A New Blog for Catholic School Teachers

Today marks the launch of Catholic School Chronicles, a new blog for Catholic school teachers. If you're a Catholic school teacher, please visit the site and subscribe to the RSS feed, and if you know any Catholic school teachers, please let them know about the site. Thanks.

The Perpetual Web Rosary

Pray the rosary with others around the world via the Perpetual Web Rosary from Catholics United for Life. When you visit the page, start praying the rosary wherever the last person left off, then click the rosary as you finish each prayer. Your prayers are added to the prayers of others.

Water, Water Everywhere - That Catholic Show Episode 7

Courtesy of SQPN, nominated for 8 podcast awards in 2007:

That Catholic Show Talks about the Priesthood

Be sure to check out the latest episode of That Catholic Show:

Marge Simpson Imagines a Catholic Heaven

The Simpsons movie comes out tomorrow, so here's a short clip to mark the occasion:

Berserker Death: RIP Fred Saberhagen

Fred Saberhagen , one of my favorite science fiction writers, passed away from cancer on June 29, 2007 at the age of 77. Saberhagen is probably best-known as the author of the Berserker series, a set of science fiction stories about humanity's war against self-repairing killing machines that roam the universe with the sole purpose of eliminating all life. Saberhagen used his Berserker stories to explore what it meant to be human, and several of them were based on works of literature such as Poe's "Masque of the Red Death" and Melville's Moby-Dick. Saberhagen was also Catholic, and if you can find a copy of his First Book of Swords, there's a fantastic afterword written by Catholic science fiction/fantasy critic Sandra Miesel (co-author of The Davinci Hoax) who summarizes his major works and explores his recurring themes and values. I highly recommend the following books for any science fiction/fantasy fan (especially teenagers): The Berserker series: As mentioned earlier, the Berserkers are machines that scour the universe obeying their directive to destory life. Consider the opening paragraphs of "Without a Thought," the first Berserker story: The Machine was a vast fortress, containing no life, set by its long-dead masters to destroy anything that lived. It and many others like it were the inheritance of Earth from some war fought between unknown stellar empires, in some time that could hardly be connected with any Earthly calendar. One such machine could hang over a planet colonized by men and in two days pound the surface into a lifeless cloud of dust and steam, a hundred miles deep. This particular machine had already done just that. It used no predictable tactics in its dedicated, unconscious war against life. The ancient, unknown, gamesmen had built it as a random factor, to be loosed in the enemy's territory to do what damage it might. Men thought its plan of battle was chosen by the random disintegrations of atoms in a block of some long-lived isotope buried deep inside it, and so was not even in theory predictable by opposing brains, human or electronic. Men called it a berserker. You can see echoes of the Berserkers in the Cylons of the new Battlestar Galactica series. Some stories read like horror tales, others like sword-and-sorcery fantasy, and still others like space opera. The Berserkers books are truly a landmark science fiction series. Empire of the East Empire of the East is a blend of science fiction and fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic future. Warriors wield swords and wizards wield magic, and citizens occasionally come across an remnant of the Old Days, like flashlights, hand grenades or tanks. The book was originally published in three volumes: The Broken Lands, The Black Mountains, and Changeling Earth. Sandra Miesel describes the series in this way: Saberhagen's Empire takes place in a post-catastrophe North America whose culture is vaguely medieval. Wizardry dominates this demon-ridden age while the rare bits of technology surviving from the Old World are objects of superstitious awe. (afterword, The First Book of Swords) The story is epic and imaginative, from its boy-hero Rolfe to the giant beast Draffut. Saberhagen is at his finest in this series. It appears that Saberhagen added to the original series with the 2006 publication of Ardneh's Sword. The Books of Swords and The Books of Lost Swords As a dedicated fantasy reader in my younger days, I could never get enough of magic swords: Arthur's Excalibur, Frodo's Sting, Elric's Stormbringer, I loved reading about enchanted blades. So I was in pure sword heaven with Saberhagen's Swords series, where there is not one magic sword, nor even two or three, but twelve enchanted blades made by Vulcan, blacksmith to the gods. In The First Book of Swords we learn that the gods have created twelve magic swords, each with a special power and a corresponding curse. For instance, the sword Coinspinner brings good luck to its wielder but is easily lost or taken; Wayfinder shows its bearer the quick path, but adds danger to the journey. Other swords include Sightblinder, Farslayer, Soulcutter and Townsaver. The gods then cast these swords across the world to watch mortals fight over them. Taking place in the same world as Empire of the East, Saberhagen's two Swords series are not so much a continuation of the earlier story as much as they are new stories within the same environment. There are two different Swords series, both with similar titles. The first series has been collected in one volume titled The First Swords. The second series, known as the Books of Lost Swords, is eleven books long, and (almost) each sword gets its own story. Saberhagen appeared to run out of steam on the final book, but all in all it's an entertaining series. Conclusion Fred Saberhagen may not have been the most well-known fantasy/science fiction writer, but he is certainly worth reading. And I haven't even touched upon his Dracula series, which some say is his best work. I haven't read the series yet, mostly because I don't particularly care for vampire stories, as you may remember from my review of the first Harry Dresden book. I'd love to hear from any of you who've read any of his Dracula stories. As I bring this to an end, I'll leave you with a description of Fred Saberhagen by Roger Zelazny, from the Prologue to Empire of the East: Fred is a genial, witty, well-informed individual, with a wonderful wife named Joan, who is a mathematician, and the three best-behaved children I've ever met: Jill, Eric and Tom. He likes good food and drink and conversation.

