Abraham's Children: Jews, Christians and Muslims In Conversation: by Norman Solomon, Richard Harries, and Tim Winter (Eds)
Recommended By: Rev. John Pawlikowski, OSM
Review: Abraham's Children brings together essays by leading scholars of each faith to address key issues for the faiths and to collaboratively identify common ground and pose challenges for the future. The book will inspire readers in the process of inter-faith dialogue, contribute clearly to vital religious issues of contemporary world concern and help readers to understand faiths that are different from their own.
[ISBN: 978-0567081612 | Published by Continuum Books ]

And Now I See...A Theology Of Transformation: by Fr. Robert Barron
Recommended By: Rev. Damian M. Charboneau, OSM
Review: "Clear-thinking theologians do much to guide Catholics in their search for God. When a theologian combines a grasp of Christian Tradition with an exceptional ability to communicate in terms we can understand, there is reason to rejoice. Father Barron draws upon the keen spiritual insights of saints, scholars, poets and artists as he presents a memorable icon of Jesus; ""the judge of the world, the son of Man, the word spoken by a heartbroken God."" And Now I See is about coming to vision inChrist, as he says in the book's preface."
[ISBN: 0824517539 | Published by The Crossroads Publishing Company ]

Bridging the Great Divide - Musings of a Post-Liberal, Post-Conservative Evangelical Catholic: by Robert Barron
Recommended By: Rev. Chris Krymski, OSM
Review: Bridging the Great Divide: Musings of a Post-Liberal, Post-Conservative Evangelical Catholic represents a pivotal moment in the life of the Catholic community. As the Church seeks to maintain its unique witness, nurture the faithful, and evangelize, a new generation of American Catholics has emerged. No longer the "next generation," these new leaders came of age after the Second Vatican Council and, like many others, no longer find compelling the battles between the liberals and conservatives throughout the post-conciliar period.
[ISBN: 978-0742532069 | Published by Rowman & Littlefield ]

Catholicism for Dummies: by Rev. John Trigilio Jr., PhD, ThD and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti
Recommended By: Gordon Nary
Review: There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one has a similar set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions.
[ISBN: 978-0-7645-5391-2 | Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ]

Celtic Christianity- A Sacred Tradition, A Vision of Hope: by Timothy J. Joyce
Recommended By: Rev. Michael Doyle, OSM
Review: A Benedictine of Irish descent evokes the distintive history, images, and elements of Celtic spirituality: its mysticism, love of God's creation, and respect for men and women.
[ISBN: 978-1-57075-176-9 | Published by Orbis Books ]

Choosing to Love the World: On Contemplation: by Thomas Merton
Recommended By: Gordon Nary
Review: Amid the noise and distractions of everyday life—is it really possible to choose to love the world? In these times of great uncertainty and anxiety, how can we find God? Thomas Merton felt the urgency of these questions more than fifty years ago, and his reflections upon them are more relevant than ever. One of America's most beloved mystics of the 20th century, Merton's voice was prophetic in the troubled era of the 1960s. In this new collection of thoughts and meditations selected from his most inspiring books and letters, Merton's radiant wisdom and foresight serve as a beacon of light for all of us searching to find true meaning and solace in today's difficult times.
[ISBN: 978-1591798040 | Published by Sounds True, Incorporated ]

Christ in the Light of the Christian Jewish Dialogue: by John T. Pawlikowski O.S.M.
Recommended By: Rev. John Pawlikowski, OSM
Review: Studies in Judaism and Christianity.
[ISBN: 978-1-57910-726-0 | Published by Wipf and Stock Publishers ]

Confession of Saint Patrick: by John Skinner (translator)
Recommended By: Rev. Michael Doyle, OSM
Review: This autobiography, originally written in the fifth century, and short by modern standards, is nonetheless a work that fascinates with its glimpse into the life of an intriguing man, and inspires with its testament of faith.
[ISBN: 978-0-385-49163-1 | Published by Image ]

