by Father Mark Goldasich
Can you hear it? Yes, that’s Christmas knocking on the door. If you still need a gift or two — even one for yourself — I’ve come to the rescue. No, I’m not volunteering to go out and do your shopping; it’s much too “peopley” out there now. Instead, here are some book suggestions to consider gifting.
First up is one we could all use in the new year, especially after the glut of presents we’ve just received. It’s called “The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture,” by Haley Stewart (Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press; 2018; 166 pgs.; $16.95). Using Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’” as a guide, the author and her family undertake a life based on simplicity, hospitality and appreciation. Each of the 12 chapters ends with a section called “Finding the Grace of Enough,” giving practical tips on how to make the book’s ideas a reality in your life.
Secondly, if you feel fried after the holidays or worried about the state of the world in general, pick up “Finding God in the Mess” (Chicago: Loyola Press; 2017; 120 pgs.; $12.95) by Jim Deeds and Brendan McManus, SJ. This book, in a journal format, invites readers to ponder a beautiful photo at the beginning of each chapter, read a brief meditation and then write down (in the space provided) answers to some reflection questions. Sections include Life, Struggle, Pain and Growth.
Because we can learn valuable lessons from holy people, Ave Maria Press has a series called “Great Spiritual Teachers.” A person I’ve been fascinated by for years is Sister Thea Bowman whose cause for canonization has begun. Her thoughts are captured in “We Are Beloved: 30 Days with Thea Bowman” edited by Karianna Frey” (2021; 89 pgs.; $10.95). In addition to a brief bio of Sister Thea, each day has a meditation as the day begins, a sentence to ponder throughout the day and a closing thought to end the day. Others in this series include Thérèse of Lisieux, Catherine of Siena and Thomas Merton.
The Jubilee Year of 2025, which kicks off this Christmas Eve, might be a great time to update your Catholic faith. Two entertaining and informative books to accomplish that are Joe Paprocki’s “Practice Makes Catholic” (Loyola Press, 2011; 201 pgs.; $9.95) and “How to Survive Being Married to a Catholic,” by Michael Henesy, CSsR, and Rosemary Gallagher (Liguori, Missouri: Liguori Publications, 2019; 63 pgs.; $12.99). Each book has an inviting format — including cartoons — and makes our Catholic faith clear and inviting. Paprocki’s book has a marvelous subtitle: “Moving from a Learned Faith to a Lived Faith,” while the Liguori book contains this warning: “Keep This Book Away from Catholics. You May Never Get It Back.” These books will make you a more knowledgeable and better Catholic.
Lastly, since our pope has such a devotion to Francis of Assisi, spend time learning more about this saint. A gorgeous — but expensive — book is “Francis of Assisi: An Illustrated History of His Life and Legacy,” by Engelbert Grau, Raoul Manselli and Serena Romano (Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press; 2019; 208 pgs.; $89.95). This oversized book is the next best thing to traveling to Assisi in person. You’ll learn much about St. Francis in the written sections, but your mouth will drop open at the many full-page photos of artwork about St. Francis both from the Assisi basilica and other venues. It’s worth every penny.
Author Helen Exley once said, “Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labelled: ‘This could change your life.’”
Beware: This is especially true of those mentioned here!
