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The Catholic Post

Meet a Reader: Gina Vozenilek, MA

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Meet a Reader appears on the book page of The Catholic Post each month, and features a local Catholic who loves and reading.  Each “reader” answers four questions, and I love getting the chance to discover so many great readers and books.  I confessed to Gina–who I’ve enjoyed getting to know over the last year–that I was nervous about editing her answers for space for the print Post since she is such a gifted writer.  Thanks, for being willing, Gina!

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How you know me: Last year we relocated to Peoria from Chicago for my husband John’s job at OSF. We have four children: Mary is a junior at PND, twins Peter and Thomas are eighth graders at St. Vincent de Paul, and Anne is in fifth grade at St. Jude. We are members of St. Jude’s parish in Peoria. This past spring I graduated with my MFA in creative writing from Northwestern, where I also taught medical researchers how to write effectively. I am currently editing my thesis manuscript, a collection of essays on place and identity, into a book proposal. Wish me luck!

Why I love reading: When I was little my father built a window seat in my bedroom, and I would sit there for hours reading. My favorite books were the pale yellow Little House paperbacks. I imagined a kind of overlap between Laura’s world and mine, calling the forest preserve behind the house my “prairie,” for instance. I would get so deeply immersed in my books that my mother would sometimes kick me out of doors to go play. But the wide sky of unincorporated West Chicago seemed so much like Laura’s sky, I didn’t mind; I felt a continuity of experience in and out of the pages. I think this is why I love reading and writing: words form linkages between imaginations and times and places. When we feel a connection to a book—to a character or a setting or even a voice, we discover those common skies.

What I’m reading now:   I’m an essay junkie. Right now I am enjoying Sven Birkerts’ collection called The Other Walk (what that man can do with his childhood memory of a plastic tape dispenser is nothing short of miraculous). For gourmet literary snacks, I love the online site called Brevity, which offers a feast of flash nonfiction in 750 words or fewer. The current issue boasts one of my heroes, Catholic writer Brian Doyle. I’ve just ordered his book called Grace Notes.

My favorite book: I studied medieval literature, so I have a great fondness for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and works much earlier still. There’s a remarkable Anglo-Saxon poem, “The Dream of the Rood,” a fragment of which is carved on the 8th-century Ruthwell Cross. In a bold experiment with point-of-view, the poet invents a voice for the Cross (the “Rood”) which becomes a character. It speaks as a courageous and faithful retainer, narrating the Crucifixion of his hero-Lord, Christ. I love to think about that poet, thirteen hundred years ago in some candlelit hut or dark monastery somewhere, suddenly inspired to re-imagine that scene on Calvary from a fresh perspective. I suppose my favorite books and poems and essays are the ones that help me see familiar things in a new light.

“Tapas” for the Soul

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Here’s my September book column that appears in the current print edition of The Catholic Post. Look for a Q&A with Monsignor, coming soon.

I was struggling with a way to characterize Peoria diocesan native Monsignor Soseman’s delightful new book, Reflections from Rome: Practical Thoughts on Faith & Family.

And then it hit me: Tapas.

You know, those Spanish appetizer-y type of dishes served with drinks? And when I saw this in the Wikipedia entry for “tapas”

“The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them.”

It made me think: Exactly.

Reflections from Rome is a full of conversation starters, tasty morsels that inspire pondering, conversation, and inspiration.

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The book originated as “Faith,” a Facebook page Monsignor Soseman started some years back to share his thoughts with friends and family while he lives and works at the Vatican.

Monsignor is a native of Campbell’s Island, Illinois, is a priest of the Peoria diocese, and a longtime writer. These “Faith” meditations have been gathered, edited and expanded into this accessible and enjoyable book.

Each several-page reflection can be read in a few short minutes. They can be read independently of each other, or in sequence, making this a flexible and timeless book. Some reflections relate to specific seasons, but can be read at any time of year.

The reflections in the book are both realistic (as fits a rural Illinois native) and intelligent (as Monsignor’s many degrees attest, including canon law and Spanish, which is why I know Monsingor won’t mind me comparing his book to tapas).

