Monday, 25 April 2022

Sacred Heart Prayers and Devotions - Donal Anthony Foley - CTS Devotions

Sacred Heart:
Prayers and Devotions
CTS Devotions
Donal Anthony Foley
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860828959
CTS Booklet D766


This was the tenth book from Donal that I have read. The first book I ever read from the CTS was Foley’s Apparitions of Mary, which I had picked up at a retreat many years ago. In fact it was 12 years between reading that booklet and the next volume I read from the Catholic Truth Society. But since the spring of 2018 I have read over 275 volumes from the Catholic Truth Society. I stumbled upon them while doing research on an author, and have been hooked ever since. I have read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series, and I loved the books in the CTS Great Saints Series. I love reading about so many saints, their lives and their times. My other favourite books form the CTS are the Prayers and Devotions books. Many of the books in this series do not even have the authors name on the cover, like this volume, Saint Joseph, and Therese of Lisieux. I believe this is the last of the booklets in the Prayers & Devotions written my Donal. But each makes reference to the others at the back of the booklet. As mentioned this booklet was the tenth book or booklet from the pen of Donal Anthony Foley I have read, and I already have a few others on my wish list. The description of this booklet is:

“Explaining the effects of devotion to the Sacred Heart over the centuries, the booklet is a practical and simple way for people to foster a devotional spirit and can be used individually or in parish groups.

The booklet will help deepen love for Christ bringing him closer to the everyday needs, concerns and joys of all. Explaining the effects of devotion to the Sacred Heart over the centuries, the booklet is a practical and simple way for people to foster a devotional spirit and can be used individually or in parish groups.”

This is one of three books I am aware of on the Sacred Heart from the Catholic Truth Society, they are:

Sacred Heart: Prayers and Devotions – Donal Anthony Foley
Devotion to the Sacred Heart – Catholic Truth Society
Sacred Heart: A Pilgrim's Companion to Paray-le-Monial – David Baldwin

I have tracked down one of the others and am trying to track down the last volume. The chapters in this little volume are:

Origins and Importance of the Devotion
     The Popes on Sacred Heart Devotion
Prayers and Devotions to Be Said In Front of the Statue/Icon
     Our Lord’s Twelve Promises to St Margaret Mary
     Daily Prayers
     Acts of Reparation
     Meditations
     Hymns
     Prayers of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
     A Novena for the First Fridays

This little booklet is an excellent resource. Foley writes in an engaging and informative manner. Before the book even begins we have a quote on the title page:

“The Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, “is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that... love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings” without exception.”

Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church 478. I highlighted that passage and sever others while reading this volume. Some of them are:

“Then, while his dead body was on the cross, one of the soldiers pierced his side - his heart - with a spear, and blood and water gushed from the wound. St John pointed to the prophetic significance of this act, saying that it fulfilled the words of Zechariah. "They shall look on him whom they have pierced" (Zc 12: I 0).

The implication of this act of the soldier is that it showed that the very last drops of Christ's blood were shed for mankind, as a sign of his infinite love.”

“So in the devotion to Christ's Sacred Heart we have a way of expressing our particular love for him as a real person, and not just an abstract religious figure. And since he lives forever to intercede for us, he reciprocates our love in an infinite way.”

“Meditation on the wounded side of Christ ultimately led to a focus on his wounded heart. Certainly this devotion was well known to figures such as St Bernard, ( I 090-1 153), St Bonaventure, ( 1221-1 274), St Mechtilde, ( 1240/ 124 1- 1298) and St Gertrude ( l 256-1302).”

“It was St John Eude (1602-1680) however, a French missionary and founder of two religious orders. Who elevated the status of the devotion by composing an office and establishing a feast for the Sacred Heart. Interestingly, he began by promoting devotion to the Heart of Mary, and only later did he focus on devotion to the Sacred Heart. These two devotions, and particularly the devotion to the Sacred Heart, acted as a spiritual antidote to the increasing rationalism of European society during this period. It was also around this time that Jansenism, a Calvinist-influenced strain of teaching, was causing a “coldness” to enter into Catholic life in France.”

“St John Eudes was instrumental in promoting the first feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1670, at Rennes in France.”

“This series of apparitions has been approved by the Church, which has vouched for their authenticity, as far as is possible: the writings of Margaret Mary, which included these revelations and her letters, were examined during the process of her beatification, and their reliability is shown by the fact that they did not hinder her cause. Various popes, too, have expressed their approval of these apparitions, with their essential content being included in the bull of canonisation issued by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. And the feast of the Sacred Heart has been established in the
Church calendar as requested.”

