Exploring Amoris Laetia: Opening the Pope’s Love Letter to Families
edited by Breda O’Brien (Veritas, €12.99)
With preparations well under way in Dublin for The World Meeting of Families in August, this collection of essays edited by Irish Catholic columnist Breda O’Brien is very timely. Some nine established Catholic communicators share their insights into the influential encyclical of Pope Francis. It may be that they will provide just that amount of stimulation to readers, not just to read about the matters raised, but to take action on them. Here, of course, the contributors make clear we are not dealing with instant solutions, but generational changes.
We are becoming more and more aware that the challenges facing the family – from those who have to crowd themselves into hotel accommodation because there is so little housing to those whose family life has been corrupted by too much wealth – the spectrum for reflection is very wide.
They emphasis of all is on the role of spirituality in its widest sense in the nature and role of the family in the modern world. An excellent book which presages a successful outcome to the August assembly.
Praying the Angelus
by Jared Dees (Ave Maria Press, £11.99)
The pause for the Angelus on RTÉ remains a matter of occasional controversy. In his small but lively book, American author Jared Dees presents a justification of both the prayer, the custom of a pause, and the need to maintain it. He reminds his readers of the origin of the prayer in the first announcement of “the good news” to Mary; and so he says it has a role in re-evangelisation.
The greater part of the book is devoted to mediations and reflections arising out of both the Angelus and the Regina Caeli. For many what he writes will arouse memories of their early days in the last century. But Jared Dees has his focus, not on the past, but the creation of the future. An excellent and approachable book, filled with anecdotes which make for easy reading.
Praying with Matthew: Meditations on Matthew in the Lectionary for Ordinary Times
by Raymond Moloney SJ (Veritas, €16.99)
For many people the readings at Mass are their most frequent, perhaps only contact with the what the Gospels have to say. But hearing the readings is little help without some preparation before and some reflections afterwards.
Well known theologian Raymond Moloney writers of the connections between the readings and the liturgy, but it would also be of value if his readers familiarised themselves with the full gospels. The idea of the lectionary, selected readings for daily use, goes back into the depths of Hebrew culture.
It is a sobering thought that though the gospels are the foundation of the Christian faith, reading from the Old Testament has sustained the faithful for perhaps six millennia.
Praying with Matthew concentrates on what the Gospel message is, or ought to be for today. Fr Moloney will aid his readers in deepening their understanding of the liturgy.