Advice on Dyslexia An Article

An Article Advice on Dyslexia

This might end up being a long and rambling article. It grew out of a request from an author for info to help his granddaughter who had just been diagnosed. Please feel free to share with any family and friends as needed. 

First this is my story: Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict. I have also written about How I Read So Much, now. In summary I failed grade one, was tested and they did not find it, and then repeated grade 1. In grade 2 I was still really struggling. The teacher pushed for me to be retested and it was discovered. This was in the mid-seventies. I was lucky in that I lived in a University town and had the same clinic and same doctor do my testing from 1976 to when I started university in 1988.

 

The big change for me was a private summer school I went to, 8 hours a day for my whole summer break. I did reading both mornings and afternoons and my next brother down did reading in the mornings and math in the afternoons. Once I learned to read it was whole worlds I never knew existed and I have been addicted since. 

 

My tips for where to start with supporting someone diagnosed with dyslexia. For dyslexia is a genre of diseases, it its much like having the flu, the symptoms and what helps could vary greatly from person to person. When I was in school what is today dyscalculia was often part of dyslexia and dyslexia treatment. 

 

The first place I would start would be a vision assessment with a developmental optometrist. For example Vue3, which we used for our son for eye tracking issues.  Sometimes other vision issues are misdiagnosed as dyslexia. But a through process here will help any other steps whether it is dyslexia or not.

 

Second I would test reading strips, There are different styles and colour. You want to test isolating the sentence being read and highlighting it. Different people work better with different colours. I do better with blues and purples. My son was yellows and reds. 

 

Third, combine audio with reading. I often use adaptive technology to listen to books, or listen while reading. Sometimes I have it reading from one device and mike highlights and notes on a second. 

 

This one is not specific to dyslexia but will help develop other skills and make the overall process learning. To be up front my wife works there, and all three of our children have gone there. Breakthroughs in Learning & Careers. Their therapy can be done remotely and some of the success stories on the website are amazing. Including the owners, as it was founded as his mother needed a way to help him and his brother. 

 

A book I have heard great things about is The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L Eide. Another is Ben Foss The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. I have not read either of these but heard good things. I have read and reviewed this one, living lexi': a walk in the life of a dyslexic by Shelley Trammell. 

 

My main advice would be to try anything you hear about, keep what works, and drop what doesn’t. And advocate, advocate, advocate it was advocates who got me going on a new path, all the way back to that teacher in grade 2. Advocate for assistance in school. By high school I had exams in a separate room, with 1.5 time. I also had it in university and by then was able to do my exams on a computer with the extra time. When I returned to school as a mature student I often did not use all or occasionally some of the extra time. Keep it anyways, better to have it and not need it then not have it. 

 

Also there are many famous people who have or had dyslexia. The list includes Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, Cher, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Winkler and many more.

 

Henry Winkler even wrote a series of books about his experience growing up with dyslexia. The first was Niagara Falls, or Does It?. Which was done as a TV series in the UK, Hank Zipzer. The book and show really capture what it is like living with dyslexia. Well worth reading with her or watching it with her. 

 

If anyone wants to have a conversation I am happy to be a sounding board.

Other Articles About being a Dyslexic Bibliophile:
Who Am I? Who Am I? -2008
Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict - 2009
Steven R. McEvoy Interview - 2012
2014 My Goals
Confession of a Dyslexic Bibliophile - eBooks, Regional Rights and More

Steven R. McEvoy Q & A IT Employee Spotlight

How I Read So Much? 

Advice on Dyslexia An Article

...

Visions of Hope Reflections for Chronic Patients Based on the Stations of the Cross - Eva Déli and Mark O'Malley

Visions of Hope 

Reflections for Chronic Patients 

Based on the Stations of the Cross 

Eva Déli 

Mark O'Malley

Resource Publications

Glenn L. Monson (forward)

ISBN 9781725270039

eISBN 9781725269958

ASIN B089ZNW9BP

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 Stations I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them over the 46 days Lent, and I as many as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered while researching for reviews of other stations. I ordered it as picked it up as soon I saw it. This one is very different from the others. It is the first I have read not written by a catholic or published by a Catholic publisher. I was unaware of that when I picked it up. I have a few issues with it, it mentions Karma including trying to show karma in the New Testament. It speaks about and promotes yoga, which I have written about before. As I was reading, I thought I know a few people struggling with illness you might benefit from the long reflections on each station, my opinion had changed; I would not recommend it. 

The description of this stations is:

“Growing evidence indicates that spiritual practices enhance personal resilience under challenging circumstances. Combining the wisdom of the Bible (stations) with modern considerations of positive psychology, Visions of Hope is a practical guide map for chronic patients. The symbolic framework of the stations of the cross serves in the examination and understanding of the challenging facets of chronic diseases, such as the trials of despair, suffering, and the hope of redemption. The book does not shy away from discussing the most difficult questions the reader might face, including the need to face death and what happens after we die. Original illustrations by the author, classic poetry, and quotes from the Bible and other religious and spiritual texts bring the content into a sharper focus for the reader in an aesthetically pleasing and meaningful volume. This is a book you will want to keep and share with family and friends throughout the disease process.” 

About the authors we are informed:

“Eva Deli is an artist-scientist and author of the 2015 book, The Science of Consciousness, with an extensive background in cancer and consciousness research. Illustrations in this volume reflect her semi-abstract artwork, which can be found at evadeli.com. Mark O'Malley is a practicing physician with over forty years of medical experience. The book's up-to-date and comprehensive overview of chronic disease management reflects his generous contribution.”

and

“Glenn Monson is an active pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He received his MDiv from Luther-Northwestern Theo. Seminary, St. Paul, MN in 1991, and his DMin in Preaching from the Lutheran School of Theo. at Chicago in 2003. His blog, Law and Gospel Everywhere, and his first book, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, have been used by pastors globally, seeking a clearer understanding of Law and Gospel preaching. His collection of devotions, Quarantining With God, was written for congregational members during the first year of the corona virus pandemic.”

and 

“Mark O'Malley is a practicing physician with over forty years of medical experience. The book's up-to-date and comprehensive overview of chronic disease management reflects his generous contribution.”

