First Beginnings and Mysteries of the Old Testament (Angelico Press)

Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich was an Augustinian nun who lived from 1774 to 1824. In addition to being a nun, she was also a stigmatic and ecstatic. Like a lot of saints, she grew up in a poor family. However, she was always very close to God and showed great love for Him and those of His Church, often giving everything she had, leaving her without anything for herself. What was extraordinary about Emmerich is that from an early age, she experienced visions of Old and New Testament scenes. Angelico Press has made it their mission to publish English translations that have been supplemented and revised with material never translated before. Today, I would like to tell you about two of the volumes - First Beginnings and Mysteries of the Old Testament.

First Beginnings starts by talking about angels and the fallen angels. This was equal parts intriguing and terrifying. On the one hand, we see one set of angels choosing God and another set of angels choose self. We then see Hell being created. It isn't overly descriptive, merely described as a dark disc rising from below. Some of the fallen angels remained there, and others still roam trying to lead man to eternal damnation. After this vision, we are walked through the Creation story, Paradise, Adam and Eve, the Fall, and the death of Abel. A brief section is dedicated to the name of Golgotha. This leads to Cain's descendants, Enoch, Noah,, and the construction of the ark. Other figures discussed were Nimrod, Derketo, Semiramis, Melchizedek, and Job.

Mysteries of the Old Testament begins with Joseph being sold into slavery. It talks of the jealousy of his brothers, a description of his coat of many colors, and mention of a special gift Jacob gave to Joseph, some of the bones of Adam. There is then much attention given to Asenath, Joseph's future wife. From the Old Testament, we know very little about her, but here we are given a physical description of her, learn that she is a prophetess, and also are given examples of her great intelligence. The next section details Moses, specifically the burning bush. We see the prefigurement of Mary and the Incarnation in this area. Also included are Elijah (a personal favorite), Elisha, Ezra, and Malachi. Lastly, there is a lengthy passage on the Ark of the Covenant as it related to Abraham, Moses, Mary, and Jesus. This was a truly fascinating section and worth the price of the book alone!

Publishing these volumes was no doubt a monumental effort for Angelico Press, but you can tell it was truly a labor of love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through the Old Testament writings, as I find the people and history of the Old Testament to be fascinating. The level of detail and the illustrations provided make these two books a must read for any student of the Old Testament. I also appreciated the copious amounts of footnotes that were provided, as this gives us better understanding of the visions and the illustrations as well. In addition to these two volumes of the Old Testament, there are ten other volumes in this series that cover the life of the Virgin Mary, people of the New Testament, Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich's own life, and other themes. I am going to have to investigate and read these when I have the chance to get a fuller and more complete picture of the visions Anne experienced and the remarkable life she lived.

Mary Mother of Jesus and I Went to Mass: What Did I See?

Mary Mother of Jesus is a cute, little board book from Pauline Books and Media. It is written by Sister Marlyn Evangelina Monge and illustrated by Mary Rojas. The book begins by introducing us to Mary and Joseph, telling us about the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. It ends by teaching us about the Assumption and Coronation of Mary and reminding us that she is not only Jesus' mother, but also ours. The writing style felt a bit stilted, as the author used the phrase "very much" a lot, but I have to remind myself that this is for children so repetition is good! The art is bright and colorful with pictures that really enforce the core concepts about Mary.  I especially like that the cover has some glitter texture, as younger children like to see and feel. I also liked that the Crucifixion and Resurrection were discussed. These are hard concepts for children, but it's never too early to introduce your children to these truths. The only thing I would change is that I wish it would have talked about Mary's parents, but I believe the aim of the book was still Jesus through the lens of Mary, which is exactly a model for her life!

I Went to Mass: What Did I See? is a lovely, hardcover book from TAN Books.  It is written by Katie Warner and illustrated by Meg Whalen. I would describe the illustrations as pencil sketches with color used sparingly to emphasize importance. The writing style is a pattern of a child saying, I went to Mass. What did I see?" We then receive the answer in the form of a holy water font, incense, the Eucharist, etc. When we are given the answer on each set of pages, that is when the black and white drawings receive their pop of color, i.e., blue for the holy water and gold for the swinging censer. The book has a great rhythm and is subtly educational without your child realizing they are learning at all. This is a beautiful book for Catholic children and one that you should get any new Catholic as it is one they can read to their little one and instill an early love of the Mass. Highly recommended!

Bringing the Gospel of John to Life (Our Sunday Visitor)

Today, I am reviewing Bringing the Gospel of John to Life. This is the fourth and final book of George Martin's series, with each of these thick and meaty books being published by Our Sunday Visitor. The book is a whopping 600+ pages long and is what you would call a verse-by-verse commentary. The book and some of the other chapters begin with the author providing us some orientation to the Scripture passage we are about to read. Each chapter is then broken down into sections with the Scripture passage first, followed by some cross-references to other Scripture passages. After this, each verse is given a commentary on the meaning of the passage with focus on language, symbolism, and relation to other passages in Scripture. There are also little "bonus" sections sprinkled throughout the book entitled Background which covers a wide variety of topics, including Bethany, Capernaum, Satan, etc.

