Monday, 14 December 2020

Why Worry - William Lawson SJ - The Christian's Vocation to Trust in God

Why Worry! 
The Christian's Vocation to Trust in God
William Lawson SJ
ISBN 9780851832333
eISBN 9781784692735
ASIN B071LR8BHV
CTS Booklet DO214


Over the last few years, I have read over 175 volumes from the CTS. I have read books from many series. And many authors. Lately I have read several books that are part of the  CTS Devotions and Prayer Series. I have read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series, and the Great Saints Series. I picked up this volume after reading Be Yourself, by the same author. I believe these are the only two written by Fr Lawson that are still in print. The book was originally published in 194. Then the reprint edition was in 1998 and the eBook released in 2017. The description of the booklet is:

“Understanding the capacity we all have to worry and fret, Fr Lawson shows that within our anxieties may often lie a doubt, a reluctance even, to believe that we have a Father in heaven who loves us and provides for us. As St Paul had to learn, a father, 'whose grace is sufficient for me'. This inspired and wise little pamphlet, first published over 60 years prior to this edition, will help many people, whoever, wherever, and whatever worries may be calling them, to look towards Christ. Do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself.”

The chapters in the volume are:
Attitude and Character 
Our Lord’s Words 
The Birds of the Air 
Do What You Can 
Worry is Waste 
Worry Does Harm 
Worry Rejects God’s Help 
Worry is Un-Christian 
Sorrow without Sadness 
Never Out of Your Depth 
Providence and Living by Faith 
My Power is Made Perfect in Weakness 
Prayer and Serenity 
Courage in Fear 
Cast All Your Cares Upon God

This is an excellent little volume. The print edition is listed as 22 pages and the eBook edition at 18. I do believe it is the shortest booklet from the Catholic Truth Society that I have read. But the size does not detract from some excellent content. The book begins with these words:

“Human beings, in their attitude to life, are either optimists or pessimists. There are innumerable shades of optimism, from the ‘incurable’ sort to the cautious and occasional: and pessimists range similarly from dwellers in unrelieved gloom to those who vary from light to shade like a landscape mottled with cloud-shadows.”

And continues with:

“It is, you may think, a matter of temperament. Your attitude to life depends on the character with which God endowed you. Perhaps He made you, fortunately for you, of the cheerful sort, enjoying the character that used to be called sanguine, full of the joy of living, much in demand for parties and picnics, brightening the lives of others by the freshness and joy of your manner and appearance. Without much effort, you bring happiness to yourself and others. Small credit to you, it is a gift of God.”

But Fr Lawson does not leave it there he states:

“I should like to convince you that you can help it. No matter what your character may be, there is never any need to be oppressed by life and unequal to it. More than that, it is wrong to be afraid of life, to lose courage, to think that life is too much for you. Being a Christian, you have a privilege and a duty of constant happiness and steady courage. A Christian is, by profession, cheerful, confident, peaceful, serene and courageous.”

This is an excellent little volume. It is an area I have been working on the last few years. And this book though small really helped. I am typically a ‘glass is half empty’ guy. But I am working on it. And this book highlights some sound reasons and methods for doing so. When I was first involved with Campus ministry there were little booklets that could be read again and again. And slowly let the message ink in. This is one of those booklets. The lessons in this book are ones I am working on and trying to instill in my children. 

A few other quotes to convince you of the value of this booklet:

“Not only do you gain nothing by that excess of concern which we call worry: you also lose by it. As the Book of Ecclesiasticus says: ‘Sorrow has destroyed many, and there is no profit in it.’”

“Isn’t it folly to wear out your mind during the day with over-anxiety, and then to lose your sleep in the same vain questionings? Yesterday’s problems are no nearer solution: and you have no heart and no energy for even the ordinary problems of today.”

“You know very well that you can’t manage everything in life on your own. You don’t run your life. Life is a partnership between yourself and God. When you have done your best, you leave what remains to be done to Him - He is your partner. Live your life in that sensible and Christian way, and you can’t be beaten. Nothing can take the heart out of you. You never get out of your depth.”

