Walking with Mary Virtual Book Tour

    

     I’m really excited that my blog is one of the stops on the Virtual Book Tour that begins Tuesday, September 10, 2013, the day the book goes on sale and ends Thursday, September 26. Walking with Mary is a beautifully written book about the one person who knew Jesus Christ most intimately, the Blessed Mother.  The stop at Prints of Grace will be on Tuesday, September 17.  Each day of the tour a new blogger will be hosting for that day and providing additional insights about Walking with Mary.  The schedule and list of all blogs featured on the Virtual Tour is below.

Tour Schedule

Sept. 10: The Catholic BookBlogger

Sept. 11: Catholic Bibles

Sept. 12: Snoring Scholar

Sept. 13: Karen Edmisten

Sept. 14: Snoring Scholar

Sept. 15: Abigail’s Alcove

Sept. 16: Integrated Catholic Life

Sept. 17: Prints of Grace

Sept. 18: CatholicMom

Sept. 19: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going

Sept. 20: Brandon Vogt

Sept. 21: The Joe Sales Blog

Sept. 22: Single Catholic Girl

Sept. 23: Stuart’s Study

Sept. 24: Random Acts of Momness

Sept. 25 – Feminine Genius

Sept. 26 –The Catholic Book Blogger

     For more information about the book Walking with Mary, the author Edward Sri, and/or to order your own copy, visit the Image Catholic Books site here. 

     Click here to read an interview with author Edward Sri about Walking with Mary.

     Checkout Edward Sri’s Facebook page here.

     Do you love books and have a blog of your own? Yes, then you might want to become a member of the new and improved Blogging for Books program.  Click here to read more about it and/or register to get free books.   

The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's

     Somewhere over the rainbow, there’s a group of Christians having a whole lot of fun creating hilarious programs that will have you and your whole family laughing out loud.  My husband and I have never heard or seen a Veggie Tales song or DVD we didn’t like.  Of course, some are fresher in our minds than others, while certain silly songs and clever twists on Bible stories are forever ingrained in our minds and likely to creep into our conversations. 

     Whenever we hear Bible readings at Mass that remind us of stories covered by this ace team of very inspired personnel, we look at each other and smile.  On occasion we’ve been known to whisper to each other and laugh.     
     The Wonderful Wizard of Ha’s is another hit DVD from the Veggie Tales gang.  After a long, rather exhausting week, I knew Kevin and I would need something to make us laugh, so I asked to borrow this DVD we hadn’t yet seen from the family for whom I nanny.  Make no mistake; though Kevin and I don’t have children of our own, we still have a small collection of Veggie Tales DVDs and CDs at home.  We just don’t have this one nor had we seen it before. 
     This parody of The Wizard of Oz written to tell children the story of the prodigal son cracked us up.  Two of our favorites plays on the original work had to be “Follow Old Yellow McToad” and “Ohioans and fifers and mares, Oh My!”  Trust the creative geniuses behind Veggie Tales to come up with a memorable, kid-friendly version of the parable of a wayward son. 
     For more information about Veggie Tales, check out their online store here.  For specifics about The Wonderful Wizard of Ha’s DVD, click here. 
     Here are my reviews of a few other of our Veggie Tales faves:

King George and the Ducky

Dave and the Giant Pickle

Rack, Shack, and Benny    

Catechism of the Catholic Church

I honestly never thought I’d write a review of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but here I go.  I selected this complete and updated edition of the tome because I figured this is one book along with the Bible that every Catholic ought to read from cover to cover at least once.  I presumed the commitment to writing a review of it would help motivate me to read through the 846-page paperback even if the academic dryness I suspected it would have bored me at times. 

    
Imagine my complete and utter astonishment upon discovering this summation of the Catholic faith, as it has been handed down to us through Sacred Scripture, Divine revelation, the apostles, and the saints, is a fascinating read.  I looked forward to diving into the Scriptural texts and tenets of the faith, because they are presented with such brilliance.

