The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present - Edited by John Irvine

The Flowering Branch:

An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present

John Irvine - Editor (1903-1965)

Derrick MacCord

Belfast

1945

First I am thankful to the National Library of Ireland and their scanning service. Without which I would have read but one volume from this excellent Irish poet. I appreciate that they will scan out of print and out of copyright works. Especially when I cannot find them almost anywhere else, like most of the works or Irvine. This volume will mark the thirteenth I have read by Irvine.

I stumbled upon this author. I was reading one of the Vision Books for young readers, Irish Saints by Robert T. Reilly, and there was an excerpt of a poem from A Treasury of Irish Saints A Book of Poems. It was really intriguing and after reading that first volume I made it a mission to try and track down everything Irvine published. At first my dyslexia had me thinking it was John Irving, and I have read a few of his fiction books. But some quick searching put that idea to rest.  This author John Irvine lived from 1903-1965. This volume was originally published in1941. 

About the author on a site with information about Irish authors states:

“John Irvine was born in Belfast and published several collections of poems: A Voice in the Dark, 1932; Willow Leaves: Lyrics in the Manner of the Early Chinese Poets,1941; Lost Sanctuary and other poems among others. He edited The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present.”

Another online description of the author states:

“Irvine, born in Belfast, published about six collections of lyrics between 1932 and 1954, mostly from small presses in Belfast and Dublin.  He also edited an anthology of Irish poetry, The Flowering Branch.”

The introduction to this collection states:

“This is a brief survey of Irish poetry past and present, including a few translations from the Irish. It will be realized how difficult is the attempt to cover such a wide field in so small a volume.

As in ·all anthologies there are notable omissions, for this I make humble apology, and plead that the restrictions were many and the space at my disposal very limited. It is hoped, however, that this small volume may prove of value as an introduction to Irish poetry, for those not already familiar with its. delights.”

This volume is dedicated to his mother with these words:

“These flowers of my gathering are

offered as a small token for life·

long devotion and kindness.”

The poems and contributors in this volume are:

A Blessing on the Cows – Seumas O’Sullivan

A Sigh for Knockmany – William Carleton

A White Rose – John Boyle O’Reilly 

And Then No More - James Clarence Mangan 

At Mass – Robin Flower

Cashel of Munster – Edward Walsh

Clonmacnoise – T.W. Rolleston

Dark Rosaleem - James Clarence Mangan

Dirge of the Munster Forest, 1591 – Hon Emily Lawless

Do You Remember that Night? – George Petrie

Dreamy, Gloomy, Friendly Trees – Herbert Trench

Fathers and Sons – F.R. Higgins

Gone in the Wind - James Clarence Mangan

Hy-Brasail – Gerard Griffin

I See His Blood Upon the Rose – Joseph Mary Plunkett

It Is Not Beauty I Demand – George Darley

Lady Margaret’s Song – Edward Dowden

Lyric – John Hewitt

Mairi – John Irvine

Marie, My Girl – John Keegan Casey

My Hope My Love – Edward Walsh

Night Wind – A.E. George Russell

Non Dolet – Oliver St. J. Gogarty

O Dreamy, Gloomy, Friendly Trees – Herbert Trench

Ode – Arthur O’Shaughnessy

Pearl of the White Beast – George Petrie

Pulse of My Heart – Charlotte Brooke

Remembrance – Emily Bronte

Since Celia’s My Foe – Thomas Duffett

The Banks of Banna - Hon. George Ogle

The Blackbird of Derrycairn … - Austin Clarke

The Church of a Dream – Lionel Johnson

The Fair Warning – George Darley

The Farewell to My Harp – Thomas Moore

The Goat Paths – James Stephens

The Harbour – W.M. Letts

The Lake – Richard Rowley

The Lapful of Nuts – Sir Samuel Ferguson

The Little Black Rose – Aubrey De Vere 

The Little Waves of Breffny – Eva Gore-Booth

The Maid of Elfin-Mere – William Allingham

The Old Woman of the Roads – Padrick Colum

The Outlaw of Lough Lene – J.J. “Jeremiah Joseph” Callanan

The Priests and the Friars – Douglas Hyde

The River – Patrick MacDonogh

The Rock of Cashel – Sir Aubrey De Vere

The Silence of Unlaboured Fields – Joseph Campbell

The Stars Stand Up – Eleanor Hull

There is More Beauty – Sydney Bell

Thomas MacDonagh – Joseph Mary Plunkett

Virgin Gold – Sylvia Lynd

When You Are Old – W.B. Yeats

The table of contents is arranged based on the name of the authors. But the edition I had scanned was missing at least 2 pages from the contents. I manually created the list above.

This is the first volume I have read that was edited by John Irvine. I have read 13 volumes that were written by Irvine, and believe that there are another 5 volumes edited by Irvine, including the earliest written or edited by him published under the name J. Pennington Irvine.

A few sample poems from this volume are:

THE CHURCH OF A DREAM

Sadly the dead leaves rustle in the

     whistling wind,

Around the weather-worn, grey

     church, low down the vale:

The Saints in golden vesture shake

     before the gale;

The glorious windows shake, where

     still they dwell enshrined;

Old Saints by long dead, shrivelled

     hands, long since designed:

There still, although the world

     autumnal be, and pale,

Still in their golden vesture the old

     Saints prevail;

Alone with Christ, desolate else,

     left by mankind.

Only one ancient priest offers · the

     Sacrifice,

Murmuring holy Latin immemorial:

Swaying with tremulous hands the

     old · censer full of spice,

In grey, sweet incense _clouds; blue,

     sweet clouds mystical:

To him, in place of men, for he is

     old, suffice

Melancholy remembrances and

     vesperal.

