Catholic Company Book Review: The Faith Understood

The Faith Understood

About the Book:
Discover the basic principles of authentic biblical interpretation. Learn why the Magisterium is the only way to correctly interpret the Bible and the writings of the Church fathers, doctors, and saints. Find out why Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium are the only three legs of the theological tripod that preserves the whole truth about God. See why faith and reason, science and theology, the natural and the supernatural are always agreeable. Explore the Incarnation and its primary Christological heresies that threatened the early Church. Unlock one of the most misunderstood areas of Catholic theology in the person of Mary. Unravel the mystery of eschatology—the "last things"—judgment, purgatory, hell, and heaven. Great for college students, adult faith formation programs, and motivated Catholics aspiring to learn more about their faith.

My Comments:
One thing I've never quite understood was theology.  I mean I attended a little over a year of Catholic school, eleven years of CCD classes and catechist formation classes.  I read a lot.  "Theology" is one of those words I keep seeing, but I've never quite figured out what it means to know or study theology.  It's not Bible study, it's not prayer.  What is it?  Well, according to The Faith Understood, theology is "a reasoning process about God and all He has made known to us through a process called divine Revelation.".  Ok, so now I know something,right?  Well,...

Topics in the book include the relationship between faith and reason, an introduction to Sacred Scriptures which reviews the contents of the official canon, and briefly discusses the deuterocanonical and apocryphal books, as well as examining the topic of inspiration as related to Scripture.  The next topic addressed is the interpretation of Scripture.  The section on Divine Revelation  covers revelation through Scripture, through Sacred Tradition, and through the Magesterium and Pope.  Papal Infallibility is also covered. The Trinity is addressed, as is sin.  A chapter I found especially interesting was on the Incarnation and Redemption, which covered a number of heresies and their erroneous beliefs. The book concludes with a chapter on Mary and one on Eschatology--the branch of theology that focuses on the "last things" that take place beginning with our bodily death.

The book is easy to read and reads more like a textbook than a devotional.  It is a book for people looking for "meat" -- what do we believe and why, without the messiness of feelings or personal experiences of the reader or author.

I'd like to thank the Catholic Company for providing a complimentary review copy.  Grade:  B+

About the Author:
Mark Zia, S.T.D., received a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Italy. He is associate professor of Theology and director of Academic Enrichment Programs at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He and his wife Julia are the parents of six children.
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Faith Understood. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

Catholic Company Review: The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

About the Book:

What is the Breviary? How do I pray it each day?

The Liturgy of the Hours is the daily prayer of the universal Church, but all those "hours," the hymns, the multicolored ribbons, and page-flipping are intimidating. Daria Sockey provides a solid overview in this practical handbook, giving you the confidence you need to start right away.

Learn about the history of the Liturgy of the Hours, why it is relevant today, and how to choose from the many resources available for the prayers and hymns. Sockey helps you start slowly and build a daily habit that can fit into even the busiest schedule.

My Comments:

Somewhere along the line through novels I read I became aware that there existed something called the Breviary.  I'd never seen one, but I knew it existed.  Then came the internet and I was able to go to Universalis and read and pray the Liturgy of the Hours myself.  My first impression was that that was a lot of praying, but as someone told me once, praying is the job of those who pray the whole thing.  

In short, for the uninitiated, the Breviary, now known as the Liturgy of the Hours, is the second official liturgy of the Catholic church, the Mass being the first.  The Liturgy of the Hours, which all priests and most religious are supposed to pray at least part of daily, is said several times throughout the course of the day.  Each set of prayers is primarily Psalms but also includes other scripture, hymns and prayers.  It is designed to be prayed in community though individuals can pray it alone.

Daria Sockey  gives a short history of the Liturgy of the Hours and explains why we should pray it.  She lists both printed Breviarys (prayer books) and online versions.  She then looks at the various hours and describes the format for each.  She then briefly describes how to use the printed versions where  you have to figure out which set of prayers fit the day. I think I'll stick with the online versions.

I've been looking for a way to beef up my prayer life and I'm going to take Sockey's advice to pick one of the hours and pray it regularly.  I'm giving this book a B+ as being informative, easy to read and motivating.  