Consuming Faith : Integrating Who We Are with What We Buy: by Tom Beaudoin
Recommended By: Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM
Review: Consuming Faith is an invitation to think about how our purchases affect who we are as individuals and as members of a global community. This breakthrough book offers practical ways that individuals, communities, and churches can practice a more intentional economic spirituality that integrates our values with what we buy.
[ISBN: 978-1580511384 | Published by Rowman & Littlefield ]

Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice: by Francis J. Beckwith
Recommended By: Gordon Nary
Review: Defending Life is the most comprehensive defense of the prolife position on abortion ever published. It is sophisticated, but still accessible to the ordinary citizen. Without high-pitched rhetoric or appeals to religion, the author offers a careful and respectful case for why the prolife view of human life is correct. He responds to the strongest prochoice arguments found in law, science, philosophy, politics, and the media. He explains and critiques Roe v. Wade, and he explains why virtually all the popular prochoice arguments fail. There is simply nothing like this book.
[ISBN: 978-0521691352 | Published by Cambridge University Press ]

Has God Only One Blessing? - Judaism As a Source of Christian Self-Understanding: by Mary C. Boys
Recommended By: Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM
Review: A challenge to the belief that Christianity fulfilled and therefore replaced Judaism, this book looks at the early Church's shared history with Judaism and at anti-Jewish bias present in history, literature, and liturgy. Suggests sensitive ways for Christians to relate to Jews today.
[ISBN: 978-0809139316 | Published by Paulist Press ]

How, Then, Shall We Live?- Four Simple Questions that Reveal the Beauty and Meaning of Our Lives: by Wayne Muller
Recommended By: Rev. Anthony O'Connell, OSM, PsyD
Review: He starts, as do so many spiritual teachers, with simple questions: Who am I? What do I love? How shall I live, knowing I will die? What is my gift to the family of the earth? He then takes us deeper, exploring each question through transformative true stories. We meet men and women--Wayne's neighbors, friends, patients--who have discovered love, courage, and kindness even in the midst of sorrow and loss. And through them we glimpse that relentless spark of spiritual magic that burns within each of us.
[ISBN: 978-0-553-37505-3 | Published by Bantam Dell Publishing Group ]

Irish Jesus, Roman Jesus- The Formation of Early Irish Christianity: by Graydon F. Snyder
Recommended By: Rev. Michael Doyle, OSM
Review: In his Irish Jesus, Roman Jesus, Graydon Snyder looks to Galatia for the origins of Irish Christianity—and points to the possibility of a very different course for Christian history. He shows how the religious practices and beliefs of the Galatians—more properly called the Celts—did not fit Paul's teaching and interpretation of the Jesus tradition. The Celts, for example, did not believe that human nature was corrupt. Instead, they affirmed the essential goodness of human nature and focused on the moral and compassionate elements of the Jesus tradition. The Celts eventually moved to Ireland. The Christianity that they developed there, promulgated by Patrick and others, sharply contrasted with Paul’s version that is at the roots of Western orthodox Christianity. If the Celts rather than the Romans had won the day, contemporary Christianity would look very different indeed.
[ISBN: 978-1563383854 | Published by Continuum Books ]

Lost in Wonder: Rediscovering the Spiritual Art of Attentiveness: by Esther de Waal
Recommended By: Rev. Joseph Chamblain, OSM
Review: In Lost in Wonder, Esther de Waal uses the everyday circumstances of our lives—the restrictions and frustrations as well as the gifts and opportunities—as our own way to God. By teaching us how to be attentive to all the seemingly small and insignificant things, she shows how they become windows through which the light of Christ can shine to dispel darkness, illuminate our understanding, and speak to our deepest needs. As we recover the gift of childlike wonder we begin to see that spiritual fruitfulness does not depend on our anxious performance, but is a gift we may receive freely.
[ISBN: 978-0-8146-2992-5 | Published by Liturgical Press ]

