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Book Reviews

Brace Yourselves: The Year of Mercy is Underway {My February column @TheCatholicPost }

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Following is my February column that appears in this week’s print edition of The Catholic Post. I realize that the reference to internet culture may be a bit strange to read online, but keep in mind that my column appears in print, and many of the print readers may not understand about memes.  So I created one to appear in the paper, and it’s republished here. Brace yourselves! 🙂

Those with a bit of internet culture knowledge are doubtless aware of some of the most popular memes—those humorous text boxes overlaid on a photo or GIF (a short photo/video loop) of something goofy, and the Catholic ones can be genuinely funny. If you’re not aware, Google “Catholic Ryan Gosling,” or “Victory Baby”, or “Grumpy Cat,” and you’ll know what I mean. I’ll wait.

One enduring meme is what always thought was Boromir (from The Lord of the Rings), but is actually called “Imminent Ned.” Now imagine that with the text “Brace Yourselves: I’ll be Writing About ‘Year of Mercy’ Books All Year Long.” That’s the visual that jumped into my mind when I realized how much I plan to write about books related to the Year of Mercy during this year.

braceyourselves

This is partially because like many people, I’ve been especially drawn to the messages and the beauty of the Year of Mercy.

It’s also because there are just such a good collection of books that have been released, or are yet to be released, with mercy as the theme.

No doubt many were released (or at least named) specifically for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, but enough have such promise for being spiritually edifying and well-written that I plan to share a number of these with readers of The Catholic Post in coming months.

The start of Lent offers an excellent time to consider some form of spiritual reading and reflection.

A trip to your local Catholic bookstore or online resource offers myriad choices and resources for the Year of Mercy, but let me offer a few stand-outs.

One idea is to explore one or more of an Of Mercy series written by the  Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

But don’t let the official-sounding author name discourage you from picking up one or more of these eight excellent titles. These are all short (less than 100 pages) of accessible writing about the topic (the sacrament of confession, the parables, etc.) as they relate to mercy. So, for instance, in “The Psalms of Mercy” reflects on the Psalms that relate to mercy, and “Celebrating the Year of Mercy” lists some of the special dates in the year, as well as the rich liturgical life of the Church that helps Christians live mercy through prayer.

For a more visual exploration of the Year of Mercy, there is the Disciple of Mercy Journal, published by the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. (Local connection: several of this order’s sisters are at Peoria Notre Dame High School and St. Jude Parish in Peoria).

2016 Disciple of Mercy Journal Cover_for_web

The Disciple of Mercy Journal was designed for use by junior high students and older, but it’s too good for the young to keep to themselves. It’s a substantial resource for all ages to reflect on what mercy means in Scripture, as well as how people can practice it in daily life.

The journal provides 12 weeks of study, each with a focus on a Scripture passage, with guided questions, artwork, lectio divina, and suggestions or challenges for living out mercy in one’s life. The journal can be written in, or not—there are spaces to answer questions and respond to the Scripture and artwork.

Even though the journal follows a weekly structure, there’s no need to rush through it. A reader could spend the entire Year of Mercy working through this journal and benefitting from its many-faceted approach.

Finally, if you’re a fan of fiction, or can find spiritual thoughts in one novel for something completely different, if you like fiction as much as I do.

I just finished Fr. James Martin’s first (fiction) novel, The Abbey: A Story of Discovery. While I’ve been impressed with every book I have ever read of Fr. Martin, especially his moving memoir, Jesus: A Pilgrimage, I confess I was a little skeptical of his foray into fiction. Fiction is so hard to get right-especially religious fiction. Mea culpa for that thought.

But  The Abbey is well worth reading, both for enjoyment and for a look at the spiritual life. The book is a poignant, simple story about grief, spiritual growth, and how God reaches out to each individual in myriad ways.

The novel is told through the stories of several people with little or no religious belief, and their connection with an abbey of monks; the story quietly explores how both the laypeople and monks affect each other. The Abbey presents the concept of spiritual direction in a natural way, as well as showing how God meets us in our everyday lives, our imaginations, and the people around us. It’s a good read.

