Showing posts with label CTSChristianShrines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CTSChristianShrines. Show all posts

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

What Happened at Fatima - Leo Madigan - CTS Christian Shrines

What Happened at Fatima?
The First Objective and Comprehensive Retelling of the Story in 50 years
CTS Christian Shrines Series
Leo Madigan
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860820915
eISBN 9781784692209
ASIN B071RNCN65
CTS Booklet D651

What Happened at Fatima - Leo Madigan - CTS Christian Shrines

This is a great read in a wonderful series. Over the last several years, I have read many books from the Catholic Truth Society, in fact over 450 of them as of the reading of this volume; many read more than once; this all since the spring of 2018. Most were good reads; some were great reads; and a few are exceptional. This was the eighteenth in the CTS Christian Shrines Series that I have read; many of them have been read twice. This is the first I have read by Leo Madigan, and I believe the only one of his published by the CTS. But many of his other titles both fiction and non-fiction caught my attention. This booklet was originally published 2000 and the eBook was released in 2017. The description of this volume is:

“An objective and comprehensive retelling following the history of the events at Fatima, adhering faithfully to the memoirs of the longest surviving seer, Sister Lucia.

Adhering faithfully to the memoirs of Sister Lucia, the longest surviving seer, this book follows the events of Fatima: from the first stirrings of the wings in the appearances of the angels before the six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin herself, the deaths of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the subsequent apparitions to Sister Lucia in Pontevedra and Tuy, the consecration of the world and Russia to the Immaculate Heart, the dissolution of Soviet Communism, to the beatifications of Francisco and Jacinta and the opening of the third part of the secret that Our Lady confided to the children in 1917.”

The chapters in the book are:

Introduction
What Happened at Fatima
The stirring of wings
The unfolding of the wings
Angel at prayer
The Lady
From May to June
Wednesday, 13th June 1917
From 13th June to 13th July 1917
Friday, 13th July 1917
Monday, 13th August 1917
Sunday, 19th August 1917
From August to September 1917
Thursday, 13th September 1917
Saturday, 13th October 1917
The miracle of the Sun
Francisco, 11th June 1908-4th April 1919
Jacinta, 11th March 1910-20th February 1920
Lucia, 22nd March 1906

I highlighted only few passages while reading this volume, they are:

“But if the choice of peasant children as heaven’s messengers is a paradox, that is in keeping with the Message of Fatima itself because heaven’s values are opposite to ours. If you can accept that, read on. Indeed, read on even if you find believing difficult.”

“That rural community, Aljustrel in the parish of Fatima, could not possibly have known it, but heaven was schooling one of its children, Lucia dos Santos, preparing her for a role it had selected her to play in one of the most public manifestations of Divine Mercy in our world since Christ walked among us.”

“From lunch-time to nightfall! That must have been at least 4-5 hours. 4-5 hours spent in prayer with one’s forehead to the ground would suggest a form of ecstasy in a spiritually mature person. In 7 to 10 year olds it couldn’t be anything else.”

“The Lady had beguiled them; the God they saw themselves in when the rays from the Lady’s hands penetrated their hearts had beguiled them; heaven itself had beguiled them. The supernatural had kidnapped their every thought and affection. They had been promised heaven, had even been given a glimpse of it and now all else was insipid.”

“It doesn’t require much imagination to picture the pressure put on the children, their families and their village, before the October Apparition.”

“When the 13th arrived an estimated 70,000 people turned up in appalling weather conditions in this remote hill country that was barely equipped to sustain its few villages and livestock. 70,000 would be a dream number for a sponsored event nowadays but in 1917, long before television and radio, to say nothing of mass transport, a crowd of 70,000 must have been an awesome sign of man’s hankering for the supernatural.”

“Francisco’s lack of self-interest, together with his secret prayer life are of a piece with the prototypes of the Christian contemplative like Benedict Joseph Labre, Charles de Foucauld and Therésè Martin. The symptoms are the same. The thirst for solitude, the hours hidden camouflaged in prayer, the absorption in the Divine that go unremarked by those around because of the veil of paradox, the veil that enables the contemplative to disappear into prayer, into the very wood of the cross, to contemplate the sun at midnight and to stake all on a virgin with a child.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for the volume. This book is a real focus on the history of the events and the events after. It has a really well balanced mix history and personal accounts. It is cleanly written and easy to engage with. It could benefit anyone from secondary school on. 

