Comments on: Book chat: Books about faith and food

By: Tres Angelas

Tres Angelas — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:52:51 +0000

I picked up Lee Strobel's "The Case for the Real Jesus" (2007) at the library this weekend while waiting for the girls to locate their usual armfuls of books.

Strobel effectively refutes some of the more recent assaults on Christianity. Of course, I knew the attacks on the Church were wrong, but it's good to know just HOW wrong and why.

I haven't read any of Strobel's other works (e.g., "The Case for Christ"), but I may have to now.

By: Karen E.

Karen E. — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:27:22 +0000

Thanks, Jennifer, for such a lovely review. I'm glad you could relate!

And now, thanks to this post, I have several other books to add to my tbr pile. I'm on a bit of a food book kick … Just read Chocolate Unwrapped: The Surprising Health Benefits of America's Favorite Passion, and now I'm reading The Omnivore's Dilemma.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:03:11 +0000

I bought the Rosary book this week! I can't wait to read it this weekend. I'm also combining the 30 Day Shred exercise DVD (I can already just say one thing about that – ouch) with a book by Gina Loehr called Choosing Beauty, a 30-Day Spiritual Makeover for Women. It's early, but so far I like it (and it's easier than the Shred.)

I'm planning to read (it's on the truck heading for Borders now) Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd. There are a few reasons I'm interested in it, but the main one is that as she's grappling with spiritual things she begins to wonder why she doesn't have a feminine image to reflect the divine. Suddenly Mary becomes powerful for her and she notes that Mary is so suited to 21st century feminist interpretation. Well, I want to read this. It will either be wonderful or horrible – but I intend to find out.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:39:28 +0000

Could you please explain how you have this much time on your hands to read??? I have ONE, yes ONE child and about seven books that I've ordered on-line sitting around my house collecting dust. What am I doing wrong???

By: Christian H

Christian H — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:36:12 +0000

I have to plug Radical Gratitude and God in the Alley (in response to your request for books).

The first, by Mary Jo Leddy, is about the title, really. She's a Catholic professor of theology, and writes mainly about the spiritual troubles resulting from consumer culture. She can be a bit repetetive, though.

The second, by Greg Paul, is about finding Christ among the homeless. It's pretty breath-taking.

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:49:27 +0000

Hi, Jen — The little old fellow who runs our parish's Welcome Table has been pushing the "In the Shadow of His wings" book to everyone for months now. You (and the others here) have described the book better than he as able to — maybe he was still just overwhelmed by it. So now, I guess I'll have to ask him to add me to the reservation list… Ah, me, where did the Summer go???
Stefanie

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:07:12 +0000

I LOVE the Rosary book. LOVE it. I pass it around to just about everyone.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:09:21 +0000

I returned to the rosary a couple years ago - as a cradle Catholic, I had viewed it as a long, tiresome prayer.
To begin - I found a CD of the rosary that my mom liked... if you you don't have it - get it - The Rosary with Fr. Scallon & Dana. It's beautiful and really honors the prayer.

I also bought a little booklet called "Praying the Rosary without Distractions" Look for the Rosary Center online... One look at the illustrations, and you'll buy them in bulk to give to your friends like I did!

That helped me through. I still don't love praying the Rosary as much I know I am capable of - but I am almost there.

Now let me share a funny story.
When my Grandmother was in her last year (approaching her 100th birthday) my mom and aunts hired a woman to check on her and sit with her a few hours each day - between the visits they could make.
They asked her to pray the rosary with Grandma. This woman was not Catholic so they made a little cheat sheet for her (She was gracious enough to do it earnestly - so sweet)

At Grandma's wake, the woman told us how she prayed the rosary with Grandma - and how she fretted when she made mistakes - Grandma would just say, "That's okay dear... go on." in her sweet way.
And the woman grew to love the rosary.

Funny how life gives you gifts like that.

Love you Granny!!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:45:29 +0000

I am in the middle of Anne Rice's Called Out of Darkness a spiritual confession. It's hard to put down because she is so descriptive on her upbringing in the Catholic Church. Her devout life as a child sounds a lot like my father's life. Her honesty is refreshing too. I am only half way thru, but I am enjoying it!

By: Brother Juniper

Brother Juniper — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:00:56 +0000

I read "In the Shadow of His Wings" several months ago and I agree with you, Jen. It is one of the most gripping books that I have ever read.

It seems to me that it is an excellent lesson on how to pursue a religious vocation in the most difficult and dramatic of condition.

Even when Fr. Goldmann was faced with impossible moral choices, he did what he knew was and what Divine Providence told him to do.