The Triumph of Grace {My January column @TheCatholicPost }

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Recently, one of my teens had to give an impromptu speech in class on the subject, “If your life were a song title, what would it be?” She had 60 seconds to think, and then two minutes to give the short speech.

I must have had that in mind as I finished, The Woman Who Was Chesterton Nancy Carpentier Brown’s sweeping biography of Frances Chesterton, the wife of celebrated writer G.K. Chesterton.

That’s because I thought, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards surely didn’t have Frances in mind when they wrote, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” but the refrain fits exceedingly well for her life and times.

Frances Chesterton was a poet, a playwright, and a writer.  But she’s best known as the wife of “GKC,” one of the best-known and best writers of the 20th century, who is the author of “Everlasting Man,” “Orthodoxy,” The Father Brown Mysteries, and many, many other books and articles on cultural and Catholic topics.

Their love story, partnership, and her influence on him is  detailed in The Woman Who Was Chesterton. But what’s best about this book is Brown’s careful assessment of Frances’ character and life, and how she bore her misfortunes and struggles with grace and a fundamental hopefulness.

Nancy Carpentier Brown is a writer who’s been a Chesterton authority for some time.  She’s written two children’s versions of Father Brown stories, among other works and writings on Chesterton and Frances Chesterton.

Brown’s The Woman Who Was Chesterton is part a fascinating look at England during a time of vibrant Catholic intellectual and spiritual renewal.  Notables like Chesterton (and eventually Frances) converted to Catholicism with the help of priests like Fr. Vincent McNabb and Msgr. Ronald Knox. And GKC’s own exceptional writing and lecturing career is recounted well.

But the book is mostly about Frances Chesterton, and the many misfortunes, along with happy times, she lived through. She wasn’t perfect, and often began with less than ideal responses to problems she encountered.

For instance, chief among her crosses was infertility. She had written that she and GKC would have “seven beautiful children.”  At first, she found it almost unbearable to see the babies of friends and relatives.  The couple consulted many doctors and Frances had several operations, but all the efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

Rather than stay in despair, she not only made peace with it, but became a beloved aunt to her relatives and friend to many, many children over the years.  She also wrote a number of charming religious children’s plays and helped stage them.

And that was true for many of her trials—she struggled in some fashion, but eventually grew into a spiritual and emotional maturity and found a way to rise above things instead of descending into bitterness.

Frances Chesterton’s life exemplifies a triumph of grace, but that was because she cooperated with grace.

Most of us won’t have the trials that Frances faced, or at least not all of them—infertility; the death of two beloved siblings—one to suicide; her own and GKC’s severe health issues; and many more.  But each person has his or her own misfortunes, big and small, that shape us and can affect us. And how we strive to accept and live with these shows our spiritual maturity.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI calls this kind of faith—corresponding with grace even in the midst of reversals or bad things— “a trusting faith, a hoping faith,” instead of just an intellectual faith.  It’s something all mature Christians can do well to learn more about and to emulate.

As Brown writes in the introduction to The Woman Who Was Chesterton, “I hope that this humble effort will give readers the opportunity to get to know and respect her—as herself, and for herself. … My greater hope is that Frances’s life will be an inspiration to all of us, married and unmarried, to live a more faithful, hopeful, and humble life in the midst of good times and bad, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.”

Reading an outstanding biography like The Woman Who Was Chesterton is a great way learn about a fascinating time in Catholic history, and about some of the greatest intellectuals of the 20th century.  But more importantly, the book is a lovely telling of how grace works in one person’s life.

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You might also be interested:

I have reviewed other books by Nancy Carpentier Brown. Here is one of The Father Brown Reader II: More Stories from Chesterton. Here is a Q&A with Nancy Brown when the book first was released.  I also reference Brown’s books in “Good Books for Kids” here.

