Yesterday I noticed at my local library a display of books on various "green" topics and in celebration of Earth Week, beginning today. Here are a few that sparked my interest:
The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Step at a Time
The Little Green Book of Shopping: 250 Tips for an Eco Lifestyle
Live an Eco Friendly Life: Smart Ways to Get Green and Stay that Way
I just finished reading The Life You Can Save:Acting Now to End World Poverty by Peter Singer.
The Life You Can Save offers a seven-point plan that guides us to reflect and consider on how we can make a huge difference in the lives of others throughout the world.
Singer addresses the following topics: common objections to giving, why we don't give more, creating a culture of giving and improving aid. He recommends 5% of annual income as the new standard of giving of those who are financially comfortable, and rather more for the very rich.
For additional information visit book's website. Click here.
An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor. Harper One
Don't Trust the Abbot: Musings from the Monastery by Abbot Jerome Kodell. Liturgical Press
This Flowing Toward Me
by Marilyn Lacey, RSM
My wife Margaret found this spiritual journey a very moving and enlightning collection of stories. It clearly demonstrate both the storeis and stuggles of our everyday immigrants and refugees and the commitment of Sr. Marilyn's ministry of the past 25 years.
Oprah Magazine presents an extensive set of guidelines for Starting a Book Club.
Every issue of Oprah Magazine recommends and highlights recently published books. For a complete list of nearly 200 books from all previous issues go to O Magazine
We at faithAlivebooks have reviewed Bibles, Bibles, and more Bibles for parents and children! We highly recommend the following four titles for parents and children to use independently as well as together. They are well written, offer colorful and eye-catching illustrations and photographs, and are available at reasonable prices.
To many, a saint is a person who is extremely holy, unimaginably close to God, and set apart from the world; an unattainable status for the rest of us “normal people”.
Bert Ghezzi, popular speaker and author, disagrees with that opinion in his recent book The Heart of a Saint: Ten Ways to Grow Closer to God.
Ghezzi explains that “Holiness is not the narrowly guarded privilege of a few, but rather an abundantly available opportunity for all. Here’s the point: we can become saints if we want. All we must do is choose to be holy, and the Holy Spirit will make it happen.”
As indicated in the title, the book presents ten elements of holiness, each illustrated by a saint who particularly exemplified that quality. Ghezzi captures the essence of the featured saints in short, conversational stories of their lives. Both interesting and thought provoking, the saint stories range from the well-known St. Francis of Assisi to the more obscure St. Aelred of Rievaulx.
The book is more than a volume of stories, however. Every chapter ends with a section entitled “Think, Pray, and Act.” Ghezzi offers further reflections on the chapter and also provides questions and suggestions for use in personal prayer and daily life. The concise format lends itself to practical application for the reader; an inspirational how-to for holiness. With the help of the Holy Spirit, of course.
Alissa Schafer, Student at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI
www.amileinmyhikingboots.blogspot.com
www.alissajean.blogspot.com
More than a Dream: How One School's Vision is Changing the World, written from the perspective of an insider, details the birth, growing pains and success of Cristo Rey, a Catholic high school created especially for poor urban youth in inner city Chicago.
G.R. Kearney’s telling of the Cristo Rey story is fair and complete. Creating a new model for an urban high school is difficult at best and while perhaps not changing the world as the subtitle suggests, this new approach is changing lives of students and the minds of thoughtful educational leaders.
The Cristo Rey model has since been duplicated in other urban cities and is based on a foundation of true caring for disadvantaged youth, listening to the needs of the youth and their families and the creation of a unique and powerful economic model designed to assure affordability and sustainability of the school.
The Cristo Rey story is a book well written and researched. It is a book designed for a wide audience and especially helpful for those who want to rethink high school education especially in urban areas.
Bert Blake
Superintendent Emeritus, Grand Rapids Public Schools
In Being Catholic Now Kerry Kennedy has asked 37 prominent Catholics about the changes in the Church and what it means to be Catholic.
