With the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary coming up on October 7, the following two Kindle books are excellent resources for preparing to explain the rosary to students.
Praying the Rosary, by Megan Mckenna. Doubleday. Printed Length: 272 pp. Kindle Price: $9.99.
Internationally acclaimed author Megan McKenna gives this Catholic tradition enriched modern relevance in a completely up-to-date guide to praying the Rosary, designed for general readers and incorporating the recent additions made by Pope John Paul II.
As a speaker, teacher, and bestselling Catholic author, Megan McKenna has informed and inspired audiences both in- and outside of the Catholic tradition with her warmhearted, contemporary approach to spirituality. Now she turns her attention to the Rosary, revealing the universality of this ancient practice and how it can enrich lives today.
Praying the Rosary—the act of counting off prayers with a string of beads in a rhythm of focused spiritual contemplation—is a practice that has existed for centuries and is common to many faiths. For the world’s one billion Catholics it has become the most popular form of devotion. Though strongly associated with the Virgin Mary, the prayers of the Rosary are ultimately meant to bring those who say them closer to Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are central to all branches of the Christian faith. This gives the Rosary an ecumenical dimension that is in sync with today’s emphasis on the common bonds, rather than the divisions, among all Christians. In 2002, Pope John Paul II updated the Rosary by adding a new section on the teachings of Jesus, further emphasizing the centrality of Christ and the biblical Gospels at the heart of the prayers. Embracing this ecumenical attitude in Praying the Rosary, Megan McKenna explores the Rosary and explains how to pray it, incorporating the Pope’s recent additions and revealing its relevance to a new generation. She breaks down the Rosary into its twenty components, prefacing each with a selection from Scripture that identifies the prayer’s source in the Bible. Combining practical instruction with meditative reflections on the prayer’s spirituality, she reveals the Rosary’s richly contemplative nature and shows how praying the Rosary can inspire peaceful, calm attitudes, and an awareness of the universal spiritual mystery that connects all Christians. –Amazon.com
An introduction to the rich tradition of rosary devotion, with new material on the recently added luminous mysteries.
The rosary is a central element in the prayer lives of countless people, though it is still often neglected and misunderstood. The Rosary, an updated and revised version of The Seeker’s Guide to the Rosary (Loyola Press, 2001), is a comprehensive look at the history, practice, and benefits of rosary devotion. Designed to introduce the reader to the mysteries of this simple meditative prayer, author Liz Kelly gently guides the reader on an exploration of this powerful prayer that is well suited even to this modern world.
This week we feature two books to help you or your students brush up on the essentials of our faith.
Catholicism for Dummies, by Fr. John Trigilio and Dr. Kenneth Brighenti. For Dummies. Print Length: 432 pages. Kindle Price: $13.19.
There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one has a similar set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions.
Whether you-re a Catholic or not, you may be totally clueless or just unaware of some aspects of Catholic traditions, history, doctrine, worship, devotion, or culture. No sweat. Regardless of whether you-re engaged, married, related to a Catholic, or just curious about what Catholics really do believe, this book is for you.
Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for non-Catholics and reintroduction for Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations so that the next time you-re invited to a Catholic wedding, Baptism, funeral, Confirmation, or First Communion, you won-t be totally confused. You-ll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture-from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. This book will familiarize you with Catholicism by showing you:
What it means to be a Catholic: traditions, prayers, beliefs, and holidays
Who is who in the Catholic hierarchy
How Catholics worship
What the Seven Sacraments and Ten Commandments are
The book regarded as the holiest to Catholics: The Bible
The Church-s stand on some sticky issues
Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith-from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it. — Amazon.com
Maybe you are a recent convert, or perhaps you’ve attended Mass your whole life, but there are still things that puzzle you, like: when you should genuflect and when you should bow; what the different books used at Mass are and what they contain; the meaning of words like “Amen,” “Alleluia,” or “Hosanna”; what to do during the sign of peace.
You aren’t alone.
The How-to Book of the Mass not only provides the who, what, where, when, and why of the most time-honored traditions of the Catholic Church, but also the how. All in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format.
In this complete guide to the celebration of the Eucharist you get:
Step-by-step guidelines to walk you through the Mass
Biblical background of the prayers of the Mass
Insights from the Tradition and teaching of the Church
Practical aid to overcoming distractions
Concrete ways to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ at every Mass
In this week’s Kindle Books for Catholic Teachers we share a book on the saints for teachers and a pair of books for those who teach Shakespeare in Catholic schools. Each book is also available in print form, for a slightly higher price.
Dry spells and indifferent students, acrimonious meetings and recalcitrant colleagues, isolation and self-doubt–the stresses of the teaching profession are plentiful. In times of strain, many teachers draw on the wisdom of their mentors, the seasoned teachers who taught them classroom skills and became trusted models and friends. For Susan H. Swetnam, some of the best, most inspiring, and most insightful mentors she has are saints of the Catholic Church–and a remarkable number of these men and women were teachers themselves. In fact, many of the church’s heroes achieved their saintly stature by facing challenges identical to those that teachers face today.