The chapters and sections in this book are:

List of Poetry

Foreword by Glenn L. Monson

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Station I: Jesus Is Condemned

Station II: Jesus Takes up His Cross

                 The Power of Acceptance

Station III: Jesus Falls for the First Time

                 Diet, Exercise and the Mind-body Connection

Station IV: Jesus Meets His Mother

Station V: Simon the Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

                 The Varied Effects of Stress

Station VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

                 Cultivating Your Spirituality

Station VII: Jesus Falls the Second Time

                 Pain

                 Depression

Station VIII: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

                 Trust in Your Closeness to God

Station IX: Jesus Falls for the Third Time

                 Overcoming the Fear of Death

Station X: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Station XI: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

Station XII: Jesus Dies On the Cross

                 Prayer

Station XIII: Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross

Station XIV: Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb

                 Questions of Afterlife

Station XV: Hope

                 Spontaneous Remission

Afterword

Bibliography

Resources

A stations are on average 6 pages and as seen by the contents some have supplemental articles or essays. The art work is excellent, I believe they are woodcuts. Though the author mentions in the forward having done a series of paper mache projects for the stations. 

A few quotes I highlighted were:

“Following the Second World War, a better understanding of human physiology, the discovery of DNA, vaccinations, and other breakthrough research led to optimism and belief in the power of modern medicine. The appearance of novel diseases, such as AIDS, SARS, ebola, and others, has poured cold water on that optimism. Although chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and surgery substantially extended the survival of cancer patients, the complexity of the underlying mechanisms has made progress in treatment more challenging than initially thought.

“The Stations of the Cross are a Christian tradition about Jesus’ last hours of humiliation and horrendous suffering before his execution on Golgotha. This was in 2005; I had just completed a paper collage series on the Stations. In light of my friend’s declining health, the haunting images of the Stations acquired a new meaning of the tortuous trajectory of chronic diseases. My motivation to present the Stations in a book form was solidified ten years later, after watching my mother’s health slowly decline and succumb to multiple myeloma, a type of cancer.”

“Jesus suffers three increasingly difficult falls on his route to crucifixion. Each fall symbolizes his increasing weariness, pain, and dependence on others. The first fall represents the confused, disoriented state following diagnosis and its initial setbacks. The second fall is the depression and discouragement brought about by the side effects of chemotherapy, surgery, etc. and their toll on the human body. This includes the sequelae of the disease, such as secondary tumors, infections, and the associated stress, depression, and other problems. The third fall symbolizes the physical and mental exhaustion that precedes the acceptance of death.”

“The last station, not part of the original series, is hope. Hope is inherent in every human being and even in every living creature. Life, especially for those with chronic disease, withers without sustaining inspiration.”

“Such contemplations reflect the intuitive belief in karma, which implies that our life represents the visible surface of some deeper forces. In Eastern philosophy, karma, the idea that the intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect), is a crucial concept. 

In the Gospels, several examples refer to karma, such as Galatians 6:7 (NIV). Luke 8:17 writes, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed; nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” While many illnesses can be blamed on heredity or environmental factors, most often, these investigations remain futile. Getting through the first painful shock of being face-to-face with death triggers a change of habits and beliefs; it forces a reevaluation of relationships and a way of life.”

“Meditation and Yoga practice: Meditation is a prime example of controlling one’s thoughts to create emotional neutrality and equanimity.”

“Breathing, an integral part of yoga practice and meditation, can relax and detoxify the body. Yoga is an Eastern spiritual practice that aims to create a sense of inner union through physical postures and proper breathing. The in and out rhythm of breath is a very familiar activity, which can become meditative, calming, and relaxing. Conscious breathing sends impulses from the cortex, which has an impact on emotions.”

I began Lent in 2026 with 10 Stations I had not prayed. This marks the twenty-fourth new stations I have worked through. Most of the rest get 5/5 Stras, a few got 4/5 stars. This one ended up on the ‘did not finish pile’. Because of the concerns highlighted above I give up part way into the 8th station.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this volume. I was really looking forward to it and even saved it to read on Good Friday. I was disappointed. 

Note: For all Stations of the Cross review click here. 

Wise Home - A.K. Frailey - Wise Home Book 1

Wise Home 

Wise Home Book 1

A.K. Frailey

Laura Frailey (Illustrator)

Rebekah Frailey (Illustrator)

A. K. Frailey Books

ISBN  ‎ 979-8994596517

eISBN 9798994596500

ASIN B0GHPP4M9N

Wow! A stunning first novel in a new series from the masterful pen of Frailey. And the debut of two illustrators.

I have read much of Ann’s work. Both her fiction and non-fiction. This book marks the fifteenth time I have read a story by her. I always look forward to when a new title is available from Frailey and this first in a new series is excellent. 

The beginning of the description of this volume states:

“An enchanting family story told from an older woman’s perspective about her childhood during the years she spent on a farm with her Great Aunt Wilda on the outskirts of a midwestern town. While exploring the wonders of the woodlands, she discovered an animal community and formed friendships that taught her the meaning of wisdom and the value of home.”

About the author we are informed:

“A. K. Frailey taught elementary education in Milwaukee. WI: Chicago. IL: Los Angeles. CA; and Wood River. IL. She also trained teachers In the Philippines for the Peace Corps and later earned a Master or Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment from Full Sail University. Ann homeschooled all her children and currently manages her rural homestead with her family and their numerous critters. In her spare time, she serves as an election judge and secretary/treasurer or her small town's cemetery.”

About the illustrators:

“Laura Frailey graduated from Greenville University in 2025 with a BS in social work and a BA in Spanish. She completed her Master of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys painting with a variety of media. including watercolors, acrylics, and oil pastels, with a focus on the whimsical side of nature, color, and fantasy. When not creating art. she enjoys gardening and long-distance running. Wise Home is her first collection of published illustrations.”

and

“Rebekah Frailey graduated from Greenville University In 2025 with a Bachelor of

Arts in History. She enjoys drawing, painting, putting together complex puzzles,

Hiking, and running. Wise Home is her first collection of published Illustrations.”

