September 2015
Praying the Rosary: A Journey Through Scripture and Art
Fr. Denis McBride, CSsR
Liguori Publications $19.99
Meditating on the rosary—one of our most sacred devotions—we are invited to look, to listen, and to look again. We are encouraged not simply to recite prescribed prayers but to move beyond our recitation, to enter the beauty and complexity of the lives of Jesus and Mary, growing closer to them as we prayerfully connect their lives to our own. Art and Scripture provide opportunities to ponder. With this in mind, Redemptorist priest Denis McBride has paired a religious masterpiece to each mystery of the rosary, with the invitation to participate in these events, placing ourselves within the images of Rembrandt, Titian, Van Gogh and others, embracing those sights, sounds, persons and sensitivities we might imagine. His format is simple: Biblical narratives and artistic representations, followed by brief reflections and a prayer on some aspect of that particular mystery.
Unleashed
Sonja Corbitt
Ave Maria Press $15.95
Tagged with its comprehensive, perhaps daunting subtitle—How to Receive Everything the Holy Spirit Wants to Give You—
Sonja Corbitt’s latest book pairs her passion for God’s word with lived testimony that attentiveness to Scripture is central in recognizing God’s voice and the movement of the Holy Spirit. “I wrote the book,” Corbitt explains, “because that’s really what happened in my life. Through the practice of Lectio Divina, the Spirit moved powerfully in my relationships, circumstances, desires, rebellions, wounds and patterns of behavior.” Lectio, the rich contemplative tradition of approaching Scripture as the teaching of God meant directly for the reader, supports each of the book’s eight chapters. With warmhearted confidence, gentle good humor and practical prompting, Corbitt demonstrates how the Bible speaks clearly to the questions, challenges, and purpose of life. “I so much hope to guide others to the direct, intimate connection with God that’s available on a daily basis through the Scriptures.”
Letter to Families
St. John Paul ii
Sophia institute $17.99
We are created to live in relationship, to abide in community. One of the most significant of these communities remains the family, in which our entire network of social relations is grounded. The vision and witness of Christian marriage and family life put forth in St. John Paul II’s Letter to Families comes “straight from the heart” of the pope whose priestly life was “one long testimony to creative fidelity,” insists Archbishop Charles J. Chaput in his foreword. Penned for the United Nations’ International Year of the Family in 1994, the document continues to offer a timeless perspective on understanding, appreciating and experiencing the grace inherent in each “domestic church.” This new study edition provides an important tool and would be useful for group discussion in homes or parishes. Here is a letter from a caring father to his children that extends affection and counsel, not in the abstract, but in a personal prayer that Christ might dwell with our family of nations through your individual family. Please, open your mail.
Elizabeth Ann Seton
Anne merwin
Pauline Books and Media $10.95
“Perseverance is a great grace—to go on gaining and advancing every day, we must be resolute, bearing and suffering what our blessed forerunners did.” These words from the last writings of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born saint of the United States, demonstrate how clearly her life and work teach us to put our faith into action. Responding to the needs of her day and the events of her time, and willingly answering the call of Christ, She pioneers the American Catholic school system and eventually founds the Sisters of Charity. In the newest volume of Pauline Books Saints by Our Side series, Anne Merwin shares the story and spirit of Mother Seton in a thoughtful, engaging way, recognizing her as “a heroic model of holiness.” She notes that Elizabeth’s life “would reveal the love and mission God has for your own.” It’s a relevant read this month, the fortieth anniversary of St. Elizabeth’s canonization.
The Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Homebrewed Evangelism
Sarah Vabulas
Liguori Publications $19.99
Opening with a chapter on the wedding feast at Cana doesn’t seem inappropriate for a book about alcohol and the Catholic Church. Yet author Sarah Vabulas, a social-media consultant who after hours blogs and tweets as the Catholic Drinkie doesn’t take this chapter where you’d think. She does not embrace the story because Jesus’ first miracle turned water to wine, or because his presence at the wedding raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament. It speaks to her because Jesus did as his mother told him! The truth that with obedience comes blessing cannot be overlooked. This is the pleasantly surprising style of Vabulas as we learn how her deep love for the Church and her thirst for a good homebrew came together on a mission of evangelism. An earthy blend of Scripture, history—(so why is wine important in church?) tradition, good humor, and helpful homebrewing tips, this book offers a full-bodied balance of faith and real life and the author’s desire that both should be savored and shared.