This book is brilliantly written and provides a thorough exposition of the Gospel. The whole four volume set is one that belongs in any student of the Bible's library. What I like best about this book is that it includes the Scripture and the commentary. Therefore, you don't need to go back and forth between your Bible and this book, but have it all in one convenient volume. Another great thing about this book is the language used. A lot commentaries, which are great, can overwhelm you with knowledge and be just too deep for most people. This commentary, however, is straightforward and to the point. George Martin spells out the Gospel in black and white and makes it accessible for everyone. I recommend this book (or any of the other three in this series), but recommend you read through them slowly and absorb as much knowledge as you can.

This book was provided to me by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review.

Scripture Footnotes (Our Sunday Visitor)

Have you ever wondered what it was like in the times of Jesus? I know we have the Gospels and other historical accounts, but not everyone has the time to spend doing that much research and reading. Thankfully, there were great men and women before us who did and compiled it in an easy to read format. George Martin wrote just such a book and titled it Scripture Footnotes, a clever title because footnotes are helpful text when reading something difficult and because he wants us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. For those of you unfamiliar with George Martin, he was the founding editor of the Scripture magazine God's Word Today. He also wrote one of the best series on the Gospels called Bringing the Gospel of Matthew/Mark/Luke/John to Life, all of which were published by Our Sunday Visitor. Today, however, I would just like to focus on Scripture Footnotes. The book is approximately 150 pages long and is divided into the following seven sections:

1. Daily Life in the Time of Jesus
2. The Lay of the Land: Regions and places
3. The Lay of the Land: Towns
4. The Jewish World of Jesus
5. The People in Jesus' World
6. What Comes Next?
7. Jesus

Each section is then broken down into subsections that are a paragraph or a page long. Such subsections talk about different languages - Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek; what people ate, who were the different Jewish groups, etc. Sections Two and Three, "The Lay of the Land" were the most interesting sections in this book for me. I can't tell you how many different times I have been reading a Gospel passage and wanted to pull out a map or get a better idea of the significance of the places Jesus visited. For example, in this book I learned that Tiberias was a capital city constructed by Herod Antipas. While it was being constructed, a cemetery was discovered there making it unclean for Jews to live there, and a big reason why mainly Gentiles lived there. During his time on this earth, Jesus never visited there, despite its close proximity to Capernaum. However, he did gain several followers from there, so word of Him spread there despite His never setting foot there.

This is a quick and simple read. You can sit down and just flip to the sections that pertain what you are currently reading in the Gospels or parts that interest you most, or you can sit down and read it in one sitting without meaning to like I did. After reading through this book, you will see a great increase in your knowledge of the Gospels and will want to dive deeper into your studies, re-reading the Gospels alongside this book. Highly recommended!

This book was provided to me by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review.

Priests - What Lies Ahead? (Ignatius Press)

Priests are one of the greatest gifts Jesus left us before ascending into Heaven. They have the ability to turn bread and wine into Christ's Body and Blood. They also have the ability to forgive sins and reconcile us back to Christ and His Church. But what exactly is a priest? A priest is Christ's representative on Earth. He is teacher, father, physician, and pastor. In the book Priests - What Lies Ahead?, author Fr. Carlos Granados interviews four other priests to discuss the four roles of priesthood. Fr. Granados believes each of these four priests exemplifies one of these roles and has a dialogue with each of them on the role they best exemplify.

We start with an interview of Archbishop Luis F. Ladaria, where they discuss the role of priest as teacher. He talks about the influence different priests have had on his life, as well as living under 6 different popes, and which one he feels had the most impact on his life. He then talks about Christ not being a teacher, but THE Teacher, and how the Sermon on the Mount and his discourse at the Last Supper define his teaching. There is then a transition to discussing the Church Fathers and what we can learn from them. The big takeaway from this chapter is that the priest nourishes his flock, not just in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but also in the the Liturgy of the Word. The next chapter discusses priestly fatherhood with George Cardinal Pell, and this was a very eye-opening chapter, because it spends some time discussing how society has been trying to kill the role of the father for a long time. They also discuss the priest as a companion on the path of the Sacraments of First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage. The last two chapters are interviews with Monsignor Livio Melina and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput. These two chapters focus heavily on the shift in society, abandonment of tradition, sexual revolution, divorce, etc. They discuss how the priest can help heal society and what we can hope for from current and future priests.

