Saint The Books

An enlightening story about the humble, poor little shepherd girl who encountered the Mother of God and the tremendous impact it had on her life. Details and insights that kept me excitedly turning those pages.

In the initial account of the apparitions Dr. McEachern uses the method of drawing lines from various different accounts given by the Saint over several different years in order to present one comprehensive report. If you accept this methodology as valid, you will draw much from this book. I felt a bit uncomfortable realizing I was reading a mosaic of shards shattered and shorn from so many different sources and presented as her complete account, but perhaps such textual criticism does not present a problem to other readers. I would prefer to read the accounts in their entirety, including to the various ecclesial and legal authorities who questioned her, in chronological order, and piece together a conclusive report from that entirety. Here this work has been done for us, leaving only the golden threads from among the whole cloth. I would hope one day to see the fullest tapestry.

After that opening, the compiler of this volume does leave us a fairly representative collection of the Saint's letters, translated. Again I hope one day to see them in the original, including the regional dialect, and in chronological order, as here we find the intriguing and often difficult and treacherous work of translation done for us.

I also found the opening introduction touched by a persistent trait of other reports on this Saint, the disparagement of her family and conditions and education and mind, rather than a charitable embracing and comprehension. I am always uncomfortable to read such judgmental emphasis, yet here find it more balanced and contextualized than in earlier standard texts. The Saint herself suffered this from the first moments she reported the Visions, and for the rest of her life on earth, and accepted this suffering, for reasons she examines in this book, including unmentioned yet infinitely consoling comments by Our Lady herself, who was of similar age and education and conditions. I am not so holy and so feel deeply uncomfortable for the Saint suffering such mistreatment both during and after life, but I must resolve to convert by her very wise and holy and compassionate example, and by her own exhortations shared here in her own, translated hand.

A necessary addition to any Catholic spiritual library, and probably the best we can get for this Saint.

This book is a wonderful resource for all who want to know Bernadette better. From her writtings one can see the depth of her faith. She saw all that occurred in her life as the will of GOD and she accepted everything that came her way. One learns that Bernadette carried her cross in life with acceptance and love. She suffered greatly and wanted to unite her suffering with Jesus' for the sake of all sinners.

In developing my own book on the famous apparitions at Massabielle (Lourdes: Font of Faith, Hope, & Charity, Paulist Press, Sept. 2007), I researched a great number of titles. None of them, however, gave me better insight into the real person of Bernadette Soubirous than A Holy Life. Thanks to Patricia McEachern's careful translation, English-speaking readers can appreciate the oftentimes difficult journey to sainthood through Bernadette's candid letters and journal entries as she lived out her sanctity in the motherhouse at Nevers. A true treasure -- it was like meeting the visionary in person!

If you are looking to gain a greater appreciation and understanding for the purpose of LDS temples this is the book for you.

This is the defintive book on LDS temples and temple worship. It merits six or seven stars.

Boyd K. Packer, LDS apostle and educator traces the history, doctrine and function of the LDS temples, temple worship, and temple work. His chapter on symbolism should be memorized! As with the chapter "First and Every Time." This is an essential book (for insiders and ousiders) on understanding what Latter-day Saints belive and understand about the temple.

Many members will be familiar with this title merely as a pamphlet given to those who are preparing to receive their temple endowments for the first time, and they may not even recognize that the pamphlet they receive is adapted from this text. I read the complete text on my mission, and it gives a comprehensive picture of the temple experience from the beginning of revealed temple ordinances to the ultimate goal of exaltation.

This book does not focus on the specifics of the temple ordinances, but rather it focuses on the ways of being involved in temple worship, from being worthy to enter, to being open to learn from the ceremony, to serving those who have passed beyond. The book also goes into the impact that temple worship should have on our personal lives.

Reading this book gives an entirely new perspective on the temple experience for one who has been through the temple and returns with great frequency. It opens up the next level of participation in temple worship. If you find your temple experience to be stagnating, this book is for you.

PResdient Boyd K. Packer, acting presdient of the Presdient of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles has written a marvelous book about the temples of the Church opfJEsus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has a very soft and gentle voice whichmakes this book more of a conversation among friends than a stuffy lecture in starched collars.

He covers the history of the temples, ancient and mordern, but more inportantly ocvers the doctrine, the "Why!" of the temple. We build these temples to preform weddings, since we view marriage as eternal, not a "'till death do you part" affair.

In California, we have four operating and three under construction, and in Utah there are eleven operating. In the State of New York, we have one operating, and one planned. Overall, we have one hundred seven operating, with ten under construction,and seven announced, for a grand total of one hundred twenty-four.