“After the death of Margaret Mary, in 1690, the devotion spread slowly but steadily, particularly in southern France; and in 1765 the Holy See allowed a feast of the Sacred Heart to be celebrated in the country as a whole. At the urging of the French bishops, in 1856, it was extended to the whole Church by Pope Pius IX, and it became a first class feast in 1889.”

“In the meantime, the Visitation Convent at Paray-le-Monial developed as a shrine devoted the Sacred Heart, and now up to 500.000 pilgrims each year come 10 visit the convent and the eleventh century Romanesque Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the town.”

A sample meditation, from Saint John Henry Newman is:

“O most sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus. Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and Thou beatest for us still. Now as then Thou sayest, “With desire I have desired.” I worship Thee, then, with all my best love and awe, with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. O make my heart beat with Thy heart. Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual. all that is hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder, of all deadness. So fill it with Thee, that neither the events of the day nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it: but that in Thy love and Thy fear it may have peace.”

The reflections are excellent, and there are many wonderful prayers in this volume. I have added one to the prayers I try and say daily. In the past and still today. I find that almost every time I read a book from the Catholic Truth Society I find 2 or three others I want to read. I have an ever growing wish list of eBooks, books in print, and books out of print from the CTS that I want to track down. This book was a blessing. It is a great volume. I highly recommend it.

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 Devotions series click here.

Books by Donal Anthony Foley:
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:

Books about the Sacred Heart of Jesus:








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Sunday, 24 April 2022

Catechism of the Catholic Church with Theological Commentary - Cardinal Rino Fisichella

Catechism of the Catholic Church with Theological Commentary
Cardinal Rino Fisichella (Editor)
ISBN 9781681922744


I have mixed feelings about this book. First it is an excellent resource. It was well worth the time and effort to read. It could really use better indexes. Specially a topical index, and key word index. Someone else referenced capital punishment as an example. Second, when it was published there was an eBook edition listed. With my dual form of dyslexia I would have read this in a much shorter time frame as an eBook rather than struggling to find time with the physical edition. The eISBN is listed in the front of the print edition, and I reached out to the publisher a few times and never received a response. I waited 2 years for the eBook to show up and then finally spent the money on the physical edition. It took me 8 months to work through the physical book. 

About 15 years ago I wrote short reviews of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Second Edition, The Companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and also the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. At the time I was a team of bloggers working through blogging the daily reading of the Catechism is you were working through it in a year, it was called the Catholic Catechism Dialogue Blog, and though now defunct it was a great pleasure being part of the project. This book would have been an excellent resource for that endeavour or similar future efforts. 

The description of this book is:

“”The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25

While the Catechism of the Catholic Church is considered "useful reading" for all the faithful, it is often necessary to turn to bishops, pastors, catechists, and scholars for assistance in understanding its meaning and purpose in our lives.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Theological Commentary, forty-two of those experts illuminate the four parts of the Catechism, each using a variety of Church documents, Scripture, and writings of the saints to dive deeply into each article of our Catholic Faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church with Theological Commentary includes the full text of the Catechism, followed by the commentary.

Authors include:
     • Rino Fisichella, president, Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization
     • Luis F. Ladaria, prefect, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
     • Raffaello Martinelli, bishop of Frascati, Italy, former secretary of the Commission for the Preparation of the Catechism
     • Christoph Schnborn, Archbishop of Vienna, and the editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
     • And many more
Perfect for priests, deacons, catechetical leaders, teachers, seminarians, and anyone who wants to dive deeply into the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith.”

With all of that being said this volume was well worth the read. It really takes us deeper into the teachings and meaning of the Catechism. It is a book that I believe most Catholics would benefit from reading. I just really wish the eBook was available for accessibility access. I think the last line of that description of the book is the key one “and anyone who wants to dive deeply into the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith.”. That is what this book will help with. I believe ever Catholic should be reading a Catechism and their bible frequently. This book will serve as a great resource for going deeper with the Catechism. It is excellent commentary and a rich resource for the church.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!