     
My heart rejoiced in reading the explanations and explications of the Creed, the Our Father, the proclamation of the Word of God, and the foundations for the celebration of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  This passionate portrayal of the faith handed down to us by God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit blends the elements of Catholicism I have read about, experienced, and come to understand through prayer in a way no other book has.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully explains the basic beliefs, moral and ethical teachings, as well as the eternal Truths professed by the Church.  Along with the Bible itself, it is the perfect reference for any questions regarding the history of Christianity and present application of the principles of it.

     
Want to rediscover Catholicism or really grasp it for the first time?  Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

    
I wrote this review of Catechism Of The Catholic Church 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.

Rediscover Lent

Rediscover Lent is a wonderful companion for Catholics young and old who desire to make this Lent a time of true transformation in their lives.  This book by Matthew Kelly contains a list of daily readings, a Scripture passage, a reflection, meditation questions, and a prayer for each day of Lent and Holy Week.  With his customary finesse, Kelly invites the reader into a deeper relationship with the Lord through simple practices and disciplines that have been the habits of many popes, saints, priests, religious, and devout laypeople over the centuries.

     
The themes of growing closer to the God, particularly through participation in the sacraments, reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Rosary, and embracing the fullness of the Mass are those Kelly has covered in many of his other books, talks, and DVDs.  He describes how the ancient practices and beliefs of the Catholic faith along with adopting some quite manageable practices for daily prayer and faith formation can completely change your life and all of your relationships. 
     
These basic principles and tenets of the faith are set out in thought-provoking, easy to absorb (though they’re harder to live out consistently) points, facts, suggestions, and encouragement for the spiritual journey. 
     
I highly recommend Rediscover Lent and others by Matthew Kelly for those who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith or who want to revitalize their faith and come to a renewed appreciation for the richness that lies within. 
     
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 Rediscover Lent. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Father, It’s Been Less Than an Hour Since Your Last Confession

     Sermons are as varied as the clergy who give them, but I agree with Fr. James A. Wehner, S.T.D. (Sacrae Theologiae Doctor), author of The + Evangelization + Equation= The Who, What, and How, that the best ones contain valuable lessons in faith formation.  An off-the-cuff (or the collar as it were) homily that’s more a stroll down memory lane for the priest than a strong illustration of Scripture readings, holy days, an edifying look at the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church, the lives of the saints, or even a spiritual insight that really brought home one of Christ’s teachings seems like a waste of valuable time to me.

     I have seen how true it is that Mass is and ought to be treated as the primary tool for faith formation.  If the priest does little more than describe part of his childhood, maybe tell a few funny jokes, and offers the congregation nothing more substantial that he’s doing a disservice to the assembly.  The numbers of people in the pews as declined for many reasons over the years, but how do we expect to change that if the minister serving in persona Christi doesn’t prepare a suitable sermon to feed his flock and help nurture them in the faith?
     You’re missing the mark if when given the microphone to break open the Word of God, you put little more thought, effort, study, and prayer into it than you would a spontaneous toast at a friend’s birthday party.

Excellent Advent Advice Part II: Seek Him Who Seeks You

Yesterday’s Gospel reading was about the Lord as a Good Shepherd, who goes after the lost sheep.  It’s comforting to know that Our Good Shepherd seeks us out when we stray, get lost, or focus on presumably greener pastures instead of keeping our eyes on Him. 

     
So often, we think of it being our responsibility to seek the Lord, spend time learning about Jesus Christ, and communing with the Holy Trinity in prayer.  When we consider that we are so loved and precious to the Lord that He seeks us out, draws us closer to Him, and creates opportunities for us to know Him better, it’s reassuring.  It is also a source of consolation for us regarding our loved ones who have strayed from the love of the Lord.  They may be looking for love, satisfaction, and happiness in all the wrong places, but the Good Shepherd isn’t throwing in His staff and calling it quits because some of us in the flock wander off, not just from time-to-time, but every day. 
     
A close friend once felt very sad after having turned away from the Lord.  I reminded this person that, though he might sometimes turn his back on God, that Jesus Christ has kept pursuing Him.  I told him it was never too late to turn around and back that thang up. 
     
Lately, when I’ve had some time before work or having to be somewhere, I’ll stop into a church or a chapel to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.  Of course, God and His Creation are all around us, but somehow there’s a more powerful experience of His True Presence in the Eucharist.  Even if we go from church to church, God is there waiting for us.  He’s also in us and with us.  When we slow down, we are better able to recognize those two facts.    
     