Get to know these buildings with this book!

I have a B.A. (cum laude) in philosophy from a major U.S. university, and am currently finishing up an M.A. in Thomistic theology. If I were to choose one book to give to a complete novice who desired to learn about Aquinas' thought, or Thomistic philosophy, this book would definitely be the one (along with McInerny's). There is no shallow end in philosophy, particularly not for St. Thomas (Aquinas), but O'Donnell sees to it that the only difficulties the reader will encounter, are simply inherent in the subject matter, and not because of some obfuscation on the part of the writer (something often found in many writers on philosophy and Aquinas). After working through this book, I think the reader will then have the necessary background to tackle the Summa Theologica, or at least an abridged version (Peter Kreeft's annotated _Summa of the Summa_ comes to mind).

I have over a dozen books presenting the Realist philosophy as developed by Aquinas. This is the one I would recommend for a first introduction. Yet, ODonnell's presentation is so enlightening that I reread it. Also, includes interesting discussion of Einstien's theory of relativity. First-rate book.

In a perfect world every serious student of philosophy would be required to start with Fr. O'Donnell's thrilling travelogue through the ancient streets of true philosophy. One is enlightened almost magically to the realization that there really are absolutes; that truth is not only within our reach but actually quite easily grasped. Error becomes readily identifiable,e.g, how the theory of relativity was falsely applied to the moral order until these modern times hold that everything is relative,indeed that there is no such thing as absolute truth.

This is an absolute "must read" for all men of good will.

This book is awesome for writing a paper for ethics class.

This is a classic Rohr book because he gives new thought to his life-long pursuit of "Francis: Rebuild My Church." I especially like his "beyond victimhood" chapter because it encourages me to be a faithful Catholic in the midst of all the "darkness." I now cling to the comment "the cross is about standing against hate without becoming hate yourself." Rohr has done it again -- great encouragement to keep serving this church we love so much!

"One must live in a state of permanent dissatisfaction with the Church." Wow! (a quote Rohr uses in the book by Italian Monsignor, Richard Guardini, early 20th century) "And one cannot separate Christ from His cross. And one cannot separate Christ from His bloody painful Church." Rohr teaches (to me at least) that we should live Christlike behavior instead of our pompous duality, always joining hands to be against some other "thing/persons/religion/denominations/etc. He set fire to my weakened human condition that I seem to whine about all time to myself. We must suffer to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, but we "must" go through the darkness of the tunnel to get to the light. I loved the book.

It amazes me that a person who writes as much as Father Rohr can be as fresh and insightful as he is in each new book. Hope Against Darkness is nothing short of brilliant. As I understand him, Rohr argues that the spiritual searcher of today is caught between the modern and the post-modern worldviews. Both are no longer acceptable, but both contain strengths we ought to retain as best we can. The anxiety that arises from this ambiguous state of homelessness is the dis-ease he treats in this book, and his remedy is a richly creative appeal to Franciscan spirituality. Simply wonderful! A book to read, re-read, and give to others.

I have recently begun exploring Christianity after many years away from the church. Christianity is laden with language that is misunderstood and dog tired. I've been really seeking what all of that language and symbolism is pointing toward. And does any of it dovetail with my own spiritual experience. There were points reading this book where I was truly elated because aspects of the deep heart of Christianity just glowed at me with the lustre of something true.

Rohr's exploration of victimhood and scapegoating seemed so deeply appropriate in the post September 11th world. The notion of transferring our pain, vanquishing it and making ourselves mighty as we assign it to someone else. The challenge is, of course, to be aware of and hold your pain, allowing it to transform you. I'm no Richard Rohr so suffice it that my paraphrase is profoundly anemic.

The book is dense and I'm sure I didn't really "get it" all because truthfully I have no idea how any of the contents relate to the title of the book or the chapter titles for that matter. None of that detracts from the truly profound insights he shares.

Rohr strikes me as someone who has a certain clarity and a desire to convey it, share it, spread it about. I had a moment of suspicion at one point, thinking he was telling me "it's like this". But it passed. While I wouldn't say the book is chock full of humility it leaves plenty of room for a reader to think it through. I really appreciated all of the biblical references and looked them all up. He uses the New Jerusalem Bible. Mine is the New American Standard Bible. It was interesting how far apart some of the translations were.

