Catholic Women's Book Group
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Meeting Time and Location
The book group meets the first Tuesday of each month from 2-3:30pm in the large conference room. For more information, contact Sue Andzik (719-359-2471 or sandzik@gmail.com). |
2019 Book List
- January The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous Faith-Filled Friends by M. Faehnle & E. Jaminet
- February The First Society by Scott Hahn
- March Who Does He Say You Are?: Women Transformed by Christ in the Gospels by Colleen C. Mitchell
- April The Noonday Devil: Acedia, The Unnamed Evil of our Times by Jean-Charles Nault OSB
- May Under the Mantle, Marian Thoughts from a 21st Century Priest by Donald H. Calloway
- June The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time by Dr. Gregory Bottaro
- July The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church by Monica Migliorino Miller
- August To Light a Fire on Earth: Proclaiming the Gospel in a Secular Age by Robert Barron and John L. Allen, Jr.
- September Humility Rules: St. Benedict’s 12-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem by J Augustine Wetta OSB
- October Why Humanae Vitae is Still Right by Janet E. Smith
- November In Heaven We’ll Meet Again by Francois Rene Blot
- December Be Merry: How to Advent without Losing your Mind by Sterling Jaquith and Cayla Mello
2019 Book Reviews
Ratings 1–5 †
Ratings 1–5 †
March 2019
Who Does He Say You Are? by Colleen C. Mitchell (††††)
Synopsis: (parts taken from Christianbook.com)
In Who Does He Say You Are?, Colleen Mitchell shows how twelve women from the New Testament answer this crucial question of identity: "Who does he say you are?" Holding up Mary as the ultimate example of an intimate, transforming union, Mitchell weaves together moving anecdotes of her own search for identity as a Catholic woman along with the accounts of these women of Scripture. Be transformed as chapter by chapter the story of these 12 women of the Bible unfolds as they encountered Jesus. Their stories are really the collective stories of all women as the author pulls a statement of truth about our own identity as women in Christ. In the Prologue the author gives a guide on how to use the book and at the end of each chapter she includes questions the reader can answer, making this book suitable for both group and individual study.
Comments from the group’s discussion:
Quotes:
“You are a friend of God, a dwelling place for his glory, with a voice to proclaim his praise. You can ask boldly of the Savior because, in him, you are redeemed, restored, and bear no shame."
Who Does He Say You Are? by Colleen C. Mitchell (††††)
Synopsis: (parts taken from Christianbook.com)
In Who Does He Say You Are?, Colleen Mitchell shows how twelve women from the New Testament answer this crucial question of identity: "Who does he say you are?" Holding up Mary as the ultimate example of an intimate, transforming union, Mitchell weaves together moving anecdotes of her own search for identity as a Catholic woman along with the accounts of these women of Scripture. Be transformed as chapter by chapter the story of these 12 women of the Bible unfolds as they encountered Jesus. Their stories are really the collective stories of all women as the author pulls a statement of truth about our own identity as women in Christ. In the Prologue the author gives a guide on how to use the book and at the end of each chapter she includes questions the reader can answer, making this book suitable for both group and individual study.
Comments from the group’s discussion:
- I liked the book a lot, it was like Lectio Divina—a meditative sort of prayer as I read it. There were parts, however, that she sounded more like a Protestant author and I found her use of “sister” a little too much.
- My favorite chapter was on Mary, the Wife of Clopas. Not much more is written on her other than her name and the fact that she was present. How often we are quick to dismiss the value of our presence to someone else—someone in need. I’ve often thought that if’ I can’t DO something I’m useless. Yet her just being present rated her a mention in the Bible.
- I wasn’t impressed with the author and thought she repeated herself way too often. I did like the prayers at the end of the chapters though.
- I liked the Mary and Martha chapter and just to be content in the Lord—to find joy just to be in His presence.
- I thought the questions at the end of each chapter were fabulous because they made me reevaluate myself and where I am in my life. These women each had to step out in faith—I wish I could be that brave, to have the hope that they each had.
- I liked the book but I didn’t like her “sister” stuff. I think I need to read more scripture because there were a couple of these women I wasn’t familiar with. I liked how she said that Mary ‘allowed’ God to overshadow her own will. And also in Mary and Martha—it’s not an either/or but rather both. Jesus desires to invite us into a contentment that is not dependent on who we are (we are who we are) but on who he is.
- Jesus had a way of making an emotional connection with women, it seems, more so than with men.
Quotes:
“You are a friend of God, a dwelling place for his glory, with a voice to proclaim his praise. You can ask boldly of the Savior because, in him, you are redeemed, restored, and bear no shame."
February 2019
The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order by Scott Hahn (††††)
Synopsis: (parts taken from the back of the book)
Everyone seems to admit that Western Civilization is in trouble, yet no one agrees on what has gone wrong or what to do about it. Scott Hahn (best-selling author of over forty titles) makes the startling claim that our society’s ills and its cures are rooted in whether we reject or accept the divine graces made available through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Man, he argues, is social in his very nature, we were created for community. The family, constituted through the Sacrament of Matrimony, is the most basic building block of every society. If we corrupt marriage, we will have a corrupt society. But there is hope….and he explains why marriage is our hope.
