Recommended Books

IN THE SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS and THE SULTAN: Catholics and Muslims Working Together for the Common Good by George Dardess and Marvin L. Krier (Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY 2011)

“A guide for Catholics and Muslims on how to reach greater understanding of the other’s tradition in order to work together to end social injustice. Taking up the story of the peaceful encounter between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malek al-Kamil, the authors attempt to increase understanding between Christians and Muslims and to demonstrate how Christians and Muslims can work together for social justice. Basic tenets of both Christians and Muslims are described using clear, accessible language intended for general readers. After demonstrating how both the Bible and Quran call for actions that promote the common good and love of neighbor, Dardess and Mich suggest practical ways for Muslims and Christians to come together to implement specific programs of social justice.” — Editorial Review / Amazon

THE MONKS OF TIBERHINE: Faith , Love, and Terror in Algeria by John W. Kiser (St. Martin’s Press, New York, NY 2002

“John Kiser’s fascinating account of the 1996 brutal massacre of seven Trappist monks is situated well in its historical context. Now at last we have complete understanding of this heartrending tragedy. Highly recommended.” — Brother Patrick Hart, O.C.S.O., Monk of Gethsemani and General Editor of The Thomas Merton Journals

YVES CONGAR: Essential Writings Selected with an Introduction by Paul Lakeland (Orbis Press, Maryknoll, NY 2010)

“Yves Congar (1904-1995), a French Dominican theologian, was a prophet in the church of the mid-twentieth century, silenced in the 1950s, only to become perhaps the single most formative influence on Vatican II. To the extent that the agenda of Vatican II remains to be fulfilled, one could say that is Congar’s vision that provides the ongoing agenda of the church. This volume provides insight and hope for those concerned to breathe new life into the church of the twenty-first century.” — From back cover of book

HOUSE OF PRAYER NO. 2: A Writer’s Journey Home by Mark Richard (Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, New York, NY 2011)

“A superbly written and irresistible blend of history, travelogue, and personal reflection, House of Prayer No. 2 is a remarkable portrait of a writer’s struggle with his faith, the evolution of his art, and of recognizing one’s singularity in the face of painful disability. Written with humor and a poetic force, this memoir is destined to become a modern classic” — From inside book jacket.

ALL THE WAY TO HEAVEN: The Selected Letters of Dorothy Day Edited by Robert Ellsberg (Marquette University Press, Milwaukee, WI 2010)

“The publication of the letters of Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker, is a significant event in the history of Christian spirituality. Like her journals, these letters – by turns personal, frank, earthy, joyful, frustrated, contrite, hopeful, funny, and, above all, unmistakably human – will change the widely held belief that Dorothy was interested only in her ‘movement.’ Instead she is revealed as a woman deeply involved with her family, her friends, her church, her country and her world. Her love letters to her common-law husband, Forster, will also challenge the popular notion of sanctity, which sometimes equates ‘real’ holiness with a disinterested and disembodied love. Love is, in fact, the hidden theme of the letters of this astonishing woman: love for the poor, love for her fellow human beings, and love for God. Read these remarkable letters and come to know a saint. Study them and come to know what Christian action is about. Take them to heart and come to know God more fully.” — James Martin, SJ, author of My Life with the Saints