CBB Review – Caritas Press Rosary Meditation books

Last updated on: December 9, 2015 at 12:15 pm By Pete Socks

Caritas Press has recently released a six book series of rosary meditations for the entire family. There is a book for fathers, mothers, grandparents, children, teenagers and altar servers. For this review a member of our family took one of the books to write about. A Father’s Heart: Rosary Meditations for Dads reviewed by Pete Father Doug Lorigpresents fathers with a series of meditations that takes the mysteries of the rosary and effectively ties them to the everyday challenges of... Read more

Mary, Mother of Mercy, Mary: Day 141

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 3:10 pm By Pete Socks

Mary, Mother of Mercy St. Alphonsus explains why it seems that Mary has no other desire or concern than to grant us mercy. A demon-possessed person was once being exorcised, and the exorcist questioned the demon about what Mary did. The demon replied, “She descends and ascends.” By this it meant that this benevolent Lady is constantly descend- ing from heaven to bring graces to men, and re-ascending to obtain the divine favor for our prayers. With good reason, then,... Read more

Mary, Mother of Hope, Mary: Day 140

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 3:03 pm By Pete Socks

Mary, Mother of Hope Mary gives birth to a holy hope in our hearts, St. Alphonsus observes, both by her example of hope, and by her powerful intercession. We rightly and reasonably call the Blessed Virgin our hope, trusting, as St. Robert Bellarmine says, “that we shall obtain, through her intercession, what we couldn’t obtain by our own unaided prayers.” “We pray to her,” says the learned scholar Francisco Suárez, “so that the dignity of the intercessor may supply for... Read more

Mary, Mother of Fair Love, Mary: Day 139

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 1:17 pm By Pete Socks

Mary, Mother of Fair Love St. Alphonsus celebrates the love of a mother unlike any other. The Church applies to Mary these words of the Book of Sirach: “I am the mother of fair love” (see Sir 24:18). A commentator, explaining them, says that the Blessed Virgin’s love renders our souls beautiful in the sight of God, and also makes her, as a most loving mother, receive us as her children, “since she is all love towards those whom she... Read more

CBB Interview with Douglas Leonard

Last updated on: December 3, 2015 at 12:14 pm By Pete Socks

PETE: Before discussing your book Sacred Reading: The 2016 Guide to Daily Prayer, can you tell us a little about your group The Apostleship for Prayer and your role in it? DOUGLAS LEONARD: The Apostleship of Prayer was invited by Ave Maria Press to author this series of prayer experiences (lectio divina) in response to the daily Gospels throughout the liturgical year. I consented to be the author of this series because the editors at Ave Maria Press were familiar... Read more

Mary, Advocate of Sinners, Mary: Day 138

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 1:09 pm By Pete Socks

Mary, Advocate of Sinners Do you need a patron to represent you in the divine court? St. Alphonsus says let Mary be your advocate. Perhaps there may be a sinner who, though not doubting Mary’s power, might doubt her compassion—fearing that she might be unwilling to help him on account of the greatness of his sins. If so, let him take courage from the words of St. Bonaventure: “The great, the special privilege of Mary, is that she is all-powerful... Read more

Mary’s greatest title is “Mother of God”, Mary: Day 137

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 1:03 pm By Pete Socks

Mary’s greatest title is “Mother of God” St. Alphonsus explains why the saints agree that one of Mary’s titles far exceeds, in greatness and dignity, all the others. To understand fully the greatness to which Mary was exalted, it would be necessary to understand fully the sublimity and greatness of God. It should be enough, then, to say simply that God made this Blessed Virgin his mother, to understand that God could not have exalted her more than he did... Read more

Mary, Mother of God, Mary: Day 136

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 11:52 am By Pete Socks

Mary, Mother of God At first sight, says Blessed John Newman, calling Mary the “Mother of God” seems impossible. But its meaning is clarified when we consider the identity of her Son. The “Mother of the Creator” is a title which, of all others, we should have thought it impossible for any creature to possess. At first sight we might be tempted to say that it throws into confusion our primary ideas of the Cre- ator and the creature, the Eternal... Read more

CBB Giveaway – Sacred Reading

Last updated on: December 1, 2015 at 12:24 pm By Pete Socks

This week Ave Maria Press is sponsoring the giveaway. One lucky winner will receive one copy of Sacred Prayer: The 2016 Guide to Daily Prayer by Douglas Leonard (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me! Enter below. The contest starts at midnight tonight EST and will end 12 AM EST 12/11 with a winner being announced later that day. a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more

Holy Mary, Mary: Day 135

Last updated on: November 22, 2015 at 11:41 am By Pete Socks

Holy Mary Blessed John Henry Newman examines the fundamental meaning of holiness in order to understand the title “Holy Mary.” By holiness we mean the absence of whatever sullies, dims, and degrades a rational nature; all that is most opposite and contrary to sin and guilt. In his mercy, God has communicated in various measures his great attributes to his rational creatures, and first of all, as being most necessary, holiness. Thus Adam, from the time of his creation, was... Read more