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

About the Author:

Daria' Sockey's articles on Catholic life have appeared in many publications. She authored several of the original Ignatius Press Faith and Life catechisms, and currently writes for Catholic Digest. Her book, The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours, was published by Servant Books in 2013. Organizations Daria has been honored to associate with over the years include Catholics United for the Faith, Thomas Aquinas College,Franciscan University, Couple to Couple League, and the World Apostolate of Fatima. Chosen lifestyles have included both the homeschooling model and the kids-in-school/mom works outside the home model. She is a mother of seven and grandmother of one.  She blogs about the Liturgy of the Hours at Coffee and Canticles.

Catholic Company Book Review: Jesus: What Catholics Believe

Jesus:  What Catholics Believe

About the Book:

What do Catholics really believe about Jesus? Dr. Alan Schreck offers a thorough answer to this question. Jesus is central to everything the Church believes and teaches, yet few of us really understand the significance of who Jesus is in our own lives. Dr. Schreck explains when and how Jesus lived, what he taught, his human and divine nature, and how he continues to act today in the sacraments, through the Holy Spirit, and in the lives of believers. Written in an engaging, straightforward style, this is a book for anyone wanting to know more about Jesus. Alan Schreck is a professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. Jesus - What Catholics Believe addresses the historical Jesus, his mission on earth, how he saves through the mystery of the cross, the hope of resurrection, a defense of his claim to be the Son of God, and Jesus in Catholic tradition. Makes a great gift for a catechumen coming through RCIA, or for anyone who would like to learn more about Jesus from Church tradition.

My Comments:

This book, which extensively quotes both Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with other Church documents, tries to give the Catholic Church's answer to that ancient question "Who do you say that I am?".  Alan Schreck first looks at the sources we have for information about Jesus and how the Church understands and uses those sources.  Next, he compares and contrasts "Christology from Above" and "Christology from below".  The mission of Jesus is the next topic he tackles which then leads to the challenge of discipleship for us. The mystery of the cross leads to the hope of the resurrection.  Finally Schreck looks at both the humanity and divinity of Christ.  

In a relatively short easy-to-reRead book Schreck helps us not only learn what the Church believes about Jesus but why, and what difference it makes.  Grade:  B+

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Jesus: What Catholics Believe. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

Bible Adventures & Activities

Bible Adventures and Activities

About the Book:

How do we pass on faith to our children, a faith which becomes integrated into their daily lives?

Introduce your children to the meaningful Bible stories contained within Bible Adventures and Activities, capturing their imagination and inspiring them for a lifetime. This is a great, affordable resource for parents and teachers alike. As a hybrid book comprising Bible stories and activities, your child or student can connect faith to everyday life.

Starting with God's creation and ending with Jesus' resurrection, each Bible story alternates with a corresponding set of activities to reinforce learning. The stories are written in an age-appropriate, easy-to-understand language. Colorful illustrations that are historically and culturally accurate accompany the text and activities for each story, providing helpful visual aids.

Activities include naming the creatures that God made, completing jigsaw puzzles of the Roman officer who had faith in Jesus, solving Moses' maze to the promise land, finding Bible characters in a word search, and unscrambling letters revealing what God has given David. By engaging in these stimulating activities, your child will be attentively focusing on the Bible stories while building creative and critical thinking skills.

Complete with a solutions manual, kids can participate in their own learning experience as they set out on the adventures of the Bible!

My Comments:

This one is a keeper and has earned the enthusiastic endorsement of my eight year old.  As a Catholic parent I have rejected some children's Bible storybooks or activity packs as containing material that goes against Church teachings.  I have accepted some other non-Catholic materials but have often found that their non-Catholic nature comes forth in the stories chosen, or more precisely, not chosen. I have found few non-Catholic children's Bibles that featured the Last Supper as one of the stories, and, if they tell the story about the Wedding at Cana, they downplay Mary's role.  

This book is published by Pauline Books and Media, a/k/a the Daughters of St. Paul so it is Catholic.  The stories do include the Last Supper and Mary is mentioned at the Wedding at Cana. 