Related posts:
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Saturday, 23 April 2022

The Father Wants To Heal You - Father Nigel Woollen - A Retreat with the Lord’s Prayer

The Father Wants To Heal You
A Retreat with the Lord’s Prayer
Father Nigel Woollen
Veritas Publications
ISBN 9781800970274


This is the third book by Father Nigel that I have read, both of the other s I have read more than once, and I know that this is also a book I will return to and read again. My only regret is that currently none of his books are available electronically. I have a few friends with learning disabilities whom I know would love these books and this one in particular. But with the eBook option and using adaptive technologies they will remain out of reach. The description of this volume is:

“This timely book takes us by the hand and invites us on a personal journey through the prayer to discover the depth and healing power of God’s love for us, while at the same time reminding us through the first word Our that we pray it together as a community. Written in an easily accessible and enjoyable format, deeper meanings are uncovered and discussed with ease, reinforcing the importance of the Lord’s Prayer. How many times have you said this prayer quickly without contemplating the beauty within it? You won’t say the Lord’s Prayer in the same way again.”

And the chapters are:

Preface: Miracle Prayer
1. We are Family: Our Father, who art in Heaven
2. Our Real Identity: Hallowed be thy Name
3. To Serve is to Reign: Thy Kingdom Come
4. From Prodigal to Redeemed: Thy Will be Done, on Earth as it is in Heaven
5. You Are What You Eat: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
6. Your Sins are Forgiven: And Forgive us our Trespasses, as we Forgive those who Trespass Against us
7. Going into Battle: And Lead us Not into Temptation, but Deliver us from Evil
Postscript: In the Heart of the Father
Appendix: The Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments

This book was very hard to put down. I read it through the first time over a period of three days. I know I will be returning to it this year during lent. This is an excellent volume to read at any time of the year, but I think reading a chapter a week over lent, or a chapter a day during Holy Week could have added benefits. I appreciated the postscript and appendix ad much as the main text. So, if you do pick up the book, read it all the way through to the end. I highlighted many passages while reading this book some of them are:

“Those words were written by Saint Peter Chrysologus in the early fifth century; he was renowned for his short but inspired sermons. So many people have an inbuilt tendency to discouragement, leading to low self-esteem and even depression: we can be bound, rendered helpless by negative thought patterns which seem to proceed in a downward spiral. We often need help to discover our true worth. How can we break this cycle of negativity to find how truly precious we are?”

“Everybody’s looking for something, the saying goes; we could go further and state that everyone is looking for the ultimate miracle prayer, the prayer that’s always answered. There are no atheists in foxholes, they used to say in wartime; we might add, there are no atheists in times of stress, whether experiencing an earthquake or watching a penalty shoot-out: everyone prays to their god... If only there was a prayer that was all-powerful, able to transform the world and work miracles. In the Gospel, we find what Jesus says about prayer: “In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do... your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven...’ ” (Matthew 6:7-9).”

“When we pray in the words Jesus gave us, we become, in a sense, what we already are, children of God; the Father sees his Son Jesus in us, and wants to give us everything we need in order to find happiness and salvation. All we have to do, then, is to believe we're loved infinitely, to come to God with confidence and to trust we’ll receive everything we ask for, if only we ask with faith.”

“But there’s a problem: the very word father can have so many connotations, often negative ones, resulting from hurt and anger with regard to parents, father-figures and those in authority. This isn't God’s fault, but we project onto him our unhappy affective experiences from the past and we hit a brick wall. There’s a massive need in our society for healing with regard to parent figures.”

“There are various books on healing parental wounds, written by people more qualified than me on the subject. This book is simply a kind of personal retreat based on the Lord’s Prayer from the point of view of healing, since we know it contains all we need to live to the full the kind of life God wants us to live.”

“We will also explore how the seven Sacraments seem to correspond to the seven clauses of the Our Father (as divided up here), thus strengthening our understanding of the healing power of God’s love.”

“The God who loves bestowing gifts on his children constantly wants to render us able to receive his ultimate Gift: the Holy Spirit who prays in us, “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:14). If we could only be like small children, calling on Abba with total confidence, we would truly begin to live a new life.”

“Heaven-the goal which is the ultimate gift-must be an important word for Jesus, since it’s one of the few keys words that appears twice in the Lord’s Prayer. Saint John XXIII recommended we should think every day about the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell.”

“Starting out on our journey towards healing from anxiety, the following practical steps may help: count our blessings, and include all that God spares us from. Think of serene people we know. Call on the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, who didn’t have worry-free lives!”

