Catholic Women's Book Group

Meeting Time and Location
The book group meets the first Tuesday of each month from 2-3:30pm in the Parish Ministry Center. For more information, contact Sue Andzik (719-359-2471 or sandzik@gmail.com).

2021 Book List

January If Your Mind Wanders at Mass by Thomas Howard
February Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with BBQ, Sweet Tea, and a Whole Lotta Jesus by Kathryn Whitaker
March Annunciation: A Call to Faith in a Broken World by Sally Reed
April Can a Catholic Be a Socialist? by Trent Horn
May Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary: Unveiling the Mother of the Messiah by Brant Pitre
June What Does God Want? by Fr. Michael Scanlan
July Activated Disciple: Taking Your Faith to the Next Level by Jeff Cavins
August The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission by George Weigel
September Loved as I am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom Through Jesus by Miriam James Heidland, S.O.L.T.
October Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within by Taylor Marshall
November True Reformers: Saints of the Reformation by Jerome K Williams
December The True St. Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas by William J. Bennett

2021 Book Reviews
Ratings 1–5 †

January 2021
If Your Mind Wanders at Mass by Thomas Howard (††††)

Synopsis: “Distractions, fatigue, boredom at Sunday worship--maybe we experience these because we don't fully appreciate what's going on at Mass. Howard's profound and practical look at the liturgy focuses our wandering minds. It reminds us that at Mass the veil separating earth and heaven lifts, so that we stand with angels and saints in the presence of God Most High.” Scott Hahn. “We are now at a stage where the spiritual depths of the Mass deserve a fresh exposition. Howard’s reflective guidance is just what we need after many years of busy ways of getting into a participatory mode. He does more than probe the meaning of the Mass. He shows us how to pay attention and let the sonder of the Eucharist touch our souls.” Rev. Alfred McBride, O.Praem.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I thought this a great overview of the entire Mass. I particularly liked his explanation of the Kyrie said three times. It comes from a profound confidence that God has had mercy, He does have mercy, and He will have mercy on us.
I thought the cover was cleverly done with the different ‘i’ in the word ‘mind’. We are all a little too focused on ourselves. He mentions ‘the Mass is the focal point’ and should be our focus of worshiping God and praising God. I liked his mention of why we stand at the Gospel—giving the reading great anticipation and showing our readiness on hearing the very WORD of God, and why we say “we lift our hearts to the Lord” as it should be.
I had trouble getting into the book and I was disappointed with it. Perhaps expecting too much or maybe too many virtual Masses these days.
Reading this book made me proud to be a Catholic and to be able to see the Mass with all its structure and every little part meaning something.
I thought it was an easy ready with good reminders that the Mass is the central act of Christian worship. Howard said that “Christianity teaches that our inclination to worship is planted in us by the One for whom we were made. It was to God that Abel offered sacrifice, and to God that Noah and Abraham and all of Israel raised altars.”
Latter while explaining the breaking of the bread—“He was led as a lamb to the slaughter”—Howard says that “all tribes and cultures seem to have been aware that expiation or propitiation must occur to reconcile us mortals with the deity. Expiation…to appease; to atone for; to make amends; to purify; to extinguish guilt; to pay the penalty; to make reparation. This, say Scripture and the Church, is what was achieved at Calvary for us.
I enjoyed the book and liked the writer's style. It was worthwhile as a study, but I'm not sure how much it will help my distractedness.

February 2021
Love Big, Love Bigger: BBQ, Sweet Tea, and a Whole Lotta Jesus by Kathryn Whitaker by Thomas Howard (††††)

Synopsis: (Taken from Publishersweekly.com) Catholic blogger and speaker Whitaker invites readers to take her “hell yes” approach to life, faith, and family in this effervescent debut, a blend of memoir, devotional, and pep talk. With wit and more irreverence than is usually found in standard Christian living fare, Whitaker, a former Protestant and mother of six, candidly shares her struggles with postpartum depression, marital miscommunication, scoliosis, and perfectionism. However, it’s the premature birth of her fifth child (resulting in life-threatening medical issues for her infant son, Luke) that’s the catalyst for this book. Whitaker wants readers to say “no” to what is insignificant, so they can love God, others, and themselves more wholeheartedly. Though each of the 10 chapters takes on a different topic that distracts from one’s faith and family (including technology, self-image, and the fear of death) they all relate back to Luke, who was “God’s invitation to detachment.” While themes are weighty, Whitaker throws in humorous asides.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I thought the author was very real and she approaches everything with a grateful heart. She is a convert to Catholicism and often it seems they have a deeper faith than cradle Catholics have. I listen to her blog and like her “Hell Yes” attitude to her faith.
There are so many things she would do with her kids that I wish I would have done while raising mine—even if just pausing at the name of Jesus while saying the Hail Mary to show him honor.
I appreciated her “get up and move forward” attitude, because no matter what the circumstances are in your life at the moment, that is just what you must do. Her repeated advice from St. Francis de Sales was wonderful: “Don’t sow your desires in someone else’s garden, just cultivate your own as best you can—don’t long to be other than what you are, but desire to be thoroughly what you are.”
There were so many little gems that I underlined: “Let us not be afraid to be silent outside and inside ourselves so that we are able to perceive not only God’s voice but the voices and hearts of others.” (She always had time for others.) Also, “I’m not interested in being bitter—a party of one. Instead, I prefer to be grateful for it all—the pain and suffering as well as the joy and redemption.” “I am this because of THAT” makes so much sense to me now.
It was an easy read and I loved the questions she would pose. Made me think. Also, some of her question were tough: “Am I a minimalist Christian?” hit home. “We need to purge to make room for Jesus.” Since reading the book I ask God to make time for me to find time for Him.
She talked about receiving grace from God in different circumstances. I never thought about grace that way but now I see how I’m receiving God’s grace as a gift through all my physical suffering.
Her comment on “quit praying like a nun” hit close to home. God doesn’t care about perfect prayers.

Quote: “I have made a pact with my tongue, not to speak when my heart is disturbed.” St. Francis de Sales