Maybe I'm too Pollyanna-ish but I don't like it when books for young kids get too gory about the Crucifixion.  In this book, the Crucifixion is handled in a gentle way.  First there is a picture of Pilate judging Jesus and on those pages the story is told that Jesus was arrested and questioned by the Roman governor, who wanted to find a way to release him. It goes on to say that the crowd called for him to be crucified so Jesus was forced to carry his cross.  Despite all the good he had done, Jesus was crucified.  A few of his friends and his mother watched, weeping, until Jesus called out to his Father before dying.  The next two page spread has the activities, and on it you can see the backs of the crosses, and Mary weeping.  

Each story is followed by a two page spread with activities such as word searches, codes, mazes, or missing letter puzzles.  My eight year old is enjoying them.  

I highly recommend this book for the seven to ten year old age group.  Grade:  A.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Bible Adventures & Activities. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your family Advent activities and supplies this year, such as Advent wreaths and calendars for kids, as well as Christmas decorations such as nativity scene sets and religious Christmas gifts for the whole family.

Catholic Company Book Review: Candy Canes in Bethlehem

Candy Canes In Bethlehem

About the Book:

As their world grows larger, young children start reflecting upon their own traditions, while becoming intrigued by diverse cultural practices. This festive Christmas storybook guides children through uncovering the religious meanings behind secular symbols, and the various cultural traditions celebrate the holiday.

Ideal for ages 6-8, children will be drawn to the read aloud-friendly format and the brightly colored, brushstroke illustrations. Teachers, parents, grandparents, librarians, and catechists will find this book an entertainingly educational way to illuminate the faith which celebrates the birth of Jesus in many ways.

The story opens with Christmas fast approaching. Daniel is excited to help Deacon Matthews with a special project in his parish…until he is assigned the boring nativity scene! Deacon Matthews senses Daniel's disappointment, and explains to him that the manger scene is the most important part of Christmas: Christmas represents Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and without his birth, there would be no reason to celebrate. To encourage Daniel's enthusiasm about the project, he suggests personalizing the nativity scene.<

Daniel becomes inspired by ideas from around the world-from Kenya, Mexico, Japan, Native America, and Australia. Excited by origami crane decorations, Three Kings tribal elders, a glass pickle ornament, kangaroo reindeers, and Christmas piñatas, he comes to the realization that these unique gifts of tradition are all celebrations of the same event: the birth of Jesus Christ! Like Daniel, your child too, will learn how so many unique traditions can exist within a single faith community.

Using his imagination, Daniel creates a nativity scene unlike any other, combining many cultural traditions and adding a touch of his own: a miniature candy cane placed beside Jesus in the cradle. When Deacon Matthews sees the final masterpiece, he is bewildered.

But maybe this time it is Daniel who has something to teach Deacon Matthews about the meaning of Christmas….

My Comments:

My eight year old enjoyed this book.  I thought the illustrations were well done and the story did a good job of not only repeating the age-old story but also of telling us how people around the world celebrate.  I have to say I never knew kangaroos pulled Santa's sleigh in Australia or that Lebanese folks planted basil.  The point is made that all our Christmas traditions are there for one reason, to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  

Published by Pauline Books and Media, the book is distinctively Catholic in that the action takes place in the parish hall at All Saints Parish and one of the characters is a deacon.  I don't think there is any reason a non-Catholic would mind if his/her child got this book.   

I'd like to thank the Catholic Company for making this book available for review.  Grade:  B+

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Candy Canes in Bethlehem. The Catholic Company is a great resource for tools to help you participate in the Year of Faith, including Year of Faith bible studies and exclusive Year of Faith personalized gifts. The Catholic Company also has all your Advent needs in stock, such as Advent calendars and Advent wreaths.

Catholic Company Book Review: Eucharist Adoration Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition

Eucharistic Adoration Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition

About the Book:

Each of the fifty-two reflections in this book follows the advice of St. Clare to:

• Gaze upon Christ, with a quote from Francis or Clare
• Consider Christ, with a meditation from the Franciscan tradition
• Contemplate Christ, with new prayers
• Imitate Christ, by responding to a personal challenge

My Comments:

I've taken this book with me to adoration the last couple of weeks and I guess I'd classify it as about average.  For those with a special devotion to St. Francis or St. Clare, perhaps it would be better than average, but in any case, I don't mean average in a bad way; rather I mean it does what the title implies-it gives you reflection with which to start (or continue a period of Eucharistic Adoration.  It is just that none of the reflections have seemed extraordinary to me.  

