Nurturing the Young - J.B. Midgley - CTS Family Matters Series

Nurturing the Young 

Thoughts for Parents and Educators

CTS Family Matters Series

J.B. Midgley

Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860824555

CTS Booklet D688

A few years ago, I encountered the works of J.B. Midgley and was very impressed with his writing. I worked at tracking all his books down. And it took me a few years. This was one of the last to be read. I now have all the volumes and after this one have 2 others left to read and review. I still have a few to read but it has been well worth tracking down all 28 books by J.B. Midgley. Twenty-six of those books were for the Catholic Truth Society.  And 6 of those were from the CTS Great Saints Series. I have also read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series. And have loved most of them. I first read a book by Midgley almost exactly 4 years ago. This volume is a great read but is very different than most of the other volumes by Midgley. 

The description on the back of the book is:

“Motherhood, fatherhood, parenting and educating your children, are the principal themes addressed by this booklet. Turning to the timeless wisdom of the Christian faith and human experience, this little collection of thoughts and sayings is intended to inspire the parents and educators of today. The eternal demands of love, forgiveness, correction, education, family life, happiness, innocence, and patience, face us all, and require one thing only: a willingness to learn – even from our mistakes.”

The chapters in this booklet are:

Marriage

Family

Mothers

Fathers

Parenting

Children

Educating

Across the 7 chapters there is just shy of 200 quotes. There is no preamble, introduction. Either to the book as a whole or to the individual chapters. There is no index of contributors or sources. A list of contributors most contributors have one piece, a few 2, a couple have 11 and 13 from the documents of Vatican II. 

Abraham Lincoln

Anna Maria Bidegain

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Archbishop Donald Coggan

Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Archbishop William Temple

Bernie Wiebe

Billy Graham

Bishop Jeremy Taylor

Bishop John Cosin

C. Myers

C.H. Spurgeon

C.S. Lewis

Cardinal Basil Hume (9)

Carlo Carretta

Charles Dickens

Daniel Webster

David Wilkerson

Don Marquis

Eberhard Arnold

Ecclesiasticus

Edith Schaeffer

Erich Fromm

Fitus Plautus

Fr F. W. Faber (3)

Fr Gerald Vann OP (2)

Fr Staretz Silouan

Francis Bacon

Franklin P. Jones

French Proverb

George Bernard Shaw

George Eliot

H.W. Beecher

Harold Loukes

Henri Amiel

Henry Adams

Henry Drummond (2)

Hilaire Belloc

Hubert van Zeller OSB

J. Heinrich Arnold

J.B. Priestley

J.C. Arnold

J.W. von Goethe

James M. Barrie

Jean Paul Eixhter

Jesus Christ

Jewish Proverb

Joseph Barth

Joseph Rice (2)

Kenneth Clarke

Leo Tolstoy

Leontine Young

Louise Guiney

Macarius of Optino (2)

Maria Bingemar

Mary ]oseph Rossello

Mary Slessor

Mgr Robert Hugh Benson

Michael Green

Olive Wyon

Pablo Cassals

Paul Tournier

Pope Benedict XVI (7)

Pope John Paul II (11)

Pope John XXIII (2)

Pope Leo XIII

Pope Paul VI

R. W. Emerson

Rabbi Brickner

Rainer Maria Rilke

Richard Baxter

Robert Ingersoll

Robert Lynd

Ruth Graham

Samuel

Samuel Johnson

Second Vatican Council (13)

Sheila Cassidy

Sigmund Frnud

St Anthony of Padua

St Athenasius

St Augustine of Hippo

St Benildus

St Charles Borromeo

St Francis de Sales

St Francis Xavier

St Gregory of Nyssa

St Ignatius of Loyola

St Isidore of Seville

St Jerome

St John Baptist de La Salle (11)

St John Bosco (7)

St John Chrysostom (2)

St John of the Cross (2)

St Joseph Calasanza

St Lawrence Giustiniani

St Paul (2)

