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June 2020 BOTM - Voting
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Hennesy's 'American Catholics; a history of the Roman Catholic community in the United States' sounds extremely interesting.
Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc
American CatholicsDoors in the Walls of the World
I am not going to vote this month because I am way behind in my reading, but I am going to add some of the books to my want to read list and will still follow the discussions.
Reality: A Synthesis of Thomistic ThoughtEurope and the Faith
Paul: A BiographyEurope and the Faith
CBC wrote: "It is time to vote for a book of the month again!! How long has it been since we voted? The last time we voted, the only country to have experienced a pandemic related economic shutdown was China. ..."Tough choices -- but I vote for Paul and Broken Body
The Last CrusaderThe Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican.
the last crusader. broken body is a book by a sex abuser.
The Last Crusader, by Louis de Wohl and Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc, nominated by Fonch
Mod
I don't understand. Jean Vanier is the founder of L'Arche, a Catholic institution to care for people with body disabilities. Thus the "broken body" title. We read about him and L'Arche when we tackled "The return of the prodigal son."
I vote for "Bodies and Souls" by Maxence van der Meersch and "The secret sucessful financial planning" by Dan Gallagher.
Ascent of Mount CarmelEurope and the faith
Manuel wrote: "Mary wrote: "the last crusader. broken body is a book by a sex abuser."I don't understand. Jean Vanier is the founder of L'Arche, a Catholic institution to care for people with body disabilities...."
Did you miss the news that Jean Vanier sexually abused women or am I missing your point?
Fonch wrote: "I vote for "Bodies and Souls" by Maxence van der Meersch and "The secret sucessful financial planning" by Dan Gallagher."I'm curious as to whether anyone can provide insights in the strengths of the two different translations into Spanish.
The more recent is by Salvador Marsal and the prior translation is by
Cristobal Rivero and was published in the D.F. Mexico.
Mod
Could you provide a source for that, please, Mary.
Manuel wrote: "Mary wrote: "the last crusader. broken body is a book by a sex abuser."I don't understand. Jean Vanier is the founder of L'Arche, a Catholic institution to care for people with body disabilities...."
All books (short of the Holy Bible) are written by sinners. While it might be a good idea to be aware of an author's challenges, one might still glean great insights, from reading some of their works.
Mod
Yes, I did miss it. I see in Wikipedia that the internal report by L'Arche is dated February 2020. I guess I missed it because the news have been full of coronavirus and COVID-19 since that date. Otherwise, the leftist media would have aired it a lot.
Mod
If he did he's not the only one. Please back up your assertion with a cite to a reputable source.
But as far as the book is concerned, books by sinners are not banned from the Catholic Book Club. If the person who nominated a book was unaware of the author's background (without knowing whether or not this is a concern in the present case) wants to withdraw a nomination, they may do so. Otherwise, everyone else's option is to not vote for the book.
Mod
- Mango Murders
- Doors in the Wall of the World
John wrote: "Robert wrote: "Did you miss the news that Jean Vanier sexually abused women or am I missing your point?"If he did he's not the only one. Please back up your assertion with a cite to a reputable s..."
The L'Arche report itself:
https://www.larcheusa.org/news_articl...
I don't really care to litigate whether or not the book should be on the list in a comments section (and as a random non-mod I know that's not my place here :P), I just wanted to understand where the other poster was coming from
Wow I can't believe that only came out in February....feels like a lifetime ago :/
The Ascent of Mount Carmel by Juan de La Cruz would be great because I admire his sketch of Christ Crucified, later painted by Salvador Dali & because I am permanently changing station to the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, (where the mountains are less metaphorical, but no less demanding).
Mod
I found this bitterly funny - the Pandemic is such a big story it has even pushed reporting on sexual abuse in the Church out of the papers.
Mod
Litigate, no, but discuss - sure, and this thread is as good a place as any to discuss the topic. I appreciate your providing the link to the L'Arche Report. I'm adding a note to the book description for now.
I think we definitely can gain insights from reading books written by all people. But because I was having a tough time making a decision anyhow, I will change my original vote for Broken to the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican
Per, Terri, my companion choice is definitely: The Last Crusader!
Mod
and to Europe & the faith (Hilaire Belloc)
I must apologise to the group that when I suggested Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness, by Jean Vanier there had not been any scandal associated with him.If people object of course I would prefer to remove the book from the list of options.I am sorry for not having seen this sooner and responded to peoples feelings.John has contacted me today and I am in agreement that the book should be removed.