I truly appreciated this book, I thought it was practical and thorough. I liked particularly his words on perseverance, prayer and discernment. I thought his focus on the church rather than the individual was wonderful. Worth a read for anyone who is seeking to become more authentic in their Christian faith. This book was not prescriptive, rather encouraging and challenging.

i am enjoying this read
thanks for the speedy delivery & a book in new condition

This book is not a "how to" or "10 Easy Steps" on being a saint. It is a thoughtful re-definition of what it means to be a serious follower of Jesus in a world that likes to compartamentalize the Christian faith into something you do only on a Sunday morning (hmmmm, some Christians think like that too!?). The author talks about some basic steps that we all need to practice and yet he takes it beyond that ----wanting the reader to embrace a bigger view of what it means to live in light of the love of God.

Written by Christian missionary Jack Bernard (1942-2002), How to Become a Saint: A Beginner's Guide is a simple guide for anyone who seeks to become closer to God and Jesus Christ through embarking upon the long road to sainthood. How to Become a Saint denounces the myth that sainthood is an anomaly, only for a few individuals with superhuman religious zeal. Chapters discuss sainthood defined as undividedness toward God; the obedience that comes from faith; the importance of perseverance; true versus false mysticism; and much more. "As a proper grasp of grace leads to obedience, knowing we are predestined leads to determined effort at faithfulness. You are not on your own with the promise of a reward at the end if only you can gut it out. What Jesus said to his first disciples he still says to you 'And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age' (Matt. 28:20)". Highly recommended for dedicated Christians seeking to better understand and embody their faith.

Bonomo really is a very fine writer, and her idiosyncratic explorations of spiritual life make for very entertaining reading.
This book is so accessible, and its author so genuine, that I wouldn't have any problem in recommending this boo to even the most hardened cynic.
It will appeal to people who like Ann Lamott and Kathleen Norris.
A fun and fascinating read.

Written by Carol Bonomo, a Benedictine oblate (a person vowed to live according to the fourth-century Rule) and the award-winning author of "The Abbey Up The Hill," Humble Pie: St. Benedict's Ladder Of Humility is a deeply faithful Christian memoir that critically examines today's "me-first" society that embraces pride and rejects humility, arguably to a destructive degree. Detailing the author's life and experiences in search of sacrifice, pentecost, and learning to open one's heart to God, Humble Pie is an inspirational modern-day presentation of spiritual principles well over a thousand years old. A moving and deeply reverent account and life example.

I certainly wouldn't expect to read a book on a subject like humility -- and even less, find it enjoyable. But this is a memoir of faith that begins with the Rule of St. Benedict and his 12 steps of humility and includes the author's experiences with AA's 12 steps, and her life as a Benedictine oblate, practicing Catholic and former Episcopalian. She starts out wondering what humility looks like and wonders if it is anything she would want, and ends up with answers to both questions that satisfy her and the reader as well. The only spiritual book I have read where a ukulele has a supporting role.

I liked Bonomo's first book a lot - Abby Up the Hill - but I couldn't put this one down. The author has a voice and a passion. She uses them to speak for all of us. She has put a human face on the universal pursuit of peace, serenity and the life well-lived, and she has drawn us a road map on how to achieve these things. Everyone can understand the directions and tap into it at some level.

She is a gifted writer, and she is very, very funny.

Your description is actually one for volume 14, not volume 12...which this is. Volume 12 is a series of twelve Discourses by the Ascended Master Youth Beloved Bob, through Godre Ray King. (Mr.Guy W.Ballard) It is dedicated in Eternal Gratitude to the Beloved Seven Mighty Elohim of Creation, who have guarded and assisted the "I AM" Ascended Master Youth. It explains that a conscious uderstanding of one's own Individualized God-Presence , would enable every young person to call forth Protection and Illumination, thereby assisting nations to fulfill God's Great Destiny, to bring them every good and perfect thing from God's Great Heart of Love.

this is better than its predecessor, "journeys with mr. Ed: good talk and a bale of hay" It is sure to get your mane in a flutter.

The information contained in this book is unique and inspiring. It contains info to meditate on. A book to be read and reread. Something to study for a lifetime. Truly lifechanging.

Simply said: Read this Volume, apply Its teachings and you'll have all the proof in the World that your own God-Self (The Beloved "I AM" Presence) is just above (from 12 to 50 feet above you) You waiting to Bless You with Its Perfection and to Fill your world with the Sacred Fire from the Heart of Creation.