St Therese of Lisieux

T. S. Eliot

Tbomas Traherne

The Mother of St Symphorian, Martyr

Theodore Hesburgh

Thomas a Kempis (2)

Thomas Merton

Tyron Edwards

Victor Hugo

W.L. Phelps

W.M. Thackeray

William Makepeace Thackerey

Winston Chuchill (2)

Y. Yevtushenko

I highlighted several of the quotes my first time reading this book. And a few I shared immediately with friends of family. The book begins with this quote prior to the first chapter:

“You always have joy in the evening if you spend the day fruitfully.”

     -Thomas a Kempis

The other quotes I highlighted were:

“Successful marriage is always a triangle: a man, a woman, and God.”

      C. Myers

“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.”

     Thomas Merton

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

     Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“The sum that two married people owe to one another defies calculation. It is an infinite debt that can only be discharged through all eternity.

     J.W. von Goethe

“Success in marriage is more than finding the right person. It is a matter of being the right person.”

     Rabbi Brickner

“Christian marriage is a sacrament of salvation and the pathway to holiness for all members of the family. Let your homes be centres of prayer, where families are at ease in the presence of God, where others are invited to share hospitality, prayer and the praise of God.”

     Pope John Paul II

“The task of handing on the faith to children is first the responsability of the parents to whom God has entrusted their children. The ways in which God speaks to us of His love - as a Father to His children - is in the language of family relationships. It is not for nothing that the family is called "the domestic Church.” It is the first school of life and love.” 

     Cardinal Basil Hume

“It is the purest sign that we love someone if we choose to spend time idly in their presence when we could be doing something more constructive.”

     Sheila Cassidy

“It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real fat her.”      Blessed Pope John XXIII

“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or more correctly, of being loved in spite of yourself.”

     Victor Hugo

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

     Theodore Hesburgh

“Train your child in the way in which you know you should have gone yourself.”

     C.H. Spurgeon

“The language of faith is learned in homes where this faith grows and is strengthened through prayer and Christian practice.”

     Pope Benedict XVI

I have read a few other volumes in the CTS Family Matters Series and as mentioned almost all the books from J.B. Midgley. Both are worth reading. This is an excellent volume for teachers, principals, parents and grandparents. You can randomly flip the book open to read a few quotes. Or read from beginning to end. There is a great deal of motivating and inspirational quotes in this volume. A great read, another one that was worth tracking down. I have already shared a copy with a friend who is a school principal. And have shared about a half dozen specific quotes with friends and family. It is another excellent resource from the Catholic Truth Society.

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.

Books by J.B. Midgley:
Advent & Christmastide with the Saints
Antonio Rosmini
Benedict - Patron of Europe
Bernard of Clairvaux – CTS Great Saints
Charles Borromeo  - CTS Great Saints
Companion to St. Joseph
Companion to the Feasts of Mary
Companion to Saint Peter
Companion to Saint Paul
Companion to the Angels
Companion to the Feasts of Our Lord
Companion to the Passion of Our Lord
Dominic - CTS Great Saints
George: Patron of England - CTS Great Saints
Dewi Sant: St David Patron of Wales
Francis de Sales – CTS Great Saints
John Baptist de La Salle – CTS Great Saints
John Vianney – CTS Great Saints
Lent with the Saints
Nurturing the Young
Robert Bellarmine
Saint John the Baptist 
Stations of the Cross and Resurrection with the Saints
The Eucharist with the Saints
The Four Evangelists
Thomas Becket – CTS Saints of the Isles
Vincent de Paul – CTS Great Saints
Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic
…

Contributed to:
First Fridays and First Saturdays The Devotions Explained 

Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

...