This story is excellent. I read it one afternoon over a large mug of tea. I could not stop thinking about it so the next day I listened to it using adaptive technology and loved it even more the second time through. I have said before that Frailey’s works remind me of Madeleine L’Engle. Especially how she writes across so many genres in fiction and her non-fiction. This new offering illustrated by her daughters could easily become a children’s classic. This specific story reminded me of L’Engle’s The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, but also of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and but also elements of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and Richard Adams’s Watership Down. In the past I have always had mixed reaction to talking animals or anthropomorphic animals. So often it has been done badly as authors try and capture something others have done but miss the mark. That was not the case this time. Frailey did an excellent job with this story and a second has already been announced; Wise Home on Lily Pad Pond. And to be honest I hope it is a long series with many more offerings to come from the trio of Frailey ladies. 

The illustrations are an interesting mix of full colour and greyscale. I would say they are a mix of watercolours, pencil sketches and maybe one of the squirrel drawings is charcoal work. 

It is an interesting beginning to a story. It feels like a coming of age story. It is an intergenerational family story. And it is a magical story with talking animals. From early on we know that Great Aunt Wilda knows more than she lets on. But she allows the adventure to unfold. It is a story about friendship and learning a friends history and story even if that friend is feline, also learning about the community in the fields and woods nearby, and it is about finding your place in the world. Even if you are putting the pieces together slowly. 

This was a very enjoyable story. I could not read when I was younger because of dual form of dyslexia. When I did learn to read I found all these worlds I never knew existed. And I have been addicted to reading since. This is a world I would have loved when younger, and would have even loved sharing with my children when they were younger. It is a very moving story and the beginning of what looks like a great series. This is a great book I can recommend for the young, for those who read to the young, or the young at heart! It leaves you desperate for the next instalment.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by A.K. Frailey:

The Adventures of Tally Ho

It Might Have Been: And Other Stories

Encounter Science Fiction Short Stories and Novella

One Day At A Time And Other Stories

Homestead

For Me?

…

Old Earth Series:

OldEarth ARAM Encounter

OldEarth Ishtar Encounter

OldEarth Neb Encounter

OldEarth Georgios Encounter

OldEarth Melchior Encounter

…

New Earth Series:

The Last of Her Kind

NewEarth: Justine Awakens

NewEarth A Hero's Crime

NewEarth Progeny 

NewEarth Relevance

...

Oldtown Series:

Fly, Sparrow, Fly

Brothers Born

…

Wise Home Series:

Wise Home

Wise Home on Lily Pad Pond

…

Non-Fiction:

The Road Goes Ever On: A Christian Journey Through the Lord of the Rings

My Road Goes Ever On Spiritual Being Human Journey

     *Formerly Heart Beats: Spiritual Being Human Journey

My Road Goes Ever On A Timeless Journey

My Road Goes Ever On Rise Again 

Hope's Embrace & Other Poems

…

Note: Old series that got reworked into other series:

Deliverance Series:

ARAM

Ishtar's Redemption: Trial by Fire

NEB the Great: Shadows of the Past

…

Hidden Heritage Series:

Georgios

Georgios II - A Chosen People

…

The Way of the Cross - All You Drink of this - The Liturgical Press - Popular Liturgical Library

The Way of the Cross 

All You Drink of This Popular Liturgical Library

Clemens Schmidt (Illustrator)

The Liturgical Press

ISBN 9780814606643

ISBN 0814606644

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 Stations I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them this Lent, and I added a few as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered while researching for reviews of other stations. I ordered it as soon as I saw it. It is one of a few versions of this devotion available from the Liturgical Press, only half of which have eBook editions, this is not one of them.

The description of this stations is:

“Practically every phrase in THE WAY OF THE CROSS has been culled from Biblical and liturgical sources. Consequently the reflections and prayers are dignified and substantial. Wherever this form has been introduced, it has received the most hearty approval.

The Stations are interspersed with stanzas from the Stabat Mater set to the traditional melody. Large and clear type makes the booklet eminently suitable for congregational use. The words of the Benediction chants are added.” 

Another states:

“33 page 3 3/4"x6" pocket size booklet. Contents: Entrance Song, Preparatory Prayer, 14 Stations of the Cross, Concluding Prayer, Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. Biblical and liturgical texts make up this booklet, illustrated with woodcuts by Clemens Schmidt. Used at home and in the parish assembly, this publication has been a favorite for decades. Adapted from the Old Latin Compilation of Liturgical and Biblical Texts. Revised, Second Edition.”

The sections in this booklet are:

Entrance Song

Indulgence Attached to the Way of the Cross

Preparatory Prayers

First Station Jesus is Condemned to Death

Second Station Jesus Takes Up His Cross 

Third Station Jesus Falls the First Under the Cross

Fourth Station Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother 

Fifth Station Simon of Cyrene Is Forced to Take Up the Cross 

Sixth Station Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus 

Seventh Station Jesus Falls a Second Time 

Eighth Station Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem 

Ninth Station Jesus Falls a Third Time 

Tenth Station Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Eleventh Station Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross 

Twelfth Station Jesus Dies on The Cross 

Thirteenth Station The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Arms of His Mother 

Fourteenth Station Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

Concluding prayer

Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament

Psalm 116

A sample station is:

“THIRD STATION

Jesus Falls the First Under the Cross 

V. We adore you, 0 Christ, and we praise you.

R. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, even to death on the Cross. That is why God exalted him above every creature, and gave him a name that is above all other names. Come, let us adore and bow down in worship before God; let us weep in the presence of the Lord who made us, for he is indeed the Lord our God.

V. Surely he has borne our infirmities.

R. And he has carried our sorrows.

Let Us Pray

Almighty God and Father,/ we confess

that we are weak /and that we often fail

in the midst of trials and sufferings. /

Through the merits of the passion, death,

and resurrection of Christ, your only begotten

Son, / give us new courage and

hope. / This we ask in Jesus' Name, who

lives and reigns for ever. Amen.