The end of this book makes reference to another CTS volume, Hope in Adversity it will be a great read, I just need to track it down. This book was a great read and I highly recommend it. It is a book most of us could benefit from reading especially in 2020. In the times we currently find ourselves living in. I am going to try and find his out of print works. 

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

Books by William Lawson SJ:
All Things Are Not Beneficial
Living the Commandments 
Devotion of the Nine First Fridays 
…
Labels: , ,

Posted by at 1 comment:

Sunday, 13 December 2020

The Bible Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition - Blue Sparrow Publishing

The Bible
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Dynamic Catholic (Previous Published)
ISBN 9781929266821 (Softcover)
ISBN 9781635820003 (Premium Edition)


I recently received two bibles to review. This one is The Bible in a premium leather edition. And a New Testament, which looks the same except blue leather instead of green. The first thing I noticed was that they were almost the exact same size. The difference is the paper. The New Testament has much thicker paper. The paper in this one is not the onion paper think you get with many modern bibles. It is about halfway between that super thin and the heavy grade found in the New Testament. They are both single column design. With wide margins with lots of space for notes and thoughts to be written. This New Testament is a wonderful edition for reading. It has no footnotes and minimal endnotes. 

The book is well put together. And should last for years. My youngest daughter loves it and wants her own copy. I started reading both editions when they arrived. This one in Genesis and the NT one in Matthew. I have read the RSV version before and was one of three we could quote from academically when I did my Religious Studies Degree with a focus on Roman Catholic Thought. 

To be honest this is a good bible for just reading. My son likes the look of both the leather and softcover editions. The cover of the softcover really appeals to him. I like the heft and feel of the Leather edition. It is a great non-study bible option.

Note: The publisher has undergone some name changes, from Dynamic Catholic to Wellspring, to Blue Sparrow. Even if you order directly from Blue Sparrow you will likely end up with one with a different publisher’s name inside. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Full Bible Softcover (9781929266821)
Full Bible Premium (9781635820003)
NT Softcover (9781929266746)
NT Premium (9781635820058)



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

Books in the CTS Scriptures Series:
The CTS New Catholic Bible - Jerusalem Bible
The Gospel of Matthew - English Standard Version
The Gospel of Mark - English Standard Version
The Gospel of Luke - English Standard Version
The Gospel of John - English Standard Version
…
Labels: , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 12 December 2020

A Very Jurassic Christmas - Corinna Turner - unSPARKed Book 0.2

A Very Jurassic Christmas
unSPARKed Book 0.2
Corinna Turner
Unseen Books
ISBN 9781910806975
eISBN 9781910806982
ASIN B08P81RL1Q


I really loved reading these books. I tend to read them myself and then reread them with my son. And have gone back and reread some of them on my own. A couple of times we (my son and I) have even gone back and reread previous volumes when a new one came out. The unSPARKed stories are FANtastic! I have read nearly all the published works of Turner. And the variety is stunning. In some ways she is a modern-day Madeleine L’Engle, with stories in many different genres, and to have mastered them all. Her stories are masterfully written. And having read all but 2 that are in print I can recommend them all.

unSPARKed is a series set in a not too distant future. Dinosaurs once again roam the earth. Just because a scientist could do something, did not mean they should have done it. Most people live SPARKed, in cities with walls and electrified fences. There are two groups of people who live unSPARKed, farmers who have electric fences around their farms and live in community with their close neighbours. And Hunters who live most of the time out on the road or off road in HabVI’s Habitat Vehicles. There are two story arcs in this book. The main characters in the first are story are Zech and his nephew Josh, a near starved mother allosaur and her three chicks who end up being named: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. The characters in the second are Darryl, her brother Darryl and her father. The characters that crosses over is Father Benedict. 

