Reading Catholic

Reading Catholic and catholic

Seasons

Ideas for Christmas Gift Books to Inspire and Entertain

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Following is my December column that appears in this weekend’s print edition of  The Catholic Post. I invite your feedback.

As I wrote in last month’s column, recommending books for gifts at Christmas—or any season—can be tricky. And yet books can be a great source of not just enjoyment and encouragement, but growth in discipleship and evangelization.

Well-designed and well-written books can foster or strengthen the “bridge of trust” that can lead to curiosity and beyond, planting seeds for future spiritual growth.

With that in mind, I’ve tried to select books that would appeal to a wide range of readers, especially those at a beginning level of trust or curiosity. .

Last month I shared books that would be good for younger readers, as well as some family books. This month, I share books for adults. Consider these a starting-off point if you are considering a gift book this Christmas.  You might also consider visiting my previous Christmas book lists (here and here and here and here  and here for other suggestions, or just search “Christmas” in the search box at the top of each page here); and be sure to visit your local Catholic bookstore for more ideas.

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*The Miracle of Father Kapaun: Priest, Solider and Korean War Hero by Roy Wenzl and Travel Heying. The title and subtitle of this book says it all; highly, highly recommended. Reading about Father Kapaun’s very natural, masculine and heroic Christian faith will make wonder why he hasn’t been canonized already. There’s already a growing awareness of his heroism—earlier this year he was posthumously award the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest honor.

The Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War,” and I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this war and the heroic men who served there. This book would be of interest to Korean War veterans and their loved ones to give perspective and perhaps foster discussion. But it’s a great read for anyone interested in how ordinary people rise to the challenge in wartime, and the need to honor and remember them.

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*When Faith Feels Fragile: Help for the Wary, Weak and Wandering by Fr. R. Scott Hurd. I love the organization of this book, a series of short reflections/chapters in three areas: “All about Faith,” “Churchy Things to Do,” and “Practical Things to Do.”

But this book is not just for the “wary, the weak and wandering,” though that could describe all of us from time to time. It’s great for anyone who needs a boost of healthy, interesting meditations to renew faith and spiritual life.

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*Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan. I claim this as a “Catholic memoir” despite the fact that it’s a comedy book. That’s because Gaffigan is an unapologetic Catholic and father of five, and writes about faith and family in a gentle and mostly family friendly way (though he writes of hating that term, it fits… in a good way). Gaffigan is a worthy successor to Bill Cosby—he just needs his own sitcom. Read this book for some great laughs for moms, dads, young adults and teens for a reminder that Catholics can laugh with the best of them.

“Daybooks”—simple books with daily quotes and action ideas—can make great gifts. Two newer ones stand out:

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*Small Steps for Catholic Moms: Your Daily Call to Think, Pray and Act by Danielle Bean and Elizabeth Foss offers, from two well-known mother-authors, a way for moms to balance “action and contemplation in everyday life.” Each entry of this daybook offers a (often seasonal) Scripture verse or quote from a saint, a prayer for moms and a suggested action.

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*Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration by Melanie Rigney is a nicely designed daybook of female saints from the familiar to the obscure. It can be edifying to spend a few minutes each day learning about these holy women not just as holy women, but as real people with challenges.

Worth a Listen: The Advent Conspiracy

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This is slightly off-center to the original intent of Worth a Listen, but a worthy digression, don’t you agree?

This is an oldie but goodie from 2008.  I remember it being “viral” among friends and family when it first came out.  Definitely worth watching and pondering as we continue our simple Advent of service.

How is your Advent going so far? I have to confess I’m glad Advent is full of feasts, because we are ready for one in just a few days–St. Nicholas is Friday!

A Simple Advent

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In the Keeping it Real department, I’m posting this photo of my physical Advent preparations thus far:

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On the dry-erase board just outside our kitchen, I posted this question earlier this week seeking ideas from my family about things we might do for Advent.

Sometimes, this dry-erase board works, but clearly sometimes it does not.

In case you are not a LOTR aficionado, and even if you are, what’s written below my question is the beginning of the alphabet written in Elvish.  Yes, someone has decided to teach herself Elvish.  Perhaps that’s what we could do for Advent?  I’m not sure.