My Life with the Saints: by James Martin, SJ
Recommended By: Rev. David O. Brown, OSM
Review: "Note the title of this book: it is not ""The Life of the Saints"" but ""My Life with the Saints."" Fr. Martin does give us a very helpful overview of the lives of the saints he describes. What is different and what is so helpful is that he records his own acquaintance with each of his saints. They are historical but it is about his history. He shares with us his life, his experiences, his vocation and most importantly, his spiritual development. Whether it is St. Jude or St. Joan of Arc, Merton or Martyrs, Mother Theresa or Mother Mary, it is not just about their lives, but how their lives touched his own. Some of his training was here in Chicago and a part of this training he exercised a ministry in Cabrini-Green. He brings the life of the saints into our own neighborhood. He succeeds in bringing the saints from ""out there"" to ""right here."" I have found the book stimulating and can recommend it to every one who is trying to enter into the mystery of the divine in this world."
[ISBN: 0-8294-2001-0 | Published by Loyola Press ]

Parish Priest : Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism: by Douglas Brinkley and Julie Fenster
Recommended By: Gordon Nary
Review: In Father Michael McGivney (1852-1890), born and raised in a Connecticut factory town, the modern era's ideal of the priesthood hit its zenith. The son of Irish immigrants, he was a man to whom "family values" represented more than mere rhetoric. And he left a legacy of hope still celebrated around the world.
[ISBN: 978-0060776848 | Published by HarperCollins ]

Star Bright! : A Christmas Story: by Andrew M. Greeley
Recommended By: MaryAnn Kevin
Review: It's beginning to look a lot like an American Christmas: unpleasant relatives, miserable travel, a slobbering dog-and one "harmless American of Irish origins," Jack Flanigan, who is reluctantly falling in love with a young Russian woman studying at Harvard.
[ISBN: 978-0312863876 | Published by Forge Books ]

The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross: by St John of the Cross (Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D.)
Recommended By: Gordon Nary
Review: Included in The Collected Works are St. John's poetry, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night, The Spiritual Canticle, and The Living Flame of Love, as well as his letters and other counsels. There is a general introduction for the entire work and brief, enlightening introductions for each specific work, explaining theme and structure. Enhancing these are the new footnotes, glossary of terms, and index.
[ISBN: 0-935216-15-4 | Published by ICS Publications ]

The Holy Longing: Guidelines for a Christian Spirituality: by Rev. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI
Recommended By: Rev. Damian M. Charboneau, OSM
Review: Ronald Rolheiser makes sense of what is frequently a misunderstood word: spirituality. In posing the question "What is spirituality?" Father Rolheiser gets quickly to the heart of common difficulties with the subject, and shows through compelling anecdotes and personal examples how to channel that restlessness, that deep desire, into a healthy spirituality.
[ISBN: 978-0-385-49418-2 | Published by Doubleday ]

The Intimate Connection: Male Sexuality, Masculine Spirituality: by James B. Nelson
Recommended By: Rev. Michael Guimon, OSM
Review: In recent years men have begun to question seriously their traditionally held roles and values. The women's movement, popular books, and male images on television and in films have all contributed to men's uncertainty about themselves. Now there is a major shift taking place in the perception of sexuality. James Nelson asserts that men and women seek something the sexual revolution did not provide: an understanding of the true meaning of love. This, he claims, is the unfinished business of that revolution.
[ISBN: 978-0-664240-65-3 | Published by Presbyterian Publishing Corporation ]

The Rosary: by Garry Wills
Recommended By: Rev. David O. Brown, OSM
Review: Though the rosary is often viewed as part of the life of Catholics before the sweeping changes wrought by the Second Vatican Council, Wills considers the devotion to be both timely and timeless. It is timely, he writes, quoting Pope John Paul II, because of its usefulness as a tool for quiet and regeneration in an increasingly noisy society, and timeless because its repetition of prayers said on a strand of beads is an ancient aid to contemplation. Wills begins the book with a brief history of the devotion and carefully explains how to take it up. His guide will be helpful to anyone interested in the rosary, but especially to those seeking new insights into its practice {Publisher's Weekly - November 7, 2005}.
[ISBN: 978-0670034499 | Published by Penguin Group (usa) ]