GRACIOUS MOTHER, FONT OF LOVE,

TOUCH MY SPIRIT FROM ABOVE,

MAKE MY HEART WITH YOURS ACCORD.”

I hope that sample station give you a feel for this version of this devotion. I loved the wood cuts used to represent each station, And could see even using them for meditation with other stations that do not have images or just simple crosses. 

It is a pretty basic Way of the Cross. It is small and reasonably priced. I would be a great resource for parish use, or use in a small group, or personal devotion. I try and pray a Stations each Friday throughout the year, and every day during Lent. I do see myself returning to this one occasionally, but if a digital edition because available it would be one I used more often. I did benefit from praying through it and am glad I tracked it down.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!  For all Stations of the Cross review click here. 

Praying the Stations with Pope John Paul II - Bill Huebsch

Praying the Stations with Pope John Paul II 

Bill Huebsch 

Twenty-Third Publications

ISBN 978-0896225510

ISBN 0896225518

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them this Lent, and I added a few as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. Of the 10 I started with 6 were from Twenty-Third Publications, and while researching the first review I found a few others I am interested in. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered previously had already. I read this during holy week in 2026, and it marks the 21st new Stations I have worked through this lent. I left it to the end because of issues with another from the author. I have read a few not part of this series from them as well. I really loved Praying the Stations Mary’s Way of the Cross, by Richard G. Furey CSsR and picked up several others in this series. But I was fairly disappointed in Praying the Stations with Saint John XXIII by Bill Huebsch; so had sort of ignored them the past few years. 

This is the twelfth of the Stations of the Cross I have read from Twenty-Third Publications in the ‘Praying the Stations with …’ series, and also other Stations from them. Originally published in 1993 with the first edition from Twenty-Third Publications the one I tracked down was from a third printing in 2007. 

I do not have a description of this volume for none of the used copies online have a description, and the edition I got did not have a back cover. Using the WayBack machine I found this minimalist description: 

“This is a Scripture way of the cross based on the stations preferred by John Paul II. Each station is based on actual Scriptural passages and each is beautifully written. Highly recommended.” 

About the author we are informed:

“Bill Huebsch is a husband, an author, a gardener, an advocate for the poor, and a bit of a monk. He studied philosophy in college and theology in grad school. He worked in the textbook divisions of both Macmillan-McGraw Hill and Harcourt, and he's the retired president and publisher of Twenty-Third Publications in New London, CT. In retirement he served on the adjunct faculty of the IPS at Loyola Chicago where he taught grad level courses.

He is deeply engaged with Common Hope and serves on their Board of Directors. Common Hope serves the abandoned and poor families of Guatemala with education, housing, medical needs, and life-coaching.

He writes about spirituality as it emerges in daily life, whether among friends at dinner, in the garden, or in a chapel. He has a couple of dozen books in print, and he always leaves his readers profoundly inspired. He brings humor and hope to his presentations and provides people with practical tools for just living!.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Introduction

Opening Prayer

The First Station Jesus Prays in the Garden of Olives

The Second Station Jesus Is Betrayed by Judas

The Third Station Jesus Is Condemned to Death by the Sanhedrin

The Fourth Station Jesus Is Denied by Peter

The Fifth Station Jesus Is Judged by Pilate

The Sixth Station Jesus Is Flogged and Crowned with Thorns

The Seventh Station Jesus Carries His Cross

The Eighth Station Jesus Is Helped by Simon of Cyrene

The Ninth Station Jesus Encounters the Women of Jerusalem

The Tenth Station Jesus Is Crucified

The Eleventh Station Jesus Promises to Share His Reign with the Good Thief

The Twelfth Station Jesus Is on the Cross, with His Mother and Disciple Below

The Thirteenth Station Jesus Dies on the Cross

The Fourteenth Station Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb

A sample Station for this edition:

“The Third Station

Jesus Is Condemned to

Death by the Sanhedrin

Announcement of the Station

Leader The Third Station: Jesus is condemned to death by the Sanhedrin

Dialogue

Leader Let us enter into the Death of the Lord

All Whose suffering led him to Grace

Leader Let us take up our Cross

All Let us follow the way of the Lord

Proclamation of the Word (Mark 14:56, 61–64)

Leader A reading from the Gospel of Mark

Many people gave false evidence against Jesus, but their stories did not agree. Finally, the high priest asked him, “Are you Christ, Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Human Son seated at the right hand of the Power, coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.

Responsorial Psalm (36:1–4)

All Sinners listen to evil deep in their hearts;

they have no awe in the face of Divine Presence.

For they lie to themselves so well

that they can no longer recognize or hate

their own sin.

Whatever they say is foolish or false.

They have ceased to act wisely and do good.

They plot their sins while lying awake at night.

I tell you, they are set on a way that is horrible

and they do not reject evil.

Reflection

Leader O God, we are sometimes so reluctant to admit that we are also part of Christ, part of the Blessed One. Take away the fear that we will be condemned as Jesus was. Help us not be ashamed to claim Christ as our own.

A momentary, sacred pause…

Communal Prayer

All O God, we know that you are with us; you behold all we

do and say. Grant that, by the light of your Holy Spirit,

we might be earnest as we search for truth, and fair in our

judgments of others. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

I should not have one I disagreed with stop me from reading others for so long. I really enjoyed this volume.  I will state again; I am impressed with Stations I have tracked down from Twenty-Third Publications, both the currently in print and older titles that are out of print. I have benefitted from all of them. I wish that a digital edition was available. I know several people I would recommend it to. I have dyslexia and prefer eBooks, my son has eye tracking issues and our deacon has low vision. eBooks would be a better option for all three of us and many more.

I try to pray a Stations each Friday throughout the year, and every day during Lent. I do see myself returning to this one occasionally, but if a digital edition were available it would be one I used more often. I did benefit from praying through it and believe it would be great for personal or corporate use.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!  For all Stations of the Cross reviews click here. 

