The Saint Monica Club - Maggie Green - How to Hope, Wait, and Pray for Your Fallen-Away Loved Ones

The Saint Monica Club: 

How to Hope, Wait, and Pray for Your Fallen-Away Loved Ones

Maggie Green

Sophia Institute Press

ISBN 9781622827237

eISBN 9781622827244

ASIN B081QX7VSS

I was intrigued by this book from the first time I encountered the title. I was surprised by the book, even though I started it with no preconceived notions. I picked up this volume based on the title and subtitle alone. I had not read any reviews, the back cover or even the description. I knew it was a book I wanted to read and needed to read. The dedication of the book states:

“By a member of

the Saint Monica Club

who lives in hope,

to all other members

who likewise hope for

the day their children return”

The chapters in the volume are:

Preface: What This Book Isn’t 

The Saint Monica Club 

Being Willing to Cry Out to God, “Lord, the One We Love Is Lost!” 

There Are No Quick Fixes 

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus Is Doing Something 

Do Something Loving 

Be Kind, Not Nice 

The Daily Surrender 

Ask for Help 

Keep Inviting Them In, through Every Door You Can Find 

Keep Living Life and Sharing What You Know 

Meet Them Where They Are 

Take Up the Cross by Treating Others with Dignity in All Things 

Being an Attractive Witness to Marriage and the Family 

There Will Always Be a Test 

Your Job Is to Inform and Witness, Not to Persuade 

Hold On to the Nails, Not the Hurt 

Guard Your Heart, so as to Remain Holy 

As a Parent, You Are Never Finished Loving 

Lively Faith in Your Home Allows Divine Grace to Do Its Work 

Lord I Believe; Help My Unbelief (and Please, Please, Please Hurry Up!) 

Be Brave, Even in Little Things 

Jesus Gives Lavishly, More Than We Can Even Ask 

The Rosary Is Your Best Tool 

Find Your Consolation in Christ, and Hold Fast to the Gospel 

Watch Yourself 

Sacraments and Sacramentals 

It’s Still Hard and Will Be Until It Isn’t 

The Domestic Church Is Your Refuge 

At Best, We’re Junior Assistants 

Recognize Your Weak Points 

Walking with Them 

Love Will Break Hearts of Stone 

The Soul Stolen Away 

How Can We Be at Peace if One We Love Is Lost? 

Taking Up the Cross 

Being Honest 

Your Prodigal and the Rest of Your Family 

The Dangers of Engaging in Intellectual Combat 

Your Prodigal’s Absence May Allow You to Be More Present 

Beauty Will Save the World 

The Hope That Is Ongoing 

Not the Final Thoughts 

Prayers to Saint Monica

This book was easy to read. It is engaging. It will inspire and motivate. There is a lot of wisdom in this book. It will bring up issues you may encounter. Troubles you might encounter. It will help those of us in this club to better handle the situations that might arise. Written in regards to the parent and child relationship, the advice is sage and can be applied to any relationship. A few of the passages I highlighted my first time through are:

“Repeat as often as needed: I am not in charge. I am here to love and to cooperate with God’s will, to assist in teaching the rest of the world about God’s great, infinite, merciful love by my own obedience and my own witness of that same gift.”

“We have a solemn duty to introduce our children to God by our words, our deeds, and, yes, by our witness to the Faith. We can do all of this, and still, our whole job is merely to prepare their hearts and sow the seed; it is God’s grace that will bring forth the fruits.”

“Loving your prodigals, no matter how challenging they might be or how old, is learning how to imitate God the Father by imitating God the Son. We willingly sacrifice our hands and feet, our head and our side; we offer ourselves, or we do not love.”

“When we are generous, it prompts others to consider whether they ought to be more generous as well. So feed the hungry, house the homeless, comfort the lonely, be the source of God’s abundant mercy for your prodigal. A good teacher in graduate school drilled into my head, “All behavior is communication.” It’s your job to listen to what your prodigal has to say (or to be aware of your prodigal’s silence on certain matters) and to respond by saying and doing something that reveals love.”

So material in this book might not be new to the reader but the reminder will be excellent. I loved this book. And it was one I really needed to read. As my children have aged, I have had more concerns about them walking away from the faith. And I have prayed for years for my wife to convert to Catholicism. This book provided encouragement and support. And inspired me anew to redouble my prayers, love and service.

A fantastic book for Catholic parents, and grandparents.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books about Saint Monica:

The Saint Monica Club – Maggie Green

St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer - Mike Aquilina and Mark S Sullivan

Saint Monica Power of Mother Paperback - Giovanni Falbo

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You're Only Old Once! - Dr. Seuss - A Book for Obsolete Children

You're Only Old Once!