Josh convinces his uncle that they should take the mother and chicks to a zoo down south, because the mother had been doing such a good job looking after them. Even if it means giving up their Christmas vacation and his only chance to skate this year. They get a great contract for them but need to drive straight through to Christmas to get them there. And they encounter problem after problem on the journey. Running out of gas, tranqs for the mother, a killer storm. They have an encounter with a friendly rural priest. But to find out if his assistance is enough you will need to read the story. 

Darryl and her family go looking for Father Benedict a rural traveling priest. It is Christmas eve when the story opens and he is well past the time he should have arrived. They head out in a story to find him, and if need be rescue him. 

The chapters are the 4 days of:
1. Christmas Eve 
2. Christmas Day 
3. Saint Stephen’s Day 
4. Feast of the Holy Family

This story is well written. It is riveting on both fronts. And in this one Father Benedict reminds me of Canon Tallis in L’Engle’s works. He was a real life family friend, and appears in both her Kairos, Chronos and non-fiction works. If you have already read any of the unSPARKED stories this one is a great addition to the overall story arc. If you have not delved into them yet It is a great place to start. Note that the first chapter in this was published as a short story in Gifts Visible & Invisible 8 Christmas Stories for Teens, previously.

This is a great story in a wonderful series. And like all of Turner’s books I have read both highly entertaining and enjoyable. Pick it up and give it a try, I am certain it will not disappoint. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Corinna Turner:
I Am Margaret Series:
0.0 The Underappreciated Virtues of Rusty Old Bicycles (A prequel)
0.5 Brothers (Prequel)
1.0 I Am Margaret
1.5 How Snakey Got His Name (Short Story)
2.0 The Three Most Wanted
3.0 Liberation
4.0 Bane's Eyes
5.0 Margo's (Attempted) Diary & Notebook
5.5 An Unexpected Guest
6.0 The Siege of Reginald Hill
6.5 Buttons (Short Story)
7.0 A Saint in the Family
I Am Margaret The Play - Fiorella de Maria
...

Yesterday and Tomorrow Series:
Someday
Tomorrow's Dead
...

unSPARKed Series:
Prequel Short Stories:
0.1 Breach
 7.0 FEAR

Mandy Lamb Series:
Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon
Contributed to:
Secrets: Visible & Invisible 7 Amazing Stories - Catholic Teen Books
Gifts Visible & Invisible 8 Christmas Stories for Teens
Treasures: Visible & Invisible 8 Stories for Teens
Labels: , , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 11 December 2020

The Special Gift of Women - Dr Maria Fedoryka

The Special Gift of Women 
For God the Family and the World
Dr Maria Fedoryka
ISBN 9781860826788
eISBN 9781784694777
ASIN B075P376N5
CTS Booklet DO830


Over the last few years, I have read over 175 volumes from the CTS. I have read books from many series. And many authors. Lately I have read several books that are part of the  CTS Devotions and Prayer Series. I have read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series, and the Great Saints Series. I picked up this volume because the cover and title intrigued me. They intrigued me as a son, and as a father of daughters. And it caught me attention because from the title and description it looked anything but politically correct. I believe it is the only book written by Dr Maria Fedoryka either for the CTS or any other publisher for that matter. I enjoyed this one so much that I went looking to see what else of her writings I could track down, and I could not find any. The description of the booklet is:

“We live in a world which has many confused ideas about gender and seeks to play down any difference between the sexes; yet it is by their very difference that men and women enrich each other's lives. This beautiful ebook considers the gifts that God has entrusted to woman in particular, and the gifts which she can give for God's glory, for the good of those whose lives she touches, and for her own happiness.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Introduction 
Male And Female: Two Ways Of Being, Two Vocations 
The Special Gift Of The Woman 
Woman As Spiritual Bride And Mother 
Special Challenges That Women Face

In the introduction the author quotes Vatican II:

“As you know, the Church is proud to have glorified and liberated woman, and in the course of the centuries, in diversity of characters, to have brought into relief her basic equality with man. But the hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being achieved in its fullness, the hour in which woman acquires in the world an influence, an effect and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women impregnated with the spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid mankind in not falling.”

