Jubilee of Hope 2025 Notes on Prayer - The Catholic Truth Society
An overview of the 8 volumes in the series.
I read these 8 volumes over a few weeks during Advent in 2024. The year of Jubilee officially started on December 25th 2024 with the opening of the door by pope Francis. I remember great celebrations leading up to and around the Jubilee Year in 2000. And this time I started searching for book to read about this extraordinary Jubilee year. This series was the first of my reading.
All 8 volumes have the same preface from Pope Francis. Each volume is by a different author. The books were originally released in Italian, and have since been released in Europe by the CTS, and there are editions by Our Sunday Visitor for North American, and they are available in English from a number of publishers around the world. They have also been published or announced in several other languages, at the time of writing this review in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Hungarian, Koran, and Romanian and of course the original Italian. You can check out for different translations and publishers here. Some editions have the authors name on the cover and some do not. Most editions have a similar look and feel.
The original series and the CTS editions are marked as ‘Notes on Prayer’, the OSV editions the series is called ‘Exploring Prayer’. Some of the titles are different between the two editions and one even has an Americanized name for the author. My recommendation is to get the CTS editions, they are excellent.
What you have here is the description of the volume and a brief review, with links to the full reviews of each separate volume.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 1
Cardinal Angelo Comastri
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698256
The description of this volume states:
““Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
In this first of eight booklets on prayer, Cardinal Angelo Comastri draws on wisdom and anecdotes from the writings and lives of saints to show the riches prayer brings to the lives of all believers, and to remove stumbling blocks to prayer that so many people in the modern world encounter.
"What is needed are people of authentic prayer, that which inflames with a fire of only in this way is it possible to lift the world and bring it near to the heart of God."”
There were many things in this volume that caught my attention. Specifically the quotes and stories from the lives of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Pope John Paul I, Saint Charles de Foucauld, Saint Francis and Saint Mother Theresa, these stories and example are deeply moving and inspiring. For a small volume it packs a great deal of excellent information.
If the others are as good as this one; we have over 700 pages of instruction on prayer. An excellent collection, these books would be good for any school, home, or church library. I can easily recommend this book and series and encourage you to give them a read!
Full review: Prayer Today: A Challenge to Overcome - Cardinal Angelo Comastri.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 2
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698263
The description of this volume states:
“Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi invites the reader to re-discover the Psalms, and in them the “immense horizon that spans our entire planet and extends across the centuries”. No matter the reason for prayer, the psalms give it voice, capturing the deepest yearnings of the human heart, and teaching it to sing to God.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
In this second of eight booklets on prayer, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi invites the reader to re-discover the Psalms, and in them the “immense horizon that spans our entire planet and extends across the centuries”. No matter the reason for prayer, the psalms give it voice, capturing the deepest yearnings of the human heart, and teaching it to sing to God.”
There were many things in this volume that caught my attention. This was a more academic presentation than three of the other four volumes I have read in the series so far. There was much that caused me to slow down and take note in this work. It is a volume I will reread again. For a little volume it packs a great deal of excellent information. While working through this volume I used the The Psalms Grail Translation edited by Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB part of the CTS Scriptures series. The next time I read it I will use the ESV English Standard Version that will become the lectionary edition in England, Wales, and Scotland beginning Advent in 2024.
Full review: Praying with the Psalms - Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 3
Juan López Vergara
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698270
The description of this volume states:
“Juan López Vergara offers a meditation on how Jesus always prayed, calling God Abba (Dad), and teaching his followers to do the same. Vergara presents a model for our own prayer and invites us to deepen our relationship with God, our loving Father.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
In this third of eight booklets on prayer, Juan López Vergara offers a meditation on how Jesus always prayed, calling God Abba (Dad), and teaching his followers to do the same. Taking many instances where Jesus addresses his father with this familiarity and love, Vergara presents a model for our own prayer and invites us to deepen our relationship with God, our loving Father.”
There were many things in this volume that caught my attention. But I have mixed feelings about this offering. It in many ways reads like a diary or prayer journal of Jesus’s thoughts and reflections around different times he prayed during his ministry. My concern is it so humanized Jesus it appears to strip some of his divinity, for example a section states he needed to grow in ‘grace and perfection’ p.81 and also the question of will anyone be in Hell or even Judas being restored p.77. There was much that caused me to slow down and take note in this work but also much that caused me concern. I really liked the concept but feel it lacked on execution. The other 5 volumes I have reviewed in the series all have 5/5 stars this one was a 4 but would have given 3.5 if I could.
Full review: The Prayer of Jesus – Juan Lopez Vergara.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 4
Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698287
The description of this volume states:
“Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP writes of how four great saints learned to pray with the aim “to discover what help the great saints can offer those of us who desire to make progress in the life of prayer, but who find ourselves being constantly deflected from our purpose, our tentative efforts undermined perhaps most of all by human weakness.”
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
In this fourth of eight booklets on prayer, Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP gives an account of how four great saints of the Church learned to pray – St Augustine of Hippo, St Teresa of Avila, St Thomas Aquinas and St Thérèse of Lisieux – with the aim “to discover what help the great saints can offer those of us who desire to make progress in the life of prayer, but who find ourselves being constantly deflected from our purpose, our tentative efforts undermined perhaps most of all by human weakness.”
