CNA Columns: Book Reviews

From Holidays to Holy Days: A Benedictine walk through Advent.

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Br. Benet S. Exton

Book written by: Fr. Albert Holtz, O.S.B.

New York : Morehouse Publishing. September 2008. ISBN 978-0-8192-23166-6. $16.00.

Fr. Holz�s book provides the reader with many down to earth meditations for Advent. It presents a meditation for each day of Advent up to the Octave of Christmas, New Year�s Day. These meditations are based on various walks in his neighborhood in Newark, N.J. Fr. Holz connects his walks with various Advent and Christmas themes which include the Scriptures as well as common symbols such as the Christmas tree and the Advent wreath. After each meditation of a page or two, he provides a short reflection which is followed by a Scripture quote to ponder. He concludes with a quote from various Monastic Fathers and Mothers, though he is partial to the Rule of St. Benedict. (Read more)

Don�t Trust the Abbot: Musings from the Monastery.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Br. Benet S. Exton

Book by: Abbot Jerome Kodell, O.S.B. Collegeville, Minn. : Liturgical Press. 94 pages. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-8146-3238-3. $11.95. March 2009.

Abbot Jerome Kodell is the abbot of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas. His book is a collection of his letters published in his Abbey�s newsletter, The Abbey Messenger between 1989 and 2008. The letters have been edited and revised for this book.

The title of this book is rather amusing since most monks trust their abbots to do their best as the spiritual father of the monastery. Abbots are not elected because they are popular, but rather because they are capable leaders. (Read more)

Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By CNA Staff

I once told a Benedictine nun she had a good sense of humor. She said, �See, we're people too.� Most women don't leave their personalities or their humanity at the door when they enter the cloister.

After reading his autobiography, I think the same thing could be said about Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. �Priests are people too,� he would say. Sheen's primary focus in writing the story of his life was neither to create a list of his accomplishments nor to impress a particular audience. Instead, Sheen's personable writing and frank tone draw the reader into the book and introduce them to an American, a priest, a child of God, and a new friend and brother in Christ.

In his writing, one of Sheen's greatest assets is his humility, another is his honesty, and the last is definitely his humor. No one can read this autobiography of the man whom Billy Graham called �the Great Communicator,� whom Pope Pius XII called �a prophet of the times� and to whom Pope John Paul said, �You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a loyal son of the Church� without getting to know the human being behind the famous archbishop, the nationally recognized telecaster, the international traveler. (Read more)

Gloria's Miracle

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Jenny Senour

Book written by Jerry Brewer. San Juan Publishing. 256 pages. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-9707-3997-1

Gloria's miracle was not to belong to her alone. In a moving and candidly written tale of a young heroine's battle for life, first-time author and sports writer Jerry Brewer gives his readers a play by play account of one of the greatest games he's ever covered.

Brewer, a sports columnist for The Seattle Times, won a coin toss for a story that would change his life: covering the story of a high-school basketball coach and his family of 9, struggling to beat back the odds of a deadly childhood cancer. But the Strauss family was no ordinary family, and the story � a welcome respite from Brewer's usual beat covering college sports and NFL football � would change his life forever. (Read more)

A Lily Among Thorns: The Mohawk Repatriation of Kateri Tekahkwitha

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Br. Benet S. Exton

Book written by: Darren Bonaparte.

Akwesasne, New York : The Wampum Chronicles. 295 pages. Paperback. ISBN 978-1-4392-1791-7. $18.99.

This book is an interesting and alternative perspective on the life and times of Kateri Tekahkwitha, a Mohawk maiden who died in 1680 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980. Before telling Blessed Kateri's story, Bonaparte sets the stage by presenting the earlier history of the Mohawk and the other Iroquois nations. He gives the history of the Five nations of the Iroquois Confederation: the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga nations. (Read more)

Discovering Mary: Answers to Questions about the Mother of God

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Br. Benet S. Exton

Book written by: David Mills

Cincinnati, Ohio : Servant Books. 148 pages. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-86716-927-0. $12.99. October 2009.