One thing I neglected to put in my review of The Woman Who Was Chesterton was one of my favorite parts of Frances’ early life–her family hosted a regular meeting/salon on social, cultural, and political topics in their home called the “IDK Debating Society.”  And yes, IDK means “I Don’t Know,” showing how far ahead of the times Frances and her family were. 🙂

Meet a Reader: Sister Aimee Dominique, Apostolic Sister of St. John {@TheCatholicPost}

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IMG_0965How you know me:

I’m a member of the Apostolic Sisters of St. John and part of the larger St. John Community located on Legion Hall Road in Princeville. So you may have seen me if you participated in a Sapientia Saturday, Family Faith Festival, or the Saint John Summer Conference out at the Community. Or you may have seen me at one of the other events we host at our monastery, like the summer Girls Camp or Handmaidens Retreats.

Why I love reading:

Reading is something that has always attracted me.  Funny story: when I was in pre-school I tried to convince my mom that I already knew how to read, by imitating how people move their eyes from one side of the page to the other and flipping the pages of a book.  I had her convinced for about 10 seconds!

I think the attraction to reading is a part of my temperament because I love to learn and I love children’s stories. One of my favorites times during elementary school were the yearly “Read-aThons.” Each student would bring favorite books and a sleeping bag, and read for hours in the school gymnasium. It was awesome!  Above all else, there is the Word of God! I mean, we can READ what God is trying to say to us. That’s great!

What I’m reading now:


I just started 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat In Preparation for Marian Consecration by Fr. Michael Gaitley in order to renew my consecration to Mary and to live Advent with her.


I’ve also been reading Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul which is great for both the Year of Consecrated Life and the Year of Mercy. If anyone is unfamiliar with St. Faustina’s diary, I recommend for those starting to read the diary to read just the parts in bold, which are the words of Jesus to the saint.  Even though it is a private revelation to St. Faustina, I find it very valuable since the Church canonized her and instituted the Feast of Divine Mercy. With the Year of Mercy, I believe that God is really calling us to come to Him with great trust. This book certainly helps get that message across. And my favorite part is “the conversations of the Merciful God with the…” section, starting from #1485. Jesus has a message of mercy for the sinful soul, the despairing soul, the suffering soul, the soul striving after perfection, and the perfect soul. No one is left out!

My favorite book:


My favorite book, which I’ve re-read many times, is the Conversations of Marcel Van, a Redemptorist lay brother. He was a Vietnamese member of the congregation, and he had and wrote about a wonderful interior life close to Jesus, Mary, and St. Therese. I cannot write more… it’s too good. Brother Marcel Van is a servant of God who I hope one day will be canonized. This would be a great book to read for those who love St. Therese.

Books for the #YearofMercy: Be Mercy {My December column @TheCatholicPost }

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Following is my December column that appears on this month’s book page of the print edition of The Catholic Post.

Like most of you, I’ve known about the Year of Mercy, which began on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, for some months. But, and surely like some of you, I still haven’t worked out a “plan” for how I will live it or how our family will mark it.

At first, I was annoyed with myself—why can’t I be totally organized and spiritually ready for this beautiful year?  Then I read a back-of-missalette reflection about how the year of mercy is not just about experiencing the mercy of Jesus through the Church and showing that mercy to others. It’s also a year, importantly, for each one of us to extend mercy to ourselves.  So, for me, the Year of Mercy begins with allowing myself time and grace to figure it all out.

I had planned to review, and still recommend, several books that allow one to experience the Year of Mercy in a deeper way. 


To just name two, there’s A Year of Mercy with Pope Francis: Daily Reflections edited by Kevin Cotter, and A Year of Mercy: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis edited by Diane Houdek. Both books provide short daily reflections from various talks and writings of Pope Francis.  Having on of those books on hand would allow one to keep the theme of mercy in mind each day throughout the year.

But as I read through several newer books, it occurred to me that mercy is an overarching theme in quite a few, even if “mercy” is not in the title, or they weren’t written specifically for the Year of Mercy. These books don’t center the concept of mercy but instead, the books demonstrate very imperfect people who are transformed by God’s mercy and love.

One book about not-perfect parents who nonetheless raised at least one saint, and were themselves canonized earlier this year , is The Extraordinary Parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin by Helene Mongin, translated by Marsha Daigle-Williamson, PhD.