I was completely drawn in by the first two books in the series, "Unveiled Mysteries" and "The Magic Presence". The energy was so compelling that it touched my heart. They provided me with an entirely new way to view my life here on the earthplane. BUT, when I read The Divine Director, I was totally pulled into another reality. His energy is so loving and so personal that one seems to be able to touch the invisibile beings around us. I have seen one thing after another come to pass through the intercession of the Divine Director in my life. The prayers that he offers at the end of each chapter are loving and compelling especially after Chapter 14. He says, "I enfold you tonight, Beloved Ones; in Our Ever-expanding, intensified Activity of your own God Presence, 'The Mighty I AM'; to flood your world with everything you require in the Service of the Light--money, food, conveyance, transportation,(partner),anything which is required." ...I thank you." His personality is so real that one begins to see the action of the Cosmic Beings in daily occurrences. So, Yes, this is the book for those who are ready to work with the Cosmic Beings in the service of our "I AM Presence".

The Great Divine Director, whose Mighty Ascended Master Instruction of the "I AM" is contained in the Discourses in this Book, was Beloved Saint Germain's Master, and together with Beloved Jesus, assisted Him into the Ascension. He is the Great Cosmic Being who is the Authority of the Cosmic law to this Earth, which means the law and Activity of Life and Light in this world, in regard to holding the balance of Constructive Activities for the whole System of Planets to which this Earth belongs. He is called The Great Divine Director, because for more than 200,000 years He has been directing Cosmic Light Rays to Bless mankind and the earth. (written as described on pages IX & X in the Tribute) If you want magic, insight and incredibly new understanding to enter your life, I suggest you read this very special book more than once.

Other than the original three books this is one of the best in the series. The later volumes are not nearly as informative as some of the earlier works. This one is full of clear and concise guidance. You can read all of these books over and over and learn something new each time.

One book, that if you understand it (in your mind and heart) will change your life for the whole eternity.

Over the top writing! I thought "page turner" only referred to novels but Christopher Calderhead's style had me riveted for hours at a time, unable to put down the book. As a calligrapher the subject matter was near and dear to my heart and to hear the process described in words of the scribes themselves was moving. Calderhead's attention to detail, minute observations of the scribes at work and his skill as an interviewer make for an interesting and compelling read.

I bought this book expecting to find at least general interesting facts and maybe an inside look at the illustrations in case that I never get to see the real thing and was surprised by the well told and interesting story behind the project, the author creates an atmosphere of closeness and inside access to something very important and treasured.

Elegant presentation. Beautifully printed book. Makes you want to run out ASAP to see the creation in the flesh!

This book covers all the 'W's and the 'H'. This is a remarkable book to The Saint John's bible series/collection. You learn all the behind the scenes events as Calderhead spends years interviewing the crew and the Bible's sponsors/investors. Hundreds of colored photographs accompany the book allowing you to get a better feel for the construction of the Bible and its illuminations. One of the best!

As a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity, I experienced Fr. Roch 'live' on pilgrimage in Assisi, and felt the 'heart' of this publication at a commmunity chapter and retreat here at our Motherhouse in Manitowoc. The humble, sincere author lives his book. While leaving his own footprints at all the beloved places dear to these great saints for many years, this franciscan friar encourages the reader to do what is theirs to do in the sacredness of their own lives (sounds a lot like St. Francis). A great resource before and after planning a pilgrimage, but in essence is a pilgrimage of the heart any time.

Read thil book is traveling into sacred places where Francis and Clare had gone. It is a pilgrimage in yourself too.

I had the great joy of knowing and living with Fr. Roch Nemier in my younger--and again in my slightly older days. From my lived experience alone, I would know to read anything he writes. Fr. Roch read, lived, breathed, and preached constantly of the lives of St. Francis, St. Clare, and the early "movers and shakers" of the Franciscan Orders. I was always eager to talk to him when he would return from one of his Assisi Pilgrimage Program sessions.

Now I am preparing to go on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi with another good priest-friend--and about 35 other people. Naturally, when I saw Fr. Roch's book on Amazon, I grabbed it up quickly. Since receiving the book and reading it, I almost feel as though I have already gone on pilgrimage--and in a sense I have. Fr. Roch describes the scenes so well--and in such a "present and real" syle, that I felt as though I were there with him.

Whether you plan to go to Assisi, have gone already, or even if you never go--but would love to; this book is definitely for you. Fr. Roch not only presents beautiful descriptions of Assisi and the many sights and shrines; he wonderfully brings out the spiritual and theological impact and meanings of each.

May God continue to bless Fr. Roch, and May He continue to bless us with Fr. Roch's writing and preaching!

Michael Lee
Parish Pastoral Minister
Green Bay, WI

Profound gratitude was my first and continuing response to this book! I am facilitating an ecumenical group that is going to be spending a "reflective week" in Assisi this summer. I am a spiritual director who has studied Franciscan spirituality while obtaining my Masters but I am not a trained tour guide. This is the only book I am asking everyone in the group to please bring to Assisi with them because of the rich and prayerful insights it contains.