Books in the CTS Family Matters Series:
Facing Difficulties in the Christian Family Life - Peter Kahn
Passing on Faith to Your Children - Peter Kahn
Prayer in the Family – John Viatori & Beth Viatori
Sex Education A Parent’s Guide – John Timpson
The Family’s Mission to Love – Rod Isaacs & Peter Kahn
The Role of a Christian Father - Keith Chappell
The Role of Christian Grandparents – Keith Chappell
The Role of a Christian Mother – Anna Melchior
Work and the Christian Family – Peter Kahn

Nurturing the Young - J.B. Midgley
…

Prayer in the Family - John Viatori and Beth Viatori - CTS Family Matters Series

Prayer in the Family
CTS Family Matters Series
John Viatori and Beth Viatori
Catholic Truth SocietyISBN 9781860823909
eISBN 9781784694449
ASIN B073GZ5QBL
CTS Booklet PA5


In the last years and a half I have read nearly 100 books and booklets from the catholic Truth Society. And I have that many on my wish list currently. I have yet to encounter a bad book in the lot. And there are some incredible books and series. This is the second volume I have read in the Family matters series, and both have been excellent reads. And as far as I can tell it is the only book written by John and Beth Viatori. The description of this volume is:

“For many children, the experience of prayer in the family shapes their attitude to prayer and their faith for the rest of their lives. For parents, insecurity with their own prayer life and the practical problems posed by small children or teenagers can make the practice of prayer at home seem impossible. This eBook gives practical advice on how the home can become an authentic school of prayer.”

The sections in this booklet are:
The Necessity of Prayer
     Why should we pray in the family?
     The Domestic Church
Personal Prayer is the Foundation for Family Prayer
     Unity in family prayer
The Liturgy of the Domestic Church
     Sanctifying the day
     Grace at Mealtimes
     The Angelus
     Bedtime and morning prayers
     The Rosary
     The Liturgy of the Hours
     Sanctifying the Year
Praying with our Whole Life
     The sacraments
     Grounding the spiritual in the natural
     Using the five senses
     Reconciliation and the Eucharist
     The Eucharist and the Mass
A Final Word
Useful Prayers for the Family

The booklet is listed as coming in at under 50 pages, and the last few of those are a short collection of prayers. Nd yet while I read this book through twice now, I have highlighted over 21 passages. The first passage I highlighted is from the section on the Necessity of Prayer:

“One’s relationship with God is as delicate and unique as any relationship in one’s life, while being more important because, unlike other relationships, it touches every aspect of our lives and encompasses the goal and end of our lives.”

And the second highlights the need to be intentional, especially as our children are in their formative years. 

“To leave the spiritual life of our children undeveloped until they are old enough to seek it for themselves would be to do them a great disservice. It would mean depriving them of the love that every human needs most because they are too small to know where to find it. This is why we want to cultivate prayer in our families.”

The book draws from their own experience, but also from friends and family. Some examples are of young children, and even up to late teens. There are examples of things that have worked, and things that have not. And even one where teen children asked to take part in a family ritual. A great example in the book is to use prayer for others:

“Prayers of intercession for others are often a very good entry into the life of prayer, for those of us who are shy about praying in front of others. Often even when we can’t bring ourselves to go to God in prayer on our own behalf, the needs of our loved ones or acquaintances compel us to pray.”

One of the passages that was so striking to me was:

“A family’s prayer life stands or falls with the personal spiritual lives of the individual family members. As parents, we cannot establish a relationship with God in our children or train them to turn to him. However, we can adopt practices that will provide the conditions for our children to “meditate on the Word of God.” We can provide them with an example of praying with faith, humility, and perseverence, and we can teach them prayers that will unfold in their understanding as they grow.”

We cannot force a prayer life upon our children, but we can live an example of a life of prayer. And this book provides a lot of great examples and ways to pray as a family and for our families. This is something I strive to live:

“A father who leads the family in prayer is a tacit but convincing sign to children that prayer is not something wishy-washy or soft, but important and powerful.”

