5 comments about The Catholic Study Bible Second Edition.

1. As a student in Bible Studies I found the first edition to be an invaluable resource. This second edition is better than the first. For anyone interested in an enriched understanding of the Old and New Testaments for personal use or studies this is the book to have. The historical narratives are suberb and the footnotes enlightening.



2. I have recommended this Bible many times. A full third of the volume is comprised of information to help people better understand the context in which Sacred Scripture is written and, therefore, the text itself. The commentary not only helps one understand the meaning of the text as it appears on the surface, but the underlying truth as well. Although this volume will give anyone a deeper appreciation of the Bible, it is especailly valuable for those unfamiliar with scripture such as people in RCIA or RCIC.



3. This is a good study bible if you know your faith well. I think some of the commentaries are too deep for beginners. In addition, I think that some of them do not hold to more traditional. conservative views. I was disappointed that there weren't actual study guides with question on different passages like my old bible. Teaching RCIA I found those very useful at times.
   
   The pages of this bible are thin. Maybe not really durable in the long haul for a frequent user. Yhe tabbing is a great addition. I always rely on tabs. Easier if built in than if you have to add them later -- they tend to rip off. Overall, I think it is pretty well made. I always put my bibles in cover so they will last longer, so my use may not be as hard as others.
   
   I would recommend this bible -- easy to read since it is NAB and the price is very reasonable. For those that want more in-depth discussions/topics for study there are many great Catholic books out there by various authors (including the Pope) that are worth reading!



4. This bible is excellent in quality and content of commentary....very up-to-date. For adults who take Scripture seriously.



5. The content of this boble is wonderful. The reader's guide is extremely informative. I would give the content 5 stars however, the binding on the hardcover is inadequate. I am very careful and I keep my Bible in a carrying case however, the second time I used the Bible an entire section fell out. Within 2 months of purchasing the Bible all of the the pages had seperated from the binding. It appears as if the weight of the pages is too heavy for the binding. Eventually, the entire binding seperated from the cover. I had to purchase a new Bible after less than one year. I must admit that I love the content so much that I purchased another Catholic Study Bible however, I purchased the paperback this time.

5 comments about The Discernment of Spirits: The Ignatian Guide for Everyday Life.

1. I really liked this book. I bought it to discern a spiritual choice. For a Christian especially, it's very helpful in understanding the different spirits...spirit of joy, of fear, of peace, lukewarmness, despair, agitation etc that we experience. It makes a world of difference WHO is sending these feelings between the Good ( God, Angels etc)and the bad( Devil etc). The same feeling means something different when sent by different Spirits. Example.... Agitation caused by the Holy Spirit intends and if successful does a good job of awakening a conscience, calling for repentance after sin etc. The same agitation sent by the enemy aims at and does if successful the opposite and wounds the person, by stealing their peace in moments when they want to be faithful to God etc. I already gladly and quickly recommended this book to a friend but wanted to let anyone here who ever wonders why they feel so many things spiritually know that this is the book to reach for. The writer does a good job and takes a good pace that reinforces what is covered. The material is from St. Ignatius.....the 'Father' of solid and fruitful discernment. Knowledge is power especially in knowing what the enemy wants and resisting giving in to him. This book is an easy, interesting read and a joy to apply. I came here to look if the author has written the second book continuing the second part of St. Ignatious Excercises. This first part( this book) was meant to be tackled apart from the second one and recommended thus for a fruitful absorption and interaction with the material. So, this book is complete by itself for it's purposes.



2. I am a frequent business traveler and often look for books that can be brought along for my trips. This one is a "keeper" and I highly recommend this work as an "owner's manual" as well as a "service manual" for the spiritual journey.
   
   The reason this work is important is that Fr. Gallagher presents fourteen Ignatian Rules, which have been available for hundreds of years, to patiently lead the reader to an uncommon level of understanding about often difficult spiritual issues. You may find that there are a lot of "aha!" moments when reading this book. It's not a "technical" read at all but you begin to see that, like works by other former military leaders, Ignatius provides strategies that are rather like "Sun Tzu for the Spirit:" his rules are very tactical, and Fr Gallagher provides the commentary that allows readers to put these rules into context as well as to better understand why, how, and when they should be applied.
   
   Finally, readers of any faith would find great value in this book. While the content is focused on the work of Ignatius, the context, examples, and application of Fr. Gallagher's work crosses almost any denomination. I highly recommend this work.