Books in the Praying The Stations With Series:

A Way of Reconciliation for Teens - Colleen Rainone 

Praying the Stations for Healing - David M. Knight 

Praying the Stations of the Cross for Seniors -  John van Bemmel 

Stations of the Cross for Older Adults - John Van Bemmel  

Praying the Stations for the Suffering, Ill, and Disabled - Holly B. Clark 

Praying the Stations Mary’s Way of the Cross

    aka Praying the Stations With Mary the Mother of Jesus – Richard Furey 

Praying the Stations of Mercy with Pope Francis - Bill Huebsch 

Stations of the Cross for Today's Disciples - Sr. Christine Kreshko 

Praying the Stations with Catechists - Gwen Costello  

Praying the Stations with Children - Gwen Costello  

Praying the Stations with Faith and Courage - Richard Gribble 

Praying the Stations with John Paul II – Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Pope Francis - Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Saint John XXIII - Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Seniors – John Van Bemmel 

Praying the Stations with Teenagers - Gwen Costello 

Praying the Stations with Young Children - Diane Abajian 

Stations of the Cross for Today's Disciples - Christine Kresho 

The Mystery of the Cross: Praying the Stations with Pope Francis - David M. Knight 

Walking the Via Dolorosa Today - Laurin J. Wenig 

…

Other Stations from Twenty-Third Publications:

A Mother's Way of the Cross - Deborah McCann 

A Personal Way of the Cross - Isaias Powers 

An Illustrated Stations of the Cross - James Nisbet 

Stations of Hope: Praying the Stations of the Cross for Today - Father David M. Knight 

Stations of Strength Praying the Stations of the Cross in Times of Suffering - Alice Camille 

The People of the Way of the Cross - Marci Alborghetti 

The Stations of the Resurrection - Sister Catherine Duenne 

The Way of the Cross - William V Coleman 

The Way of the Cross for Parents - Susan Jones 

Via Lucis the Way of Light Praying the Stations of the Resurrection - Glenn Byer 

Walking with Jesus on the Way to Calvary - Kathy McGovern 

Way of Cross Religion Teachers - Gwen Costello 

...

That You May Have Life: Let the Mystics Be Your Guide for Lent - John J. Kirvan - Great Spiritual Teachers

That You May Have Life: 

Let the Mystics Be Your Guide for Lent 

Great Spiritual Teachers

John J. Kirvan

Ave Maria Press

ISBN 9780877936381 

ISBN 0877936382

This is the seventeenth volume in the Great Spiritual Teachers series I have read, it is one of the ones that is currently out of print. It is one of the last titles in the original editions of this series, it was originally released in 1998. I believe it was not part of either rebranding’s the series has gone through, in the early 2000’s and again start in 2024. Two Years ago I read my first book in the series, it was Born to Do This: 30 Days with Joan of Arc by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, and loved it and the concept of the series. I have read one almost every month since that first one, and if I can track down all the out of print, will do so until I finish all 24 released to date in the series. This one was harder to track down but well worth the effort.

The description of this volume states:

“This forty-day intinerary through the Lenten season provides an opportunity to experience the great spiritual tradition of Lent under the direction of revered spiritual teachers such as Julian of Norwich, Francis of Assisi, and Teresa of Avila.”

The back of the physical book states:

“"I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” Lent is an opportunity to discover anew the meaning of these words of Jesus—to reach for a life beyond self, beyond sin, beyond suffering—ultimately to discover a life beyond death. Here's an opportunity to experience the great spiritual tradition of Lent under the direction of revered spiritual teachers such as Julian of Norwich, Francis of Assisi, and Teresa of Avila.

-♦♦♦♦♦-

Lent is not only a reminder, but a continual summons.

John Paul II.”

About the series we are informed:

“Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. For each day there is a brief and accessible morning meditation drawn from the mystic's writings, a simple mantra for use throughout the day, and a night prayer to focus one's thoughts as the day ends. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.”

I believe there are 17 volumes in this series currently in print, but only 15 of those have digital editions. There are also a number that are currently out of print, The oldest I have seen are from the late 1980’s and it looks like they went through a rebranding and format change in the mid 00’s, and they have undergone yet another rebranding in the 2020’s including some new titles available in the series. 

I must admit I do not recall running across this series prior to that first volume on Joan. I have however added all of them to my ‘to be read list’. I love the all recent rebranding, and hope Ave Maria completes the rebranding across all volumes including another newly released title on Oscar Romero in 2026. I hope also that Ave Maria brings back into print some of the volumes currently not available; specifically the volumes on John of the Cross, Evelyn Underhill, Mother Theresa and others. This specific volume was released in 2021, making it one of the oldest in the series. 

This volume is a little different than all the others I have encountered in the series. First it is not 30 days and second it is not 1 spiritual teacher. The sections in this volume are:

How to Pray This Book 

These Forty Days

Called to Life: Hildegard of Bingen 

Life Beyond Sin: Julian of Norwich 

Life Beyond Repentance: Meister Eckhart 

Life Beyond Self: Francis de Sales 

Life Beyond Things: Thomas a Kempis 

Life Beyond Riches: Francis of Assisi 

Life Beyond Suffering: Teresa of Avila 

Life Beyond Death: John Chrysostom

At the very beginning of this book is two quotes:

“I have come that you might have life and have it mote abundantly.”

John 10:10

“Lent is not only a reminder, but a continual summons.”

John Paul II

Both really struck me before I even began reading. The first was a verse that helped me return to the church man, many years ago, hand marked in an upper corner of a used Bible in a used Bookstore. I prefer the whole verse not just this second part of it. Go look it up it is worth quoting in the entirety!

While reading this I numerous passages, some of them are:

“The purpose of this book is to open a new gateway into one of the great spiritual traditions of western Christianity, the observance of Lent, forty days of preparation for celebrating the central mystery of Christianity—the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a time to contemplate the inescapable connection between new life and our death to what has only seemed like life.”

“Obviously this is not a book for mere reading. It is a summons to new life. Rather than just engaging us in an act of spiritual and liturgical memory, or inviting us to repeat Lent as a season of familiar routines, this book is designed to take us along a path of meditation and prayer to a life beyond where we are. It is a guide through a series of small deaths blossoming in new life.”