A Book for Obsolete Children

Dr. Seuss

Random House Books for Young Readers

1986

ISBN 9780394551906

eISBN 9780385379502

ASIN B00ESF2AH4

Recently because of some media spotlight on Dr. Seuss and his works. I decided to reread the 6 books in question and two others. But alas only had 5 of the 6 on hand. This is the eighth of the reviews, the 6 in question and 2 of my favorites. And am now expanding and reading and reviewing some of his others. 

Dr. Seuss is famous for his many children’s books. Books that spark the imagination. Surprise, and amaze. There is a large collection of old animated shorts based on them. And these has been several movies both animated and life action. He also wrote two books that though written and illustrated in a similar style and format are considered adult books they are The Seven Lady Godivas and contrary to my original belief You're Only Old Once! not The Butter Battle Book. Butter Battle is a commentary on war and is often found in the children’s sections in bookstores and libraries, and sometimes in the adult section. Godivas I believe is long out of print, I believe the last printing was in 1988. And I am only aware of it because it is the favorite book of a friend.  

I do not know a child who has not engaged with these books on some level. And I know many adults that still have a favorite or 2 from the collection of his works. My youngest and my wife have a few of them memorized. And recite them to each other before bed, as much as read. My children loved the old, animated shorts, and like most of the movies. I was less fond of the live action movies but appreciate most of the animated ones. But back to this book.

As someone in their 50’s I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It follows a man as he goes to the doctors and is referred over and over again to others. It is a ridiculous book. But one that does capture something a few of us have experienced or likely will. 

The book ends with:

     “Is this a children’s book?

     Well … not immediately.

     You Buy a copy for your child now

     and you give it to him on his 70th birthday.”

This is a fun read. I greatly enjoyed it. But it is not for kids. Unless it is for your adult children about what you are going through. Great to give to your parents or for parents to give to their adult children. When reading pay close attention to the direction signs and labels.

Note: I recently heard that 6 of the books by Dr. Seuss were being taken out of print. The 6 are: And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot's Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, The Cat's Quizzer. We had 5 of the 6 in our collection so I gave them a reread. The 6th The Cat's Quizzer I can only find used in Canada, the lowest price is $992. 

Books by Dr. Seuss:

And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street 

If I Ran the Zoo 

McElligot's Pool 

On Beyond Zebra!  

Scrambled Eggs Super! 

The Seven Lady Godivas 

The Butter Battle Book   

The Cat's Quizzer

You're Only Old Once!

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

...

Kid in the Kitchen - Melissa Clark - 100 Recipes and Tips for Young Home Cooks: A Cookbook

Kid in the Kitchen: 

100 Recipes and Tips for Young Home Cooks: A Cookbook

Melissa Clark

Clarkson Potter Publishers 

A division of

Penguin Random House

ISBN 9780593232286

eISBN 9780593232293

ASIN B08681L3CF

My youngest daughter at the age of 10 loves cooking and cooking shows. She saved up her own money and purchased herself two cookbooks, this one and The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs from America's Test Kitchen. This was the first to arrive and she loves it. She carried it around the house for days, put in sticky note tabs for recipes she wanted to try. But more on that later.

This is a beautiful cookbook. Full color glossy pages. Heavy weight paper. Solid binding. And very well designed and made. It is a great book to flip through and get ideas from. Or to plan whole meals. The chapters in the volume are:

Breakfast & Brunch

Sandwiches

Snack Like You Mean It

Noodles & Pasta

Sheet Pan Fever

Extreme Bowling:

     Grain Bowls & Salads

Food Parties for the Fun Food Fans

One-Pot Meals

Breads

Sides

Sugar Time!

Prior to the chapters on specific foods there are 5 short sections to get you started. They are:

Hi! (An introduction)

How to Cook Any Recipe

The 20 (or So) Tools to Cook Almost Anything

Insta Your Dishes: Food photography Hacks and Tips

Kitchen Decoded

My daughter picked 5 dishes she wanted to prepare and made the family brunch. We had to purchase several ingredients we did not have in house. That first foray she made:

Brown Sugar Bacon

Siracha Glazed Bacon

Mustard Glazed Bacon

BLT on Artisan Bread (with bacon from above and avocado.)

Scrambled Eggs

And French Toast

It was a smash hit. The bacon and bacon sandwich she made for me blew me away. At 10 she still needs significant help in the kitchen but is a quick learner, and eager apprentice. 

She loves this book and give it a solid 5/5 stars. And I am certain we will have many other meals prepared from this volume over the weeks and months to come.