For interview of Kerry Kennedy by Deborah Solomon September 12, 2008, click here.
The National Catholic Reporter's Website presents an ongoing list of reviews, interviews and recommendations. Visit NCR Book Club.
Drawing from ancient and contemporary sources and practices, this complete library of essential Christian wisdom is the ideal companion for anyone heading to graduate school, studying for Christian ministry, or as a gift for someone who loves to study and learn. The Paraclete Collection.
In my work with Catholic Publishing companies I am surprised by the increasing number of daily devotionals. Many of these are based on the Sunday Lectionary (Three year cycle) or on the Weekday Lectionary (Two year cycle). Others focus on the writings of a single individual or a collection of prayers and reflections. Here are just a few:
A Year of Sundays
Gospel Reflections 2008
Little Rock Scripture Study.
(Available in English and Spanish)
9780814631225 English
9780814631232 Spanish
Abide in My Word
2008 Mass Readings at Your Fingertip
The Word Among Us
$16.50
9781593250904
Life as a Sacred Journey
Rest Stops Along the Way
Reflections for Parents and Catechists
David M. Thomas
NCCL
0971297576
Disciplines 2008
A Book of Daily Devotions
The Upper Room
New books from Paulist Press include
Googling God
The Religious Landscape of People in Their 20's and 30's
Mike Hayes
9780809144877
Recently published titles include
The Funny Shape of Faith
Devotions for the Rest of Us
John Bush
9780806657615
Defeating Depression
Real Help for You and Those Who You
Howard W. Stone
9780806690315
Recent titles from LoyolaPress include
The Best Catholic Writing 2007
Edited by Jim Maney
9780829426113
My Life with the Saints (paperback)
James Martin
139780829420012
Recent books from Jossey-Bass, An Imprint of Wiley
include
Real Kids Real Faith
Practices for Nurturing Children's Spiritual Lives
2004
Karen Marie Yust
9780787964078
In the Midst of Chaos
Caring for Children as Spiritual Practice
Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore
9780787976767
God's Mechanics
How Scientists and Engineers Make Sense of Religion
Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ
9780787994662
A New Kind of Christian
A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey
Brian D. McLaren
2001
078795599x
What a surprise to discover the Questions of faith series from Hendrickson Publishers.
The present four titles, which were first published in England, are attractively and well-designed. A variety of full color images are well integrated throughout the text. These books are written in a very practical and easy to read format. I look forward to additional titles.
Why Do People Suffer
James Jones
9781598561661
User's Guide to the Bible
Stephen M. Miller
9781598561388
Exploring Prayer
Sue Mayfield
9781598561678
Searching 4 Faith
Brian Draper
9781598561371
I have received the following titles from Liturgical Press.
How to Explain Your Faith
John Pritchard
9780814631782
Benedict of Nursia
His Message for Today
Anslem Grun
9780814629199
Jesus and Paul
Parallel Lives
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
9780814651735
Touching the World
Christian Communities Transforming Society
Dan McKanan
9780814631751
We Pray
Living in God's Presence
Oscar Lukefahr, CM
9780764815614
This past week I just finished reading We Plan, God Laughs. This book came at a great time since the position I had with a publishing company came to an end Now that I am unemployed I see God laughing away.
Favorite Quotes
"The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. They could have made it in six. But their fear held them back."
"You discover that without all the junk, you can make a sense of calm and serenity."
"We never think that today, right now, could be the beginning of living the life we dreamed of."
"When Moses asked God to 'show me who you are' God used thirteen attributes to describe himself. When translated into English, they can be summed up by the following ten: compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, truthful, faithful, abounding in love, kindness, merciful, and forgiving of iniquity, transgression and sin."
"Once you know what awakens your soul, you are ready to light up the world."
