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Recent posts by SRMcEvoy:
By SRMcEvoy on May 3rd, 2010 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, Reviews Unearthing Your Ten Talents
A Thomistic Guide to Spiritual Growth
Through the Virtues and the Gifts
Dr. Kevin Vost
Sophia Institute Press
ISBN 9781933184418
Dr. Kevin Vost’s books have been a source of inspiration and personal challenge since I first discovered them a few years ago. His balanced approach to life, of developing body mind and spirit, is encouraging and mirrors my own journey to find wholeness in life. Jesus said “I am come that they may have life and have it to the full,” from John 10:10. I believe that full is a balanced life, and Dr. Vost helps a reader to achieve that. In each of his books that I have read from Memorize the Faith to Fit For Eternal Life and now in this new volume Unleashing Your Ten Talents Kevin unlocks truths and then makes them available for those of us on the same journey.
In this book Dr. Vost begins with the Gospel parable of the talents, where some have been buried in the ground, and some, by others, multiplied. What Kevin Vost unearths here is a treasure for those of us who are struggling to live a life of Christian virtue. The ten particular talents that God has given each of us as our own are ours to either bury or to multiply for our good and the good of the Kingdom. The specific talents he exams are:
Part I The Talents of Learning
1. Understanding . . . Understanding.
2. The Science of Science
3. Words of Wisdom
Part II The Talents of Living
4. Forging Fortitude.
5. Tempering Temperance
6. Justifying Justice
7. Practicing Prudence
Part III Talents of Loving
8. Fostering Faith
9. Harnessing Hope
10.Cherishing Charity
Vost
By SRMcEvoy on March 26th, 2010 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, Reviews In the School of the Holy Spirit
Jacques Philippe
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594170539
This is the last of Father Jacques Philippe’s books for me to read, that is current available in English. I truly love his spiritual writings and they have eclipsed Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen in my favourite spiritual writers’ category. If he had a few more available in English he might even surpass C.S. Lewis. His works are a short treatise on different aspects of the spiritual life. This book focuses on learning to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leadings, to learn to follow the Spirit’s leadings ever more closely. I am going to include the table of contents to show you the depth of this subject that is covered in under 100 pages.
Part I Holiness Is The Work of the Holy Spirit
1. The Task Is Beyond Our Power
2. Only God Knows Each Person’s Road
3. Faithfulness To Grace Draws Down Further Graces
Part II How Can We Foster Inspiration
1. Practice Praise and Thanksgiving
2. Desire and Ask For Them
3. Resolve To Refuse God nothing
4. Practice Filial and Trusting Obedience
5. Practice Abandonment
6. Practice Detachment
7. Practice Silence and Peace
8. Persevere Faithfully in Prayer
9.
By SRMcEvoy on March 24th, 2010 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, Reviews Time for God
Jacques Philippe
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594170669
This is the third translation of this book I have read. It has a greater power and strength than the SinagTala translation. And it seems to have a slightly more direct approach than the translation by Pauline Books & Media. Reading it this time through in this new translation, I am sure I have discovered things and found themes I did not in my previous readings. I have attempted to read the original French version, and though I enjoy it as an exercise, with not having used my French in almost 25 years, I miss much of the meaning in the text. As such I am reliant upon translators. Helena Scott did this new translation for Scepter and it is an excellent translation. At some point i would like to do a side by side comparison between the Scepter and Pauline version. I enjoy both and believe that both versions will end up in my spiritual reading from time to time.
This is a great little book about the prayer life. It is not so much an instruction manual in that it does not list step by step what to do, but it does give general direction on methods to try and pitfalls to avoid in trying to develop a prayer life. Father Jacques Philippe takes us on a tour through history and Christian
By SRMcEvoy on March 22nd, 2010 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, ReviewsCalled to Life
Jacques Philippe
Scepter Publishers
ISBN 9781594170690
Rev. Jacques Philippe is a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes. He was ordained in 1985 and preaches retreats in France and around the world. He has written several books, most now available in English translations from Scepter Publishers. I was first introduced to Fr. Philippe’s books about 4 years ago while on retreat. That first book of his I read, Time With God is available in a few different translations. I have now read them all. I find his writing sublime and soothing to the spirit. His words are often gentle and persuasive and yet always stir up a desire for spiritual growth and improvement. His books, though to some extent read like self-help books that are a dime a dozen in bookstores today, have a much greater depth and more lasting impact. This may be due in part to his years as a spiritual director, and his life and devotion to learning as a priest, but for the largest part from his examples it is obvious that he lives it. These truths have become evident to him and as such he reveals what God the father through the Holy Spirit has taught him. The other thing that attracts me to his writings is that he does not have an exclusively Roman Catholic focus; he knows his books can be of use to others, and because of
By SRMcEvoy on March 20th, 2010 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, Reviews The Confession of Saint Patrick and Letter to Coroticus
John Skinner (Translated By)
John O’Donohue (Foreword)
Image Books
ISBN 9780385491631
This is a book I have read a few times now. Each time, I find it stirs me greatly both in thought and the desire for action. I would say that its greatest strength is that if you read it with an open heart and mind, you cannot but help to be stirred by the writings of this simple man who became a great bishop. I find that as I read it I have an ever-increasing desire to have my actions live up to my theology; to see the example of Patrick and strive to live it. I love St. Patrick’s Rune or Lorica – Breastplate prayer, though I prefer Madeleine L’Engles’ version from her book A Swiftly Tilting Planet. I memorized it years ago and still pray it often, though not as often as I should.