     -Lionel Johnson

O DREAMY, GLOOMY,

FRIENDLY TREES.

O dreamy gloomy, friendly Trees,

     I came along your narrow track ·

To bring my gifts unto your knees

     And gifts did you give back;

For when I brought this heart that

          burns-

These thoughts that bitterly

          repine-

And laid them here among the

          ferns

And the hum of boughs divine,

Ye, vastest breathers of the air,

     Shook down with slow and

          mighty poise

Your coolness on the human care,

     Your wonder on its toys

Your greenness on the heart's

          despair,

     Your darkness on its noise.

     

- Herbert Trench 

MAIRI

Unquiet my heart

When she is near,

As the woods

In the young year.

Wilder my thoughts

Than birds that soar

In blue air

By the lake shore .

Would she but hear

The songs I made

By the brook

In the hazel glade.

Oh! heart be still

And let her pass

As grey mist

On the sweet grass.

And dream of her

With the dark eyes,

When stars come

And a wind cries.

- JOHN IRVINE.

I hope those three poems give you a feel for the collection of 52. This is an interesting collection. A few hit at the Faith of the Irish, and a few pay tribute to nature. A few go full on Song of Solomon, in their praise of the female, and her form. 

I did really enjoy this volume. The National Library of Ireland provided a scanned copy as the book is out of print and out of copyright. It is interesting to see what poems Irvine collected, and having read much of his lately, many could have been by his pen. I only recognize a few of the contributors. And as such was pleasantly surprised by many of the poems. We are not given bios of the contributors, nor even hen the pieces were first published. I would have appreciated those details. It is a volume I know I will return to again!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by John Irvine:

A Treasury of Irish Saints A Book of Poems 

A Voice in the Dusk 

A Voice in the Dusk Lyrics  

By Winding Roads  

Fountain Of Hellas: Poems From The Greek Anthology 

Green Altars: Poems  

Lost Sanctuary and Other Poems 

Nocturne: Poems 

Selected Poems 

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi 

The Quiet Stream  

Two Poems 

Voces Intimae 

Willow Leaves: Lyrics in the Manner of the Early Chinese Poets  

Wind From the South 

With No Changed Voices: Poems 

…

Edited by John Irvine:

A Christmas Garland - as J. Pennington Irvine

The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present 

The Poems of Robert Burns 

The Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson 

The Poems of Tennyson 

The Poems of Thomas Moore  

… 

15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich - Florence Gillet

15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich 

Florence Gillet 

New City Press

ISBN 9781565485136

ASIN B01CDZATD2

Last year I stumbled upon a different volume in this series, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati by Père Charles Desjobert, OP, and really enjoyed it. I did some research on the series and this was the fourth volume I decided to work through. 

I believe as of the writing of this review there have been 40 volumes in the series; the earliest I found was from 1999 through to a volume which was published in 2025. Only about a dozen seem to be in print currently and of those only a handful appears to have eBooks. With my dual form of dyslexia this is disappointing. I greatly prefer eBooks so I can change the font, and the colour of font and page to make reading easier. I have added all the eBook editions I could find to my wish list. About the Series we are informed:

“15 Days of Prayer Series

 On a journey, it’s good to have a guide. Even great saints took spiritual directors or confessors with them on their itineraries toward sanctity. Now you can be guided by the most influential spiritual figures of all time. The 15 Days of Prayer series introduces their deepest and most personal thoughts.

This popular series is perfect if you are looking for a gift, or if you want to be introduced to a particular guide and his or her spirituality. Each volume contains:

• A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader 

• A guide to creating a format for prayer or retreat

• Fifteen meditation sessions with reflection guides”

Many of the books in this series were written in French and translated into English. That does not appear to be the case with this volume. This book was originally published in 2013, the physical volume appears to be out of print but the eBook is readily available. The description of this specific volume states:

“The 15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich is a portrait of an extraordinary and holy woman whose deepest desire was to fulfill Jesus prayer: That they all may be one. Florence Gillet manages to find the way for Chiara to give of herself generously in the meditations and reflections contained in this book, so that many might come to know, understand, and embrace this collective way of holiness. - It is in meeting you [Jesus forsaken], that we become another Mary. [Day 15] - Whoever enters your infinite suffering finds, as if by magic, everything transformed into Love. [Day 12].”

Another states:

“The 15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich is a portrait of an extraordinary and holy woman whose deepest desire was to fulfill Jesus' prayer: "That they all may be one." Florence Gillet manages to find the way for Chiara to give of herself generously in the meditations and reflections contained in this book, so that many might come to know, understand, and embrace this collective way of holiness.

• "We need to enlarge our heart to the measure of the heart of Jesus. How much work that means! Yet this is the only thing necessary." Day 3

• "We must love our neighbors one by one, without holding in our heart any leftover affection for the brother or sister met a moment before." Day 3

• "It is in meeting you [Jesus forsaken], that we become another Mary." Day 15

• "Whoever enters your infinite suffering finds, as if by magic, everything transformed into Love." Day 12

• "When unity with our brothers and sisters is complete, when it has flowered anew and more fully from difficulties, then, as night fades into day, tears into light, often, I find you, Lord." Day 9

Chiara Lubich was an extraordinary woman, an apostle of dialogue in ecumenism, in interreligious dialogue, and among people of no religious affiliation.

The charism of unity given to Chiara and the remarkable testimony of it she gave to the Church and humanity have proven to be well suited for our times. Translated by Bill Hartnett.”

