Recomended Reading 2006

Here are a few books I read, reread, or have started to read this year (anyone who knows me knows that I often juggle several books at once) that I recommend:

Godless: The Church of Liberalism Ann Coulter

Crown Publishing Group ISBN: 1-4000-5420-6

Ann Coulter is probably the conservative liberals love to hate the most. She is the most outspoken person out there, not worrying about who she does or doesn't offend. & while I like a lot of what she has to say, at times she even comes across to me as abrasive. That aside, this book is probably the best expose of secular liberalism & THE RELIGION THAT IT HAS BECOME that was ever written. This book will probably be remembered as the book that attacked the "Jersey Girls", the 4 "9-11 widows" who have turned their tragic loss into a cottage industry. She does a good job of showing how liberalism is using them & other victims to stop debate on issues because, as she puts it: "you can't respond to them because that would be questioning the authenticity of their suffering." (I have experienced the truth of that 1sthand. However I also found that that only applies if you use your victimhood for a liberal cause.)

But the book does so much more. As I said it shows that liberalism meets the definition of a religion. It talks about their sacrament, abortion; its clergy, public school teachers (NEA); etc. She does so by documenting her claims with plenty of evidence. This evidence is better documented & supported than the evidence for evolution. This is a book for those who are rational thinkers who are willing to look at the evidence with an open mind. (Caution to liberals: This is a book to avoid for those of you of the "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with facts" crowd.)

Why Politics Needs Religion: The Place of Religious Arguments in the Public Square Brendan Sweetman PhD

InterVarsity Press ISBN-10: 0-8308-2842-7 ISBN-13: 978-0-8308-2842-5

Each sememster at Loras College where I work the Philosophy Department puts on a Classic Philosophy Lecture. This last Fall the speaker was Dr. Sweetman who spoke on the place of religion in the political arena. That speech was a distillation of this book.

He takes the view that secularism is a religious point of view (notice a theme in these 1st 2 books?) & if it is allowed a place at the table then so should religion. He supports this by proving that much in secularism is just as much, if not more based on faith as is religion. He also shows how religion is based on rational evidence to support its right to enter into the political discussion. (I have not finished reading this book. In fact I have barely started.) The talk he gave had some weaknesses that might have been there because of time limits that I expect to see better dealt with in the book. This book is also recommended by The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, Editor-in-Chief, First Things whose book Catholic Matters is also on my list.

The Spirit of the Liturgy Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)

Ignatius Press ISBN: 0-89870-784-6

This book was written by Papa Benedetto several years ago when he was still a Cardinal. He got his title from a book of the same name written in 1918 by Romano Guardini. (That book is on my 2007 must read list.)

Here is a book that will give the reader insight into Papa Benedetto's views on how liturgy is to be celebrated. But it is much more, it is a guide for proper implimentation of Vatican II's call to renew the liturgy. As then Cardinal Ratzinger put it: "My purpose here is to assist this renewal of understanding of the Liturgy. Its basic intentions coincide with what Guardini wanted to achieve. The only difference is that I have had to translate what Guardini did at the end of the First World War, in a totally different historical situation, into the context of our present-day questions, hopes and dangers. Like Guardini, I am not attempting to involve myself with scholarly discussion and research. I am simply offering an aid to the understanding of the faith and to the right way to give the faith its central form of expression in the Liturgy."

Cardinal Ratzinger succeeded in doing what he set out. This book isn't too technical. Rather it helps the average person understand why the Mass is celebrated the way it is. It shows why the priest has no right to change things just because he doesn't like how it is done. The words prayed at Mass mean something, they are ment to teach a truth & changing them can change the meaning & thus undermine the truth being taught. Those who want to change the teaching of the Church will hate this book because it undermines their whole agenda to destroy the Church.

Celebrating the Holy Eucharist Francis Cardinal Arinze

Ignatius Press ISBN: 1-58617-158-5

I have to start by saying I have only read parts of this book & have yet to finish it. However I have found what I have read as both easy to understand & at the same time bringing new insights into my understanding of Liturgy.

Cardinal Arinze heads the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. This alone gives great authority to what he has to say. Like Papa Benedetto's book this book will give fits to those moonbats who see Vatican II as a licence to anything goes when it comes to liturgy. Cardinal Arinze outlines the proper role for both the layperson & priest in the Liturgy. He makes it clear why the roles exist & why they must be kept distinct. He gives instructions to Bishops on how they should fullfill their responsibilities in protecting the purity of the liturgy.

Cardinal Arinze & Papa Benedetto are clearly of 1 mind when it comes to the proper implimentation of Vatican II & these books are a good guide to the direction we will see true Liturgical Renewal go in the years ahead.