It is written by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, a community based in Lacrosse Wisconsin.  It is the community that used to staff the parish in my mother's hometown.  Each reflection is labeled with the name of the author, either a FSPA sister, or associate or prayer partner.  To assure full disclosure, two of the sisters are relatives of mine (nope, never met either one and without pulling out my father's genealogy charts, I couldn't tell you how exactly they are related though I'd guess they are first or second cousins of my mother.  The community has had  perpetual adoration since 1878.   

Each reflection is divided into four parts, to follow St.Clare's instructions to gaze, consider, contemplate and imitate Christ.  The "Gaze" section of each reflection generally quotes something by St. Francis or St. Clare. For example, one of giving thanks for God's Goodness says "You may totally love Him [Christ] Who gave Himself totally for your love".  The "Consider" section talks about things for which we can be thankful.  The "Contemplate" section is a prayer of thanks and the "Imitate" section says to give thanks for God's great love and care, for the beauty of the world and for God's goodness.  

Grade: B.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Eucharistic Adoration Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition. This is also a great online Catholic store for all your religious shopping needs, such as gifts for Confirmation and gifts for a baby baptism.

Catholic Company Book Review: Life Entwined with Lily's

Life Entwined with  Lily's 

About the Book:

A dark day in Beth Lovely's past casts a mournful shadow over her entire future. And although Beth has revealed her unspeakable secret to no one, her Aunt Lily is unwittingly responsible for a resuscitating breath of new hope. And so comes an unpredictable and satisfying conclusion to a trilogy that chronicles Lily's impact on three generations of family.

My Comments:

This is the third book in the Lily trilogy.  I loved the first one (Until Lilly)  and liked the second (Wherever Lily Goes).  I'd put this one in the "really liked" category.  

This book starts with Lily, a woman with Down's syndrome, dying.  She's in her mid-fifties and has had a stroke.  She never regains consciousness during the entire books so the part she plays in it is through family memories and how the family deals with her impending death.  

The main character in this book, as noted above, is Beth, Lily's niece.  Lily has lived with her since not long after her (Lily's) husband died (yes, Lily married).  Beth was the troubled teen in Wherever Lily Goes.  This is the story of exactly how troubled she was, how she still carries guilt from those days, and how she finally finds peace.  It is very much the story of her spiritual life and as such religion, in particular, Catholicism, is a very important and prominent part of the book.  I think the only sacrament that didn't get mentioned was Confirmation (and maybe I just forgot about it).   

Why "really liked", rather than "loved"? To me some of the plot twists just turned out to be too much.  There aren't any of them that are unbelievable on their own, but the combination of all of them just made me think Sherry Boas was more interested in making certain points than in telling a realistic story.  The main point she made and made well is that Lily, born with Down's syndrome to a single mother in the early 21st century, Lily, who would have been aborted if her mother had done what most moms do, Lily was the means to salvation, both heavenly and earthly, for this family.  Grade:  B+

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Life Entwined with Lily's . They are also a great source for a baptism gifts or first communion gifts.

Catholic Company Book Review: Wherever Lily Goes

Wherever Lily Goes

About the Book:

Terry Lovely isn't expecting any great rewards for her decision to uproot her family, move halfway across the country and take care of her sister Lily, who has Down Syndrome. What Terry will eventually discover, however, is that Lily will give more than she will ever take, including a certain something Terry doesn't even know is missing.

My Comments:

I loved the first book in this trilogy, Until Lily (see my review) so I grabbed this one when The Catholic Company offered it for review.  While I enjoyed it, I found it more preachy and less well written than Until Lily.  

Terry's family consists of her and her husband, along with their three girls, the youngest of whom is about ten.  The oldest is a troubled teen.  When Lily needs a caretaker, Terry and her husband decide to uproot the family and move across the country to be with Lily, rather than disrupting Lily's life and bringing her to them.  They quickly become friends with Lily's favorite priest who becomes Terry's spiritual mentor.  Though  Terry has not been much of a churchgoer, she joins a mom's group in Fr. Fitz's parish and studies Pope John Paul II's On the Dignity and Vocation of Women which is quoted in many places throughout the book.  

