This Saint More Than Just a Bird-Lover

Francis of Assisi by Michael de la Bedoyere
Sophia Institute Press, 1999

St. Francis of Assisi often gets pigeon-holed into being nothing more than Jesus' most famous bird-lover. And while it's indeed true that Francis had an uncommon appreciation and love of nature, to see him in only that light completely overlooks the vast majority of his work and prodigious accomplishments. After all, there's obviously more to becoming a saint than just loving animals. In Francis of Assisi - The Man Who Found Perfect Joy, author Michael de la Bedoyere presents a thorough and detailed account of an entire life's work that culminated in canonization by Gregory IX.

Those looking for an introductory or summary presentation on Francis would probably do well to look elsewhere. After grabbing the reader's attention by retelling the well-known story of Francis embracing the leper, Bedoyere returns to the saint's youth to travel with him through the ups and downs of what was a most difficult journey. He leaves few, if any, stones unturned. Though this might bog down newcomers to Francis' story, those wishing to bolster their rudimentary knowledge of Francis likely will savor the layers of detail Bedoyere brings to the narrative.

Originally published in 1962, Bedoyere's work, like most pieces about Francis, seems to rely heavily on two previous biographies written in the thirteenth century by Thomas of Celano, one of St. Francis' first disciples. While Francis' life is one of the most documented of its time, Bedoyere admits in the introduction that there is relatively little we know about his day-to-day life for certain. This, of course, opens the door to speculation based on what we do know. Bedoyere takes an occasional liberty or two by injecting suppositions, but he is always careful to alert the reader when doing so and takes great pains to explain on what information those suppositions are based.

All in all, this biography certainly can't be categorized as an edge-of-your-seat thriller. There are some interesting and engaging stories to be sure, such as Francis' evangelizing Muslim sultan Malek-el-Kamel, but those looking for constant feats of daring-do will likely be disappointed. This is a character study and that's where it's value lies -- Bedoyere transforms Francis from a flat, cartoon cut-out into a rich, three-dimensional man of God with depth and passion we aspiring saints can only imagine.

Gibbons' 19th century classic still relevant

The Faith of Our Fathers by John Cardinal Gibbons
TAN Books and Publishers, 1980

One hundred and thirty-five years have done nothing to diminish the relevance of John Cardinal Gibbons' 1876 classic The Faith of Our Fathers. The reasons for that are two-fold. First, it fortunately has much to do with Gibbons' outstanding style, theological expertise, and logic. Unfortunately, it also has much to do with the sad fact that the misunderstandings and errors circulated about the Catholic Church then continue to be the same same tired ones circulated today.

Originally published by John Murphy Company of Baltimore in 1876, the subtitle of the book sums up its content well: Being a Plain Exposition and Vindication of the Church Founded by Jesus Christ. Divided into 31 chapters, the book begins with the Trinity and Incarnation -- not misunderstood beliefs, but obvious foundations of the faith -- and works its way through other less understood basic Catholic doctrines such as grace through the Sacraments, Apostolic succession and the authority of the church, the Bible and sacred Tradition, the communion of saints, and so forth.

In each chapter, Gibbons weaves together information from the Bible, the early church fathers, and historical sources to explain the origins of and defend Catholic belief. Obviously, as the title implies, much weight is given to the Apostles, those who learned at their feet, and those who came in the next several generations thereafter. These are the "fathers" of the church and the fathers referenced in the title. But Gibbons also makes every effort to use outside sources, even anti-Catholic ones, to lend his explanations as much objectivity as possible.

While Gibbons' logic, combined with his use of scripture and patristic writings, make a strong case chapter after chapter, one need not be a master theologian, philosopher, or debater to follow along. Gibbons' style is incredibly accessible, written not for the furry-browed academic, but rather for the average Joe or Jane. This makes for a quick read, as do the relatively short and succinct chapters. This is one of those rare books that if you only have 10 minutes you still feel like you've got enough time to learn something new. And you will.

