'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.

We have another book give-away!

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Here's a chance to win your first book of the new year!
Author E.R. Barr (better known to us as Msgr. Eric Barr) has given us one print and one electronic version of his award-winning fantasy novel, "Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer," to give away.

Enter to win by sending your name, mailing address, phone, parish and whether you prefer a print or electronic edition to The Observer Book Give-Away, P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125.

Or enter online at The Observer Book Club home page by clicking here. Then click on the "Or click here." link to the entry form.

The deadline to enter is Jan. 3!

Win a copy of "The Good Thief"

We had a few print and several electronic editions of “The Good Thief” by Robert Vall to give away at our Oct. 30 book club gathering, and we know the rain kept some of you away. But that means we still have a few copies we can share! The book is a modern retelling of the story of Dismus, the thief who died on a cross next to Jesus and whom Jesus promised to meet that day in heaven.
We’ll give away the remaining copies to winners of a random drawing. Send your name, mailing address, phone, parish and whether you prefer a print or electronic edition to The Observer Book Give-Away, P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61125. Make sure it’s postmarked by Nov. 30.
Or click here to enter.  (From The Observer webpage, click on the Click here above the blog window.)
Contest closes Nov. 30.

Here are a few questions about "The Vatican Diaries"

As we get ready to talk about John Thavis' "The Vatican Diaries" tomorrow (see previous post), here are a few discussion questions to think about.

1. Why do you think Thavis opened the book with the story about the bells?
2. If you think of the book as you would a novel, who is your favorite "character"? Why? Likewise, your least favorite "character." Why?
3. What was your favorite line (or lines) from the book?
4. Thavis said on his website -- www.johnthavis.com -- that he wrote the book "to chronicle the human side of the Vatican -- warts and all ... ." How well do you think he succeeded?
5. Thavis has something of a dry wit. What did you think was the funniest part of the book?
6. What was the most inspirational part of the book?
7. After reading the chapter about Pope Pius XII, how do you feel about his sainthood cause?
8. How did Thavis' chapter "Sex" influence your thinking about the church sex abuse scandal?
9. How do you feel about Vatican "transparency" after reading this book?
10. Thavis published the book and retired from Catholic News Service shortly before Pope Benedict XVI also stepped down. If Thavis wrote a sequel, what would you like to see in it?

Please bring your own comments and questions to our discussion at Barnes & Noble in Cherry Vale Mall at 7 p.m., Oct. 30. Remember, the first 10 who arrive will win a free copy of "The Good Thief" by Robert Vall.

Join us Oct. 30 for a chance to win a book

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