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).

2020 Book List

January Letter to a Suffering Church by Bishop Robert Barron
February Flame of Love by Elizabeth Kindelman
March Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps by Richard Rohr
April No Greater Love by Edward Sri
May How to Pray Like Mary by Sonja Corbitt
June You Are Enough: What Women of the Bible Can Teach You About Your Mission and Worth by Danielle Bean
July The Fisherman's Tomb by John O'Neill
August Salvation by Michael Patrick Barber
September He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek
October Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know by Joseph Pearce
November Rediscover the Saints by Matthew Kelly
December The Mystery of the Magi: The Quest of the Three Wise Men by Dwight Longenecker

2020 Book Reviews
Ratings 1–5 †

September 2020
He Leadeth Me, An Extraordinary Testament of Faith by Walter J. Ciszek, S.J. (†††††)

Synopsis:
Captured by a Russian army during WWII and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Fr. Walter J. Ciszek spent some 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Ciszek relates how it was only through an utter reliance on God’s will that he managed to endure. He tells of the courage he found in prayer--a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. It was the solace of spiritual contemplation that gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw upon amid the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Learning to accept even the inhuman work of toiling in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing us closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

Some Comments from the Group’s Discussion:

There were so many wonderful little gems in this book. I found it amazing that someone would even want to go to Russia to serve the people there.
Sometimes I felt oversaturated with what he went through, but God sent him there so that he would have to totally rely on God—and God alone.
I felt as if I was inside of Russia with all his suffering. I found it hard to read and curious that the people still had even a spark of faith.
The book contains spiritual principles we can all use and review, and it reminds us that God will not ask us to bare more than He did as He suffered for us. ‘We recoil from humiliating experiences because they are an affront to the dignity of our persons’, yet we must all learn from our humiliations.
I loved the book and give it maximum stars. It is so inspirational and reinforces all that we believe.
I was inspired by the sacrifices the people went through to be able to go to Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist—even if that meant not eating until after a whole day of hard labor.
His goal was to serve the people one day at a time and he learned to give up his idea of what God’s will for him was and realized, once he hit the very bottom of his strength and belief, that God’s will was for him to TOTALLY trust Him in every situation.
This book touched my soul in a way no other book has. It put a new meaning to ‘trust God totally’, to give everything I have, everything I am in total humility to God.

Favorite Quote:
For each of us, salvation means no more and no less than taking up daily the same cross of Christ, accepting each day what it brings as the will of God, and offering back to God each morning all the joys, works, and sufferings of that day.”

August 2020
Salvation, What Every Catholic Should Know by Michael Patrick Barber (†††+)

Synopsis:
Captured by a Russian army during WWII and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Fr. Walter J. Ciszek spent some 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Ciszek relates how it was only through an utter reliance on God’s will that he managed to endure. He tells of the courage he found in prayer--a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. It was the solace of spiritual contemplation that gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw upon amid the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Learning to accept even the inhuman work of toiling in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing us closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

There were so many wonderful little gems in this book. I found it amazing that someone would even want to go to Russia to serve the people there.
Sometimes I felt oversaturated with what he went through, but God sent him there so that he would have to totally rely on God—and God alone.
I felt as if I was inside of Russia with all his suffering. I found it hard to read and curious that the people still had even a spark of faith.
The book contains spiritual principles we can all use and review, and it reminds us that God will not ask us to bare more than He did as He suffered for us. ‘We recoil from humiliating experiences because they are an affront to the dignity of our persons’, yet we must all learn from our humiliations.
I loved the book and give it maximum stars. It is so inspirational and reinforces all that we believe.
I was inspired by the sacrifices the people went through to be able to go to Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist—even if that meant not eating until after a whole day of hard labor.
His goal was to serve the people one day at a time and he learned to give up his idea of what God’s will for him was and realized, once he hit the very bottom of his strength and belief, that God’s will was for him to TOTALLY trust Him in every situation.
This book touched my soul in a way no other book has. It put a new meaning to ‘trust God totally’, to give everything I have, everything I am in total humility to God.

Favorite Quote:
"For each of us, salvation means no more and no less than taking up daily the same cross of Christ, accepting each day what it brings as the will of God, and offering back to God each morning all the joys, works, and sufferings of that day.”

