The Anchoress
As they say in the press release, “It’s not uncommon to find Fr. Martin on the Colbert Report, CNN, The New York Times editorial page, or advising a theater cast. Why? As Fr. Martin says, ‘being a Jesuit has helped me to find God in all things and to experience Jesus as my friend. And so my vocation as a Jesuit is one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received from God.'”
Somehow, through my blog, I have been fortunately enough to have become friends with Fr. Martin -he even blurbed my book – who, in addition to being a joyful and faithful priest (and how we appreciate them, don’t we?) is a whale of a writer, with an honest, open voice, a charitable outlook and a prolific pen. He has written several of my favorite books of the last decade, including Becoming Who You Are: Insights on the True Self from Thomas Merton and Other Saints (which is an excellent book for everyone wondering whether they’re doing what they’re born to do, but especially for young people just out of highschool or college, or for anyone discerning a religious vocation) and A Jesuit Off-Broadway, an entertaining read which chronicles his spiritual adventures as he acts as a consultant for a troop of atheist, agnostic, Buddhist and otherwise-not-Catholic actors working on a piece about Jesus and Judas.
His most successful book – and by far my personal favorite – is the Christopher Award winning My Life With the Saints, which some reviewers called the best autobiographical Catholic book since The Seven Storey Mountain, with good reason.
I’ve talked about My Life With the Saints several times, and as the paperback edition is being released (just in time for excellent summer reading), Fr. Martin is visiting with several blogs this week, and giving readers a chance to chat with him about any of his books, or about issues of faith, things Jesuitical, whatever. Anyone who chats with him will be entered into a little drawing for an autographed copy of the book (I don’t even have that!). I’m late getting this up, so you’ve missed the chance to talk to him at Some Have Hats, but Fr. Martin will be popping in at these blogs this week:
Tuesday, June 3 – A Nun’s Life
Wednesday, June 4 – Dawn Eden
Thursday, June 5 – The Anchoress
Friday, June 6 – Happy Catholic
To give you a sense of the book, and also something to talk to Fr. Martin about, I have reprinted (with permission) Chapter 7 – on Lourdes and Bernadette Soubirous, which I think anyone would enjoy. From now until June 8, you will be able to order My Life With the Saints at a 35% discount. Mention marketing code 2683 when ordering it either online at www.loyolabooks.com/martin or calling 800-621-1008.
For a further sense of Fr. Martin, check this out:
Crossposted at Inside Catholic.
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