Some of the fifty-two saints described in My Best Teachers Were Saints give lessons on how to overcome the teaching profession’s unique problems; others show today’s teachers how to identify successes that are often quite difficult to discern. All of the saints in this book share one thing in common: they persevered in the educational work that God called them to do. Swetnam brings to life each story of perseverance and makes it easy for today’s educators to discover mentor-companions who can help them rekindle and fortify their passion in the classroom. – Amazon.com
Highly regarded and best-selling literary writer and teacher, Joseph Pearce presents a stimulating and vivid biography of the world’s most revered writer that is sure to be controversial. Unabashedly provocative, with scholarship, insight and keen observation, Pearce strives to separate historical fact from fiction about the beloved Bard.
Shakespeare is not only one of the greatest figures in human history, he is also one of the most controversial and one of the most elusive. He is famous and yet almost unknown. Who was he? What were his beliefs? Can we really understand his plays and his poetry if we don’t know the man who wrote them?
These are some of the questions that are asked and answered in this gripping and engaging study of the world’s greatest ever poet. The Quest for Shakespeare claims that books about the Bard have got him totally wrong. They misread the man and misread the work. The true Shakespeare has eluded the grasp of the critics. Dealing with the facts of Shakespeare’s life and times, Pearce’s quest leads to the inescapable conclusion that Shakespeare was a believing Catholic living in very anti-Catholic times.
Many of his friends and family were persecuted, and even executed, for their Catholic faith. And yet he seems to have avoided any notable persecution himself. How did he do this? How did he respond to the persecution of his friends and family? What did he say about the dreadful and intolerant times in which he found himself? The Quest for Shakespeare answers these questions in ways that will enlighten and astonish those who love Shakespeare’s work, and that will shock and outrage many of his critics. This book is full of surprises for beginner and expert alike. – Amazon.com
Fulfilling the promise he made in his previous book, The Quest for Shakespeare, bestselling literary writer Joseph Pearce analyzes in this volume three of Shakespeare’s immortal plays – The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet and King Lear – in order to uncover the Bard’s Catholic beliefs.
In The Quest for Shakespeare, which has been made into an EWTN television series, Pearce delved into the known biographical evidence for Shakespeare’s Catholicism. Here the popular and provocative author digs into the plays, which were written and first performed during the English crown-s persecution of Catholics. English history and literature were taught for generations through the prism of English Protestantism. Of late both of these fields have been dominated in universities and academic presses by modern scholars with filters and interpretations of their own. Though the evidence for Shakespeare’s Catholicism has been studied before now, thanks, in part, to the unique contribution of Joseph Pearce, the Bard’s genius is being analyzed in the open air of the public arena, the very place where Shakespeare intended his dramas to entertain and edify. – Amazon.com
In light of news this week that e-books are outselling hardcovers at Amazon.com, I’m beginning a new feature here at Catholic School Chronicle: Kindle Books for Catholic Educators. Catholic education is a pretty narrow market, so chances are you won’t be finding too many of these books in your local bookstore; with the Kindle, however, you can be reading any of these books within seconds of ordering them. And remember, with a Kindle you can download a sample to see if the book is right for you.
Our first two books come from 8th grade catechist Joe Paprocki and popular Catholic author Amy Welborn.
Each year, roughly one-third of the more than five hundred thousand volunteer catechists in Catholic parishes are new to the job; they come with little formal training for their work and are essentially students themselves, quickly needing to learn how to prepare a lesson, lead a discussion, supervise children, apply discipline, and help kids grow in their faith. The Catechist’s Toolbox by Joe Paprocki is an invaluable collection of techniques, tips, methodologies, and advice for all catechists who must learn on the job. Paprocki shares the wisdom he has gleaned in two decades as a catechist, high schoolteacher, and religious educator. Employing the metaphor of a homeowner’s toolbox, Paprocki explains how a catechist is like a do-it-yourself builder who needs the right collection of tools to do the job; throughout the book, Paprocki explains what the tools are, what they can do, and how to use them skillfully and effectively. The Catechist’s Toolbox will help first-time catechists feel at home in their new role and will empower catechists at all levels of experience to thrive as educators of the faith. – Amazon.com
Who are the saints, why are they important, and what can today’s children learn from them? In Loyola Kids Book of Saints, the first book in the Loyola Kids series, author Amy Welborn answers these questions with exciting and inspiring stories, real-life applications, and important information about these heroes of the church. This delightful collection of saints’ lives, written in a storybook style for children eight to twelve, explains how saints becomes saints, why we honor them, and how they help us even today.
Divided thematically, the book features more than sixty saints from all over the world and from all across time, including our newest saints, such as St. Katharine Drexel; popular saints, such as St. Anthony of Padua; and Blesseds, such as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Each story tells about a saint and encourages readers to consider how they might apply what they learn from the story to their everyday lives. – Amazon.com
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In Part One of the Catholic Teacher’s Bookshelf we looked at the Bible. This article examines the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which Pope John Paul II called a “systematic presentation of the faith and of Catholic doctrine.” If you’re a Catholic school teacher, you probably already have a copy of the Catechism. It’s an absolutely essential reference book for answering student questions and learning about our faith.