The reflections are not written to talk “down” to people, but rather build them up. He offers such a wide variety of teaching, Catholic varia about the saints or some point of doctrine, and simple wisdom that he makes it look easy.

I have to provide full disclosure here: my husband Joseph and I have been friends with Monsignor Soseman nearly as long as we have lived in central Illinois, and we treasure his friendship.

But this is just to say that he is just as delightful in person as he is in the pages of his book. That may make some of the reflections more personal to me, as, for instance, I know his mother Agnes well, and she figures in various reflections. But anyone will find inspiration and a little something extra to help live out our Catholic faith.

Like tapas, each “reflection” offers a substantial, but not overwhelming, bite to ponder and discuss with others.

Case in point: When I was previewing the book, I happened upon “Making Up,” about bad language–when it is merely impolite and when it is sinful–and ending with the Divine Praises and a suggestion to pray it as a remedy for ourselves and others when we fail. Around the same time, my teen and I had been having some discussions about this very topic, and our different views (because of our age difference) on what constitutes “impolite” language.

I handed her the book; she read the section in a few minutes, and we had a mini-discussion to see our common ground.

Most of all, Monsignor Soseman is gentle and kind. In one reflection, “Ligonberries,” Monsignor comments on the many titles for the Lord, and how meditating on them can be helpful in deepening our relationship with the Lord. He recommends finding one of Biblical list of the Lord’s titles, or one of the litanies, such as the Sacred Heart or Holy Name litanies.

“(Spend) some time meditating on God’s greatness: a greatness so good and profound that two or three titles don’t suffice, but instead truly hundreds of titles and references exist, giving insight into who Our Lord is and helping us to know Him better.”

Simple? Yes. But profound and powerful nonetheless. Most of the reflections capture this spirit as well.

Reflections from Rome is spiritually uplifting, challenging in a good way, and well worth the read. Pour some refreshing drinks, make some tapas, and enjoy Reflections from Rome.

Meet a Reader: Ryan Mattingly

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mattinglyHow you know me: I have been a seminarian for the Diocese of Peoria for one year. This summer I’m stationed at St. Vincent de Paul parish in Peoria. Before being a seminarian, I studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lived/worked at the Newman center there. I hail from an Air Force family, so I’m not originally from the diocese.

Why I love reading: As a child, I loved that reading had the ability to draw you into a whole different world. I spent many nights staying up way later than I was supposed to because the book I was currently working on was just too good. As I’ve grown older, I’ve also come to appreciate the intellectual aspect. Whether I’m reading solely for knowledge or as a way to relax without turning my mind off completely, it’s always a rewarding experience.

What I’m reading now: Since it’s been a few years, I’m rereading The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the classic fantasy series set in Middle Earth. The author, J.R.R. Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and his faith is woven into the story. I’ve really enjoyed picking up all the bits of symbolism I missed the last time through. Of course, I’m also reading a more stereotypically seminarian book: Three Ages of the Interior Life by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. It’s essentially a roadmap for how people progress in their love for God, albeit a complicated one.

My favorite book: I don’t really have one book that I would say is my absolute favorite. However, if I had to pick, I would choose The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard. I read it a couple years ago, and its insights into the necessity of prayer completely blew me away. In fact, I’m planning on rereading it after I finish Three Ages of the Interior Life.

Discouraged? Books Offer Hope for Flourishing in Faith

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Following is my August column from this weekend’s print edition of The Catholic Post.  Note my update at the end–I finished this column some time ago, and posting it made me think of how I am so inspired and buoyed in spirit by the Holy Father.

Lately, the news appears bad about how our Catholic faith intersects with … everything, it seems. I confess that I’ve lacked hope and sometimes even the desire, to engage in the culture, whether online or in person.

How is best to share a Catholic vision of the human person? Social media memes and various encounters recently have left me drained and even skeptical that it is possible in modern life to share the faith in a realistic and loving way. Sometimes it seems either to either avoid engagement entirely, rather than to win an argument’s battle, but at the same time lose the war, by alienating a friend or loved one.

I’ve found peace in my renewed resolution to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Scripture-rich Office of Readings, which I pray using  “Universalis”, a much-used App on my iPhone.