Anyone who’s spent time with young children knows that Peek-a-boo is a very popular game.  It cracks me up every time I hear a little one dissolve into giggles over a game of Peek-a-boo.  I imagine that Jesus exhibits the same joy and enthusiasm when we turn around and acknowledge that we’re being sought after by someone who loves us unconditionally, knows us most intimately, and desires more than anything else to spend time with us.  

The Lord Jesus is peeking out from the tabernacle, will you stop in to spend some quality time with him?

Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics

I selected Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics because it seemed a bit off the beaten path in light of what I’ve read most recently.  In reading the back of the book’s jacket and the praise for the work printed on the first two pages, I feared I’d made a mistake in choosing a book that would make my blood boil because the author denounced (with alleged Biblical support) all that those fighting to protect the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death stand for. 

     
I’m relieved I was wrong that Alisa Harris would rant and rave about how she was brainwashed in her youth to believe that conservative Republicans were good and moral, but then when she reached adulthood came to the realization that Democrats are the only ones who really fight injustice.

     
Some passages did make me horrified: by man’s inhumanity to man and the narrow-minded thinking that makes people believe they have all of the answers and none of the corruption other parties, organizations, and groups have. 

     
I’m impressed by how Alisa Harris critically considers many of the justices and injustices of our society in a thought-provoking way that shows holes in the there’s one perfect, God-sanctioned political party that all Christians must support. 

     
Though most of her arguments and research have come through reasoning, experience, and intellectual debate, the Biblical truths that we are all made in God’s image and loved by Him are what have remained in her heart, mind, and soul throughout her life.  Our world will be a radically different, significantly better place when we accept those two Truths and live our lives accordingly.

     
Jesus brought division by calling for equality and unity that many others refused to accept because it meant treating gentiles, women, tax collectors, the sick, sinners, and the poor as human beings with dignity.

    
Harris reminds us in Raised Right that God and His love are greater, more powerful, and more merciful than any political party, organization, or group.  Sometimes, it’s necessary to get back to the basics where love prevails, all human life at every stage is sacred and protected as such. 

     
I’d certainly recommend this book for those willing to pick apart politics and get to the heart of the Christian message in order to find the Truth, especially if it means questioning what they were spoon-fed in their youth.    

     
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. 

     

Celebrating the Holy Eucharist

The key to an intimate relationship with Christ is described within the pages of Celebrating the Holy Eucharist by Francis Cardinal Arinze. He examines a number of Church documents, encyclical letters, apostolic exhortations, constitutions, official instructions, Church teachings, and Scripture passages to show the necessary centrality of the Holy Eucharist to life on earth and in eternity.   

    
The importance of the Eucharistic feast as the most vital element in being transformed through the grace of the Lord to become more like Christ is illustrated in a number of ways. The author also shows how and why the Eucharist includes a unifying presence as well as a sending out into the world to evangelize others.

   
I found this book fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which, is the amount of research, prayer, and theology that dictate why Catholics do what they do the way they do it when celebrating Mass. There are certain rules and regulations in place to assure the sacredness and purity of the Eucharistic celebration remain intact, even if provisions are made for some differences in styles or forms of worship within the Mass depending on the culture and location of the congregation.

     
Celebrating the Holy Eucharist reminds me of one of the reasons why I love the Catholic Church so dearly: we are not only invited to learn about Christ’s life, but also to consume and be consumed by Him through a Most Sacred Sacrament that shows the ultimate sacrifice He made out of love for us.

    
Arinze does a wonderful job of explaining what responsibilities bishops, priests, and laypersons have regarding the celebration of the Eucharist, the proclamation of the Gospel, and the living out of Christ’s message in mind, body, and spirit.

    
Infused with the powerful and life-changing Presence of the Holy Spirit, Arinze explores the mysteries of the Eucharist, the glory of the Lord, service of His people, and how each of us in our own particular vocations is called to bear witness to the Truth.

You can purchase this book here.

