Commenting on the communion of saints in heaven and how their various differences of temperament and intellect must ultimately complement one another in some as yet utterly unimaginable variegated whole, St. Therese of Lisieux once said: "Delightful and surprising will be the friendships found there - I am sure of it ... [A] simple little child may be the intimate friend of a patriarch." Dwight Longenecker in his new book, St. Benedict and St. Therese: The Little Rule and the Little Way, sees in this almost casual remark the kernel of a much larger reflection: how the nineteenth-century French Carmelite saint - not much more than a little child herself at the time of her death - might indeed easily be imagined hand-in-hand with the Father of western monasticism, the sixth-century St. Benedict of Nursia; for, despite the apparent incongruence of this unexpected pairing, their "Way" and "Rule" are in essence one. The "little way" of St. Therese of the Child Jesus is really nothing less than an utterly radical faith and dependence on Jesus Christ. "Sanctity," she says in her final days, "does not consist in performing such and such acts; it means being ready at heart to become small and humble in the arms of God, acknowledging our weakness and trusting in his fatherly goodness to the point of audacity." (p. 215) Such conviction, expressed while nearly at the point of death, finds its spiritual complement in St. Benedict's "little Rule for beginners": "Let us then never withdraw from discipleship to him, but persevering in his teachings in the monastery till death, let us share the suffering of Christ through patience, and so deserve also to share in his kingdom." (p. 38)

Longenecker has provided us with the good fruit of his experiment of exploring and interrelating the timeless wisdom of these two immensely influential saints. A Benedictine Oblate himself, he has already shown himself to be an enlightening guide through Benedict's monastic Rule, as applied to family life, in his Listen My Son: St. Benedict for Fathers. Some of his insights are carried over into this new book, but enriched and expanded as they interact with the Carmelite saint's doctrine. (Here, I note in passing, Longenecker summons to mind others of the school of Benedict who have proven themselves able commentators on the writings of great Carmelites: e.g., one thinks of Blessed Columba Marmion's indebtedness to St. Teresa of Avila, and Dom John Chapman's masterful grasp of the concepts of St. John of the Cross.)

Longenecker movingly tells of his own "encounter" with St. Therese while visiting Lisieux; and how later he found that, beneath the conventionally sugary language of her writings, so typical of her place and time and youth, the deceptively sweet "Little Flower" was in actuality a "steel magnolia". Perhaps most worthy of note, as Longenecker stresses, it is really her ordinariness that provided the rich soil for her remarkable holiness, and thus her holiness can be a model for us all. In this she reminds us of the holiness-in-ordinariness implicit to Benedict's Rule. Longenecker writes: "The Benedictine way is a 'little way' because, like Therese of Lisieux's little way, it relies on surrender, not superiority; grace, not greatness." (p. 41) Noting how much of the Rule is given to liturgical, disciplinary, and household concerns, he says:

By focusing on the mundane matters of everyday life Benedict points to a deeper truth: that these
details are the stuff of reality, and that by paying attention to the details of ordinary life we will
find our way to heaven. Someone has said the devil is in the details; Benedict thinks the divine is
in the details. (p. 45)

Likewise, St. Therese insists that it is the day to day details in which real, practical sanctity is cultivated. She recognizes this fact as the hidden basis of even the holiest of all earthly homes: "What does me a lot of good when I think of the Holy Family is to imagine a life that was very ordinary ... their life was the same as ours." (p. 214)

Longenecker has also interwoven into the fabric of his own reflections valuable "Thoughts and Prayers" which launch every chapter, as well as the insights of such writers as Chesterton, Balthasar, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and others throughout the text. His own thoughts on humility and spiritual childhood are particularly well worth our prayerful pondering, and, though these might conceivably have been presented by a lesser devotional writer in cloying or sentimental fashion, Longenecker keeps before us the nitty-gritty realities and often painful sacrifices such crucial elements of genuine discipleship demand. We are, throughout this valuable little book, never far from the truth that "the Gospel command to become as little children is a call to return to a state of innocence through the excruciating path of experience." (p. 62)

For those searching for solid Catholic spiritual fare, or for an introduction to either of these saints (or, of course, to both), this book is unreservedly recommended.