However, I will say that while this constitutes the extent of my physical preparations so far, with just a few hours to go until Advent,  I have, in my defense, been pondering ways to keep this Advent simple.  Interior preparations have been percolating for some weeks.

When my children were small, the kids and I dearly loved The Donut Man.  We loved his television show that aired on EWTN, and I bought all the CDs, which we listened to over and over again; it’s one of the few CD series that I really didn’t mind having to listen to all.the.time.  I can’t recall all the songs we loved, but one song comes to mind.  (and why is it not on YouTube as a lyric video?)  It is: “No Room at the Inn,” and the lines that always got to me were, “No room at the inn, no room at the inn, but you will find room in my heart, dear Jesus.”  So along with “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “No Room at the Inn” is one of my Advent songs.

This year, what keeps coming up in prayer and in thought about Advent are two words: simple and service.  Rather than give things up, or work hard on getting the house ready for Christmas,  I believe I am called to be available to others, both in my family and outside it.

Here are some things from around the web I have found helpful in the past few days as my ideas for a simple Advent of service have taken shape:

“A Stress-Free Advent” from Like Mother, Like Daughter.  Take away:  “Nothing is more important right now than preparing our own heart and the hearts of those entrusted to us for the incredible gift of Christmas.”

Revisiting Bonnie Engstrom’s Advent Series at A Knotted Life.  I wrote the guest post called “Go with Your Strengths”  last year and it made me feel good again to see my own advice.  So the books will come out, and we will read them.  I also hope to get a chance to watch Bonnie’s new and charming video on Advent–she’s really telegenic, and I so enjoyed getting to watch her on All Saints traditions.

Advent by my friend Heather at the Behold website.  I love  the  ideas for making this season simple.  How could I have forgotten the St. Andrew Novena?  Normally a Facebook friend who is Scottish reminds us all about the novena, but I didn’t see this, so I was glad to have the reminder from Heather.  Here is that prayer, meant to be said 15 times per day starting today and going through Christmas eve:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Preparing at I Wonder Why.  The shrinky dink ornaments are a big hit at our house, and I need to plan to get these out.  Also, one of these years (but not this year) our family may be ready to do the St. Philip’s fast, especially considering my husband’s interest in Eastern Catholic traditions.

I just saw this post by Lisa Schmidt at The Practicing Catholic: Go Negative This Advent.  Yes.

In the spirit of going with my strengths, I submit a few recent releases that could be helpful to those looking for some Advent inspiration:

Unknown-2The Advent of Christ: Scripture Reflections to Prepare for Christmas by Edward Sri, the  popular author and professor.  In this volume, there is a simple yet substantial reflection for each day of Advent and the Christmas season.

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Advent and Christmas Wisdom from St. Augustine by Agnes Cunningham, SSCM.  Liguori has many books in this series based on the writings of various saints for both Advent and Lent.  Well-produced and edifying work.

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Advent with St. Francis: Daily Reflections by Diane M. Houdek. St. Francis is long associated with Advent and Christmas; lots of good stuff here.

What are you doing/not doing this Advent?

 

Poetry Friday, Beatification Edition: A Poem by John Paul II

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I feel honored to be able to share one of my favorite poems from Karol Wojtyla, who became John Paul II, who will be beatified the day after tomorrow.

I had a nice time searching through the several books of JP II poetry I own, for just the right “one.”  I think I might have to post another one later today, there are so many that I like.  This post may end up being Poetry Friday, Part 1, so stay tuned.

This poem is from “The Church,” written at the Basilica of Saint Peter, Autumn 1962, when Wojtyla would have been in Rome for the beginning of Vatican II.

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Our feet meet the earth in this place;
there are so many walls, so many colonnades,
yet we are not lost.  If we find
meaning and oneness,
it is the floor that guides us.  It joins the spaces
of this great edifice, and joins
the spaces within us,
who walk aware of our weakness and defeat.
Peter, you are the floor, that others
may walk over you (not knowing
where they go).  You guide their steps
so that spaces can be one in their eyes,
and from them thought is born.
You want to serve their feet that pass
as rock serves the hooves of sheep.
The rock is a gigantic temple floor,
the cross a pasture.

Do Sundays "Count" During Lent?

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Do Sundays “count” during Lent?

This issue comes up every year.  Do you continue your Lenten penances on Sunday?