Paul: A Biography, by N.T. WrightThe Mango Murders, by Mara Campos
Mod
No need to apologize, Vicky. Given the length of our nominations thread you nominated the book almost a year and a half ago, and the report from L'Arche just came out this February.
John wrote: "Vicky wrote: "I must apologise to the group that when I suggested Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness, by Jean Vanier there had not been any scandal associated with him.If people object of course I w..."Thank you very much,John.I hadn't realised it was such a long time ago.I do hope that the scandal doesn't permanently damage the L'Arche Community.
I'd like to vote for Doors in the Walls of the World: Signs of Transcendence in the Human Story by Peter Kreeft.
Or
Scarlet Pimpernel Of The Vatican, by J.P. Gallagher
My votes go to:The Ascent of Mount Carmel by Juan de la Cruz
The Myth of Hitler’s Pope: Pope Pius Xll And His Secret War Against Nazi Germany by David G. Dalin
I am voting for “American Catholics” and the “Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican”
The Myth of Hitler's Pope: Pope Pius XII And His Secret War Against Nazi Germany, by David G. Dalin
Mod
The Catholic Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Reality: A Synthesis of Thomistic Thought (other topics)The Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness (other topics)
The Last Crusader: A Novel about Don Juan of Austria (other topics)
Paul: A Biography (other topics)
American Catholics: A History of the Roman Catholic Community in the United States (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange (other topics)Jean Vanier (other topics)
Louis de Wohl (other topics)
N.T. Wright (other topics)
Juan de la Cruz (other topics)
More...
- You may vote for two of the books on the following list.
- The book with the most votes will be our June 2020 BOTM. If two or more books are tied with the highest vote, we will read them all, one a month, and the randomizer will decide the order.
- The randomizer will also select one book from among those that receive no votes to be removed from the voting list. The following four books were added after our last vote and as first-timers on the voting list, they are exempt from the randomizer: Reality: A Synthesis of Thomistic Thought, by Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, The Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness, by Jean Vanier, The Last Crusader: A Novel about Don Juan of Austria, by Louis de Wohl and Paul: A Biography, by N.T. Wright.
Voting will run through 5:00 PM Eastern time on May 18, or as soon thereafter as I am able to tally the results. Votes cast after that time, but before the polls are closed, will be counted.
The list of books to choose from are:
American Catholics: A History of the Roman Catholic Community in the United States, by James J. Hennesey.
Written by one of the foremost historians of American Catholicism, this book presents a comprehensive history of the Roman Catholic Church in America from colonial times to the present. Hennesey examines, in particular, minority Catholics and developments in the western part of the United States, a region often overlooked in religious histories.
The Ascent of Mount Carmel by Juan de la Cruz
Written between 1578 and 1579 in Granada, Spain, after John's escape from prison, the Ascent is illustrated by a diagram of the process outlined in the text of the Soul's progress to the summit of the metaphorical Mount Carmel where God is encountered. The work is divided into three sections and is set out as a commentary on four poetic stanzas by John on the subject of the Dark Night. John shows how the Soul sets out to leave all worldly ties and appetites behind to achieve "nothing less than transformation in God".
Bodies and souls, by Maxence Van der Meersch, nominated by Fonch.
This dramatic novel about doctors, students, nurses and patients, has become a classic. It seems to be difficult to obtain in English (it doesn't even have a page in Goodreads), but it can easily be got in other languages (French, Spanish or Italian). This is their page in Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Divine Milieu, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
Teilhard de Chardin -- geologist, priest, and major voice in twentieth-century Christianity -- probes the ultimate meaning of all physical exploration and the fruit of his own inner life. The Divine Milieu is a spiritual treasure for every religion bookshelf.
Europe and the Faith, by Hilaire Belloc, nominated by Fonch
In this book, pivotal to all his historical insights, Belloc answers the question: What made Europe? He shows it was not the barbarians nor the Protestant Reformation, but the Catholic Faith that made Europe (and the worldwide civilization produced by Europe). Protestantism gravely wounded this our civilization, and only the Catholic Faith can rejuvenate it. It must return to that Faith or perish! This is a tremendous eye-opener on where we are today and where we must go from here!!