Comments from the group’s discussion:
Quotes:
“This mutual molding of husband and wife, this determined effort to perfect each other, can in a very real sense…be said to be the chief reason and purpose of matrimony, provided matrimony be looked at not in the restricted sense as instituted for the proper conception and education of the child, but more widely as the blending of life as a whole and the mutual interchange and sharing thereof.” Pius XI
The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order by Scott Hahn (††††)
Synopsis: (parts taken from the back of the book)
Everyone seems to admit that Western Civilization is in trouble, yet no one agrees on what has gone wrong or what to do about it. Scott Hahn (best-selling author of over forty titles) makes the startling claim that our society’s ills and its cures are rooted in whether we reject or accept the divine graces made available through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Man, he argues, is social in his very nature, we were created for community. The family, constituted through the Sacrament of Matrimony, is the most basic building block of every society. If we corrupt marriage, we will have a corrupt society. But there is hope….and he explains why marriage is our hope.
Comments from the group’s discussion:
- Scott Hahn is a master of information on the Catholic Church and he makes an excellent point on how family and marriage are the foundation of a solid society. However, I think that in our society of relativism it would be a HARD sell. Sure, he has many believers that agree about the destruction of today’s society caused by abortion, same sex marriages and gender choices, but there are plenty of others who are not convinced.
- Some chapters where a bit slow, but most of it was very good. There just is no substitute for a man and woman as husband and wife. I don’t think his vision of society could ever come back.
- I thought it was very deep! Hahn could have gotten his message over by dumbing-down a bit. He has an important message, however. Solidarity is at the heart of the common good.
- I listened to the audio version of the book and really enjoyed listening to him read the book. I found listening made it easy to understand and follow his train of thought, though some of it was tedious.
- I liked the book though I thought it a bit deep and thought he was preaching.
- I certainly agree that our society has become very narcissistic and that our culture teaches individualistic lessons to our young people. Everything is relative… the taking of innocent lives, stealing, values, morals, honor… is there nothing that is true?
Quotes:
“This mutual molding of husband and wife, this determined effort to perfect each other, can in a very real sense…be said to be the chief reason and purpose of matrimony, provided matrimony be looked at not in the restricted sense as instituted for the proper conception and education of the child, but more widely as the blending of life as a whole and the mutual interchange and sharing thereof.” Pius XI
January 2019
The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-Filled Friends
by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet(†††††)
Synopsis:
In The Friendship Project, Faehnle and Jaminet explore the cardinal and theological virtues with an eye toward friendship. Focusing on faith, hope, love, prudence, gratitude, loyalty, generosity, and prayerfulness, they help us answer questions such as, “What does it mean to be women of hope, and how does that change our lives and make us more compassionate friends during difficult times?” and “How does prayerfulness teach us how to listen to and talk with both God and our friends, which helps us reach out to those we love?” By employing Church teaching and telling us stories of their own friendships and those from the lives of saints and biblical women they answer these questions and more. The book includes Prayers, discussion questions, and a study guide making this a perfect resource for women’s groups. (parts taken from Ave Maria Press)
Comments from the group’s discussion:
Quotes:
"Hope is the greatest gift you can give someone…Hope is a virtue that empowers us, especially when we experience dark times…Hope is the set of wings that carries us to heaven…If we are not willing to bring hope to our friends and learn how to cultivate this virtue in ourselves, we are missing out on what it means to be a Christian friend.”
The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman’s Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-Filled Friends
by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet(†††††)
Synopsis:
In The Friendship Project, Faehnle and Jaminet explore the cardinal and theological virtues with an eye toward friendship. Focusing on faith, hope, love, prudence, gratitude, loyalty, generosity, and prayerfulness, they help us answer questions such as, “What does it mean to be women of hope, and how does that change our lives and make us more compassionate friends during difficult times?” and “How does prayerfulness teach us how to listen to and talk with both God and our friends, which helps us reach out to those we love?” By employing Church teaching and telling us stories of their own friendships and those from the lives of saints and biblical women they answer these questions and more. The book includes Prayers, discussion questions, and a study guide making this a perfect resource for women’s groups. (parts taken from Ave Maria Press)
Comments from the group’s discussion:
- I liked how they tied saints together and told their stories and how they related to different virtues. To me friendship is like family and there is something different when your friend believes in Christ.
- I loved this book and noticed while reading the book that our Catholic Women’s book group is a perfect example of what this book demonstrates. It summarizes precisely what we are while sharing friendship and books and helping each other on our paths toward Christ.
- Compared to some of our other books this book didn’t grab me. However, it got better as it went along. I liked their idea of uniting my prayer with my daily work. Something I’ll incorporate into my day.
- It’s stuff I already know…until the chapter on Prudence, which I need more of and I need more prayerful people in my life.
- I like the stories of ordinary people who became saints.
Quotes:
"Hope is the greatest gift you can give someone…Hope is a virtue that empowers us, especially when we experience dark times…Hope is the set of wings that carries us to heaven…If we are not willing to bring hope to our friends and learn how to cultivate this virtue in ourselves, we are missing out on what it means to be a Christian friend.”