The Secret Life of John Paul II

I was immediately intrigued by the title of this book.  I’ve read a fair amount about Blessed Pope John Paul II and I’ve read and studied even more that was written by him.  Both what I’ve read about and by him have always served to bring me closer to the Lord and grow in appreciation of the love and mercy offered to us by God, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother.  He and Blessed Mother Teresa are two of the people I’ve always enjoyed reading about and learning from, regardless of what aspect of their lives a certain book or article covered. 

     
The Secret Life of John Paul II is a powerfully moving account of how the holiness, sanctity, compassion, and warmth of this man touched many even when he was “off the record.”  You will see how John Paul II’s prayerful spirit, love of nature, sportsmanship, and friendliness pervade the moments he spent during his secret getaways to mountains in Italy to enjoy two past times from his youth: hiking and skiing. 
     
Learn how mountain guide Lino Zani and his family formed a lifelong friendship with John Paul II.  During his “clandestine trip” to go skiing, the pope was deeply moved by the family’s hospitality and very interested in the history of the Adamello area where they live. While visiting there, the man referred as the “Fatima pope” had a surprising revelation that relates to the third secret of Fatima.
    
I highly recommend this book to people who are interested in the outdoors, faith, John Paul II, Fatima, and those who enjoy learning about history and nature.  To find out more about The Secret Life of John Paul II, check out this article by National Catholic Register’s Rome correspondent, Edward Pentin.  To order a copy of this book published by St.Benedict Press, click here. 


Divine Love Made Flesh: The Holy Eucharist as the Sacrament of Charity

Divine Love Made Flesh: The Holy Eucharist as the Sacrament of Charity is a masterfully written reflection on the Eucharist as source and summit of God’s love and the focal point of every disciple of Jesus Christ. 
     
Honestly, I love any book that inspires me to draw closer to the Lord just by reading it.  This one serves that purpose very well.  Divine Love Made Flesh is definitely a work that describes the Sacrament of the Eucharist in a way that makes it clear that the Passion and Death of our Lord was/is the most loving, perfect sacrifice.  The work of redemption takes place in the present each time Mass is celebrated, because the True Presence, Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity exist in time and space for us to consume and be transformed by. 
     
Through incorporation and explanation of the teachings on the Eucharist given to us by Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke guides the reader to a greater understanding of the necessity of the Sacraments, the most central of which is the Holy Eucharist.

     

Reading this book has motivated me to find and read the original papal documents the author used (translated into English since my Latin is very limited) in creating this beautiful treatise on the significance of the Eucharist, the prominence it ought to have in the life of each Christian, and the ways in which we are to become Christ for one another through our participation in the Heavenly Feast.

     
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 Divine Love Made Flesh. 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.

The Amazing Sacrament: A Celebration of the Eucharist by Fr. Stephen Redmond, SJ

I kept thinking while reading The Amazing Sacrament that this would be a wonderful book to have while spending time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Father Stephen Redmond, an Irish Jesuit, has put together a beautifully lyrical celebration of the Eucharist. A history of the sacrament, sacred hymns, a number of thought-provoking quotes from saints and a sampling of the prayers written by holy people throughout the centuries are brought together in this rich, yet easy-to-read paperback about the Most Holy Eucharist.

   
Fr. Redmond’s choice of quotes and prayers illustrates his love and appreciation for both the Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and the power of music to proclaim His praises. The title and theme of this book were inspired by Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia (Church from Eucharist) in which he writes that “amazement should always fill the Church assembled to celebrate the Eucharist.”

   
This book does what the author had hoped; it inspires the reader to be amazed anew at the love, sacrifice, salvation, forgiveness, healing, and mercy embodied in the sacrament of the Eucharist.  I recommend The Amazing Sacrament for all who already have and/or aspire to have an even more profound reverence and sense of awe for the True Presence of God in the Eucharist.

Lord, help us not take for granted or consider commonplace this most awe-inspiring transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

You can purchase this book here.

   
I wrote this review of The Amazing Sacrament for the free Catholic book review program, Tiber River. Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

The Blessings of Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy Sunday, which is celebrated the second Sunday of Easter, this year on May 1, has an even richer significance as today also marks the beatification of Pope John Paul II. St. Maria Faustina Kowalska of Poland was canonized by Pope John Paul II, who established the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.
   