And it is not always easy. But part of our role, maybe the most important part of our role as parents if to raise our children in the faith, and raise them by our own example. But we are reminded we are not in this alone:

“Despite the many obvious obstacles and challenges that face us as we try to ensure that our family’s prayer is personal, we have a powerful ally in this struggle. God himself is our greatest advocate in our efforts to pray better.”

In the conclusion the authors state:

“What these diverse families hold in common is that they are ambitious to find ways to raise their children in a life of prayer. Speaking to them and observing the practices that they cultivate in their own homes has merely shown us how much more we might do to place Christ at the centre of our family.”

And the book does a wonderful job of that. It is an excellent little volume I am sure I will return to often as a refresher. As my children become teenagers, and beyond. I will end my review with a final quote:

“At the heart of prayer, whether it takes place in words or through actions, is the recognition of the presence of God with us and the enjoyment of his company.”

This is an excellent little book and would be of value to any family that picks it up! Another great read from the Catholic Truth Society!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books in the CTS Family Matters Series:
Facing Difficulties in the Christian Family Life - Peter Kahn
Passing on Faith to Your Children - Peter Kahn
Prayer in the Family – John Viatori & Beth Viatori
Sex Education A Parent’s Guide – John Timpson
The Family’s Mission to Love – Rod Isaacs & Peter Kahn
The Role of a Christian Father - Keith Chappell
The Role of Christian Grandparents – Keith Chappell
The Role of a Christian Mother – Anna Melchior
Work and the Christian Family – Peter Kahn
Nurturing the Young - J.B. Midgley
…

Other Books by Keith Chappell:
The Role of a Christian Father
Role of Christian Grandparents
Catholic Social Conscience: Reflection and Action on Catholic Social Teaching
A Teacher's Guide to Science and Religion in the Classroom (Editor)
…

The Role of a Christian Father - Keith Chappell - CTS Family Matters Series

The Role of a Christian Father:
Fatherhood in the Modern World
CTS Family Matters Series
Keith Chappell
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860825149
eISBN 9781784692742
ASIN B071W3S35C
CTS Booklet PA11



I love the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I have read over 90 books from CTS in the last year and a half. Some over 100 years old, other just published this year. And to date there is not a bad one in the lot. This is my first book by Keith Chappell, and also my first in the Family Matters Series. I made the mistake of reading a book in another series from CTS. I have just added six other titles in this series to my wish list and I already have another half dozen series from CTS on the go. But back to this specific book. 

His is a short booklet. The text comes in at just under 60 pages. But it is a great little read. I stumbled across this title the week after father’s day and decided to give it a read. I have of course read several books about fatherhood and parenting. But I know there is always room for me to improve. Sometimes far more room that I want to admit. In the introduction Chappell states:

“This booklet cannot be, and would never seek to be, the “manual” for fathers, but perhaps it will lead you to reflect on your role as a father and to become aware of the huge internal resources each father has which are given by the grace of the one Father we all look to.”

 And also:

“There is, however, an important question raised by this insecurity of fathers: why has fatherhood become so devalued in society when historically it is portrayed as a central, if not the central, relationship in each person’s life?”

 I completely agree with both sentiments. The book is not a how to, but more of a blueprint. And the book does an excellent job looking at the role of fathers, how they have changed over time, and how ‘patriarch’ has become a bad word in our society today. The chapters in this volume are:

Introduction
The Loving Father and the Prodigal Son
Shaping the Father
The Perfect Father
Fatherhood as Sacrament
Being a Hero
The Unchanging Father

The book is an easy book to read. It can be read over an afternoon sitting in a hammock. Or over a large mug of tea on a rainy day. But it is a book that has advice that will take a lifetime to implement and master. If in fact it ever can. I can only hope that 20 years form now I am striving to be a better father still, and if so blessed grandfather. I want to share with you a few of the passages I highlight my first time through this volume:

“The need to work away from home separated both parents, but especially fathers, from their children and disrupted family life. It was partly this disruption of family life that led Leo XIII to publish his encyclical Rerum novarum (The Condition of Labour) in 1891. In this encyclical Leo XIII argued for a living wage for workers in what was perhaps one of the first attempts to address the issue of ‘work/life balance’. Unfortunately this call was not heeded by wider society and men became increasingly seen as fulfilling their role as fathers through earning money.”

