Pilgrimage book weaves spiritual meaning with Holy Land geography

 

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A Christian pilgrim to the Holy Land is quickly impressed by the proximity of many holy sites associated with the life of Jesus. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher contains both the place of Christ's crucifixion and his burial tomb. As walking was a major means of biblical travel, sacred sites often are a quick bus drive apart.

Another sharp realization is that many Christian sites are steeped in Old Testament history and the Judaic foundations of Christianity. Also notable is the importance to Islam of many places, as mosques have been built upon churches built upon synagogues.

Christophers honor books for adults, kids

 

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NEW YORK (CNS)—In addition to honoring feature films and television shows, this year’s Christopher Awards honored a number of books.

The winners in the books for adults category were: 

“After the Last Border” by Jessica Goudeau, 

“A Knock at Midnight” by Brittany K. Barnett;

“Nothing General About It” by “General Hospital” star Maurice Benard with Susan Black; 

Dinner In: Author’s Latest Book is Fanciful, Faith-filled Gathering of Saints

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By Penny Wiegert | The Observer Editor

The breaking of bread is central to our Catholic faith and to our very existence as humans. Food and the sharing of it is part of our story and is many times front and center when we share those stories.

Maybe that’s what makes the charming new book by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker, “Dinner Party with the Saints” such a great addition to anyone’s library. 

Koenig-Bricker has written many times about the saints of the Catholic Church but never quite like this.

Two inspired to remember 2020 in different ways

Reviewed by Sharon Boehlefeld | The Observer Features Editor

A pair of Catholic teachers from the Rockford Diocese were inspired by the pandemic to record the historic year of 2020. But they went about it in quite different ways.

Layla Groleau’s “Worst Case Scenario Best Life Ever” is a volume of vignettes about two dozen people, the challenges they faced and the ways they overcame them.

The Aurora resident attends St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Sugar Grove,

She opens with a reflection on what inspired her to write the book, saying, “What I have noticed, and I’m not alone, is that the pain, suffering and isolation which so many people are experiencing have prompted self-sacrifice, compassion, and an outpouring of love — such as this generation has never seen.” 

Among the stories she shares is "Distilling for Good," about Whiskey Acres near DeKalb. Owned and operated by Nick Nagels, and Jim and Jamie Walter, she talks about their decision to stop making whiskey and switch their operation to hand sanitizer. (See stories in The Observer on April 28, 2017, and May 15, 2020, to learn more about the history of the operation.)

When they realized such a change could be a way Whiskey Acres could support first responders during the pandemic, they did what they needed to -- including jumping a variety of health "hoops" and calling on the aid of a state legislator -- so they could bottle the needed sanitizer.

Three novels with Catholic themes make for engaging winter reading

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Reviewed by Nancy L. Roberts | Catholic News Service

This trio of novels with Catholic themes offers plenty of engaging wintertime reading.

In "A Clean Heart," John Rosengren creates memorable characters such as Carter Kirchner, a substance abuse counselor at a drug treatment center for teenagers. Besides the usual challenges of helping his young clients navigate the road to sobriety, he also must deal with the heavy drinking of his boss, Sister Mary Xavier, which threatens both her well-being and the center's. Then his mother is suddenly hospitalized with advanced cirrhosis, the result of her long-standing alcoholism.

McHenry author shares two years of witness at ‘a peculiar institution’

Reviewed by Sharon Boehlefeld | The Observer Features Editor

Several years ago, a book club I belonged to opted to read a collection of the records of Lewis and Clark from their expedition to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory.

I must admit, I didn’t get the book finished by our discussion, but I wanted to read it all. As it happened, we scheduled the discussion to coincide with the launching of the expedition, which was on May 14, 1804.

Former Lutheran makes case for becoming Catholic

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 Robert C. Koons, the author of this remarkable book, is professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, and he declares that he makes no claim to being a theologian. A lifelong Lutheran (Missouri Synod), he became a Catholic in 2007.

His slim volume is a detailed explanation of why he believes that being Catholic makes more sense, historically, scripturally and theologically, than being Lutheran or, by extension, any other kind of mainline Protestant.