An excellent cookbook for younger aspiring chefs. A great place to start. Melissa has contributed to or written over 50 books related to food. And this one is a good one for working with younger children, or letting older children experiment on their own.

The Seal of Aeolus - Manuel Alfonseca - Chronicles of the Aeolian Family Book 01

The Seal of Aeolus

Chronicles of the Aeolian Family Book 01

Manuel Alfonseca
ISBN 9798616687609

ASIN B0852KM5YL

A few years ago I read several books in translation by Manuel Alfonseca. Most I believe translated by the author himself. This is the 9th volume from his pen that I have read. I believe this book was originally published in Spanish in 2002. There have been several Spanish editions over the years, and it was published in English in 2020. I picked this up to read because it was the Catholic Book Club on Good Reads book for this month. Once I started reading it I could hardly put it down. But that should not have surprised me, I have been impressed by everything I have read from Alfonseca’s pen. Several times while reading this volume I thought of Sword and Serpent by Taylor R. Marshall and also the writings of Jack Whyte. And I believe this book is just as good as the writings from those two authors. 

This book is masterfully written and incredibly well researched. And I implore you when you read the book stick it through and read the Authors Note at the end of the text. I picked up the next two volumes in this series as soon as I finished the first. And it took all my self restraint not to start the second for a few days until I was able to write this review. The description of the volume is:

“During the war of the Roman Empire against the Parthian Empire, in the time of emperor Marcus Aurelius, the young Flavius obtains a position in the legions as a standard bearer. His father wishes to separate him from Christianity, the religion he has converted to. The boy must face many dangers, travel to far away countries and work as a spy of the Roman Empire. After finding true love, he must deal with a complex moral issue that will be solved providentially, in a way he would never have foreseen.”

A story sent in ancient Roman times. Following a solder as he embarks on his military career. He is a Christian and not ashamed of it. War, battles, a theft, love., and more. This story has a bit of it all. 

Alfonseca is the author of over 50 books, 24 of which I believe are available in English. He writes across genres and styles with great ease. His books are always entertaining. And yet they cause a reader to think. In this story and many of his others a great strength is the characters. His characters are masterfully written. And his scene work and setting really draw readers in and keep them hooked. 

A fantastic historical fiction novel of a top quality. And excellent read that I highly recommend! But be warned you will likely need to buy the whole trilogy.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Manuel Alfonseca in English:
Descent into the Hell of Venus
Jacob's Ladder
Under an Orange Sky
The History of the Earth-9 Colony
The Ruby of the Ganges
The Last Dinosaur
Ennia in Faerie
The Heirloom of King Scorpion
Beyond the Black Hole
The Water of Life

Albatros

Operation Quatuor

A Face in Time

...

Solar System Series:
Under an Orange Sky

Descent into the Hell of Venus

...

The Sleuths of the Spanish Transition Series:
Quetzalcoatl's Zahir
The Mystery of the Haunted House
The Mystery of the Sapphire Bracelet
The Mystery of the Honeymoon
The Mystery of the Egyptian Vulture Country House
...

Chronicles of the Magic Jigsaw Puzzle Series:
The Journey of Tivo the Dauntle
The Mystery of the Black Lake
The Silver Swan
The Secret of the Ice Field

The Lost Continent

…

The Chronicles of the Aeolian Family Series:

The Seal of Aeolus

The Emerald Tablet

The Tartessian Crown

…

Non-Fiction:
Human Cultures & Evolution
World Population: Past, Present, & Future

The Fifth Level of Evolution

...

Model of Faith - Leonard J. Delorenzo - Reflecting on the Litany of Saint Joseph

Model of Faith: 

Reflecting on the Litany of Saint Joseph

Leonard J. Delorenzo

Our Sunday Visitor

ISBN 9781681929484

eISBN 9781681929491

ASIN B08XS248TB

 

This is the first book by Leonard J. Delorenzo that I have read, but it will not be the last. This was an excellent read. I had read a few books about Saint Joseph prior to the Year of Saint Joseph and have a few others I plan to read. This is a wonderful volume. It is one I will likely read again and again. I have some books I have read every year for over 2 decades now. And some I read every year for a few years and then it drops off. I feel this will be in the first category. I could see myself reading it each year leading up to the feast of Saint Joseph. 

The end of the description of the volume is:

“The Litany of Saint Joseph is a powerful prayer that leads us to consider the many ways in which Joseph faithfully and diligently carried out the will of God. As the litany guides us in proclaiming the wonders of Saint Joseph, we are drawn into contemplating the mysteries of God, whom Joseph never fails to praise and serve.

