Bombs, Soldiers, The Diary...

Reading Mr. Culbreath's comments about fatherhood and war (here) this morning, I was immediately reminded of this line I had just read last night in "Diary of a Country Priest". (The speaker is a soldier, and he is talking about the demise of Christianity or Christendom (the Christian nation, let's say) because of the demise of 'the Christian soldier'):

The cleverist of killers of tomorrow will kill without any risk. Thirty thousand feet above the earth, and dirty little engineer, sitting cosily in his slippers with a special bodyguard of technicians, will merely have to press a button to wipe out a town, and scurry home in fear-his only fear-of being late for dinner. Nobody can could call an employee of that description a soldier.

I finished reading "Diary" early this morning. As I wrote a few days ago, I don't know how I missed the power of this book the first I read it some 20 years ago. Perhaps I was not mature enough.

Singing

You have to read this article (Saturday's CatholicExchange ) by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R. Here is the first line that caught my eye:

Nietzsche has put forth some direct challenges to all Christian believers. One of them is a remark aimed primarily at apologists and evangelists. He states it very simply: “The reason why people no longer believe is that believers no longer sing!”

Many underplay the importance of music and of singing. Today singing it is thought more of as entertainment-a spectator sport (unless you are alone in your room or the shower). But singing and singing with others should really be a part of our community life.

Singing expresses joy. Singing in community brings a closeness, and intimatcy-because in singing we give more of ourselves and open ourselves up more.

Here's some more from the article:

Singing, especially spontaneous singing, is often a sign of happiness....the Devil goes around scattering a dust of sadness and discouragement...we lack the armor of joy, we can easily become victimized by a sadness that also repels others.

I think our culture is afraid of joy. We are afraid to get too close (to open up) to our fellow man. We are afraid to get to close to (and stand face to face with) God. This is why we search for the fountain of youth through technology and medicene. We are afraid to die because we have no joy!

Morning Prayer

When I first started praying Morning Prayer, it was one day a week with a group of men from my parish. During different periods since then I have prayed it somewhere between never and 5 or so days a week. (Typical American Catholic-I always took the weekends off.) Occasionally Mrs. Curley and I pray Night Prayer together. Very peaceful. I remember praying Night Prayer at the bedside of my father on his last night on earth....

But I digress.

I recall the first time I prayed Morning Prayer on a Saturday morning (and this wasn't that many years ago). For some reason I thought it would be much shorter because, being Saturday, didn't Rome know we had lots of chores and errands to do!

Quick note on "Diary of a Country Priest": I am almost finished. How could I have missed the power this book the first time I read it? Will comment more later.

Cover Poll-I NEED YOUR HELP!--Voting Closed

Update: Thanks for your participation. Stop by tomorrow afternoon to get see which commentor wins the FREE BOOK!: Standing with Peter when it is released in the fall. Thanks for all your comments. In reading them, I think we've learned alot-but I know we please everyone.

Last year we unveiled a couple draft covers for "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" by Russell Shaw, which was released in November 2005. This time, we think we have the general concept down, but we are trying to fine tune it. These are a little rough, but if you would, please weigh in on what you like and what you don't like about them: Vote-its your civic duty!

Please also, spread the word to other bloggers and readers of blogs to weigh in. The input we received last time really helped us fine tune the cover. The more comments the better. I will leave this post on top at least through the weekend so no one has to go searching.

First, by way of introduction:

In May 2006 Rev. Charles Curran came out with his memoirs entitled "Loyal Dissent-Memoir of a Catholic Theologian" (Georgetown University Press). In this book, Curran tries to make the case for dissenting from Humanae Vitae and outlines his view of moral theology.

But there is another side to the story. Dr. William May’s memoirs: "Standing with Peter-Reflections of a Lay Moral Theologian on God’s Loving Providence" (Requiem Press, anticipated September 2006) tells the story of a Catholic moral theologian, on same Catholic University of Amercia faculty as Rev. Curran, who barely kept his job at times because he taught that artificial contraception was morally unacceptable-standing with Pope Paul VI on this defining moral teaching of our times.

In his memoirs William May takes us from his early years in the seminary, the illness which precluded his ordination, his first career as a book editor, his error in 1968, and finally his academic career at CUA and the John Paul II Institute. With personal anecdotes, humor and humility, William May weaves a tale showing how God takes care of us and has plan for us-how God brings good from our mistakes if we are willing to co-operate with his grace. In the book Dr. May also illuminates the errors of moral relativism and other questionable theological “innovations”.

