Monday, 9 March 2026

Finding Inner Peace - Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP - Just A Minute Meditations

Finding Inner Peace 
Just A Minute Meditations    
Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP 
Finding Inner Peace - Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP - Just A Minute Meditations
ISBN ‎ 9780819816931
eISBN 9780819816948
ASIN B0CW1CX335

Finding Inner Peace - Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP - Just A Minute Meditations

I have picked up a few volumes in this series over the years but had not got around to reading any of them yet. As of the writing of this review there are 7 volumes in the series, 4 authors with Sister Kathryn having penned 4 of the volumes. I have four of them on my Kindle purchased over the last year and a bit. But while researching for this review I have found out, at least a few of them including this volume are a rebranding of volumes published 8 years ago under the titles “Mediations for …”

The description of this edition states:

“Are you burdened by feelings of anxiety? Do you long for peace amid the worries and fears of life? Rediscover God’s presence and providence with help from this pocket-sized book of 30 meditations. Each meditation includes a Scripture passage, a brief reflection from Sr. Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, and a short prayer. The book also features additional prayers to help foster peace and renew your awareness of God’s nearness.”

Another current description is:

“Are you burdened by feelings of anxiety? Do you long for peace amid the worries and fears of life?

This pocket-sized book of 30 meditations will help you rediscover God's presence and providence. Each meditation includes a Scripture passage, a brief reflection by Sister Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, and a short prayer. The book also features a collection of additional prayers to help foster peace and renew your awareness of God's nearness. Whether you are a beginner in prayer or seeking wisdom and direction for a difficult time, Finding Inner Peace offers guidance, support, and encouragement for your relationship with the Lord.

Finding Inner Peace is part of the Just a Minute Meditations series, a collection of themed meditation books to help you pray through the challenges of life.”

The description of the earlier edition is:

“For most of us, finding time to pause for prayer and meditation can be difficult--but it's essential for strengthening our relationship with God. In Meditations for Inner Peace, bestselling author Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, helps readers discover the great value that God places upon each one of us: she offers thoughts and meditations that will help you lift your eyes to the face of the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine. As you pray with them day after day, you will discover how God wants you to be content, as content as a baby in its mother's arms. Each meditation is carefully chosen to amaze you with what God has done for you in his gracious and marvelous act of redemption. The Just a Minute series of small books provides meditations on scripture, advice for daily struggles, and insights from the Gospel. This set of reflections is designed to help you develop one area of your spiritual life: finding the inner peace that only God can give. God will lead you to be interested in certain meditations, so you can go wherever he leads you. Each meditation takes just a few minutes to read, can be chosen at random, and is filled with encouragement and simple insights. These short meditations enable readers to connect with God's heart through scripture and listen to what he is saying to them.”

The chapters in this volume are:

1. My Love Shall Never Fail You
2. Do Not Be Troubled
3. A New Name
4. An Extraordinary Mercy
5. A Future of Hope
6. You Are Not Alone
7. I Will Show You How to Face Your Fear
8. Keep Your Eyes Open
9. Undeserved Blessings
10. His Gracious Act of Redemption
11. We’re Beloved, Desired, Died For
12. When Anxiety Is Intertwined with Guilt
13. Wordlessly Embrace His Feet
14. An Ongoing Conversation
15. Courageous Creativity
16. Beautiful Lives
17. I Need You
18. Feelings of Insecurity Frighten Me
19. We Are Powerless
20. Love Always Triumphs
21. The Reason I’m Still Alive
22. Touching God’s Presence
23. A Tidal Wave of Love
24. Build Up the Body of Christ
25. Where to Look for Jesus
26. See with the Eyes of the Heart
27. God Is Bursting into the World
28. You Still Have a Role to Play
29. The Lord Will Fight for You
30. An Immense Love

The prayers in a section at the end of the book are:

Psalm 23
Psalm 31
Peace Prayer
May God Give Us Peace
In Times of Anxiety
Help Me to Have Perfect Trust
Prayer of Surrender
Memorare
We Fly to Your Protection
For Those Awake This Night
For Those Whom I Hold Dear
That I May Not Worry…
Grant Me Peace…
Lord Jesus, Forsake Us Not

I highlighted a few passages while working through this volume, they are:

“God has smiled upon us since the creation of the world. These meditations are a simple support to help you lift your eyes to the face of the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine.”

