New Book Recommendation

I'm currently reading a new book by Fr. Thomas McDermott, OP entitled St. Catherine of Siena: Spiritual Development in Her Life and Teaching. I actually live with Fr. McDermott here in St. Louis. Because I know him so well, I know how much he actually cares about St. Catherine of Siena, and how she has influenced and changed his life. So, when his book was completed, and then printed, I knew I wanted to read it. I must say, it's an excellent read. Fr. McDermott's style is very readable. One thing I always appreciate when reading books on saints is quotes from primary sources, and Fr. McDermott quotes frequently, either from Catherine or from people who knew her first hand, like Bl. Raymond of Capua, OP.
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There are three basic sections to the book: 1) The significant spiritual events of St. Catherine's life, 2) The principal teachings of St. Catherine, and 3) The stages of spiritual development, according to St. Catherine of Siena. Then, of course, Fr. McDermott makes his conclusions.
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So, if you're like me, and want to know more about St. Catherine of Siena, this book is for you. The thing I appreciate about the book is that it is helping me learn more about St. Catherine's teaching. She is a Doctor of the Church, after all, so the Church has recognized that what she has said in her writings is instructive to the faithful--but her teaching cannot be helpful, until it gets widely taught.
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I wanted to put the word out, in case there are some looking for a book on Catherine that isn't just her life, but her teaching, as well. I think both fans/scholars on St. Catherine, and people new to her, will find this book interesting and instructive. It's available now for preordering from Barnes and Noble online (you get a discount for preordering).
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St. Catherine of Siena,
Doctor of the Church,
Pray for us!
***
PB, OP~

Novena to St. Dominic

Tonight, the Novena to St. Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers, begins. Below is a modified version (shorter/modern pronouns) of the traditional novena prayer to St. Dominic. The novena runs from evening prayer on July 30th through evening prayer of August 7th. St. Dominic's feast day is August 8th.
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Novena Prayer:
O renowned champion of the faith of Christ, most holy saint Dominic, who did renounce the honor and dignity of an earthly principality to embrace the poor, laborious, and mortified life which should distinguish a disciple of Him Who has said: "If any man will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me," I praise and thank God for the high degree of sanctity to which He had raised you, and the special privileges by which He has distinguished you. I beg you to implore for me the grace to root out of my heart whatever is not agreeable in the sight of our most Blessed Savior, especially that evil habit by which I most frequently offend Him. Obtain likewise, through your powerful intercession, the favors I request in this Novena:
(Mention your intentions here)
O glorious Mother of God, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you who did love Dominic with the affection of a mother, and were most tenderly loved and honored by him, look upon me, for his sake, with an eye of pity, deign to join with him in presenting these petitions to your most Blessed Jesus. I sincerely desire from this moment to love Him with all my heart, and serve Him with all my strength, and now place myself under your powerful protection, as a sure means of obtaining all the graces necessary to serve Him faithfully here, that I may eternally rejoice with Him hereafter. Amen.
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If you have any prayer intentions you would like the friars of St. Louis to keep during this novena, please email them to cooperatorbrother@gmail.com
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St. Dominic,
Pray for us!
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PB, OP

Happy Feast of St. Martha, Disciple of the Lord

Above is a picture I recently took of a statue of Robert Frost. It was done by George Lundeen, and is only one of several statues that decorate the campus of St. Louis University. I've taken it upon myself to photograph these statues, and have included a link to my Flickr account, which will give people access to them. Some of the statues are quite good.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27627218@N07/.

