Reading Catholic

Reading Catholic and catholic

Meet a Reader

Meet a Reader: Katie Race {The Catholic Post}

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Following is the monthly feature that appears in the print edition of The Catholic Post, featuring a Peoria diocese reader.

KRace

How you know me:

I teach Spanish at The High School of St. Thomas More in Champaign, and I teach first-year CCD at my parish, St. Matthew’s in Champaign. 

Why I love reading:

For me, reading is like traveling (which I also love!).  I can learn about new ideas and perspectives, get to know interesting individuals, enjoy beautiful language, and unwind.  Above all, I love reading, particularly spiritual reading, because I can get to know Jesus better and His Church.  I love pondering over a passage before the Blessed Sacrament and asking Jesus what He wants me to know.    

What I’m reading now:


Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul by St. Faustina. My friend and colleague Sr. M. Mercedes Diaz suggested I read this book and I’m so grateful she did.  I’m fascinated by St. Faustina’s encounters with Jesus and all the graces and mercy He pours out to us.  A coworker is also reading this and so it is fun to discuss it with her.

My favorite books:


Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, by St. Therese of Lisieux: I’ve been intrigued by St. Therese ever since I was a child.  Her child-like simplicity and approach to our Lord inspires me.  Reading it really kick-started my spiritual journey.  I find myself rereading many parts.


Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness by Fr. Jean-Baptiste Saint-Jure and St. Claude La Colombiere: This is a small yet mighty book.  It opened my eyes to what surrendering entails and how one can go about that.  God always provides!


When I Was Puerto Rican: A Memoir by Esmerelda Santiago.  This is a coming of age and American dream story of a girl who grows up in primitive conditions in Puerto Rico and later graduates from Harvard University.  Her storytelling is captivating and full of emotion, taking you in the “in between” of two cultures.

Meet a Reader: Michael Berlinger {The Catholic Post}

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Following is the monthly feature that appears in the print edition of The Catholic Post, featuring a Peoria diocese reader.

mhb nightKnight CathPost pic

How you know me: 

I am a designer and restorer working throughout the diocese of Peoria and beyond through our historic building and church antiquities, designing and restoration business, Heritage Restoration and Design Studio. I am also a Knight in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus. My wife, Kathryn, and I have four sons and we belong to the Cathedral parish of St. Mary in Peoria. I am a lector there.

Why I love reading:

I was born in Wuerzburg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States when I was six years old. At a very early age, when we lived in a Chicago suburb, I remember Sister Mary Francis teaching our first grade class to read. For me, it was two experiences—not only was I learning to read, but I was also learning a foreign language: English!

Not long after that, I realized the power of the printed word. I remember reading Dr. Seuss, then the Hardy Boys. In high school, my interest in world travel, spies, and suspense led me to books by Alistair MacClean and Robert Ludlum.

Working and owning a business means that for continuing education, I read books about business operations and finance, ethics and trust-building, leadership, and managing client expectations and perceptions. As I started working with different Catholic parishes on their respective restoration projects, traditional architectural designing, Catholic philosophy and church history captured my interest. Therefore, for me, reading has been a growth process changing with the progression of life, work, and faith.

What I’m reading now:


I recently finished The Wisdom of Failure: How to Learn the Tough Leadership Lessons Without Paying the Price by Laurence Weinzimmer, a management professor at Bradley University, and Jim McConoughey, a local business leader.

I am also reading The Gospel of the Holy Spirit: Meditation and Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles by Fr. Alfred McBride. The latter book was a gift from my son.

My favorite book:

My favorite book is always the one I am reading at the moment. However, some books do stand out as being “the best” since I’ve read them multiple times. One of these is “Trojan Horse in the City of God: The Catholic Crisis Explained by Dietrich Von Hildebrand.

A book I love about the subject of progress in one’s spiritual life is Growth In Holiness
by Fr. Frederick Faber, an Anglican convert who was a close friend and collaborator of John Henry Newman. Fr. Faber has the ability to reach into your soul.