The Mango Murders, by Mara Campos, nominated by Madeleine
All is not what it seems in Old San Juan, in the Pio Nono home for boys, in the life of the island's most famous artist, or in the memories of his models. Detective Sergeant Julio Ramos and gringo FBI agent Steve Halloran work in uneasy alliance to catch a serial killer with a penchant for mangoes and a need to avenge lost love and lost innocence. To come to truth, the investigators have to face their own painful issues, and even their targets must choose between light or darkness. In language, memory, race, and blood, the novel tells the story of the burden and the promise of identity.
Doors in the Walls of the World: Signs of Transcendence in the Human Story, by Peter Kreeft, nominated by Vicky
With razor-sharp reasoning and irrepressible joy, Kreeft helps us to find the doors in the walls of the world. Drawing on history, physical science, psychology, religion, philosophy, literature, and art, he invites us to welcome what lies on the other side of these doors, and to begin living the life of Heaven in the here and now.
The Myth of Hitler's Pope: Pope Pius XII And His Secret War Against Nazi Germany, by David G. Dalin
In 1999, John Cornwell excoriated Pope Pius XII as "Hitler's Pope." In this book, Rabbi David G. Dalin provides a ringing defense of the wartime pontiff, arguing that Holocaust-era Jews justly regarded Pius as their protector, not their tormentor.
Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, by Anthony M. Esolen
What do you do when an entire civilization is crumbling around you? You do everything. This is a book about how to get started.
Providence College professor Anthony Esolen, blunt and prophetic, makes the case that the decay of Western civilization is alarmingly advanced.
Scarlet Pimpernel Of The Vatican, by J.P. Gallagher
To thousands of people escaping- Allied prisoners, refugees, Jews and others wanted for various reasons by the Nazis - one of the greatest heros of WWII was a tall, jolly Irish Priest, Monsignor Hugh Joseph O'Flaherty. Working throughout the war at the Vatican, he organised, unofficially, an incredibly efficient underground system which gave shelter to inumerable escapees. This very readable account of his adventures is an exciting story and throws some interesting light on one of the lesser-known aspects of the war.
The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning: Inside Tips from an Expert, by Dan Gallagher
There are six interrelated segments to a complete financial plan: Cash & Budget Planning, Insurance & Risk Management, Tax Management, Retirement Planning, Investment Planning, and Estate Planning. What aspects of the financial plan require sophisticated planning by a professional, and what can savvy, well-educated consumers handle themselves? The Secrets of Successful Financial Planning empowers readers to take charge of their financial present and future, regardless of where they are financially, by presenting technical jargon in a way that's easy to understand.
Reality: A Synthesis of Thomistic Thought, by Garrigou-Lagrange Reginald 1877-1964, nominated by John
Dominican Garrigou-Lagrange was one of the most prominent thomistic neoscholastic theologians of the early and mid-twentieth century. This volume is his attempt to summarize a philosophical and theological worldview by interpreting the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas and his successors: Reality is seen in light of the central doctrines of the Trinity, of Creation, and of the Incarnation of the Son as Jesus Christ, in Whom humankind is drawn into the intimacy of the inner life of the Triune God.
Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness, by Jean Vanier, nominated by Vicky
How can we discover the sources of wholeness, healing and hope amidst a broken and suffering world? Jean Vanier examines the roots of brokenness withing the Jewish and Christian traditions and the meaning of the Good News of Jesus for our twentieth-century world. The Broken Body is written for all who wish to follow Jesus on the path to wholeness. Vanier calls the reader to come closer to people who suffer. He offers hope and encouragement, and the assurance that peace and joy can be found but only by first accepting the reality of suffering and the cross in one's own life and in the lives of others. [Note: If you are considering this book you may want to be aware of the author's history of sexual abuse of adult non-disabled women under his spiritual direction as detailed in the following report by L'Arche: https://www.larcheusa.org/news_articl...]
The Last Crusader, by Louis de Wohl, nominated by Fonch
Don Juan of Austria, one of history’s most triumphant and inspiring heroes, is reborn in this opulent novel by Louis de Wohl. Because of the circumstances of his birth, this last son of Emperor Charles the Fifth spent his childhood in a Spanish peasant’s hut. Acknowledged by King Philip as his half-brother, the attractive youth quickly became a central figure in a Court where intrigues and romances abounded. Don Juan’s intelligence, kindness and devout attachment to the Church enabled him to live unscathed in an environment of luxury, violence and treachery.
Paul: A Biography, N.T. Wright, nominated by Jill
In this definitive biography, renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright offers a radical look at the apostle Paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented Christian theology—transforming a faith and changing the world.