The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila: Volume 3 (ICS Publications)

The Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila is October 15th. Today, I wrap up my review of her three-volume collected works, available from ICS Publications, by telling you about the third volume. Within this volume, we have her major work - The Book of Her Foundations and several of her minor works - The Constitutions, On Making the Visitation, A Satirical Critique, and Response to a Spiritual Challenge. We also have 27 of her poems printed in this work. Like the other two volumes, the translators are Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh and Fr. Otilio Rodriguez.

The Book of Her Foundations is one of St. Teresa of Avila's lesser-known and lesser-read works. The main reason for this is that a lot of people view it as a non-spiritual work. While it may not be one in the strictest sense, we can see St. Teresa of Avila growing in holiness through her persecutions, which were plentiful. She encountered gossip, lawsuits, unethical businessmen, and general bureaucracy. In this work, we see that it is possible to grow in holiness in all aspects of your life. The Constitutions can be viewed as her rule. In this minor work, St. Teresa of Avila gives instruction on spiritual matters, receiving Communion, fasting, taking care of the sick, etc. The other minor works in this book show her obedience in On Making the Visitation, her personality in A Satirical Critique, and her spirituality in Response to a Spiritual Challenge. The poems show a level of beauty in writing that one would expect from St. Teresa of Avila. What is really nice about them is that the original language and translation are side-by-side. This isn't beneficial for me, but those who speak Spanish will probably be able to find more beauty in the original poems, as translations (especially of poetry) are always lacking.

This was not my favorite volume of her three-volume set, but it is essential reading for any serious student of St. Teresa of Avila. When it comes to writings of the saints, you do yourself a disservice if you merely cherry-pick what works of theirs you want to read. If you find a saint, who you admire, and whose works you have read some, I encourage you to read through as much of their works as are available for you to read. In addition to her complete works, ICS Publications also had made available a two-volume set of her collected letters, as well as about ten other works of great minds who help unpack the beauty in her tougher works. This publisher has clearly set themselves apart as the expert on St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and other Carmelites. I encourage you to always turn to them first if you are ever looking for works by these saints or companion volumes for their writings.

This book was provided to me for free by  ICS Publications in exchange for an honest review.

The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume 2 (ICS Publications)

We are quickly approaching the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila, which is October 15th. Two weeks ago, I reviewed Volume One of her Collected Works and to continue my review theme, I am now going to tell you about Volume Two. This book contains two of St. Teresa's more well-known works - The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle. In addition to these two, we are also treated to Meditations on the Song of Songs. Like the first volume, the translators, Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh and Fr. Otilio Rodriguez, wrote introductions to these key works. These introductions provide us with information such as historical context, outline, and central theme.

The Way of Perfection was written while St. Teresa was a nun of the Order of our Lady of Mount Carmel. It was intended as a rule for the discalced nuns. She starts by telling the nuns why she founded this monastery. Some of the subjects she talks about are detachment from worldly things, mortification, perfect love of God, and prayer. Meditations on the Song of Songs is remarkable for several reasons. but the two primary reasons are her lack of Biblical training and the fact that she was a woman commenting on the Song of Songs. It is not a verse-by-verse commentary, but her observations are astute and show a knowledge that can best be described as mystical. The Interior Castle is my favorite work of St. Teresa's. It is hard to do justice talking about it, but in this work, she described her ideal journey of faith. Each level gets the journeyer one step closer to God. The first three mansions deal with ordinary prayer, and the final four mansions deal with contemplative prayer. She does not take any credit for progress on the journey. Instead, she gives all credit to the Sacraments and devotion to God's will.

Each time you read through the words of St. Teresa of Avila, you are treated to the words of a brilliant Doctor of the Church. I would normally say that if you are only going to own one of the volumes of her works, it would be this one. However, I think you really need Volume One as well to appreciate the context of Volume Two and respect the progression of her writings. The only problem I have with this book is the cover doesn't match Volume One and Volume Three, but that is a petty complaint at best. Be sure to check back here in two weeks when I tell you about Volume Three.

This book was provided to me for free by ICS Publications in exchange for an honest review.

The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume 1 (ICS Publications)

St. Teresa of Avila was a Carmelite nun and mystic during the time of the Counter Reformation. Within the Carmelite Order, she was also a reformer and the initiator of the movement that eventually led to the Discalced Carmelites. She was joined in this movement by St. John of the Cross, but in reality, neither of them were alive when the Discalced Carmelites separated from the regular Carmelite Order. She died in 1582 and was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.  In 1970, she was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. Some of her best known works include The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle. However, she wrote much more than this. ICS Publications has published a three-volume set of her collected works. Today, I am going to tell you about Volume One.