This was a very interesting book to read through. As a layperson, it is easy to see priests in a different light than other men. We might put them on too high of a pedestal or hold them to an unfair standard, if they do something we don't agree with. Even worse, we might not think about them at all and just see them once a week as the person in the front of the Church who gives us Communion. None of these are fair ways to think about these men of God. Yes a priest is alter Christus (another Christ), but they are living, breathing men who are called by God to serve Him and His Church. This book helps shed some light on a life many of us will never experience or understand and shows us just how important the priest is, not just to the Catholic Church but to the world as a whole. Highly recommended for seminarians, new priests, old priests, or anyone wanting to know more about priests.

This book was provided to me by Ignatius Press in exchange for an honest review.

The Apostles and Their Times (Sophia Institute Press)

If you want to learn about the Early Church Fathers (and Mothers), then the author you need to read is Mike Aquilina. He has provided Catholics with countless books, which are both excellent and approachable, and I am forever grateful for each and every one of those books. Today, I am reviewing one of his newer books called The Apostles and Their Times. I consider it a prequel of sorts to his other books, because without the Apostles, we wouldn't have the Fathers.

The book begins with an introduction that defines five key terms - minister, martyr, bishop, liturgy, and Eucharist. We then begin the book with a history of the Israelites and the value they placed in Jerusalem. To the Israelites, Jerusalem was the center of their world, and from this heavenly city, they awaited for their messiah to appear. When Jesus finally does arrive, there are several branches of Judaism (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes) and each of them were looking for their own version of the Messiah. Therefore, few people accepted Jesus was the Messiah, because he wasn't the messiah they were looking for. Chapter Two explains to us what an Apostle is and how the term rarely appeared in the Gospels, but cropped up numerously in Acts and the Epistles. This leads us to the chapter on Pentecost, which is where the Church was born! The book continues by talking about martyrdom, Saul's persecution, and the new importance of Rome thanks to Peter and Paul.

Within this book, we not only are are treated to portraits of who the Apostles were, but through ancient documents and recent archaeological findings, we get to see them in their cultural context. This not only gives us a clearer picture of them, but also helps humanize these saints as well. By seeing them through the lens of their time and culture, we realize these weren't superhuman people, but fallible men just like us. They had strengths and weaknesses, temptations and sins, just like us. However, they relied on God, persevered, and most all were martyred for their beliefs. It was this witness of martyrdom that helped the Church to not only survive, but grow and thrive and continue on to this very day. Highly recommend this book, and any book that Mike Aquilina writes.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press in exchange for an honest review.

Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia was one of my favorite series as a child. It opened my eyes to a fascinating world, and is a series I still visit in my adulthood. I love it so much I have two different audio versions of the books and even imported some color hardcover books from the U.K. because I didn't think the U.S. versions of the books were of good enough quality for this series. In addition to reading the books, I also enjoy reading about the books and learning things I might have missed in my readings of them. That's why I knew I had to have a copy of Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia.

The book begins with the author, Joseph Pearce, explaining the proper order to read the series and touting its popularity almost 70 years later. He then discusses this series briefly in comparison with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and talks about how that even though these books are widely viewed as children's books, they are for adults as well. However, to read these books as an adult, we must first become childlike. This leads us to the next chapter that teaches us about allegory, symbolism, sacramentalism, and learning to read like an adult. The meat of the book is the next seven chapters, which devotes one chapter to each book in the series, starting with The Magician's Nephew and working us all the way to The Last Battle. The chapters range in length from 12 pages to 29 pages. I was surprised that the shortest one was the one on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but perhaps that is because it is the most well-known and straightforward one of the series. The chapter I most enjoyed reading was on The Magician's Nephew. That is my favorite book of the series, because I love a good Creation story. Pearce tackles this story, compares it to Tolkien's Creation story in The Silmarillion. He also shows us the dire warnings that Aslan gives for our world, which though the warnings benefited from hindsight, the lessons can still be applied today.

The book closes with a chapter that discusses what happened in the final book at the end. Here we get an explanation of why Susan is not there and what that means for her soul. We also see a theology of someone not knowing Christ but making it to Heaven, because he lived a good life and tried to do what is right. This is not the heresy of Universalism, but the theology of a merciful God, saving the souls of those who did not have the chance to know him, and would have accepted Him had they only had the chance to know Him. I loved reading this book, because it made me get out the series and read it again. I learned things I have missed in my previous readings, and it tells me that you can read this series many times and find something new every time. I also liked all the holes Pearce poked into the arguments of Philip Pullman, a noted atheist author and C.S. Lewis hater. I have never had to argue in defense of C.S. Lewis, but if I needed to, Further Up and Further In is the first book I would reference. If you are a lover of Narnia, like me, this is a book you need on your shelf!