“These words in Hebrews are written for you and me. We are not alone. Even if we feel lonely or there is no one to help us, we are always surrounded by the saints. At every moment we can call on them for assistance. They have run the race ahead of us and lived through similar struggles. Remember: You are not alone!”

“I once came across this definition of prayer: “To pray is to think of Jesus while loving him.” It was as if a fire had been kindled within me. Those simple words ignited an ardent fire in my brittle spirit that burned away bad habits and replaced them with a yearning for holiness.”

“Holy Spirit, stir up the ashes of my life and relight my inner fire. Amen.”

“When we suffer with anxiety, we can forget that God tells us again and again that he understands that we are dust, that we are fragile, and that we are so in need of him.”

“Know that when God looks at you, he sees not how you don’t measure up, but how beautiful you are as the work of his hands and his dear child.”

“Only the Pharisee, a good man and a strict observer of the Law, is not fortunate. He saw no need to reach out of himself and beg God for justice, blessing, mercy, or vision. The Pharisee felt he had everything he wanted or needed. Jesus, instead, came for those who had no one but God to depend on. Do you need God? If you do, you are indeed fortunate.”

“Like Peter—the professional fisherman who couldn’t force the fish into his net but discovered that someone else could fill his nets on command—we realize our smallness in the midst of a creation so vast it can’t be controlled or explained. We are indeed powerless in the face of so many things in life. Jesus wants to work miracles for you, in your boat, where you live and work today—miracles that will help you see what he wants to do in your life and the mission he has given you. Stay awake!”

“Come, Jesus, into my boat. I long to be surprised by your generosity today. I long to witness the evidence of your care for me. Come!”

“This Gospel, however, puts us squarely in the realm of the reality that only faith can see. God is as real and involved in our lives as when he asked Mary to be the mother of his Son.”

“Mary, show us God’s face once more. Teach us to hear his voice again and again. Amen.”

A sample day is:

“13 Wordlessly Embrace His Feet

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. . . . The angel said . . . “Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’” . . . Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
     Matthew 28:1, 5, 7–­10 (NABRE)

Jesus’ death had shattered the world of his first followers. I can imagine the news of the crucifixion passing quickly from one disciple to another: the hushed suspense, the quiet agony, the shock, the fear, the sorrow. Then suddenly, less than three days later, they literally run into him, alive. Jesus must have stood there before the women with exquisite tenderness, his heart full of compassion for their sorrow. I wonder if they stopped to notice the kindness in his eyes. The events that seem to lead us to Calvary, and the power of our fears, are not greater than the love of our Savior. Jesus stands before you also with great kindness in his eyes and tenderness in his heart, reminding you again and again: I am alive!

You are alive! You are here! Do not let my fears keep me from seeing you!”

I hope those quotes and sample day give you a feel for this book, and I believe the series. This was a worthwhile volume to read and pray through over a month. I benefited from it, a couple of the days I ended up reading more than once. It is an easy volume to engage with, and you will benefit based on how much effort you put in. It would be a great book and series for teens, young adults and us older adults as well.

It is a good book and start to what looks like a great series. I can easily recommend it. 

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

Books in the Just A Minute Meditations Series:
Embracing Hope in Christ – Kris Frank
Finding God In Times of Depression – Kathryn J. Hermes
Finding Inner Peace – Kathryn J. Hermes
Grieving with Christ – Mary Leonorr Wilson
Growing in Self Esteem - Marie Paul Curley
Healing After Betrayal – Kathryn J. Hermes
Trusting in God’s Love – Kathryn J. Hermes
…

Books by Kathryn J. Hermes:
Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach
Beginning Contemplative Prayer: Out of Chaos Into Quiet
Prayers for Surviving Depression
Holding on to Hope
Making Peace with Yourself: 15 Steps to Spiritual Healing
The Journey Within: Prayer As A Path To God
Cherished by the Lord
Minute Meditations for Lent
Jesus: Help in Every Need
Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life's Disappointments
Finding God In Times of Depression 
Healing After Betrayal 
Trusting in God’s Love 
...