July 2020
The Fisherman's Tomb, The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search by John O'Neill (†††††)

Synopsis: In 1939 a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last some 75 years—a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the apostle Peter. Christian tradition held that Peter was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill, but his tomb had been lost to history. Now, funded anonymously by a wealthy American with a link to Colorado Springs, a small army of workers embarked on the dig of a lifetime. The Fisherman’s Tomb is a story of the triumph of faith and genius against all odds.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I thought the book read like a mystery novel with a lot of Church history mixed in. I am grateful that Pope Pius XII saw science as an ally to Christianity. An important thing to remember that was mentioned is that God cares –not so much about how much money you have but rather what you do with the money while you are alive.
I did not realize that all of Vatican Hill was used as a burial site for a lot of different people—some wealthy, others poor. The Christians’ tombs were simple because they saw them as only a way station to heaven, a beautiful thought.
The biographies of the main players were very compelling, and they all had a major impact on Church History. I thought Fr. Antonio Ferrua was a diabolical narcissist and yet he somehow kept advancing in the Vatican.
Margherita Guarducci was an amazing woman, brave and bold and fearless. She was always Ferrua’s hated target, yet she never gave up nor did she ever give in. She was out to find the truth and, in the end, after over 45- years, she got the recognition. I also learned a lot from reading about all her findings, about the history of the Black Madonna, and the building of St. Peter’s itself and all the charts and pictures that were included.
I enjoyed reading something a little different than our usual spiritual readings. So many little things triggered my desire to learn more---the architecture of the Church, the Vatican’s involvement in WWII and how they helped so many Jews, etc. Life is like a tapestry. God uses different people for so many different things that we don’t know anything about—we see only the bottom side of the tapestry. But God blends all the players--all of us--and He creates a beautiful tapestry.

Quotes to Remember:
“The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave, Awaits alike the inevitable hour. The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” Elegy written in a country churchyard

June 2020
You Are Enough, What Women of the Bible Teach You about Your Mission and Worth by Danielle Bean (††††½)

Synopsis: (parts taken from Catholic Stand) The book is straightforward and dives into the sisterhood of the Scriptures, laced with the author’s signature style of down-to-earth stories of God at work in our everyday lives. Bean intersperses the women of the Old Testament and the lessons they represent with vignettes from her personal life to help us remember that what the women of the Bible teach us is still pertinent, even in today’s modern world. The heart and spirit of womankind remain timeless. The book is divided into eight chapters, each with a message and one or more women from the pages of the Old Testament whose stories speak to the chapter theme. After sharing a personal story Bean weaves faith stories of our fore sisters with reflective questions on faith history and how these lessons relate to our modern-day lives. Each chapter ends with a prayer from a saint.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I loved this book and all the connections she makes between biblical women and our own lives and circumstances today. She is so open and honest as she shares parts of her own life, one that overflows with hope and faith in our loving God.
She says we don't know our strengths until we are challenged and that is so true. Whether it is children, marriages, family, or health, we have that hidden inner strength that God gave women to use when needed. God made each of us "perfect", though we feel ourselves "imperfect" all the time.
The author gives the women of the OT a voice that I found so interesting. I could relate to many of their stories, some as if they were my own. People are put into our lies for a reason that we may never know why.
I liked her emphases that God hears even our imperfect prayers and I particularly liked the closing prayers at the end of each chapter. I underlined her words “He (God) works with our weakness to bring us closer to Him”. It’s an easy read that really inspires!
I liked how she combined Bible stories with her own personal stories. I can see how I can do that as well. My favorite chapter was the one on TRUST. The widow of Zarephath was on her last morsel of food yet she gave freely and trusted as Elijah says to her “fear not”. And Jesus says to us, “Fear not.” It reminds me to trust in the Lord in all things.
The book brought back a lot of memories while raising children and a reminder that we should be praying for even the small things because God cares about what we care about.
Her explanation of Proverbs 31, a poem of praise for womanly virtues, was beautiful.
Not all the women in the Bible that she mentions where holy women though all have womanly gifts. We must be careful how we use our gifts--for the positive or the negative.

Quotes to Remember:
"God calls you just as you are. God calls you to greatness. God loves you just at you are."