Of course, it is not surprising that I have also found solace, and even a return of hope, in reading and pondering several books. Here are two that have been particularly helpful for me recently:

UnknownHow to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot Button Issues by Austen Ivereigh, is a rare book: a kind and at the same time robust defense of Catholic beliefs on the “tough” issues.

The book came out of a series of training groups set up by Ivereigh, a well-respected British journalist and author, and others, to train Catholics in England to speak to the media at the time of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to England back in 2010.

The structure of each chapter is what makes this book so unique for a reader not only to understand church teaching, but to explain it to others in a loving way.

For each topic, Ivereigh begins with “challenging questions” asked about the faith. So, for instance, in the chapter, “women and the church,” one of four challenging questions is “Why does the Church think women aren’t good enough to be priests?”

Kind of gets you annoyed and ready to fight? But instead of giving an immediate “when they say, you say” response, Ivereigh describes what he calls the “positive intention” behind each question. So rather than being adversarial, he brings us alongside someone who objects to church teaching, and helps us see the good impulse in their question.

Here’s what is so healthy about this: even if a person is not arguing from a point of good will, it is better to assume that a person is. That offers a way to approach the encounter with love and good will. That’s a good idea in any conversation, whether it is about the faith or not.

Each chapter continues with a longer explanation of what the Church teaches on the topic from an historical, theological and cultural perspective; an “existing frame” for how the debate is often couched, and a ”reframe” to see things from a Catholic point of view. Only after all this is covered does Ivereigh share “key messages” to these tough questions.

Put together, the framework of How to Defend the Faith offers a great way to both understand and explain Church teaching. That perspective will help anyone interested in a flourishing Catholic life and witness.

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Strange Gods: Unmasking the Idols in Everyday Life by the super smart and passionately Catholic Elizabeth Scalia, is a challenging read, but it is a good challenge.  Scalia (no relation to the Supreme Court justice) has long blogged as “The Anchoress;” she is also managing editor of the Catholic channel at the popular website Patheos.com.

I resisted beginning Strange Gods because I feared that it might read as judgmental, implying, “you’re bad for being on Facebook” or “everything fun is bad.”

But it’s not like that at all. Instead, Scalia shows that our Catholic faith offers a healthy alternative to current trends, from the “idols” of, among other things: technology, prosperity, and plans.  “Strange Gods” is meandering and thought-provoking, as one might when having a far-ranging discussion with a very smart and articulate friend over coffee.

The book’s cover is fascinating iconography of its own, capturing the spirit of the book beautifully. It’s an image of church windows filled with phone or app –yes, notice they are called–icons that show all that can keep us from a fully engaged life.

Reading Strange Gods invites one to ponder how so much of modern life holds the potential for great good or great danger, and how living our Catholic faith fully provides the answer.

This is a post-publication update to my column.  I must admit I’m still struggling with a sense of sadness about the state of the world, which is why I’m clinging to Universalis, times of adoration when I can slip away, and also trying to see the positive out there, such as the terrific news from World Youth Day and the crowds there.  Also, I just want to say how much seeing Pope Francis interact with people (and yes, the media) has been restorative for me.

This may be old news to most, but since I’ve been on vacation I only discovered it early this morning.  I’m sharing because I found it so moving and beautiful.  Read the story here to get the background of a nine-year-old boy who, St. Therese-style, jumped a barrier at WYD to cling to Pope Francis and share his desire to be a priest.  Be sure to watch to the end and see the boy, as he walks away towards his family, bury his face in his hands.

Meet a Reader: Jane Walsh

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Following is this month’s “reader” featured in the current issue of The Catholic Post.  Each month, I ask someone in the Peoria diocese to share the love of reading and books with four simple questions.

IMG_0581How you know me:  I am a member of St. Matthew parish in Champaign. I co-founded, with Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu (recently been Assistant Pastor at St. Matthew), a group called Children of Hope and Faith (COHF). We help orphans and needy children in Tanzania, Africa receive a Catholic education. COHF also supports Angel Home Orphanage and funds specific projects to assist schools where children are sponsored. We are celebrating our 10th Anniversary this year and were very fortunate to be able to travel to Tanzania last November. It was such a pleasure to visit with all the children who are helped through our organization.