This book was provided to me by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

Building the Way to Heaven (Emmaus Road Publishing)

Biblical Typology is a doctrine or theory concerning the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament. Most of them relate to Jesus as Adam, Moses, and King David are all Old Testament prefigurements of Jesus, but we also see this with Eve and Mary, Joseph in the Old Testament and Joseph in the New Testament, and Elijah and John the Baptist. Emmaus Road Publishing has given us a series of children's books on this subjects with the following three titles currently in the series - The End of the Fiery Sword, Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb, and Building the Way to Heaven. They are all written by Maura Roan McKeegan and illustrated by T. Schluenderfritz. Today, I am going to tell you about the third book in the series.

Building the Way to Heaven begins by asking children if they have heard of the stories of The Tower of Babel and Pentecost. It explains that even though one is from the Old Testament and one is from the New Testament, when you put the stories next to each other, you can see a hidden mystery unfold. The two stories are then placed side-by-side on the pages throughout the book, so we see the Great Flood on one page and Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension on the other page. This leads us to the pages where all the people in the Old Testament speaking the same language and all the people in the New Testament speaking different languages. The Old Testament people were prideful wanting to build a tower to elevate themselves. The New Testament Apostles wanted to spread the Good News and elevate Jesus. Thus, the Old Testament people were scattered and given different languages to speak. However, the Apostles were given the ability to speak different languages so the whole world would know about Jesus. Thus, we learn that you cannot build your way to Heaven. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus. Like the other books in this series, the author and illustrator do a good job of educating your child on Biblical Typology without overwhelming them with information. These types of books, not only give your children more Biblical exposure, it also helps them look at old stories in new ways and see exactly how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament. Highly recommend this series!

This book was provided to me by Emmaus Road Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Psalm Basics for Catholics (Ave Maria Press)

Dr. John Bergsma is a theology professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has written many books on Scripture, but the ones I know his best for are his "Basics for Catholics" books. The first one was Bible Basics for Catholics with two follow-ups (so far) entitled New Testament Basics for Catholics and Psalm Basics for Catholics. Today, I am going to tell you about the latter work, as it his most recent one in the series. The book is divided into eleven chapters, which are as follows:

1. What's a "Psalm"? Who Wrote Them? and All That Stuff
2. How the Psalms Fit into the Story of Salvation
3. More About David
4. The Story the Psalms Tell
5. Introducing the Psalter! (Introducing the Psalter!)
6. Book I of Psalms: Weeping and Moaning
7. Book II of Psalms: Triumph and Rejoicing
8. Book III of Psalms: Descending into Grief
9. Book IV of Psalms: Waiting Around in Exile
10. Book V of Psalms: Woohoo! The Exile is Over! At Least Mostly
11. Different Ways to Read the Psalms

The book begins by telling us about who David is, what a Psalm is, why they were written, and the different types of psalms. Chapter Two then walks us through all of salvation history and the seven covenants. They are Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New and Eucharistic Covenant. Dr. Bergsma tells us that the psalms "flow from the Davidic Covenant, and we use them in the New Covenant because it is the restored and transformed covenant of David. We then learn more about David and get a comparison between his covenant and the Mosaic Covenant. The rest of the book is the meat of this book and gives you summaries and important psalms in each of the five sections of Psalms. The last chapter provides a nice chart, which gives you different psalms to read depending on how you are feeling at the time.

Like his other books in this series, Dr. Bergsma presents this information in an approachable method. He provides you with enough information on the subject matter, as to not overwhelm you, but also invites you to dive deeper after reading his book. The most charming parts of this series are his clever stick-figure drawings. These pictures are not only amusing, but they are also educational. I especially liked the one he made of King David looking like a rock star! These simple drawings help illustrate the main points Dr. Bergsma is trying to convey and so in a way that is helpful and not distracting. If he did a whole book of nothing but stick drawings from every famous Bible story, I would gladly buy it and love every minute of it! I hope there are more books in this series, because I highly recommend them all.

This book was provided to me for free by Ave Maria Press in exchange for an honest review.

Before I Was Me (Sophia Institute Press)

Before I Was Me is a hardcover children's book from Sophia Institute Press. It tells the story of a little boy asking God who he will become when he is born. God told the little boy that he had great plans for him, so the little boy assumed he would become an astronaut who ate milk and cookies. However, God asked the little boy how he would get the cookies, so the boy next decided he would become a baker. This cute story continues on of God further questioning the boy with each occupation, and the boy goes from astronaut to baker to farmer to doctor to teacher to parents. The boy realizes that parents are the most important "job," but God instructs him that the only way people become parents is with a child, so the boy decides to become a child, because children are the purest representations of God's love.

This is a very simple book with a profound message. The art and illustrations draw you into the message, but also provide a touch of humor that children and parents will both enjoy. Frank Fraser does a superb job at both writing and illustrating this book as the pictures complement the story without distracting from its message. This is a very sweet book and one that belongs on every child's bookshelf. It would make an excellent Baptism gift for first time parents or birthday gift, and I can't recommend it enough!