With that introduction, here's what we're thinking in order: A, B, C:

A couple notes about the cover. The picture of course is Dr. May and his wife with Pope John Paul II and then-Cardinal Ratzinger in 1988. The "newspaper" headlines and stories in the backgrounds were originally going to be real images from the NY Times on 30 & 31 July 1968. Unfortunately they wouldn't give permissions to use their images or headlines. (Their story changed a couple times, so I don't know what the real deal is. First they said the often give permissions for bookcovers, but after they saw the mock-up they claim they never give permissions for bookcovers. Who knows?) So I looked at a bunch of headlines from various sources and stories and then made up my own.

Thanks in advance for participating. And PLEASE spread the word!

The Sabbath

"Remember to Keep Holy the Sabbath".

What can you do on Sunday-what can't you do? (see the Cathechism) I tend towards the legalistic-I like clear and fast rules. But blind obedience to clear and fast rules can sometimes leave loving obedience and true understanding by the wayside.

John Paul II (of happy memory) wrote a apostolic letter On Keeping the Lord's Day Holy (Dies Domini). I recommend its reading to get a full understanding of all the Sabbath should mean to us.

As an aside, it appears John Paul II had read Chesterton-or at least had a common thought. From Dies Domini (No. 68):

In short, the Lord's Day thus becomes in the truest sense, the day of man as well. (emphasis in original).

and from Orthodoxy: (Chapter 5)

And only when they made a holy day for God did they find they had made a holiday for men.

The June issue of crisis magazine has article by Armstrong Williams which focusses on the "rest" aspect of the Sabbath. Read it here. In the final paragraphs (could be an entire aritcle unto itself) he makes a suggestion on why people are afraid to slow down and turn off the TV and cell phones on Sunday:

The Sabbath is often difficult. How could that be? Isn’t the day primarily about rest and renewal, about rejoicing and love? Yes, but it’s also about reflection, and about taking time to ask the important questions about how we are spending that time. I began this piece by mentioning how busy so many people tell me they are. They have cell phones on their hips, radios on in their cars, TVs on at home, and e-mails piling up at work. Many of us act as if all this activity is a burden—and it is a burden. But more than that, it is also a blanket meant to comfort us from the awesome—sometimes intimidating—power of silence and rest.

For some of us, the incredible pace of life is a self-induced state of denial, a ready excuse to avoid the hard questions. ...

We can't pray, we can't face God without silence and an uncluttered mind. (Isn't this why spiritual directors tell us to pray and meditate in the morning before we see the news, have read our email, or found out the problems we face that day at our jobs?)

New Shoes and other thoughts

Got a new pair of shoes yesterday. It had been a while, and I needed them badly. They were so comfortable I didn't want to go to bed cause then I'd have to take them off...

Last night we found number 3 son sleeping between his mattress and the 'bunky board' (a small box-spring, if you can call it that, on a bunk bed). I don't know what possessed him to climb in there, but he was soaked with sweat when we found him. He had no explanation. I'm sure it won't be clearer this morning.

Our one remaining puppy (all the others succombed to complications from the "drowning incident" is now staying in a box inside the house. At two weeks, he is pretty big-gaining weight every day. No wonder, he eats for 10 when he nurses. Literally he make sure he hits all 8 stations when he nurses. The kids call him 'Rolly Polly'.

Received an email from my older brother this morning with a poem written by his son 7 years ago (then 10)-just after Dad had died. Must see if I can put it on here....

Is art a child? Steve Riddle discusses. Reminds me of inventors and their inventions. In preparing the patent applications in my days gone by, I was always amazed at how these inventors seemed to treat their invention almost like a child. Yet I think Mr. Riddle and his commentors has it right. (For to the engineer, his invention is his "art"). Art is not so much a child but an expression of oneself.

Jim Manney of People of the Book posts about the patron saints of graphic design. I will have to see what they can do to help us out with bookcovers (see post above).