“Just remember that this book is meant to free your spirit, not confine it. If on any day the reading does not resonate well for you, turn elsewhere to find a passage which seems to best fit the spirit of your day and your soul. Don't hesitate to repeat a day as often as you like until you feel that you have discovered what the Spirit, through the words of the author, has to say to your spirit.”

“The format employs the three forms of prayer central to the western spiritual tradition: the lesson, the meditation, and the petition. Or if you prefer, reading, reflection, and prayer. So for the forty days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday there is a daily reading for the start of each day selected from the works of the great mystics. There follows a meditation in the form of a mantra to carry with you for reflection throughout the day. And there is a final petitionary prayer for bringing your day to closure.”

“In the dying of this day help me to glimpse the first light of a new day and the beginnings of a new life. Help me to understand how great is your love for all of us, your children. You sent your only Son to the cross to bring back the lost sheep, to bring me back to where I belong, to a new life in the arms of your compassion.”

“Your gifts of love and justice are not meant to be hoarded, but to be multiplied, to be passed through our lives into the lives of everyone in reach of our hands and our hearts, everyone you have called to life.”

“Sin is the sharpest scourge that can strike anyone's spirit. It makes us loathsome in our own sight, until the Holy Spirit's touch moves us to contrition and turns bitterness into hope in God's mercy”

“Turn bitterness into hope in your mercy. Heal my wounds, revive my spirit, and return me to life. Lord, reach out to me when I seem to myself to be forsaken and cast away on account of my sins.”

“His mercy is at work within us.”

“Let me wake to your love's compassionate eye, your mercy at work within me. I know that I will certainly fail and my failure may be frightful, my dying wretched, but in your mercy preserve me.”

“Divine repentance is entirely different. There, not content with ourselves, we rise up at once to God, and we turn our backs on all sin with an adamant will.”

“For to be forgiven much is to love much, as our Lord Jesus pointed out, and God's forgiveness, like his love, is a cup filled to the point of running over.”

“Thinking that God is far away can cause great damage to your soul. For whether you are fleeing God or returning to him, God never leaves you. God is always present, always knocking at the door.”

“We cannot be angels, but we can serve God as who and what we are.

And he, in his patience, will accept what we have to offer.”

“It was by patient suffering that you saved us. Let me understand that I can expect nothing different. I will not be able to pick my trials, but will have to bear in patience whatever comes my way. Let me borrow your patience.”

“Use the things of this world, but put your trust in what is yet to be.”

“When has it ever gone well for us without God's grace? And when has it not been well for us when God was present?”

“God is our hope, our trust, our comfort, our most faithful friend. It is better to be poor with God than rich without him.”

“To trust in God, above all things, is the only comfort we need.”

“It is one thing to reproach the world and the things it offers us, to recognize them as vain and treacherous. It is quite another thing to turn our backs on them, to resist the pull of our passions, our vanity, our pride, our thirst for easy comfort.”

“To follow Christ is to deny self.”

“For my part, I believe that our love is measured by the crosses we carry.”

“As for me, given a choice, I would always choose the way of suffering, not just because it allows me to imitate the way of Jesus, but because it brings many other blessings with it. We cannot understand how suffering can be a grace, and how great a blessing it is, until we have left all things.”

Each day follows the same format with three main sections:

MY DAY BEGINS: “As the day begins set aside a quiet moment in a quiet place to do the reading provided for the day

The passages are short; they never run more than a couple of hundred words. They have been carefully selected, though, to give a spiritual focus, a spiritual center to your whole day. They are designed to remind you, as another day begins, of your own existence at a spiritual level. They are meant to put you in the presence of the spiritual master who is your companion and teacher on this journey. This is especially true of this journey with Catherine of Siena. The readings are her report of God’s words to her, God’s side of the dialogue. And since the purpose of the passage is to remind you that at every moment during you are in the presence of a God who invites you continually, but quietly, to live in and through him, what better source than the words of God himself?”

ALL THROUGH YOUR DAY: “Immediately following the day’s reading you will find a single sentence, a meditation in the form of a mantra, a phrase meant as a companion for your spirit as it moves through a busy day. Write it down on a 3" x 5" card or on the appropriate page of your daybook. Look at it as often as you can. Repeat it quietly to yourself, and go on your way.

It is not meant to stop you in your tracks or to distract you from responsibilities but simply, gently, to remind you of the presence of God and your desire to respond to this presence.”

MY DAY IS ENDING: “This is a time for letting go of the day, for entering a world of imaginative prayer … This exercise is not meant to last more than a few minutes. End it when you are comfortable doing so. It has two parts. The first, in keeping with Catherine’s model, is a personal response to the words spoken by God in the day’s reading. Just as God has spoken to you, so you speak to God. Second, you are invited to turn to the familiarity of a prayer based on Catherine’s own words. It is an act of trust and confidence, an entryway into peaceful sleep, a simple evening prayer that gathers together the spiritual character of the day that is now ending as it began—in the presence of God.

It is a time for summary and closure.”

A sample day is:

“DAY 13

 My Day Begins 

Many people think 

that to show their sorrow for sin 

they must do extraordinary things, 

such as fasting, walking barefoot, and the like. 

The best penitence, however, 

is to turn away completely 

from all that is not God and not divine, 

whether it be in yourself 

or some other person, place, or thing.

True repentance 

is approaching God 

in love

and squarely facing up 

to what you have done.

Choose your own way of doing this, 

and discover that the more you do it, 

the more real your repentance will become.

True conversion 

is like our Lord's passion.

The more you imitate it 

the more your sins will fall away.

All Through The Day

To truly repent, approach God in love.

My Day Is Ending

In the dying of this day 

help me to glimpse 

the first light of a new day 

and the beginnings of a new life.

If true repentance is a

approaching you in love 

and squarely facing up 

to what I have done, 

then hear the prayers, t

he truths of my heart, 

that I whisper here 

in the dark silence of this night, 

where I am alone—and open—with you.”

Wow! This was the last of the original volumes in this series published between 1995 and 1998. And it is an excellent read. I have now read 17 books in this series from the 24 I believe have ever been in print. And this is one of the best. Over Lent in 2026 I read a few books, and I really looked forward to pulling this one out each day. As mentioned it is different from the others in the series but the format is the same and it makes a wonderful Lent resource! 