     
I wrote this review of Celebrating the Holy Eucharist 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 Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet by Brandon Vogt

Further proof God’s got a sense of humor: while I was reading The Church and New Media I found myself having to use good old fashioned paper and pen to draft my review of this book and jot down ideas inspired by it.  As running from one thing to the next would have it, I accidentally left the power cord to our laptop home when the battery was already almost out of juice. 

     
I identified a number of bloggers I’ve previously read and enjoyed.  Plus I started a growing list of blogs I plan to start following.  I guess it’s just as well that I didn’t have internet access while reading parts of the book or I might have been tempted to check out each website mentioned along the way, which would ultimately throw my voracious reader/book devouring tendencies into slow motion.  I certainly don’t want the crew at The Catholic Company to become alarmed that I haven’t gobbled up and reviewed the latest book they’ve launched to my mailbox in a matter of days. 

     
I can honestly say that I have not read any other book that has explained so thoroughly the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings on use of the media as an essential element of propagating the faith and spreading the Good News. I have seen some amazing examples of how powerfully the Gospel message can be spread through channels such as websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.  A number of the book’s expert contributors are those I’ve read, seen, and/or watched online before I picked up The Church and New Media.   I imagine many who are active in the online Catholic community will recognize names such as: Father Robert Barron, Jennifer Fulwiler, Mark Shea, and Matt Warner. 

It’s wonderful that Brandon Vogt has gone to the trouble of putting together the pieces of the virtual digital puzzle so the rest of us can learn from what the pope and others have advised for years: evangelize everywhere using whatever media available. 

     
Besides clearly showing the ways people have been converted through new media, the contributors explain how engaging young people and fallen away Catholics these days is often fostered through online connections.  Some may feel more comfortable watching a Youtube video by a Catholic priest on the subject of the Eucharist or Reconciliation, rather than trying to find one to talk with him in person about a basic theology question. 

     
It’s highly likely that many of the saints would have loved the opportunity to reach so many people around the world and inspire them to live out the faith.  We have the chance to influence millions of people around the world.  This is an incredible chance to use technology wisely in order to evangelize the world.  Many chapters in this book include specific tips and proven practices for making the new media your bff in your evangelization efforts whether you’re the pope, an archbishop, a parish priest, a consecrated religious, or a devout layperson.     

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

Share, Be Satisfied

     God provides all that we need and then some.  God provides us with an unquenchable hunger for Him that keeps us focused.  He gives us the gift of faith.  He showers love, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion upon us, so that we may go and share these gifts with others, thereby bringing us all closer to Him.  He provides for some of what we need for ourselves and gives us extra that’s meant to be shared. 

     Oftentimes, God works through other people to meet our most basic physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.  We each have different gifts, talents, and abilities, possess different types of wealth, but we’re each called to share all that we have been given. 

     Some of us may believe we haven’t got much that’s worth sharing.  We fear we can’t make a significant enough contribution to others.  We believe we don’t have enough money, resources, education, support, faith, and/or wisdom to share with others. 

     Sharing makes us vulnerable.  It means giving not only what we have, but also who we are, and that can be frightening at times.  Sharing our food and/or our money can be far easier than

Catholic Update Guide to The Mass

Catholic Update Guide to The Mass is a short, clearly explained guide to the Mass and the changes in the Roman Missal (which will soon be coming to the Catholic Churches near you).  After hearing various compliments and critiques of the new Latin translation of certain prayers, I found this quick read, complete with the new responses the congregation will be praying during the Mass to be very informative and easy to follow. 

     
I can see, in many ways, how this new translation will promote deeper reflection and awareness of what we say and do at Mass.  I know I have been guilty at times of saying the prayers I know by heart without putting as much thought, concentration, and conviction into them as I do when more focused.  Certainly the humility and reverence we ought to have before the Lord seems clearer in the new Roman Missal.  With this in hand, I don’t feel as uncomfortable about the changes, even though I know it will likely take me a while to get use to praying these slightly reworded prayers. 

    
This guide is a very handy reference, small enough to put in a purse or slide into a planner, that will help those who have memorized the responses at Mass learn the new ones and, thereby, have a renewed appreciation for the blessing of the Word of God as well as the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. 

     
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 Catholic Update Guide to the Mass. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.