The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila: Volume One is a 500+ page translation by Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh and Fr. Otilio Rodriguez. The book contains the following three works - The Book of Her Life, Spiritual Testimonies, and Soliloquies. The Book of Her Life begins with a very thorough introduction by Fr. Kavanaugh. This introduction contains background information on her, the times she lived during, her first spiritual directors, the style and nature of her book, main ideas of the book, and information on the new translation. The basic structure of the book consists of four parts - 1. Sins, graces, and vocations (10 chapters), 2. Treatise on degrees of prayer (12 chapters), 3. Mystical life (9 chapters), and Effects (9 chapters). Her autobiography is very personable and conversational in tone.

The Spiritual Testimonies are arranged chronologically and serve to complement her autobiography. In these writings, we get a glimpse into her soul and spiritual character at different points in her life. However, the section of this volume that spoke to me the most was her Soliloquies. I know I should have read through this section more slowly, but I could not put it down. This section is very intimate and focuses on topics such as separation from God, longing for God, wounds of love, and how people who withdraw from God are sick. After reading through them once, I immediately decided to slow down and read them more slowly the second time through.

Reading through the words of the saints is always an eye-opening experience. It always reveals to me how close they were to God and how far away I am. The remarkable thing is that due to their extreme humility they did not see themselves as saintly or close to God. I look forward to reading the next volume in this series.

This book was provided to me for free by ICS Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

TOB for Kids and Catholic Manga (Pauline Books and Media)

I have to admit that I have a lot of books in my queue to read currently. I once reached a point where my review stack was dwindling, and I was worried I wasn't going to be able to continue this blog so I reached out to secular publishers for kids books. That opened up my blog to a whole new demographic, which I hope brings in regular non-Catholic readers, who might see the beauty in the Catholic books I review and it can be a tool for evangelization. Because of this influx of secular kids books, I have neglected a company that holds a dear place in my heart, Pauline Books and Media. Pauline Books and Media gave me a chance as a fledgling blogger and sent me several kids books to review. They are still my go-to store for great Catholic kids books, so today I would like to tell you about several of their new books.

You may recall that earlier this year I reviewed three board books from the TOB for Tots series. (For people not hip to the acronym, the TOB stands for Theology of the Body.) This Fall the author, Monica Ashour, is back with three more books in a series called TOB for Kids! The books are entitled Every Body Has Something to Say, Everybody Has Something to Give, and God Has a Plan for Boys and Girls. If your children previously read the TOB for Tots series, then they will recognize that their new series is paperback, because no "big kid" wants to read a board book for babies. At the beginning of each book is a note to the parents that tells you what the book will be teaching your children and can help foster discussion between you and your children. Every Body Has Something to Say tells us that our bodies communicate with us; how to listen to what our body is telling us, and most importantly how to appropriately respond to what our body is telling us. Everybody Has Something to Give talks about giving and receiving the gift of one's self, in the form of kind deeds, God Has a Plan for Boys and Girls addresses gender, how boys and girls are alike, and how they are different. It is easily my favorite book, as it explains that even though men and women are different, they each have unique gifts and callings in life that only they can answer as a man or woman. This was a 5 star series of books, which I am proud for my son to have in his library. He isn't quite old enough for them yet, but I know he will love them as much as he loves the TOB for Tots series, which we have read at least 100 times! Hopefully Ms. Ashour will continue this progression and do one for teens next.

I used to be a big fan of manga (Japanese comic books). They were so unlike traditional American comic books in the stories seemed to be a bit deeper and wasn't just the same old superhero beats supervillain each and every issue. Now, there were negative elements in these comics as well, including some sexual humor that is apparently more acceptable/prevalent in Japanese culture. Therefore, when I found out that Pauline Books and Media was releasing two children's books in manga-style, I was cautiously optimistic. The two titles are based on two well-known Catholic saints - St. Philip Neri and St. Teresa of Avila.

Philip Neri: The Laughing Saint is a children's book in the Shounen-style. This means that it is aimed at boys, high-action, and lots of humor. Some of the most popular mangas in Japan are Shounen and include series such as Dragon Ball, Naruto, and InuYasha. Unlike traditional Japanese manga, this title reads from left to right. My guess is that this was done to avoid confusion among those unfamiliar with this comic style. The artwork is spot on in the characters having over-exaggerated eyes and the sound effects where necessary.

The book begins with a classmate asking Philip for help with their Latin work. Philip is too distracted to help, because he is focusing on his hunger and all the bananas being gone. There are plenty of comical pieces like this littered throughout the book. However, behind the immaturity, the love for people is seen on almost every page, in Philip's words and deeds. All he wants to do is help take care of the poor and those less fortunate than him. He is able to do this both physically (curing illnesses) and spiritually (in the sacrament of Confession where he helped a young man who had a problem with stealing). This great saint never gave up on people, and that caused the people to never enter ultimate despair by turning away entirely from God. The book closes with information on his canonization and a list of his sayings and maxims. This was an exciting read and one that will greatly appeal to boys ages 10 and up. I even know some 30+ men who will enjoy this book as well.