I really loved this volume and really wish it was in print and available digitally. I know a half dozen people I would give it to immediately for them to work through next Lent! I hope those quotes and the sample day give you a feel for this volume. I am very thankful I was able to track a copy of this one down. 

I have benefited from every volume I have read and I have completed more than half of the series. I have now read 16 volumes in this series, and currently working on a seventeenth I can state this is another great offering in the series. I find that some speak to me more than others. I can state I benefited from the month with each person being profiled, and this time with a number of Saints over Lent. And if I went back and did a volume again at a different point or season in life I might interact with it differently. And if this became available digitally would be one of the first I returned to the next Lent. I already plan to circle back to the volume on Joan and some of the others and reread them once I have completed the series.

This is a great read, it is one I really enjoyed reading. I can easily recommend this volume, if you can track it down, and the series as a whole, and I look forward to reading others in the series. If you have not given any in this series a try this would be an excellent starting point or whichever one seems to call to you.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books in the Great Spiritual Teachers Series:

Abide in love: the Gospel spirituality of John the Evangelist – John Kirvan 

All Will Be Well - Julian of Norwich and John Kirvan 

Born to Do This - Joan of Arc and Jaymie Stuart Wolfe 

Come into the Silence - Thomas Merton 

Draw Ever Closer - Henri J. M. Nouwen and Robert M. Hamma  

Fear Not the Night - John of the Cross and John Kirvan 

God Awaits You Based on the Classic Spirituality of Meister - Richard Chilson 

Grace Through Simplicity - Evelyn Underhill and John Kirvan 

Hope Without Borders: 30 Days with Frances Xavier Cabrini - Amy J. Cattapan   

Let Nothing Disturb You - Teresa of Avila and John Kirvan  

Let There Be Light - Hildegard of Bingen and John Kirvan  

Living in the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence and John Kirvan 

Love Without Measure - Mother Teresa and John Kirvan 

Peace of Heart - Saint Francis of Assisi and John Kirvan 

Rejoice in the Lord - Augustine of Hippo and Trenton Mattingly  

Set Aside Every Fear - Catherine of Siena and John Kirvan  

Set Your Heart Free - Francis de Sales and John Kirvan 

Simply Surrender - Thérèse of Lisieux, Caroline Myss and John Kirvan    

That you may have life: let the mystics be your guide for Lent - John Kirvan 

True Serenity - Thomas a Kempis and John Kirvan  

We Are Beloved - Thea Bowman and Karianna Frey MS 

Where Only Love Can Go - The Cloud of Unknowing and John Kirvan  

You Shall Not Want: The Psalms - Richard Chilson 

...

The Way of the Passion: 40 Stations with Jesus - Julien Chilcott-Monk

The Way of the Passion

Forty Stations With Jesus

Julien Chilcott-Monk

Pauline Books & Media

ISBN 9780819883483

eISBN 9780819883490

ASIN B0CH4DTBYQ

I try and pray a stations of the cross each Friday throughout the year and each day over Lent. I had picked up this one a few years back, but had not got around to reading it yet. At the beginning of Lent I found I had 10 Stations of the Cross that I had collected but had not worked through. Now during Holy week, I have finished 20 new stations and still have 4 to go. This one is very different but I do include it as a special Stations and a volume well worth working through. 

The description of this book is:

“Spend some time with Christ this Lent using these forty meditations on the passion-- one for each Lenten day (except Sundays) from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday.

The Way of the Passion: Forty Stations with Jesus expands on the traditional fourteen Stations of the Cross, taking a closer look at all of the events of Holy Week. Let these meditations help you explore Christ's death in a deeper and more personal way, bringing you closer to him.”

The chapters are:

Introduction

Station 1 The Entry into Jerusalem

Station 2 The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany

Station 3 Preparation for the Passover

Station 4 Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples

Station 5 The Warning of Betrayal

Station 6 The Institution of the Eucharist

Station 7 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denials

Station 8 Jesus in Gethsemane

Station 9 Jesus Is Arrested

Station 10 Jesus Is Taken Before Annas

Station 11 Peter’s First Denial

Station 12 Jesus Before Caiaphas, and Peter’s Further Denials

Station 13 Jesus Before the Sanhedrin and the Suicide of Judas

Station 14 Jesus Before Pilate

Station 15 Jesus Before Herod

Station 16 Jesus Again Before Pilate

Station 17 Pilate Washes His Hands

Station 18 Jesus Receives His Cross

Station 19 Jesus Falls

Station 20 Jesus Greets His Mother

Station 21 Simon of Cyrene Is Ordered to Assist with the Cross

Station 22 Jesus Meets the Woman with the Towel

Station 23 Jesus Falls a Second Time

Station 24 Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

Station 25 Jesus Falls a Third Time

Station 26 Jesus Arrives at Golgotha

Station 27 Jesus Is Stripped and Nailed to the Cross

Station 28 The Indictment

Station 29 Jesus Suffers the Taunts of the Bystanders

Station 30 The First Word from the Cross

Station 31 The Second Word from the Cross

Station 32 The Third Word from the Cross

Station 33 The Fourth Word from the Cross

Station 34 The Fifth Word from the Cross

Station 35 The Sixth Word from the Cross

Station 36 The Seventh Word from the Cross

Station 37 Jesus Dies on the Cross

Station 38 The Side of Jesus Is Pierced

Station 39 Jesus Is Taken from the Cross and Laid in His Mother’s Arms

Station 40 Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

Appendix

Bibliography

I highlighted several passages while working through this volume. Some of them are:

“Let us consider the change in people’s hearts that transforms their “Hosanna!” of adulation into their “Crucify!” of hate.”

“The lesson of this acted parable is much more profound. As the Creator cares for the needs of his creatures, so must we care for the needs of others. The vocation of serving others, of being other Christs, is our general Christian vocation, to be exercised along with the vocation that is specific to us.

“This is a night of contrasts. The disciples have been taught the lesson of service; they know one of them is seeking to betray Jesus; they now know unequivocally that the Heavenly Father and their Master are one. Everything is in place for their complete understanding, when they consider this night afresh in the light of the resurrection.”