Lord Darcy: Sherlock Holmes Meets Jonathan Strange

If you, like me, find the Harry Dresden series not to your taste, but like the idea of a magic-wielding detective, you might enjoy the Lord Darcy stories by Randall Garrett. Mix together Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Strange, and add in a little alternate history, and you have an idea of what the Lord Darcy stories are all about. What if Richard Lionheart didn't die, and what if the Protestant Reformation never happened? Garrett imagines an alternate history where in the twentieth century the Plantagenet dynasty still rules, and where magic works. Lord Darcy is the Chief Investigator for the Duke of Normandy, and along with his assistant, Master Sorcerer Sean O'Lochlainn, he deals with locked-room mysteries, espionage and murder. And if you like CSI, you'll enjoy reading how forensic sorcerer Sean O'Lochlainn applies the science of magic to crime scenes. These stories are humorous, historically interesting, and extremely well plotted. There's a strong Catholic element present as well. They're a perfect next step for teenagers who like Harry Potter, and Lord Darcy's exploits would appeal to anyone who likes mysteries, alternate universes or contemporary fantasies. The stories were all written between 1964 and 1979, but were not collected in one volume until 2002. As editor Eric Flint points out, they're filled with allusions to many of the famous detective stories of the 1960s and 1970s: Nero Wolfe, the Pink Pather and the Man from U.N.C.L.E., to name a a few. I highly recommend them, especially the full-length novel at the heart of the collection, Too Many Magicians.

Is Purgatory Like a Novel?

What makes fiction so powerful and so poignant? Thornton Wilder sums it up in one of the most moving quotes I have ever read: If Queen Elizabeth or Frederick the Great or Ernest Hemingway were to read their biographies, they would exclaim, "Ah, my secret is still safe." But if Natasha Rostov were to read War and Peace she would cry out as she covered her face with her hands: "How did he know, how did he know?" Is this what the pain of Purgatory might be like: reading the story of our life as seen by God, and finally understanding that He sees and knows all? Will we, like Natasha, cover our faces and say, "How did He know, how did He know?" Death is the moment when we realize that none of our secrets were safe.

Have You Seen That Catholic Show?

If you haven't been keeping up with That Catholic Show, then you've missed some great content. Greg and Jennifer Willits have a real online hit on their hands. That Catholic Show is perfect for new members of the Catholic Church, young members of the Catholic Church, or anyone wanting to increase their knowledge and faith. You can watch the episodes on YouTube or you can susbscribe to That Catholic Show to have the high quality video files delivered to your computer. Here's the latest episode, followed by links to the others: Episode 3 - Night of the Living Catechism Episode 2 - Candles and Light Episode 1 - Sit, Stand or Kneel

