Poems Every Catholic Should Know
compiled by Joseph Pearce (TAN Books)
If you haven’t read classic poetry since college (or high school), it’s time to try it again, but not as a subject to study for exams! Instead, savor one poem per day from Poems Every Catholic Should Know. Read it aloud, mull over the word imagery. Then, close your eyes and think about it. These 200 selections, spanning 1,000 years of Christian literature, will open your mind and heart to God in surprising ways.
Getting Past Perfect
How To Find Joy And Grace In The Messiness Of Motherhood
by Kate Wicker (Ave Maria Press)
A Catholic mom knows she has a wonderful vocation. She wants to evangelize by giving a shining example of a faith-filled marriage and family life. But those days when she feels sick or frazzled or depressed, those times when the children behave miserably, those moments when she is sure she just can’t do this — then what? Well, then she cracks open Getting Past Perfect. Author and Catholic Digest senior writer Kate Wicker has been there, fighting the temptations to feel inadequate, to play the martyr, or to compete in the Mommy Olympics of Perfection. Her stories will make you smile and remind you to trust God rather than yourself.
Night’s Bright Darkness
A Modern Conversion Story
by Sally Read (Ignatius Press)
Sally Read was raised as an atheist. A rising star of the British literary scene, she was living in Italy with her husband and daughter while doing research for a book on feminist sexuality. Her discussions with pious Catholic women only made her feel more firmly cemented in atheism. Then, after a frank interview with a priest — and a strange experience on a sleepless night — the wall began to crumble. More poetic than the usual conversion story, Read’s memoir paints striking word pictures of urban London, the Italian countryside, and the glorious churches of Rome as she describes her path to faith.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer Book and Holy Spirit Prayer Book
(Pauline Books & Media)
It’s a good idea to try a new prayer book if your devotional routine has gotten too, well, routine. Each of these begins with a basic prayer every Catholic should know, then proceeds to litanies, novenas, meditations, Scripture readings, and other prayers, each with a special focus on either the Sacred Heart or the Holy Spirit. The 4×6-inch size makes each book an easy fit for a purse or duffle bag. The books make great aides for Eucharistic Adoration.
Featured Books
A Handbook of Popular Devotions
Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP (Twenty-Third Publications)
We are gifted with many ways to pray with and to Mary. This beautiful book contains all the traditional Marian prayers, from the Angelus and Regina Coeli to the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows. Arranged by topic and with fascinating background information, it also includes litanies, prayers that honor Mary’s various titles, intercessory prayers (including the oldest known prayer to Mary), and many beloved prayers written by saints. A lovely book for anyone seeking to understand Mary or deepen their relationship with this most faithful disciple, mother, Queen, and friend.
Letters to a Young Married Couple
Practical Wisdom and Guidance for the Newly Married
by Kathy F. Hasty (Twenty-Third Publications)
This beautiful book is a series of short letters written to a newlywed, offering wisdom and practical advice for those starting out on the sacred journey of marriage. Through this book, the author’s hope is to walk with the reader as a friend, giving reflections in each letter followed by an invitation to explore each topic further through the discussion questions provided.