“Why did our Lord nickname him Peter? Was there ever anyone less like a rock? But that is what Jesus was training him to be. How unlikely! Nevertheless, let us never suppose that we cannot be changed and molded by Christ if we allow him to do so.”

“How often do we forsake him? How often have we, as Christians, set Christ up for a fall by our un-Christian behavior? The Church, in the eyes of the world, is only what is seen in us.”

“By Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross the wrongs we have done are already forgiven and we can make amends and restitution with prayer, penance, and good works. Let us learn from the grave error of Judas.”

“If we walk the Way of the Cross, the Way of Duty, the Way of Love, how many will be encouraged to acknowledge Christ by our example?”

“We find it easy to visualize this horror, but let us concentrate our thoughts for a moment on those hands. Those hands that have healed and touched the beggar and the blind man, the dead man and the dumb, are now fixed to rough, un-planed timber in such grievous pain only to be guessed at.” 

A sample day is:

“STATION 13

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin and the Suicide of Judas

When the day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council (Luke 22:66–71).

When Judas saw that he [Jesus] was condemned, he repented (Matthew 27:3–10).

The Sanhedrin was probably convened in an assembly room close to the Temple about a quarter of a mile across the lower city.

Within the chamber, there is much questioning and cross-questioning of Jesus before the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes. Jesus points out to them that there is no purpose in pursuing a particular line of examination because their minds are already closed. “But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” They ask, “Are you the Son of God, then?” With a sigh and perhaps even a wry smile, Jesus replies: “You say that I am” (Lk 22:70).

Satisfied that Jesus has blasphemed, the council is confident that they will find false witnesses to make a case of treason and sedition to place before the governor, Pontius Pilate.

Judas is present, inside the chamber or outside, but close enough to the proceedings to discover quickly that Jesus is to be taken to the governor’s seat of judgment where the verdict is likely to be death. Then, in order to undo the damage he has done, Judas returns to the chief priests the money he was paid. He tries to assure them that Jesus is an innocent man and that the matter is spiraling out of control. From their point of view, however, everything is going according to plan. The matter is out of their hands; Judas can do exactly as he pleases, but there is no hope that any decision will be reversed.

What had Judas expected—an uprising in support of the maligned teacher from Nazareth after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane? Had he envisaged the overthrow of the Roman authority in Jerusalem by catching that authority unawares? Judas had played with fire and was about to be responsible for the death of the man he called his friend.

Judas casts down the silver at the feet of the chief priests and hangs himself because he cannot face asking our Lord’s forgiveness.

~

By Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross the wrongs we have done are already forgiven and we can make amends and restitution with prayer, penance, and good works. Let us learn from the grave error of Judas.

What did the chief priests know of the Son of Man, the Son of God, or the Messiah? They could not see in Jesus their preconception of a divinely-appointed soldier: they had not understood the prophets.

Be none submerged in sin’s distress,

None lifted up in boastfulness;

That contrite hearts be not dismayed,

Nor haughty souls in ruin laid.

— Anonymous, “Magnae Deus potentiae”

(sixth century)

Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …” 

I hope those quotes and sample chapter give you a good feel for this volume. The introduction states:

“This Lenten companion is intended to ignite ideas and fresh thoughts about forty episodes of the passion of our Lord. It offers a “station” every day throughout Lent—Sundays are omitted, of course—from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. The non-canonical material contained here is the result of the author’s “reading between the lines” of the Gospel narratives and is meant to help the pilgrim focus more clearly on the events we recall ceremonially during Holy Week.

The Gospels give us only the essential details of the passion because a meticulous report of the proceedings is not the intention of the evangelists, who are concerned primarily with our Lord’s teaching and in establishing, in the light of the resurrection, who he is and how he fulfills God’s promise of a Savior. However, 2,000 years later we find it helpful to enter more fully into these events in order to feel something of the horror and trauma experienced by Jesus and those around him, and so grasp more easily the impact of his teaching and how our salvation was secured.

In reflecting on these daily episodes, the pilgrim can explore fresh and personal paths of contemplation by giving his or her mind free rein throughout the forty days.

To complete each session, a prompt or two is given to aid further self-examination or intercession before the more formal suggested prayers. An expanded Paternoster is given in the Appendix as an aid to fuller intercession.

The translation of the Holy Bible used in this book is the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version, which, in the author’s view, is still the best. In the text, quotations from the RSV are given in italics, but transliterations, conjectural speech, and the author’s translations are given in Roman type.

The present tense is frequently employed in this book to give immediacy to the narrative.”

I did not skip Sundays and just read it from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday. It was one of a few books I tried to work through during lend in 2026, and it is an excellent offering. I could easily see myself going back and working through it again during a future Lent.

I have three criteria that for me makes a book excellent, above and beyond 5/5 Stars so to say. 

     First would I read it again?

     Second would I recommend it to my kids or friends and family?

     Third if I keep talking about it, both while reading and after finishing. 

This one hits big time on all three. And with this one I send days to a few friends who could really use it, with the hopes they would pick up the book.

It is easy to engage with but also deep, meaningful and moving. Anyone from teens, to young adults to older retirees could all engage and benefit from reading this book. This is the third volume I have read by Julien Chilcott-Monk, and there is only 1 of the 14 I can find remaining available as an eBook. I do wish some of the others were available digitally.

This is a book I highly recommend, any Catholic would benefit from working through it! 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! For all Stations of the Cross review click here.  

Link to other Lent Resources.

Books by Julien Chilcott-Monk:

A Basic Dictionary of Bible People

A Calendar of Catholic Devotion

Advent Joy. Journeying Towards the Nativity

Call Me Tim: A Portrait of Robert Hardy

Come, Lord Jesus!

Flesh, Bone, Wood

In the Name of the Father

John Henry Newman and the Path to Sainthood

Praying the Crucifix - Reflections on the Cross
Saints of the Roman Canon

The English Office Book

The English Ritual: A Companion to the English Missal

The Way of the Passion

Walking the Way of the Cross

...