Catholicism in the Third Millennium
By Thomas P. Rausch
Thomas Rausch, Ph.D., is the T. Marie Chilton Professor of Catholic Theology at Loyola Marymount University. Catholicism in the Third Millennium looks at Catholicism’s past, present, and future. Rausch’s book, designed for those who are already familiar with Catholicism, answers a lot of potential questions about the Catholic faith and Church. The book is separated into topics, including: the Church and the Council, traditions of the Church, Sacraments, Christian life and discipleship, sin, forgiveness, healing, sexual morality, justice, prayer, spirituality, saints, other Christian beliefs, and thoughts about the future of the Church.
Although not a particularly difficult book o read, Catholicism in the Third Millennium takes an intellectual approach to instructing readers about the Catholic faith. Rausch’s book is rich in information and would be a beneficial resource for any Catholic home.
I recommend this book to Catholics who are seeking more detailed, intellectual information about their faith.
“Thomas Rausch provides a clear and straightforward account of Catholicism for mature Catholics who still have plenty of questions about their faith. He combines a precise explanation of Catholic teaching and tradition together with critical reflection on the most important issues facing the Church today. More than a theological treatise, historical survey, or adult catechism, this non-technical book gets to the heart and soul of Catholic faith and practice. Rausch’s splendid work offers both invitation and challenge to understand Catholicism as a whole way of life through which we enter into communion with God and others.” --Michael Downey, Cardinal’s Theologian
“…many Catholics want to learn more about their faith. They are embarrassed by their inability to answer the questions other Christians often ask of them and want to have something to pass on to their children. Parishes with good programs in adult religious education find many who want to participate. At secular or non-Catholic private campuses the weekly Catholic liturgy draws more students than any other religious service. Some Catholics admit they are confused about what to believe; they find themselves in the middle of battles between conservatives and liberals or between the official Church and popular opinion, particularly as it is refracted by the media, and they are not at ease with either side. Others want to find some way of connecting what they were once taught with what the Church seems to be saying today." --Excerpt from the introduction
Go in Peace: A Gift of Enduring Love
By John Paul II
Edited by Joseph Durepos
During his lifetime, Pope John Paul II blessed the world with his wise words. Edited by Joseph Durepos, Go in Peace: A Gift of Enduring Love is a collection of some of his most compelling teachings and prayers.
This book is divided into several sections, in which a variety of topics are discussed, including: God, Jesus, faith and belief, living and working in the world, prayer, forgiveness and reconciliation, morality and Christian conscience, the Church, the Eucharist and the Mass, family, suffering and Christian vocation.
Within these sections John Paul II encourages us to view aspects of faith in different ways. He presents messages of peace and comfort while incorporating father-like advice that can be encouraging in today’s world. John Paul II offers unique reflections that readers will find enlightening, moving them to remember a beloved Pope.
“The difficulty of forgiving does not arise only from circumstances of the present. History carries with it a heavy burden of violence and conflict that cannot easily be shed. Abuses of power, oppression, and wars have brought suffering to countless human beings; and even if the causes of these sad events are lost in the distant past, their destructive effects live on, fueling fear, suspicion, hatred, and division among families, ethnic groups, and whole peoples. These are facts that sorely try the goodwill of those who are seeking to overcome their past conditioning. The truth is that one cannot remain a prisoner of the past, for individuals and peoples need a sort of ‘healing of memories’ so that past evils will not come back again.” --Excerpt, page 27
The Creed: The Apostolic Faith in Contemporary Theology
Revised and Expanded
By Berard L. Marthaler
Berard Marthaler holds doctorates in theology and history. He is Professor of Religion and Religious Education at the Catholic University of America. In his book he embraces the history and theology of the Nicene Creed. He gives a phrase-by-phrase analysis of the words of the Creed, offering very thorough explanations of why we believe what we do, why the Creed is worded the way it is, and how it came to be that way.
Although The Creed is more of an intellectual, textbook-like book, Marthaler uses comprehensible terms and language to clarify his points. This book is rich in information for a person of any faith. Even if you are a life-long Catholic, this is a fascinating, excellent book that is likely to teach you many new things about the Creed and the history of Christianity, with a focus on Catholicism.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the history of the Creed or the Catholic faith.