This whole trilogy is set in the future,which is a little confusing and hard to remember at times.  There are just a couple of references to the past, which remind the reader that the story is set about 30 years in the future.  In this book Terry remembers the Swine Flu year and how everyone was always carrying hand sanitizer.  In another scene a mom tells Terry that due to socialized medicine the bureaucrats, not the parents, got to decide if premature babies were treated or only given "comfort care".  

Conversations with Fr. Fitz deal with forgiveness of others and forgiveness of self.  He urges prayer as the first step in helping a troubled child.  Still, for all the conversations with Fr.Fitz, Terry herself never comes across as terribly religious; in fact she readily admits that she doesn't pray and doesn't feel anything when she  does--which gives Father an opening to talk about the dark night of the soul. 

All in all, it was an enjoyable story, a little heavy-handed on the religion but still a good read.  Grade:  B.  

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Wherever Lily Goes. They are also a great source for a baptism gifts or first communion gifts.

Catholic Company Book Review: Until Lily

Until Lily

About the Book:

Bev Greeley could have never predicted that the burden she tried to cast off long ago would become her only source of joy in her final days. Until Lily is a moving book, rich in the universal struggles we all face, illuminated by Bev's contrite reflection on the life chosen for her -- a life filled with the strife, chaos, tragedy, loss, laughter, redemption and deep meaning possible only when you hand yourself over to love.

My Comments:

Wow!  I don't give many A's but this self-published novella gets one.  Bev is dying of Parkinson's Disease.  She lives in a nursing home and the highlight of her day is her daily visit from her niece/adopted daughter, Lily, who has Down's Syndrome.  The book, told in the first person, is the story of how she encouraged her sister, a single mom, to do the sensible thing when pregnant with Lily, how she came to be Lily's adoptive mom and how Lily has returned the love given to her tenfold.  She talks about the struggles inherent in raising a special needs child, and how she often failed to love Lily as she ought.

It is a Catholic novel, with a re-conversion/confession scene.  Other than that, lack of faith in the hereafter is more prominent than faith, and I'd by no means call the book preachy.  It is the story of a woman who did not completely choose motherhood looking back at her life and the difference motherhood made.  It is beautiful story that is beautifully written and I highly recommend it.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Until Lily . They are also a great source for a baptism gifts or first communion gifts.

Catholic Company Book Review: The Sacraments in Scripture

Lectio Divina Bible Study:  The Sacraments in Scripture

About the Book:

The Bible testifies to the crucial role that the Sacraments play in God's relationship with humankind. Yet sometimes we take them for granted and miss the true power and significance each Sacrament represents.

Lectio divina, the ancient practice of Scripture immersion, is at the heart of this process. It explores complex topics with sequential steps of study, meditation, and internalization. Specifically, every chapter leads you forward through a sequence of:

Listening - Reading Scripture with expectancy, trusting that God will speak His Word to us through it. 

Understanding - Seeking to comprehend the meaning of the text, encountering God there, and being changed by that encounter. 

Reflecting - Linking the truth of the Scriptures to the experience of faith in the world in which we live. 

Praying - A dialogue with God: we listen to God, then we respond in prayer.

Acting - After prayerfully listening to a passage of Scripture, we should be inspired to make a difference in the way we live.

The Lectio Divina Bible Study series is suitable for parish, small group, or individual use.

My Comments:
This book goes through all seven sacraments.  Through chapters such as "Baptism in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit", "God Will Provide the Lamb for Sacrifice", "Entrusted with the Ministry of Reconciliation" and "The Two Become One Flesh", this book not only describes the practice of Lectio Divina, but gives the reader plenty of opportunity to practice it.  Each chapter beings with a few lines to focus  you as you read  scripture passages related to the topic.  Following the scripture passage is some information of the type usually found in Bible study guides.  Reflection questions followed by a prayer and a request for action close out the chapters.

