pleading to win the lottery.  Finally, he heard the voice of God: “You need to meet me halfway here—buy a ticket.”
Sometimes, people of faith can be prone to fall into a dangerous tendency, expecting prayer and a deep relationship with God to cure all ills in ourselves, in our relationships, and in our world, without any help from us.  Yet that’s not truly Catholic.  What is Catholic is to recognize the good in the world that God made, and utilize that good, along with our faith to help overcome difficulties (if not exactly win the lottery).
Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Best of Bad Genes is a searingly honest look at Therese Borchard’s struggle with mental health issues.  Borchard, a writer (formerly a syndicated young adult columnist for the Catholic Post, among other newspapers, and currently author of the popular Beyond Blue blog on Beliefnet) writes the book from a Catholic perspective, but the book is really about the good tools she uses to get to and maintain wellness.
Beyond Blue is terrifically written, but frankly, at times it’s hard to read.  Borchard shares low points that include two hospitalizations, dozens of drug combinations, bad physicians, and suicide plans.  So why read the book?  Let me quote from Borchard herself:
“My sincere intention for Beyond Blue is that anyone who struggles with anxiety or depression—even in the slightest way—might find a companion in me, some consolation in the incredibly personal details of my story, and a bit of hope to lighten an often dark and lonely path.”
I think she has absolutely succeeded with this intention—and much, much more.
Everyone can learn from the self-care principles Borchard recounts in Beyond Blue as part of her recovery.  She writes well of how prayer and the spiritual life, attention to diet, exercise and good sleep; and healthy friendships, can all help maintain or lift one’s mood.   For many people, practicing these can be enough to achieve or keep on an even keel.
But we also learn from Beyond Blue that for some people, even those who haven’t been through Borchard’s deep struggles, this kind of self-care may not be enough.   And we can and should be enormously grateful to God for the minds of scientists and physicians who create medicines to treat the mind just as they treat the body.
The overarching message of Beyond Blue is something a dear priest friend likes to say: “Keep on keeping on.”  For most, that means “keep on” practicing self-care principles.  For those who find themselves in crisis, that means “keep on” reaching out for help, and “keep on” trying to find the right counselor or physician if there is not a good fit at first.  If medicine is helpful in your journey, “keep on,” as Borchard did, working with a medical team to find the right combination of medicine and other tools to achieve mental wellness.
Jesus said, “I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10).  Beyond Blue provides an honest, inspiring and hope-filled look at how one brave person continues to seek that abundant life. 

I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You

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Today’s first reading is from Job 1, about all the misfortunes that happened to Job.  Servant after servant came to tell Job of losing everything, and their “line” is, “I alone have escaped to tell you.”  And Job responds with,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

naked I shall return.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I am reminded of several random thoughts here that I hope will be somewhat cohesive.

*the lector for daily Mass, coincidentally, happened to be the October featured “Meet a Reader” that will appear in this weekend’s edition of The Catholic Post.  You’ll just have to check back later this week to see who it is, but suffice to say she is an excellent lector.  I always think when she is the lector, “Word on Fire,” because she reads in a very deep way (for lack of a better word, not “drahmatic” but moving and heartfelt–it’s hard to let your mind wander during her reading).  You know you are hearing the Word of the Lord.    I had arrived a bit late for Mass (not that that ever happens to me! hmm), so the reading has just started, but I was instantly drawn into the narrative.

*Job, scripture tells us, “committed no sin nor offered any insult to God.”  I think that is more difficult than anything when bad things happen.  Who can say they never complain to God?  I know I am extremely prone to this, for small things and big things.

*A suggestion for your Ipod: (and it happens to be on my running playlist), Blessed Be Your Name is a great song by the CCM band Tree 63, a meditation of sorts on this passage from Job.


*I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You: My Life and Pastimes
is the title of the excellent memoir by Ralph McInerny, who died last year.  He was a personal hero of mine and I wrote about him several times in my blogging life, so I’ve mined one of those old posts to share:

I met him once many years ago, when my husband and I were first married. McInerny gave a speech at Bradley University, and one of the hosting professors invited us to the after-speech gathering at his house.  I brought along a super chocolate cake.  It was good, with a chocolate-sour cream ganache frosting–now where is that recipe?

McInerny praised it by saying it was the “most chocolatey chocolate cake” he had ever tasted.  My husband, the philosopher in the family (by trade, degree, and temperament), said this was the highest compliment given by a philosopher.  McInerny agreed, and we all had a good laugh.

Several years ago my husband presented a paper at a conference at Notre Dame. I tagged along with the two children we had at the time.  McInerny was one of the organizers, and even though I saw him walking around the conference, I was always too shy to re-introduce myself and tell him how much I admired him.  Usually I am pretty bold about introducing myself to people.  Now I wish I had.

How he discusses writing in I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You is brilliant.    He takes the craft of writing seriously but not too seriously.  He speaks of it being a discipline and work, and the luck/serendipity involved in his success.

He has referred to Anthony Trollope, one of my favorite authors, at least three times in the few chapters I have read. He and/or his family regularly spent several years, and weeks of others, in Europe. He is a faithful Catholic family man with a large family.  What’s not to love?

Prayer of Blessed John Henry Newman

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I am created to do something or to be something for which no one else is created; I have a place in God’s counsels, in God’s world, which no one else has; whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man, God knows me and calls me by name.

God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which he not committed to another.  I have my mission—I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.  Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his…I have a part in this great wor; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons.  He has not created me for naught.  I shall do good, I shall do his work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.  If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.  My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us.  He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it.  He knows what He is about.  He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me-still He knows what He is about . . .

I ask not to see-ask not to know-I ask simply to be used.