Ideas for Summer Reading

Ideas for summer reading: It is easy to tear down, hard to build. Cathedrals built over centuries were destroyed in days during the Reformation.  Rioting, destroying, lawlessness has taken over the summer.  Where is the edification?  Let's change the mood, recommends Michael Pakaluk in the Pilot.

     I agree.  Take yourself away from the polemics of the current crises and read a good uplifting novel.  Get involved in someone else's problems.  If they can survive, so can you.  You can!

Priestly Celibacy

This is the cover of "From the Depths of Our Hearts," by retired Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. In the book they defend priestly celibacy, an issue that was discussed at last year's Synod of Bishops for the Amazon. (CNS photo/Ignatius Press)

Retired pope, Vatican cardinal write book defending priestly celibacy: VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Since marriage and priesthood both demand the total devotion and self-giving of a man to his vocation, "it does not seem possible to realize both vocations simultaneously," retired Pope Benedict XVI said in a new book.


"From the Depths of Our Hearts," a defense of priestly celibacy, has an introduction and conclusion written jointly by the retired pope and by Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, and one chapter written by each of them alone.

The book was to be published in English Feb. 20 by Ignatius Press but the French newspaper Le Figaro released excerpts Jan. 12 from the original French edition.  Both priests support Pope Francis.

Emma Forbes Cary

The Boston Pilot has a little section that highlights "Figures in Our Catholic History." Emma Forbes Cary was featured in this week's edition, February 27, 2009. In introducing this remarkable woman, foundress of Radcliffe, and a Yankee convert, they happened to mention that "Emma Cary was one of the scores of 'Yankee converts' of the late 19th century in Boston." This is what interested me; the fact that so many famous Yankee names converted. Among those mentioned are: Hawthorne, Longfellow, Whittier, Bancroft, Webster, Dana, Winthrop, Quincy, and James. Wow! Illustrious.

Hawthorne must be referring to Rose Hawthorne who founded the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne. They dedicate their lives to taking care of cancer patients who can't afford medical care.

Interesting.