There is no ‘about the author’ section in the book or on the back. But we are informed on the page with the book description that:

“Florence Gillet earned a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. She has published several studies on the spirituality of unity of Chiara Lubich, including 15 Days of prayer with Chiara Lubich, to be released in 2016.”

The chapters in this volume are:

How to Use This Book

A Brief Biography

Premise

Day 1: For Me

Day 2: Being a New Creation

Day 3: Enlarging the Heart

Day 4: The Pact of 40 Days

Day 5: Where None Could Enter

Day 6: I Want to See Her Again in You

Day 7: The Risen One Living Among Us

Day 8: Living Within

Day 9: In a Relationship of Love

Day 10: Evangelizing

Day 11: To Suffer and Be Reborn for Unity

Day 12: The Law of Life

Day 13: Jesus Forsaken and Risen

Day 14: Here I Am

Day 15: With You We Become Another Mary

I highlighted a few of passages while reading this volume some of them are:

“As a Third Order member, she chose the name “Chiara,” as she would be known for the rest of her life. On December 7, 1943, having felt a calling from God, she received permission from her confessor to consecrate her life to God with a perpetual vow of chastity. This is considered the date of the Focolare Movement’s birth. Shortly afterward, she took vows of poverty and obedience.”

 

“Just as the whole Jesus is in the sacred Host and likewise in each piece of it, so also the whole Jesus is in the Gospel and likewise in each Word of it, in every complete idea.””

“When the war did end, Chiara would often remind her followers of this calling to live the Word in order to evangelize themselves first, and then the people around them.”

“Living the Word is prayer because it places us in the Son who is the Word of the Father. And when our prayer is real prayer, says Meister Eckhart, “we do not pray, but are prayed.” When we live the Word we are lived by the Word; it is the Word who lives us, Chiara says.”

“It may turn out that in order to live “turned toward the Father,” toward Jesus, toward our neighbor, it may be necessary sometimes to set aside prayer itself in order to take care of a neighbor, to help and serve a neighbor.”

“Chiara herself showed that she was well aware of this, because she wished that her Movement, which is called the “Work of Mary,” be “as much as possible, a presence of Mary on earth, almost a continuation of her.” And she sealed this desire by including those words in the General Statutes of the Work of Mary (Article 2).”

“In other words, our mutual love allows Christ to manifest his presence in the church and in the world, just as he did through Mary, but now in our togetherness, in our unity.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I picked this volume because though I am aware of the name Chiara Lubich, and a bit about the Focolare Movement. I had picked up a Biography about Chiara, but have not got around to read it yet. That will change after finishing these 15 days. This was an interesting read no knowing much about the woman or the movement she started. I was able to approach the 5 days with new eyes.

This is a good volume in what is shaping up to be a great series. Spending these 15 days with Chiara, the written reflections and the discussion questions was a moving experience. Not knowing much I found sometimes I had to reread sections or make sure I was not making assumptions. But It has inspired me to focus first on people I am unfamiliar with in the series, at least for the next few volumes. I can easily recommend this book and look forward to reading others in the series. I just really wish all of the 40 volumes were available as eBooks, I would work through them all if so.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books in the 15 Days of Prayer With Series:

Blessed Chiara Badano - Florence Gillet and Bill Hartnett

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam - Christian Verheyde

Brother Roger Of Taize - Sabine Laplane

Charles de Foucauld - Michael Lafon 

Chiara Lubich - Florence Gillet and Bill Hartnett

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Matthieu Arnold

Don Bosco - Robert Schiele

Dorothy Day - Michael Boover 

Henri Nouwen - Robert Waldron

Jean-Claude Colin - Francois Drouilly

Johannes Tauler - Andre Pinet

Meister Eckhart - André Gozier

Peter Joseph Triest - Brother René Stockman

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - André Dupleix 

Saint Alphonsus Liguori - Jean-Marie Segalen

Saint Augustine - Jaime García

Saint Benedict - André Gozier

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes - François Vayne 

Saint Bernard - Pierre Yves Emery

Saint Catherine of Siena - Chantal van der Plancke 

Saint Clare of Assisi - Marie-France Becker

Saint Dominic - Alain Quilici 

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton - Betty Ann McNeil

Saint Eugene de Mazenod - Bernard Dullier

Saint Faustina Kowalska - John Cleary

Saint Francis de Sales - Claude Morel

Saint Francis of Assisi - Thaddée Matura O.F.M.

Saint Jeanne Jugan - Michel Lafon

Saint John of the Cross - Constant Tonnelier

Saint Katharine Drexel - Leo Luke Marcello 

Saint Louis De Montfort - Veronique Pinardon

Saint Martín de Porres: A Saint of the Americas - Brian J. Pierce

Saint Philip Neri - Jean-François Audrain

Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati - Charles Desjobert

Saint Teresa of Avila - Jean Abiven

Saint Therese of Lisieux - Victoria Hebert

Saint Thomas Aquinas - Suzanne Vrai and André Pinet

Saint Vincent de Paul - Jean-Pierre Renouard

The Curé of Ars - Pierre Blanc

Thomas Merton - Andre Gozier

…

Living in Peace - Fr. Jeffrey Kirby - OSV Companion in Faith

The Lord's Prayer 

Companion in Faith

Father Jeffrey Kirby STL 

Our Sunday Visitor

ISBN 9781681927589

eISBN 9781681927596

ASIN B08LXJPD49

I stumbled upon the Our Sunday Visitor ‘Companion in Faith’ Series while doing research for the series ‘OSV Pocket Guides’, and ‘OSV Handy Little Guides’. I was able to track down the 5 volumes in this series and this was the third that I have read. I had previously read five other volume by Father Jeffrey Kirby, and really looked forward to this volume. 