St Benedict & St Therese can be read for several reasons and will appeal to a variety of readers. First, it offers an insightful analysis and comparison of the spirituality of Benedict "The Little Rule" and Therese "The Little Way." On another level, it is offers a practical application of their principles for our own spiritual direction. And to add pleasure to delight, it presents both of these in a VERY well-written, sometimes Chestertonian style. Longenecker often surprises you by reaching past the usual spiritual platitudes for the deeper truths. His manner is sometimes humorous, but never trite. His style is often breezy, but never without weight. Here are two examples:

ON MIRACLES: "The main problem for sophisticated people is not that miracles are incredible, but that they are an error in taste. . . . Benedict and Therese call us to follow a little way, and it may be that for humility to begin growing, our grown-up taste must be the first to go. Miracles, relics, sentimentality, pilgrimages, and wonderful answers to prayer lie at the heart of ordinary religion, and since Benedict and Therese are apostles of the ordinary it is fitting that their religion sits happily among the sentimental, the miraculous, and the tasteless." (p.47-48)

ON OBEDIENCE: "Obedience promises freedom, but there is a huge risk because obedience also threatens the most odious form of slavery. Religious people have an unfortunate taste for Pharisaism, and the call to obedience attracts two kinds of Pharisees - those who love to dominate and those who love to be dominated." (p.86)

Anyone who bemoans the meager fare of 90% of what is currently published to inspire and educate the aspiring Christian, should buy this book to ensure that the more worthy 10% will not disappear forever. If you or a friend has a liking for St. Therese or St. Benedict, you don't have to worry that you are buying a repeat of a half dozen other books you've already read. This book contains a fresh and useful approach. I hope to see many titles from this author in the future.

Perhaps one of the defining characteristics of the Catholic Church in the 20th century has been the proliferation of private revelations from Fatima to Medjugorje to Conyers, Georgia. Not every reported revelation is truly from God and not even those private revelations inspired by God but relayed through flawed human beings are free from all error.

How does a faithful Catholic determine which apparition or vision to listen to and which to ignore? And what do we do about those inner promptings we feel when we pray, those inclinations that we believe are God guiding us?

Fr. Benedict Groeschel uses his education in theology and psychology and his incisive wisdom to offer a practical guide to dealing with private revelations, visions, and other phenomena. This book is neither a skeptic nor a credulous observer, but takes the position that the Lord wishes to communicate with His people and does so in varied ways that required careful discernment by them.

First, Fr. Groeschel observes an historic perspective on private revelations and offers a fundamental basis for looking at them. Above all, private revelations are different from the one, complete public revelation in that they reveal nothing new and that the must only be observed in so far as they reflect the teachings already present in Scripture and Tradition, the two sources of the Word of God, public revelation.

Second, the book then delves into the Church's criteria for investigating and then deciding on the authenticity of revelations, a long, laborious process that gives comfort in that error is assiduously avoided through diligence. Among the surprising discoveries presented by Fr. Groeschel is that some revelations by canonized saints were later debunked, even before the canonization was complete. The declaration of courageous holiness does presume inerrancy for all statement . If that were true, then there would be no canonized saints among flawed humanity.

Fr. Groeschel provides many examples of errant revelations, including St. Catherine of Siena's famous declaration that the Virgin Mary herself revealed to the saint that she was not immaculately conceived. How could this be if the Church later declared it a dogma? Fr. Groeschel reveals that the role of the psyche in religious experiences is not completely understood -- and likely never will be -- and we do not know to what extent it will "taint" the vision or revelation. And that is another way in which private revelation is different from the public revelation: the Holy Spirit intervenes in public revelation to prevent the taint of untruth.

The book also makes clear that just because a saint is wrong in one area, it does not invalidate other apparitions or revelations made by him. This is why a Catholic must presuppose a primary obedience to the wisdom of the Church in her declarations of validity. Even if we are convinced of the authenticity of a vision or apparition, and even if we are later proven right when the Church declares a previously invalidated revelation to know be licit, we can never go wrong seeking the wisdom of the Church. After all, reported revelations do not reveal anything that is not already in the Word of God.

Bottom Line : A Still, Small Voice is not a scholarly book, if by scholarly we mean a technical reference for theologians and the like. Instead, it is a practical guide for everyone, from those who eagerly greet each reported revelation as an opportunity to see the Lord's intervention into history to those who cautiously stand back waiting for the Church's declarations. And even more so, it is a practical guide for each Christian who prays, seeking the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of God, so that we may truly discern our own desires from God's own promptings in our heart.

If you find yourself not knowing what to believe and what not to believe this book can help.

The always articulate Father Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. offers an excellent examination of how the faithful should approach extraordinary religious experiences such as New Age encounters and the reported Marian apparations at Medjugorje.