St. Faustina received from Jesus the message of Divine Mercy which He asked her to share with the world. In addition to the prayers of The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, St. Faustina was shown an image that she was instructed to have painted of the Blood and Water flowing out from Christ’s side and the words, “Jesus, I trust in You” underneath. The many messages she received from the Lord about His Divine Mercy, His love for us, and desire that sinners turn back to Him are included in The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in my Soul.
    
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a very powerful prayer said on ordinary Rosary beads. The first and second times I ever heard this prayer sung were incredibly moving prayer sessions you can read about here.
    
Back in October of 2008 when I served on my first Cursillo team, I explained The Divine Mercy message and we sang the prayer on the weekend. In August of last year, I served on a Christ Renews His Parish Women’s retreat team and again had the privilege of introducing to the team and candidates The Divine Mercy Chaplet through song.
    
One time when I met with a friend from VCU and her roommate to pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil this Spring, I suggested that we sing The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Only one of the women had ever heard it sung before, but they both agreed to try it if I’d lead. Standing on the corner singing the Chaplet with two strong women of faith was a very powerful experience. Interestingly enough, this friend has a well-worn copy of The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in my Soul which she refers to daily.
    
Last year, our dear brother in Christ’s birthday happened to fall on Divine Mercy Sunday. In order to celebrate his birthday and the feast, he had a Divine Mercy party. Family and friends were invited to meet at his parents’ house to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together. It was a very special occasion and a great way to promote this devotion among loved ones.
    
To observe Divine Mercy Sunday today, I met up our brother John and one of the high school students he’s sponsoring for Confirmation, and we sang the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at our parish, then we prayed the Stations of the Cross together.
    
I am grateful for the Lord's Divine Mercy, for the many women and men in my life who have shown me the love and mercy of God. Thank you for being vessels for the Lord!

Truth for Your Mind Love for Your Heart: Satisfying Your Hunger for God by Alfred McBride, O.Praem.

Truth for Your Mind Love for Your Heart: Satisfying Your Hunger for God by Alfred McBride, O.Praem. is a masterful blend of Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), with popular devotions, inspiring stalwarts of the faith, and prayers. As he did in the other book of his I read most recently, A Priest Forever: Nine Signs of Renewal and Hope, this well-respected author brings to light some stirring examples of holiness and devotion to the Lord.
   
Ever since the Catechism of the Catholic Church first came out in 1994, Fr. McBride has been writing about it. His expertise appears clearly in the carefully woven passages quoted and referenced from this tome of the faith into his summation of the many aspects of Catholicism that set us apart from other Christian denominations.
   
I like how he brings together a number of holy men and women I’ve read about in previous years and shows how they lived out the Truths present in Scripture and the CCC. Each chapter is relatively short, concentrating on one key principle that’s essential in the rich Catholic tradition. A set of reflection questions and a prayer come at the end of each chapter.
   
This smattering of saints, Church doctrine, and common devotion will likely remind you of some of the most famous Catholics from history while introducing you to others who’ve lived more recently and a handful who are still alive today striving to live out the Gospel.
   
Fr. McBride has put together in an interesting, easy-to-read, informative book several of the main strengths of the Catholic faith and illustrated these teachings and principles through a variety of sources, saints, encyclical letters from various popes, and his own insights into the Catechism.
   
I highly recommend this book for those just learning about the faith as well as for those who have been practicing it for a while and could benefit from a refresher on how amazing and profound the Catholic faith is.
   
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 Truth for Your Mind, Love for Your Heart. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Set Free to Love

Set Free to Love shows the powerful, life-changing effects of reading and studying John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Through a series of stories from people of different ages, stages, vocations, and with quite varied life experiences, the reader is given some valuable insights into the teachings of the theology of the body and how they have completely changed the way many view the human body, sexuality, marriage, celibacy, and how God intends for us to glorify Him through these gifts.
    
The implications of the Biblical interpretations in Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body by John Paul II has revolutionized the way men and women see and treat themselves and others. My primary reason for reading this book after already having read and been thoroughly impressed by the masterpiece by Pope John Paul II is that the rather long tome is easier for me to recommend than it is for others to purchase and commit to reading cover-to-cover.
    
