Transitus Tiber » Reviews

Book Review: The Evangelization Equation

Kim — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:11:07 +0000

One of the phrases I’ve heard as a Catholic is the “New Evangelization”. It’s phrase that doesn’t always have a clear explanation attached with it. What is the New Evangelization? How does one go about implementing it?

The book, The Evangelization Equation: The Who, What, and How by Father James Wehner sets out to explain just what the New Evangelization is (and is not). Father begins by discussing the culture (the Who from the title) and how it’s driven by two ideas: modernism and post-modernism. What I know about modernism and post-modernism is what I experienced daily in college, so I appreciated Father’s clear but erudite discussion about them. Once we understand what is shaping our culture, we can understand how we fit into that culture as Catholic Christians. While I’ve (often) lamented the lack of catechesis as a reason for less than stellar understanding of Catholicism by Catholics, I’ve never once stopped to think “what is the culture doing? How are we all being influenced by the culture? How can we influence culture?” I have now, and it’s been quite eye-opening for me (but has helped me be more charitable towards people who are deeply entrenched in the culture – I can see where they’re coming from a bit easier).

The second part of the book deals with what the title suggest: the Who, What, and How of the New Evangelization. What of course is WHAT are doing in terms of evangelizing? What are we telling people? What do people need to know? What is the Church’s entire point of existence? My favorite part of the book – the How – didn’t dole out a nice, neat formula or prayer for evangelization. Rather, it woke me up to the realization that all that small stuff I do in my life (at least, small stuff to me) is actually evangelization. Greg and I evangelize our kids when we all go to Mass each week, or to Confession. Or when we make a weekday visit to Church. Evangelization occurs by being friendly to someone who is really testing your patience. There are several stories included of people involved in the New Evangelization. Each story illustrates a principle that Father considers essential to the New Evangelization.

I will need to re-read this book because there is so much information contained in it. But even in my first reading, I gathered a lot of “a-ha” moments and ideas to ponder over and discuss with Greg.

Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Evangelization Equation. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts about it.

Book Review: Happy Catholic

Kim — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:36:00 +0000

In all honesty, I initially passed over this book when it was up for review. I was interested, but not TOTALLY interested. However, I decided to review the book; because I remember reading Julie Davis’ blog B.C. (before children) and enjoyed it a lot.

I’m quite glad I did. My biggest hurdle that I had set up was “would I even recognize the quotes she’s using?”. We don’t have a TV, we don’t have a newspaper, so I am out of the loop on a lot of things. And yes, some quotes I just scratched my head over. But there was enough that I didn’t feel like I had just come up from under a rather large rock.

Mrs. Davis takes quotes from everyday culture and offers a brief reflection on that quote. And I don’t mean some sort of ethereal “floating with the angels” kind of reflections, just a good old “let’s unpack this quote in our day and age and see how this applies to us as Catholics.” Some reflections are on housework, suffering, dogs, and even rest.

The book is whimsical and serious, heavy and light at the same time. I read it in about … 48 hours, which is absolutely incredible given the fact I have a very curious almost 3 year old and an almost bipedal 1 year old. Once I got into the book, I couldn’t put it down.

What I enjoy the most about this book is that Mrs. Davis really illustrates how we don’t need to be afraid of the pop culture around us. You can find God all around us, in a movie, a quote from a Saint, from an atheist … He is everywhere, and as long as you are looking for Him and seeking Him, you’ll find Him. On the sides of buses, in the dust, in the suffering, in life.

And a nice side effect of Mrs. Davis’ book is that I have a whole new list of books and movies to read and watch.

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 Happy Catholic – Glimpses of God in Everyday Life . They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible. The only thing I received was a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Book Review: unPlanned

Kim — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 22:05:10 +0000

I think this is the hardest book I have read, ever. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was really surprised how hard it was for me to read. It was hard, but so worthwhile, so beautiful, so honest, so real.

In the book, Abby Johnson recalls her story, from how she started out volunteering with Planned Parenthood and ended up becoming a clinic director to the event that changed her viewpoint (and life) forever – watching an ultrasound of an abortion.

I started off this book expecting it to be mainly biographical and emphasising on her time at Planned Parenthood. I as wrong. This book is so much more. It’s probably the most beautiful testimony of God’s grace in a person’s life that I have read in a long, long time. Mrs. Johnson writes so matter of factly but yet so emotionally, I didn’t feel like I was reading a book, but rather having a long chat over coffee (or perhaps hearing her story ‘at the fence’). I simply could not put this book down.