Groeschel offers practical steps for how the faitful are to evaluate such claims and summarizes the Church's teachings on private revelation.

Groeschel uses Saint Therese of Liseux who offers an example of a humble and prayerful approach to life which will lead the reader to discern God's presence in their life.

I'm the "child" of a World War II vet and heard far too many stories of the War in my youth to think I'd ever be interested in another account of what happened at Pearl Harbor. But this book, "A String of Pearls," was a delightful surprise. Extremely well written, it takes you from the Oval Office and the witty mind of Winston Churchill to the ship's galleys where we meet enlisted men, officers (and the women they love) and my particular favorite character, the USS Arizona herself. Reading this book allows you to experience a fictional account of the early Twentieth Century world and the events and attitudes leading to the Japanese invasion at Pearl Harbor. (I heard Glen Miller as I read.) Highly recommend.

What a look back at the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. We get to read about the historical events, but Roosevelt and Churchill are talking to us! Rich characters and settings make this the book of the year for me. Highly recommended!

One of the most useful and interesting publishing phenomena of the past decade has been the appearance of a number of collections of Civil War diaries and letters written not by famous names but by the line officers and common soldiers who actually fought the war--and who suffered the diseases, quibbles and boredom of camp life in the often-long intervals between battles. I found this particular book especially insightful on both the details of military life and the ambience of the war years. The letters themselves are marvelous--even in their mundane concerns. This truly is a slice of "real life" that a standard history text can't offer (the book reminds me of the wonderful collections of courts-martial, reports and papers assembled by Dr. Thomas Lowry, who is consistently one of our most interesting Civil War historians). Credited as the book's "editor," Eric Ward has actually done far more than simply getting the narrative into shape for publication (a tough enough job by itself). Ward has set the book off superbly, and his interlocutions to place Benedict's jottings in context are masterful in their accuracy, succinctness and insight. For those seriously interested in Civil War studies, or simply for a reader anxious to enter that bygone world for the first time, this book is an excellent choice. Very well done!

I had the privilege of reading Daniel Marder's book many years ago when it first came off the press. All of the usual cliches surrounding Benedict Arnold and his act of treason were fresh in my mind as I opened the front cover. But as I read the letters and diary entries in the words of both conspiritors, and allowed myself to feel the fears and passions of the time, I found myself questioning our current representation of those events in our history books. Were Benedict Arnold and John Andre dastardly, unscrupulous men? Or were they devoted patriotic soldiers from opposing sides who simply could no longer bear the price of war? The author examines the events that let up to that infamous act through the hearts and minds of Arndre and Arnold.

A great introduction to the writings of St. Augustine. What is also wonderful about the book is he traces different aspects of St. Augustine's personality such as "Augustine as a mystic" and gives excerpts supporting his conclusions.

This is another out of print Rex Benedict that shouldn't be. You smile, laugh out loud, and fall in love with the characters. This is a great pick me up when the chips are down. A book to be loved by kids of all ages!

Ages 3-7. Benedict Blathwayt's charming picture book gently carries us along with a Teddy bear on his great adventure - out to sea and safely home again. Bear's Adventure begins when he is left behind on the beach one day, when the children go home. As the tide rises he is carried out to sea - to float among fish and seaweed, crabs and lobsters, and one sunken treasure ship. Eventually Bear is caught in a fishing net, hung out to dry on deck, and kindly left on a wharf with a "Found" notice. A curious seagull carries him up and away, then drops him on the waves - and Bear's adventure is finally over when he floats back to his own beach, where loving arms claim him.
This fine little book satisfies readers on several levels. First, it's a delightful picture book for young readers, with simple text. Young children will enjoy Bear's adventure with confidence that it will all end happily. Benedict Blathwayt's pictures are full of rewarding details of the beach, underwater sea world, fishing boat and wharf, yet the images remain clear and simple. And for the noticing adult (this is the other level of enjoyment) there are careful and accurate clues that place the story on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. In particular, look for a panorama of the old wharf and harbour at Tobermory. Having spent a month on Mull this summer I can say that the island landscape, from the little wildflowers of the machair (where beach and meadow meet), to the curiously peaked seashells and slanted, northern sunlight, is drawn here with loving accuracy.

This was a great story of how a personal tragedy birthed a hobby that is now a ministry!! Very touching loss but the author is an example to us all of perseverance and strength of character. Plus, this book is an excellent idea book for making stuffed bears of all kinds!!

Thank you Ruby!!