The Catholic Bookshelf

A solid Catholic education and fruitful spiritual life requires constant growth and development. Reading good Catholic books is one way to make progress. Reflecting on this reading and sharing with fellow Catholics increases our understanding and helps us stay on track. Come join in the discussion.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Yearning for a role model?

Do you know anyone who lives an "authentic life"?  I think Kelly is right that we are all put off by hypocrisy but let's not confuse it with human failure.  I think sometimes it's a little too easy to speak of Christians as Gandhi did, "If I had ever met one, I would have become one."  I've met many Christians and they all had one thing in common - they were both saint and sinner.  Just like me.  Perhaps Gandhi's standards were too high.  Was he looking for the perfect Christian?

Our Church is filled with saints who lived an "authentic life".  How many of us know the lives of these heroes of the Church?  Maybe we think they had some special grace that allowed them to live lives of heroic virtue but the truth is we are all given the grace to know and love God.  Here's a few role models from just the last century:

Mother Teresa
Maria Goretti
Maximilian Kolbe
Josephine Bakhita
Joseph Moscati
Gianna Beretta Molla
Andre Bessette
Richard Pampuri

What do you think?  Is it possible for you and me in the 21st century to be a saint?

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Are you proud to be Catholic

Matthew Kelly says, "There is genius in Catholicism."  Do you believe that?  Are you proud to tell people that you are Catholic?  Do you defend the Church when detractors criticize it or are you silent hoping no one realizes that you are Catholic?

Kelly says it's time to rediscover Catholicism.  Are you ready for a re-awakening of your Faith?

Monday, April 18, 2011

Welcome to the Catholic Bookshelf

As part of our attempts to invigorate and engage the parishioners of Our Lady of Grace, we are giving away copies of Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly.  Each family at our Easter liturgy will receive the book with an invitation to participate in small discussion groups over the five weeks after Easter.  Recognizing that it can be difficult for people to schedule time for a group, we are also holding discussions on-line here.

The title of the blog is The Catholic Bookshelf.  It is my hope that Rediscover Catholicism is only the first of many books that are read and discussed here and in the small groups.  Please come back here often to see what we are reading and talking about and share your own thoughts on the material.