This book is another great read and one any Catholic would benefit from reading. The CTS Deeper Christianity Series of books is written in such a way that they can easily be read in any order. Pick and choose the ones that interest you, read them in order, or jump around. I have been blessed by the entire series that I have read and can highly recommend this book and the series.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Christian Shrines series click here.

Other Books in the CTS Christian Shrines Series:
Message of Assisi
Message of Fatima
Message of Guadalupe
Message of Walsingham
Santiago: Santiago de Compostela - The Pilgrim Way of St James

Books and articles about Fatima:
...

Books by Leo Madigan:
Alexandrina da Costa: The Mystical Martyr of Fatima
Armchair Fatima: An Illustrated Tour of the Marian Shrine and Nearby Sites
Exquisite Miniature: Little Nellie of Holy God 1903-1908
Fatima Prayer Book
Fatima: Highway of Hope
Handbook to Fatima: The Altar of the World
Princesses of the Kingdom
Random Jottings for Young Seafarers
Safe or Sorry
The 2nd Catholic Quiz Book
The Catholic Quiz Book
The Children of Fatima
The Devil is a Jackass
The Fatima Guide
The Golden Book of Fatima
The Irish Monstrance
Why Fatima? The True Secret
…

Fiction:
Crystal Ball Cameos
Jackrandy
The Bank of Infinite Reserves
The Five Stones
The Weka-Feather Cloak
Who Told You You Were Naked?
…












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Friday, 30 December 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022


This year I read about a book and a quarter a day. This was my best year since I started keeping track, with a grand total of 438 books completed during the calendar year. Since reading and reviewing books is my hobby, I am grateful to have been able to read so many books this year. And have reviews written for all the books read. This year I read a close split between non-fiction over fiction. 

The year by the numbers:

438 Books
357 First Time Reads
302 5/5 Stars

Here are my top ten non-fiction books of 2022.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

1. Devotions books from the Catholic Truth Society
2. Vision Books for young Readers from Ignatius Press
3. Books by Benedict XVI
7. Portraits in Faith and Freedom Series from Bethlehem Books
11. CTS Christion Shrines Series from the Catholic Truth Society

Bonus Books:

My reading has been up over each of the last few years. But I doubt I will ever have a year as high as this again. Which I attribute in part to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. And I was commuting to work on a bus and read on the bus every day. But being 2022 everything is still topsy-turvy. And 2021 I worked from home all year. Reading took a little more discipline. I read more books this year. I managed to write reviews for all books read for the first time. 

Note: I do not include books that have been read in previous years and were reread this year in my top ten lists, they are sometimes in the bonus section. But if you want more options check out my favourite books year by year list.



Relates Posts: 
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Reading Goals for 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 4th Quarter 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2010 - Recap
Top 10 Fiction Books 2010
Top 10 Picture Books of 2010
Top 10 Non-Fiction Books of 2010
Top 10 Graphic Novels for 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2011 
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals for 2011 Update 
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2011 
Top Ten Fictions Books 4th Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals 2011 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books  4th Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2013
Top 10 Books Second Half 2013
Top Ten Fiction Books 2013
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2013 
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2014
Top Ten Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2015
Top Ten Fiction Books 2015
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2015
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2016
Top Ten Non- Fiction Books 2016
Top Ten Fiction Books 2016
Top Ten Catholic Books
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2017
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2017
Top Ten Fiction Books 2017
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2018
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2018
Top Ten Fiction Books 2018
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2019
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2019
Top Ten Fiction Books 2019
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2020
365 - 2021
317 - 2020 
392 - 2019
359 - 2018
380 - 2017 
272 - 2016 
177 - 2015 
130 - 2014 
88 -  2013
176 - 2012 
163 - 2011
302 - 2010
142 - 2009
98 - 2008
83 - 2007
191 - 2006
151 - 2005
60 - 2004
52 - 2003
97 - 2002
50 - 2001
41 - 2000
71 - 1999
73 - 1998
131 - 1997
101 - 1996