St. Therese wrote of her parents, “The good Lord has given me a father and a mother who are more worthy of heaven than of earth!”  But this book is no laundry list of what makes a flawless parent or family. Instead, it’s an honest and sincere look at two imperfect people, and their imperfect family, who keep trying to create a beautiful family life for their children and the wider community.

One thing that struck me was that The Extraordinary Parents of St. Therese  does not gloss over the shortcomings of the Martins.  For instance, Zelie’s propensity to work to excess, or Louis’ protective instinct for his girls, is covered in a natural way, without justifications or excuses.

The Martins remind me of so many families today — we want to provide for our children, help them get a good education, and guide them well in their practical, personal, and spiritual life decisions. And, like the Martins, parents today aren’t perfect. But one quality we can take from the Martins is that parents should desire most of all that their children will be saints. The Martins show the way through their pursuit of holiness, in fostering a family and individual spiritual life, and in praying for their children. And any parent can do that.

The book is translated from the French, so there can be some artificial-sounding moments.  But overall this is a lovely book about what the parents of one of the greatest saints of recent centuries.

Another book that shows—in the modern world— how God’s boundless mercy extends even into a person’s darkest moments and struggles is The Kiss of Jesus: How Mother Teresa and the Saints Helped Me to Discover the Beauty of the Cross by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle.

Cooper O’Boyle is a prolific author in a variety of Catholic categories, chiefly for women and mothers.  One standout from several years back, her book, Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship, shared the beginning of a window into her own struggles and faith life, as she corresponded with St.Teresa about how to proceed in different situations.

But nothing could prepare readers for the dramatic revelations and tough knocks that O’Boyle has experienced throughout her life that are shared in The Kiss of Jesus.  She’s been a single mother. She’s been divorced—more than once. She’s experienced toxic relationships and horrifying situations at various times in her life.  Over time, she has persisted in living out her faith.

I was surprised at how fascinating I found The Kiss of Jesus.  It’s not written the same way as a lot of memoirs—there is not a lot of artifice or fancy wordplay.  But Cooper O’Boyle’s simple, straightforward style lends itself well to her unique and difficult story and life path. Perhaps the reason she can write these simple books that are full of good wisdom is the fruit of the struggles in her life, how she has brought them to prayer, and found it all useful and fruitful for growth.

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You might also find of interest:

Though I was unprepared for the Year of Mercy, writing this column prompted me to “get with it” and set some modest, merciful goals for the Year of Mercy. I plan to post some of those ideas, and I welcome hearing yours, too.

The #YearofMercy : Ideas, Links, and Modest, Merciful Goals

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My column that appears in this weekend’s print edition of The Catholic Post, and here in just a few days, essentially involves me admitting I haven’t made any plans for the Year of Mercy.

My column does offer books that relate to it, but for me, writing that column prompted me to take a minute to “get with it” and make some plans and modest goals for living out this tremendous year. And it’s well-known that writing plans down makes them more likely to be achieved.  In addition, I will be glad to have a place to capture all of my thoughts, important links, and other notes.  So here goes:

The Divine Mercy Chaplet: I’m not sure if this is ironic or something else, but one of my first thoughts was when I heard about the Year of Mercy, was “I’m going to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every single day of the year.”  That may seem like an ambitious plan, but really, I end up saying it more days that not.  Making it an explicit goal should help me be sure to do it every day, right?

Here’s the ironic/funny part: I’ve barely said it (maybe twice?) since the Year of Mercy started last week.   So I’m laughing at myself (in mercy? see how I did that?), and also resolving to find a regular time that I can pray the Chaplet.  I’ve loved this prayer for at least 18 years, I’m pretty sure since my oldest was a baby. Praying it as much as possible this year is doubtless a good idea.

As many people know, I am a big user of apps for prayers and novenas.  I find most of the Divine Mercy chaplet apps fairly annoying, including the “official” one. App developers, get rid of the sound effects, or give us the opportunity to in settings, already.  This is a very simple and effective one for iOs I’ve discovered recently.

