Book Club
Welcome to the Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction Book Club!
Join us in our world-wide reading and discussion of the most profound treasures of spiritual insights that our Lord offers us in His Church!
How Can I Join the Club?
- Send an email request to RCSpiritualDirection@gmail.com with your full name and location. You will not receive a reply email. The purpose of asking for your email is to be sure we can send you updates directly without intruding on those who are not participating.
- Subscribe to the posts on this site either through email or RSS feed (you may have already done this is you receive regular updates).
- It is really just that simple?
What Are We Currently Reading?
33 DAYS TO MORNING GLORY BY FATHER MICHAEL GAITLEY, MIC
For those of you who are unfamiliar with 33 Days to Morning Glory, the following was taken from the back of the book:
“Behold, your mother.” From the cross, our suffering Savior tenderly places each of us personally into the hands of His mother. Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, reminds us that the heart and hands that nurtured the Christ are the same heart and hands that nurture us, forming us into “other Christs.”
This do-it-yourself retreat touches on the inspiring life of St. Louis de Montfort and the personal journeys of outstanding modern-day Christian models like St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and the Blessed John Paul II. It integrates the basic truths of our faith, such as our baptismal consecration to God and the Trinitarian aspects of our Christian way of life. All in all, 33 Days to Morning Glory is a moving and transformative journey into the loving and maternal heart of Our Blessed Mother. After reading this book, one can appreciate and understand more fully one’s own unique and unrepeatable relationship with her. - Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ (Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines)
This simple book reminds us of Mary’s desire to bring all of us into the merciful Heart of Jesus. In these pages, I met the gentle Mother I have loved for so long, and I hope that you get the chance to meet her and come to rely on her as I do. I fully recommend to you – one of the best books on Mary! - Immaculee Ilibagiza (Author, Left to Tell and Our Lady of Kibeho)
Accessible, vivid, even edgy -Fr. Gaitley’s 33 Days brings Marian devotion into the modern lives of everyone with enriching freshness. Filled with insights and generously complemented by the saintly writings of Blessed John Paul II and others, this retreat guides the reader on one of the surest ways to “open wide doors to Christ”: entrusting oneself to Christ’s mother, the first who opened her life and heart to Jesus. - Carl Anderson (Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus)
What an adventure we’ve begun – surrendering our lives to Jesus through Mary! For those of us who have never made a formal Act of Consecration, this could be a life-changing experience. For the rest of us, a time to renew our vow with fresh insight, looking to the wisdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and Blessed John Paul II along with Saint Louis de Montfort for guidance.
As the book is entitled 33 Days… we are not going to speed the process, but will complete this “do-it-yourself” retreat on a day by day basis. For those of you who tend to fall behind, this should be GREAT news!! The introduction will require reading less than two pages per day, and over the 33 Days we’ll read around 15 pages per week, as per the book’s timeline. This should leave plenty of time open for prayer and contemplation!
Please join us on our journey as we pledge all that we have and all that we are, to Jesus through Mary, our Most Holy Mother.
How Can I Participate in Discussions About the Book?
- Purchase or download the book (see below)
- Read with us!
- Engage with us in the comment boxes on the weekly posts (it is best if you have a photo in your DISQUS profile so that the group can better connect with you as you engage. To update or create your profile go to www.DISQUS.com)
- Please be sure to follow the combox guidelines which can be found here.
What Is The Reading Schedule?
Week One: Introduction
Weeks Two-Six: Beginning On April 28, follow the guide in the book, Day by Day, until we culminate in making our consecration on May 31, The Feast of the Visitation
Happy Reading!
Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/topics/book-club#ixzz26AW0DBZh
What Will We Be Reading Next?
Beginning approximately June 1: TBD
What is the Upcoming Schedule?
The long term schedule is tentative and subject to change, but following is a list of books we plan to cover over the next several months:
Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
12 Steps to Holiness and Salvation by St. Alphonsus Liguori
Witness to Hope by George Weigel
Books We’veRead in the Past
Spiritual Combat by Lorzeno Scupoli
Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure
Journal of Soul by Pope John XXIII
Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Navigating the Interior Life by Dan Burke
Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2012/08/07/csd-book-club-spiritual-combat-conclusion-introducing-trustful-surrender#ixzz2CdeiQX3f
Who Should I Talk to If I Have Questions About the Readers or Discussions?
Please contact Vicki at dvburbach@gmail.com
About Vicki Burbach
Vicki Burbach is a wife and homeschooling mother of six children ages two to thirteen years who relishes the calm inspiration of spiritual reading amidst the roller coaster of life. A passionate convert to the Faith, Vicki is an avid reader who started the CSD book club so she could embark with likeminded bibliophiles on a spiritual journey through some of the greatest Catholic books ever written. In addition to moderating the book club and managing family activities, Vicki also cooks, does laundry, cleans, does laundry, and, every once in a while, finds time to write and speak on topics such as marriage and spiritual reading - of course, these endeavors take place only between her many loads of laundry.