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Monday, 10 October 2022

Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History - Donal Anthony Foley - CTS Christian Shrines

Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History
CTS Christian Shrines Series
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 1860820824 
ISBN 9781860820823 
CTS Booklet Do 662


I read and reviewed a different edition of this book back in 2006. The one I read back then was a reprint from Lifehouse Catholic Media, I believe, and I had picked it up at the back of a church or on retreat, I do not recall. It was a great read and I enjoyed it. But never really returned to it or looking deeper at books from either the CTS or Lighthouse. Since that time I have discovered the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society, I have read over 300 in the last few years. And I have read another dozen works from Foley’s masterful pen, both his non-fiction and fiction. I tracked down a newer edition of this book and gave it a reread, and this is a new review based on that reread. You can read the original review here. The description of this volume is:

“Many shrines throughout the world are associated with Mary, the Mother of God. What meaning do her apparently random apparitions have? This booklet sets out the links that exist between the nine major apparitions of Mary, accepted as authentic by the Church, and correspondingly important revolutionary events in modern Western history. Fascinating parallels are also drawn between these apparitions (Guadalupe 1531, Rue du Bac 1830, La Salette 1846, Lourdes 1858, Pontmain 1871, Knock 1879, Fatima 1917, Beauraing 1932 and Banneax 1933) and various biblical figures and events.”

The chapters and sections in this volume are:

Introduction 
Guadalupe, the Reformation. and Secularisation 
     The Reformation 
     The Apparition~ at Guadalupe - 1531 
The Enlightenment, French Revolution, and Catholic Revival 
     The French Revolution 
     The Apparitions at Rue du Bac - 1830 
     Jacob, Joseph and the Miraculous Medal
     La Salette Apparition - September 1846 
     La Salette and Moses 
Lourdes and Darwin's theory of Evolution 
     Bernadette and Lourdes - 1858 
     Moses and Bernadette 
Pontmain and Knock Apparitions 
     The Apparition at Pontmain - 1871 
     The High Priest 
     Knock Apparition - 1879 
     Fatima and the Russian Revolution 
     The Apparitions at Fatima - 1917 
     The Miracle of the Sun · October 1917 
     Fatima and Elijah 
Beauraing, Banneux, and the rise of Nazism 
     The Apparitions at Beauraing, 1932-33 
     The Eastern Gate and Beauraing 
     The Apparitions at Banneux - I 933 
     Beaurning, Banneux, and Nazism 
Conclusion 

I highlighted many passages this time through this book. Some of them are:

“This booklet looks at the nine major Marian apparitions that have occurred during the last five centuries or so, and which the Catholic Church has decided to accept as authentic.”

“It is argued that the major modem apparitions of the Mother of Jesus, as approved by the Catholic Church, and particularly Fatima, are not random or historically inconsequential events, but actually seem to follow a preordained plan.”

“In answer to the threat represented by these successive revolutions. Mary has repeatedly appeared and asked for repentance, a turning away from sin. if the most awful disasters are to be avoided. As the spiritual Mother of mankind she cannot stand idly by and watch humanity destroy itself through sin and selfishness. Her apparitions have played a large part in the major Catholic renewals of recent centuries, and if the message of Fatima is heeded then the Church can again experience a renaissance. As the details of the Fatima message make clear, this is necessary if we are to have true peace in the world.”

“Bernadette’s later years were increasingly marked by sufferings, and thus she lived out the '"hard saying" she had heard from Mary: “I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next.” She died on 16th April 1879, at the age of thirty-five, at the convent in Nevers, and was finally canonised in December 1933, becoming St Bernadette.”

“Pope Pius IX prophetically condemned communism and socialism in 1864, correctly foreseeing that they were capable of destroying the whole moral basis of society if implemented.”

“All of this seems to indicate that Pontmain has a very clear typological link with this particular biblical account, that of the high priest and the sanctuary in the desert.”