May 2020
How to Pray Like Mary by Sonja Corbitt (†††½)

Synopsis: After years of Bible study, Sonja Corbitt recognized that the “mother of listening” was providing a model of prayer that has the power to revolutionize your life of prayer. Starting with Mary’s response to the Annunciation, Sonja shows the reader how to pray with Scripture under the guidance of the Blessed Mother through the author’s method of “L.O.V.E”: L–Listen, O–Observe, V–Verbalize, E–Entrust. Sonja draws from vivid biblical texts to show you her key to loving Scripture and deepening your relationship with God.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I’m familiar with Lectio Divina and have used that method in studying Scripture but I’m not sure how I feel about someone claiming to know how Mary prayed and coming up with their own copyrighted version of it, despite having obtained an Imprimatur & Nihil obstat for their work.
Her model is certainly easy to follow, and she makes a lot of good points in the book. I have never journaled a lot so this might motivate me to do that.
I loved her personal reflections. But since I have gone through the Assumption Institute Prayer series, I prefer their approach, even though it requires more studying, praying, and reflective observations.
She reminds us that God is speaking to me personally, about me personally and not for someone else’s benefit so that I can help them change.
This is not my type of method though there were a few good points I liked: “listening means nothing if it is not met with acceptance. Acceptance means obedience.”
I thought her explanations of why to have a prayer journal to be extremely helpful. King David wrote a prayer journal and she suggests we can start there.
I like her videos more. I like her L.O.V.E. acronym. It makes it easy to remember.
I loved the book! I have a great devotion to Mary and liked the author’s comments entrusting to God like Mary did all our thoughts and concerns as we ponder circumstances and events in God’s presence as we read His word.
It was not my favorite book, but I appreciated some key points. We should all be praying for others, not judging them. For the measure we give them will be the measure we receive.
I have a Prayer Journal that I use so I ‘get’ the importance she was talking about to use one when praying. It’s like getting my thoughts together so I can stay focused when having my conversation with God. And silence is also especially important. I cherish it. How else could you hear God’s hand pumping your heart without being in silence?

Quote:
“Mary models and the Church teaches that daily nourishment in the Scriptures is an absolute necessity.”

April 2020
No Greater Love, A Biblical Walk Through Christ's Passion by Edward Sri (†††††)

Synopsis:
The book’s primary goal is to reveal Christ’s amazing love for us while author Edward Sri guides the reader through the last hours of Christ's life in a biblical pilgrimage. The reader will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Mount of Calvary. Sri quotes biblical experts, OT prophecies, and explains how the use of certain words all reveal how Old Testament prophecies, messianic expectations, biblical symbolism, and historical context shed light on the mystery of Christ's suffering and death. With these insights, Catholics can come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s immeasurable and unconditional love—drawing closer to Jesus than ever have before.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

The book was very easy to read and very interesting, confirming our faith in a very hopeful way. I particularly liked Sri’s comparisons and parallels of people, words, and even places—pointing out that everything had meaning—and taking the OT, he showed how Jesus fulfilled each prophesy. He even had a parallel between Judas and Peter.
It became obvious that Jesus was in total control even to the very hour and minute of his death.
I didn’t know about the significance of the hyssop that was dipped in the vinegar for Jesus to drink--that it was the same plant used to spread the blood on the doors of the Jews.
I really liked reading this book during Lent—even more so during this shelter in place time. There were verses quoted from Mark’s Gospel that I never paid much attention to: like the man fled away naked from the Garden, and Sri pointing out that same word being used to describe how the other disciples had abandoned Jesus and fled. Sri makes these verses so personal to us.
This book is excellent, compressed, and with critical information that we don’t hear enough of. We are so intimately connected with Jesus and Sri brings that point out time and time again. The book helped me focus on what is truly important during this Lent. It taught me that I have to just let go of everything and let Jesus be in control.
Sri gives such a good historical account of the crucifixion of Jesus. We find out that Pilot had no moral compass, no truth to guide him in difficult decisions. He just does what is most expedient for his career. Sri also points out the importance of Simeon’s carrying the cross behind Jesus. We are all to take up our cross and FOLLOW Jesus.
Sri’s books are all “spot on”. He puts things in our language so we understand the situation, like his explaining that if we heard the “Star Spangled Banner” we would know it was about the USA. Jesus speaks the same way using images pertinent to His time.
I LOVED this book. I hope we can all remember the lessons when Sri asks the reader if we have areas in our lives where we can grow in sacrificial love: He says the Mass is the number one place we can go for this because in the sacred Liturgy we encounter sacrificial love himself, Jesus.