3. Wow. I attended an Ignatian school in grade school and again for University, but it wasn't until I read this book that my love for Saint Ignatius came to an informed reverence for the gift that God has given him to be able to prepare and form a movement of missionaries who faced the most adverse of conditions against physical, emotional and spiritual attacks. For a person who is seriously seeking God, the rules of discernment in this book are very helpful if not essential in making decisions that will bring him/her farther along in the journey.
   
   Now if only this humble critic can only get these rules from his mind to his heart, then practice it with love, then he'll be set.



4. In years past, I had tried my hand at reading the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola without much to show for it. The exercises are very terse and concise. But with Fr. Gallagher's book, I finally got the practical commentary that opens up the mind and intent of St. Ignatius Loyola. After years of Jesuit education, I finally got it.



5. A wonderfully contemporary commentary on the Rules contained in the Spritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola. Recoomend this to all those who are interested in expanding their spiritual life.

2 comments about Our Catholic Faith: Living What We Believe.

1. My daughter needed this book for school. I came in a timely fashion and great condition. Price unbeatable.



2. The book arrived exactly as described and was shipped very promptly and arrived exactly when promised.

5 comments about The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth.

1. Scott Hahn helps you to rediscover the beauty and mysteries behind the mass. You'll never miss mass again after reading this book. He is brilliant!



2. I'm surprised at how well received this man's opines are within the Catholic community; perhaps this is due to Hahn's remarkable capacity to pull biblical passages out of his hat with startling acuity. As increasing numbers of Catholics turn to reading the texts outside the Mass and Lectionary, people will be less impressed with Hahn's Biblical gymnastics. Hahn converted via an academic spiritual exercise, i.e., Pedantic Enlightenment. His musings turn Catholicism into a hybrid Protestantism, which misrepresents his newfound faith. With a heavy hands in "The Lamb's Supper," Hahn inserts Revelation into the body of the Mass. Hahn demonstrates his phenomenal Protestant fascination with the end of the world. Reliably, Hahn again provides a theology infused with his special brand of Spiritual Velveeta, lacking deep historical, spiritual, and theological understanding. Beware those cutesy chapter subtitles: "Stealing My Thunder," (who would dare, Dr. Hahn?), "Moriah Carry," the repellent "Victim's Rites," "Extrasensory Censers," and the nauseating "Oath Meal," to name a few.
   
   For someone who emphasizes that his conversion occurred due to his liberation from Protestant sola scriptura, Hahn remains remarkably laden with words, boxed into Biblical frameworks. Hahn squeezes out faith from memorizing and breaking down Old and New Testament passages into digestible chunks, sucking the juice of wisdom dry, and regurgitating the remains to a vast and adoring audience. He lacks the expertise of Rabbinical scholars in the Judaic tradition of intimately examining and memorizing scripture. Hahn relies on quoting biblical passages and citing their numbers, missing the bigger, far more complex picture. In all this detail, this plethora of words, however accurate, Hahn remains somehow incapable of complex analysis. In his personal process of "divinization," he displays zealous New Revelation Catholicism; for him, deep worship via Mass is simply inadequate to feed his narcissism. He must again reinvent the wheel for the rest of us, and with typical heavily-Hahndedness smother the Mass with Revelation.



3. This was a very informative, yet readable book. I would recommend this to all Christians!



4. I had an immediate paradigm-shift when I read about the relationship between Revelation and the celebration of the Liturgy - The incense, the garbs, the altar, and more importantly the words we sometimes echo without feeling or thinking of the real meaning of it all... "Holy, Holy, Holy,", and the "LAMB of GOD" now echos in my heart during mass. The Liturgy for me is now Heaven on Earth for I place myself in the book of Revelation and am connected to an altered state I can't explain. If you are a Catholic and are going "through the motions" at mass. Please read this book. You will never look at mass the same way again.
   I would like to recommend "Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith". Believe it or not it's also a good start in educating the lay Catholic person. PEACE!!



5. As is usual with Scott Hahn, we "cradle Catholics" benefit from his "new eyes" when taking a closeer look at who we are as Catholics and why we do what we have been doing for, well, 2,000 years. This book was very enjoyable. It made many things "click" and I recommend it to any Catholic looking for ways to enrich their communion in Christ and the Church.

5 comments about Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World.

1. This is a well written book on our relationship with each other and the beloved. I highly recommend it for those who are ready to be intimate with God



2. I first read this book more than 10 years ago. I loved it then. It really touched me. I recently led a book group discussing this book. Some in the group found it to really touch them deeply giving them the balm they needed; others felt that it was a bit dated. They felt that this was written for a different time.
   
