Consider Children’s Books for Gift Giving

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“Manger” poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Helen Cann. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2014). 34 pp., $16.
Wild and domestic animals rejoice and give praise to the baby Jesus in this unique collection of poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins. One by one, each awestruck and curious animal — from the cow to the spider — lends a voice to the chorus of Christmas celebration. Illustrated in lovely watercolor images by Helen Cann, this book will be enjoyed for many a Christmas season. Ages 4-8.

“Little Lamb Finds Christmas” by Cathy Gilmore, illustrated by Kim Wilson. Liguori Publications (Liguori, Missouri, 2014). 40 pp., $16.99.
Little Lemi is a curious lamb who has a habit of getting lost. Thankfully, his loving young shepherd brings him back home to the herd. One evening a glorious star beckons the shepherd to find a child king sleeping in a manger. Inquisitive Lemi follows after his shepherd, but loses his way until he too follows the light and finds the baby Jesus. With its splendidly real watercolor illustrations, “Little Lamb Finds Christmas” is a true gem that children and adults will enjoy time and again. Fans of this little lamb also will adore the main character in author Cathy Gilmore’s “Easter Bunny’s Amazing Day” about a frightened bunny who discovers the risen Jesus. Ages 3-6.

Join us today

One Diocese, One Book holds its debut event today with Abbie Reese, author of Dedicated to God, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at  Barnes & Noble in CherryVale Mall, Rockford, Illinois.
See you there!

Books explain church's past in China, look to future challenges

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"The Visitor: Andre Palmeiro and the Jesuits in Asia" by Liam Matthew Brockey. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2014). 528 pp., $39.95. 

"Evangelization in China: Challenges and Prospects" by Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan. Orbis Books (Maryknoll, New York, 2014). 178 pp., $30. 

Taken together, these two books provide a clear introduction to Christianity in China, particularly from the 16th century onward.
"The Visitor," in fact, takes a much broader scope than China. Author Liam Matthew Brockey, an associate professor of history at Michigan State University, traces the career of Portuguese Jesuit Father Andre Palmeiro, as he rose through the academic ranks at the leading Portuguese Jesuit colleges before being sent overseas at the age of 49.

We're just 17 days away!

Books provide depth, context to 1989 Jesuit murders in El Salvador

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"La Verdad" and "Blood and Ink" mark the 25th anniversary of the brutal military assassination of six Jesuits in El Salvador, revisiting the case from different but converging perspectives.
Both share the same overall conclusions and make convincing cases for calling the six priests martyrs as the social commitment that made the Salvadoran military consider them subversives and terrorists sprang from their deep faith. Murdered with the priests were Julia Elba Ramos, their cook and housekeeper, and her 16-year-old daughter.

‘Dedicated to God’ author moves to final phase of 10-year project — film editing

(Observer photo by Sharon Boehlefeld)

LANARK—Abbie Reese invited old and new friends to visit at her parents’ home, here, Aug. 1 to learn about her nearly decade-long collaboration with the Poor Clare Colettines of Rockford.
She showed video and talked about the project under a vine-covered trellis in her parents’ backyard.
Reese, author of “Dedicated to God,” the first selection in the One Diocese, One Book project, wants to see the video — some she shot and some shot by the Poor Clares themselves — edited into a full-length feature film, “Chosen.”
To support the project, she’s seeking financial supporters through an Internet fundraiser.
She will meet with One Diocese, One Book readers Oct. 18 at Barnes and Noble at Cherry-Vale Mall in Rockford.
Enter to win a hardcover copy of her book here.


About the photo: Abbie Reese  (seated at table) introduces her work with the Poor Clare Colettines of Rockford to people in her hometown,  Lanark, Aug. 1. She also talked about the final phase of her project, editing hours of video collected over several years, into a feature film, “Chosen.”

An Excerpt from "Dedicated to God"

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Part I: The Calling

Chapter 2: The Claustrophobic Nun

NOTE: Each of the nuns selected pseudonyms to reflect the Poor Clare Colettine value for anonymity and hiddenness.

