Book Reviews – April 2024

The Apostle Paul and His Letters: An Introduction. By James B. Prothro. Reviewed by Fr. Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ. (skip to review) An Immovable Feast: How I Gave Up Spirituality for a Life of Religious Abundance. By Tyler Blanski. Reviewed by … [Read more...]

Our Hope in Mary

Part II of a Marian Triptych

[1. This piece first appeared as part III of chapter nine of volume III of a trilogy called From Truth and truth: Volume III-Faith is Married Reason (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016), 57–66; the present version is, h … [Read more...]

A Man’s Relationship with the Girl Who Ravished the Eyes of God Himself

Introduction During Advent of 2018 I wrote an article for Homiletic and Pastoral Review called “Mary Is Made for You.”[1. Keith Berube, “Mary Is Made for You,” at Homiletic and Pastoral Review (Dec. 20, 2018), hprweb. … [Read more...]

Mary Is the Choice of God

Part I of a Marian Triptych

Where do we need to begin with a reflection on Mary, spouse of St. Joseph[1. Cf. St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos.] and Mother of the Lord? On the one hand, in the times in which we live, it could be argued that we need to recover … [Read more...]

On Mary the Mother of God, Queen of the Universe

To attempt to read the psalms and other texts of the Marian Office in this way is to step into a beam that will require us to see not only the Virgin but indeed the whole of Christianity in a light most modern Christians, not to mention … [Read more...]

“Woman of the Eucharist”

Our Lady and the Mass

Our Lady of Knock During his visit to Ireland in August 2018, the Holy Father visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland. The apparition at the origin of this place of pilgrimage speaks of Mary as “Woman of the E … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – January 2019

Mortal Sin and the Individual Conscience Question: My question is about the “full knowledge” element for mortal sin. My belief has always been in line with the following statement from the FAQ section of the popular program “The Light Is On … [Read more...]

Mary Is Made for You

Sometime ago a priest gave what may initially seem a cryptic kind of homily. Personally, I have not heard a homily about Mary such as this, and yet this is precisely the homily that men need (and, by direct extension, what women need men) … [Read more...]

“To Jesus through Mary” Is Not Enough

St. Louis de Montfort’s “To Jesus through Mary” is a common refrain amongst lovers of Mary, and rightly so. To be sure, she is the way to Jesus — Jesus does not come to us via any other way. Nor is anyone transformed into Christ but through … [Read more...]

An Analysis of the Motherhood of the Church as Expounded by Henri Cardinal De Lubac

“Hear, O daughter, consider, and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house; And the king will desire your beauty.” Psalm 45:10 This quote from the Psalms refers analogously to the nuptials of Christ and his Church; a be … [Read more...]

Total Consecration to the Virgin Mary

Introduction When we think of Jesus Christ, what do we think of first? Do we think of an ideal of unselfishness: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31)? Do we think of an institution divinely inspired: “You are Peter, a … [Read more...]

Late Autumn Book Reviews

All the Pope's Saints: The Jesuits Who Shaped Pope Francis, by Fr. Sean Salai, SJ (Our Sunday Visitor, 2017) 144 pages; $15.00. Reviewed by Deacon David Paternostro, S.J. How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard, by Aurora Griffin (Ignatius … [Read more...]

Springtime Reading

  Proofs of God: Classical Arguments from Tertullian to Barth by Matthew Levering. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016. Reviewed by Matthew K. Minerd, Ph.L. Speaking from Within: Biblical Approaches for Effective Pr … [Read more...]

The Immaculate Heart of Mary as the The Perfect Custodian of the Human Heart

Showing us a disposition to be acquired, as well as admired. Can anyone doubt that we live in times of great moral danger, perhaps as great as at any time in human history? Any recitation of grave evils in the world need go no further … [Read more...]

Winter Reading for January 2016

Introducing the Old Testament: An Overview of Its Content and Its Message. John F. Fink. (Staten Island, NY: St. Paul’s Publishing, 2015) 136 pages; $12.95. (Reviewed by Kenneth Colston) The Marian Mystery: Outline of a Mariology. Denis F … [Read more...]