This Just In: The Faithful Traveler, season 1

I well remember how enjoyable I found The Faithful Traveler dvd featuring the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia. A good part of that enjoyment came from Diana von Glahn's sparking personality and the thoroughness of information.

I easily understood why EWTN snapped up the concept and had The Faithful Traveler produce an entire season of travel for them. Sadly, I do not have cable so was not able to watch it.

Happily, I have just received the dvd for the first season. Though I haven't had a chance to dip in yet, I am eagerly anticipating finding out more about wonderful Catholic places to visit in the U.S. If you are interested and missed the EWTN showings, or just want your own copy to watch again, check out the Faithful Traveler website.

Book Review: "Revenge of Innocents" by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

Probation officer Carolyn Sullivan is back.   She's been promoted to manager of the department, she is busy planning her wedding to Marcus,  and her children are doing well.  Life is good, until  her best friend and co-worker Veronica is found dead.  Initially it is considered a suicide, but Carolyn doesn't believe that.  She postpones her wedding to investigate Veronica's death.   It is soon apparent it was a murder.     It is also connected to two other deaths, as well as as two young girls who were molested, including Veronica's daughter Jude.

I like the way that Ms. Rosenberg throws suspicion on  someone other than the real killer, but this time I found it quite tiresome the way a key victim and witness kept lying and changing her story.  As usual, Ms.  Rosenberg does a masterful job of tying all the pieces together to reveal the true killer and the motives.  Unfortunately, she chooses to leave some loose ends in the story.

There is some more discussion of Carolyn's Catholic faith.  She is trying to receive the sacraments more frequently because she is feeling guilty about killing a bad guy (this was in "Sullivan's Justice"), even though it was in self defense.  When a witness is badly injured by being hit by a car, Carolyn's first reaction is to call a priest to give her the sacrament of the sick.  Unfortunately, Carolyn is both divorced and now living with Marcus.

In addition to the subject of two girls being molested, content warnings include an intimate scene with Carolyn and Marcus, and language throughout.

"Parenting with Grace" by the Popcaks: A Book Review

Parenting with Grace: The Catholic Parents’ Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids, 2nd Edition, by Gregory K. Popcak, PhD., and Lisa Popcak, and a foreward by Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, is an authoritatively written text outlining everything the authors believe a family should do in order to bring up their children in a Catholic way.

The Popcaks offer practical solutions to many of the difficult situations faced by parents, including sleep problems, tantrums, dating, and technology, within the framework of the Catholic faith. Every chapter has quizzes for parents to see how they are doing in a certain area, as well as suggestions for how to improve.

Integrating The Theology of the Body and the philosophy of attachment parenting into every chapter, the Popcaks make a good case for their method of parenting. They show us why Catholicism can and should be a part of how we parent, and how it should set us apart as a special breed. They argue that, because Catholics believe in learning by natural law, science and the Catholic way should work hand-in-hand to show us what is the best way to raise our kids, from breastfeeding in infancy to sending our teenagers off to college.

After outlining the basics of Catholic parenting, the Popcaks go into great detail on each stage of development: infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, school-age childhood, and the teenage years. They talk about faith development, sibling rivalry, childhood fears, dealing with technology, and working parents. I thought it was amazing that they were able to touch on so many various topics. This book is in touch with the modern parent and issues of today, and yet the authors are not afraid to put forth opinions that many will disagree with.

The Popcaks never say any of this will be easy. Their suggestions for improvement are rather methodical and specific. While most of what they say resonates with my own family values, I think that it would be difficult for many families to follow their instructions on improving family life. However, I do think their methods would work for parents that are set on fixing the things that have not been working in their family.

Be forewarned that their point of view is Conservative Catholic; if you are not looking for this then you will not appreciate the book. If you disagree with the attachment parenting espoused by Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, which includes co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and carrying your baby in a sling, you might have a difficult time with the book; or, you might start to see these practices in a different light.

The book end with chapters devoted to natural family planning, motherhood, fatherhood, marriage, and family maintenance. Appendixes include “The Natural Institution of the Family” by Herbert Ratner, M.D., and “Ten Reasons We Can’t Spank: A Catholic Examination of Corporal Punishment”.

I highly recommend this book for all Catholic families with kids of all ages.
This review was written as part of the Catholic books reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Parenting With Grace, 2nd Edition.

Movie Review: Nanny McPhee Returns - PG

Isabel Green is trying to raise 3 children and run the family farm while her husband is away at war.  She even has to resist her brother's pressuring her to sell the farm.  Things get even worse when two spoiled cousins come to stay with them.  Things do get better when Nanny McPhee arrives.  She teaches the children 5 lessons:  to get along, to help each other, to have faith, etc.  

I enjoyed the transformations that took place, particularly among the children.  At first they laugh off Nanny McPhee's rule:  When you need her, even if you don't want her, she will be there.  When you don't need her, even if you want her, she will go.   The children do learn her lessons and are transformed by them.  Even Isabel's brother Phil seems to soften his attitude. 

Aside fom some crude humor, no content warnings.  

Overall, a very good family movie with positive messages for kids.

http://www.nannymcphee.com/

Book Review: "Saint Francis"

Saint Francis (Christian Encounters Series)
by Robert West
Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010

St. Francis, who lived and preached in the 13th century, is one of Christianity’s most beloved saints. Like many saints, however, time has served to separate him from the actual life he lived. In many minds, he is known only as the lover of animals. He is usually seen with birds, often as a statue in a garden. While St. Francis certainly had that side to him, he was much more than that. “Saint Francis” by Robert West, a book in the Christian Encounters series by Thomas Nelson, sets out to show Francis in all his complexity. He was a saint, yes, but like all saints, he was also very human.