In the first chapter Dr Fedoryka states:

“All persons are made in the image and likeness of God, but we find, mysteriously, that humanity is divided into two kinds of persons: man and woman. Let us think about this for a moment. We could say that every person is “three dimensional”, with 1) the dimension of human nature, 2) the dimension of being male or female, and 3) the dimension of individuality. On the deepest level, all persons are identical, simply in having a human nature. On the third level, in their individuality, each person is entirely unique, wholly different from every other person, and therefore completely irreplaceable.”

This statement is contrary to popular culture. And Political speak these days. But the author does a great job of balancing the truth of the teaching of the church without attacking those who believe differently. She is clear about what we believe and why it is important. Further on she states:

“All persons wanting to live a virtuous life in a fallen world will face innumerable challenges, many of which are common to men and to women. But a number of the difficulties we encounter will be a direct result of our vocation as men and as women, respectively – and so they will be different in each case.”

And then she focuses on some of the difficulties of motherhood, difficulties facing working women, and finally more general challenges all women face. Towards the beginning of the final section of the book is another quote, this one from the Letter to Women from Saint John Paul II:

“The church sees in Mary the highest expression of the ‘feminine genius,’ and she finds in her a source of constant inspiration. Mary called herself the ‘handmaid of the Lord’ (Lk 1:38). Through obedience to the word of God she accepted her lofty yet not easy vocation as wife and mother in the family of Nazareth. Putting herself at God’s service, she also put herself at the service of others: a service of love.”

This is another excellent volume from the Catholic Truth Society. It is one I look forward to sharing with my daughters as they are a little older. And it is one that will help me love and serve the women in my life better. It is one All women could benefit from reading. An excellent booklet!

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

Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, 10 December 2020

Be Yourself An Explanation of Humility - William Lawson SJ - CTS Explanations

Be Yourself: An Explanation of Humility
Prayers and Devotions
William Lawson SJ
ISBN 9781860820199
eISBN 9781784692711
ASIN B072C6MRL8
CTS Booklet DO252


Over the last few years, I have read over 150 volumes from the CTS. I have read books from many series. And many authors. Lately I have read several books that are part of the  CTS Devotions and Prayer Series. I have read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series, and the Great Saints Series. I picked up this volume based on just the title. For years now my signature file in email has started with “Yours, learning to be” and this book seemed like a good fit for that lifelong quest. The book was originally published in 1950 to much acclaim. Then the reprint edition was in 1997 and the eBook released in 2017. The description of the booklet is:

“William Lawson, SJ was a writer of powerful simplicity. He penned this celebrated text in 1950, and it met with immediate success perhaps due as much to its radical exposure of all that passes for Christian humility as for its enduring explanation of the gospel. We are hardly to be blamed, he says, if we do not know what humility is; there are so many fakes. Yet the simple virtue consists above all else in being your true self. The challenge Christ brings involves knowing the truth about yourself, and following Christ as God has made you.”

The chapters in the volume are:
Fakes 
Humility is Anonymous 
Humility is Various 
Humility is Truth 
Know the Bad in You 
Know the Good in You 
Your Limitations 
Dependence on God 
Deficiencies 
Being Someone Else 
Play Your Part 
Practice of Humility 
Three Degrees of Humility 
Be Yourself

And it is an excellent little volume. It is one of the shortest reads I have read from the CTS Booklets series. I have already read this book twice and will likely read it many more times. I highlighted 4 passages my first time through. They were:

“But humility is, in a sense, all the virtues: and it shows itself, at different times, as faith, confidence, minding your own business, joy, courage, giving a piece of your mind, gentleness, and any goodness you can name.”

“What is required for humility is that you should know the truth about yourself, and that you should live that truth: you should know yourself fully, and you should live fully according to that knowledge. Then there will be no shams in you, no deceits and false pretences. And you will be just what you should be in your relations to God and to your fellow-creatures.”

“It is not humble to be downcast, to be full of self-reproaches, even about grave sin once it has been removed by grace.”