In childhood, Monica encountered religious figures regularly; nuns taught her at Catholic school, and when the family lived in Rome, the birthplace of the Catholic Church, sisters dressed in the full habit were a common sight in public.

From an early age, Monica wanted a family of her own. She planned to get married and have eight children. “It was a beautiful ideal for me to be a mother and a wife and have a lot of children,” she says. Above all, she wanted to give her life for others. …

Introspective and reflective Monica took stock of all that the cloister denied—traveling, marriage, motherhood, talking to and visiting her parents and siblings. Hugging her loved ones at will. “It just seemed so radical to me and so drastic,” she says, “and I didn’t know if I could do that. In my mind at the time, I’m just working through it and I’m just saying, ‘I’m really attached to my family.’ I’m giving all these reasons to God why this isn’t a good idea.

I’m like, ‘Lord, you know, you know me. You know I can’t do this!’”

Monica’s proficiency with languages offered little solace; rather, it was a lens into yet another obstacle. The words “cloister” and “claustrophobia” derive from the same Latin root, meaning “to close” or “to lock.” “That’s where the word ‘cloister’ comes from—being shut in,” Sister Mary Nicolette says. “That was very ironic. I get claustrophobic in an elevator. So I’m like, ‘Lord, the cloister? I’m going to get claustrophobic!’ That’s the word that comes to my mind. You know being shut in and not being able to travel. I just thought, ‘How am I going to be able to do this, Lord? You’re asking me to do something that’s just completely contrary to my nature.’ ”

-- Provided by Abbie Reese

 

‘Dedicated to God’ launches One Diocese, One Book Program

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Independent scholar Abbie Reese, originally of Lanark, crafted what she learned in eight years of rare access to the nuns at Corpus Christi Monastery to write “Dedicated to God: An Oral History of Cloistered Nuns.”
Published earlier this year by Oxford University Press, it is the first selection for The Observer Book Club’s One Diocese, One Book program.
The Observer’s One Diocese, One Book program is similar to programs around the nation. One Book programs encourage readers in a geographic area — a city, a library district — to read and discuss a particular book at the same time.
In this case, Catholics in the 11 counties of the Rockford Diocese are invited to read  and discuss Reese’s book about the Poor Clares.
Existing book clubs may take part in One Diocese, One Book by discussing the book in their own meetings, then joining us and others to meet the author Oct. 18 for a book discussion and signing at CherryVale Mall in Rockford (see box, left).
Catholics in the diocese are familiar with the Poor Clare Colettine nuns who pray and live simple lives behind the walls of their monastery on Rockford’s south side.
But Reese’s work takes readers inside the walls with the nuns.
Reese’s book, according to  a press release, “is the result of her relationship- and research-based artistic practice.”
She uses methods from oral history, documentary, and ethnography to tell the sisters’ compelling story.
Her oral history and photography exhibit, “Erased from the Landscape: The Hidden Lives of Cloistered Nuns,” has been shown in galleries and museums and she has presented her work at academic conferences internationally.
Look for more about Reese and her book, including a reader’s guide to “Dedicated to God,” in upcoming editions of The Observer and at our book club blog at http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/book-club-blog.
In the meantime, mark your calendar for our Oct. 18 event. And start reading.

— Sharon Boehlefeld

Summer reading: Gripping account tells past, present of monks kidnapped in Algeria

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If you saw the 2010 film, "Of Gods and Men," you know the true story of the Trappist monks of the monastery of Notre-Dame de l'Atlas of Tibhirine in Algeria.
On the night of March 26-27, 1996, seven of the monks were kidnapped during the Algerian civil war. Although this wasn't clear from the film, the monks were held for two months and were found dead in late May 1996. The identity of their killers remains uncertain to this day.
"The Last Monk of Tibhirine" is an account of life in the monastery today and of the lone surviving monk, Brother Jean-Pierre Schumacher, who escaped execution by beheading. If you read this book you will gain a better understanding of the events that preceded the martyrdom of the seven Trappists than one gets from the film -- excellent though it is.

