Books to help you grow

 

Books have been a huge part of my own faith journey.    Partially to help me preach/teach - but also to make sense of my own faith life and journey.    I think my greatest assets are my books - however their value is in being read and making a difference - they have no value on the shelf. 
I  have put some books in the Mary Mazzarello Chapel - books that have been important to my journey and understanding of faith and life.

You are invited to take them home and read them - and hopefully return them - but if not - then I trust they will be used by someone ...    I believe it is helpful for you and others if you could write a short paragraph response to the book - Once you have gone through the book - stop and ask?   How has the book gone through me?  How has it affected you?  (if you are willing I will put your paragraph/sentence next to the appropriate book as an encouragement to others)

I have many other books - but I have stopped putting any new ones - awaiting peoples interest in this possibility.
Blessings Fr Mick
 

Let your Life Speak - Listening to the Voice of Vocation
- by Parker J. Palmer

Parker Palmer is among my favourite authors and this book is a gem!  It awakens us to our best self and guides us to live that dimension of ourselves.     Fr Mick

Becoming a Contagious Christian - by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg.

This is written by one of the leading authors in contemporary evangelical churches.   Easy and inviting to read, challenging to do.   Fr Mick

From Wild Man to Wise Man - Reflections on Male Spirituality - by Richard Rhor. 

This is an excellent book that discusses the male journey of growing deeper and more authentic in life.  Fr Mick

The Song of the Bird - by Anthony De Mello.

It is a series of stories - usually a paragraph in length.   Anthony was an Indian Jesuit priest - and he draws stories from traditions such as Islam, Hindu and Buddhist.  They vary in value - but always make you think. An advantage is that you can spend one minute with the book or hours!   Fr Mick

Original Blessing - by Matthew Fox

This book is a little left field!    The author says that rather than Original Sin - we need to begin with Original Blessing!  He then looks at four paths that make up life - the Positive path, the Negative path, the Creative path and the Transformative Path.    It is a challenging book and I would not agree with everything he says.  However it makes us think and reflect in depth.    Not light reading!    Fr Mick

The Shack - by WM. Paul Young.

It is written as a novel.   It is a very engaging story of a person dealing with his deepest pain - the tragic loss of his daughter that has for years crippled him.   
The story made me reflect deeply on my images of God - and God's part within tragedy.   Fr Mick

Soul Survivor - How my faith survived the church - by Philip Yancey.

The context of this book is the author reflecting on 'Recovering from Church Abuse'.   He looks at the lives of 13 people who have deeply affected him, not just personally but in terms of his relationship to church.    Fr Mick

The Spirituality Revolution - the emergence of contemporay spirituality -  by David Tacey.

David teaches English Literature at the most secular university in Melb.  He has written many books on Religion and Spirituality.  Some would say he is among Australia's most prophetic voices on the topic of Spirituality.  He sees us in a spiritual revolution.  Churches are emptying and traditional forms of faith are being abandoned.  Yet there is emerging other trends.    What is happening to our society?  What do the changes around us tell us about our beliefs, our needs, and where we are headed?  The book is fairly intellectual, but engaging real life issues.    Fr Mick

Open Mind Open Heart- the Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel by Thomas Keating

This is Keating's introduction book to Contemplative Prayer - what is it and how does one engage in it?
It is simple in words - but challenging to do.    I am a real fan of Thomas Keating, he has been the main person who has lead me to pray in a Contemplative way and to begin to grow into a Contemplative outlook regards life.   Fr Mick

Peter Calvay Hermit - A personal Rediscovery of Prayer.

This book is written as a novel.   A 'burnt out priest' goes away for a rest and has these talks with a man that carries great mystery around him.     The man leads the priest to rediscover prayer and find life again within his vocation. 
This book was a turning point in my life.  It is good story and readable for all ages - but within it is also an invitation for the reader to rediscover the meaning of personal prayer with God.       Fr Mick






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