Each of the reflections in this devotional focuses on one of the twenty-two names, titles, or honors of Saint Joseph that we encounter in his litany. As we pray to Saint Joseph, offering our petitions to his care, and contemplating his life and his witness, we are drawn into communion with God who yearns to dwell with each of us, and dwelt in this world in the household of his Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!”

The chapters in this volume are:

The Litany of Saint Joseph

Introduction: Behold

Saint Joseph

Noble Son of the House of David

Light of the Patriarchs

Husband of the Mother of God

Guardian of the Virgin

Foster Father of the Son of God

Faithful Guardian of Christ

Head of the Holy Family

Joseph, Chaste and Just

Joseph, Prudent and Brave

Joseph, Obedient and Loyal

Pattern of Patience

Lover of Poverty

Model of Workers

Example to Parents

Guardian of Virgins

Pillar of Family Life

Comfort of the Troubled

Hope of the Sick

Patron of the Dying

Terror of Evil Spirits

Protector of the Church

Epilogue: Well Done

As stated there is a chapter dedicated to each of the titles or names of Saint joseph in the litany. Twenty-two points of reflection. Twenty two meditations. Therefore, this book could be read a chapter a day over 3 and a half weeks. Though to be honest when I read it the first time, I had a hard time putting it down. It is a fantastic read. Each chapter has a reflection and ends with a prayer. For example the prayer from the chapter Model of Workers is:

“Saint Joseph, you who know what it means to work, pray that we may be strengthened for our work. You who know what it is to labor but not receive praise immediately for your labors, pray that we may persevere when recognition is delayed or withheld from us. You who know that the most important work happens in silence, out of view of the eye of the world, pray that we might be content with the portion the Lord grants to us. And you who never shied away from either the secular or the sacred work entrusted to you for the good of your family, your community, and even the salvation of the world, pray that we might be diligent and courageous in fulfilling the work we undertake for the good of others and for the greater glory of God.”

And most chapters begin with a quote for example from Pillar of Family Life:

“God alone could grant Joseph the strength to trust the Angel. God alone will give you, dear married couples, the strength to raise your family as he wants. Ask it of him! God loves to be asked for what he wishes to give. Ask him for the grace of a true and ever more faithful love patterned after his own. As the Psalm magnificently puts it: his “love is established for ever, / his loyalty will stand as long as the heavens” (Ps 88:3).”

— Pope Benedict XVI

The book is easy to engage with. And I truly believe that all who read it will benefit from it. No matter what your relationship or devotion to saint Joseph, this volume will help you grow deeper. And some might ask why bother, in the final chapter Well Done it begins with these words of wisdom:

“Joseph was not faithful over little; he was faithful over much. He was faithful as spouse of the Blessed Virgin, as father to the Son of God, and as head of the Holy Family. He was entrusted with much, and in the fullness of time, God rewarded his faithfulness by entrusting him with even more.

Joseph is to be for us Christians what he was to Mary: devoted companion and constant support. He is to be for us Christians what he was to Jesus: guardian and protector. And he is to be for us Christians what he was to the Holy Family: steward of the sacred mysteries and caretaker for all in need.”

We could all benefit from greater devotion to Saint Joseph. And I find it amazing that in todays culture, the church hierarchy, and situation in the world that a Year of Saint Joseph was proclaimed. This is a book we need. It is one I highly recommend to you. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!

For links to articles and reviews of other books about Saint Joseph and prayers click here. 

Books by Leonard J. Delorenzo:

Witness

A God Who Questions

What Matters Most

Model of Faith

Turn to the Lord

Work of Love

…

Edited by:

Dante, Mercy, and the Beauty of the Human Person

I Call You Friends

…

Other reviews and articles about Saint Joseph:
Consecration to St. Joseph - Fr. Donald Calloway
Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph Compiled from Traditional Sources- TAN Books
Prayer to Saint Joseph Prayer of the Day
Joseph of Nazareth - Federico Suarez
Devotion to St. Joseph - F. Declaux
Go to St. Joseph: Do Whatever He Tells You - Brian Kiczek
Saint Joseph: Help for Life's Emergencies - Kathryn J. Hermes
Feast of Saint Joseph 2018 Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary Principal Patron of Canada
Companion to Saint Joseph - J.B. Midgley - CTS Companions Series
Saints of the Roman Canon - Julien Chilcott-Monk - CTS Living the Liturgy Series
Seven Saints for Seven Virtues - Jean M. Heimann

Saint Joseph Prayers and Devotions - Donal Anthony Foley

Model of Faith - Leonard J. Delorenzo

St. Joseph and His World - Mike Aquilina

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