Book Review: "Sullivan's Evidence" by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

The head of the forensics lab, Abernathy, is found guilty of tampering with evidence. Some of his cases begin to fall apart, and their convictions are overturned. Probation officer Carolyn Sullivan is back in this story, which centers on the search for Carl Holden, a murderer/rapist who is released after Abernathy's conviction.  Holden may be involved with several recent murders.  While  Carolyn helps the police search for connections between the murders,  she also tries to care for her chidren and make time for her  new relationship with Marcus, whom she just met.  

As the  investigation proceeds, the police look more closely at Marcus, but Carolyn trusts him and is certain they are wrong.  The more immediate danger is from Holden, who threatens her family.

Content warnings include one attempted rape scene, and harsh language throughout.

As she did with "Sullivan's Justice", Ms. Rosenberg does a masterful job of tying together seemingly disparate events to build the suspense to a rapid conclusion.

Dawn Eden releases free copy of Theology of the Body thesis on CNA

Responding to the recent call of Cardinal Justin Rigali to spread the message of the Theology of the Body – Pope John Paul II's teachings on human sexuality – noted author Dawn Eden has made a free copy of her master's thesis, including a new preface and supporting material, available exclusively on CNA.

At the first annual Theology of the Body Congress in Pennsylvania, Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, exhorted the faithful to promote the work of the late Pontiff, describing his teaching on sexuality as the modern “curriculum of the Culture of Life.”

In support of Cardinal Rigali’s exhortation, Eden responded, “I have decided to make my master’s thesis available free of charge to all.”

story

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/DawnEdenThesis.pdf

Patron Saint of Television

Today is the Feast of St. Clare, the Patron Saint of Television.

Book Review: The Notre Dame Book of Prayer

The Notre Dame Book of Prayer
Edited by Heidi Schlumpf
Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2010

For over one hundred years, the Campus Ministry Office at Notre Dame has offered prayer books to incoming first-year students. "The Notre Dame Book of Prayer" is an attempt to share that gift with the larger Notre Dame community and the world in general. The ties to Notre Dame are quickly relevant with references to places on campus abounding. However, if one can get beyond that, there is truly a treasuretrove of prayers in this book.

The prayers are divided into sections. Among these are: "In the Beginning," "Bless Us, O Lord," "Work of Human Hands," "To Everything There is a Season," and "It is Finished." While there are many prayers one might expect, there are many unexpected prayers such as a "Runner's Prayer before Beginning a Race," "Prayer for Parenting a Special-Needs Child," "Prayer for Conflict with a Coworker or Friend," "Blessing for Women in Transition," "Menopause Prayer," and a "Prayer after Suicide."

One prayer that spoke to me was "Give Me Someone;"

Lord,
when I am famished,
give me someone who needs food;
when I am thirsty,
give me someone who needs water;
when I am cold,
give me someone to warm;
when I am hurting,
give me someone to console;
when my cross becomes heavy,
give me another's cross to share;
when I am poor,
lead someone needy to me;
when I have no time,
give me someone to help for a moment;
when I am humiliated,
give me someone to praise;
when I am discouraged,
send someone to encourage;
when I need another's understanding,
give me someone who needs mine;
when I need somebody to take care of me,
send me someone to care for;
when I think of myself,
turn my thoughts toward another.

"The Notre Dame Book of Prayer" would make a great addition to any Catholic's prayer collection.

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

Book Review: "Sullivan's Justice" by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

Carolyn Sullivan is a probation officer in Ventura. CA.  Her brother Neil, who has a drug habit that Carolyn doesn't know about,  becomes a murder suspect when he finds his girlfriend Laurel dead in his pool.  As the investigation proceeds, Laurel's murder is connected to several other recent murders.  

There are  two keys to the investigation: Melody, Neil's ex-girlfriend Melody, who may be able to clear him but refuses to do so;  the second is Raphael Moreno,a very dangerous prison inmate who has refused to speak to anyone so far, but may know how whether the murders are really connected.   Carolyn's priority is to get Moreno to talk and try to clear Neil.  As Carolyn gets closer to the truth,  she finds herself and her family in increasing danger. 