And finally, Mr. Culbreath has lost some chickens and egg production, but has a bountiful summer garden yield. Might I offer that we never lost chickens to heat (dogs, yes) so he might want to take a look at that. We never lost egg production in the summer due to heat, only due to a change in diet. Congratualtions on the garden. We have taken it on the chin ourselves. Our tomatoes (not big but plentiful) are doing well. But that's about it. No zucchini! No squash or cucumbers, or cantaloupe or anything else. We had a few carrotts, but only planted a few. And we had some lettuce and a head of cabbage. But the stuff which was so easy to grow never had fruit.

Others in the area have had similar problems. But not our immediate neighbor. Fortunately he has kept us in the sweetest corn you have ever tasted, and squash, cantaloupe, and watermelon. He is dissapointed with the size of his melons, due to lack of rain, but they are good.

From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...Oremus pro invicem!

Don't know how I missed this....(education)

Good historical article on 'homeschooling', if you will, here. I am not one to say that home education is best for everyone-but if I didn't think it had certain advantages-we wouldn't be doing it all these years. I have seen a wide range of styles and diligence in homeschoolers over the years. Of course I have also seen a broken public education system, whose faults have invaded many of the parochial schools.

Not to say that old and historical is not necessarily better. (Is dying of polio at 35 better than being innoculated and wiping that disease off the face of the earth?) Yet, we should learn from the past and take what is good. (Doesn't St. Paul tell us to measure all things and take the truth?- can't recall exactly the cite...) We should learn from history and apply it as appropriate to present circumstances-and it does repeat itself! The article referenced tries to show this as regards to state education:

In the overall Western experience, state controlled education is the exception. In ancient times that exception was Sparta. It was also an early precedent for anti-family ideology. As classical scholar E. B. Castle says: "In Sparta and Athens... we are confronted with two highly contrasted educational ideals which can be easily recognized in educational practice today" (Ancient Education and Today). To put this in context, consider what the Greek chronicler Plutarch tells about the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus (c. 800 BC).

Lycurgus was of a persuasion that children were not so much the property of their parents as of the whole commonwealth.... [N]or was it lawful, indeed, for the father himself to breed up the children after his own fancy; but as soon as they were seven years old they were to be enrolled in certain companies and classes, where they all lived under the same order and discipline, doing their exercises and taking their play together.

Lycurgus wanted to control education so strictly as to regulate marriage. Children were subject to harsh discipline and exercise. Eugenics (and homosexuality) was even more arduously pursued in Sparta than the rest of pagan Greece. Spartan women were scorned by other nations for their aggressive, unfeminine behavior, while boys learned to be deceitful and ruthless to outsiders, even as they displayed automaton-like loyalty to their own. Presaging militaristic Prussia and Hitler's Reich, Spartans lived only for the state which, in turn, existed only for war. In key respects, the structure of Sparta's totalitarian education is indistinguishable from the aims of the left-liberal establishment.

There is no question that kids are indoctrinated in secular values in today's school system. In fact, a similar indoctrination was the motivation for the public school system we have today in America. I recall reading in any number of places that part of the motivation of building/expanding the public school system in America in the late 19th and early 20th century was to protestanize the 'ignorant Catholic immigrants' so they could become good Americans. (Subject of another post-the view back then that being Catholic and a good American were mutually exclusive-was it true then? is it true today?)

As I posted about here, (extensively) choice and implementation for the education of your children is a serious matter, not to be taken lightly. So no matter where your kids spend their days-buyer beware! You must do at least some education at home.

(By the way, the 5 deleted comments under my post on Education which I link to were comment spam and not censorship. That post was in January 2005. My posts were longer/meatier back then. Of course at that time, I didn't know how to add photos and adding a link in my post was probably a major endeavor for me.)

Five Sons

FIVE SONS

Today, five sons,

Served on the altar.

Determined boys

Who would not falter.

Boys, at home,

Who fight and shove

But on the altar

Assist with love...

(read the restof it here)

This is of course by "Long Skirts". We will be releasing a collection of her poetry entitled, "The Roast Beef Hour" sometime in the fall. We have couple other books due out before then...stay tuned.

So there I was...

back in April talking with Amy Welborn and Michael Dubruiel in coffee shop in Camden, SC. (See the circumstances here). We started talking about RequiemPress.

In the course of conversation, Amy asked whether Requiem Press was all I did. I don't recall her exact words, but basically she was wondering if this was a full-time operation.

My answer? "I also do a paper route a couple days a week."