This is the one of the ‘Companion in Faith’’ books from Our Sunday Visitor I believe there are 5 volumes in the series; but only one every had an eBook edition released, that being this volume. This is a pity. I want to state that this is a wonderful little book or booklet. It was a n excellent little read, and reminder, it is one that could read repeatedly, and with new benefits each time. Second, I really wish this that others in the ‘Companion in Faith’ books were available as eBooks. After having read some in the series I want to read the others but almost never pick up physical books anymore, or if I do I scan them to make digital copies if I am very desperate to read them. Mainly due to my dyslexia. 

The chapters and sections in this booklet are:

Introduction

I. The Peace of God

II. The Call of Mercy

III. The Strength of God

IV. The Care of Our Good Shepherd

V. Mary and the Gift of Peace

VI. No Longer Orphans

VII. Go and Teach

Conclusion

The description of this volume is:

“Life is a blessing, and it is good and beautiful. But sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Responsibilities and expectations increase, stress abounds, and we feel every bit of our limitations and shortcomings.

But there is good news! The sufferings of this life will pass. They are incomparable to the majesty of God's glory and his grace, which he offers to each of us. In response to the assaults of daily life, the Lord Jesus comes and says to us, as he did to the apostles when they were confused and scared in the Upper Room, "Peace be with you!"

In Living in Peace, you will find reflections, prayers, and Scripture passages inviting you to find peace, no matter your circumstances. These reflections were first given to believers to inspire hope during the Easter season of 2020, when most in the United States could not attend Mass because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Born in the trenches and given in a time of great need, the reflections in this book are a timeless reminder that God is greater than anything we might face.

May you receive God's peace and become an instrument of his peace to others.”

About the author we are informed:

“Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, STD, is a Papal Missionary of Mercy, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Indian Land, South Carolina, and a senior contributor to the Crux news site. He is the author of several books, including Kingdom of Happiness: Living the Beatitudes in Everyday Life.”

The volume has both:

Nihil Obstat

Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur

Kevin C. Rhoades

Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

August 21, 2020

I highlighted numerous sections while reading this volume, they are:

“During the quarantine, Christian believers celebrated Easter, the solemnity of the Lord’s resurrection. Unable to attend Easter services in person, many of the faithful streamed them online, praying in the midst of confusion, uncertainty, and a sense of abandonment. During the fifty-day Easter season that followed, the series of reflections contained in this book were first given to believers as a source of hope and a call to mission.”

“While they were initially meant to serve as encouragement in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, these reflections are not limited to a time of quarantine. With their focus on striving after peace so we can live our Christian call, they remain relevant for any time and any season of life, especially when we face moments of stress and anxiety.”

“The Lord Jesus comes and says to us, as he did to the apostles when they were confused and scared in the Upper Room, “Peace be with you.” With this bold, life-giving declaration, he exposes the chaos of our lives, names our burdens, and offers us a new and invigorating power that allows us to reclaim the beauty and redirect the narrative of our lives.”

“The peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, is more real and tangible than anything else in this world. The peace of God empowers us to enter the trenches of life with the sure knowledge that we are loved, and that we have the strength to carry and conquer whatever is given to us and whatever is permitted to befall us.”

“And now we are to redirect our energy and redouble our efforts to receive God’s peace and then become instruments of that peace to others.”

“Few needs in this life—whether real or perceived—can compete with the compelling need that we have in our innermost being to both receive and give mercy.”

“The Christian message of mercy is a divine gift. As such, it has always been viewed as a radical message in our fallen world. It rocked the ancient world when Christians first began to say, “I forgive you.” It shakes up our world today. Our wayward minds and hearts struggle to understand the dismissal of vengeance and the bestowal of mercy.”

“Throughout the Acts of the Apostles we see the marks of the Christian way of life. In the sacred narrative we can discern what it means to be a Christian community. This community is essential since it is the laboratory—the proving grounds and springboard—for us to live a life of mercy.”

“We were not created for a life of constant tension. We were created for glory. We are offered true peace in Jesus Christ. We are called to be recipients of mercy and to be instruments of peace to those around us.”

“The more we follow the way of the Lord, the more the Holy Spirit will be able to work through us, and the more softened and inclined our hearts will be to ask for mercy and to give it to others. This enables us to live the life of peace that Jesus won for us by his saving death and resurrection.”

“The Christian faith is not a religion for wimps. And it doesn’t make us wimpy, either. Instead, it calls us to denounce the evil spirits of indulgence, rash anger, entitlement, and self-pity, and to live in a spirit of freedom, love, and hope.”

“We are the children of the Resurrection. We are the sons and daughters of God. We have received his grace, which is his own life and power within us. Grace makes us strong. There’s no room in our hearts for wimpy or fallen spirits.”

“We will walk through this valley of the shadow of darkness, knowing that our Good Shepherd—the Risen Christ, the strong and powerful Lord—is guiding us and giving us his strength.”

“This is not a religion for wimps. There is no room for compromise, false accommodation, overindulgence, or self-pity. In the name of the Risen Christ, we send these dark spirits back to hell where they belong. They do not belong in the heart of a person consecrated to Jesus Christ.”

“As we seek to live in peace, this should be the petition of our hearts: “Lord I’m scared, I don’t know where things are going. I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life or in our world. Lord, it feels as if I’ve lost everything. The day is far spent and night is falling. Stay with me, Lord. Help me!””