The first half of the book is pretty hard and at times, disturbing. Mrs. Johnson writes what she saw, heard, and experienced at Planned Parenthood. It’s disturbing. It’s not over-the-top graphic, but she definitely does not mince words. The second half of the book is disturbing in a different sense, as she details her legal battles.

I especially enjoyed how Mrs. Johnson pointed out that both sides of the life debate have their fanatics (and thus offered gentle encouragement for pro-lifers). Additionally, I enjoyed how she ended the book so optimistic – it’s easy to get bogged down at times, especially if you’re a pro-lifer. Her charity towards Planned Parenthood is downright admirable, and I know I’ll be making some ‘charity adjustments’ now that I’m finished with the book.

Bottom line: get this book. I’ve been recommending it to everyone – Greg and I bought his parents a copy, my mom has her own copy. Get it, read it, and pass it along.

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 Unplanned. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts. The only thing I received was a copy of the book in exchange for my honest thoughts about it.

Book Review: A Franciscan Christmas

Kim — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:50:24 +0000

A Franciscan Christmas is a book that discusses each member of the Nativity and it’s importance to Franciscan spirituality and history. After all, St. Francis did set up the first Nativity scene. I was a little leery of this book, since I don’t know an awful lot about St. Francis and the Franciscans. I was expecting a book that built on a basic knowledge of St. Francis. Instead, there was a lot of material that I’m sure is considered a basic introduction to St. Francis.

The chapter that had the most impact on me was discussing the Musicians. Perhaps it’s because I have a strong musical background, or that I do like randomly bursting out into song, much like St. Francis.

In addition to discussing each member of the Nativity and the Franciscan meaning of it, the book also discusses (sometimes very tongue in cheek) the history of the Nativity scene and the history of the characters in the Nativity (like those Magi). Each chapter ends with a short suggestion of having a more Franciscan Christmas, based on each member of the Nativity. So the chapter that discusses the Magi talks about St. Francis’ time spent with the Sultan and suggests we share our faith without using words.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I plan on going through and finding a little snippet of information about each person of the Nativity and reading them aloud when Greg and I put up our Nativity. I also plan on incorporating the little suggestions at the end of the chapters into our Advent preparation (and Christmas celebration).

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 A Franciscan Christmas and be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts while you are there. I received nothing but a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Fulfillment of All Desire Study Guide

Kim — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:32:21 +0000

This study guide came at a perfect time for me – Greg gave me Ralph Martin’s The Fulfillment of All Desire as a gift for our upcoming anniversary.

I really am enjoying the study guide. The book itself is not full of deep concepts, but it definitely has a lot of “stuff” in it to unpack and chew over. The study guide has helped me to make sure I am READING and not skim-reading (a skill I pretty much perfected back in college), as well as understanding. I can read about various topics (such as the Purgative Way) but am I really understanding what exactly Mr. Martin is trying to drive home? I can use the study guide and make sure that I am understanding what he is saying.

In addition to questions for comprehension, there are questions for reflection. I actually prefer these over the questions for comprehension, to be honest. My biggest issue always comes down to applying ideas in my life, or how does what is being discussed change (or not change) my life. These questions get me thinking more deeply, and help me to be truly honest with myself and what Mr. Martin talks about in the main book.

Each chapter in the study guide begins with a summary of the chapter it corresponds to, as well as a “More about” section and key terms. There is also a glossary that allows you to look up terms you’re unfamiliar with, or just see what definition Mr. Martin is working off of.

The study guide would be great for a small group setting, like a parish book group or a Mom’s group.

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 Fulfillment of All Desire Study Guide and be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts while you are there. I received nothing except a free copy of the study guide in exchange for my thoughts about it.

Book Review: Parenting With Grace

Kim — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:38:43 +0000

You can tell what I’m most interested in at any point in my life by what books I read. Currently I’m on a parenting kick, so Parenting With Grace by Dr. Gregory Popcak and his wife, Lisa Popcak fits in perfectly. My first impressions was that it was thick – as in, 374 pages (including the appendices but not the index). I wondered how in depth the Popcaks were going to go in a book that size.

The overall theme of this book is self-donation. The book opens with a brief discussion of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, and how understanding the body and the concept of self-donation sets Catholic parenting apart from say, secular or Protestant parenting. The Popcaks make it abundantly clear that what they’re writing is not the ONLY way to be a Catholic parent, but rather what they feel is the most effective way to pass on the Faith and train children’s wills and characters (as opposed to breaking wills).

The first part of the book focuses on the family, self-donation, everyone’s favorite – discipline – overall, creating a loving environment for children to thrive in. The second part is discusses five phases of childhood: infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, school-age childhood, and the lovely teenage years. The third part talks about everything from TV and Internet use to helping Dad stay involved and even relating how important your marriage is to your kids (after all, it IS where they learn what marriage is all about).