Summer reading: Marvel's 'Miracleman' hard to believe

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"Miracleman," a 1980s British comic currently being reissued by Marvel, was an attempt at deconstructing superhero cliches. Violent and depressing, the series tells a story that's often as dated and hackneyed as the Superman tropes it seeks to dismantle.
It's too graphic and sexualized for young readers, and too weird and overwrought for older ones.
The title character first appeared in the 1950s, as a British version of DC Comics' verbally self-transforming Shazam; Miracleman's own magic cue being "Kimota!" Three decades later, the property was revived by Alan Moore, an eccentric English writer who would go on to create the celebrated graphic novel "Watchmen." Moore's exalted reputation among fans may account for the deluxe reissue of this earlier work.

Summer reading: Engaging book looks at role of clothing in U.S. Catholic history

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When the new Pope Francis discarded the traditional red papal footwear for simple black shoes, he underscored the power of clothing as a cultural symbol.
This is something Catholics, both clergy and lay, have always understood. From priests' Roman collars to nuns' veiled habits to schoolgirls' blue serge jumpers, American Catholics have long worn visually distinctive attire.
Such clothing has helped create a sense of identity and belonging for Catholics, who historically have sought to find their way in a social landscape ruled by Protestants. For instance, in earlier times, when most priests were foreign-born, the characteristic Roman collar and other specialized clothing helped clergy gain respectability.
Sally Dwyer-McNulty, a history professor at Marist College, has given us an intriguing and thoughtful examination of what Catholics were wearing at different times and why.

Children's summer reading: books on saints, nature and more

These books are suitable for summer reading by children in a variety of age groups:

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"Saint Magnus: The Last Viking" by Susan Peek. Catholic Vitality Publications (St. Marys, Kansas, 2014). 235 pp., $17.95.
Royal bloodlines, brutal 10th-century Viking battles and loyal brotherhood make "Saint Magnus" an unforgettable read. The book tells of the obscure regal saint, a just, gentle and holy heir to the throne of the Orkney Islands of what is now Scotland. St. Magnus faces suffering and trial after trial seeking peace for his kingdom and forgiveness for his brother's heart. His own forgiveness and devotion to God made Magnus a saint, this legendary story excellently told by author Susan Peek makes this story hard to put down. Ages 14 and up.

No one unscathed in Yale professor's account of 1940s 'polio wars'

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"Polio Wars" tells the story of the conflict between the medical establishment and "Sister" Elizabeth Kenny, who came to the United States from Australia in the early 1940s with a new idea for treating polio patients that flew in the face of standard practice at that time. Neither an accredited nurse nor a member of a religious order, Kenny received the title "sister" because of her status in Australia as a senior nurse.
Kenny quickly became a media sensation and her life story was made into a film starring Rosalind Russell. But the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s made Kenny's work irrelevant and she was quickly forgotten.
Born in 1880, the fifth child of nine of an itinerant farmworker, Elizabeth and her family moved constantly between New South Wales and Queensland during her childhood.

For the aging and the ages, stories provide valuable insight

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Spend any time with the aging and you will discover that one thing they have in common is personal stories.
It makes sense that the longer one has lived, the greater repertoire of material he or she will have. And, as life expectancy increases, one can expect a greater supply of stories. Collectively, these three books add to the story storehouse, but each in a different way and for a different purpose.
"Rich in Years" by Johann Christoph Arnold is for those for whom more of life is in the rearview mirror than in the windshield. Arnold offers an opportunity to engage with people who are immersed in their faith and who relied on it through sickness and as they anticipated death. These are upbeat, inspirational stories that -- if read with an open heart and mind -- have the potential to change, for the better, how readers live their remaining years.