"Berard Marthaler here provides rich commentary and historical notes on the creed professed by Christians through the centuries. He deals not only with historical debates but also with contemporary challenges and modern ecumenical convergences. This is a helpful resource for studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church, catechisms of other churches, and the World Council commentary on the Nicene Creed. Thanks to Berard and his publisher for continuing to keep this resource available and updated for our use!"
--Brother Jeffrey Gros, FSC
"Just as the Church’s creed summarizes what we believe, Berard Marthaler’s The Creed summarizes why we believe it and takes readers into the deepest mysteries of our faith. He explains what it is to believe and who it is we believe in. Marthaler opens up the context of our creed: the scriptures, the movements, the heresies, and the councils that forged its words, as well as the living Church still nurtured by its tenets. His clear analysis confidently guides the reader through a thicket of ancient and modern theological issues."
--Paul Turner, pastor
“It is evident that the Bible uses many figures of speech to describe God. God is at once bridegroom of Israel, warrior, king and nursing mother. Each figure gives some insight into the godhead and into divine activity in the universe. Few persons, if any, read them literally, however. Believers, while recognizing the limitations of this manner of speech, accept it as helpful to understanding something about God." --Excerpt from the book
Finding My Way Home
By Henri J.M. Nouwen
Having written over 40 books in his lifetime, Henri Nouwen, considered one of the great spiritual writers of modern times, spent the last 10 years of his life with physically and mentally challenged individuals. He relates his experiences as examples and reflections to his readers, while delivering an overall message of peace.
This is an inspirational book that asks the reader to look at the surrounding world in a new light and question the individuals we’ve become. It is a relatively short, easy read that has a significant message. The book is separated into four parts: “The Path of Power,” “The Path of Peace,” “The Path of Waiting,” and “The Path of Living and Dying.” In each section, Nouwen shares his stories and relates Christ’s journey to our own spiritual journeys in understandable, simple ways.
With his comforting message, Nouwen reminds us to slow down and look at the world around us. Whether you’re young and struggling with the pressures of school, busy with a demanding career, retired, frustrated with the current state of the world, or are just living life as it hits you, this book has some beautiful reflections and messages from which anyone can benefit.
“… Be surprised not by suffering but by joy. As we grow old, we will have to stretch out our arms, be guided and led to places we would rather not go. What was true for Peter will be true for us. There is suffering ahead of us, immense suffering, a suffering that will continue to tempt us to think that we have chosen the wrong road and that others were more shrewd than we were. But don’t be surprised by pain. Be surprised by joy, be surprised by the little flower that shows its beauty in the midst of a barren desert, and be surprised by the immense healing power that keeps bursting forth like springs of fresh water from the depth of our pain.” --Excerpt from the book
Logged on and Tuned Out: A Non-Techie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation
By Vicki Courtney
Vicki Courtney, who originally knew very little about the technology her children were using, has done extensive research on the topic.
Courtney’s book is a helpful, up-to-date guide for parents who know little about modern computer technology. She uses statistics and personal anecdotes to discuss e-mail, instant messaging, social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, the posting of pictures and video on the web, YouTube, cell phones, online terms, and Internet safety and morality. Although she does not take a step-by-step approach to teach parents how to use these applications, she explains their definitions, purposes, benefits, and potential harm.
This book suggests ways that parents can limit uses of technology instead of banning it. Courtney encourages parents to learn more about technology so that they can serve as guides for their children, supervise Internet activity, and even engage in online communication with their children. The book asks parents to wake up and “tune in” to what their kids are really dealing with in a new technological age.
As someone who has grown up in this “new computer age,” I recommend this book to parents who know little about what technology their children are using.