Nothing to be ashamed of, to be sure (and I am sure neither thought less of me for it)-but at the same time, in re-telling it, it does sound somewhat humorous.

The nice thing about the internet to a blogger....

is that when you have nothing to say, you can just steal other people's stuff.

For instance, this article on CatholicExchange really struck me this morning. Apply the first sentence of these thoughts to yourself as a parent...

It is as inevitable as sin and just as certain to spread, because whether we intend them to our not, our weeds of sin spread into other’s lives. And as much as I might be tempted to make a sneaky foray into my neighbor’s garden with some weed killer, I can’t, any more than I can go to confession and tell the priest about my husband’s sins instead of my own.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

On a lighter note, one of these photos made me laugh aloud this morning. (I can't say which one because, who knows, I might friends who don't think it's so funny.)

By the way-septic tank system back in working order. All is well at Bethany once more...

Suburbia

A friend sent me this and this link-both having to do with the book Death by Suburb by David Goetz. The first is a book review by Caleb Stegell (editor at The New Pantagruel) the second an interview with the author.

This seems to be another book which decries consumerism or the American lifestyle. (Others of course are Crunchy Cons by Rod Dreher and Look Homeward America: In Search of Reactionary Radicals by Bill Kauffman) Each has a different take on a solution (although there are overlaps)-but in common, each sees a problem. Now, I haven't read any of these books, but I have read alot about each.

This latest seems to recognize that suburbia has its god: personal comfort and instant gratification: (from the review)

The real spiritual battle, according to Goetz, is overcoming the illusion. Because suburban life so privileges the self—its instant gratification, its desire for greener pastures always over the next fence, its search for ease and comfort—the Christian life aimed at crucifying the old man of sin is handicapped, perhaps fatally. Goetz recognizes that the principle of self-love at work in suburbia manipulates Christian desires and offers the illusion of spirituality and religion as just one more product to be acquired.

And from the interview:

In the rural culture, people are always tied into the agrarian community, and there is a deep understanding of the nature of life in the agrarian community. You are not necessarily in control of your life. There are good years and there are bad years. People are maybe just a little more humble. Here, you are in control of your life, at least you think you're in control of your life.

Sounds like he has a handle on things. It appears that Mr. Goetz does not advocate leaving suburbia-just adjusting it so Christ can be found there. Not knowing the details of his book, I can't comment. But certainly-as we discussed in this post post a week or two ago, we need to discern God's will for us and embrace it no matter where we are. For some it will be to 'flee to the fields'. For others it will be to stay put and live a life of example and giving amongst the needy (materially or spiritually) around us.

Wherever we are: we need a deep prayer life.

God is good!

I had told Mrs. Curley that the 2nd half of July would be a little tight. Yesterday when I picked up the mail, I was pleasantly surprised that a couple invoices had been paid early (this never happens). Mrs. Curley and I started discussing how to spend this early arrival. An hour or so later I was called to come see the "big leak" under the house.

Turns out the septic tank is full and wants to start backing up-but a leaking floor flange is relieving the pressure. We had the tank pumped about a month after we moved in-putting it about 22 months ago. The drain field is supposed to be less than 4 years old. When we pumped the tank, the septic tank guy said that, based on the size of the tank and number of occupants, he guessed we should pump again in 2-3 years. In fact I had been looking for his number earlier in the week as 2 years was coming up.

As we wait this morning for the septic tank guy to answer his phone, we all have a new appreciation for the term "chamber pot".

But really, I just marvel once again how God takes care of us: in this case how God knew we would need those invoices paid a bit early to deal with this 'crisis'-and thus somehow prompted them to get paid.

(Blogging may be light today as I deal with the septic and another related plumbing issue which arose in conjunction with it-while I still get my regular stuff done. But we'll see.)

College anyone?

I am for education. Sometimes formal school settings can help you attain a good education, and sometimes they are a detriment. I do believe you can educate yourself quite thoroughly-it can be a risky business, depending on the subject matter, but it can be done. That being said I found a lot of humor and a lot of truth in this piece (hat tip to The Daily Eudemon). Here's a little bit, but read the whole thing:

To the extent that universities actually try to teach anything, which is to say to a very limited extent, they do little more than inhibit intelligent students of inquiring mind. And they are unnecessary: The professor’s role is purely disciplinary: By threats of issuing failing grades, he insures that the student comes to class and reads certain things. But a student who has to be forced to learn shouldn’t be in school in the first place. By making a chore of what would otherwise be a pleasure, the professor instills a lifelong loathing for the material.