Graphic novel: 'Boxers & Saints,' faith and rebellion in China

Illustration from "Boxers & 
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"Boxers & Saints" (First Second Books), a two-volume graphic novel written and drawn by Gene Luen Yang, is an example of comic art at its best.
Author Yang is a practicing Catholic who teaches computer science at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California. But "Boxers & Saints" is more than simple cartoon evangelization. It's a subtle and colorful work that keeps the faith while acknowledging that sometimes there are no easy answers in life.
No surprise, then, that "Boxers & Saints" has just been awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature.
Yang's subject is the Boxer Rebellion, the anti-foreign, anti-Christian movement that roiled China from 1898 to1900. "Boxers," the first volume in the set, tells the story of Bao, a young man who becomes a leader in the uprising.
"Saints," by contrast, is the tale of Four-Girl, a young woman who has visions of St. Joan of Arc, becomes a Catholic and adopts the name Vibiana. The two characters ultimately come face to face on opposite sides of the political and religious divide.

Book offers excellent overview on religions' take on today's issues

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"World Religious and Contemporary Issues" is, overall, an excellent text suitable for use in adult education classes or undergraduate studies. Brennan R. Hill, the author, is professor emeritus in theology at Xavier University and his experience in teaching shows in the format and ease of use and readability of the book.
Hill begins with an overview of various approaches to the study of religion -- sociological, psychological and theological -- and the major components shared by all religions -- beliefs, rituals and morality. The book examines in some depth these aspects of the five major world systems of belief, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
For each, he narrates its history, insofar as this is known to contemporary scholarship, its core beliefs and hopes for how its followers can achieve its religious goals, personally and societally.
He speaks of the modern movements of each tradition as it has coped with factors such as rational, scientific thought, the massive migrations of peoples over the globe resulting in an intermingling and encounter of their followers with those of other faiths, often a reality not envisioned by the founders or the sacred texts upon which their traditions are based.

'Life-changing' Jerusalem trip was cornerstone for new 'Jesus' book

By Mark Pattison | Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON--Jesuit Father James Martin today has a hard time believing that he initially turned down a suggestion to go to Jerusalem as source material for his newest book, "Jesus: A Pilgrimage."

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"Initially, I didn't want to go because I thought my own mental images of Gospel passages and stories that I'd prayed over for years and years would be supplanted by touristy locales," Father Martin said.
But in heeding a fellow Jesuit's advice, Father Martin discovered his Jerusalem visit "provided a great structure for the book: a little narrative, a little scriptural exegesis and some reflections."

Books offer day-by-day guidance

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It’s not too late to add a a few minutes to your day for devotion and meditation.
Try one of these:

“Through the Year with Pope Francis: Daily Reflections,” edited by Kevin Cotter. Our Sunday Visitor (Huntington, Ind., 2013). 384 pp., $16.95.

“Centering Prayers: A One-Year Daily Companion for Going Deeper into the Love of God” by Peter Traben Haas. Paraclete Press (Orleans, Mass., 2013). 294 pp., $18.99.

'Love and Salt' offers beautiful, bittersweet story told in letters

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"Love and Salt: A Spiritual Friendship Shared in Letters" is a bittersweet book about conversion, faith, love and loss told in beautifully crafted letters between two young women. It is hard not to treat this book, so uncommonly honest, almost with reverence, for within its pages lies such personal and raw emotion that treating it with anything less would feel wrong.
The book is a collection of nearly three years of letters between Amy Andrews, a writer and mathematics teacher at Northwestern University, and Jessica Mesman Griffith, who is also a writer. Andrews and Griffith met each other in a graduate class and formed a friendship over their mutual interest in writing about God.
One Lenten season, as Andrews was preparing to become a Catholic with Griffith as her sponsor, the two promised each other to write a letter for every day of Lent. And so the correspondence began, but did not stop. Their letters became a forum for their spiritual friendship and as a platform for personal disclosures about life, death, faith and doubt.