“Take off your shoes: this action-repeated even today in many churches and other places of worship-shows respect for God’s presence, reminding us that we are on holy ground. We could also say that removing our footwear is part of letting go of our own will and desire for control; we are thus rendered more vulnerable and a little poorer. Many pilgrimage sites incorporate a space where pilgrims traditionally walk barefoot (one recalls Fátima, Croagh Patrick in Ireland, the Slipper Chapel in Walsingham and various other shrines) as a penitential gesture, not so much seeking suffering for its own sake as striving to go out of our comfort zone to meet the Lord.”

“Names are important. Each of us has a given (or “Christian”) name-which usually we didn’t choose-which implies that each of us has a unique identity whose depths are known only to God. When we take off our shoes (metaphorically speaking) we not only grow in an awareness of the divine in our midst, we also hopefully become more receptive to God’s presence in others-since each person is a “holy land”, a sacred space we mustn’t trample over unthinkingly, especially with regard to those who are poor or vulnerable.”

“We are called to live life to the full on this earth, while remembering at the same time that Jesus stated before Pilate, “Mine is not a kingdom of this world” (John 18:36).

We can ask the gentle Spirit of God to heal us of hurts resulting from negative experiences with regard to the Church-which is holy yet made up of sinners-recalling that “nothing is impossible to God” (Luke 1:37).”

“There’s a principle we should reflect on every time we pray for what we need today: when we resist the temptation to be hoarders-making sure we always have plenty of supplies in reserve-we give glory to our heavenly Father, since we are making an act of trust in his Providence, believing that he is looking after us.”

“Of course, there is a distinction between hoarding and good planning! Parents need to make sure they have enough to feed their children and so on.”

“To get to “know the author”, we need to spend time with him. There are many ways of praying, but one of the simplest and most effective is surely to dwell on the Lord’s Prayer-as I’ve personally discovered in a new way while writing this book. If we begin by picturing ourselves being tenderly held in the Father’s hand (or call to mind a similar image we feel to be appropriate), then we start: Our Father, who art in heaven-and stop there! Remain in silence with that first line, think about the Father, or about heaven, or one of the themes of our first chapter, such as the wonderful gift of being called a child of God through baptism. After ten, twenty, thirty seconds of silence, we go on to the next line: Hallowed be thy name.”

“May Joseph and Mary continue to intercede for all God’s children, helping us to put Jesus at the centre of our lives as they did, inviting us to discover by our contemplation of the Saviour, the amazing secret that Jesus shares with his friends: “To have seen me is to have seen the Father” (John 14:9). For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen!”

This book opened my eyes. It opened my eyes to some of my own needs. And it opened them for new ways to help and support others. I am certain it will do the same for you. This is another excellent offering from Father Woollen’s pen. It is a book that has the strength and wisdom to become a spiritual classic, along the lines of Brother Lawrence’s Practice the presence of God. I highly recommend it. Pick it up for your benefit and pick up copies to give to friends and family. An absolutely excellent read!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
 
Books by Nigel Woollen:
The Lamb Will Conquer: Reflections on the Knock Apparition
Learning to Love: Journeys Through Life with the Rosary
The Father Wants To Heal You: A Retreat with the Lord’s Prayer
…

Music by Father Nigel:
…




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Friday, 22 April 2022

Love Yourself, So...Hate the Weight! - Brother Craig Driscoll - 100 Diet, Metabolic-Rate-Enhancing and Exercise Tips That Really Work!

Love Yourself, So...Hate the Weight! 
100 Diet, Metabolic-Rate-Enhancing and Exercise Tips That Really Work!
Brother Craig Driscoll 
Woodbridge Press
ISBN 0880072156
ISBN 9780880072151


This volume ended in my 'Did Not Finish Pile' I have read a few of Brother Craig's books on prayer and thought they were pretty good. I could use losing a few pounds. I picked this up on a few occasions but the errors and bad advice was too much. I have been a certified fitness instructor, and read many books on health and fitness. but the arrogance in this volume ... just wow!

“11. You will lose Weight.

If you do all the things I mention here, my personal experience tells me you will lose weight! If it doesn't seem to be working, please check to see which part you've omitted, or neglected.”

People need to find what works for them. If health was a one size fits all the fitness industry would not be worth billions of dollars.  Another example:

“9. Eat Breakfast!

Don’t skip it. I can tell you from personal experience that breakfast boosts energy and makes me feel better. You may have observed, as I have, that people who skip breakfast often make up the calories by eating more later in the day!”