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PB, OP~

Happy Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

Happy Feast of St. Mary of Magdala! This is a special feast for Dominicans, because Mary Magadalene is one of the protectresses of the Order of Preachers. One connection is that St. Dominic had a vision on this date that convinced him to begin the foundation of the Order in Prouille, France. Eventually, he founded a convent in Prouille for some converted women, and thus the Dominican Order (informally) began. Later, the pope gave official approval for the new Order of Preachers. Another connection, of course, is the fact that Mary Magdalene was a preacher. She was called upon by Jesus to be the first to proclaim the astounding news that Jesus, who had been crucified and buried, was risen from the dead. To whom did she preach? To the apostles themselves, and so she is called the Apostle to the Apostles, a title I believe suits her well. In this day and age, when roles in the Church are so strictly defined, it's good to look back to the early Church and remember that every Christian was called upon to testify to his or her faith, and in this way, preaching the Gospel was every Christian's duty. How silent Christians are today about the good news. Where are the Mary Magdalenes for today? It's not enough to hear the gospel from the pulpit--the good news has to be handed on in every time and place, by every Christian who has faith that Jesus saves.
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Mary Magdalene has a special place in my history, as well. She was the first Christian saint that I ever had a "devotion" to. (The very first saint I had a devotion to was Enoch, from the "Old" Testament. "Enoch walked with God and was not." That fascinated me.) Anyway, the concept of Mary Magdalene as a reformed sinner appealed to me, and gave me hope. I now believe that she actually wasn't the penitent prostitute, as tradition labelled her, and it's unfortunate that her legacy has gotten lost in the confusion over which Mary was which in the New Testament. Still, for years, the idea of her penitential life inspired many to conversion, and that cannot be counted as a total loss. Now, the revived interest in her may give many more women and men inspiration and hope, as Mary Magdalene's role as one of Christianity's founding mothers is restored.
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Today is special in yet one more way. As I type, some young ladies are preparing to profess vows and enter more fully into the Dominican tradition in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have met several of the young sisters from the Congregation of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and have found their zeal and love of Christ encouraging. To learn more about this congregation, visit: http://www.sistersofmary.org/.
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May the prayers of St. Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles, Protectress of Preachers, reap a harvest of new workers for the vineyards of the Lord.
Peace,
P

Summer School is Out

Above are pictures of the two classes of in-coming freshmen that I taught for five busy weeks. After an arduous journey into vocabulary and literary analysis, not one of the kids got an "F". Two did get "D's", I'm afraid. So, I was very impressed with the level of work that the kids displayed, especially on the final exam.
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What's next? I return to St. Louis this Saturday. I'm supposed to help out in the provincial archives, which'll be quiet work compared to what I have been doing. Part of me is excited about getting back to school. I've even begun daydreaming about the cold weather and snow. What's more exciting, I could actually get my theology degree completed this year.
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To relax, I've been doing a fair amount of walking--about two miles every day. I either do the treadmill, or walk to a near by Borders. I've been reading, as well. I finished Ursula Le Guin's novel The Left Hand of Darkness last week, and yesterday, finished Leonard Tourney's The Bartholomew Fair Murders (an Elizabethan era murder mystery). Now, I've begun Little Women on the recommendation of my grandmother. It's so sugary sweet, though, so I'm finding it difficult to read on one level. I'm going to try to finish it this week, before I return home.
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I order two gifts for myself, today. Well, they're used books, actually. Both are sheet music--one is the sheet music for two songs from Sense and Sensibility and another is a generic book of music from Jane Austen's time. I figure that it's time I learn music other than hymns. It has me thinking that I might take up piano lessons again, so I can expand beyond B flat and F sharp. We'll see. I don't feel bad about buying these, as I've been wanting to purchase them for a while (so they're not impulse buys).
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I think I may go practice piano now.
Peace,
P~

Happy Feast of St. Benedict

Happy Feast of St. Benedict, the Father of Western Monasticism, and probably the most famous of all the non-ordained religious men. "Prefer Nothing to Christ"--not a bad motto.
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Well, I only have one week of teaching left. I have to say, I am grateful. Don't get me wrong, I have come to love teaching. It's been so much work, stress, and planning that somebody like me had to love it. The ironic thing is, early on, I didn't think that teaching would challenge my creativity enough. Only a bad teacher doesn't realize that creativity is a vital part of the teaching process. I tried my best to keep the kids guessing, and challenged. I pray that they take up the challenge this weekend, and study hard for the two tests they're going to do this coming week. The first will be on Monday on the things we learned this week. The second will be on Thursday, over things we learned this past month. Don't worry. It sounds like a lot, but we've already been reviewing, and there will be two days of review on Tuesday and Wednesday. I want the kids to pass. That's why I moved the test we would have had today to Monday. Some of the kids can't afford another bad test grade.
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Would I do anything different? Oh yeah. I was over zealous. I tried to cover too much material. And I gave way to much homework. Still, I do think the kids rose to my challenge. Many of them are well on their way to academic success. I'm worried about the ones who lagged behind. I wish I had done more to address their concerns earlier.
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So teaching has been an awesome experience. I give thanks to God for the opportunity. I hope it won't be too long before I have the opportunity to do it again. Maybe next summer? That said, I'm actually looking forward to being a student again this fall. One way or the other, school is where I belong.
P~