Without giving it ALL away, it becomes very obvious why Dr. Bill Sears and his wife, Martha wrote the foreward to the book. I especially enjoyed the forward because the Sears discuss how they returned to the Church – and why they left in the first place.

While the Popcaks reiterate (over and over) that what they write is not the ONLY way to parent; some times I felt like there was a subtle undercurrent of “all other ways FAIL HORRIBLY”. It wasn’t enough to turn me off to the book, but rather help me confront why I was thinking that – bad wording? Do I need to do some discernment about what he’s presenting? Or do I just need to take some things with a grain of salt (I think it’s a combination of all three, really).

I did find a lot of help in the discipline chapters, especially as we start delving into the joys of toddlerhood with Elise. I’ve picked up some tips and tricks to more effectively guide her that are developmentally appropriate, as well as learning just what is developmentally normal for someone her age.

Most importantly, this book inspired me to be more self-donative to both kids and to Greg, as well. I’ve already noticed a drastic change in the household, in how the kids and Greg react and that self-donation feeds self-donation. I highly recommend it to parents, from those whose babies are still in utero to those whose kids are in the throws of teenagehood.

This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Parenting With Grace, 2nd Edition. I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Salvation Controversy

Kim — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:14:53 +0000

I finished this book, The Salvation Controversy by James Akin this morning, after it becoming my official “book to read while I’m sitting with Elise while she falls asleep for naps”. I will admit, this book is at times, quite deep. That could be good or bad, depending on the kind of reader you are or what you’re in the mood for. A couple of times I had to put it down and pick it up at a later time; simply because I was in the mood for something a little lighter. It is definitely a theological work, centering on salvation and justification. Two things that I never thought too deeply about but am enriched for having done so, at least what Mr. Akin is doing in his book.

Rather than be a book of “LOOK AT THOSE PROTESTANTS!”, it’s a book of “Let’s unpack Sacred Scripture and talk about what’s going on in it.” I liked that both Catholic misconceptions of Protestant ideas and Protestant misconceptions of Catholic ideas were presented and discussed. I also thoroughly enjoyed his treatment of TULIP (the points of Calivinism)(okay, his chapter on TULIP was my favorite part of the book). Not only did he discuss what TULIP was all about, but also where and how Catholicism agreed with some parts of TULIP (a shocker to me and Greg, definitely).

There are some apologetics in this book, but I would not classify it as SOLELY apologetics material. There are also some thicker parts of the book – particularly where he discusses salvation in all its forms – that I think I will need to re-read in order to fully understand what he is going for. The prospect of re-reading this book doesn’t make me moan or groan; rather I look forward to it because I’ve already learned a bunch from it, and much more will be learned on subsequent re-readings.

He closes his book discussing the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation – something I came across when I was studying the Church but never had the time to read. I knew the “Cliff notes” of the Joint Declaration but learned so much more about the Joint Declaration and what it means for Catholics and Lutherans. I plan on bringing up the Joint Declaration with my mom, not to beat her over the head with it but rather as a “hey, check out what I learned!” sharing of information bonanza.

There’s also a handy glossary of terms in the back of the book (which absolutely answered my question, “What does he mean by ____ again?” Over the years I’ve learned how critically important it is to ensure everyone is operating under the same definition of words, especially in discussing aspects of the Faith.

Considering the topics of salvation and justification could (and have) be discussed for ever; I think Mr. Akin did a stunning job on making the topics accessible without watering them down or glossing over certain aspects of them.

This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Salvation Controversy. I received nothing but a free copy of the book in exchange for my opinion of it.

Book Review: The Journey of Faith

Kim — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:38:14 +0000

A person I’m greatly intrigued by is Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Long time readers may remember that he was at my parish recently for our Parish Mission and Greg and I (and Elise) were blessed to meet him and share a few words. I have wanted to read some of his books for a while, but am still working on finding time to do so. I’m sure you can imagine how thrilled I was to see that his book on growing in Faith was up for review.

What still intrigues me the most about Fr. Groeschel is that he is a psychologist. And a monk. I figured that if anyone would have a more intimate view of the things that can happen in people’s minds that could hinder their growth in the Faith (for me, depression and anxiety), it would be him. His book is not about “if you have X, here’s how you grow in your Faith.” The book was broken into three parts: Faith in God, Faith in Christ, and Faith in the Church before moving on to how to grow in Faith. He touches base on reasons WHY to have Faith – very much to the point (if you’re like me and when feeling particularly down, you don’t want to wade through oodles of fluff to get to the point).