The Shattered Lantern, Rediscovering God's Presence: by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I.
Recommended By: Rev. Damian M. Charboneau, OSM
Review: In The Shattered Lantern, Ronald Rolheiser, author of The Holy Longing, looks at how atheism and disbelief have crept into our world and how, in the face of it, we can restore the shattered lantern and bring back the light of God. He shows that the way to overcome self-involvement and an obsession with achievement is not by learning more or trying harder, but by living in a different way. Contemplative living can lead all of us to be overwhelmed again with the divine light.
[ISBN: 978-0-824-52275-9 | Published by The Crossroad Publishing Company ]

The Spirituality of Imperfection- Story Telling and the Search of Meaning: by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham
Recommended By: Rev. Anthony O'Connell, OSM, PsyD
Review: Who are we? Why so we so often fall short of our goals for ourselves and others? By seeking to understand our limitations and accept the inevitably of failure and pain, we being to ease the hurt and move toward a greater sense of serenity and self-awareness. The Spirituality Of Imperfection brings together stories from many spiritual and philosophical paths, weaving past traditions into a spirituality and a new way of thinking and living that works today. It speaks so anyone who yearns to find meaning within suffering. Beyond theory and technique, inside this remarkable book you will find a new way of thinking, a way of living that enables a truly human existence.
[ISBN: 978-0-553-37132-1 | Published by Bantam Dell Publishing Group ]

Mary and the Feminine of God: For a Marian Spirituality: by Sr. Lina Boff, OSM
Reviewed By: David O. Brown, OSM
Review: In reviewing this booklet I tried to answer three simple questions:

(1) What does Sr. Lina want to do?
(2) Why does she want to do it?
(3) How well does she do it?

(1)Sister Lina defines “The Feminine of God” as the “image of the love of God for the human race.” She then reminds us that this love of the Triune God for the human race is manifested primarily in the Incarnation and at Pentecost, which, you will recall, are recounted in Luke 1-2 and Acts 2, where Mary is the featured human. What Sr. Lina wants to do, therefore, is to show that Mary in a special way opens for us a way into the mystery of that Triune love.

(2) Sr. Lina focuses her study on St. Luke’s presentation of Mary, the text, the context, Mary’s words, her actions, her reactions. Sr. Lina’s focus and her efforts are to reflect more fully and more deeply God’s work in Mary and so God’s work in us. Sr. Lina uses the word “focus,” adding that when one “focuses” one uses a “lens” to sharpen that focus. For Sr. Lina the lens is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through Mary by which the divine love for the human race is more clearly seen thereby opening to us a dynamic new dimension to our devotion to Mary.

(3) How well does she do? It is not an accident that through out the booklet there are additional questions set off for more discussion. Sr. Lina’s work is “low” theology. That is a description, not a judgment. It is theology from below. It begins with our human experiences. It begins where we are. The questions we ask of one another on a personal level are an essential element to her work. We almost have to read the booklet with another to answer the third question of this review. We can read it alone but we will miss part of the dynamic of her challenge. Reading it challenged me to broaden my perspective. Reading familiar passages revealed new depth. “I never though of it like that before.” This is exactly what she wanted to accomplish, a prophetic opening to a spirituality inspired by the Woman of Nazareth.

[46 pages, including Questions to Promote Further Reflection
5 ½ x 8 ½. Published by: Servite Coalition for Justice
Quantities: 1-2, 3-10, 11 or more Cost: $6.00, $5.00, $4.00 (includes shipping)
Make checks payable to: Servite Coalition for Justice
Send orders to: Dave Brown, OSM • 323 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60610-4112]

If you have a book on Spirituality and or the Catholic Faith, please send the title and author to webmaster@assumption-chgo.org for review by a member of the Assumption Pastoral Staff