This advice again might be good for some people but not all. I know several people who follow the 2 meal a day plan, or practice Intermittent Fasting that have no issues with skipping breakfast and in fact do better doing so. A final example is:

“10. Don’t eat fattening foods! Don’t Do it!

That should be emblazoned on your refrigerator and your food cabinets (although, really, there shouldn’t be any fattening foods in the house! When you go out always carry low-calorie, fat-free food with you-so you won’t turn to high-calorie or high-fat food as snacks.”

Again many people who practice Paleo or Keto do the opposite of this to great results; both in the short term or long term. The book is 100 points along those lines about what worked for Brother Craig, but they will not work for all and some contradict clear scientific studies and practices. I cannot even in good conscience say this book is worth picking up for any reason. And I feel sorry for anyone who bought into Brother Craig’s ‘Love yourself, so … Hate the Weight!’ seminars. 

I enjoyed the two books on prayer by Brother Craig that I have read but with my low opinion of this book, I am not sure I will pick up his remaining books on prayer and spirituality. That is how little I think of this book. This is the worse type of pop culture fitness fad material. A terribly disappointing 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.

p.s. part of me does not even want to list this as a book I read but I want to put the warning out there.

Books by Brother Craig Driscoll:
Of the Cross a Biography of Blessed Edith Stein
Our Lady, an Angel, and Sister Agnes: the story of the wondrous events at Akita, Japan
The Coming Chastisement
…
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Thursday, 21 April 2022

The Gospel According to Matthew - Henry Wansbrough OSB - CTS Scriptures

The Gospel According to Matthew
Henry Wansbrough OSB (Introduction)
ISBN 9781860821561
CTS Booklet SC71
Larger Print Edition
ISBN 9781860826023
CTS Booklet SC90


This was the fourth and final gospel I have read in these formats. I have now read several of the volumes in the CTS Scriptures series, all with introductions by Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB. I love the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. Over the last 5 years I have read 275 books and booklets from the CTS. And have many more on my ‘to be read’ list. Late last year I read three books from the CTS that were The Gospel According to Luke, a regular one, a larger print edition and a special edition from The Year of Mercy. I enjoyed them so much I ordered copies for the other three gospels. I picked up a mix of the Larger Print Editions and the regular. I then looked for which other books and booklets came in this format, and found Acts, The Letters of Paul, Psalms. This time I am looking at:

The Gospel According to Matthew  
The Gospel According to Matthew Larger Print Edition

The only difference between the two versions is that they are printed-on paper that is twice the size. As with the other two Gospels I have read in this format, I particularly enjoyed the introduction by Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB. The chapters and sections in all three are:

Introduction
The Gospel According to Matthew
     I.    The Birth and Infancy of Jesus
     II.  The Kingdom of Heaven Proclaimed
     III. The Kingdom of Heaven Preached
     IV. The Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven
     V.  The Church, First-Fruits of the Kingdom of Heaven
     VI. The Approaching Advent of the Kingdom of Heaven
    VII. Passion and Resurrection

 The description of this volume is:

“Mathew’s Gospel was written for the Judaeo Christian community and contains some of the most important passages for Christianity. It is presented here in handy pocket-size format.

Matthew's Gospel was written for the early Judaeo-Christian community. Only Mark's Gospel is considered to be more ancient. It contains some of the most important passages for Christianity including the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer and the great commission to go out and evangelise all nations.”

The description of the Larger Print Edition is:

““Holiness and prayer is inconceivable without a renewed listening to the word of God – a life-giving encounter, which directs and shapes our lives.” – John Paul II

Matthew’s Gospel was written for the early Judaeo Christian community. Only Mark’s Gospel is considered to be more ancient. It contains some of the most important passages for Christianity including the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer and the great commission to go out and evangelise all nations.

The Gospel is introduced by Henry Wansbrough OSB who also gives practical guidance for personal reading and reflection. The Jerusalem Bible translation is that read in Church.

Larger print edition in font size 14pt.”

Having read all four gospel’s, and the Psalms in this format I really appreciate these little booklets and the Larger print companions. I have also been reading Companion to the Sunday Gospels Year C with commentary by Dom Henry. I love them as booklets for reading. I wish they were available as eBooks. 