“In terms of biblical typology, Knock seems to be concerned with the urk of the covenant. A number of the Church Fathers have compared Mary with the ark, including St Hippolytus of Rome (d. 235), St Andrew of Crete, and St John Damascene. St Athanasius too compared Mary with the ark in very fulsome terms: "Truly, 0 noble Virgin, you are great above all greatness; who indeed can compare with your greatness; 0 dwelling place of the Word of God? With whom shall I compare you among all creatures? You are evidently greater than all of them. 0 Ark of the covenant surrounded totally and purely on all sides with gold! You are the Ark containing all gold, the receptacle of the true manna, that is human nature wherein the divinity resides.''”

“Fatima should be regarded as the most important Marian apparition of the twentieth century, if not the most important event in its own right, not least because of the tremendous "miracle of the sun" which was seen by a crowd of at least 70,000. Fatima also occurred just as the Russian Revolution was unfolding during World War I, a war that essentially resulted from the desire of Germany to have an empire of its own to match. if not exceed, the British Empire a desire spurred on by fear of being encircled by a newly industrialising Russia.”

“Given all this, it is interesting that there seem to be important links between the rise of Nazism and the apparitions of Mary at Beauraing and Banneux. Beauraing is a small town in the southern, French speaking, part of Belgium, and it was here that the Blessed Virgin appeared to a group of children between late November 1932 and January 1933. The five children came from the nominally Catholic Voisin and Degeimbre families.”

“On the evening of Sunday 15th January 1933, Mariette Beco, an eleven year old girl from Banneux a Belgian village fifty miles north-east of Beauraing, also saw the Blessed Virgin. This was only a few weeks after the events at Beauraing, and so there was some scepticism, but subsequent events were to show that this new set of apparitions would also be accepted by the Church.”

“Banneux was investigated from 1935 until 1937 by an Episcopal commission, after which the evidence collected was submitted to Rome. Meanwhile, growing numbers of pilgrims came to the shrine , and in May 1942 Bishop Kerkhofs of Liege approved the cult of the Virgin of the Poor. In 1947 the apparitions themselves received preliminary approval, with this becoming definite in 1949. Like the children at Beauraing. Mariette married and had a family, being, like them, content to remain in the background.”

“Mary revealed herself at Guadalupe as the new Eve, and at Rue du Bae as the Mediatrix of all Graces and the ladder of Jacob which unites mankind to God. At La Salette she came as a new Moses, warning humanity of the need for repentance. At Lourdes she proclaimed herself to be the Immaculate Conception, while at Pontmain and Knock she came as the new ark of the covenant. At Fatima, like a new Elijah, she again warned mankind of the dangers it faced, particularly the “errors of Russia,” and at Beauraing and Banneux appeared as the new “Eastern Gate,” the Virgin Mother of God, to beg for fervent prayer. These types arc not just pious titles but represent the truth of Mary's intercessory role, which in reality is almost infinitely greater. She is the spiritual mother of mankind, the mother of the mystical body of Christ, and thus she is the mother of every human being in the order of grace.”

I am very thankful I traced down and reread this volume. I have read much on Mary’s appearances in the 16 years since I first read this volume. And I have read most books by Donal Anthony Foley. Now I should note, the older edition of this volume that I originally read is labeled as part of the CTS Christian Shrines Series, which is one of my favourite series from the CTS. And this is an excellent read, either as a standalone volume, or as part of the series. Foley writes in an engaging manner. This volume is well researched and wonderfully put together. I can easily recommend this volume!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Christian Shrines series click here.

Other Books in the CTS Christian Shrines Series:
Message of Assisi
Message of Fatima
Message of Guadalupe
Message of Walsingham
Santiago: Santiago de Compostela - The Pilgrim Way of St James

Books by Donal Anthony Foley:
Apparitions of Mary (2006 Review)
Christian Living: The Spirituality of the Foyers of Charity
Understanding Medjugorje: Heavenly Visions or Religious Illusion?
Marian Apparitions, the Bible, and the Modern World
Medjugorje Revisited: 30 Years of Visions or Religious Fraud?