   The book's initial purpose, a apology for faith, never really was met, but for the Christian seeking a deeper insight into faith this book is great.



3. Insightful and uplifting. Conveys a concept of God's love in a way that can be understood by individuals who are not well read in Christian theology.



4. This book is truly life-changing. I read this book after borrowing it from the library. I rarely buy books that I have already read, but this one is an exception. It is so full of wisdom that I want to carry it with me and read it often. Nouwen's writing is extremely clear and accessible, he is speaking to the reader as a good friend. And yet, his message could not be more profound. He leads us to a transformation of life that frees us from our deepest obstacles to joy in our lives. There is nothing more liberating than learning to become God's "Beloved", and thus becoming who we were made to be.



5. Nouwen offers a relativistic approach to faith: He believes that the Christian God is real, but does not want to persuade his secular friends that they need God. He admits in the epilogue that his book failed at communicating with his secular friend, to whom the book was written for; he preaches to the choir of believers. As a believer living in secular NYC, I was unconvinced by his warm & fuzzy message because he makes Christianity look as good as any other life affirming theory. To give you a taste, he says things like "When I know that I am chosen, I know that I have been seen as a special person."

5 comments about The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You.

1. Wonderful! The explanations are clearly written, easy to understand, and informative. A friend visiting from Portugal was very impressed with this book.



2. Even if you are a life long Catholic I am sure this book will be a great help in understanding every element of the Mass. It is written in clear concise language and full of useful information on the reasons why we celebrate the Mass the way we do, the history behind prayers,the liturgy etc. Would be a great gift for First Communion or adults converting and coming into full communion.



3. Very good - Would love to have all my confirmation students read this. It really stops you and makes you think about all the stuff you do automatically and the meaning behind it.



4. I converted to Catholicism 4 years ago and still found many things clarified and/or pointed out in this book. It is well done and I highly recommend. In fact, I've shared with our Deacon and RCIA director for their use.



5. This book is awesome! It is so easy to understand and really explains the mass. It gives history of the mass, the "why" of traditions,and the "how" to really encounter Christ in the mass. This is a must read for all Catholics and converts. I am so glad I made this purchase...well worth the money.

5 comments about Catechism of the Catholic Church.

1. I found this book too wordy. It is more a trade book than one for a lay person who wants quick explanations.



2. This book give you information on the practices of the catholic church and where the ideas come from. While it does not address the laws and rules, it does give the solid backboane to the faith. It has biblical referance, historical notes and reference to other document which will be helpful to the reader.



3. As a very minimum, this book should be in every Catholic home, next to the Holy Bible. No more questions concerning the Catholic Faith, it's foundation and beliefs. Excellent teaching tool, and great reference for non-Catholics interested in researching Catholic beliefs, and the Church's foundation.



4. This book is a must have in any Catholics home library. It is definitely reader friendly!



5. I teach theology. In my experience, the large, green, second edition is worth buying even if you have another edition. It alone contains a glossary of terms that richly pulls together many pages of text into 20 words to give a deep, complete understanding at a quick glance. If you intend to use the book more than two or three times a month, I strongly recommend the hard cover edition because the paperback binding begins to fail under frequent usage.
   
   Peace be with you!
   A Sinner

5 comments about Things Hidden: Scripture As Spirituality.

1. I've reread this several times just to be sure and can say that Fr Rohr teaches against the authority of the catholic Church, not just disagreeing with it. As far as Jesus not needing to die on the cross for our sins (the wages of sin is death so a debt had to be paid) thus is just an example free from real merit for us is unsound Christian theology. Rohr's "emerging church" is one of his own making. Spirituality is good, hence 2 stars; but his overall theme of religion is bad makes for bad exegesis. His presiding over the "commitment ceremony" of two lesbians (and subsequent rebuking by Archbishop Sheehan) is contrary to "love the sinner, hate the sin" that leads to a conversion from sin to love. Jesus is the Son of God, not just one of many archetypal holy men.



2. with this book, once again richard
   releases the freshest breeze of resurrection air
   within the catholic tradition.
   
   i entreat mr bunbury to read the book again,
   but this time with easter-eyes
   and thus enter the joy of being wrong
   (to paraphrase james alison,
   another one of the freshest, catholic voices).
   
   rohr here gives us in simple language
   (and without losing any of the depth)
   an interpretation of the paradigmatic work of rene girard.
   for this christianity as a whole is to be grateful.
   
   but mostly the book continues richard's
   efforts to expand on the venture that is
   living one's life grafted upon the
   life-abundant of resurrection-spirit.