This is a great introduction into the deeper study of Mary, the Mother of God. This book by David Mills, a former Episcopalian, will help those interested in learning more about who Mary is. He provides information about what Catholics and others believe about Mary based on Scripture and Tradition and also asks questions that most curious people of Mary would ask about her. (Read more)

Secular Sabotage: How Liberals are Destroying Religion and Culture in America

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Br. Benet S. Exton

Book written by: Bill Donohue. New York : Faith Words. 258 pages. Hardback. ISBN 978-0-446-54721-5. $26.99. September 2009.

Bill Donohue is the president of the Catholic League, an organization that strives to defend the Catholic Church against any kind of abuse. In his new book, Donohue reveals and explores the many ways that secularists and many liberals attack Christianity and Catholicism using examples from recent times. He notes that many of these secularists are nihilists who oppose any religious expression being allowed in the public. They want religion to be an extremely private thing although; a majority of Americans say they are Christian or belong to another religion.

To demonstrate this, Donohue examines the fuss over Christmas by secularists who claim to want Hanukah and Kwanza celebrated on the same level as Christmas. They say they are inclusive, but the truth is that they only want to be "inclusive" on their own terms. Secularists and many liberals hide behind the word "multiculturalism" to bash the traditions and cultures of the majority of Americans. Donohue and others like George Weigel and Pope Benedict have shown that the secularists are winning in Europe and they could win in the United States if they are allowed to do so. (Read more)

New book focuses on pseudo-Catholic colleges and organizations

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By CNA Staff

Dr. Anne Hendershott, a former faculty member at the University of San Diego has recently released her new book, Status Envy: the Politics of Higher Education, in which she explains that Catholic higher education is distancing itself from Catholic teaching in order to keep up with its secular counterparts.

Hendershott spoke to the Catholic Transcript, newspaper for the Archdiocese of Hartford, about how her experiences as a 15-year faculty member at the University of San Diego helped her to write her latest book on Catholic higher education.

In a description on the cover of her book explains that since Catholic universities are not generally regarded as "top-notch," they strive to define their success and status based on secular standards. Because of this, faculty and administration work to "distance universities from Catholic ideas and curriculum," she said. Hendershott explains that some schools "have distanced themselves so far from their Catholic origins that the church no longer recognizes them as Catholic institutions." (Read more)

Stay Home, Stay Happy: Ten Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Jenny Senour

Book written by Rachel Campos-Duffy

Campos-Duffy�s light hearted "how-to" manual on stepping joyfully into the roll of stay at home mom is a welcome departure from the usual line up. Without a hint of self-righteousness, Campos-Duffy presents the notion of motherhood as the noblest of professions. Emphasizing her desire to provide for her family "spiritually, intellectually and practically," she explains in conversational style how being the parent-at-home doesn�t mean being the parent-without-the-job.

"Whether you choose at-home motherhood or, as in my case, it chooses you, [there�s] good news � at-home motherhood is a powerful mission, and you can carry it out with a daily sense of balance, joy, and adventure." The author continually returns to the freedom she has experienced in her own domestic career � a far cry from the bleak prison many envision when they hear the term "homemaking." Stressing the importance of positive feedback and self respect, she points out that many moms who stay home are not truly unhappy, but are seriously underappreciated. (Read more)

Tekakwitha: Holy Native, Mohawk Virgin 1656-1680

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Michelle Bauman

Book written by: Rev. Edward Sherman

Although she lived well over 300 years ago, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha is an amazing example of courage and dedication for the faithful of the Church today. Her life is a witness of love and humility, as well as determination in the face of hardship. In his book Tekakwitha: Holy Native, Mohawk Virgin 1656-1680, Rev. Edward Sherman explores the life of Bl. Tekakwitha. While his writing does not delve into deep or difficult theology, it gives a broad coverage of the life of this heroic woman.

Sherman begins his book by giving a brief background of the Mohawk people, explaining their houses, food, and culture in order to give the reader a context in which to place the story of Bl. Tekakwitha. Throughout the book, he includes many pictures depicting statues and paintings of Tekakwitha, along with artwork and photographs of objects typically used by Native Americans. These pictures give the reader a better cultural understanding of what life for Tekakwitha would have been like. In addition, maps and sketches included in the text help the reader visualize the regions in which she lived. (Read more)