A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist Abbot Vonier

Zaccheus Press ISBN: 0-9725981-0-3

This book was originally written by Abbot Vonier in the 1920s. Vonier was a Benedictine monk at Buckfast Abbey in England. He set out to write a book about the Eucharist thas was a theological treatis the average lay person could understand. He doesn't simply launch into the Eucharist. Instead he starts by laying the groundwork of a general understanding of sacrament. He places the Eucharist as a sacrament into this context. He then goes on to devote a whole chapter on St. Thomas Aquinas' "idiom" of sacrament. Then he goes on to develop the sacrificial meaning of the Eucharist & how it relates to Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. As a part of this he deals with transubstantiation. Then he deals with the Liturgy. Even with the post-Vatican II Changes in the Latin Rite this chapter is still very relevant. Then he goes on to talk about the Eucharistic Banquet (a theme taken up by Vatican II).

While he does aim this at the lay person there were a few times when he got a little technical that could be a bit confusing to someone who doesn't have a good basic grasp of basic theology. Even so, over all he succeeds in the goal he aimed at. This book is an excellent resource for someone who wants a deeper understanding of all that God is doing through the Eucharist for His Church. (This is 1 of my 2006 rereads.)

Our Lady and the Church Hugo Ranier SJ

Zaccheus Press ISBN: 0-97259-811-1

This book was 1st published in 1961. In it Fr. Ranier looks at the early centuries of the Church's understanding of Mary & itself & how the 2 are intertwined. This book is an excellent primer on the development of Mariology & Ecclesiology in the Church. This book answers those who doubt that current Marian doctrine is Biblical or even needed. Reading it left me wanting to learn more about the early Church Fathers teaching on Mary & her role in the Church. I have come across a couple more quotes from the Apostolic Fathers & would like to see a more book that gathers the teachings together in a way that would provide the average Catholic a suitable resource to defend the Church's teachings on Mary.

This book comes highly endorsed. Avery Cardinal Dulles had this to say: "With engaging clarity, this pioneering study sets forth the vast range of biblical metaphors the Fathers applied to Mary and the Church: ark of the covenant, valiant woman, treasure-laden ship. This rich theology of poetry and image has much to say to our more prosaic age." While still Cardinal Ratzinger Papa Benedetto said the following about the book: "Hugo Rahner's great achievement was his rediscovery, in the Fathers, of the indivisibility of Mary and the Church. This marvelous work is one of the most important theological rediscoveries of the twentieth century."

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization Thomas E. Woods Jr. Ph.D

Regnery Publishing Inc. ISBN: 0-89526-038-7

Too many people see the Catholic Church as opposed to science, learning &as having done harm but no good to civilization. Not true! Dr. Woods proves that without the Church all that is good & positive in Western civilization wouldn't even exist & as a result neither would Western civilization. The Catholic Church not only preserved learning in what was the dark ages it found new ways to pass it on. Our modern university system was invented by the Catholic Church as the means to do so. Not only that, modern sciences owe their existance to the work of Catholic priests & monks. Canon law laid the foundation for our modern law system. The respect for human life isn't a modern invention but has always been a part of the Church's teaching.

But probably 1 of my favorite parts is what he has to say about economics. For most free-market economists Adam Smith stands out as their founder. Not so, the real roots of free-market economic theory were developed by Catholic priests 5 centuries before Smith came on the scene. & all those who think that John Paul's encyclical Centesimus annus was an scathing attack on capitalism better reread it. While it rightly criticized the excesses & abuses done in the name of capitalism, it fit well within the over 900 yr Church support of it instead. (In fact I would bet those who so read it that way also ingore the fact that the same encyclical is supportive of private property & is opposed to socialism, something they would support.)

(This is a book I have yet to finish reading.)

Catholic Matters: Confusion, Controversy, and the Splendor of Truth Fr. Richard John Neuhaus

Basic Books ISBN-10: 0-465-04935-4 ISBN-13: 978-0-465-04935-6

This could actually be considered 3 books in 1. The openning & closing parts are the 1st. It is Fr. Neuhaus' diaty of his time in Rome while he was covering the funeral of Pope John Paul the Great & the election of Papa Benedetto for EWTN. The 2nd book would be his autobiography. It tells how he went from a Lutheran minister to Catholic Priest. The 3rd book could be his view of the state of the Church & how to answer those on the right & left who, while they see themselves as opposites are really on the same side, those who would destroy the Catholic Church that Jesus founded & has been with for 2000 yrs. Fr. Neuhaus takes what could have been those 3 books & blends them into a whole that is much better than the sum of its parts.

This is another book that those moonbats who see Vatican II as a licence to do whatever you want as well as those moonbats who think Vatican II is an aberation & should never have happened will hate. Fr. Neuhaus rightly points out that what the Catholic Church proposes is "that fidelity and continuity, not autonomy and novelty, are the paths toward a more promising future." He clearly puts forth the teachings of the Church. Fr. Neuhaus may be an intellectual, but he doesn't fall into the trap of writing above or writing down to his readers.

John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father Peggy Noonan

Viking Adult ISBN-10: 0-670-03748-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-670-03748-3

Simply, this book is the story of Peggy Noonan's journey to "serious Catholicism" and "deepened belief" intertwined with the story of Pope John Paul's papacy. She credits Pope John Paul's witness by his life & teaching as the source of inspiration for her journey. She sees him as a father who guided her & helped her to grow into a deeper faith than she ever was looking for.