“Our work begins with our loved ones, and then it expands to friends, coworkers, and neighbors. We are even called to shepherd our enemies by caring for them and seeking their conversion. This is the radical call of the Risen Christ! He has turned our fallen world upside down.”

“Will we let the Risen One shepherd us? Will we accept the call to selflessly shepherd others? Will we allow the Resurrection to triumph over self-pity and pride? Will we allow love to dispel fear? We decide.”

“Do we realize that we have been made for eternity? Do we fully understand that the things of this world are given to us in order to prepare us for eternal life? Do we let ourselves experience the wonder of being a child of our Father in heaven and a sibling to our older brother, Jesus Christ? The Holy Spirit has been sent upon us, and his grace is being poured into our hearts. We have all that we need to allow goodness to triumph over evil, and for peace to vanquish anxiety.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I highlighted so much of the volume that I exceeded the maximum extract from my Kindle. This volume has a lot of practical suggestions and recommendations. Its is very different from the other volumes I have read in the series.

When I was in university, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, there was a series of booklets by the founder Bill Bright, called Transferable Concepts, and by reading them many times you could almost memorize them and the message so that you could share it. This volume and series remind me a lot of those books.

This book and series would be excellent for High School Students, College or University Students and us older adults. It is easy to engage with. Father Kirby writes in an engaging manner and offers some personal. An excellent little volume, one any Catholic, or any Christian would benefit from reading!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books in the OSV Companion in Faith Series:

For Those Who Grieve - Jeannie Ewing

Living in Peace - Father Jeffrey Kirby

The Beatitudes - Kathleen M Basi

The Lord's Prayer - T.J. Burdick

The Power of Forgiveness - Patrice Fagnant-Macarthur

…

Books in the Handy Little Series from OSV:

The Handy Little Guide to Adoration - Michelle Jones Schroeder 

The Handy Little Guide to Confession - Michelle Jones Schroeder

The Handy Little Guide to Prayer - Barb Szyszkiewicz

The Handy Little Guide to Spiritual Communion – Michael R. Heinlien

The Handy Little Guide to the Holy Spirit - Michelle Schroeder

The Handy Little Guide to the Lent - Michelle Schroeder

The Handy Little Guide to Novenas - Allison Gingras 

The Handy Little Guide to Fasting - Greg Kandra

The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours - Barb Szyszkiewicz

…

Books in the OSV Pocket Guide Series:

A Pocket Guide to Catholic Apologetics - Patrick Madrid  

A Pocket Guide to Confession - Michael Dubruiel

A Pocket Guide to Purgatory - Patrick Madrid 

A Pocket Guide to St. Paul - Scott Hahn 

A Pocket Guide to the Bible - Scott Hahn 

A Pocket Guide to the Mass - Michael Dubruiel 

A Pocket Guide to the Meaning of Life - Peter J. Kreeft 

A Pocket Guide to Living the Divine Mercy - George W. Kosicki  

...

Books by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby STD:

101 Surprising Facts About St. Peter's and the Vatican

A Pastoral Guide to Opening Your Parish

Be Not Troubled

Doors of Mercy: A Journey Through Salvation History

God's Search for Us

Kingdom of Happiness

Living in Peace 

Lord Teach Us to Pray

Luke: The Gospel of Mercy

Manual for Suffering

The Life and Witness of St. Maria Goretti

Thy Kingdom Come

Way of the Cross for Loved Ones Who Have Left the Faith

We Are the Lord's

…

No Escape - Jude Hardin - The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 3

No Escape

Jack Reacher Experiment Book 2

Jude Hardin

ISBN 9781545220672

ASIN B06XT7BW14

First I want to state I enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest in the series and the other two Reacher Series Jude has penned. Second a few years ago I read my first Reacher novel. I had picked up one for my dad, and after giving the back a read, I grabbed the eBook for myself. In under a year I had read all the Reacher Novels in print and all the books in the Hunt for Jack Reacher by Diane Capri. Since then I have read 58 books in the Reacher universe and am expanding out to the three series by Jude Hardin now.

The description of this book:

“About The Jack Reacher Experiment series

Rock Wahlman: Forty-one years old, United States Navy Master at Arms, E-8, retired.

DOB 14 October 2057.

Grew up in an orphanage, recently discovered that he is the product of a human cloning experiment, an exact genetic duplicate of a former army officer named Jack Reacher.

Now someone wants all evidence of the experiment to be erased, which means that someone wants Wahlman to be erased.

He’s on the run, desperate to survive, desperate to learn the truth about why all this is happening…

The use of story situations and supporting characters from the Jack Reacher universe authorized by Lee Child.

No Escape: The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 3 is 18,000 words, approximately 85 pages.”

Based on the page count this volume is more of a novella, the book in this series are available as 9 stand-alone stories or in 3 omnibus editions. I will continue to read and review the stand-alone editions because that is how I started the series. But; back to the story at hand. I read this volume in a single sitting on a cold Sunday in February, over a few mugs of tea.   

As I have said before; even death can’t keep Reacher down, in a manner of speaking. Rock Wahlman is a clone of Reacher, but he was not the only one. In the first volume, on the night his life goes sideways, he tries to save a man after his rig goes off the road and into water. The man he pulls from the water looks just like him. Having been raised in an orphanage this raises some questions. After an attempt on his life, he starts putting together the pieces. His life may have been different than Reacher’s but his determination when he is threatened is the same. 