Quote:
“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O Lord, I return it. All is thine; dispose of it wholly according to they will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.” St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises.

March 2020
Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps by Richard Rohr (††††)

Synopsis:
Fr. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM. Fr. Rohr’s teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized. In his Twelve Step spirituality, Rohr identifies the core Christian principles in the Twelve Steps, connecting them to the gospels. He says that only people who have suffered in some way can save one another. Deep communion and deep compassion is formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure. This, says Richard Rohr, “is one of the great discoveries of the Twelve Step Program, America's most significant and authentic contribution to the history of spirituality. To survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction, Christians must learn "to breathe under water" and discover God's love and compassion.” However, there are two sides of the story on Richard Rohr. At Aquinas and More--a Catholic bookstore--they have always had a policy that they will only carry a product that is true to Catholic teaching. They find Fr. Rohr's ideas about salvation heretical along with some of his other viewpoints. More comments on Fr. Richard Rohr can be found on line at https://www.aquinasandmore.com/

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I like Richard Rohr and think his message is right on target. I’m grateful for the timing of this book right now in my life. I could relate to his message on love responds to love alone.
I learned how AA’s 12 steps related to spirituality and people which I never knew before. But on the negative side he quoted from the Gospel of Thomas, which is not even canonical. Much of the book was good with good points, however I thought he had more Karma in it than Grace.
Rohr says no one talks about evil—though Jesus did—and he talks a lot about how we change ourselves but never mentions Jesus having a part in it.
I thought he had a lot of criticism for the Church vs. more positive ideas about Eastern religions. I thought a lot of the book could be misleading with a lot of schizo-babble. On the positive side—he equated sin with disease and had a lot to say about that. I liked that we need to learn to be human like Jesus so that we can be spiritual like Jesus. The book had some interesting points to think about.
I’ll agree when he said you cannot heal that which you do not acknowledge.
I agree with him that addiction is a spiritual disease—a disease of the soul, an illness resulting from longing, frustrated desire, and deep dissatisfaction.
I thought there were too many flaws in the book in terms of not being true to the faith. He talks about centering prayer and seems very cynical about self-sacrificing love. He paraphrases Scripture too much to suit his own message.
I started reading this book with a bias because of the negative comments I heard about Rohr, but I got a lot out of this book. I especially liked his ongoing message of dying to self/the ego has to go/turning ourselves over to God/ “if you want to follow Me you must give up… I can use what I read to grow spiritually from this book.

Quote:
“God is humble and never comes uninvited, but He finds creative ways to get invited.”

February 2020
The Flame of Love by Elizabeth Kindelmann (††††)

Synopsis:
In the troubling times in which we live, Jesus and His Mother are laying extraordinary graces in our laps for our disposal. This new movement is “The Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” a new name given to that immense and eternal love that Mary has for all her children. The movement’s foundation is this spiritual diary of the Hungarian mystic Elizabeth Kindelmann, in which Jesus and Mary teach Elizabeth and the faithful the divine art of suffering for the salvation of souls. Tasks are assigned for each day of the week, involving prayer, fasting, and night vigils, with beautiful promises attached to them, laced with special graces for priests and the souls in purgatory. In their messages to Elizabeth, Jesus and Mary say that “The Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” is “the greatest grace given to mankind since the Incarnation.” And in the not-so-distant future, her flame will engulf the entire world. These heavenly communications, recognized by the Holy Catholic Church, perfectly support and specifically amplify the urgency of the message of Fatima.