Just A Minute Meditations Series from Pauline Books and Media

Deeper Trust - Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP - Just A Minute Meditations First Edition

Finding Inner Peace - Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP - Just A Minute Meditations First Edition
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Sunday, 8 March 2026

Canonization Prayer for Father William Doyle

Fulton Sheen Canonization Prayer
Prayer of the Day

Canonization Prayer for Father William Doyle

Eternal Father, your priest, Fr William Doyle, offered his life as a sacrifice to your love. With zeal for the salvation of souls, he sought to raise the fallen and console the broken-hearted. Amid the horrors of war, he was a servant of your grace and an advocate for peace and reconciliation. Teach us to imitate his love for you and his heroic devotion to your service. If it is your will that he should be venerated among the Saints of your Church, make known by miracles and favours the glory he enjoys in your presence. Trusting in your merciful goodness, graciously grant us, through his
intercession, the grace of ... Amen.

Our Father... 
Hail Mary... 
Glory be...
  
Note: Every so often I post a prayer I use as part of my daily prayers. I started praying this one a while ago, at the time Bishop Sheen was one of a few who I was praying for their Canonization. A few have now been named Saints. Prayer cards can be ordered of this from: https://williedoyle.org/.


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Saturday, 7 March 2026

The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present - Edited by John Irvine

The Flowering Branch:
An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present
John Irvine - Editor (1903-1965)
Derrick MacCord
Belfast
1945

The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present - Edited by John Irvine

First I am thankful to the National Library of Ireland and their scanning service. Without which I would have read but one volume from this excellent Irish poet. I appreciate that they will scan out of print and out of copyright works. Especially when I cannot find them almost anywhere else, like most of the works or Irvine. This volume will mark the thirteenth I have read by Irvine.

I stumbled upon this author. I was reading one of the Vision Books for young readers, Irish Saints by Robert T. Reilly, and there was an excerpt of a poem from A Treasury of Irish Saints A Book of Poems. It was really intriguing and after reading that first volume I made it a mission to try and track down everything Irvine published. At first my dyslexia had me thinking it was John Irving, and I have read a few of his fiction books. But some quick searching put that idea to rest.  This author John Irvine lived from 1903-1965. This volume was originally published in1941. 

About the author on a site with information about Irish authors states:

“John Irvine was born in Belfast and published several collections of poems: A Voice in the Dark, 1932; Willow Leaves: Lyrics in the Manner of the Early Chinese Poets,1941; Lost Sanctuary and other poems among others. He edited The Flowering Branch: An Anthology of Irish Poetry Past and Present.”

Another online description of the author states:

“Irvine, born in Belfast, published about six collections of lyrics between 1932 and 1954, mostly from small presses in Belfast and Dublin.  He also edited an anthology of Irish poetry, The Flowering Branch.”

The introduction to this collection states:

“This is a brief survey of Irish poetry past and present, including a few translations from the Irish. It will be realized how difficult is the attempt to cover such a wide field in so small a volume.

As in ·all anthologies there are notable omissions, for this I make humble apology, and plead that the restrictions were many and the space at my disposal very limited. It is hoped, however, that this small volume may prove of value as an introduction to Irish poetry, for those not already familiar with its. delights.”

This volume is dedicated to his mother with these words:

“These flowers of my gathering are
offered as a small token for life·
long devotion and kindness.”

The poems and contributors in this volume are:

A Blessing on the Cows – Seumas O’Sullivan
A Sigh for Knockmany – William Carleton
A White Rose – John Boyle O’Reilly 
And Then No More - James Clarence Mangan 
At Mass – Robin Flower
Cashel of Munster – Edward Walsh
Clonmacnoise – T.W. Rolleston
Dark Rosaleem - James Clarence Mangan
Dirge of the Munster Forest, 1591 – Hon Emily Lawless
Do You Remember that Night? – George Petrie
Dreamy, Gloomy, Friendly Trees – Herbert Trench
Fathers and Sons – F.R. Higgins
Gone in the Wind - James Clarence Mangan
Hy-Brasail – Gerard Griffin
I See His Blood Upon the Rose – Joseph Mary Plunkett
It Is Not Beauty I Demand – George Darley
Lady Margaret’s Song – Edward Dowden
Lyric – John Hewitt
Mairi – John Irvine
Marie, My Girl – John Keegan Casey
My Hope My Love – Edward Walsh
Night Wind – A.E. George Russell
Non Dolet – Oliver St. J. Gogarty
O Dreamy, Gloomy, Friendly Trees – Herbert Trench
Ode – Arthur O’Shaughnessy
Pearl of the White Beast – George Petrie
Pulse of My Heart – Charlotte Brooke
Remembrance – Emily Bronte
Since Celia’s My Foe – Thomas Duffett
The Banks of Banna - Hon. George Ogle
The Blackbird of Derrycairn … - Austin Clarke
The Church of a Dream – Lionel Johnson
The Fair Warning – George Darley
The Farewell to My Harp – Thomas Moore
The Goat Paths – James Stephens
The Harbour – W.M. Letts
The Lake – Richard Rowley
The Lapful of Nuts – Sir Samuel Ferguson
The Little Black Rose – Aubrey De Vere 
The Little Waves of Breffny – Eva Gore-Booth
The Maid of Elfin-Mere – William Allingham
The Old Woman of the Roads – Padrick Colum
The Outlaw of Lough Lene – J.J. “Jeremiah Joseph” Callanan
The Priests and the Friars – Douglas Hyde
The River – Patrick MacDonogh
The Rock of Cashel – Sir Aubrey De Vere
The Silence of Unlaboured Fields – Joseph Campbell
The Stars Stand Up – Eleanor Hull
There is More Beauty – Sydney Bell
Thomas MacDonagh – Joseph Mary Plunkett
Virgin Gold – Sylvia Lynd
When You Are Old – W.B. Yeats