My husband, Michael, and I have been married for 28 years, and we have two grown children, Kathleen and Andrew, who grew up in Champaign and attended Holy Cross grade school and The High School of St. Thomas More. They both have lived at St. John Catholic Newman Center while attending the University of Illinois.

I also work part-time at C&A Inspirations, which is a Catholic book and gift store in Champaign.

Why I love reading: I love to read because it broadens my ideas and I am able to learn new things. I read mostly books on the spiritual life that inspire me to grow in my relationship with God and appreciate more fully our Catholic faith.

What I’m reading now: I am currently reading “Loved, Lost, Found: 17 Divine Mercy Conversions” by Felix Carroll. I like books on the Divine Mercy based on the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. I am also reading “The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux” by Father Jacques Philippe.

My favorite books: My favorite books are “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Henri Nouwen, “I Believe in Love” by Father Jean C.J. d’Elbee and “Searching for and Maintaining Peace” by Father Jacques Philippe. Books on the Eucharist (such as “7 Secrets of the Eucharist” by Vinny Flynn”) are also inspiring to me.

College Bound? Here’s a Realistic, Relevant Resource

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

A box surfaced recently of old letters that my parents wrote to me while I was in college. I treasure them all the more because my parents are gone now.

My mom’s letters often signed off with “be good.” Perhaps that’s not really surprising, as she had sent off four older siblings to college (and one after me), so it’s pretty likely she knew the challenges I might face. I imagine she wanted to give me extra encouragement to do the right thing.

If you are sending a recent grad off to college, or even if you’ve done so in the last few years, doubtless you have concerns about the competing influences and lures of college life. And you’ve probably wondered, as I have, how to get across that simple message of “be good.”

A word to the wise: it takes a village. While our family is still a few years away from this transition, I realize that it’s not just what mom and dad say or model to our children that will have impact, but a plethora of other voices:

*other family members

*your friends

*your teen’s friends (and their friends’ parents)

*the school environment

*the culture at large

These voices–and more– are competing to sell young adults on the way to “be” and –maybe– “be good” in college and beyond. Most parents want to be sure there are enough voices of positive influence.

Consider Your College Faith: Own It! by Colleen and Matt Swaim one of the “good” voices.

Your College Faith manages to be both extremely practical and extremely Catholic. No, the two are not mutually exclusive. How is it possible to do both so well at the same time?

First, the Swaims have a broad and deep knowledge of Catholic doctrine. They quote freely from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as classic works and lesser-known saints, to provide a range of Catholic background to campus life. But they do this not in long essays on doctrine or theology, but through short, creative bites that capture the attention and get to the point.

Next, the Swaims are not that far removed from college life, so their advice is truly geared towards today’s students. I’ve been giving copies of Your College Faith as high-school graduation gifts, and the universal feedback I’ve gotten is that it’s a positive, realistic book that encourages Catholic identity as well as good tips for college living.

A recent college grad who’s heading off to law school previewed the book, and she agreed that it is an especially realistic, relevant resource from a Catholic perspective. She especially appreciated how the Swaims kept the advice short, but sweet, with helpful sidebars and extras.

Finally, the Swaims have a lot of genuinely helpful and practical advice for late teens on time management, social media opportunities and pitfalls, and just general life skills.

Consider this all-too-true quote the chapter, “Making it Morally: Living Christian Ethics in the Dorms:” “Unless you’re the luckiest person who has ever attended college in the history of higher education, you are going to run into some conflict with your roommates or housemates. … Campus life gives you an opportunity to learn compromise on a whole new level to create a more harmonious living situation. This does not mean compromising your Catholic values of identity, but instead some of your preferences that may not even be that important in the big picture.”

The suggested reading from each chapter contains really helpful books and articles for exploring an area further. Cleverly, an “Alumni Directory” at the end of each chapter profiles a saint who exemplifies the virtue of that chapter.

All of the chapters were helpful, but in addition to the “Dorm Life” chapter, “24/7: Balancing It All With So Many Available Options” stands out. It’s not just about time management, but taking time for prayer and for silence. How well the Swaims put this together makes Your College Faith a must-read for college bound and those who love them.