45 Important Movies as Chosen by the Vatican

In 1995, to commemorate 100 years of film-making, the Vatican made a list of what it called "Some Important Films." The list was divided into three areas--Religion, Values and Art. I've been gradually acquiring them and watching them. What I particularly like about the list are the international titles. Here's the list with a few comments of my own thrown in: Religion: Andrei Rublev Babette's Feast - I really enjoyed this slow-moving but tender film. Ben-Hur - The four-disc edition also includes the original silent film--an excellent dvd set. The Flowers of St. Francis Francesco The Gospel According to St. Matthew La Passion de Notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ A Man for All Seasons The Mission - I love the music in this film. Monsieur Vincent Nazarin Ordet The Passion of Joan of Arc The Sacrifice Therese Values: Au Revoir Les Enfants The Bicycle Thief The Burmese Harp Chariots of Fire - Show this movie to all the athletes in your family. Decalogue Dersu Uzala Gandhi Intolerance It's a Wonderful Life On the Waterfront - One of my favorite movies of all time--Brando and Malden are brilliant. Open City Schindler's List The Seventh Seal Tree of Wooden Clogs Wild Strawberries Art: Citizen Kane - Another one of my favorites. 8 1/2 Fantasia Grand Illusion La Strada The Lavender Hill Mob The Leopard Little Women Metropolis - I can't believe how powerful this movie remains after all these years. Modern Times - My family's favorite Chaplin movie--hilarious and touching. Napoleon Nosferatu Stagecoach 2001: A Space Odyssey The Wizard of Oz For more information, see Steven Greydanus' excellent article, "The Vatican Film List: Ten Years Later," and reviews of all the films on the US Bishops' web site.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

My wife and I celebrated our seventeenth anniversary two nights ago by attending the Spokane Civic Theater's performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. The show was fantastic--elaborate sets, wonderful singing--a real treat. There were even a couple of songs that we had never heard before. It was also very special to see one of my former students in the role of Louisa Von Trapp. My wife loves The Sound of Music, so one Christmas I bought her the movie, the soundtrack and the original book. Now I see that there's a cd of music by the Original Trapp Family Singers available, as well as a book about the making of The Sound of Music. The Sound of Music is great family entertainment, and for Catholic families there's the added bonus of being able to use the movie to talk about our faith. As much as I enjoyed the performance on Saturday, I was more excited by the news that the Spokane Civic Theater was going to be staging a performance of Man of La Mancha next year! If you're a regular reader of Literary Compass, you know how much I love Don Quixote, so this is great news for me. I've already put it on my calendar for May 2008. My wife and I are almost done listening to the audiobook of Don Quixote, and we plan to watch the film version of Man of La Mancha when we finish, even though we've been told it's a subpar movie. I've never seen it and I'm curious. Musical theater, The Sound of Music and Don Quixote: these are a few of my favorite things.

5 Books about the Blessed Mother for Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms today. In honor of Mother's Day, here are five books about Mary, our Blessed Mother: Introduction to Mary: the Heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion by Mark Miravalle - an informative explanation of the Church's beliefs about Mary True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort -- a challenging read, but this book was central to the late Pope John Paul II's formation The Rosary: Chain of Hope by Fr. Benedict Groeschel -- profound meditations on the different mysteries of the rosary; includes a beautiful work of art for each mystery A Handbook on Guadalupe by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate -- a fascinating look at the Guadalupe apparition and the tilma of Blessed Juan Diego Picturing Mary: A World Icon--An Inspiration to Artists -- Ok, not a book, but still a beatiful DVD about how our Blessed Mother has been pictured in art through the centuries

To Proclaim the Faith in Word and Action - A New Deacon is Ordained Today

I've been teaching in Catholic schools for almost seventeen years, and today was a first for me: one of my former students was ordained to the deaconate. I've had former students become teachers, writers, politicians and nurses, but Matt's the first one to be ordained. I teared up more than once as I sat in the church watching him respond to the bishop's questions: Bishop: In the presence of God and the Church, are you resolved, as a sign of your interior dedication to Christ, to remain celibate for the sake of the kingdom and in lifelong service to God and mankind? Candidate: I am. Bishop: Are you willing to be ordained for the Church's ministry by the laying on of hands and the gift of the holy spirit? Candidate: I am. Bishop: Are you resolved to hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, as the Apostle urges, to proclaim this faith in word and action as it is taught by the Gospel and the Church's tradition? Candidate: I am. Bishop: Are you resolved to maintain and deepen a spirit of prayer appropriate to your way of life and, in keeping with what is required of you, to celebrate faithfully the liturgy of the hours for the Church and for the whole world? Candidate: I am. Bishop: Are you resolved to shape your way of life always according to the example of Christ, whose body and blood you will give to the people? Candidate: I am, with the help of God. It was a beautiful ritual, and the emotions caught me off guard. I've often wondered if God has called me to be a deacon, and after watching the ordination I don't know if I could ever accept such a heavy responsibility. Please pray for Matt as he begins his service to the Church. God willing, he will be ordained to the priesthood this time next year.