In the business word, a very good book to read about future planning in an uncertain world is The Art of the Long View
by Peter Schwartz. Schwartz suggests that business leaders “go up to 10,000 feet” to view the past, present and future to ascertain, with some accuracy, the probably future business climate.

Meet a Reader: David Bibb

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Following is the monthly feature that appears in the print edition of The Catholic Post, featuring a Peoria-diocese reader.

David Bibb
David Bibb

How you know me: 

I taught biology and physics at Hoopeston Area High School for many years before I left to become principal at St. Mary’s Grade School in Westville. Though retired now, I’m still active in CCD, high school youth group, RCIA, and facilitating a prayer group at Holy Family Church in Danville.

I’m also a fourth degree knight in the Knights of Columbus. Since I’m a convert from the Methodist Church, my faith in the Catholic Church and Her teachings is strong and deep. My wife and I have four daughters and 12 grandchildren.  Our son is a seminarian in the Peoria Diocese currently at Mount St. Mary Seminary at Emmitsburg, MD.

Why I love reading:

I enjoy the quiet solitude of reading and entering into the scenes of the stories through my imagination. I am not a speed reader. I’m deliberate and always looking to gain something. I read about the Civil War with a sense of awe and reverence for the people that were there.

Most of my reading focuses on three areas: American history, particularly the Civil War; Pleasure, mostly two authors, Larry McMurtry and Michael D. O’Brien; and Spiritual growth and formation. I’m usually reading a book or two from each area at the same time. My grandchildren don’t understand why reading books on my Kindle doesn’t give me the same pleasure yet as a book in my hands. I’m trying!

What I’m reading now:

Currently I’m in the middle of Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, SJ and am engrossed with his descriptive writing and thorough explanations of events in Jesus’ ministry.


I am early in Stand to It and Give Them Hell: Gettysburg as the Soldiers Experienced it from Cemetery Ridge to Little Round Top, July 2, 1863 by John Michael Priest. It is the battle of Gettysburg as experienced by the soldiers.

The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O. I’m journaling as I read this one.
My favorite book:
It is difficult to choose just one since I’ve read and enjoyed so many over the years. Here are three books I couldn’t put down:

Lonesome Dove; by Larry McMurtry ;

Voyage to Alpha Centauri Michael D. O’Brien’s most recent book—very intriguing;

and Fire Within by Thomas Dubay, S.M.—I keep returning to this book.

Meet a Reader Through the Years–Could You Be Next?

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This week’s print edition of The Catholic Post highlights almost all the people who have been gracious enough to be featured as a “Reader.” This feature is a short, four-question interview of a local Catholic and his or her love of reading.

(the four question/prompts? see below)

This collage captures almost all of those featured:

270111549A running conversation I have with Tom Dermody, my editor at The Catholic Post, is that the feature should have people from throughout the diocese.  When I made this “pin map” of all the locations of readers, I was pleasantly surprised that location diversity has been achieved:

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Still, it looks like I need some people in Danville, on the far eastern side of the diocese, and more from around the Macomb area. Any suggestions?

Here’s a mini-infographic I made to highlight the stats of the readers:

Meet a Reader stats

Would you be a good “reader” in The Catholic Post?  I’m hoping by doing this mini-feature about “Meet a Reader,” more people will step forward.  If you’re a Catholic in the diocese of Peoria, will you consider it?

Here are some reasons you shouldn’t say no to being a featured reader:

*You don’t have to  be super-intellectual. (if so, I’d be out of this part-time writing gig).

*You don’t have to read only religious books.  People usually share a mix of religious and non-religious books.  Some people have shared only religious books, but it’s much more common for a reader to feature  both religious and non-religious books.

*You don’t have to be a great writer about your reading or what you love.  I can interview you, or you can write what you’d like.  I’m always pleasantly surprised at how articulate people are about their favorite books and why they love reading.

