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Author Topic: Informal Book club  (Read 241 times)

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Re: Informal Book club
« Reply #5 on: Yesterday at 07:06:23 PM »
I finished reading The Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost by Cardinal Edward Manning.  Very good.  Cardinal Manning goes through all the Gifts how we naturally have knowledge ( example) but we can have Supernatural with the help of the Holy Ghost.  It is very well explained how we can achieve this or lose it.  I have never read anything so well explained.

Now I am reading The Memoirs of Pope Leo XIII, original/reprint 590 pages.  Very very good.  I am half way through it.

Re: Informal Book club
« Reply #6 on: Yesterday at 09:09:03 PM »
I recently listened to an audiobook called "Little Nellie of Holy God". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g53bvidCBRc

The level of sanctity that this dear little girl attained in such a short time, is a wonderful example for all of us. She endured the many crosses that Jesus sent to her, most willingly and lovingly; for she had quite severe, bodily ailments for such a small child.

Her simplicity in approaching and conversing with Our Lord was so precious. For instance, when she suffered something, she would look at the Crucifix, and turning her mind to the Passion of her Jesus, she would say to Him "poor holy God".

Her story is what inspired Pope St. Pius X's decision to allow small children to receive Holy Communion, for she was given special permission to receive the Blessed Sacrament during her short life, having attained the use of reason quite early. 

Little Nellie lived from August 24th, 1903, to February 2nd, 1908, dying at the tender age of 4.



Re: Informal Book club
« Reply #7 on: Today at 07:48:02 AM »
I recently finished the book, St Rita of Cascia, Saint of the Impossible (Wife, Mother, Widow, Nun).  It was a very interesting book, I was particularly struck by her penances.  She received a wound on her forehead during an ecstasy.  It was caused from a thorn from Our Lord’s crown of thorns.  It caused her a tremendous amount of pain and was repulsive to those around her, so much so that she was mostly confined to her cell at the convent due to the wound making the other nuns nauseous.  There were worms living in the wound and when they moved around eating the flesh they caused her much pain.  Upon her death, the wound shone forth light and the worms became like sparkles within the ray of light.  After a time, the light faded (after about a year or so).  Her body is still incorrupt.  There were many astonishing examples of her virtue.  It was very inspiring.

Re: Informal Book club
« Reply #8 on: Today at 10:15:48 AM »
Fabiola, or, the Church of the Catacombs, by Cardinal Wiseman (1886), is a historical fiction that was written with the intention of being a pious, lawful recreation/relaxation for Catholics. Featured are some drawings from the actual catacombs themselves!

With his knowledge of the early Church and the martyrs of that age, he weaves together the lives of different saints, and creates a story out of it. The main themes are sacrifice, perseverance, conversion, and repentance. Fabiola is the main character, who is a Roman, pagan noblewoman, with an intelligent mind that is disposed to receiving the truth. One of her slaves is a Christian, unbeknownst to her. 

St. Agnes is featured as being a close friend of Fabiola, St. Sebastian's virtues are admired by the pagan Fabiola, without her knowing the source of it (Christianity), and so on. 

It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, Cardinal Wiseman could have made a career being a novelist, in my humble opinion. I finished it in less than a week, it was difficult to put it down.

I wish I could describe more, but I would be spoiling it!

It's available here online: https://archive.org/details/fabiola00wise/page/n7/mode/2up

I have the reprint from Ave Maris Stella Publishing on Amazon, it is very high quality.