Fiction:
















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Tuesday, 27 September 2022

Sacred Heart A Pilgrim's Companion to Paray-le-Monial - David Baldwin - CTS Christian Shrines Series

Sacred Heart: A Pilgrim's Companion to Paray-le-Monial
CTS Christian Shrines Series
David Baldwin
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860826283
CTS Booklet D718


Over the last few years, I have read over 300 books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I have greatly enjoyed many of the books in the Christian Shrines Series. This is the twenty second volume in the CTS Christian Shrines series, or 22nd time that I have read a volume in the series, for I have read many of them more than once. Many of them by David Baldwin. I approached this volume with completely new eyes. I have personally had an interest in Pilgrimage, for as long as I can remember. I have written about personal pilgrimage, and previously written about my desire for pilgrimage. I have a university degree in Religious Studies with a specialization in Roman Catholic Thought I would have loved to have had books from this series, and many from the CTS collections to use as a resource during my schooling. I knew about the Sacred Heart Devotion but was unaware of the specifics and the history. 

The description of this volume is:

“Set in the French shrine of Paray-le-Monial, this is the story of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, and of St Margaret Mary Alacoque and Saint Claude de la Colombiere in particular. It takes you to the principal pilgrim places of the modern genesis of this devotion, providing coherent commentary and narrative description, as well as suggesting appropriate prayers and meditations along the way.”

And about the author we are informed:

“David Baldwin, a retired Royal Marines office, lives in the south west of England and has written several CTS pilgrim’s companions.”

The books in this series are intended for two different types of readers. The first those going to these places in person, and as such it is an excellent spiritual travel guide. The second category that, which I find myself in currently, is the ‘armchair pilgrim’. I love that concept; it is for those who are going on pilgrimage spiritually. Or even virtually. But I would state that the book is great for a third category, those with a devotion or interest to the Sacred Heart, it will help you explore those places central to the beginning of this devotion. As such this is an excellent volume in a wonderful series and I highly recommend it. The chapters in the booklet are:

People, Places and History 
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque 
Saint Claude de la Colombiere 
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart 
Chapel of the Visitation 
Adoration Chapel of Saint John 
Chapelle la Colombiere 
Final Thoughts

I highlighted several passages my first time through this volume. Some of them are:

“Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Catholic Church runs long and deep. In many Catholic churches - maybe all - you will invariably see the familiar image of the Sacred Heart, maybe by picture, but usually by statue, or sometimes at a side chapel or altar, of Jesus, with His Heart exposed at His chest, usually aflame and surrounded by the crown of thorns, sometimes held in His hand. Many households, in many countries, may display a picture or small statue; when abroad, you may also come across a street niche sheltering the statue.”

“The French priest, St John Eudes (1601-1680), started formulating and propagating a specific devotion through his Office of the Sacred Heart, winning recognition from Pope St Pius X as the Father of Worship to the Sacred Heart (and Immaculate Heart of Mary), and declaring him the Apostle and Doctor of these devotions.”

“However, it was only when, through the revelations and specific instructions of Our Lord to Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a nun in her convent in the depths of rural France at Paray-le-Monial, and assisted by the convent chaplain, St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682), that the devotion spread and took hold universally.”

“It was only when seeking out the shrines of France that my travels took me to the small town of Paray-le-Monial, in southern Burgundy - recognised as the physical wellspring of the 'modern' devotion to the Sacred Heart - that renewed in me a recognition of the significance of this devotion, and a desire to fan again the flames surrounding that 'Precious Heart'.”

“Paray-le-Monial is a small, relaxed, picturesque rural town of some 10,000 souls in the depths of southern Burgundy, about lOOkm northwest of Lyon. It is off the mainstream tourist trail, thus retaining its individual charm - as yet unblighted and unbranded by the 21st century's corporate outlets.”

“Despite its seeming anonymity, Paray is a significant place of pilgrimage, with devotees of the Sacred Heart coming from all corners of the earth. Up to 500,000 pilgrims come here over the year, so at times it may be busy in that sense - particularly on relevant feast days - but the spaces and places to cope with these numbers are there, whilst there are also many quiet spots for the pilgrim to seek out.”