I’ve heard varying opinions on this.  Sundays are not counted among the 40 days of Lent, so some people say our Lenten penances should not count on Sundays. So bring on the chocolate, or wait until Easter? 

Others think the whole season is penitential, and so therefore we should continue our disciplines.  I read once a commentator say that Jesus didn’t take a break during his 40 days of fasting in the desert.

Here’s a link to a Q&A on Lent from EWTN, and it includes an answer about Sundays.  Basically, there’s no official rule, so you are free to choose.  Here’s also another interesting article from a blogger with the Archdiocese of Washington who offers insight on both celebrating Sunday, and why fish doesn’t count as meat.

Count me in the “celebrate Sunday” camp.  At our house, we tend to mark Sundays as a day of Resurrection, though in a more muted way during Lent.  I might have a piece of chocolate (or not) on Sundays, but usually my husband, who goes meatless for Lent, usually doesn’t eat meat on Sundays in general.

We (actually, me) also tend to celebrate the feast days during Lent.  Just off the top of my head:  St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day (we have two in our immediate family, so we definitely celebrate this one, with savoiardi and usually a special dinner), the Feast of the Annunciation, and I’m sure I could find more.  To me they are not just a little “break” during Lent, but a way to really celebrate those important holidays in the liturgical year.

I’m putting up this question on Sunday, because I know some people take a break from the Internet during Lent, but do check in on Sundays.

So what about you?  Do you “count” the Sundays in Lent?  How is your Lent going after just this first few days?

Meet a Reader: Shannon Cardaronella

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This month’s “Meet a Reader” is a wonderful woman I met several years back at the Peoria Diocese Summer Institute.    At a dinner for speakers & spouses (both our husbands were speakers that year), we talked the entire time about–I know you will be shocked to hear this—books!  This actually is quite surprising as we have kids of similar ages, and kids tends to be a default subject.  I knew she would be great to feature here, and I am so glad to be able to introduce another thoughtful “reader” to Catholic Post readers.  Thanks, Shannon.

How You Know Me:

You probably do not know me.  More people know my husband, Marc, the Director of Religious Education (DRE) at Holy Cross Parish in Champaign and the Regional DRE for Champaign/Danville.  I love Holy Cross!   Holy Cross is one of the loveliest churches I have every enjoyed, and it is our home parish.  If you are ever in Champaign, please come worship with us.  Consider yourself invited.  I also appreciate that our parish is a motley crew of folks from all walks of life.  Marc and I have two boys:  John Berchmans “JB”, 9 and David, 7.  I am a homeschool mom, and I love homeschooling also allows us to read, read, read!

Why I Love Reading:

I grew up surrounded by huge bookshelves filled to the brim and even cataloged.  My sister read to me all the time when I was very young.  My parents discussed their latest reads at the dinner table.  We read it all, from junky books to works that uplifted the mind.  We were curious about other people and places, other points of view, new ways of looking at the world.  Finally, my parents were not afraid of the world.  They both possessed an innate love of and trust in the world and people, always teaching me that most people are good and kind and want to help.  This trust allows me to go deeply into the world of the book I am reading.  There is something about losing oneself in a good book that can neither be adequately expressed nor replicated with other media.

My Favorite Book:

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.  While Scarlett is the main character, it is Melanie who fascinates me.  Melanie is a beautiful Christ figure.  As a reader, I wince at Scarlett’s flaws: her insensitivity, selfishness and heartless conniving.  Melanie sees Scarlett’s perfections: her fortitude, intelligence, good horse sense and strength. The kicker is Melanie is right.  Scarlett — exactly who she is, with all of her flaws, because of who she is, with all of her flaws — saved herself, Tara, Melanie and the baby, Mammy & Prissy… her whole “tribe” if you will, against seemingly insurmountable odds.  Melanie is no doe-eyed ignorant optimist.  She accepts and embraces Scarlett and the world as they are.  This acceptance brings out the best in all, including even Rhett Butler and Belle Watling.

What I’m Reading Now:

Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly.  Fr. Willard, our pastor at Holy Cross, gave a copy to every family at Christmas Mass.  Thank you, Fr. Willard!  There is a lot of “food for thought” in this one.  And since this is my very own copy, I can underline to my heart’s content.