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press.

Forty Reasons I Am A Catholic (Sophia Institute Press)

Dr. Peter Kreeft is one of the most well-known Catholics in the United States. He is a professor of philosophy and a prolific author, penning over 40 books on philosophy, theology, and apologetics. His most recent book is entitled Forty Reasons I Am A Catholic. Before I talk about the book, I would like to clarify that Dr. Kreeft explains that there are well more than 40 reasons he is Catholic. He simply wrote down 40 reasons, because he believes a good question (Why are you a Catholic?) deserves a good answer, or 40 in this case.

The book is not systematically organized by topic, but instead is just 40 concrete examples from Dr. Kreeft's life. Each chapter is only a few pages long with the longest being six pages. His first reason sounds simple, "because he believes it's true," but it is deeper than that. He is Catholic because he believes it holds Jesus' truth, and ends this chapter by telling people that they should only convert to Catholicism if they believe it is true. If they don't believe that, don't become Catholic or leave the Church, because hypocrisy is a grave sin. Other examples in this book range from his belief of Jesus in the Eucharist and the sacrament of Confession to something so personal as his mother.

The book is written in a very accessible and approachable language. It is very easy to read through, but Dr. Kreeft doesn't dumb anything down, and presents sound philosophical arguments for his serious reasons. (Don't expect one for the chapter on because of the movies.) This book is good for non-Catholics who wonder why you are Catholic, teens/young adults who are in the questioning stage of their life and going off to college, or Catholics who have been Catholic for a long time but sometimes wonder or question why they are Catholic. I highly recommend it and will be passing this book along to others.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press.

Loosing the Lion (Emmaus Road Publishing)

The shortest of the four Gospels is The Gospel According to Mark, weighing in at a "mere" sixteen chapters. However, don't let that short length fool you. It packs just as much a punch as the other three, if not more, due to the urgency of the way its message is delivered. With the current Liturgical Year being Year B, the Catholic Church's Sunday Gospels are read primarily from The Gospel According to Mark. That made this the perfect year for Emmaus Road Publishing to release the book Loosing the Lion: Proclaiming the Gospel of Mark. The book is divided into three main parts - Preaching the Gospel of Mark,  The Gospel of Mark in the Lectionary, and Resources for Further Study. Since we all know what type of content is in Part Three, I would like to focus solely on the first two parts in this review.

Part One begins by talking about the modern age and how we have grown numb in a post-Christian culture. There is also the problem of accommodation and moralism. We try too hard to make the Gospel approachable, but in doing so, we lose the beauty of it. This leads to how pastors should preach the Gospel using the fourfold sense method, which involves literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. This method is designed to  make saints and gives us the true story of salvation history. Dr. Leroy Huizenga goes on to suggest that The Gospel According to Mark is "an ancient biography, an index of Jesus, and a sacramental narrative icon." Lastly, Part One provides us with a brief summary of Mark's Gospel, which includes how it was written and the theological themes and motifs the author used. Part Two is the meat of this book, and is broken into eight thematic chapters that walk us through the entire book of Mark. What I found most helpful in Part Two was the Table of Contents. Each section of Scripture tells us the day and week of the Liturgical Calendar where this section of the Gospel is read.

One could argue that this book is merely a commentary on The Gospel According to Mark, and while it is that, it is so much more than that. Dr. Huizenga goes into such great detail on each section of Mark, but does so in an approachable way. There are times you read through this book and you have to go back and read what you just read, but that is because you are not used to reading Mark this way. However, on a second reading of the text, the message clicks and makes sense. There are two ways you can read this book, and I'd honestly recommend both ways. The first is to read through the book cover to cover, thus reading through Mark from beginning to end. The second way is to follow along with the Liturgical Calendar. This way will require some skipping around of chapters and sections, but if you are in Year B, I honestly think it is a great way to read this book. This book offered me a lot of thought-provoking insight into Mark's Gospel and caused me to slow down reading and appreciate the words in a way I have never done before. I highly recommend this book.

This book was provided to me for free by Emmaus Road Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The Radiance of Her Face (Angelico Press)

Dom Xavier Perrin is the current Abbot of Quarr Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey on the Isle of Wight. He has a great devotion to the Virgin Mary and recently wrote a book about her entitled The Radiance of Her Face: A Triptych in Honor of Mary Immaculate. The first chapter asks us to focus on a triptych consisting of three panels of images of Mary. The first panel contains an image of Mary and an angel in the scene of the Annunciation. This is a picture of the angel seeing a resemblance of the face of God in the face of Mary. It is also a picture of humility in the face of Mary. The second panel is a picture at the Vatican with the pope and Mary. This pope is proclaiming the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The center panel is Mary Immaculate in Heaven with God. She is the Mother of God and the Mother of all Humanity.