I highlighted a few passages in the introduction. The introduction actually ends with these words:

“In reading Matthew it might be useful to be alert especially to the way Matthew, through describing Jesus’ life on earth, is clearly aware that he is now the Rison Lord. Matthew is strongly conscious that Christ is present in his community – without his presence the ship of the Church is lost – and of Christ’s work carried out by the members of the community.”

I have found that Dom Henry’s advice has been very valuable for each of the volumes in the CTS Scriptures Series that I have read. I have even picked up a eBook edition of The Revises New Jerusalem Bible where he wrote the introductions and notes for each book of the bible. Some of the other passages I highlighted were:

“Augustine of Hippo seems to have been responsible for putting the gospel of Matthew first in the order of the four gospels, and it is always printed at the head of the gospels. In the early Church it seems to have been the most popular and widespread of the gospels, and until recent reforms of the Lectionary it was the gospel read most frequently in the liturgy. However, it was almost certainly the second gospel to be written, for it uses and expands on Mark, expressing Matthew’s own particular angle on the Good News of Jesus.”

“Matthew is the most Jewish of the gospels, insisting on every page that Jesus fufils the promise of the Old Law. Jesus is a second David, adopted by Joseph into the House of David (1:20-25), addressed frequently as ‘son of David’ (1:1; 9:27; 15:22), and hailed as the messianic king of David’s line (21:9).”

I also highlighted the section at the very beginning about The Jerusalem Bible Translation again:

“The Jerusalem Bible was first published in 1966. It was produced by a team of distinguished English scholars (including J.R.R. Tolkien), working under Alexander Jones. It made available for English readers the finding of French Bible de Jerusalem Published a decade earlier by the famous French biblical school in Jerusalem, the first Catholic Bible edition to incorporate all the advances of modern biblical study. The Jerusalem Bible was the first translation of the whole Bible into modern English, and as such has maintained its status as authorised for use in the liturgy.”

I have said it before and I say it again of all the different bible translations that I have read, the Jerusalem Bible is my favourite for just sitting and reading. This booklet and the Larger Print counterparts are excellent resources. I recommend them to you.

My son who is 14 has become fascinated with these little booklets, he has asked for each of the gospel ones after I finish them. He takes them and reads them. I am not sure he would pick up his full bible yet and read a whole book, but with these booklets he has been doing just that. He kept pestering me to read this one so he could have it and add it to his collection. It is an excellent resource from the Catholic Truth Society! It is great to pick up and read in a sitting or to pass on to a friend.

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 Henry Wansbrough OSB:
CTS Books:
36 Days & 36 Ways Daily Meditations from Advent to the Epiphany Year B
40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year A
40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year B
40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year C
Companion to the Sunday Gospels: The Year of Mercy
Jesus: The Real Evidence
The CTS New Catholic Bible (Editor)
...

Books in the CTS Scriptures Series:
The Gospel of Matthew - English Standard Version
The Gospel of Mark - English Standard Version
The Gospel of Luke - English Standard Version

Other Books:
40 Days With Paul
Benedictines In Oxford (Editor)
Children's Atlas Of The Bible: A Photographic Account Of The Journeys In The Bible From Abraham To St. Paul
Doubleday Bible Commentary: Genesis
Doubleday Bible Commentary: The Gospel of Luke
Event And Interpretation
In the Beginning
Introducing the New Testament
Jesus and the Oral Gospel Tradition
Luke: A Bible Commentary For Every Day
Mark and Matthew
Risen from the Dead
Sunday Word: A Commentary on the Sunday Readings
The Bible A Reader's Guide: Summaries, Commentaries, Color Coding for Key Themes
The Gospel of Matthew: Take and Read (Editor)
The Gospels: Take and Read
The Holy Spirit
The Incarnation
The Lion and the Bull: The Gospels of Mark and Luke
The New Jerusalem Bible (Editor)
The New Testament of the New Jerusalem Bible (Editor)
The Passion
The Passion And Death Of Jesus
The Resurrection
The Spck Bible Guide
The Story of Jesus
The Story of Jesus: Photographed as If You Were There!
The Story Of The Bible: How It Came To Us
The Use and Abuse of the Bible: A Brief History of Biblical Interpretation
…

Reviews of Different Editions of the Bible:
The Catholic Study Bible - NABRE - Oxford University Press
Spiritual Warfare Bible - Saint Benedict Press
The Great Adventure Bible - Ascension Press
Proverbs: Douay Rheims Bible Version - Fr. Mark Goring and Sr. Penolope Nguyen SC
New Testament and Psalms for Men - Saint Benedict Press
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Wednesday, 20 April 2022