A Prayer by Thomas Merton

One of my favorite spiritual writers is Thomas Merton, and one of my favorite prayers comes from his book Thoughts in Solitude: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. It's a great prayer to print out and slip inside a graduation card.

Can You Help Suggest a Book about Grace?

Mark at the ReadySteadyBlog asks: "A favor: do any readers know of a good theological/philosophical book on the (Christian) concept of grace? Any tip-offs? Thanks so much." So far he's only got one response, What's so Amazing about Grace, by Philip Yancey. If you can help him out, please visit ReadySteadyBlog and leave your comments.

New to My World

Blogs and websites of note from the past few weeks: Julie D's Happy Catholic Blog is an award-winning blog with an awesome tag line: "Not always happy, but always happy to be Catholic." Robert Fielding has a great blog called Imaginary Conversations where he engages writers and thinkers from the past in a fictional dialogue with himself to explore their ideas. Here's a useful site for Catholic book-lovers: the Pope St. Nicholas V Yahoo! Group. Their mission: "to help Catholics make purchasing suggestions to their public libraries." What a great idea! Jean's Catholic Fire blog has been nominated for Best Religion Blog, and with good reason. The Sci Fi Catholic: "Science Fiction News, Book and Movie Reviews, Religions Topics, All from a Catholic Perspective"

Prayer for a Busy Life by St. Teresa of Avila

How is it God, that you have given me this hectic busy life when I have so little time to enjoy your presence? Throughout the day people are waiting to speak with me, and even at meals I have to continue talking to people about their needs and problems. During sleep itself I am still thinking and dreaming about the multitude of concerns that surround me. I do all this not for my own sake, but for yours. To me my present pattern of life is a torment; I only hope that for you it is truly a sacrifice of love. I know that you are constantly beside me, yet I am usually so busy that I ignore you. If you want me to remain so busy, please force me to think about and love you even in the midst of such hectic activity. If you do not want me so busy, please release me from it, showing others how they can take over my responsibilities.

Book Review: The Samurai by Shusaku Endo

I just finished reading Shusaku Endo's The Samurai, and it was eye-opening in so many ways. It is the story of two men: Father Velasco, the flawed but well-meaning missionary to Japan, and Hasekura Rokuemon, the quiet Samurai who only wants to do his duty. Both men have a mission, both of them are forced to compromise their integrity for the sake of that mission, and neither of them get what they want. In the end, however, The Samurai is a gentle reminder that God "writes straight with crooked lines," and no matter how hard we try to bring the gospel to others, it is Jesus Christ alone who has the power to convert hearts. Endo, a Japanese Catholic, reminds us that "the essence of Christianity is determined not by bureaucratic fiat, but by the private yearnings of each and every believer." On the surface, The Samurai is historical fiction, recounting the journey of Hasekura Rokuemon and other Japanese emissaries to Mexico, Spain, and eventually Rome to see Pope Paul V in 1615. Rokuemon and his companions were the first Japanese emissaries to the Americas. It's a fascinating story, and Endo tells it with great restraint, avoiding the temptation to over dramatize the events. At its heart, however, The Samurai is an honest, unsentimental look at religious conversion, and the frustration of trying to bring about conversion in someone else. Father Velasco, as good as his intentions are, makes the mistake of thinking only he can bring salvation to Japan, and that only he understands God's will. Velasco is a compelling character, because he is so much like so many of us--trying to do the right thing, thinking we know what God has planned for us, and hurt when things don't go the way we expect them to. Despite all of Velasco's manipulations, Hasekura Rokuemon resists Christianity, continually asking the same question: "How can you revere such a miserable, wretched fellow? How can you worship someone so ugly and emaciated?" Yet all the time it is the "ugly emaciated man on the cross" that Rokuemon cannot get out of his head. It is not Velasco's catechism classes, nor his rational arguments, nor his manipulative machinations. It is simply the man on the cross, the companion in our suffering. In one of the most beautiful scenes from the book, the power of Jesus is summarized in two lines: "From now on...He will be beside you." "From now on...He will attend you." Unlike Velasco, Jesus makes no promises to us in this life, except that he will always be with us, especially in our suffering. The Samurai is beautifully written, and an essential book for all Catholics to read, especially those engaged in active evangelization. Highly recommended.