The second chapter focuses on Mary's origin story. Nowhere in the Bible is there any mention of Mary's birth, so pagans looked to discredit her birth, lineage, and virginity. To combat this, people wrote apocryphal texts to explain her life before Jesus. It is here that we learn about her parents Saints Anne and Joachim, that Mary's birth was miraculous in nature, and we also learn about the Feast Days that celebrate her conception and presentation. Other chapters in this book compare and contrast the Virgin Mary with Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene, show us small portraits dedicated to Mary of the Immaculate Conception, and explain to us the mystery and beauty of Mary's Immaculate Heart with Jesus' Sacred Heart.

The Radiance of Her Face is a small book that is not even 100 pages long. Within it, however, are words of beauty and wisdom that look to not only explain the mystery of Mary's Immaculate Conception, but help us reflect and meditate on it as well. This would be a perfect read during the month of December, but I recommend picking up a copy and reading it immediately, because it is in Mary's face that we see the face of God.

This book was provided to me for free by Angelico Press in exchange for an honest review.

Léonie Martin: A Difficult Life (Ignatius Press)

With the exception of Jesus' mother Mary and St. John the Baptist, it is hard to say that any one saint is greater than any other saint. However, if you look at the Martin family, it's hard not to consider them sainthood celebrities. The two parents, Zélie and Louis, were canonized by Pope Francis. All five of their daughters that survived past early childhood went on to become nuns. Thérèse became a Saint and Doctor of the Church. Of the five daughters, Léonie has been unfairly described as a "lame duck," and the least impressive of the sisters. However, her cause for beatification was permitted in 2015 and she is currently granted the title "Servant of God." Ignatius Press recently published a book about her life called Léonie Martin: A Difficult Life. Let me tell you a little about it.

The book is divided into five chapters with the first four chapters arranged by different places important to her life. The first chapter begins with her place of birth Alencon. We see her parents worry over her, her learning difficulties, and the general unattractive nature of the girl. (Yes, this is covered extensively in the first chapter.) We also see how difficult her childhood was with the death of several siblings and death of her mother as well. The second chapter focuses on the family's time in Lisieux. This was a hard time for Léonie, because the two youngest daughters chose the two oldest daughters to be like mothers to them, and Léonie was left alone. However, Léonie was not the jealous type and bore this loneliness well. We also learn of the two setbacks Léonie had trying to enter the religious life and not finding an order she could stay in. The third chapter involves another failed attempt at the religious life for Léonie, her younger sister Celine being accepted into an order, and the death of Louis and Thérèse. The final chapters finally involve some joy for Léonie as her fourth attempt at religious life was successful. We also see what it was like for her to be the sister of a saint, and Léonie's ultimate health deterioration and death.

Reading through this book was hard at times, because it was hard to see someone suffer and go through so much hardship in their life. Léonie proved that despite there being trials and difficulties, if you live a life dedicated to God, you will be rewarded in this life or the next. Let her life of perseverance serve as an example for all of us, and pray for her sainthood.

This book was provided to me for free by Ignatius Press in exchange for an honest review.

Report from Calabria (Ignatius Press)

The Carthusian Monks are a religious order that are devoted to silence, prayer, and simplicity. Due to this isolation from the world and a solitary devotion to God, they tend not to allow visitors, except on rare occasions. With that said, they recently allowed a visitor to their community in Calabria, Italy. He was an American priest, who chose to remain anonymous, follow their daily regimen, and write a book about it. This book is called Report from Calabria: A Season with the Carthusian Monks, and I'd like to tell you a little bit about it today.

The book is written in the format of journaling/letters home to his family and friends. The first letter begins by telling us a little bit about who the Carthusian Monks are, his initial impressions of the community, and the three "products" that these monks produce - 1. Divine Worship, 2. Prayer for Oneself and Others, and 3. Contemplative Union with God. He concludes the first letter by giving an outline or schedule of a typical day in the life of a Carthusian Monks. Their day starts at 11:30 PM with prayer and ends at 7:30 PM after prayer. Much of their day is spent praying in solitude in their cell, except Sundays or Solemnities. Apart from few meals (usually in silence or in their cell), there is some manual prayer but the bulk of their day is prayer. The second letter tells about the food. He describes it as simple, but delicious and a generous portion. However, they only receive one meal per day. Another letter tells us that presently that there are only six monks present at the community of Serra San Bruno. Some have died. Some have left the community. Others have gone on to set up communities in different countries. Other letters tell about the struggle of the language barrier, miracles, and the strange visitors that come visit this community.