While this book looks at the good things Pope John Paul did & the effect on her life she doesn't let her repspect & love for him keep her from honestly evaluating those areas he could have done more in. This includes the abuses in the area of liturgy as well as the area of clergy abuse. While I have long respected Peggy Noonan this book has given me a deeper respect for her.

Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles Raymond Arroyo

Doubleday ISBN-10: 0-385-51092-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-385-51092-9

I 1st met Mother Angelica in the mid 1980s when she came to Dubuque to give a talk & I served as 1 of her bodyguards. Then in 1989 I got a chance to go down to Birmingham & visit EWTN. There I got to see more of Mother Angelica than what viewers saw every week on her show. Here was a woman who deeply loved Christ & His Church & took her faith seriously. But she also knew how to celebrate. While I was down there 1 of the sister's was taking her vows. I was able to participate in the celebration. I also saw an impressive network set up for 1 purpose only, to proclaim the Gospel. Over the years I got to know bits & pieces of Mother's story. But no where near all that Raymond Arroyo put into this book.

Raymond Arroyo is tne News Director for EWTNews & hosts The World Over Live. But this is not a book that only shows the positives. He presents an honest look at Mother Angelica flaws & all. It tells the story of her childhood in Canton, Ohio. Rita Rizzo (her birth name) grew up in a broken home. She was raised by her mother Mae in the home of her maternal grandparents Anthony & Mary Gianfrancesco. It was not a happy childhood. Nor was Rita a very devout Catholic, until she met a mystic who changed her life. Eventually Rita joined a cloistered order of Poor Clares in Ohio. The book goes on to tell of how she ended up in Birmingham & the fight with a local TV station owner that God used to start EWTN.

But not all went smoothly. There were struggles to get on the air, problems with several bishops & cardinals, & failures in some endevors. Mother had a temper that she often struggled with. I came away from this book with agreater respect for a very real person who was not perfect, but willing to let God use her, much like Moses, Peter & others found in the Bible. When Raymond Arroyo set out to write this book he said that he would only do it if he could have "unfettered access" to all the records, associates, etc that he needed. He got it & the result is an excellent book that is well worth the time to read.

God's Choice : Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church George Weigel

HarperCollins ISBN-10: 0-06-621331-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-06-621331-6

I have to start out by saying I had the opportunity to meet George Weigel when he was here at Loras a few years ago to give a lecture. I was part of a group who had a breakfast meeting with him. I found him very personable. He aslo has a deep knowledge of the Church & its history. That is evident in this book.

This book is both a look at Papa Benedetto & an evaluation of the Church at this time as well as the direction he sees Papa Benedetto taking the Church. The 1st part of the book is a summary of Pope John Paul's reign as Pope. Then he looks at the conclave sharing exerpts from his diary (shades of Fr. Neuhaus) as well as the observations of others. The last part is the evaluation of where the Church is & how he sees things developing. While you may not agree with everything he says here it is well thought out.

But I Have Called You Friends: Reflections on the Art of Christian Friendship Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C.

Ignatius Press ISBN: 1-58617-080-5

(This is a book I recently got & have only skimmed.) Mother Mary Francis was the abbess of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, New Mexico.

This book is a series of conferences given by Mother Mary Francis to the novices of the monastery in the early 60s. From what I have read as I skimmed this book seems to hold some good insights into how to grow in being the kind of friend Christ calls you to be.

Update: 1 Jan 2007 (I knew I'd forgotten 1 but I can't believe it was this book!)

The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal Government Has Seized Power by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

NelsonCurrent ISBN: 1-59555030-5 ISBN-13: 978-1-59555030-9

Most people are familiar with the Judge from his appearances on FoxNews where he serves as their senior judicial analyst. He got his Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame. 1 of his professors there was Dr. Charles Rice, who has his own series on EWTN, The Good Code - The Natural Law. At the start I have to say that I can see Dr. Rice's good influence on the Judge.

This book is a follow up to his 1st book Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the Government Breaks Its Own Laws. In it the Judge continues his look at the original intent of the United States Constitution & how it has been undermined by the courts. The Judge points out the fact that our Consttution is firmly based on the principles stated in the Declaration of Independence & how the Declaration is firmly grounded in natural law. (Now you know why I say Dr. Rice had a good influence.) The Judge clearly outlines what I consider the right basis for understanding how the Constitution is supposed to work.

There is 1 chapter on the states right to seceed that I agree with in theory. But his saying that it was met at the start of the Civil War is something I'm not sure I agree with. I don't think that it came up to the level stated in the Declaration of Independence. I would like to have seen him go into more detail &/or have a personal discussion with him about that to better understand his position. Other than that, this book, along with his 1st are excellent summations of what our current status of Constitutional law is, what it should be & a guide to getting us back on track.