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SIX
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOjlIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
NOVEMBER 13, 1954.
BOOK REVIEWS
EDITED BY EILEEN HALL
Ea<rh Issue of this Book Page
is. confided, to the patronage of
Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces,
with the hope that every read
er and every contributor may
be specially favored by her
and her Divine Son.
LIVES OF SAINTS, selected and
illustrated, introduction by Father
Thomas Plassman, O.F.M., edito
rial supervision by Father Joseph
Vann, O.F.M., (John J. Crawley
& Co., Inc.), $5.95.
(Reviewed by Leo J. Zuber)
A herioc volume about persons
of heroic virtue, with abundant,
evidence that it is a work of great
love and respect for those whom
the Church recognizes as saints.
Fortunately this is no attempt to
write about all the saints. Instead,
it is a sane and sensible effort to
given reasonable amounts of space
to. some 70 of their number.
The volume is arranged roughly
according to the years of the
saints’ death. It begins with St.
Ignatius of Antioch, whose death
occurred in about 117. It ends with
accounts of St. Piux X and St.
Francis Xavier Cabrini, who died
in 1914 and 1917 respectively. To
ward the end of the volume there
is an account of 12 scriptural
saints, including St. Michael the
Archangel, and Sts. Joachim and
Anne, the parents of Our Lady.
Selection of the saints to in
clude must have been a consider
able task. The omission of certain
ones, St. Bonaventure as an ex
ample, is regretted. In this par
ticular volume, there is a tenden
cy to favor those who had some
literary inclination, thus permit
ting the use of selections from the
writings of the saint, as well as a
biographical account of each one.
This makes it. readily possible to
describe St. Thomas Aquinas’
method of exposition and then to
illustrate it, as is done here with
his brief and direct consideration
of “The Goodness of God” and of
“The Cause of Evil.” St. Bene
dict’s life is paired with excerpts
from Benedict’s Rule, while St.
Catherine of Siena’s voluminous
writings are sampled by a letter
to Pope Gregory XI, still resident
in Avignon. This combination of
fresh, modern biography with se
lections from the subject’s writ
ings makes this a lively and use
ful “Lives of Saints.”
Illustrations
To this must be added the con
siderable value of the 48 illustra
tions, all in color. Many are repro
ductions of the works of famous
painters, as Giotto. Raphael. El
Greco, Cranach and others. Hol
bein’s portrait of Sir Thomas
More is used to good purpose and
effect. The selection of illustra
tions is good, the quality of their
reproduction generally superior.
The tendency to portray saints in
ecstatic pose or in some form of
mortal rigor is successfully avoid
ed.
Even without the iluustrations
—and they are a definite asset.—
this “Lives of Saints” would be a
most worthy volume, judging it
solely on the basis of its biogra
phies, selected writings and the
introduction. The former are in a
modern and lively vein and with
out sentimental degression. The
Franciscans responsible for the
textual matter contributed most
substantially to the inherent utili
ty of this volume.
'Ae end papers are color re
productions of medieval church
windows, one being the window
of St. James the Apostle in the
Cathedral of Chartres.
The volume brings the saints
into your home. They are not dis
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tant, not unapproachable. They
and the reader are quite at ease.
Their variety is great, as is their
saintliness and their number. And
to St. Teresa of Avila we are in
debted for reminding us that "God
employs in His works what in
struments He wills.” Even the
least of us.
LA CONQUISTADORA, by Fray
Angelico Chavez, (St. Anthony
Guild), $2.00.
(Reviewed by Mary E. Hall)
Can you imagine the story that
might be told by a doll who for
more than 300 years has played
the part of Our Blessed Mother,
traveling in Mexico and south
western United States to arouse
devotion to Our Lad}'? Can you
imagine the humor and joy and
sadness that would be in her
story?
“La Conquistadora” is the auto
biography of a doll—or really a
statue—who has the honor of por
traying the Mother of God. She
is the first to admit that she is
wholly unworthy to be even a
representation to remind human
beings of their Queen.
She has a delightful story to
tell. It is the true story of her peo-
nle/who have kept her and loved
her for more than three centuries.
And what a delightful sense of
humor this brave little wooden
statue has. even when she has her
arms chopped off!
Actually it’s hard to believe that
La Conquistadora is only the re
mains of a weeping willow tree.
Fray Angelico Chawz has spoken
for her and told her story well.
I’m sure that, if she were able,
she would thank him for letting
people know about her journeys
and expressing her feelings for
her.
You would have to read the
book yourself to realize how well
the author has made the ancient
statue, now in New Mexico, seem
more realistic than many authors
make the real human beings
whom they write about.
MR. BLUE, by Myles Connolly,
(Image Books), 50c, a reprint.
(Reviewed by Christine Gooc'n)
Oh, Mr. Blue, what a lovable
character you are! You are so dif
ferent from us. You love Lady
Poverty so much and you write
such lovely letters to your Heav
enly Mother. You, Mr. Blue, with
your imagination, kites and attic-
rooms, you are wonderful!!