I was right in figuring that this book would serve as a good introduction and inspiration to delve into the true source of such wisdom, insight, and revelation into God’s creation of man and woman. The true stories contained in it definitely give a sufficiently intriguing look into the teachings of the theology of the body and how they have transformed many people’s thoughts, actions, lifestyles, even their career paths to be more in line with God’s will and unconditional love.
    
Now, I have found, Set Free to Love, a well-written and thought out 84 page book to recommend as a sample that will entice those serious about Bible study, God’s view of and love for creation, and/or the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to put the time and effort into reading and learning more about the theology of the body.
    
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 Set Free to Love. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.

Prodigal Daughters: Catholic Women Come Home to the Church

Some of these women came from very devout Catholic families and drifted from the faith, as so many do, once they were out on their own at college or in the world without anyone checking to see if they were going to Mass, participating in the Sacraments, making time for personal prayer, and thereby growing in holiness and closeness to the Lord.
  
Many were disillusioned by the watered-down version of the Catholic faith they received growing up after Vatican II at a time when women’s rights and sexual freedom were being heavily promoted. In most cases, God worked through a friend, spouse, child, family member, and/or a clergyman to guide these prodigal daughters back to the loving Father, the Blessed Mother, and the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  
  
The most prevalent reasons for these women to abandon their faith for a time were that they got caught up in sensual pleasures espoused by the sexual revolution and feminist movement, became focused on winning worldly success, embraced New Age thought and practices, and/or were disillusioned by religious men and women who made the mistake of adopting ideas from popular culture and passing them off as Church doctrine, though they were and are clearly against the Magisterium.
  
This book gives me hope for the many Catholics who have fallen away from the faith and may even condemn the Church and its teachings. These stories prove, yet again, that God doesn’t abandon His Children, not even when we turn our backs on Him. He remains faithful to us always. He is the loving, enthusiastic, warm father who welcomes us with open arms however and whenever we finally hear His call to return home.
  
One of the most poignant observations made by Archbishop Fulton Sheen which sums up this book so very well is that there are millions who hate what they think the Catholic Church is, but not a handful who hate the real thing.
  
Lord, thank You for loving us so much that You never give up on us. You are always inviting us home and rejoice when we finally accept Your invitation.
  
You can purchase this book here.
  
I wrote this review of Prodigal Daughters for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Mysteries of the Virgin Mary: Living Our Lady's Graces

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mysteries of the Virgin Mary: Living Our Lady’s Graces by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. One of the greatest treasures of the Catholic faith which has been passed on to me from both of my grandmothers and my parents is a very strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother. I have read a number of books on Marian prayer, apparitions, devotion, etc., yet I still found this book very enlightening and enriching.
     
The wide variety of quotes gathered from poets, popes, theologians, philosophers, saints…regarding the importance of Mary as Mediatrix of all graces from above are quite impressive. Not only has the author gathered together a number of very powerful statements made by holy men and women across the centuries about the role of Mary, but he has also managed to organize them in such a way that each insight compliments those that have come before it. The prose continues smoothly even with all of the citations.

    
I picked up this book on a Saturday morning and reading it made me feel like I was on a mini retreat. I’m sure not having anywhere I had to be or anything I had to do by a certain time added to that sense, but not all spiritual or religious books make me as meditative and peaceful just by reading them as this one did.

    
I knew much of the contents in the book would resonate with what I’ve learned through reading and prayer when I discovered that much of the wisdom about Mary is taken from the writings of St. Louis Marie de Monfort. When I was in my late teens, I read and did Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Monfort. Over a year ago, a friend in my Cursillo group reunion suggested we each buy a copy of St. Louis de Monfort’s True Devotion: Consecration to Mary and go through it at the same time. I was surprised and delighted when I found a manila envelope in my mom’s attic with the original copy of my personal Consecration which I’d written out and signed ten years earlier.

    
I highly recommend this book for those who have read a great deal about Mary as well as those who are just beginning to learn about the importance of Our Blessed Mother as Mediatrix of all graces.