3. Things Hidden: Scripture As Spirituality This is the most important book I have read in a long time. It changes lives and allows the practicing Christian a more balanced perspective on life especially at this time. It really is the preaching of "Good News" as Christ taught. The message is what I needed to hear even though I already knew it. Fr. Richard puts it together so well.



4. "The amazing wonder of biblical revelation that I hope to make clear in this book is that God is much different than we thought, and also much better than we feared," promises Richard Rohr in the first chapter of Things Hidden. The book is based on the author's earlier talks on great themes of scripture. Two key themes he stresses are "Divine, unmerited generosity" is offered unconditionally, and the Spirit promised by Jesus is available to all.
   
   In the Bible, writes Rohr, any time God or an angel breaks into human life, the event is prefaced by "Do not be afraid." God's entering the scene was considered bad news. "Even today most feel that God's love and attention must be earned and then we deeply resent the process." The earliest Hebrews saw God as punitive and petty, demanding of blood sacrifices. By the time of Abraham the sacrificial instinct "matured a bit," Rohr tells us, and animals became the sacrifice of choice "to please this fearsome God." When we get to the Risen Jesus, there is nothing to be afraid of in God.
   
   The author uses numerous examples to show the gradual enlightenment. Of the Adam and Eve story, he suggests that seeking knowledge may seem more like virtue than sin. However, it isn't knowledge that God is trying to keep us from, but "lust for certitude, explanation, resolution and answers." He sees Noah's Ark as an image of how God liberates us, embodying "the contradictions, the opposites, the tensions and the paradoxes of humanity." And in Mary, he finds God's total gift of grace. She asks how the angel's proposition will come about without wondering why she is chosen or protesting her unworthiness "It takes all of the Bible to work up to one perfect vessel that knows how to say an unquestioning yes to an utterly free gift."



5. Rohr is improving. He's an experienced practical pastor, whose reflections on scripture are direct and commonsensical. His lines are often powerful: "We can't always be correct, but we can be connected", or "the best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better". And his questions are hard as an anti-Christian might ask: "was Jesus a sado-masochist? Did he relish victimhood?"
   
   Throughout the book Rohr takes on the common self-righteous attitude that religion is about separating from or destroying evil. He shows how Jesus did the opposite, building relations with even the most despised and hated people. It's a kind of wisdom I wouldn't call "hidden", just contrary to our more immediate reactions.
   
   --author of "Different Visions of Love"

5 comments about The Catholic Study Bible.

1. The NAB and the Catholic Study Bible appear to be a competitive attempt at more thorough Study Bibles decades in the making, (Scofield, Ryrie, NIV Study Bible, etc.). Although the attempt is genuine, the content is lacking both linguistically and in historical scholarship. The translation itself is lacking and shows only a basic understanding of the Hebrew/Aramaic sources. Also, an an odd isogetic bent is found throughout the NT in translating the Koine sources. The commentary is cold, overly literary, and lacks the true warmth and personal nature of the Holy Scriptures as they are found in the original sources, (Hebrew/Aramaic, Greek, and possibly Syriac). My hope is that a revision of this text will reveal a true desire to communicate the Sciptures accurately. Unfortunately, as a scholar of the Scriptures I cannot recommend this volume.



2. The best adult Bible for anyone that is not familiar with Scripture. I give a copy to everyone in my Catholics Returing Home Series



3. A wonderful study bible. In depth witout being so technical as to be inacessible to a lay person.The Catholic Study Bible



4. I am not going to get into the discussion about the positive and negative features of the NAB, but rather focus on a couple things about this 2nd Edition of the Catholic Study Bible.
   
   Two things stand out to me:
   1) I really don't see the need in revising the older edition. To be honest, much of the material remains the same as in older versions. The textual notes, which come with all NAB's, is exactly the same. In addition, the inclusion of expanded reading guides and the terribly bland looking in-text maps seems to be hastly arranged.
   
   2) I dislike the visual format of this edition. Personally, the original 1990 version of the Catholic Study Bible is much better. Does anyone else find the print too light? Also, the cross-referencing apparatus I think is not helpful, as well as the divide between the Sacred Text and the notes, which seems to similar.
   
   While there are other study Bibles for Catholics in the process of being developed, like the Ignatius Study Bible, I am not sure this version is going to stand the test of time. I would rather use an older edition of The Catholic Study Bible or the much better HaperCollins Study Bible.



5. It is so great to have a study Bible that has historical information and liturgal information that the Protestant Church is missing out on so much of today.

No comments about The Fathers.