Ms. Rosenberg does an excellent job of concealing the real motive for the murders  by hiding it in plain sight, so to speak.  She also does a  a fine job of defining the main characters using brief stories from their past.  The suspense builds rapidly, particularly in the 2nd half, as the "pieces of the puzzle"  are neatly woven together. 

There are several content warnings.  There are a couple of intimate scenes that are more descriptive than necessary. There are also a few cases of objectionable language.

Confuzzlement* Abounds: Reviewing Mary and Max

Rose plucked this off the video rental shelf, saying she watched it after it showed up in her Netflix movie recommendation. She described it as being about a penpal friendship developed between an 8-year-old lonely Australian girl and a 40-year-old lonely New York man. They correspond for 20 years and we see how their lives are changed.

I would tell you more of the plot but that sums it up well enough. It probably is best categorized as a black comedy. There is plenty of humor, some of it rather subtle, although the movie often surprises with how serious some of the subject matter is and the depth to which the filmmaker is willing to explore it. This is all aided by the fact that Mary and Max are each, in their own way, complete innocents who write exactly what they are thinking, whether it will hurt or confuse the other person or not. This results in confuzzlement* not only for the main characters but also for the viewer at times. At one point I realized I was hanging on for dear life to the idea that the story would take a turn for the better. In fact, just like real life, the movie takes us through the comic and tragic which often are intertwined ... and does it brilliantly.

Although animated, this is not (repeat: NOT) a film for children. It is a stop-motion, claymation depiction of a story intended for adult audiences.

It also is the film that made me realize if the definition of an extrovert is someone who must discuss ideas aloud to understand them, then I am an extrovert. I was really not sure what I thought of this movie until after the entire family's animated discussion which followed for the rest of the evening. That conversation greatly clarified my thoughts, especially as everyone had been struck by different points.

At one point I asked, "Is it a movie to recommend to others?" Tom instantly responded, "It is a move that must be seen by anyone who values a richly told story." He is right. It is a film for those who are interested in richly told stories that are not afraid to explore the heights and depths that imperfection, perception, and sheer humanity bring to our lives and the lives of those we touch (even if simply through letters). In fact, I imagine that at some point I will be watching this again to see more of the details and subtleties I missed the first time around. First though, I must have time to let this sink in more fully. It's that kind of a movie.


*Confuzzlement: confusion + puzzlement. Watch the movie. You'll see where it comes from. It is now a new household term for us.

Book Review: "The Bible's Best Love Stories"

"The Bible's Best Love Stories"
by Allan F. Wright
Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press

When one mentions love stories, I’d be willing to bet that the first thing that comes to mind is not the Bible. One tends to think of romantic movies or novels. Perhaps one might think of couples one knows whose love stands out in the crowd. Yet, God is the author of love and the Bible, as the word of God, is a wonderful place to look for examples of love and role models for our own relationships. In “The Bible’s Best Love Stories,” Allan F. Wright examines some of the very human love stories contained in the pages of scripture. These stories do not show an idealistic portrayal of love. Rather they show the full range of deep emotions and all the challenges along the way. Wright does not only study the portrayal of romantic relationships, but also the love of good friends and familial relationships.

Wright begins his examination, as one might expect, with the relationship between Adam and Eve, “the world’s first lovers.” Before the first sin, they had the beauty of the ideal relationship; it was a union of the whole person – body and soul. They loved each other as God loved them. But then, they thought they knew better than God and sin came into the world. Their relationship, which had been so perfect, now was one of shame and blame. Things would never be the same for them, or us, again. We will come up short, yet we are all called to still strive for that original self-giving love that existed before sin.

Wright then turns his attention to other famous pairs of the Old Testament: Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachel, Abigail and David, Tobiah and Sarah, and the unnamed lovers in the “Song of Solomon.” He also explores the familial love of Joseph and his brothers and Ruth and Naomi and the bonds of friendship that existed between David and Jonathan. The New Testament features fewer romantic relationships, but Wright looks at Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, and Priscilla and Aquila. Some of Jesus’ friendships are highlighted, such as those with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, as well as his bond with Peter. His relationship with the “sinful woman’ is also examined. The relationship between Saint Paul and Barnabas, and that which existed among Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John are also looked at. While some of these stories are relatively familiar, Wright looks at them with fresh eyes, pointing out things we may have missed in the relationships and holding up certain aspects for special attention.