    
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 Mysteries of the Virgin Mary and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Safely Through the Storm - 120 Reflections on Hope

Safely Through the Storm - 120 Reflections on Hope by Debra Herbeck has been a faithful companion of mine during a really awful week. Though I can’t honestly say that the words of faith and wisdom contained within transformed my tears into dancing, the quotes from a number of writers I love did remind me that God does not leave us alone in our suffering, nor does He give us trials so heavy they will destroy us.
    
The title is actually very telling of the contents and message throughout the work. Often when we embark on a trip, we pray for it to be safe. When someone is having a difficult time, we pray that they will get through it. Sometimes in the midst of a crisis when we’re asking how this could have happened, why, and for what greater good, we sometimes forget that God has promised to bring us safely through the storm. We may get beaten, battered, wind-swept, and worn out in the process, but He will bring us on out the other side.     
    
Amy Welborn, a well-known Catholic writer, starts the book off with a very down-to-earth introduction in which she mentions how she’s been called to have hope, especially in facing a devastating loss, last year her husband died suddenly at age fifty. This sets the appropriate tone for a book that is full of evidence that suffering doesn’t have the last word, especially in the lives of the faithful.
    
These reflections touched on many aspects of struggling and a variety of situations when hope is necessary. Most of the passages included are by authors I love dearly and whose names I recognized immediately from other works of theirs I’ve read and studied, such as, Pope John Paul II, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross, Fr. Henri Nouwen, Fr. Benedict J Groeschel, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Julian of Norwich.
    
I appreciated that the reflections in this book didn’t minimalize life’s trials or the role that hope has in them with pat answers, cute clichés, and namby-pamby advice on how to get through tough times. Real people with real struggles who made it through suffering in mind, body, and spirit while clinging to God resonated on a deep level with me, especially during a very trying week.
    
I’d recommend this book for those in the midst of the storm who aren’t yet to the point at which they’re ready for singing and dancing in the rain.
    
This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Safely Through the Storm - 120 Reflections on Hope.

Unlikely Spiritual Heroes

Unlikely Spiritual Heroes attracted me, in part, because I recognized the last four people of the eight Brennan R. Hill writes about in the book and have read autobiographical books by them which I really enjoyed. The journalistic writing, attention to detail, and the threads connecting each of these Catholic stalwarts of the faith made it a strong, powerful testimony to the different ways people are called to serve Christ and His people. Hill devotes a chapter to each of the following model Catholics: Jean Donovan, Helen Prejean, Dorothy Stang, Pedro Arrupe, Thomas Merton, Maximilian Kolbe, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, and Pope John Paul II.
    
The viewpoint and tone more closely resemble that of an aggressive, hardcore reporter than that of a biographer piecing together the softer versions of people’s lives already covered in other texts. I wasn’t prepared for what I encountered in these pages. This book isn’t for the faint of heart or the faint of stomach. Some of the descriptions are gruesome. I found myself grimacing when I read certain parts.      The extreme poverty, far-reaching government corruption, and effects of war are depicted quite vividly which serves to underline the awful conditions these men and women were up against. I was deeply disturbed by the graphic details used to describe the trials and tribulations these men and women suffered and/or the atrocities they witnessed.
    
For anyone who thinks that missionary work, prison ministry, serving the poor, or living out the call within a call that’s often part of consecrated religious life is for softies, this book should be mandatory reading. I agree completely that each of these men and women deserves the title hero. They not only battled the principalities of the dark, but often had to came up against those who wanted to do them physical harm for the work they were doing to protect and promote the dignity and sanctity of human life in all its forms.
    
I recommend this book, especially for those who want to know what life is like in the trenches for those fighting against evil, corruption, destruction, despair, illness, desolation, poverty, death, inequality, hatred, and violence.
    
This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Unlikely Spiritual Heroes . I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rise, Let Us Be on Our Way

As is often the case in his books and epistles, John Paul II emphasizes the importance of having Christ as the focus of one’s life in order to carry out the call to be an apostle. This autobiographical book, Rise Let Us Be On Our Way, gives a detailed look at John Paul II’s thoughts, experiences, and memories of becoming a priest and a bishop.
    