Top 10 Catholic Prayer Books - Daily Devotionals

With the Easter season rapidly approaching, this is a great time to re-commit to daily prayer. Here is my top ten list of the best Catholic daily devotional books. Each of these books is designed to be used every day, and most of them are interwoven with the liturgical year. The Liturgy of the Hours: Also known as the Divine Office, this is more than simply a daily devotional; the Liturgy of the Hours is the public prayer of the Church, the official set of prayers for each day of the year, as many as seven times a day. Those who pray the Office join with the entire body of Christ in praising God. The bulk of the prayers come from the book of Psalms, arranged for daily use. There is a pretty steep learning curve for praying the Liturgy of the Hours, but the benefits far outweigh the beginning struggles. They are a continual source of inspiration and guidance for me. I'd be happy to help anyone who wants to learn to use them. Email me or leave a comment if you have any questions. The Vatican II Daily Missal and the Vatican II Sunday Missal: Here you will find the complete texts of the scripture readings used during Mass for each day of the year, accompanied by useful meditations and reflections. My Daily Catholic Bible: This Revised Standard Version of the Bible is arranged in 20 minute segments that are meant to be read over the course of a year. Prayers and Devotions by Pope John Paul II: This collection of meditations is drawn from the documents, writings and homilies of the late Pope John Paul II. This is a beautiful edition, containing some of the most eloquent and spiritually nourishing words of the twentieth century. Fr. Peyton's Rosary Prayer Book: Of the several rosary meditation books I've used, this is the one I keep coming back to. The meditations are clear, simple and relevant to everyday life. Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel: This book of meditations has probably been the one that has influenced me the most in my spiritual growth. The wisdom pours out of this book like the wine poured out at Cana, miraculous and surprising with each new sip. The only difficulty is that since it was written before the Second Vatican Council, it can be challenging to find the correct meditation for the day. This is not a major problem, though, since a person could read straight through it, regardless of the day. I do NOT recommend the updated version. In Conversation with God: This set is a major investment, but the price is worth it. You get seven volumes of meditations covering every day of the liturgical year. Each day contains a set of three extensive meditations, usually based on the gospel text for that day's Mass. The reflections are thoughtful, relevant and challenging, and the dust covers are beautiful works of art. Lives of the Saints for Every Day of the Year: Simple and brief, this collection is great for sharing with your family. We use it in our house each day at dinner with the kids. Thirsting for God by Mother Teresa: The profound wisdom of Mother Teresa is served in bite-sized portions in this collection of daily thoughts. Perfect for morning meditation. Daily Readings in Catholic Classics edited by Fr. Rawley Meyers: This is the one book on this list that I don't yet own. Judging by the brief preview I saw on Amazon it looks terrific. Meditations include excerpts from works by Aquinas, Augustine, Chesterton, Guardini, Maritain, Merton, Pascal, Sheen, Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux.

Making Sense Out of Suffering

I got to thinking about suffering this morning. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because Holy Week is about to start, or maybe it's just one of those random thoughts that just kind of bubbles to the surface every so often. Whatever the reason, I went to my shelf of influential books--you know, the few books that have changed my life (I hope everyone has a shelf like that)--and I took down the one book that was able to help me get through the darkest period of my life. A few years ago our daughter became frighteningly sick (you can read her story here), and I suddenly found myself facing the most inexplicable of phenomena: the suffering of an innocent. My five-year-old daughter was sick and I wanted to know why. It was then that I chanced across Peter Kreeft's Making Sense Out of Suffering. That single book helped me make it through all the pain, anger and doubt. It didn't provide quick and easy answers, which is one reason I trusted it. As Westley says in The Princess Bride, "Life is pain...Anyone who says otherwise is selling something." Kreeft's book gave me the mind-set I needed to navigate through the pain, the questions and the despair. Anyway, I thought someone out there might need a book like this today so that's why I'm writing this. Peter Kreeft changed my life, and maybe he can help you. As he himself says, "This book is for everyone who has wept and wondered. That includes everyone who has ever been born."