The truth is that universities positively discourage learning. Think about it. Suppose you want to learn Twain. A fruitful approach might be to read Twain. The man wrote to be read, not analyzed tediously and inaccurately by begowned twits. It might help to read a life of Twain. All of this the student could do, happily, even joyously, sitting under a tree of an afternoon. This, I promise, is what Twain had in mind.

But no. The student must go to a class in American Literature, and be asked by some pompous drone, “Now, what is Twain trying to tell us in paragraph four?” This presumes that Twain knew less well than the professor what he was trying to say, and that he couldn’t say it by himself. No. Not being much of a writer, the poor man needs the help of a semiliterate drab who couldn’t sell a
pancake recipe to Boy’s Life. As bad, the approach suggests that the student is too dim to see the obvious or think for himself. He can’t read a book without a middleman. He probably ends by hating Twain.

I learned history without the help (hindrance) of school. I had a love for it, and the textbooks-which distort anyway-just couldn't compete with 'living books' (as a youth) and complete, indepth accounts and analysis as an adult. I will say, I never would have appreciated poetry without a couple of my college professors. And my high school English teacher, Mrs. Pawloski (may her soul rest in peace) , gave me the first clues on how to write and how to appreciate Shakespeare.

So, for me it is a mixed bag. I believe that a good teacher introduces you to a new world, but then simply guides you; letting you teach yourself.

Jury Duty again

Saturday produced another summons for jury duty. (See previous summons here.) This time it is for the Kershaw County court. Now I have never requested to be excused from jury duty. I have been summoned 4 times since moving to SC, but only actually ever heard one case. When I worked in industry, I was asked several times to write letters on the behalf of other people to excuse them from jury duty-because for some reason I was successful at it.

This summons has a unique (at least in my experience) directive:

A Judge is the only person that can excuse you from Jury Duty, a Clerk can not help you with this matter. You may speak to Judge Hxxxx or Judge Cxxxx on the Day of Court. (emphasis in original.)

They probably came up short one day and decided to make it harder to get excused.

Personally I don't mind sitting on a jury (no questionaire this time). However, in the particular instance, the jury duty takes place on the first days of class. (I believe I mentioned somewhere that I am teaching a couple classes this fall to supplement the old income.) I don't think the school will be too pleased with this-but we shall see how it works out.

of Bridges

We went to the Isle of Palms on Friday just outside of Charleston. After the beach we went downtown Charleston to walk through the market area. To get there from the beach we had to go over the new Cooper River bridge. The new bridge is not a bad looking structure-but architectually (and I am no archetect) seems out of place with the low country, Charleston, etc. The new bridge seems more "West Coast"-if there is such a thing. (I don't deny the old bridges needed replacement). See for yourself.

First, a few pics of the old bridge(s).

Now for a couple of the New Cooper River Bridge.

In either case, we always have a fun time going over large bridges like these. Some in the family seem especially 'teasible" (I know I shouldn't encourage it) when going over such a structure.

(And we had a great time at the beach and at the market.)

Review

This book, Giving Up Stealing for Lent and other family stories, is somewhat different for us. It is certainly history, but not as most of us usually see it. That is we think of history as big battles and life-changing proclamations, etc. Yet history is made one action, one comment at a time. Big things are set into motion by little things. The raising of a family has untold impact on the local and larger community and ultimately the world.

We are always happy to receive reviews of our books. What follows is a first (for us) however.

Here's a unique review we received of our recent release:

A FAMILY RECIPE

“You can’t judge a book,
By its cover.”
But this one…
I think you can.

“Giving Up Stealing
For Lent’s” art hovers,
Over the mischievous
Madden clan.

From dear Aunt Mike
To Uncle that’s blind,
Mom, pop, eleven
Sisters and brothers

You’ll visit a time,
When sin was a crime
And couples forsook
All the others.

You’ll laugh and you’ll cry
At the days, thought gone by,
As if only they were found
In just tomes.

But, no, Brother Madden,
My heart he did gladden,
Showing how all can have
Catholic homes!!!