Comments from the group’s discussion:

I thought the book very tedious and long, but that’s not to say I didn’t get a lot out of it. Elizabeth was so self-deprecating and had such a low self-esteem, but Jesus kept insisting on humility and the importance of prayer and fasting and especially upholding the family.
It was a difficult read but the private revelations were compelling. They were very counter-cultural, giving a source of strength to those who suffer. Jesus and Mary both reinforced that we should all be praying the rosery and receiving all the sacraments.
We are all called to go to Calvary with Jesus, just differently. It reminds me of Rm 8:17 “if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” It was like a hammer on my head when I read, “WE understand, you don’t have to—just keep praying,”
We must offer up even our small sufferings. And when they spoke on the way we speak we are reminded that we are responsible for EVERY word we say.
Why did I recommend this book? Because it has changed my prayer life! The book gives very concrete reasons why we must pray, especially for priests. We have the means to save souls, even the souls of priests, and that is through sacrifice and prayers. “The Church is the invisible reality in a visible society.” Jesus REALLY wants us/me to get to heaven, I might as well help Him! Jesus even said: “The only thing of value in my eye is for you to trust in me,”
This book was deeply intimate to me. I will use it to meditate with, each sentence so rich.
I struggled with some of the terms used, perhaps because of the translations used, but I might think that the average person might wonder if this book was true. It touched my heart when Jesus says, “I call out to you with love and patience, but you turn away.”
What an image it creates in me when Jesus said: “Your suffering widens your soul and now all my gifts to you can fit.” He also said, “Just be silent.” (I think He was speaking to me.)

Quote:
Jesus: “Just as a magnet attracts and never lets go, so I never let go of anyone.”

January 2020
Letter to a Suffering Church, A Bishop Speaks onthe Sexual Abuse Crisis by Bishop Robert Barron (†††††)

Synopsis: (parts taken from reviews on “goodreads.com” and “reddit.com”
In response to the sexual abuse scandal that has gripped the Catholic Church for the past thirty years with many Catholics asking, “Why should I stay?” Bishop Robert Barron explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight. Reading the current crisis through the lenses of Scripture and Church history, Barron shows that we have faced such egregious scandals before; that the spiritual treasures of the Church were preserved by holy men and women who recommitted themselves to fighting evil; and that there is a clear path forward for us today. Though some may contest that Barron does not go far enough in discussing issues of homosexuality in the seminaries, for most all Catholics this book will offer reasons to stay and fight for the Body of Christ.

I thought Bishop Barron was so honest and straight forward in his approach. He did not sugarcoat what’s been going on and is totally outraged. I liked his strong conviction about staying with the Church and how it is OUR responsibility to defend our beliefs. The level of trust is so low right now with the younger generation and we need to fight for what we believe, not just believe.
At first I thought the book would be downcast but found it to be rather uplifting and heartening. We know it has been the intention of the devil to destroy the Church from the beginning and, as Barron points out, it (this scandal) seems so thoroughly thought through, so comprehensively intentional. “The devil, with the cooperation of lots of people inside the leadership of the Church, has produced a masterpiece…”. I found the book a support of why I’m still Catholic…I’m not going anywhere!
He put into words exactly how I feel. I can’t walk away from Jesus. Those priests he talks about are not the “Church”. As he said, “though you might feel the temptation to leave, the better option is to stay and fight, especially on behalf of the victims.”
I give the book 5 crosses because Barron had the courage to write the book.
I LOVED the book and will pass it on to my grown children who struggle with their faith. In John 6 our Lord asks Peter if he too would leave. This is how I feel… “Lord, to whom would we go?”
I liked his “stay and fight for the church” comments, though I thought there was too much focus on just the McCarrick debacle and the children abuse. Only 5% of the whole issue is pedophilia. He didn’t mention the homosexual issues in the seminaries and colleges. He needs to write another book addressing the whole homosexual side.
I liked his biblical references especially the story of Eli from 1 Sam.1-3 which is a lesson not only for the leaders of our Church but for all of us, especially as parents. God punishes Eli for the sins of his sons because, ‘though he knew his sons were blaspheming God, he did not reprove them.’ Barron says, “In short, it was not the crimes of Hophni and Phineas that particularly aroused the divine ire, bur rather Eli’s refusal to act when he was made aware of them.”

Quotes:

In response to Napoleon who said he would destroy the Church, Cardinal Consalvi responded, “Oh my little man, you think you’re going to succeed in accomplishing what centuries of priests and bishops have tried and failed to do?”
Catholic writer Hilaire Belloc: “The Catholic Church is an institution I am bound to hold divine—but for unbelievers a proof of its divinity might be found in the fact that no merely human institution conducted with such knavish imbecility would have lasted a fortnight.”