“The town's more distant history is vested mainly in the arrival of the Benedictines, and the building and development of their first monastery church and community from 973 onwards. More recent history has made the town into a pilgrim venue. The Visitation nun, Margaret Mary Alacoque, whose mystic experiences and visions of Our Lord from 1673 to 1675 and subsequent promotion of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which brought her the crown of sainthood, also brought to her adopted town the responsibility of being the foremost shrine in the world, and the host for this devotion. The other principal person associated with St Margaret Mary and the Sacred Heart, was St Claude de la Colombiere, a Jesuit priest and latterly chaplain to the Visitation sisters' community.”

“The principal pilgrim places in Paray associated with the Sacred Heart and these two saints are the striking and harmonious 11th century Romanesque Basilica of the Sacred Heart; the small, prayerful convent Chapel of the Visitation; and the arresting 20th century chapel commemorating St Claude de la Colombiere.”

“Paray is not overwhelmed with the plethora of devotional shops that encircle the sanctuary at Lourdes - it is all very low key and discreet.”

“One of the other aspects of Margaret Mary's early life that shines through very clearly and consistently, was her strong, determined devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. During the difficult years, when her family was oppressed by relatives, she was denied every opportunity to slip away to the local church to pray before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. She learned to overcome this by mentally prostrating herself before Jesus, maintaining her adoration through prayer 'at a distance'.”

“In the eighteen months starting on 27th December 1673, Margaret Mary began experiencing the amazing encounters with Christ that would clarify and specify her mission to the world - that of spreading the devotion to His Sacred Heart.”

“Prayer of St Margaret Mary Alacoque
Lord Jesus,
let my heart never rest until it finds You,
who are its centre, its love, and its happiness.
By the wound in Your Heart
pardon the sins that I have committed
whether out of malice or out of evil desires.
Place my weak heart in Your own divine Heart,
continually under Your protection and guidance,
so that I may persevere in doing good
and in fleeing evil until my last breath. Amen.”

“One of its notable and unusual devotional adornments is the Stations of the Cross, grouped closely together at the right rear of the church - each carved wooden Station depicting just the expression of Jesus' face.”

“The lovely thing about reading about or - better still - going to Paray-le-Monial, is that because of its very 'ordinariness' there are no major distractions if you are there on pilgrimage - or even just visiting - but in some, maybe even undefined way, seeking out the Sacred Heart. The holy buildings and places are perfectly keyed to help facilitate your search, again without undue distraction. The other striking thing, is that by virtue of the very humble and low profile that St Margaret Mary adopted, there are no strong personality cult distractions. The way - on all fronts - is completely clear to focus totally on Jesus, and His Sacred Heart.”

This was one of the hardest books in this series to track down. I am very thankful for a friend in Ireland who found a copy and made it available for me. I only have two volumes remaining in this series, at least from the ones listed in the backs of the ones I have read. Both of those are significantly longer they are on Rome, and France. This is the last of the booklet styles. 

It is an excellent read. It will bless all who pick it up. And it is a small volume that can be returned to time and time again. You can pick it up and read it through, or revisit specific places. It is a great resource and one I will return to again soon. I encourage you to pick it up and give it a read or two. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Christian Shrines series click here.

Books about the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Other Books in the CTS Christian Shrines Series:
Message of Assisi
Message of Fatima
Message of Guadalupe
Message of Walsingham
Santiago: Santiago de Compostela - The Pilgrim Way of St James

CTS Books and Booklets n the life and spirituality of St Thérèse:
Thérèse of Lisieux - On the visit of her relics to Great Britain (Do 810)
Thérèse, teacher of Prayer, by Bro Craig (D 693)
Thérèse of Lisieux, a biography, by Vernon Johnson (B 204)
The Little Way of Thérèse, In her own Words (D 707)
Louis and Zélie Martin, Parents of Thérèse of Lisieux, by Paulinus Redmond (B 709)
Lisieux: A Pilgrim's Companion - David Baldwin - CTS Christian Shrines (D 706)
...












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