 

Looking for Mercy:  Here is the Vatican document, called “Misericordiae Vultus,” which released on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Second Sunday of Easter) this year to announce and prepare for the Year of Mercy.  Just glancing at it, though, makes me want to read the entire thing, more slowly, to get a sense of what the year is meant to be for people and the Church.

Pope Francis’ Prayer for the Year of Mercy: Pope Francis composed a prayer for the Year of Mercy.  Our family will try to pray this prayer, perhaps in advance of saying night prayer.  I’ve already formatted it nicely in a document–perhaps I will try to put it in an edit. Another modest goal.

Pinterest Board: It occurred to me that a good way to capture articles and ideas for the Year of Mercy is to create a board on Pinterest. I’ve begun that  (and will pin much of what I’m gathering here), but what I really need to do is just keep coming back to the Year of Mercy board created by local blogger Katie Bogner.  Here is just one of her blog posts about celebrating the Year of Mercy, but her board includes resources from all over the Web.

Visiting Pilgrimage Churches and Chapels: The Diocese of Peoria website has a “mercy” page with Bishop Jenky’s Festival Letter, as well as a list and photos of all the churches and chapels designated as “pilgrimage” sites.  I thought it would be a great way to celebrate the year as a family to try to get to all those sites sometime during the year, and walk through the doors of mercy in all those locations. Wouldn’t it be great to get to Rome to go through the Jubilee Door in the Vatican?  In lieu of that, visiting the local sites ( or looking into ones places we travel this year) would be a great way to keep mercy in mind.

Living the Year of Mercy in the Family:  Marcia, another local blogger and dear friend, has compiled a list of ideas for living the Year of Mercy in the family. I love the idea here of “virtually” visiting the Divine Mercy Shrine in Poland, and many other ideas here.

Confession: Confession seems to me the most important sacrament this year. So perhaps working on not just going to Confession more often, but trying to make better confessions.  Related here would be trying to be more merciful and forgiving to others and myself.

I know I will come up with many more ways to celebrate and mark this Year of Mercy.   You’ll notice that I’m not listing a lot of books.  I read so much as it is, and I want to be sure to try things that can  involve more than just me, or allow me to reflect on the year. What I will do is create a shelf on my GoodReads for the Year of Mercy, and add books to it as time goes on. Suggestions welcome!

What are some of your ideas for the Year of Mercy? What do you have planned?

I will update this post with any other ideas I have, and I’d love to hear (and perhaps add!) yours.   If you’d like to be added as a collaborator on the “Year of Mercy” Pinterest board, please let me know, or send me a message on Pinterest.  I’d love for it to be a group board with lots of ideas.

Nourish Body & Soul with Books Great for Gift-Giving {My November column @TheCatholicPost }

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Following is my November column that appears on this month’s book page of the print edition of The Catholic Post.

As Advent is right around the corner, it is certainly not too early to consider good books for Christmas giving—both for loved ones, and for ourselves.

At the very beginning of Scripture, God proclaims that everything He created is good.

And as Timothy tells us in Scripture, “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4-5).

Consider these books a starting-off point for Christmas season for “everything good” in the fruits of the earth.

To my astonishment, my favorite among these is the lovely A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac: Cultivating Your Faith Throughout the Year by Margaret Rose Realy, a master gardener, lay Benedictine, and retreat leader.

Why am I so surprised? Even though I love the outdoors, those who know me appreciate that I am do not enjoying gardening very much, even if I do keep a small garden. I’m the kind of person who enjoys mowing the lawn, because when you finish mowing, it looks finished and tidy (at least for a while). Gardening sometimes seems never-ending.

But this book has me not just considering planning and planting a Mary garden after her introduction to this ancient practice. More importantly, this book has helped me connect, in a fresh way, the seasons and the liturgical year.

A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac is a rich, nourishing book about the spirituality of gardening and how gardening metaphors are so apt for the spiritual life.

Each chapter covers a month in the year, its traditions and feasts, both little-known and popular, and how the weather and climate of each month says something about the spiritual journey. Healy also includes gardening tips and ideas for each month. The book is replete with quotes from the saints, interesting legends and traditions related to the earth, and much more.