If found the scripture commentary to be very interesting and the reflection questions gave me fodder for prayer.  I enjoyed the book and recommend it for people who want to know more about the scriptural underpinnings of the sacraments as well as for those looking for a guide to prayer.  Grade:  B.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Lectio Divina Bible Study: Sacraments. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

A Catholic Company Book Review

Ok, I'll come right out and say it:   I didn't like this book and I didn't finish reading it.  There, I resisted one temptation to which I often succumb, the temptation to do things I know are wrong (like telling untruths) to please others (in this case, the nice folks at The Catholic Company who provided a complimentary review copy of the book).  Actually I think one reason I didn't care for the book is that I was looking for more concrete suggestions about how I could resist that and other recurring temptations.

What is Resisting the Devil all about?

Do you find yourself struggling with a particular sin or dysfunction over and over again? Do you feel hopeless in finding freedom despite your best efforts? Do you still feel guilty, ashamed, and doomed to repeat a besetting sin, even after receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation?

In Resisting the Devil, author Neal Lozano shows that sometimes evil spirits tell us lies that lock us into sins and personal problems. He explains the practice of deliverance, a way of dealing with such demonic influences that is supported by the teaching and tradition of the Catholic Church. Lozano's "Unbound" Model, based on three decades of experience in deliverance ministry, builds a bridge between the sacrament of Reconciliation and exorcism. People only very rarely need exorcism.

Readers of Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance will:

Learn how to recognize the activity of evil spirits

See how deliverance from spiritual bondage can be gentle, safe, and effective

Understand how deliverance differs from exorcism and how deliverance and Reconciliation can work together

Read the testimonies of women and men who have been freed through deliverance ministry

"Resisting the Devil is a thoughtful work that facilitates a balanced dialogue between deliverance ministry and the Church's rite of exorcism. I warmly recommend this book to anyone journeying with individuals variously afflicted by the Evil One."

-- Rev. Jeffrey S. Grob, Associate Vicar for Canonical Services for the Archdiocese of Chicago

The book gave scriptural support for the idea that demons actually exist and that we are supposed to use the power of Jesus to drive them out.  The author briefly outlines his "Unbound" model of deliverance ministry.  He gives stories of people healed by it  and talks about integrating it into the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I don't really think this is a bad book, but it is a book that didn't hold my interest nor did it meet my needs.  

Catholic Company Book Review: Be Holy A Catholic's Guide to the Spiritual Life

There are some books I keep looking for and not finding. I want the financial planning book that tells me how I can end up rich by spending more money than I make. I want the diet and exercise book that features sweets and web surfing. I want the book on improving my spiritual life that lets me do what I want to do when I want to do it. I guess those three books must be in the same box somewhere because I haven't been able to find them. While I held out some faint hope that this book might be the spiritual one I was looking for, I was sadly disappointed.

The author, Fr. Thomas Morrow starts off reminding us that heaven, hell and purgatory are real, and that heaven is where we want to go. He speaks of the glory of heaven, the reality of hell, and the suffering of purgatory. He promotes prayer as the foundation of the spiritual life, and briefly discusses adoration, contrition, petition and thanksgiving. He suggests the Psalms, particularly the Liturgy of the Hours as a form of prayer. He recommends 5-10 pages a day of spiritual reading; and he defines spiritual reading as reading scripture or some spiritual classic, particularly the biographies of saints. Distractions during prayer are addressed, as well as difficulties that are often experienced. Regarding how long we should pray, Fr. suggests starting with a short time, but making sure we are faithful to it; and slowly adding more until we are up to 10% of our waking hours. Father Morrow even had the nerve to recommend monthly celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and attendance at daily mass. After encouraging Eucharistic adoration, he goes into the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and the cardinal virtues and suggests how to practice them.

I wonder if, when I go look for another book from the Catholic Company, they'll have that one I've been looking for? I mean this one is well-written, divided into short sections that are easy to to understand, and contains some helpful concrete suggestions, like making a list of your three worst sins, and examining it nightly before retiring. The hope is that over time one or more of these can be replaced with another less serious sin that is now the worst. Unfortunately all this advice takes work and results in a changed life.

I wonder where that box of books I want is hidden? Oh well, until I find it, I guess I'll try the advice in this one, Be Holy, a Catholic's Guide to the Spiritual Life. The Catholic Company sent it to me without charge, with the understanding that I'd review it here; I'm sure if they get in the one I want, they'll offer it to me for review too, right Chris?

This review is part of Book Review Party Wednesday. Stop at Cym's blog and see what else is being reviewed this week.