JMJ
Long-Skirts
6/5/06

(By the way, you can check out Long-Skirts other poetry here)

Day of Prayer & Penance

"Given the escalation of violence, Benedict XVI has named Sunday as a day of prayer and penance for peace in the Middle East." The official Vatican communique (hat tip to Zenit ) says:

The Holy Father is following with great concern the destinies of all the peoples involved and has proclaimed this Sunday, July 23, as a special day of prayer and penance, inviting the pastors and faithful of all the particular Churches, and all believers of the world, to implore from God the precious gift of peace.

Many parishes won't even mention this proclamation-if they do it is unlikely they will have suggestions. Thus I would humbly suggest that you and family (or better yet your family and your friends) determine ahead of time, like today or tomorrow, how you will participate in prayer and penance.

Here are a couple suggestions off the top of my head:

1. If you don't already say the rosary on Sunday-do so this Sunday.
2. Ditto for the the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
3. Make Sunday dinner (which in our house is always a little bigger, as in dessert, and more flamboyant than the rest of the week) a little smaller, for example: no dessert for starters.
4. Suspend the TV for the day (or a lifetime for that matter.)
5. Fast (Sunday is usually never a fast day-but when the Holy Father calls for a day of penance, is fasting allowed?)
6. Suspend the computer for the day.
--I'm sure y'all can think of more-this is just for starters.

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

Updated

Finally added a few more blogs to the roll. Didn't delete any-although there are a few there I seldom read any more. Note, my blogroll is not necessarily an 'endorsement' of a blog per se, but a list of what I check out regularly-not that I agree with it all-but that I am interested in seeing what they have to say on a regular basis. (Note also to the "moon wanderer"-as requested I finally changed your link designation.)

Random Thoughts

Writing blues

I haven't really been able to write much substantial these past months. I used to do most of my writing (in my head) while driving the 30 miles to and from Mass almost every day. Then when everything was clear-I would put it on paper. Of recent months, this daily trip hasn't been possible for various reasons. I miss the daily Eucharist tremendously; a side effect is a definite lack of writing production.

Of Heat

Yesterday it was 100 degrees (F) in my office by late afternoon until some thunder showers (yes we moved the pups in time) cooled things off. A couple factors contributed to the heat. First, someone turned the window unit off the night before. My office really needs the head start against the heat every day, that is having the office very cool over night. Yesterday when I got to the office in the morning (pre-dawn hours) it was already 80 degrees. Yesterday also (as has been the last week or two) been heavy printing days. (We print a few of our own booklets in house.) This makes the heat rise quickly also. No complaints here. I knew it was hot, but never would have guessed the magnitude. Besides the 'natural' heat here in the office due to the Southern exposure is a real boon in the winter.)

Blueberries!

Mrs. Curley and kids went blueberry picking early this week and came back with almost 30 pounds. The idea was to save most for fall and winter-but alas many pounds were consumed that first day back. Of course there were natural but unexpected (by the kids) consequences from all this blueberry consumption. Throughout the day we got calls from the 'lavatory' from the little ones, "Mom, Dad, you gotta see this!" One little one commented, (see if you can figure this one out) "It looks like blueberry number 2!"

Vacation

Not mine. Our pastor is on his annual trip home to Ireland. We miss him tremendously (one of several reasons that daily Mass is not possible at the moment.) This year we have a priest from Zambia filling in for Father O'Holohan on the weekends. Fr. Willdebronde Mwape is presently chaplain at Providence Hospital in Columbia, but hails from Zambia and was taught by Irish Jesuit missionairies. Of course Fr. O'Holohan spent some 20 years at one of the Irish Jesuit missions in Zambia (albeit a different one than Fr. Mwape). Was glad to see that Fr. Mwape said the prayer to St. Michael after Mass as is our usual custom with Fr. O'Holohan.

So what do you think?

This isn't a cover poll-just an announcement on the pending release of our latest book. You could say that it doesn't relate to history, but the Penny Catechism (this being a revision thereof) carries with it alot of history-alot of conversions. This booklet will be priced under $5 and easily fit in a pack pocket or purse-yet is laid out to be easily readible. It includes a section of prayers at the end. It will be on sale in August (date tbd-soon)

Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. (author of "Giving Up Stealing for Lent" - RequiemPress) did the revisions. It carries a new Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat.

There will be quantity discounts available-this is the type of book you want at door when the Jehovah Witnesses come around and when Uncle Leonard asks a few questions-but does't want to read a huge volume.