This story continues a short while after the last volume. Wahlman now using aliases has become a drifter, moving from town to town; never staying anywhere too long. He is still trying to piece together the information about who in the military is trying to cover their tracks. He needs enough proof to be able to expose it, and get some sort of life back. He has begun reading up on Jack Reacher’s exploits because the files are declassified now. He is not quite living the Reacher lifestyle, he has a backpack, fake ID, but in this installment begins he is working doing manual labour building fences. But when he recognizes a man in a dinner he is off on the run again. He wants to re-establish contact with Kasey who he left behind in Barstow. But he has discovered a personal aversion to going backward, and he realizes the murder of Kasey’s ex might be tied to his own problems. To find out what happens read this installment in the series.

It is a well written story. That stays true to the original character and universe. It is a fun read in what is shaping up to be a good series. Even if this volume had not been set in the Reacher Universe I would have enjoyed it. The fact that it is only adds to the mystique that is Jack Reacher. It was good read and leaves you desperate for the next installment in this series. This marks book 3 of 9 in the shorter editions or the end of the first of three of the omnibus editions. It is a thriller, a book I can easily recommend to fans of Reacher or anyone who loves a good action thriller.

Books by Jude Hardin:

Books in the Jack Reacher Experiment Series:

Dead Ringer

Moving Target

No Escape 

Kill Shot

357 Sunset

Redline

End Game

Ricochet

Gone

…

The Reacher Experiment Books 1-3 

The Reacher Experiment Books 4-6 

The Reacher Experiment Books 7-9

…

The Reacher Experiment: The Complete Series Books 1-9

…

The Reacher Code Series:

Timestream 1

Timestream 2

Timestream 3

…

Jack Reacher Files Series:

Fugative

Choke

Hostage

Velocity

The Girl from the Wrong Side of Cordial 

…

The Forgotten Way The Saint James Master Plan - Matthew Kelly

The Forgotten Way:

The Saint James Master Plan

Matthew Kelly
Blue Sparrow Publishing 
Dynamic Catholic
ISBN 9781635825909

eISBN 9781635825978

ASIN B0GF8QY25V

This was one of two volumes released close together from the pen of Matthew Kelly.  The other being ‘The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality’, it was really a tossup for which I would read first. And this one won the flip of the coin. The description of this volume states:

“You are standing on the threshold of a new frontier. If you're not open to undertaking substantial spiritual growth, you should put this book down right now. Walk away.

Some things, once seen, cannot be unseen. There are things that, once heard, cannot be unheard. You will not be able to unsee what you are about to discover. You will not be able to unhear the things that will be whispered in your ear.

The promise of this book is very You can transform your life by changing the way you speak.

Inspired by the often-ignored writings of Saint James, bestselling author Matthew Kelly has crafted a uniquely powerful guide based on one epic spiritual Governing your speech is a sure path to holiness. The simplicity and practicality of this great spiritual truth make it remarkable.

With each turn of the page you will discover insights and wisdom to help you…

     • Harness the power of positive speech

     • Eradicate negative forms of speech like gossip and profanity

     • Flood your life and the lives of others with encouragement

     • Revolutionize the way you talk to God

     • Redefine the way you talk to yourself

     • Grow in discipline and alignment with the truth

The one spiritual truth at the core of this book applies to everyone, everywhere, in every situation—and ignoring spiritual truth is perilous.

The Forgotten Way is a single truth that will reorient your life. The only question left Will you let it?”

The chapters in this volume are:

Beware: Proceed with Caution

Two Men Named James

The Forgotten Way

The Modern Tragedy

Holiness is Possible

The Power of Speech

A Disciplined Life

The Inner Life

Reality’s First Demand

Positive Speech

Eleven Encouragement

Loving-Kindness

Negative Speech

Gossip: The Everyday Evil

Profanity and Blasphemy

It’s Not Just What You Say

Self-Talk

Talking to God

Talking to the Devil

Humility

Crucial Conversations

The Challenge

Appendix A Scriptural Meditations

Appendix B The Prayer Process

Appendix C The Saint James Master Plan

I highlighted numerous passages while reading the book. So many that I exceeded the limit of what could be exported from the Kindle Edition. Most of the one’s I highlighted are:

“You are standing on the threshold of a new frontier. If you’re not open to undertaking substantial spiritual growth, you should put this book down right now. Walk away.”

“The promise of this book is very simple: You can transform your life by changing the way you speak.”

“This book is based on one epic spiritual truth: Governing your speech is a sure path to holiness. The simplicity and practicality of this great spiritual truth make it remarkable. This is why I feel compelled to caution you.”

“If we choose to ignore great spiritual truths that have been revealed to us, if we refuse to employ them in our daily lives, they torment our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls, because our whole being yearns for truth.”

“The Forgotten Way is a single truth that will reorient your life.”

“One question led to another and for the next hour the old priest explained the relationship between our speech and spiritual vitality. The origins of this forgotten way are found in the Book of James.”

“James planted Christianity on the Iberian Peninsula and it grew like a sequoia forest. It would eventually become one of the most intense concentrations of Christian populations in the world.”

“His body was transported to Spain by his disciples and buried in what would later become the spectacular Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It marks the end of the Camino, also known as the Way of Saint James, the Pilgrimage of Compostela, the Old Road to Santiago, and simply, the Way.”

“The second James offers us The Forgotten Way. It is an inner Camino. This second Camino is in no way less powerful than the first.”

“The Forgotten Way is an inner Camino.”

“The Old Road to Santiago can be walked in thirty days. It takes a whole lifetime to walk this second Camino. The Forgotten Way is more grueling than the first Camino. It demands rigor and commitment, not for thirty days, but every day for the rest of your life.”

