OTTAWA — Father Gary Caster is listed as the author of “The Way of Simple Love: Inspiring Words from St. Thérèse of Lisieux,” but his words are found on only three pages of the new 180-page paperback published in September by Franciscan Media. A talented writer — Father Caster’s 2018 book “Prayer Everywhere: The Spiritual […]
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Ginny Pettit of Geneseo holds a photo of her daughter, Suzie, as a teenager and the book she wrote, "Inside Suzie," about her daughter's early years as someone living with developmental delays. Even though she was unable to communicate, Suzie's love and smile spoke volumes to the people around her, Pettit said. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)
GENESEO — No words are necessary to show love and Suzie Pettit excelled at that. While developmental delays left her unable to walk or talk, she taught everyone around her how to love well, too. Ginny Pettit has shared what her family and friends learned in a 28-page book, “Inside Suzie,” which was released by […]
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"Theology of Home" is a collection of writings that teach about how God can and should be found in the places we dwell. It is coauthored by Carrie Gress, Noelle Mering, and Megan Schriber.
Reviewed by Katie Bogner “Love, by nature, is meant to be shared. Like a light coming on in the darkness, it isn’t contained but rather spreads and beckons others to come. Our homes can be reflections of, and participants in, this light the more we mirror God’s brilliance.” While having dinner with friends recently, one […]
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Reviewed by Nancy Piccione Bonnie Engstrom’s new book is literally awe-inspiring. “61 Minutes to a Miracle: Fulton Sheen and a True Story of the Impossible” is part page-turning medical mystery story; part spiritual memoir, about faith, acceptance, and openness to the Holy Spirit; and part primer on the fascinating process of “saint-making” in the church. […]
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Debby Irving, left, is the author of "Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race."
Reviewed by Sister Mary Core, OSB About two years ago, I read about Debby Irving’s book, “Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race.” I thought, “Interesting title. I ought to read that.” Why? Because I wondered whether I myself was unintentionally racist. I had grown aware of my thoughts around race. […]
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Reviewed by Matthew Vander Vennet Throughout the church’s history, there have been times when she must go through a process of purgation and purification. While remaining the spotless Bride of the eternal Bridegroom, she also remains made up of human beings who continually fall short and are in constant need of reform. Bishop Robert Barron, […]
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Reviewed by Nancy Piccione Nearly three years ago, 85-year-old priest Father Jacques Hamel was martyred by two Islamic state terrorists while he was celebrating daily Mass at the parish in Normandy, France, where he lived as a retired priest. I vividly recall how moved I was by the accounts of him, and his witness to […]
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Georgette Ghantous Williams of St. Philomena Parish in Peoria is author of the new children's book "The Adventures of Stacy and Tracy: How to Turn Gossip into Kindness."
Stacy and Tracy are fictional young sisters who are taking children and adults alike on adventures in virtue. For decades found only in the imagination of Georgette Ghantous Williams — as well as her seven children and 19 grandchildren who delight in her lesson-teaching storytelling — Stacy and Tracy are fast making friends around […]
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Reviewed by Nancy Piccione There’s a well-known, if not necessarily true, story about St. Teresa of Avila, the 16th-century mystic Carmelite. The account goes that when experiencing a physical setback (I heard it once as when she fell off her horse into the mud), she complained to God, and he told her, “Fear not! This […]
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Father Augustin Kassa, SMA, is parochial vicar of St. Mary in Grand Ridge, St. Patrick in Seneca, St. Theresa in Earlville, St. Joseph in Marseilles, and St. Patrick in Ransom.
EARLVILLE — Father Augustin Kassa, SMA, dedicates his new book “to the suffering members of the body of Christ.” That’s a wide target audience, since everyone — from victims of terrorism and poverty to those confronting their own illness or that of a loved one — experiences pain and suffering in their lifetimes. And the […]
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