The book concludes by giving us two appendices, one with writings of St. Bruno and the other about the popes and their support of the Carthusian Monks. Overall, I found this book to be an interesting read. It gave me some insight on a religious order that I knew very little about and will probably never experience. I appreciated the author's writing of this book and putting it on a very simple level showing the actual day to day grit and grind of this lifestyle. He didn't try to glamorize it or make it seem like something everyone could or should do, but instead showed us a lifestyle that few are called to and appreciate those who are called to such a lifestyle. Apart from the writing style, what really made this book standout was all the photographs that complemented the text. If you would like to learn more about the Carthusian Monks, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this book.

This book was provided to me for free by Ignatius Press.

A Devotional Journey Into the Mass (Sophia Institute Press)

With Lent here, it is not only a good time to give things up, but also a time to take things up. Maybe you could pray the Rosary more, or go to Mass more, or read the Bible/spiritual works more. All of these are good options, and perhaps you could combine some of the three or find some other spiritual pursuit that helps you grow closer to God. Recently, I received a book in the mail that while it is not specifically for Lent is definitely worth reading during Lent. It is called A Devotional Journey Into the Mass. The book is divided into nine chapters with the first eight giving you concrete ways to actively participate in Mass and the ninth a summation chapter. The eight active participation chapters are as follows:

1. How to Enter the Church Building
2. How to Make the Sign of the Cross
3. How to Pray the Opening Prayer
4. How to Listen to the Readings
5. How to Prepare the Heart at the Offertory
6. How to Participate in the Eucharistic Prayer
7. How to Receive Communion to the Fullest
8. How to Respond to the Dismissal

Each chapter begins with a verse to set the frame of reference. The material is presented in a straightforward tone, calling upon Scripture, Catechism, and personal reflections of the author. The advice giving in each section is concrete and simple to execute, if only a little effort is exerted on the part of the reader. For example, when entering the Church building, enter from the main entrance and not the side. Make the Sign of the Cross thoughtfully, recalling our Creation. For the Sunday Reading, use lectio divina and meditate throughout the week on the upcoming readings for Sunday. When we leave Mass, remember that we are not just leaving until next Sunday, but instead are given a mission to sanctify the world. A perfect way to remember this is with St. Francis of Assisi's "Peace Prayer," which starts off "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace."

Reading through this book was quick and insightful and something you could probably do in an afternoon or an evening. However, even if you can read it this quickly, I encourage you to slow down and read it more thoughtfully, because within it you will find simple but profound wisdom. I encourage you to pick up this book and read through it during Lent, so that you may grow closer to God and actively participate in the Mass more fully, not only during Lent but always.

A review copy of this book was provided by Sophia Institute Press.

Mother Teresa and The Way of the Cross (Pauline Books and Media)

I looked at my calendar the other day, and I realized that Lent was sneaking up on me and Ash Wednesday was next week! With that in mind, I was looking for good books to read for myself and the son as well. With that in mind, I turned to Pauline Books and Media and looked at the two books Mother Teresa and The Way of the Cross.

Mother Teresa: The Story of the Saint of Calcutta begins by telling us about Mother Teresa's (then Agnes) early life. She lost her father at an early age, but was always a pious little girl. Even at an early age, she wanted to be a sister, but her mother wanted to to go to school. She asked her mother again at age 17 to be a missionary sister, and after 24 hours of prayer, her mother agreed. In the middle chapters of the book, we see her education, journeys, struggles, and her extraordinary mission work. The book ends talking about her death and funeral and with a prayer to her. It is a short read with great illustrations. It is done in a similar style to Jorge from Argentina and Karol from Poland. Makes me wonder if this should have been called Agnes from Yugoslavia?

The Way of the Cross: Discovering Mercy with Saint Longinus is a short booklet that gives us a unique perspective on praying the Stations of the Cross. On this Way of the Cross, we look at Jesus' Passion from the perspective of the centurion who pierced Jesus' heart on the Cross. Each step of the way, Longinus gives us his observation on what Jesus probably experienced, how Longinus felt watching Jesus suffer, and what he thought Jesus was saying to him whenever their gazes met. At the end of this booklet, we are given a historical perspective on Longinus as well as a prayer to this saint. It is a unique Way of the Cross that is not entirely factual, but reads as if it could be. I recommend you pray this Lent. It will give you a fresh perspective and speak to you in powerful ways.

Go to Heaven (Ignatius Press)

Archbishop Fulton Sheen is a man that needs no introduction. In addition to being a great priest and bishop, he was also a TV "personality" that shared the Catholic faith with millions and a prolific author, whose message still rings true today. Ignatius Press recently reprinted one of his lesser known works entitled Go to Heaven. The title was inspired by a musing Sheen once made about hearing so often the expression "Go to Hell," but never hearing someone say "Go to Heaven." With this work, he hopes to provide a road map for the reader on how to choose Heaven in the life you are currently living, and not taking for granted the serious reality of Hell.

