Believing in Jesus – A Book Review

Over the past 15 years, I have been studying various religions and the theology behind those religions. Six or so years ago I began “homing” in on the Catholic faith and converted a few years ago to the Catholic faith. I continue to grow in my “new found faith”, and in that function of growing, I am always wanting to get a deeper understanding of where the Church stands on things, and why.

This book was a great find to help me grow in understanding in the faith that God has led me to.

This book follows, loosely, the American version of the Catechism of the Church book released a few years ago. It does a very good job of describing why the Church believes as it does, ties it to the Bible, and explains the differences on a concept between the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches in the Protestant areas.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for any Christian, so they can better understand where the Catholic Church comes from in it’s theology of life.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Believing in Jesus – 6th Edition Revised and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there.

A Conversion Story from the past, brought current! (A Book Review)

Saint Augustine lead a life of sin and “corruption” for many years back in the early 400ADs, including living with a lady for many years. His mother, a Catholic, prayed for him to find the Lord daily, and with tears and pain. It took many years, but Saint Augustine finally accepted the Lord into his life and he changed his ways, becoming a leader in the Church, a Doctor of the Church, and a great Theologian.

The book “No Turning Back, A Witness to Mercy“, written by Rev. Donald H. Calloway, MIC, chronicles the Author’s life, which closely mimics Saint Augustine’s life.

He starts out with excitement of his arrest at 15 in Japan, and subsequent deportment back to the US, with a stamp on his passport stating he can’t come back.. He then jumps back in time and begins telling his story from roughly 10 years of age on up to around 20, and the trails and tribulations he creates for his family and himself. He tells about the drugs he took, the people he hung out with, and the problems he caused. He goes into detail about the deportation and his going to rehab for the first time, and then his immediate return to drugs, booze, and women.

During this time, his Mother finds the Catholic Church and the rest of his family converts to the Catholic faith, which he declines and continues on his way. His mother begins to pray for him daily, and frequently to find peace in the Lord, placing prayer cards in his cloths when he is home, under his pillow, etc. He ignores these attempts to convert himself, and continues on in his ways.

As he nears 20 years of age, he throws a BIG drug/booze/women party at his parents house and begins to feel like things are not right. After kicking everyone out of the house, and attempting to clean up the house, he begins to see things differently.

One night, several months later he picks up a book on Divine Mercy, about Mother Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and starts feeling that he must change his ways. He reads the book all night, and when his mother gets up he wants to know more, and runs off to the post Chapel to begin his “official” conversion, which had already happened internally. As time progresses he ends up becoming an Ordained Priest in a Religious Order dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God.

This is a VERY compelling book, that I HIGHLY recommend to everyone and anyone interested in learning more about the good Graces of God!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on No Turning Back (book). I was provided with a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

Praying with the Saints – A book Review.

For the past year or so, I have been having discussions with Debbie and others about praying with Saints, Mother Mary, and such and how the Catholic Church represents this. I figured I would read this book to see what had to say.
While the book is a good read, it didn’t fully answer my question as to how I can more fully answer the questions or standpoints of others.

That said, it is a good book, and has a lot of good content dealing with those souls between life and heaven as seen in the Catholic view point. The Author, Susan Tassone, who has written many books, takes us through various Old and New Testament texts that explain about the time between death and “rising to heaven” or “descending to hell”. Of course this book focuses on the “rising” part.

She covers how various Church Leaders and Saints of the Church lived their lives in pray for the dead, and how to carry on their processes today. Much of what she says are things I would (and probably will) do as I move forward in my spiritual journey.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Annulment, 100 Questions and Answers for Caholics – A Book Review

Annulment, 100 Questions and Answers for Catholics

The authors have taken 100 common questions that have been asked by people, including myself, and break down what the annulment process is all about. They explain what the annulment means, the people involved in the process, from a “top level” what the process consist of, including answering concerns about what happens at each stage, what the appeal process is, for both the petitioner and the respondent, then it closes with ways of keeping a marriage together.

This book is written in a clear, easy to read way. It debunks some myths of the Catholic Annulment process, and helps you through the mental process of going forward with an annulment should you need one. A good book to look to if you have questions about the annulment, or are thinking about going to your Priest for one.

I am about to start the process of an annulment myself, and this book answered many of my questions. I will probably also get a copy of this book for my parents and others in my family so they understand what I will be going through and why I am going through the process.

Take Five, Meditations with Pope Benedict XVI – A Book Review

WOW!! This book made me really look into my faith basis and re-align my thoughts and actions!! Reading some of the words of the current Pope and Scripture that backs his words was very enlightening.

This book is well written, by Mike Aquilina and Father Kris D. Stubna, has a very strong message, and “supporting documentation” for that message. It is a very easy read, fits in your pocket so you can keep it with you to ponder upon through your daily activities, and it translates the Pope’s writings an speeches into English in a readable manner. This books is written “for the Catholics”, but I am confident that any Christian would gain from it as well.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Take Five – Meditations with Pope Benedict XVI.

Sharing Christ’s Priesthood – A book review

The first book I received from “The Catholic Company” was “Sharing Christ’s Priesthood – A Bible Study for Catholics”.

This book was well written, after a slow start in the first couple of pages, and is a book that I would recommend to all Christians, not just Catholics. Mr. Aquilina walks you through the Bible, showing the history of God’s priest from Adam to now. It explains, in some detail, about the history of priesthood, and then talks about the Catholic priest system.

It goes into great detail in reminding us that ALL Christians are Priest of Christ! Something we should all remember daily!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Sharing Christ’s Priesthood – A Bible Study for Catholics.

Fixes…

I had, at one time, my reviews of books and movies showing the actual review. I just noticed that it was just showing my rating of the item, and not the review I wrote for it. I just fixed it. You can now be bored with what I have to think about the item I am reviewing. Enjoy!!

Black Falcon – A Book Review

Last weekend I was at the Miami International Book Faire for my job. We were introducing our new book technologies, selling our books and meeting Authors, Publishers, and Clients. In the process I met Chevy Alden, Author of and two books on self-publishing.

The book was a good read for the most part and I give it 4 out of 5 stars! The missing star is for the ending, it wasn’t quite how I would have ended it, but the over all effect was good. It is a book I would recommend to anyone that likes a good adventure novel!