“The Forgotten Way—The Saint James Master Plan—is based on eleven words from the Book of James: “Someone who does not trip up in speech has reached perfection.” (James 3: 2)”

“What is James saying? Governing your speech is a path to Heaven. You can become a saint by taming your tongue. That’s what the old priest explained at dinner, “You can become a saint just by governing your speech.” That is The Forgotten Way.”

“Every word we speak aligns us with God and His truth or throws our character off course.”

“Words can change your life. Words can transform your character. The Forgotten Way is a powerful guide. It provides startling clarity in a confusing world.”

“If you take away the goal of the Christian life, you don’t make it easier for people—you make it impossibly difficult. You aren’t leading them to happiness. You are misleading them toward inevitable misery and hopelessness. This is the modern despair that has gripped our society.”

“It’s easy to look at the lives of the saints and get overwhelmed by their holiness. It’s easy to look at their lives and think that holiness is impossible. Their lives can be intimidating if we don’t look at them the way they lived them—one moment at a time. It’s a mistake to think of their lives as one huge yes to God. The lives of the saints were made up of Holy Moments.”

“Holiness is possible. This is a beautiful truth—and truth breeds joy.”

“Words are creative. They don’t just float away into the air. They create. They create within us, and they create in other people. Words act on people.”

“Stories are important. Stories help us discover who we are and inspire us to envision who we still can become.”

“You will only ever be as spiritually healthy as the stories you read, listen to, and tell yourself. We become these stories. That’s how powerful stories are.”

“And how you speak to yourself is quintessentially important. You are writing your own story with the words and narratives you tell yourself. If you don’t like the way your story is unfolding, change the way you speak to yourself.”

“The right words at the right time can be such a gift.”

“Discipline is intentional. Addiction is compulsive. Discipline is controlled. Addiction is out of control. Discipline is directed toward a long-term good. Addiction is fixated on a short-term pleasure. Discipline liberates. Addiction enslaves. Discipline creates clarity. Addiction creates confusion. Discipline strengthens your sense of self. Addiction undermines your personal identity. Discipline is order. Addiction is chaos. Discipline can be re-learned. Freedom can be reclaimed. Grace can overcome addiction. Live a disciplined life.”

“Decide today to become a person who can consistently hold confidences.”

“Quietly and alone. These are the prerequisites for developing a rich inner life: silence and solitude. Learn to be comfortable in your own company. Learn to enjoy silence.”

“The Forgotten Way is a rule of life. The genius of this rule of life is its simplicity. This simple rule of life brings focus to our efforts to develop a rich inner life amidst the complexities and distractions of daily life.”

“Truth is orderly. Virtue is highly functioning, and vice is complicated and dysfunctional. Virtue is truth in action.”

“The Forgotten Way isn’t just about speaking truthfully. It’s about becoming truth.”

“Your words are either holy or unholy. There is no neutral. Words that may seem mundane and neutral can be made holy or unholy by the other factors of speech. When, where, how, and why you speak can make even the most mundane words take on a positive or negative connotation.”

“Encouraging a person affirms her worth, offers hope, restores courage, and reminds her that life is worth living. But it isn’t enough just to encourage people. It is crucial to encourage them toward the right things. We have a responsibility to encourage people toward God, virtue, character, truth, justice, and toward love and service.”

“The Forgotten Way is an invitation to use your speech to encourage the people who cross your path each day. Let us live in the Holy Spirit and become great encouragers. Who will you encourage today?”

“God is love. God is kindness. God is loving-kindness. You were created in the image of God and so loving-kindness is one aspect of your soul capacity.”

“You were created in the image of God and He invites you to make loving-kindness part of your character too. But to be clear, we are not talking about nice here. One thing loving-kindness isn’t is nice. Loving-kindness is strong, bold, and decisive. Nice isn’t any of these things.”

“The modern conception of nice is centered on maintaining peace at all costs. It’s about not rocking the boat, minimizing friction, avoiding conflict, and working anxiously to smooth everything out. All this is based on the false notion that if you are nice everyone will like you.”

“We’ve made nice a religion, and we’ve made religion nice. Not teaching people that holiness is the goal of the Christian life is the most diabolical example of nice in the history of the world.”

“Loving-kindness and nice are not the same thing. Loving-kindness is dynamic. It is strong when strength is what the soul before you needs, and it is gentle when gentleness is what will best serve the person before you. It is never dishonest, deceptive, avoidant, or manipulative, but it is restrained and chooses the most appropriate moment to confront difficult truths. Loving-kindness is benevolent. It always honors the dignity of the other person in ways that don’t diminish your own dignity.”

“Unintended consequences are the fruit of our arrogance, and they bring us closer to evil than most of us even pause to consider.”

“The Forgotten Way offers a path to beatitude through the words we speak. This path establishes the dignity of each man and woman as God’s image-bearers and helps us each to grow in holiness. Profanity and blasphemy are the antithesis of The Saint James Master Plan.”

“Profanity shapes character over time. It sets a poor example for others, especially the young and innocent.”

“Profanity is impulsive. It demonstrates a lack of creativity, intelligence, and self-control. It is beneath your magnificent sacred human dignity.”

“Blasphemy offends God and dishonors the sacred. It is a personal attack on holiness. It demonstrates a hardness of heart, spiritual recklessness, and rebellion toward the Creator. Speaking irreverently of God corrupts the conscience and diminishes the soul.”

“It can lead to indifference toward the sacred, which is worse than hatred. It weakens a person’s ability to pray and radically undermines the quest for personal holiness. It can make prayer seem superficial and blocks the soul from entering genuine communion with God.”

