Friday 3 July 2020

St John XXIII and St John Paul II Prayer Book - Joanna Bogle - CTS Devotions

St John XXIII and St John Paul II Prayer Book
CTS Devotions
Joanna Bogle
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 
9781860829161
eISBN 9781784694494
ASIN B073H1XBDJ
CTS Booklet D774


Over the last few years I have read over 150 volumes from the CTS. I have read books from many series. And many authors. A few authors so captured my attention I tried to track down all the books by them. This was the third book I have read by Joanna Bogle. And I very much enjoyed this volume. It was not what I expected, hoverer it is an excellent volume. The print edition of this book was published in 2014 and the eBook edition released in 2017. 

The description of this volume is:

“Praying with these two new saints who were canonised on 27th April 2014. We have new friends in heaven. John XXIII and John Paul II were men of deep prayer, with a message about prayer and the spiritual life which can be learned and shared. This new prayer book helps and encourages the faithful to seek the intercession of these two new saints and to thus grow in their own prayer, holiness and virtue. – Insight into their spirituality and how they prayed – Two Novenas – one to John XXIII and one to John Paul II – Prayers they themselves used and prayers written by them on themes close to their heart – Their meditations on the mysteries of the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.”

And the contents are:

Introduction
Spiritual Biographies
The Saints they loved
How they prayed
The Holy Rosary - Meditations
The Stations of the Cross - Meditations
The Divine Mercy
Prayers on themes close to their hearts
A Novena to St John XXIII
A Novena to St John Paul II

I was expecting just a prayer book, but this is much more than that. The first part of the book is concise spiritual biographies of the two saints. Followed by a section on saints that they had devotion to. Then a chapter on their prayer lives. And then 6 chapters focused on specific prayers and devotions. 

The saints examined in that chapter are:
Saint Joseph
Saint Charles Borromeo
Saint Martin de Porres
Saint Edith Stein, patroness of Europe
Saint Josephine Bakhita
Saint ianna Beretta Molla
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Teresa of Calcutta

And a few of these sections have prayers as well. Then when we get to the chapter Prayers On Themes Close To Their Hearts, we have 14 prayers from these 2 saints on a wide variety of topics. The book concludes with a novena to each of the saints. The novena to Saint John XXIII is based on the nine virtues and good qualities: hope, humility, obedience, charity, peace, kindness, good humour, faith, and openness to God’s will. The novena to Saint John Paul II is based on nine virtues and good qualities of Saint John Paul II: courage, love, faithfulness, justice, loyalty, respect for others, truthfulness, patience, and steadfastness in prayer.

This is an excellent little volume. I have set calendar reminders over the next few weeks to pray the two novenas. And have added a few of the other prayers to my One Note prayer collection. But it is a volume I could easily return to again and again. Another great offering in the CTS Devotions and Prayers series. A fantastic book to add to your personal library or prayers.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.


Books by Joanna Bogle:
A Heart for Europe: the lives of Emperor Charles and Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary
Book of Feasts and Seasons
A Yearbook of Seasons and Celebrations
Lent and Easter: Catholic Customs and Traditions
John Paul II, Man of Prayer. the Spiritual Life of a Saint
English Catholic Heroines
Advent & Christmas: Catholic Customs and Traditions
Newman's London: A pilgrim handbook
Courage and Conviction. Pius XII, the Bridgettine Nuns, and the Rescue of Jews
St John XXIII and St John Paul II Prayer Book
Saints & Patrons: Christian Names for Baptism and Confirmation.
A Yearbook of Seasons and Celebrations




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