That this charming novel by
Myles Connolly, is in its 16th
printing is proof enough of its
perennial popularity. We’re glad
to see it now in a low-priced edi
tion which will be available to all.
THESE CAME HOME, by Gilbert
L. Oddo, (Bruce), $3.00.
(Reviewed by Mary Zaworski)
What is it that brings converts
into the Catholic Church? Those
of us who have always “belonged”
wonder what life is like on the
other side of the fence and how
people find their way over. Those
who have received the Gift o_f
Faith later in life also, wonder by
what paths others were led into
the Church. This book gives fif
teen very different answers to
the question by fifteen very' dif
ferent types of people.
In one of the contributions, a
former Protestant minister tells of
the shock he received one Sun
day after Communion had been
served to his congregation. In
tending to consume the leftover
bread, he found it was gone. His
inquiries brought the reply, “Oh,
I fed it to the chickens. Wasn’t
that all right?” Those were the
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words that shocked him into real
izing that something was drastic
ally wrong! The words that, set
one man thinking and searching!
The other fourteen contributors
relate equally interesting inci
dents as they tell of finding their
own particular pathways, lead
ing them through the confusion
and maze of conflicting doctrines
to the fulness of the Truth, All
are well educated and deeply in
tellectual people. Five were for
merly ministers of other Jaiths.
Another, an artist, is now a Trap-
pist at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Mas
sachusetts. One was a Jewess. In
only one way were they alike—
all were searching for the Truth
and all found it by the hand of
God leading them to His one true
Church.
Dr. Oddo, who assembled this
collection of autobiographical sto
ries, was born in New York City.
He was educated at Union Col
lege, Schenectady, and George
town University where he receiv
ed his doctorate and master’s de
gree. He is the author.of an En
cyclopedia of Religious Knowl
edge. His present book is purpose
ful and will surely be helpful to
many.
THE GREAT MOTHER OF GOD
MARY MOST HOLY, by Hya
cinth Blocker, O.F.M., (St. An
thony Guild), 25c.
(Reviewed by Louella Cave)
The author presents this'series
of novena sermons to commemor
ate Our Lady’s Immaculate Con
ception in the hope these thoughts
would serve as material for medi
tation and ideas for preaching.
There are nine chapters dealing
with the. various conditions of
Mary’s life, with references taken
from the Bible and tradition.
Mary, Madonna of the Model
Home, helps us to remember her
human duties as a‘ wife and house
keeper; Mary, Crowned With Ros
es, emphasizes the power of the
Rosary; Mary, Ever Immaculate,
assures us that she deserves our
special veneration and that we j
need never fear honoring her tool
much for “God will not be jealous j
of- the homage we give to Mary j
when He Himself ..was the first to!
extol her above all creatures by
choosing her as His.Mother”; and
Mary, Queen of America and the
World, urges us to make use of
the Marian Year for the benefit
of ourselves, our country and the
whole world.
CUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
COLOR BOOK; OUR LADY OF
LA SALETTE COLOR BOOK;
OUR. LADY OF PONTMAIN
COLOR BOOK, text by Mary
Fabyan Windeatt, illustrations, by
Gedge Harmon, (Grail), 25c each.
(Reviewed by Martha Fowler)
These are the first in a series
of ten color books of Our Lady’s
earthly visits. Miss Windeatt. well
known author of children’s, books,
has written these stories simply
enough for a 6-year-old to enjoy,
yet interestingly enough to hold
the attention of older children
also. Each book has 16 beautiful,
page-size illustrations to be col
ored. They are well done and are
certain to create a lasting impres
sion on young minds. Text and
pictures together do much to ex
plain the meaning of Our Lady’s
visits and to provide a clearer un
derstanding of the events.
Our children enjoyed these
books. Keep them in mind * for
gifts. They will delight any child.
A. CITY ON A MOUNTAIN, by
Pascal P. Parente, (Grail). $2.50.
When it’s midnight in Georgia,
it is 6 a. m. in Italy. About that
time every morning a 67-year-old,
bearded Capuchin priest is tran
substantiating bread and wine in
to Christ’s Body and Blood and
giving this Eucharistic food to a
crowd of people who are privil
eged to assist at his daily Mass at
the Monastery of Our Lady of
Grace on the slopes of Mount Gar-
gano, near Foggia, across the
Apennines from Naples.
“Dearer than all the gold in the
world is this privilege to assist ?J
his Mass, to receive the Eucharis
tic Lord from his hands and to
be blessed by those same hands,”
says Father Parente, in this book
about Padre Pio, the first stigma
tized priest in history. "During
Mass (and then only) Padre Pio
takes off the half gloves that he
wears to cover the wounds in his
hands. These wounds, together
with those in his feet and in his
side, now become especially pain
ful. Agony is written in his face,
and many are moved to tears at
the sight of the fresh blood flow
ing from his hands when he raises
(Continued or, Page Seven)
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