This is a no-holds-barred biography of Francis. West does not gloss over Francis’ wild youth. In fact, he makes much of it in order to contrast it with the man he later became. Yet, the charisma that would make Francis such a compelling preacher and leader was already at root in the boy and young man. Francis was meant to be a leader.

West discusses Francis’s conversion and does his utmost to make his love of “Lady Poverty” understandable to the modern mind. He shows the battles Francis had with his own bodily desires and the lengths he would go to in order to overcome them. He wanted nothing to come between him and God. West also examines his relationship with the men that would come to join him as well as his relationship with St. Clare, who also gave up everything to follow him.

Francis’ life was certainly not without its challenges. His way of life was so austere that many begged him to relax his rules for those who followed him, but he would not relent. As a result, there was infighting among the brothers, especially when Francis was not physically present. It took considerable effort for his order to be recognized by the Pope. His dream of converting the Muslim Sultan during the crusades did not go the way he had hoped.

Yet, Francis is most known for his miracles, his communing with nature, and the stigmata he bore on his body. West examines some of the legends that grew up around the life of Francis, and despite a healthy skepticism, is willing to admit that at least some of them were possible.

West’s “Saint Francis” is a highly readable well-researched biography. It serves as a valuable introduction to the life of the man behind the statues.

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

Book Review: "Christmas is About Jesus"

Christmas is About Jesus: An Advent Devotional
by Mukkove Johnson
Tate Publishing, 2009

It might seem a bit early to be thinking about Christmas, but Advent will be here before we know it, along with all the hustle and bustle that goes along with that time of year. “Christmas is About Jesus” is a lovely little book that will help children (and their parents) focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Each day from December 1st through the 24th features a Scripture verse and a reflection on a symbol of Christmas and how that symbol reminds us of Jesus. Some of the symbols covered include snowflakes, candy canes, ornaments, St. Nicholas, Christmas trees, Christmas lights, cookies, songs, and stars. As the days get closer to Christmas, the devotions focus on those who were at the first Christmas – the wise men, shepherds, Mary, and the most important one of all, Jesus.

The book is attractively designed and easy to use. It could be used at home or as part of a religious education class. The reflections could be used alone or combined with a craft for a longer lesson. “Christmas is About Jesus” will help keep minds focused on Jesus during the Advent season.

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

Review of "Be an Amazing Catechist Inspire the Faith of Children"

by Lisa Mladinich
2010
Our Sunday Visitor

Lisa Mladinich’s new book “Be an Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children” is an extraordinary booklet filled with colorful illustrations and photos interwoven with helpful tidbits, relevant biblical quotes and various references and websites. In fact, it has everything a Catholic catechist would need all in one book. Chapters include topics such as “Sharpen Your Knowledge,” “Mine for Gold,” “Run a Tight Ship,” “Sense and Sensibilities,” “Use that Bible,” and many more. The author includes a chapter on teaching kids with disabilities (written by Mary Lou Rosien) and another chapter which talks about utilizing puppets (Mladinich is also the creator and performer of original catechetical puppet scripts available at new.catholicmom.com/kids/puppet-ministry).

“The call to be an amazing catechist is really a call to conversion,” the author writes. This beautiful quote sums up this “amazing” book for catechists. Prayer is a common thread in all of the chapters and an essential element of being a catechist.

“Teaching is a great way to learn,” is quoted at the beginning of the book and, as a homeschooling mother, I agree wholeheartedly with this philosophy. I love this book and will be using it not only in homeschooling, but also in my parish’s children’s liturgy program.

“Be An Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children” is ideal for use by all catechists: whether you’re a novice teacher with no experience or whether you’re an experienced educator. This booklet may be small, but it is huge in information and packed with many, many ideas for teaching the faith to children of all ages. I highly recommend this remarkable book to anyone who teaches the faith to children: homeschoolers; parish CCD teachers, experienced educators and anyone interested in teaching the faith to children.

Copyright 2010 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Archbishop Chaput: Violence in movies only appropriate when it 'teaches us not to be violent'

At a recent film event in Denver that explored the topic of violence in movies, Archbishop Charles Chaput weighed in on the issue, telling CNA that he believes violence to be appropriate in film only if it's the kind “that teaches us not to be violent.”

Along with a local film critic and actor, the Denver archbishop discussed the theme of violence in motion pictures at an event on August 12 titled, “Blood on Our Hands: Morality and Violence in Movies.” The discussion, held on the campus of the University of Colorado at Denver, was part of the Colorado Cinema Salon, a new program presented by the Denver Film Society and hosted by renowned film critic Robert Denerstein.

The event opened with a 10 minute reel of graphically violent scenes from movies such as "Psycho," "Scarface," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Hostel," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Godfather."

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"Letters to God" DVD giveaway winners

Congratulations to the winners of the DVD giveaway:

Deacond Nate of the Diocese of Saginaw
Brandon from Florida
Omar of Guiding Light Youth Miniistries in California
Ron from California
Kay from Oklahoma

You will be receiving your DVDs shortly, enjoy!

Movie Review: The Expendables - R

I was really looking forward to seeing The Expendables because of the cast:  Stallone, Lundgren, Ausin, and Li.   Arnold Schwarzeneger made a cameo.  Quite frankly, the whole cast looked past their prime.  Their target was a General and a CIA man who took over a small island to run their drug business.   The plot evolved into rescuing the General's daughter.   There wasn't much of a story, or dialogue for that matter.    Even the action and explosions were not enough to break the boredom.

1 word: DISAPPOINTING