Background
A catechism is book which attempts to make the fundamental truths of the faith accessible to the reader. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is what is known as a universal catechism, which means it is intended to be used to create national or local catechisms. An example of a national catechism would be the United States Catechism for Adults. written and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. According the USCCB page on the Catechism. the CCC was written by a committee of cardinals and bishops between 1986 and 1992, and is intended to “assist those who have the duty to catechize.”
Structure and Use
The CCC is structured on four “pillars”:
The Creed: What the Church believes
The Sacraments: What the Church celebrates
The Commandments: What the Church lives
Prayer: What the Church prays
All religion textbooks in Catholic schools strive to be in conformity with the CCC, but that doesn’t mean a teacher can ignore the universal catechism and rely merely on the background materials in the teacher’s edition. It is well worth the effort, both professionally and personally, to spend time meditating on and attempting to understand the truths expressed in the Catechism.
If your copy of the Catechism has been gathering dust on a bookshelf, maybe now would be a good time to brush up on an aspect of the faith that you’re not familiar with. If you don’t yet have a copy of the Catechism, perhaps it’s time pick one up and begin to study it. In any case, don’t ignore this valuable catechetical resource when planning your religion lessons.
If you browsed the bookshelves of a Catholic teacher, what titles would you expect to find? Today marks the beginning of an ongoing series about the books that should be on the shelves of every Catholic teacher. The list is, of course, subjective, and we could debate about whether every title is “essential,” but I think that overall you’ll find the titles in this series useful on your journey as a Catholic educator.
Book 1: The Bible
This may seem too obvious to list, but I want to begin here because even though I’m reasonably certain that every Catholic educator owns a Bible, it’s good to be reminded to take it out and read it. We’re on the front lines of faith formation, and we owe it to our students and our Lord to know the Bible more intimately than any other book we’ve ever read. I still have a long way to go in that department. I’ve been teaching Les Misérables for almost thirteen years, and I have to admit that I probably know Hugo’s novel better than I know the Bible. Granted, the Bible is much more difficult to understand, but that’s all the more reason to read it habitually.
How to Read the Bible
There are many ways to approach reading the Bible, but I want to highlight an approach called lectio divina. Lectio divina is one of those ancient-but-ever-new gifts of the Church, and rather than summarize it here, I will instead direct you to this excellent article by Benedictine monk Fr. Luke Dysinger. I had the privilege of meeting Fr. Luke when I stayed a week at St. Andrew’s Abbey in California, and his article will give you a solid introduction to the practice of praying with scripture.
Whether or not lectio is for you, as a Catholic educator you must be a regular reader of God’s word. Take these epigrams as motivation:
Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.
Bibles that are falling apart usually belong to people who aren’t.
You’re the only Bible some people will ever read.
The Question of Translation
Often people ask which translation of the Bible they should use. James Akin has a fairly thorough discussion of how to choose a Bible and that would be as good a place as any to begin. But I like the practical advice I once heard when someone asked which translation was best: “The one you read.” Here are two of the most common Catholic translations:
The New American Bible – This is, of course, the translation used for liturgies in the United States, and for that reason alone it would make a very good Bible for personal use. On the other hand, a different translation can sometimes be helpful in overcoming the “I’ve heard this story before” syndrome.
I’d like to mention one more Bible resource that I discovered about a month ago. Baker Academic is beginning to produce an ambitious series of books called the Catholic Commentary on Scripture. Only two volumes have been produced so far, The Gospel of Mark and First and Second Timothy, Titus. I have both volumes, and I’m currently using The Gospel of Mark commentary in my daily lectio. I can’t say enough about how helpful this commentary is. I highly recommend the series, and I will be purchasing every volume as they are made available.
Conclusion
I hope I don’t have to convince anyone that every Catholic teacher needs the Bible on their bookshelf. More importantly, however, is that every Catholic teacher needs the Bible off their bookshelf. It should be on your nightstand, or at the breakfast table, or on an end table next to your favorite reading chair. Keep a copy in your car, or your purse or your briefcase. How we can speak about God to our students, if we don’t listen to him through his revealed Word?
the Virgin Mary, the prayers of the Rosary are ultimately meant to bring those who say them closer to Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are central to all branches of the Christian faith. This gives the Rosary an ecumenical dimension that is in sync with today’s emphasis on the common bonds, rather than the divisions, among all Christians. In 2002, Pope John Paul II updated the Rosary by adding a new section on the teachings of Jesus, further emphasizing the centrality of Christ and the biblical Gospels at the heart of the prayers. Embracing this ecumenical attitude in Praying the Rosary, Megan McKenna explores the Rosary and explains how to pray it, incorporating the Pope’s recent additions and revealing its relevance to a new generation. She breaks down the Rosary into its twenty components, prefacing each with a selection from Scripture that identifies the prayer’s source in the Bible. Combining practical instruction with meditative reflections on the prayer’s spirituality, she reveals the Rosary’s richly contemplative nature and shows how praying the Rosary can inspire peaceful, calm attitudes, and an awareness of the universal spiritual mystery that connects all Christians. –Amazon.com
luminous mysteries.