Whether you're a Catholic who needs help understanding and defending the basic beliefs of the church, or a non-Catholic who has always wondered why the church believes what it does, The Faith of Our Fathers will prove to be an ideal resource for your library.

Lest we forget, church is a sacred place

Ugly as Sin, by Michael S. Rose

Sophia Institute Press, 2000

In an era marked by countless bland and nondescript churches, if Michael Rose's Ugly As Sin did nothing else than make one seriously think about how a church is supposed to look, it could be counted as a success. Fortunately, Rose has done quite a bit more than that.

The entire concept behind the book is that the last half century witnessed a monumental shift in the architecture and perceived function of Catholic churches. As Rose puts it in the subtitle, our churches have been changed from "sacred places to meeting spaces."

Rose reminds the reader that first and foremost a church is the House of God and that each and every element one finds there should be directed toward the ultimate purpose of celebrating the Mass. He provides a thorough examination of the various parts of a well-designed church, their origins, and the functions they serve. It's an eye-opening education that should deepen even the most devout church-goer's appreciation of these sacred places.

There are several underlying reasons recently renovated and newly constructed churches have often missed the mark when it comes to maintaining that sacred nature and Rose provides an enlightening discourse on the subject. Similarly, he offers practical solutions for correcting the problem. Again, it's extremely educational reading.

Of course, educational reading doesn't always make for the most entertaining experience and admittedly Rose occasionally delves into a bit more detail than the average reader might appreciate. On the whole, however, Rose's presentation beckons the reader along, eager to see what's around the next corner.

Every Catholic owes it to themselves to find out more about the sacred place that is their church. Like the faith itself, there is a rhyme and reason behind what we see on the surface. Taking the time to understand the design of a Catholic church can deepen one's appreciation of not only the church structure, but of the faith and ultimately the Mass. For those to whom that appeals, Ugly As Sin is a great place to start.

(Sophia Institute Press provided a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

Currie's journey provides lessons for all Christians

Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic by David B. Currie

Ignatius Press, 1995

While Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic is now nearly 15 years old, it still remains a wonderful tale of one man's journey to and discovery of the Catholic faith. Though both the Catholic and Protestant reader may be inclined, though for different reasons, to think there is nothing to be learned from a fundamentalist exploring the Catholic Church, Currie's effort here demonstrates quite the opposite: his personal journey provides a wealth of valuable insight and understanding that all readers serious about their Christian faith are sure to find thought-provoking and enlightening.

Currie's fundamentalist roots run deep -- his father was a fundamentalist preacher and both and he and Currie's mother were teachers at Moody Bible College. Currie was prepared to follow in their footsteps, earning a degree at Trinity International University and pursuing a master's of divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. It's this personal background from which Currie writes that makes his story so relevant. It's the reason Protestants can rest assured that Currie is approaching this information in an unbiased manner. In fact, this is not a path he went joyfully down, skipping and smiling all the way. His was a reluctant journey, with many resulting hardships. Consequently, he digs deep to make sure he is unearthing the true story.

Similarly, Catholics are afforded the opportunity to see, through his eyes, many of the misunderstandings and falsehoods Protestants commonly hold regarding numerous Catholic beliefs and practices. Currie is adept at pinpointing the origins of these errors, explaining why they are such an issue for Protestants, and detailing the real truths his journey and study revealed to him. His narratives on such things as the Eucharist, the Pope, and salvation are succinct and coherent refreshers for Catholics who often stumble when explaining such foundations of the church.

Beyond the theology, Currie's is simply a good story, too. He quickly pulls the reader into his world at the time his journey began. Who he is and what he is going through are real. He makes the reader care about his trials and tribulations; his challenges and obstacles; his perseverance and successes; while also sharing in the emotions that accompany those experiences. There are a lot of books about theology, but it is this human element that really makes Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic a page-turner.