Mitch Finley, Loyola Press Seeker Series, 1997. $10.95.Being a Catholic today means being a seeker
, a pilgrim, a person with questions, doubts and insecurities. Finley invites readers to explore with him the riches of the Catholic Tradition in a readable style. An
excellent literary companion for the RCIA journey.
THE CATHOLIC FAITH: AN INTRODUCTION, Lawrence S. Cunningham, Paulist Press, 1987, $8.95.
Is there something like a set of Catholic first principles from
which everything else flows or, at least, which helps to make sense of everything else? The answer is 'yes' and it is one of the purposes of this book to elaborate on that yes. The focus is on the basics which form the
foundation of Catholicism. This book is simply and clearly written and gives a general overview of Catholicism.
THE CUP OF OUR LIFE, A GUIDE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Joyce Rupp, Ave Maria Press, 1997 $11.95.
An original and practical book, Joyce Rupp shares how the ordinary cups that we use each day can become sacred vessels that connect us with life and draw us ever closer to God. This guide for prayer offers six weekly
themes based on different images of the cup-- the open cup, the chipped cup, the broken cup, the blessing cup. A superb book for the enriching and revitalization of our relationship with God.
AMAZING GRACE, A Vocabulary of Faith, Kathleen Norris, Riverhead Books, 1998, $24.95/$12.95 paperback
In returning to the church, the author's greatest difficulty was with the language of the Christian
religion. Words such as judgment, prayer, faith, dogma, salvation, sinner and even Christ formed what she called a 'scary vocabulary'. She found she had to wrestle with them and make them her own before they could
become a blessing for her. It is the story of one person's gradual conversion and how we can embrace beliefs that have been passed down to us.
VISION 2001, Mark Link, S.J. Tabor Pub. 1992.
This is a wonderful
book to pray the Scripture in a contemporary way based on the lectionary readings for daily meditation. Each reflection contains a Scripture passage, a story from daily life that relates to the passage, an application
of the passage to daily life and a thought that relaxes the passage to one's life. It is pocket size.
THE PEOPLE'S CATECHISM, ed. Raymond Lucker, Crossroad Pub. 1995.
This is an in-depth look at the Creed,
Sacraments, Morality and Prayer that is up to date and written in a simple style. An excellent resource book for doing further reading as a follow up to the RCIA sessions and understanding the Catholic faith in a deeper
way.
THE GIFT OF PEACE, Personal Reflections, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Loyola Press,
1997, $17.95.
Cardinal Bernardin shares in a very readable way how the last three years of his life taught
him so much about himself and his relationship to God, the Church and others. They are simple reflections from his heart.
BIBLE FOR TODAY'S FAMILY, New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs.
American Bible Society, 1992.
The Bible was written to be read!! Here is not only an accurate translation but a translation that people can understand in a format that is appealing.
101 QUESTIONS ON
THE BIBLE, Raymond E. Brown. Paulist Press, 1990 $10.95.
Brown has chosen 101 of the most commonly asked questions on the Bible. The questions cover a wide range of subjects; various translations of the
Bible, reasons for reading the Bible, miracles, the resurrection of Jesus, the structure of the early church, etc. Brown may have appeared before a thousand audiences over his long biblical career and appreciated
respected people's questions.
SEASONS OF STRENGTH Evelyn Eaton Whitehead & James D. Whitehead, St. Mary's Press, 1995. $11.95.
This book, subtitled New Visions of Adult Christian Maturing, offers a
positive vision of human development in relation to faith, spirituality and ministry. It is an inspiring exploration of what it means to become an Adult Christian. It is very readable and an ideal companion for the RCIA
journey for team and participants.