The book begins by examining how man has changed over the years. In the past, man looked to nature to discover God. Instead of seeing all the beauty and complexity that is in the world around them, man now discovers God in man's own distorted nature. This leads to a chapter on how God helps our disordered mind and will. We are then presented chapters on grace and faith and their roles in the Christian life. Sheen beautifully explains that "Grace is the life of God among men," and "Grace makes man more than a 'new creature', and infinitely higher than his former condition." We also learn about how difficult it is to live a Christian life, what Mary's role in the Church is, and the final choice of Heaven or Hell.

Archbishop Sheen's genius is on full display with this work. In fact, if you have ever seen or heard him on TV, you can hear his voice coming off the pages as you read his words. When you think about how long ago this book was written (over 50 years), it is remarkable how accurate and relevant it still is today. The book poignantly explains the struggle of man in his fallen nature and gives him a map on how to find ultimate and eternal happiness. Will the journey be easy? No. Will there be slips and falls and struggles along the way? Most definitely! But like the caring shepherd he was, Sheen wants to ensure as many sheep make it home as possible. Like all of his works, I cannot recommend this one enough!

Theology for Beginners (Ignatius Press)

I was lamenting the other day that there are no "middle-ground" Catholic books. There are thousands of beginner level books that tend to blend together after a while, and there are hundreds of advanced level books that are great for the professors and theology majors. But where are the "middle-ground books" for people who feel they have progressed past the introductory level books? Then, I thought some more and realized I was being arrogant to think I was past the introductory stage and decided to tackle a classic Frank Sheed book called Theology for Beginners.

Theology for Beginners is a 200 page book originally published in 1957. Ignatius Press re-released it for the 60th anniversary. The book is divided into twenty chapters which were originally part of a diocesan weeklies column. The book begins with a chapter on why we should study theology, and to summarize Sheed, it is because the truth is food for us and light for us. We are then treated to lessons on the Trinity, Creation, the Nature of Man, Redemption, the Redeemer, Mary, the Sacraments, the Eucharist, and the Next Life.

One of the most interesting chapters in this book dealt with the Fall. In this chapter, Sheed looks at both the Fall of the Angels and the Fall of Adam. He talks of some angels choosing self over God. This sin of pride resulted in a rejection of God and His love. With Adam's fall that resulted from Satan's temptation, man had broken his union with God and he was supernaturally dead. All future men (and women) would now be born with original sin. Additionally, our imagination and passions (two things which were good before the Fall) have been distorted and disordered and now can consume us in a very negative way. We can now become slaves to them and let them rule us, if we allow ourselves. This leads us to the truths about Hell. It exists. It exists because of Satan and the angels Fall. It is a place of suffering. It is eternal. It is important to remember that God doesn't send people to Hell. Man sends himself there by choosing self-love over love of God. Thankfully, Hell is not our only possible destination. If we love God, but have minor sins, we can go to Purgatory and receiving sanctifying purification to eventually get to the ultimate destination of Heaven!

This book is an excellent guide to theology that has stood the test of time. The writing style is concise and succinct, getting the message across without overly complicating matters. It was also a very humbling read, because it showed me that even in beginner level theology, there is still much to be learned. I highly recommend this book!

A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail (TAN Books)

The Holy Grail is one of the most elusive, coveted, and sought after relics in Christendom. Lots of hours have been spent searching for it, and many words (both fiction and non) have been written about it. However, there is still the question in many minds about where it was a real chalice at all or merely some symbolic ideal. In a recent book entitled A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail, Charles A. Coulombe takes a look at the mysteries, myths, and conspiracies surrounding it.

The book begins with a long excerpt telling the tale of Sir Percival and others Knights of King Arthur's Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail. If you don't know this tale, it is a fascinating read about despair and hope, sin and redemption. We then see origins of the Church in the time immediately after Jesus and the many relics associated with His life and death. The chapter covers Constantine's mother (Helena) who was responsible for a large number of relics we have today and it also briefly touches on the origins of Britain and the whispers of Arthur. According to the Arthur, he was a real historical figure, just not the romanticized one that we all know. The author continues walking us through history where we come upon the Crusades with the Grail being a key item in these battles. However, it is not the Grail itself that is of importance, but what the Grail contained the Blood of Christ.

This book does a great job of teaching us Church History without the reader realizing it. The author presents us a lot of information through the centuries, but does so in a compelling way that it is more than reading dry facts, but a journey a quest in and of itself. This seems to be the author's main purpose. Using the Grail as his backdrop, he shows us that the Church of the past was more in tune with the many miracles and wonders of their time. The present day Church is unfortunately not as attuned to present day miracles. Therefore, the author thinks we need to use the story of the Grail to educate people like in the past. Truly a fascinating read and one that I will re-visit in the near future to try and absorb more on my second time reading through it.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.