eCatechist

On Hope by Pope Francis

Loyola Press 

Bruised & Wounded: Struggling to Understand Suicide by Ronald Rolheiser

 

Paraclete Press

The Transformed Heart: Spirituality, Religion, and the Struggle for Integrity by Tom Zanzig

 

Review by Dan Thomas, retired parish director of religious education, Dayton, OH.

The essence of this book is captured by a phrase used in the introduction, “listen to your life.” What Tom Zanzig does through the stories he tells of his own life and those (with permission) of his daughter’s is to explore a healthy relationship between spirituality and religion that leads to a lived faith that transforms us into disciples of Jesus. We are invited into this through frequent reflection questions that challenge us to look at our own life.

Zanzig explores a new model, the spiritual growth cycle (hunger, search, awakening, response), which calls us to look at our life and its struggles as the source for the deepening of our spirituality and religion. All this is done through the sharing of stories and several charts that map the process. This process leads as to Jesus as the way of transformation through a “theology from below” that “redeems” the old theology into a powerful Love story of God’s relationship with humans and the universe.  This frees us to live a full human and divine life in this loving God, the final stage of which is contemplation.

This process is a guide for our own lives and can help us guide our others to a spirituality that is life-giving. It is a renewed way of seeing faith that frees us from fear in order to experience a Loving God who calls us to a ministry of service. Finally it looks for meaning in real life in order that God is discovered in the here and now.

An Outstanding Book!

Orbis Books

Hispanic Ministry in Catholic Parishes: A Summary Report of Findings from the National Study of Catholic Parishes with Hispanic Ministry By Hosffman Ospino, PhD

In this groundbreaking nationwide study of Hispanic ministries in U.S. parishes, Dr. Hosffman Ospino describes not only the reality of the Church in the United States today, but the Church it is becoming.

Our Sunday Visitor

 

Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kingship by Gregory Boyle

Simon and Schuster

NPR - Fresh Air Interview

Finding Your Spiritual Direction as a Catechist by William B. Miller

Twenty-Third Publications

Leo's Gift

Leo’s Gift is a story of a young boy who, through the help of his big sister, discovers a treasure he has inside and a gift he has to give to the world. Sometimes children – like Leo – need a loving nudge from someone else to help them realize their talents. Leo’s Gift is a wonderful way to encourage children not only to think about their personal talents and to explore how they might share them to help others, but also to urge children to recognize and champion the unique gifts and others. 

Order & More Information

Simple Contemplative Spirituality by Charles W. Sidoti

 Simple Contemplative Spirituality creatively brings into focus what it means to live a contemplative life. Like a good parable, these reflections lead the reader to a deeper truth and expose challenging questions to facilitate growth and increase our capacity to love and be loved.

Amor Deus Publishing

The Gospel in Gerard Manley Hopkins Edited by Margaret R. Ellsberg

 

How did a Catholic priest who died a failure become one of the world's greatest poets? Discover in his own words the struggle for faith that gave birth to some of the best poetry of all time.

Plough Publishing House

The Life and Times of Martin Luther by Meike Roth-Beck. Illustrated by Klaus Ensikat

 Eerdmans

 

 

Twenty-Third Publications - New Books

Seeking Spiritual Balance in an Off-Kilter World: How to find your "center in the circus of life by Kathy Hendricks

Praying on Empty: A guide to rediscovering your prayerful self by Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND

The Twelve Steps Meet the Gospel: Reflections on scripture and stories of hope for those in recovery by Dick Rice and Trish Vanni

Twenty-Third Publications

 

Free Download: Reading Your Bible: The Journey That Will Change Your Life by Steve Mueller

Reading Your Bible: The Journey That Will Change Your Life by Steve Mueller is a free 20 page booklet inviting individuals to begin the journey. Questions for journaling and discussion follow each of the eight topics.

Download available at www.faithAlivebooks.com

Living Prayer by Bishop Robert Morneau

 

Drawing on years of pastoral experience, Morneau offers this simple and versatile guide to prayer. You’ll discover:

• some basic principles for prayer
• the habits of prayerful people
• a practical approach to prayer
• advice about overcoming common obstacles

You’ll also learn how the Our Father is the central prayer of Christians and how the Beatitudes and Eucharist call us to a more prayerful life.

Franciscan Media

Stations of the Cross by Timothy Radcliffe & Art by Martin Erspamer

One of my favorite books for lenten reading and inspiration is Stations of the Cross. I look forward to reading, praying and meditating on one station per day.

From the Publisher:

During Lent we are surrounded by visual reminders of Jesus' last hours. In Stations of the Cross, renowned author and spiritual master Timothy Radcliffe, OP, offers readers a thoughtful meditation on this powerful devotion. Through word and image Radcliffe offers a profound experience of reflecting on the Stations of the Cross that is both visually and spiritually inspiring. With each reflection, he draws from stunning art commissioned by award-winning liturgical artist Martin Erspamer, OSB.

 Liturgical Press

 

https://www.litpress.org/Products/4953/Stations-of-the-Cross

Reflections from Pope Francis - Interview with Susan Stark and Dan Pierson

 

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Only a little over a year into his papacy, Pope Francis (@Pontifex) is being hailed by the news media, Christians, and non-Christians alike as a refreshing figure in the Vatican. His humility, piousness, and forward-thinking ideas rooted in the Bible have been celebrated around the world.

With Pope Francis visiting the USA, Bible Gateway interviewed Susan Stark and Dan Pierson (@faithAlivebooks) about their book, Reflections from Pope Francis: An Invitation to Journaling, Prayer, and Action (Tarcher, 2015).

Interview

Laudato Si - On Care for Our Common Home

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Text from the Vatican

Discussion Guide from the USCCB

A Readers' Guide from the National Catholic Reporter

Overview from Vatican.Va

Ten Key Excerpts by the Washington Post

Reflection from Father Robert Barron