Saint Teresa of Avila: God's Troublemaker is a children's book in the Shoujo-style. This means that is is aimed at girls and focuses more on emotions and relationships. Some popular Japanese series from this genre include Boys Over Flowers, Fruits Basket, and Sailor Moon. As a male, I have no familiarity with the titles, I just obtained them from research, so someone more familiar with them can tell me if the artwork is similar. Like the book Philip Neri: The Laughing Saint, this one is read left to right and not right to left in traditional Japanese manga. The art seems very flowery and places a great focus on light.

The story is divided into five chapters and begins with Teresa at an early age dealing with the reality of her mother dying. Her father and sister believe she is acting out, looking to be the center of attention, so they come to the conclusion that they should send her to study at a convent. Through the rest of the chapters, we see Teresa's struggle to mature and focus on others and not herself. We also see glimpses of the visions she received while in the convent, and the impact that she had on everyone around her. The book closes with information on her canonization and personal words found in her notebook. This manga is unique, which is good and bad. It will definitely appeal to fans of St. Teresa, but I wonder how successful this style will be among girls, because there are very few girls I know that read manga. Hopefully, I'm wrong and it's wildly successful!

These book were provided to me for free by Pauline Books and Media in exchange for honest reviews.

Navigating the Interior Life Series (Emmaus Road Publishing)

I've been in the book review game, since September of 2012. During that time I have reviewed hundreds of books. Some have been good; some have been duds; and others still stick with me today. At the end of 2012, Daniel Burke published a book entitled Navigating the Interior Life. In February 2015, he published two more books, which I have the pleasure to share with you today. They are entitled 30 Days with Teresa of Avila and Finding God Through Meditation. Both of these books are part of the Navigating the Interior Life Series, and I'm excited to see the future books that will come from this series. But before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you about these two books!

30 Days with Teresa of Avila is a 140 page book that takes us through thirty of St. Teresa's 400+ letters. The topics covered in her letters include subjects like humility, mental prayer, spiritual warfare, and detachment (repeatedly), to name a few. I put repeatedly in parentheses, because three of the letters chosen deal specifically with this subject. On the subject of detachment, St. Teresa tells us the following, "the so-called goods of this miserable life are impediments," and "I wish to have no choice in it and shall be contented wherever I may be sent." In this brief lines, we can see a detachment to possessions and a detachment to personal choice, which is ultimately surrender to God.

The two brief quotes above are just a small sampling of what is in this book. In addition to letters from St. Teresa, we also receive reflections from Daniel Burke and Anthony Lilles, the co-founders of Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation. With 30 letters, it is clear this book is designed to be read over the course of a month, and with short chapters, you can read each one over a cup of coffee in the morning or before you close your eyes at night. Most of us know who St. Teresa is but very few of us have taken the time to read anything by her, let alone her letters. This book not only provided a daily boost, but also encouraged me to find the time to read her other works "Way of Perfection" and "Interior Castle." I know that wasn't the goal of this book, but I am excited to learn more from this great Saint and Doctor of the Church!

When I first received the book, Finding God Through Meditation, I wondered who this St. Peter of Alcantara was listed on the cover. He was apparently the author of this book and spiritual director of St. Teresa of Avila. That is a bit intimidating to think about, but I trust Daniel Burke and I know he wouldn't put hit name on something he didn't believe in, so that encouraged me to read on. There are eight chapters in this short book, but there is enough material to chew on for years, The chapters are as follows:

1. Perspective on Meditation and Devotion
2. The Way of Meditation
3. Counsels of Meditation
4. Deepening Devotion
5. Common Temptations in Meditation and Their Remedies
6. Other Certain Admonitions Necessary for Spiritual Persons
7. Subject Matter of Prayer and Daily Meditations
8. Seven Other Meditations on the Passion of Our Lord

The daily meditations found in the last two chapters prove to be some of the most useful in the book as they provide the reader with two different sets of meditations for each day of the week that guide the reader into a deeper prayer life. However, the chapter which really spoke to me at this moment in my life was Chapter Five. I assume that like me you have trouble praying and growing in your relationship with God. In this chapter, St. Peter of Alcantara outlines nine common problems we all face and some remedies for them. The eighth temptation - "An Inordinate Draw to Study" really hit home for me. In this section, he tells us, "In the day of judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done; not how eloquently we have spoken, but how well we have lived." These few lines reminded me to put down the books more often and not focus solely on the acquisition of knowledge. We can all benefit from reading the words of the saints, especially this saint's. If you want to read what St. Teresa read, then I highly recommend this book. Five stars!

These books were provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. If you found these reviews helpful, please click here and/or here and hit yes!