Catholic Fire

BIRTHPANGS: THE SERIES, BOOK ONE, FIDELIS Written by Anthony R. Horvath, Published by Suzetto Enterprises, Publication Date: November 16, 2006, Trade paperback, Amazon Price: $10.85, 308 pages. Fidelis by A.R. Horvath is an action-packed fantasy novel filled with imaginative descriptions of what the United States and our culture could be like in the future if it continues on its current course. While the story is a fictitious fantasy, the picture it presents is quite realistic and believable. Following a series of nuclear explosions in this country, the various groups who are at war for control over the county are similar to many of the political factions in our nation today. For example, there are the Rangers, a group of men and women throughout the country who support pro-family middle class values. This group never gave up their hunting rifles as their pre- nuclear war government had commanded. There is another group resembling the conniving, crafty politicians of our day, who pret...

This is the name of Ralph McInerny's new autobiography and I can hardly wait to read it. I have been a fan of McInery's for many years and finally met him in September, 2002 at Franciscan University of Steubenville's Catholic Writers' Conference. Both my husband and I were very impressed with him, not only as a writer, but as a person. Here is an excerpt of Dr. Jeff Mirus' review of I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You : This is the title of the engaging memoir of Notre Dame philosopher Ralph McInerny, who is famous for just about everything, including his deep commitment to the Catholic Faith. The title comes from the book of Job, where various servants report a sequence of utter catastrophes to Job, each concluding with “I alone have escaped to tell you.” It is a fitting title for McInerny’s autobiography (subtitled “My Life and Pastimes”) because the author really is one of relatively few academics who have survived the intellectual upheavals of the past half-century...

Leticia has a movie review of Evan Almighty up at causa nostrae laetitiae . Barbara Nicholosi gives her opinion of Evan Almighty as well. A Diamond in the Raunch: Pro-life Positions Emerge in Knocked Up and Waitress via New Advent and Catholic Exchange by Marc T. Newman, Ph.D. The Curt Jester reviews John Allen Jr's Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church here. Esther reviews Magic Mystic - Stories of Padre Pio . Francis Phillips of Mercatornet has a book review on Edith Stein . Julie D. has a book review of EIFELHEIM by Michael Flynn here as well as several movie reviews - some of my favorite old classics. Steven posts a book review on The Song by Calvin Miller.

Movie Reviews: Amy Proctor reviews Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End . Bottom Line Up Front : What a HUGE disappointment... Tito's review of Into Great Silence (Die Groß Stille) can be found here. Exhilarating Holiness!"--Tito of Custos Fidei Book Reviews: Jeff Miller reviews Catholic Priesthood and Women: A Guide to the Teaching of the Church by Sister Sarah Butler, MSBT. When I first read about this book I was intrigued by both the subject and author and ordered it. [ Read more here. ] Jeff also writes a great review of Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith. Oswald Sobrino reviews Strangers in a Foreign Land: The Organizing of Catholic Latinos in the United States by George E. Schultz -- don't let the name fool you: he's Latino himself through his mother. [ Read more here. ] George Weigel's review of the Holy Father's Jesus of Nazareth is here. Michael Dubriel's review is here. Linda, the Pro-...

My personal list of best books for Lent include the following: 1. The Seven Last Words - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen -recommended to me by Fr. Andrew Apostoli a few years ago to read during Lent; contains short reflections and prayers for the statements Christ made at Calvary as found in the Gospel 2. His Suffering and Ours - Kathryn Mulderink - Read my review here . 3. On the Way to Jesus Christ - Joseph Ratzinger - Pope Benedict XVI - A series of meditations that the Holy Father wrote while he was Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. An aid to help us better understand the true Jesus, the Jesus of the Gospels, and the Christ of Christianity. 4. The Imitation of Christ - Thomas a Kempis - This 15th century monk combines passages from the Bible, the writings of the Fathers of the early Church, and medieval mysticism in a four-part treatise to help the reader grow spiritually by shruging off the allure of materialism and finding beauty in a life of holiness. 5...