How do I find readers? Some people reach out to me, but often I find out about others through friends, various events I attend, and other things. I find myself often asking people to consider it, and also asking them to please let me know either way.  Often, someone will sound super-excited, but when I follow up, they decide against it (or, worse, avoid telling me so).  I LOVE when readers reach out to me.

Here are those four quick question/prompts:

How do we (meaning readers here and @ The Catholic Post) know you:

Why I love reading:

What I’m reading now:

My favorite book:

Please leave a comment here if you’d like to be featured, or contact me through the About page here.

Meet a Reader: Jessica Woiwode

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photo_kindlephoto-20631763How you know me:

I am a stay at home wife and mother. My husband Josh and I live in Pekin with our four-year-old son Brogan. We attend Saint Joseph’s in Pekin.

Why I love reading:

Reading has such an ability to put my mind at ease. From my early days of enjoying Beverly Lewis’ Amish fiction books, and the thoughts of such a simple life; to present day books on spirituality and contemplating the wonders of God’s Love for each of us, I’ve always loved reading.

What I am reading now:

I’m currently reading two books:

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Reading this book started as a reluctant journey wondering how reading a book that is a compilation of letters exchanged between fictional demons could possibly be uplifting or enlightening. I have found it to not only give me insight into how easily our fallen nature can justify our sin and temptations, but also how diligently God watches over us and needs us only to utter one loving prayer of trust and abandon unto His will, and He gathers us into His arms.

Uniformity with God’s Will by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori. This book is just a very short read on exactly the title. So many times we think we should only conform to The Lord’s will, but in actuality we must be immersed in uniformity to His Will.

”Conformity signifies that we join our wills to the will of God. Uniformity means more- it means that we make one will of God’s will and ours, so that we will only what God wills; that God’s will alone, is our will.” Love of God’s will is knowing that whatever happens to us is only preparing us to love Him more for eternity.

My favorite book:

The Gospel of John, because Jesus speaks the most in this Gospel. All of John Chapter 14 is my favorite.

Nancy here–I’m especially delighted to share Jessica as a”Meet a Reader” since I’ve known her since she was a young teenager, and she was babysitting for my toddlers.  Now she has a toddler of her own!

Meet a Reader: Ellen Tallon

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{Following is this month’s “Meet a Reader” feature that appears in this week’s print version of The Catholic Post.}

Ellen Tallon

How you know me:

I am a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Peoria with my husband and foster daughter. I grew up in Morton and attended Blessed Sacrament Parish where my parents are still members. I have been a teacher for 20 years and have worked at Peoria Notre Dame and Peoria Heights High School. I am active in TEC, WATCH, JAM, and Cursillo.

Why I love reading:

I love to read because I love to learn. I especially love to read books and articles about three topics: faith, people, and science. The books I enjoy most intertwine those topics. Although I did not always enjoy reading I found it was the best way to learn about new things. Throughout the years, I mostly read scientific journals, but I have learned to appreciate biographies and novels. As a teacher, I love to challenge myself.

What I’m reading now:

I am currently reading two books.


Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives—And Our Lives Change Our Genes by Sharon Moalem, discusses how genetic breakthroughs are transforming our understanding of the world and our own lives. It is remarkably spiritual and scientific at the same time.


I’m also reading Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table by Shauna Niequest. It’s a series of short experiences around the table which help us to grow in our faith by sharing a meal with family and friends. It brings the focus of meals back to the ultimate feast of bread and wine in the Body and Blood of Christ.

My favorite book:


My favorite book is A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God’s Love by Max Lucado. In the book, Lucado takes the verses from 1 Corinthian 13:4-8 and makes it unforgettable in our daily lives in very simple ways.

He has the ability to take the verses which are so familiar to us and turn them around so that we can evaluate how we are loving those around us. Do we love them the way God intended us to love others as ourselves? I have reread this book several times, and each time I learn more about the incredible love God has for us if we only are willing to allow Him to love all of us.