Jack Knife - Diane Capri - Hunt For Reacher Book 14

Jack Knife
Hunt For Reacher Book 14 (17)
Diane Capri
August Books
ISBN 9781942633617
eISBN ‎9781942633600
ASIN B098BQF9FG


This book is another great book in the Hunt for Jack Reacher Series. Over the last few years I have read all of the Jack Reacher stories and all of the Hunt for Jack Reacher stories as well. This will be the 48th. It is an excellent read. And the next in this series have already been announced. This is the eighth I have read since that initial binge read. First I read the 29 Jack Reacher Novels and short stories by Lee Child, and now Lee and Andrew Child. And then I read all the books in this series. This is the fourteenth novel in the Hunt for Reacher Series, and the seventeenth story featuring Otto. Her new back up William Burke is looking less and less helpful, through the books he has appeared in. Otta’s suspicions of a worse case reason for Burke being there are likely confirmed. Otto still has Gaspar in the wings helping out as much as he can. And he pulls in a resource from his new organization to help again. The source book for this volume was Lee Child’s Never Go Back. That story is a one, and excellent source book. In this volume we encounter Jake Reacher, Jack’s nephew and his moth Margaret. This is a great story about Otto, it was wonderful to have Susan Turner make an appearance and play a key role. 

The cast of characters in this story is:

Kim Otto
William Burke
Jake Reacher
Margaret Reacher
Carlos Gaspar
Charles Cooper
Lamont Finlay
Petey Burns
Hugh Sullivan
Susan Turner
Greg Jones
Leonard Dover
Michael Flint
Brad Coda
Rupert Adams IV
John Templar
Dr. Felipe Sanz
and
Jack Reacher

We see a lot more of Jake in this one, and he is turning into a man very much like his uncle. He has graduated basic and is heading off to specialized training. When some has the bright idea of capturing them to draw out Jack. From the very beginning things do not go as planned. And the individual trying to get Reacher start taking loses on a bigger and bigger scale.

Currently the Child brothers are releasing about 1 Reacher novel a year, and Capri is publishing 2. This one is the off schedule book. The last ones and next ones are schedule to release a few weeks apart. So this is a great Reacher story to hold us over. This story has a lot of action and a significant body count, including a surprising main character in the series. It is another great story in an excellent series. As always it leaves you desperate for the next instalment in the series. Capri has done a wonderful job in leading us on the hunt for Jack Reacher. 

Books by Diane Capri:
Hunt for Reacher Series:
1.0 Don’t Know Jack
1.1 Jack in a Box
1.2 Jack and Kill
2.0 Get Back Jack
2.5 Jack in the Green
3.0 Jack and Joe
4.0 Deep Cover Jack
5.0 Jack the Reaper
6.0 Black Jack
7.0 Ten Two Jack
8.0 Jack of Spades
9.0 Prepper Jack
10.0 Full Metal Jack
20.0 Jack Rabbit 
21.0 Shadow Jack
…

Justice Series:
1.0 Due Justice
2.0 Twisted Justice
3.0 Secret Justice
4.0 Wasted Justice
5.0 Raw Justice
5.5 Mistaken Justice
6.0 Cold Justice
6.1 False Justice
6.2 Fair Justice
6.3 True Justice
7.0 Hunt for Justice
8.0 Night Justice
…

Jess Kimball Series:
0.5 Fatal Enemy
1.0 Fatal Distraction
2.0 Fatal Demand
3.0 Fatal Error
4.0 Fatal Fall
4.5 Fatal Edge
5.0 Fatal Game
6.0 Fatal Bond
6.5 Fatal Past
7.0 Fatal Dawn
…

Heir Hunter Series:
1.0 Blood Trials
2.0 Trace Evidence
…

Jordan Fox Mysteries:
False Truth Part One
False Truth Part Two
False Truth Part Three
False Truth Part Four
False Truth Part Five
False Truth Part Six
False Truth Part Seven
False Truth Part Eight
False Truth Part Nine
False Truth Part Ten
False Truth Part Eleven
…

The Park Hotel Mysteries Series:
1.0 Reservation with Death
2.0 Early Check Out
3.0 Room with a Clue
4.0 Late Arrival
…

Other Books:
Angel of Music
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