“The truth about yourself is that you are made by God to be full of goodness. Humility for you is to live a life of goodness in your own special way according to your own special gifts from God. 
     Be yourself. It is a great life!”

The last are the final words of the volume. And they rang so true I returned to the beginning and reread it the next day. When I was in university and on a retreat one of the speakers recommended reading a chapter of the book of Psalms every day for a year. The repetition was designed to help sing home the message and go deeper into the material. And like the Jewish tradition to allow it to sink in. I plan on doing that with this volume. I will read it at least once a month for the next year.

This is one of those books that when I read it, I really wishes I had come across it when I was much younger. And it is a volume I will recommend and promote to friends, family, and youth in my circles. It is a book any Catholic, any Christian would benefit from reading, and applying. It is an excellent read and now I want to track down some of his other volumes for the Catholic Truth Society.

A great book I highly recommend!

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

Books by William Lawson SJ:
All Things Are Not Beneficial
Living the Commandments 
Devotion of the Nine First Fridays 
…

Books in the CTS Explanations Series:
Marriage Annulment in the Catholic Church
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Does the Church oppress Women?
Organ Transplant – and the definition of Death
Abortion
Be Yourself An Explanation of Humility - William Lawson SJ
Gene Therapy – and Human Genetic Engineering
Prenatal tests
Gift of life and Love
Islam
Euthanasia
Infertility
Homosexuality
Cloning and Stem Cell Research
Contraception and Chastity
Freemasonry and the Christian Faith
Intelligent Life in the Universe
Spirits, Mediums & The Afterlife
Labels: , , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, 9 December 2020

The Land of the Spring Dragon - Tracey West and Matt Loveridge - Dragon Masters Book 14

The Land of the Spring Dragon
Dragon Masters Book 14
Tracey West (Author)
Matt Loveridge (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9781338263749
eISBN 9781338263763
ASIN B07M88TQ7H


Between reading with my kids and my nephews I have now read a Dragon Masters book 22 times. And currently there is no sign of it slowing down. As a family we really love these books! A few years ago, I read the first eight books of this series to my son. Then his interest was drawn away. My youngest daughter really enjoyed them and the three of us read them, she listened to her brother or I read. This year my youngest has been reading them to me. She gets a little frustrated that I have not read ahead now, because it often means she reads an extra chapter or two because I cannot tell her what is about to happen. Confirm or refute her guess. This year we found out that my nephew has been reading them and that he was only 1 book ahead of us. He is reading the physical books and we are reading the eBook editions. This is a great story in a wonderful series. It is one of my favorites. My youngest daughter is insistent that we will read the whole series. And she has spent her reading challenge money buying all the kindle editions that are available. Including Griffin’s Guide for Dragon Masters.

I have said it before, and I will state it again, ‘this series really has staying power’. I have read some of the stories 4 or 5 times now. And have been reading them for over 4 years. And I still enjoy the stories as do my children. My son who thought he had outgrown these stories has been sitting in and listening to his sister read them to me again lately. It is also great to know that my brother’s family loves them as much as ours. It is fascinating to watch the kids interact and compare notes about the books that they are both reading. And to predict what will happen next based on the endings of the book, or title of the next as we queue it up. 

One of the best things about this series is that it is a true series. In that each story builds upon the next. The stories are strong enough to be read on their own, but as a whole we get to watch the growth of the group as they come together as a team and learn to work together and support each other. We see some characters come in and out of the stories. At the end there is usually a hint, or a hook for the next story. In this one we meet new dragon master named Breen and her dragon Fallyn. Drake and worm travel to Inis Banba to try and meet this dragon to ask for help healing Braken from the earthquake damage. But once they are there, Drake must go on a quest by himself to the land of the fairies. And there he encounters many magical creatures and several tests. He encounters Red Cap fairies who look like garden gnomes. Hinky Pink a trickster. And a pooka. He must solve a riddle from the forest fairies. And even an ogre. But to find out if Drake is successful and elicits the help of the spring dragon you will need to read the book.  