St. Pius V Priory/ Fourth of July Festivities

Facade of St. Pius V Parish and Priory

















The Fourth of July Gathering/The Common Room and Dining Room

The Renovated Priory Chapel








The St. Dominic and St. Albert the Great Windows, Priory Chapel

The Facade of St. Pius V/St. Jude Shrine

A side view of St. Pius V Parish Church/St. Jude Thaddeus Shrine

The Facade of the priory.

***The friars celebrate Independence Day in many ways, and this year, many of those that live in the greater Chicago area gathered at the provincial headquarters for evening prayer (vespers) and dinner. Br. Patrick Tobin's parents were visiting, and joined in the celebration. The hamburgers were delicious, to be sure, but then so was the Lipton Diet Iced Tea w/Lemon, and the baked beans, and the cheese, and, of course, the All-American Apple Pie. I had a delightful dinner conversation, and got to come home at a reasonable time, so I'm quite satisfied. It's truly been a day of thanksgiving and rest. Tomorrow, I'll begin to grade papers and think of what to do for this coming week. It's poetry week, so I hope things go well. I might get to work with transparencies. Yeah! Monday is my birthday, so I'm thinking of bringing in some chocolate to share with the kids. I'm hoping that they all do well on the essay that's due Monday.

Well, that's all I have to say for now,

Happy 232 Birthday America! No matter what they may say, You're the best!

P~

Preaching Notes for the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

*The Great Apostle, St. Paul, once wrote, “In my weakness, I am strong.” I have to admit, this saying of his doesn’t always resonate with my personal experience. It can be just plain embarrassing for those of us seeking perfection to be found to be wholly and utterly imperfect.

*I have discovered that teaching can be quite a humbling experience, one ripe with opportunities to show how weak I am. On any given day, no matter what I’ve done to prepare for class, I can completely go blank, and look like I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about. In such moments my weakness feels just like that---weakness---and I would hate it if, years from now, when the kids are remembering the course, that those moments would be the ones they remember most.

*As I reflected on these experiences, I couldn’t help imagining that it’s difficult for the saints to listen to us when we talk about them, because we tend to remember them at their weakest. For example, this past Sunday was the Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul, the two giants of the Early Church and still we were reminded that Peter denied Christ three times, and Paul persecuted the Church. And today, on the feast of St. Thomas, another apostle and martyr, we are reminded in scripture that Thomas doubted. Indeed, we remember all too well one another’s failings.

*The interesting thing is, at least with the apostles, that we seem to love them better, because of their weaknesses. It brings these giants, upon whom the Church is founded, (as the first reading reminds up), back down to earth with us.

*But even more interesting, from my perspective anyway, is how these moments of weaknesses are ironically rewarded. After all, Peter may have denied Christ three times, but he also gets to tell Jesus that he loves him three times. And even though Paul persecuted the Church, Jesus comes personally to convert him. And, finally, even though Thomas doubts, he has the privilege of touching for himself the body of the glorified, risen Lord. Not bad.

*So, I think today is a great feast---the Feast of St. Thomas the Doubter---a man who in his weakness has, I think, probably inspired countless of Christians who have doubts of their own, to persevere in their faith.

*We Dominicans, who have taken up the Apostolic mission of preaching, should take heart, therefore, knowing that it’s not always the great homily, or the perfect lesson plan, or the random act of kindness that preaches the Gospel best---rather, sometimes, it’s our own little humanity, weak as it is, that most perfectly speaks truth to another person, and makes manifest God’s saving love to the world.