The Bible illustrates all the different types of love. It shows that loving anyone will require commitment and sacrifice. There is no such thing as an easy love, although some days will certainly be easier than others. Love will sometimes need to be waited for, but trust in God is paramount. Wright has done a beautiful job portraying these stories with understanding and wisdom. For each story, he offers a prayer, a relevant quote, reflection questions, and an idea for putting love into action in one’s own life. These additions help make this book ideal for a bible study or for private reflection.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Bible's Best Love Stories

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

DVD giveaway

This is our first DVD giveaway at CMR.
 "Letters to God" is out on DVD and you can enter to win one of five free copies by sending me your address at marysjoys@yahoo.com
Here is my review at US Catholic.
All entries for this contest must be received no later than Tuesday August 10,
good luck!

Movie Review: Inception - PG13

Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a unique sort of thief.  He is able to steal people's innermost secrets by accessing their dreams.  But, this latest caper is not a theft exactly.  He and his team are hired to plant a thought deep in someone's subconscious.  It is very dangerous for them to go that deep into someone's subconscious.  Add to that the fact that they try a dream within a dream, which is also risky, and the story gets complicated.  Sometimes it is actually hard to tell if the scene is a dream or reality. It is a complex plot that requires you to put on your thinking cap.  And by the way, Cobb also has a dream of his own, which further complicates things.

As far as the actors, Dicaprio was good, but  I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt stole the show as Arthur, Cobb's partner and teammate.  Ellen Page (from Juno) was also very good as the architect of the dream they use to accomplish the assignment.

Plenty of action, and the  special effects are fabulous (remember, anything can happen in a dream :)  I was particularly impressed with the suspense of the plot.  I was truly on the edge of my seat.  The only content warning I have is some fighting and violence.  One challenge they have to overcome are "projections", which is what dreamers use to fight people who invade their dreams.

Two words:  See it!
Two more words: Pay attention!

http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com/

Discover a Modern Day Hero of Divine Love

Most of the saints we learn about and love lived a long time ago. As much as we can study their lives and, when available, read their writings, it can be difficult to imagine them as living, breathing human beings who struggled with life. That is one reason why it is so amazing to watch “St. Gianna Beretta Molla: A Modern Day Hero of Divine Love,” a new DVD about a saint who lived in our own time. The DVD is a visual delight, featuring photos and home movies of St. Gianna, who lived from 1922 to 1962. One gets to see her getting married and playing with her children and living out her career as a doctor. Viewers see her laughing and smiling and loving life. This is a real woman. She is someone like us. Sadly, one also has the opportunity to get a glimpse of the outpouring of mourners at her funeral. She was truly loved in her community and admired for her sanctity.

Here we get to know a woman like so many of us who struggled to balance work and family. She was highly intelligent, excelling in her studies. She also loved music and art and being in the mountains. She loved her family above all else, but saw her career as a physician as a calling from God. Not only did she run her own practice, she was an active volunteer and sought to bring medical care to those who needed it, especially mothers and children. She would tell other doctors that “when you have finished your earthly profession, if you have done this well, you will enjoy divine life ‘because I was sick and you healed me.’”

St. Gianna was raised in a Christ-centered family and sought to raise her children the same way. Her life was one of service and was deeply rooted in prayer. She attended daily Mass as often as possible and prayed her rosary daily. She was always ready to encourage others in their relationship with God. She was a woman who viewed life as a gift from God and trusted in the power of prayer. Totally pro-life, her ultimate sacrifice was to give birth to her last child, even though she was advised against it and knew it might result in her own death. After giving birth, she bravely bore her final suffering with grace and prayer. She died on April 28, 1962 at the age of 39. Beatified in 1994 and canonized in 2004, Pope John Paul II held St. Gianna up as a role model for mothers, physicians, and the pro-life cause.

Watching “St. Gianna Beretta Molla: A Modern Day Hero of Divine Love” is an opportunity to discover a wonderful woman devoted to God who can serve as a model for all of us struggling with life as mothers.

To order this DVD produced by Catholic Action for Faith and Family, please visit www.stgiannaphysicians.org.