This is the first volume illustrated by Matt Loveridge. I believe he also illustrated two more volumes and the Special edition, Griffin’s Guide for Dragon Masters. I believe Matt is the sixth illustrator so far for the series. The illustrations keep a consistent feel and look. But each artist leaves their own mark on the books they work on. Some illustrations stand alone and some wrap around the text and span two-page spreads. And my daughter absolutely loved the cover of this one. My daughter absolutely loved the drawings of the spring dragon. Especially one from above as the dragon was in flight. 

This is another great read in a wonderful series. These are fun books for readers both young and young at heart. They can be enjoyed over and over again. I am continually impressed with the staying power of this series. After multiple reads over several years I still really enjoy returning to the Dragon Masters. And look forward too many more reads in this series, as my daughter is insistent, she will read them all to me! And she wavered on a rating for this one but ended up giving it 5/5 stars! At first she debated 4 because it was scarier than many of the others. But the beauty of the spring dragon brough the stars back up to 5. A great read in a great series!

Dragon Master Books:
1. Rise of the Earth Dragon
2. Saving the Sun Dragon
3. Secret of the Water Dragon
4. Power of the Fire Dragon
5. Song of the Poison Dragon
6. Flight of the Moon Dragon
7. Search for the Lightning Dragon















Labels:

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Gus Busbi - Jim Sano - Father Tom Fitzpatrick Book 2

Gus Busbi 
Father Tom Fitzpatrick Book 2
ISBN 9781987970210
ASIN B08P9W8C3C


This was the second story I have read by Jim Sano. The first is in the same series, Father Tom Fitzpatrick series, and was titled The Father's Son. It was an excellent read and when I heard that there was a second volume, I was very excited to read it. Father Tom is an amazing character, and I hope we get books featuring him for years to come. I had heard great things about Jim’s first book and held off reading it. That was my loss and going forward I will be reading his works as soon as they become available. The Father Tom stories are very well written. Have excellent characters, draw you in and keep you hooked. The writing is excellent.

The Father Tom stories are contemporary fiction. They are realistic fiction. They are set in our world, in our time, and with our issues and struggles. In this story we have a few main characters. And Father Tom is an influence on most of them. Our two main characters are Gus Busbi, whom the story is named after and Jamiel Russell. The story takes place in a Boston neighbourhood. Gus Busbi is a typical grumpy old man. He has lost a lot. And is not longer really living but going through the motions. He is renting out the main part of his house to Celia a single mother and her son Jamiel. Jam is a star basketball player. But he is at a point in his life where his decisions will have a huge impact, for himself, and those who care about him. Celia moved to get out of the projects. She wants a better life for her son. He is a star on the St. Francis School team. And does well academically as well. Father Tom is the chaplain at the school and rector of the attached parish. Celia and Jamiel attend the Baptist church of Reverend Richard Obasi.

The story revolves around decisions we make, and the consequences of those actions. Jamiel is being drawn into gang activity. And he turns to Father Tom to help him out. Father Tom makes him repay the debt by helping Gus around the house. And something unexpected happens. 

This is one of the best contemporary stories I have read in a few years. There is not as much philosophy, theology, and depth of conversation as the first volume. But in some ways, it deals with even heavier matters. The story is deeply moving. And the story will make you think. You will find yourself reflecting on your own life, area’s you need to work on, area’s you need to improve. And maybe even some old things you need to let go. The beginning of the description of the book muses:

“What can a black teen from the gang-controlled South End projects of Boston and a seventy-year-old curmudgeonly Italian man, who has given up on life, have in common?”

And the answer as might surprise you is, a lot more than you might imagine. But to fund out what you will need to read the book. It is an excellent read and I highly recommend it. But I will warn you, it is a novel that will leave an impact. It is not fluff just to pass the time. However, it is well worth it! A great read in what I hope will be a long series.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by Jim Sano:
Labels: , , ,

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)