“Several years ago I set up my own instant messenger account. I put my kids on my buddy list and a few friends who also had screen names and joined the world of instant messaging. From time to time, I sign on and have conversations with my kids who are sometimes in the next room! My daughter is not one to share her feelings much, and even though we are very close, it can feel like pulling teeth to get her to open up. I have found that if I IM her when I notice that she is looking down and ask her how she’s doing, amazingly, she will open up to me through this format. Again, it’s easier to type things you might not be willing to say face-to-face, and as is true in this case, that also can be a positive.” --Excerpt from the book
The Florist's Daughter by Patricia Hampl
Patricia Hampl's memoir is wonderful, moving and personal. With her dying mother's hand held in her own at the side of a hospital
bed, Hampl reflects on the wonderful weight of being a daughter--of
both loving, caring for and honoring parents, and receiving parents'
love, care, and pride. Her story unravels as a lyrical stream of consciousness, flowing seamlessly as she moves from one mind's image to the next. Deeply reflective prose draws readers into the heart of remembrance--for her family and her beloved St. Paul, and the self that grew with them.
Patricia Hampl's new memoir "offers the bloom of meditation on the mysteries between parents and children, between the past and the present, and between those old adversaries, beauty and truth." --Kristin Ohlson, author of Stalking the Divine
My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ
James Martin, SJ, an editor at America magazine and a frequent commentator for the media, has written a “delightful,” (First Things) “Remarkably engaging” (U.S. Catholic) and “an outstanding and often hilarious memoir” (Publishers Weekly). Martin introduces us to 16 of his historical friends and explores their relevance for how we live the Christian life. Some of his friends include Pope John XXIII, Thomas Aquinas, Dorothy Day, the Ugandan Martyrs, and Thomas Merton.
I heard Martin address all those in attendance at the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (May 29 – June 1, 2007.) His address is available as a podcast at www.loyolapress.org.
Almost Catholic by Jon M. Sweeney
Jon Sweeney, a self-described "evolved Protestant" and noted religious writer, has long been fascinated by the Catholic Church. However, it wasn't until he was a young missionary in the Philippines that he truly began to understand the Church's traditions, mysteries, and religious beliefs and its hold on those who follow the tradition. As he explains, Catholic spirituality is all about responding to the fundamental mystery of Jesus, the incarnation, and what it all meant in the beginning as well as what it means today.
In Almost Catholic, Sweeney offers an appreciation of Catholicism, weaving in the story of his own explorations with those of others who have also been attracted to this tradition. He finds himself drawn to the Church's ancient and medieval traditions out of a desire to connect with the deepest and widest paths on the way. Two millennia of saints and practices and teachings and mystery form a connection for him to the very beginnings of Christianity.
One Hundred Great Catholic Books by Don Brophy
In this lovely tome, Don Brophy introduces readers to the myriad works of Catholic literature, having carefully selected pieces that have greatly impacted their readers. His short reviews are put into chronological order and comprise the classic Catholic books as well as some true surprises.
"This is the most congenial history of Catholic thought one could ever hope to find. On every page, I found some new connection to be made or an intriguing insight to be savored." —Phyllis Tickle, author, The Divine Hours
This is an excellent book on the art of teaching that will help teachers in recovering and renewing their passion for being an educator. It "[e]vokes the heart of what teachers really do, and does so in a vivid, compelling, and soulful way." --Robert Coles, University Health Services at Harvard University The Courage to Teach is an excellent choice for book discussion at teacher reading groups.
Sr. Helen Burns recommends In a New Light.
Ron Austin is a Hollywood saint. He's been around Hollywood for a long time, past president of the WGA if I'm not mistaken. He taught us at Act One. He was the most profound, gentle, charitable, spiritual teacher! Ironically, he is now almost blind and wears these yellow-tinted lens' that just make him look all the more the special person that he is. He volunteers at maximum security prisons. Accentuated with black and white stills, this long-awaited, succint little gem of a book (only 105 pages), is a spiritual history of world cinema. (What a concept!)