“This provided a great way to discuss the Incarnation but it also prompted me to look at images of St Joseph, patron of fathers and a model for all fathers, biological and adoptive. A quick search on the internet or through books of images reveals different images of St Joseph in his many patron roles such as worker, happy death and father. It is remarkable how many of them don’t have “the baby”. It turns out that this is something of a historical phenomenon. Early icons and statues rarely, if ever, show St Joseph without the Christ child but as we move through the Middle Ages towards modern times we find increasing images of St Joseph as worker, contemplative or dying a happy death.”

“Whether we agree or not, it is a reality that the notion of patriarch is no longer one that is valued in our culture. This is perhaps not surprising as the term has become increasingly abused over the centuries to the point where it is now virtually unrecognisable from the biblical notions seen in figures such as Abraham. In Abraham and the other Old Testament patriarchs we find men with whom God deals directly and who worship Him faithfully. The God they worship is not one tied to a particular place or time but one who walks with His people at all times; these were nomadic people after all. The God of the patriarchs is one that we can have a personal relationship with and that is not bound to formal religious structures such as shrines or holy mountains.”

“It is also important for fathers to remove themselves from the role of primary disciplinarians. Again, this is an area for joint responsibility. The days of “Wait ‘til your father gets home” should be as far behind us as the times when a man arrived home expecting his dinner on the table and all the housework done by his wife. For one parent to be identified with discipline risks making them less approachable, the other a ‘soft touch’ and means that discipline is something that children can associate with something outside themselves.”

“For a Catholic father today a recapturing of the image of the patriarchal father who helps his family to have a deep personal relationship with God, through His Church and all its gifts, is one that would be deeply helpful.”

“However, the father we are is shaped by many things and I would like to look at three of them: our parents, our own choices and personality, and our children.”

“Each child is unique. Sometimes you wish they weren’t, sometimes you are glad they are. Each is created in the image and likeness of God but bring with them an infinite variety of characteristics that require us to be a different type of father to each child. Sorry to say, but one size does not fit all.”

“So, our children and the reality of parenthood open us up to grace and looking beyond ourselves. Even more than this, in becoming fathers we are called back to the moment at the creation of humanity itself where we stood in original grace and walked with God. As parents we cooperate with God in His continuous act of creation and gain a glimpse of what we were created for and what we are called to.”

“At the heart of being a father in a Catholic family is the realisation that our children are God’s children. We are called not simply to love them as “ours” or “mine” but as His. There are few activities that give an insight to this as much as praying together as a family. We see our children building a relationship with their other, even more real, Father and can see that we are simply stewards called to make His love present to them.”

I hope those few quotes will give you a sample of how good this volume is. This is a great read, and it looks like it will be another great series from the Catholic Truth Society.  I look forward to reading more in the series and from Chappell.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books in the CTS Family Matters Series:
Facing Difficulties in the Christian Family Life - Peter Kahn
Passing on Faith to Your Children - Peter Kahn
Prayer in the Family – John Viatori & Beth Viatori
Sex Education A Parent’s Guide – John Timpson
The Family’s Mission to Love – Rod Isaacs & Peter Kahn
The Role of a Christian Father - Keith Chappell
The Role of Christian Grandparents – Keith Chappell
The Role of a Christian Mother – Anna Melchior
Work and the Christian Family – Peter Kahn
Nurturing the Young - J.B. Midgley
…

Other Books by Keith Chappell:
The Role of a Christian Father
Role of Christian Grandparents
Catholic Social Conscience: Reflection and Action on Catholic Social Teaching
A Teacher's Guide to Science and Religion in the Classroom (Editor)
…