“Our words are a sacred gift entrusted to us by God. Each word we speak elevates or diminishes ourselves and others. Words are the original Butterfly Effect.”

“When we speak to ourselves harshly, we internalize negativity. This can make it difficult to believe in the new possibilities God is revealing to us. When we are overly critical of ourselves, this makes it difficult to believe in our God-given potential.”

“The internal and external dialogue we have with ourselves can have a profound impact on our spiritual development, relationships, and overall well-being.”

“Worshipping anything other than God knocks our whole life out of alignment.”

“Praise and worship are the purest ways to establish order in our lives. They honor God’s rightful place in our lives and our rightful place in creation as children of God.”

“Through prayer we discover the-best-version-of-ourselves, and are given the courage to celebrate and defend it in each moment of each day. In prayer we learn how to love and be loved, because we discover that we have been loved, are loved, and will continually be loved by God.”

“If you neglect prayer for a day, you are probably the only person who can tell. But you can tell. You have less patience and you are less focused. If you neglect prayer for a week, several people around you will notice a change in you. But if you neglect prayer for two or three weeks, almost everyone around you will recognize that you are not at your best.”

“Learn to pay careful attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to guide your speech.”

“You are extraordinary. Make no mistake about that. You are a child of God, made in His image and likeness. But all that you have, you have received. All is gift. All is grace. Humility is simply remembering who the Giver of the gifts is.”

“A strong sense of self comes from knowing that you are loved, that you matter, that you are here for a reason in this world and that you have something to offer, that you are the son or daughter of a great King who has given you every gift and ability you need to live the unique life He created you to live.”

“Humility is truth: You are amazing because God made you amazing.”

“The goal of the Christian life is holiness. This is our common purpose and our responsibility to each other. I have a sacred calling to help you become a saint, and you have a sacred calling to help me become a saint.”

“Governing your speech is principally concerned with the virtue of temperance. Temperance is the virtue of moderation, balance, and self-control. It helps you to regulate your desires, emotions, behaviors, and speech so as to live in alignment with God’s vision for your life.”

“Holiness is possible. You can become a saint. Let this be your one great thing. It is the one thing you were created for.”

“I want to challenge you, so I implore you to listen closely. I may be the only person who ever issues this challenge to you: Make holiness the primary goal of your life.”

“May the grace of God guide your speech every day for the rest of your life. May all His holy angels and saints accompany you as you set off on this inner Camino.”

I really hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I read this volume over several days. I had planned to read a chapters a day, but once I got going I could hardly put it down. I read this volume at a very opportune time. It was a message I really needed. This is one of the best volumes I have read from Matthew Kelly, and maybe one of the most important I have read in years. When I was in university, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, there was a series of booklets by the founder Bill Bright, called Transferable Concepts, and by reading them many times you could almost memorize them and the message so that you could share it. And though I have said that about a few books obey the years, I state it about this one, and not only for Catholics but for any Christian. I truly believe any Christian would benefit from reading this excellent volume. 

I love how Matthew Kelly used the theme of Camino and tied it to Saint James, and specifically to way Kelly calls his master plan, James 3: 2b-18. The challenge at the end of the volume is to read this passage twice a day for 30 days. I have set up calendar reminders to pop up in my email to do so. The challenge includes 2 others steps, but you will need to read about them in this great book.

This is a slim volume. But it is packed full of excellent information. It is as stated a book any Christian would benefit from reading. If you only plan on reading one book this year outside the Bible I would challenge you to give this one a read. A fantastic book I can easily recommend. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Matthew Kelly:
I Know Jesus
The Long View
Decision Point: The Workbook
Decision Point: The Leader Guide
The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic
The One Thing
Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction
Why Am I Here?
Perfectly Yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness
Perfectly Yourself Discovering God's Dream For You
Building Better Families: A Practical Guide to Raising Amazing Children
The Dream Manager
The Seven Levels of Intimacy: The Art of Loving and the Joy of Being Loved
The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose
Building Better Families - 5 Practical Ways to Build Family Spirituality
The Book of Courage
The Shepherd: A Modern Parable about Our Search for Happiness
Mustard Is Persecution, Matthew Kelly Foundation
A Call to Joy - Living in the Presence of God
The Rhythm of Life: An Antidote For Our Busy Age
Words from God
Resisting Happiness
The Narrow Path
Our Father
The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity
Why I Love Being Catholic
Good Night, Jesus
In a world where you can be anything ...

Coach: 365 Days of Inspiration for Coaches and Players 

I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life's 

Life is Messy

Difficult Teachings

The Rocking Chair Prophet

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory

Best Christmas Ever - Worst Christmas Ever

The Three Ordinary Voices of God

Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy

33 Days to Divine Mercy

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory for Kids

The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality 

The Forgotten Way 

33 Days of Miracles, Wonders and Grace 

...

Beautiful ... Series:

Beautiful Hope
Beautiful Mercy

Beautiful Eucharist

...

Rediscover Books by Matthew Kelly:
Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose
Rediscover Advent
Rediscover Lent
Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation
Rediscover the Rosary: The Modern Power of an Ancient Prayer
Rediscover the Saints

...

Audio by Matthew Kelly from Lighthouse Media:
Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself
The Best Way To Live
Don't Just Try, Train
Faith At Work & The Holy Moment
The Four Signs Of A Dynamic Catholic - Excerpt
The Jesus Question
My Spiritual Journey
Our Lives Change When Our Habits Change
Raising Amazing Children
The Seven Levels Of Intimacy
The Seven Pillars Of Catholic Spirituality

...