Visiting parishes and getting to know the people he served was extremely important to him as a bishop and later as a pope. Throughout the text John Paul the Great’s affection for his native country of Poland and its people are quite evident. It was very difficult for him to leave his beloved homeland, but his willingness to do so underlines his commitment to serving Christ however and wherever he was called to do so.
    
One of the parts I found rather amusing and very telling was the section about when he had been on a canoeing trip with his friends and was summoned by the Primate. He reported to him right away and was asked to serve as auxiliary bishop to the archbishop of Kraków. He accepted the position, though he believed at thirty-eight he was too young to take it. Next, he went directly to tell Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak, his Ordinary, about his new role. The archbishop took the arm of the auxiliary bishop-to-be and uttered the prophetic words, “Habemus papam”—“We have a pope.”
    
After having reported to the Primate and his Ordinary, he asked for permission to go back and join his friends on their canoe trip. How humble and telling that after his big “promotion,” his first request was to return and hang out with his friends in the great outdoors. At first, he was told it didn’t seem like a good idea, but later he was granted permission. John Paul II’s love and appreciation for nature and close friendships remained significant throughout his life.
    
In this work, John Paul the Great used a number of Scripture verses as well as some excerpts from poetry and prayers which support the duties and attitude bishops are called to embrace. He also explains the symbolism of the ring, miter, and the crosier presented during the ordination liturgy for a bishop.
    
The tone of this book is humble, candid, and at times even conversational. The gratitude John Paul II expressed for his teachers and peers keeps even the more instructional passages from seeming stiff or the least bit condescending. A sharing of wisdom and experience is the thrust of the text.
    
This is a must-read for every bishop, priest, deacon, and lay leader in the Church.

You can purchase this book here.
    
I wrote this review of Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.    Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father

I love how profoundly the author is moved by her personal encounters with John Paul the Great as well as the many little stories throughout John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father when we’re given a glimpse into the wonderful personality and sense of humor this holy man had.
    
I enjoyed that there were such fascinating details about conversations Pope John Paul II had with people closest to him alongside a rather dramatic conversion that took place in the author as she went from having the attitude of a powerful, self-important journalist to a humble woman of faith awed by the holiness and humility of such an influential man.
   
The imagery is quite vivid, which I appreciate because it gave the book a literary feel. The quotes and anecdotes blended in a journalistic flavor. The conversion story of the author brought in the emotional appeal which I believe many readers will be able to identify with on some level. There are certainly times in each of our lives when we’re going about our jobs, self-absorbed, and thinking we have our priorities straight when a person or a situation changes our outlook on everything.
    
John Paul the Great made an impact on many. Noonan couldn’t help but come to admire the holiness, love, and gentleness of a man she originally saw more as another high-profile person to interview.
    
There are no heavy theological debates or theories discussed in this work. In many ways, it reads like a good novel because of the tone, personal story, anecdotes, and Noonan’s writing style. I’ve found this to be one of the best books to get a feel of what it would have been like to hang out with John Paul the Great, take a walk with him in a garden, talk with him about poetry, or hear him joking with friends.
    
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Freedom

This collection of twelve stories about how the Theology of the Body can transform lives was an amazing first taste for me of the power within Pope John Paul II’s sermons. In preparing for a Catholic Writers Conference, I read several newly-released Catholic nonfiction books, checked out a number of Catholic websites and periodicals and found that many of them mentioned something about the Theology of the Body. This piqued my curiosity, so I ordered the very large tome Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II. I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to read it before the conference, so I chose to read Freedom to see how this much talked about treasure could be applied to people’s lives today.
   
Through telling the stories of twelve people with very different lifestyles and circumstances, the reader is shown how Pope John Paul II’s insight into the holiness and goodness of the body can and has completely changed the thinking and behavior of men and women. What’s rather phenomenal is that the collection of sermons making up the Theology of the Body discourse as it is now commonly called were written about twenty years before they became popular to study and teach.
   
It’s likely that a wave of change will wash over a greater number of Catholics through books such as Freedom which show the benefits of learning about the Theology of the Body by showing the benefits of those who already have embraced such wisdom and applied it to their lives in a book whose length and reading level is more modern, not quite so technical and academic.
   
This book serves as a great introduction and interest-raising step into the Theology of the Body. You can purchase this book here.  I wrote this review of Freedom for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.