"The saints, it soon becomes clear, are human beings like us. That’s why they can offer people still struggling with weakness such great compassion and encouragement. However, the remarkable sanctity of their lives remains a stark, unignorable challenge to our mediocrity. In their daring, prayerful, dedicated surrender to God, they have allowed their lives to be transformed by grace, and allowed the radiance, strength, power, and beauty of Christ to shine through their human weakness."”
There were several things in this volume that caught my attention. And much that caused me to slow down and take note. It is a volume I will reread again and again. For a little volume it packs a great deal of excellent information. The deep exploration of prayer and the written prayers of the four saints was inspiring and challenging.
Full review: Praying with Saints and Sinners - Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 5
Msgr Antonio Pitta
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698294
The description of this volume states:
“In this fifth of eight booklets on prayer, Msgr Antonio Pitta delves into the parables Jesus told his disciples to uncover the lessons they have to give on how to pray well. Specifically, he shows how the insights of the Parables of Prayer reveal the meaning of the Our Father, Jesus’s greatest catechesis on prayer.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis.”
There were several things in this volume that caught my attention. This was a much more academic presentation than the other three volumes I have read in the series so far. There was much that caused me to slow down and take note in this work. It is a volume I will reread again and again. For a little volume it packs a great deal of excellent information. This was also the first volume that began and ended speaking about the Jubilee 2025 year. Thus circling back to the purpose for the book and the series.
Full review: The Parables of Prayer – Msgr Antonio Pitta.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 6
Carthusian Monks
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698300
The description of this volume states:
“This sixth of eight booklets on prayer, written by Carthusian monks from around the world, describes the mystery and gift of prayer, and explains how, at prayer, the Church is unified with Christ in his priestly ministry, and how, in this same prayer, Christ is truly present in the Church.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
This sixth of eight booklets on prayer, written by Carthusian monks from around the world, describes the mystery and gift of prayer, and explains how, at prayer, the Church is unified with Christ in his priestly ministry, and how, in this same prayer, Christ is truly present in the Church.”
There were many things in this volume and series that caught my attention. This is one of my favourites in the series. There was much that caused me to slow down and take note in this work.
Full review: The Church in Prayer - Carthusian Monks.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 1
Sr Catherine Aubin, OP
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698317
The description of this volume states:
“In this seventh of eight booklets on prayer, Sr Catherine Aubin, OP presents a deep meditation on Our Lady and her role as guide and exemplar in our own formation as prayerful Christians.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
In this seventh of eight booklets on prayer, Sr Catherine Aubin, OP presents a deep meditation on Our Lady and her role as guide and exemplar in our own formation as prayerful Christians. “Mary prolongs in each of us today the trust that she lived in throughout her life on earth. Her task is to deliver us from our fear of God our Father, to place us in his hands and inscribe us in his intimate life. She leads us to a personal, adult relationship with God.””
There were many things in this volume that caught my attention. And much that caused me to slow down and take notes. It is a volume I will reread again and again. For a little volume it packs a great deal of excellent information.
Full review: The Prayer of Mary and the Saints Who Met Her - Sr Catherine Aubin, OP.
CTS Notes on Prayer Book 8
Father Ugo Vanni
Rino Fisichella (Forward)
Pope Francis (Preface)
ISBN 9781784698324
The description of this volume states:
“Since the early Church, the Mass has juxtaposed this praying of the Our Father with the Gospel reading. These meditations offer a renewed way to pray the Lord’s Prayer in a way that opens the riches of Sacred Scripture.
“Prayer is the breath of faith; it is its most proper expression. Like a silent cry that issues from the hearts of those who believe and entrust themselves to God.” – Pope Francis
The final volume in this series of eight booklets on prayer contains Fr Ugo Vanni’s meditation on the Our Father. Since the early Church, the Mass has juxtaposed this praying of the Our Father with the Gospel reading, and in this connection is revealed “the antecedents in Mark, then the systematic presentation of Matthew…the accentuation of Luke, and, finally, the mature synthesis found in John.” These meditations offer a renewed way to pray the Lord’s Prayer in a way that opens the riches of Sacred Scripture.”
This volume is a little different in that it is an edited edition of an older piece. We are informed about the details by Father Rino Fisichella in the Forward. There were many things in this volume and series that caught my attention. This is my favourite of the 7 volumes I have read yet. There was much that caused me to slow down and take note in this work. I loved this piece and will endeavour to track down the original that it is taken from.
Full review: The Prayer Jesus Taught Us: Our Father - Fr Ugo Vanni.
Most of the books in this series are great to read; across the 8 volumes we have over 700 pages of instruction on prayer. This is a series; these books would be good for any school, home, or church library. I can recommend this book and the series as a whole is great. I encourage you to give them a try!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.
Notes on Prayer Series:
1. Prayer Today: A Challenge to Overcome - Cardinal Angelo Comastri
2. Praying with the Psalms - Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
3. The Prayer of Jesus – Juan Lopez Vergara
4. Praying with Saints and Sinners - Fr Paul Brendan Murray, OP
5. The Parables of Prayer – Msgr Antonio Pitta
6. The Church in Prayer - Carthusian Monks
7. The Prayer of Mary and the Saints Who Met Her - Sr Catherine Aubin, OP
8. The Prayer Jesus Taught Us: Our Father - Fr Ugo Vanni
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Jubilee of Hope 2025 Book List:
Original Italian Editions
CTS Editions English
OSV English Editions
ATC Publishers India English Editions
Garratt Publishing Australia English