St. Patrick’s Rune
“All heaven with its power
and the sun with its brightness and,
and the snow with its whiteness,
and the fire with all the strength it hath-
and lightning with its rapid wrath
and the winds with their swiftness along their path.
And the sea with its deepness,
and the rocks with their steepness
and the earth with its starkness-
all these I place
by God Almighty’s help and grace
between myself and
the powers of darkness!”
I have never memorized the longer version found in this book, but really should. This book always reminds me to strive – to strive to listen to God, to strive to follow God and to strive to learn to be better at being.
Click here to continue reading “The Confession of Saint Patrick and Letter to Coroticus – Translated by John Skinner”
Angels in the Waters
Regina Doman (Author)
Ben Hatke (Illustrator)
Sophia Institute Press
ISBN 9781928832812
This is an amazing story. Regina Doman did a tremendous job describing what life and experiences might be like in the womb. It is the story of a child growing in his mother’s womb. It is dark and he is swimming, and conversing with his guardian angel. As the space becomes more confined he becomes scared. It is a story about the beginning of life, about angels watching over us and about the bond between mother and child. It is really a wonderful book to share with your children. You can preview the book online here.
(First Published on Book Reviews and More.)
By SRMcEvoy on December 28th, 2009 | Category: Faith & Spirituality, Marriage, Reviews
Our Fairy Tale Romance
How I Met A Princess in Disguise
and Convinced Her To Marry Me.
Andrew Schmiedicke
Chesterton Press
ISBN 9780981931890
This book is a wonderful story of hope, prayer and faith. It is the story of Andrew Schmiedicke and Regina Doman and their coming together with God in marriage. It is very well written, it is open, honest and transparent. Andrew shares his journey and his discernment process, as he tried to determine God’s plans for his life, marriage or the priesthood. It is a struggle and process that many Catholic men have gone through. Andrew captures the struggle and sense of disappointment many experience in trying to find God’s will and direction for their life. The book is moving and will stir emotions in the reader. The book begins with these words: “at 25 years of age I was already a lonely bachelor. After a number of failed relationships in high school, college and after college; after a number of journeys, adventures, and failed business and employment ventures; I found myself back in Michigan, looking for a job, and feeling … well…like a failure. And a bachelor.” But that is just the beginning, the once upon a time.
For those already married it will remind them of their own journey, for those not yet married or engaged it can serve as a guide in how to determine God’s will in their life. This is a great book as a journey both spiritual and relational. It also contains a collection of prayers at the end of the book, for those seeking a spouse, for the engagement and for the marriage. This alone
By SRMcEvoy on December 13th, 2009 | Category: Prayer RequestI am writing this looking for a Christmas miracle. But let me begin with a story, many years ago when i was a student at Queen’s University, I was not registering to go on a retreat, a friend asked me why. I said I could not afford it. He then rebuked me for not asking for help. He knew I had helped sponsor other students in the past who could not afford retreats as this time I needed help and would not ask. He said by not asking I was committing a sin, the sin of robbing other of the blessing of giving. His words have always stuck with me, and though it is never easy to ask for help and I struggle every time I need to. It is indeed time to ask for help. First and foremost I covet your prayers. We are in serious need or a Christmas miracle.
As many of you know I was off work for 3 years with a shoulder injury. We are still recovering financially from that, and every time we seem to be getting caught up, we get slammed with yet another problem. Each and every time we start getting caught up something happens. This fall we have been hit three times. First We asked for help in August for my last course to finish my University degree. A number of people responded. And we borrowed the money to pay for the course. Then only about half of what people committed came in. Next Andrea lost about half of her income with three weeks notice, then they changed it to 2 weeks without warning. Next our landlord informed us he is moving back into the house and we need to move out March first.
We are in need
By SRMcEvoy on November 11th, 2009 | Category: Miscellaneous, ReviewsBack in the summer I realized I was 6 months from being 40 and in the worse hope of my life. I had gained some weight after being married 7 years ago, and gained more than 40lbs after a shoulder injury and 3 years off work with physio and surgery. Then a few months ago I was at the park with my kids. I saw some fathers struggling to keep up with their children, and while I was not there yet, I could see it would not be long before I would be in that shape.I did not want that to happen, for my kids and for my wife I made the decision to make some radical lifestyle changes. I decided to try P90X. I am now doing my second round of P90X+ and below is my concluding article on the three phase of my first round. I really believe that we are meant to achieve balance between body, mind and spirit. That when Jesus said that he came to make us whole, he cared about all of us, the physical, the mental and the spiritual. As such I am sharing my experience with P90X here with other Catholic Dad’s.
The 90 Days of P90X is really just the beginning.
Upon reaching the end of a journey, or achieving a goal, we often realize it is not in fact the end but really just the first step in a new journey. I started feeling that part way through P90X. At some point late in phase II or early in phase III, I stopped counting down the days until my 90 days were done and started
By SRMcEvoy on April 12th, 2009 | Category: MiscellaneousJust wondering how many men out there uses these web “tools” LinkedIN, Facebook, My Space, Tweeter … Do you find them helpful or do they end up eating your time? I am just wondering because once upon a time I used facebook 3+ times a day, now I hardly log on, and I do use LinkedIN as professional resume site and for business discussion groups. Yet there are thousands of Catholic Groups on it. Just wondering what you guys think?
Peace and Strength!
Yours, learning to be
Steven R. McEvoy
http://mcevoysmusings.ca My Homepage
http://bookreviewsandmore.ca My Blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/srmcevoy LinkedIN
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