In his discussion on how to grow in Faith, he talks about how there are different kinds of Faith – that it’s not one-size fits all. Some people are struggling with their Faith. Others are gliding right along. Some are right in the middle. Some have no Faith. Some are losing theirs. He mentions something for everyone in that regard, and that’s something I appreciate. I know I can revisit this book during periods of darkness and dryness and find something that speaks to me in that particular situation. Something I can relate to.

I’m not sure if Fr. Groeschel meant it, but this book would be a great little apologetics manual, at least in terms of the reasons why we have Faith in God, Jesus, and the Church in the first place. It’s a small book and could easily be tucked into a pocket or a purse if need be. I’d recommend this book for people who are struggling (especially in light of the scandals), people without Faith who are curious about what Christians (specifically, Catholics) believe and why beyond, “it’s in the Bible”, and people who just need a little reminder about why we need Faith.

This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Journey of Faith – How to Deepen Your Faith in God, Christ, and the Church. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Consoling the Heart of Jesus

Kim — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:42:59 +0000

Where to begin?

Consoling the Heart of Jesus by Br. Michael Gaitley, MIC is a “do it yourself retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius”. The “do it yourself retreat” really grabbed my interest, as I would absolutely LOVE to do a retreat. However, that’s just not possible at this point in my life, so this book is (definitely) the next best thing.

The book, despite looking GIGANTIC is actually broken into parts. The first part is the retreat. The second part is rules of discernment of spirits. The third part is made up of quotes from St. Faustina’s Diary, grouped by topic. Finally, there are references and notes at the very end.

Br. Michael wants to drive home two messages in this book: St. Therese the Little Flower’s “Little Way” and Our Lord’s message of Mercy to St. Faustina. I am grateful to Br. Michael for giving me a great explanation of the Little Way that is thorough, complete, and … simple. Br. Michael gives many practical solutions for problems, such as a fear of suffering and writes the most beautiful meditations I’ve read in a long, long time.

This book really connected with me, because the Divine Mercy of Our Lord really attracted me when I was in RCIA. I was able to rekindle my love for the Divine Mercy, thanks to gentle reminders and new perspectives given to me from this book, as well as the grace of God. My prayer life has deepened since reading the book, and I find myself able to recognize when God is trying to tell me something (or just merely get my attention) – I guess I’m more aware of God in my life, and God being God.

The book also has a great web companion available, as well. I highly recommend this book, especially if you think you don’t have time for a retreat.

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 Consoling the Heart of Jesus. I received a complementary copy of the book in exchange for my thoughts.

Book Review: Never Give Up – My Life and God’s Mercy

Kim — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:30:04 +0000

I’ve had this book read and sitting on my desk, reminding me to write a review for it for a couple of days now. I’ve been chewing it over, thinking about it – it’s a fantastic book, first off. Mr. Janaro writes his testimony of suffering (Lyme Disease + depression + obsessive compulsive disorder) in the light of God’s Mercy. I can relate to him on the depression front – I’ve been off and on medications for it and I think of depression as something that will always follow me around.

The book has short chapters, and the voice of Mr. Janaro changes throughout the book. Some chapters are full of short sentences with not much elaborating, others are fully elaborated and explained. Meditations and prayers are interspersed throughout the book. He writes about Lyme Disease, his depression, the OCD – how it affects his life from his job to his family. It’s hard for me to imagine Lyme Disease, but I think I have a pretty good understanding of it thanks to Mr. Janaro’s reflections.

The book is not a pity party by any means. It’s a beautiful song of praise to God for His Mercy – sharing in His Suffering, understanding His Mother, and of course; the beauty of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I love how Mr. Janaro writes about why he keeps going instead of despairing and the truth of faith, hope, and love for the Christian means that there is something more … something beyond physical pain and mental torments. It’s so easy to forget that, especially in the midst of deep or extended suffering, and Mr. Janaro’s book is a great reminder to keep our eyes on God, even in the middle of suffering.

The brevity of the book doesn’t mean that it’s an easy read. It is, in the sense that it’s not a giant exegesis of Suffering and Mercy; but it isn’t in the sense that there is so much contained in this book to be digested, thought upon, reflected on, meditated with – I know I’ll be re-reading it when Little One is born and I’m caught in the throws of post-partum recovery, lack of sleep, and making sure Elise has one on one time with me. I want to loan this book to my mom when she’s recovering from her brain surgery (Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for Parkinson’s, if anyone’s curious), because I know she has had her own set of suffering, beyond anything I can comprehend. I want to loan this book out to a lot of people, really.

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 Never Give Up – My Life and God’s Mercy . I was provided with a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.