Reading a chapter at the beginning of each month would be spiritually fruitful for putting things in perspective, helping a reader to integrate faith into each day, and knowing that every season gives us chances for growth.

My next book selection may not be for everyone, but would be a great gift for those who enjoy and appreciate a wide variety of beers.

The Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Homebrewed Evangelism by Sarah Vabulas is an entertaining book. And for those who enjoy brewing their own beers, it’s a practical one and a great gift.

It’s fun to peruse the quotes from Catholic notables and saints on libations, and Vabulas’ own experiences with evangelization through enjoying and sharing drinks.

One of my favorite sections of The Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Home-Brewed Evangelization was a series of chapters Vabulas writes on the new evangelization. Vabulas is active online— her moniker “The Catholic Drinkie” came out of a stray comment she made at a real-life social media conference. She writes well of how Catholics can use social media and the Internet to spread the gospel, and ways for people to be relevant.

But the heart of the book (and more than half the content) offers a comprehensive primer in home brewing—tips, tricks, language, and a recipes for nearly 20 brews with clever Catholic names, such as “St. Isaac Jogues Smoked Red” and “If St. Brigid Had a Lake of Beer.”

Reading this book makes me wish I had more of a palate for interesting beers, but alas, I’m pretty pedestrian, favoring ultra light beer on the rare occasions I enjoy beer with pizza. But I know a lot of people who relish sampling, and even creating, a wide variety of brews. This book would be great for that type of person.

Finally, here are several newer Catholic cookbooks for those looking to add to their cookbook shelves.

Local author and understandably popular cookbook writer Fr. Dominic Garramone, has compiled a wide assortment in his latest book, The Breadhead Bible: Father Dominic’s Favorite Recipes

I’ve always found his recipes to be well-written and easy to follow. More importantly, Father Dominic writes in a natural way about the connection between food—bread, in particular—and our faith.

Another book that includes well-written recipes and food’s connection to faith is Around the Table with the Catholic Foodie: Middle Eastern Cuisine
by Jeff Young.

Young is a foodie and a cook, as evidenced by his popular blog, “The Catholic Foodie,” and both shine through in Around the Table. Young shares his trips to the Holy Land, stories of his family and life in food-rich New Orleans, as well as appealing photos of most of the dishes.

I should have been trying these recipes during Lent, and I hope to next Lent, as many are meatless, and quite a few are vegan. Almost all of them have appealing photos to show how the dish will look. The book features numerous classic dishes home most home cooks are familiar with, such as hummus and crispy oven-roasted potatoes, but also outside-the-box creative one’s I’d like to try: carrots with cumin; spinach & feta cheese pies, and eggplant salad. It’s a good collection of well-written recipes.

Every couple of years, there’s another offering or two in living the liturgical year as a family. When I was a young mom, there was A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith Throughout the Christian Year by Evelyn Birge Vitz, and The Catholic Parent Book of Feasts by Michaelann Martin, and From a Monastery Kitchen: The Classic Natural Foods Cookbook.


I especially like one of the most recent offerings in this category: Feast!: Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year by Daniel and Haley Stewart.

Feast! is both a well-designed real-food cookbook and a simple guidebook on how to live the liturgical year in a family setting.

It’s written in an endearing style by Daniel and Haley Stewart, a couple who converted to Catholicism and have three small children. They both are active online in blogging and social media, and their breezy style shows through here.

Here’s one of the best things about Feast!—it’s not “too much” information. It’s a manageable collection. Even selecting a few feasts or recipes to try through the year would be more than enough to get value from this volume and insert more liturgical living into your family’s life. I also appreciate their emphasis on real foods. The book also offers numerous gluten-free and dairy-free options for those families that have food allergies.

Sometimes, people can feel overwhelmed with the sheer number of Catholic feasts through the year, and young moms in particular can feel, “I must do it all.” One significant message that the Stewarts share: you shouldn’t feel compelled to do everything. Pick a few feasts, and celebrate in a small way.