The table of contents is arranged based on the name of the authors. But the edition I had scanned was missing at least 2 pages from the contents. I manually created the list above.

This is the first volume I have read that was edited by John Irvine. I have read 13 volumes that were written by Irvine, and believe that there are another 5 volumes edited by Irvine, including the earliest written or edited by him published under the name J. Pennington Irvine.

A few sample poems from this volume are:

THE CHURCH OF A DREAM

Sadly the dead leaves rustle in the
     whistling wind,
Around the weather-worn, grey
     church, low down the vale:
The Saints in golden vesture shake
     before the gale;
The glorious windows shake, where
     still they dwell enshrined;
Old Saints by long dead, shrivelled
     hands, long since designed:
There still, although the world
     autumnal be, and pale,
Still in their golden vesture the old
     Saints prevail;
Alone with Christ, desolate else,
     left by mankind.
Only one ancient priest offers · the
     Sacrifice,
Murmuring holy Latin immemorial:
Swaying with tremulous hands the
     old · censer full of spice,
In grey, sweet incense _clouds; blue,
     sweet clouds mystical:
To him, in place of men, for he is
     old, suffice
Melancholy remembrances and
     vesperal.

     -Lionel Johnson

O DREAMY, GLOOMY,
FRIENDLY TREES.

O dreamy gloomy, friendly Trees,
     I came along your narrow track ·
To bring my gifts unto your knees
     And gifts did you give back;
For when I brought this heart that
          burns-
These thoughts that bitterly
          repine-
And laid them here among the
          ferns
And the hum of boughs divine,
Ye, vastest breathers of the air,
     Shook down with slow and
          mighty poise
Your coolness on the human care,
     Your wonder on its toys
Your greenness on the heart's
          despair,
     Your darkness on its noise.
     
- Herbert Trench 

MAIRI

Unquiet my heart
When she is near,
As the woods
In the young year.
Wilder my thoughts
Than birds that soar
In blue air
By the lake shore .
Would she but hear
The songs I made
By the brook
In the hazel glade.
Oh! heart be still
And let her pass
As grey mist
On the sweet grass.
And dream of her
With the dark eyes,
When stars come
And a wind cries.

- JOHN IRVINE.

I hope those three poems give you a feel for the collection of 52. This is an interesting collection. A few hit at the Faith of the Irish, and a few pay tribute to nature. A few go full on Song of Solomon, in their praise of the female, and her form. 

I did really enjoy this volume. The National Library of Ireland provided a scanned copy as the book is out of print and out of copyright. It is interesting to see what poems Irvine collected, and having read much of his lately, many could have been by his pen. I only recognize a few of the contributors. And as such was pleasantly surprised by many of the poems. We are not given bios of the contributors, nor even hen the pieces were first published. I would have appreciated those details. It is a volume I know I will return to again!

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

Books by John Irvine:
…

Edited by John Irvine:
A Christmas Garland - as J. Pennington Irvine
The Poems of Robert Burns 
The Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson 
The Poems of Tennyson 
The Poems of Thomas Moore  
… 
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Friday, 6 March 2026

15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich - Florence Gillet

15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich 
Florence Gillet 
ISBN 9781565485136
ASIN B01CDZATD2

15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich - Florence Gillet

Last year I stumbled upon a different volume in this series, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati by Père Charles Desjobert, OP, and really enjoyed it. I did some research on the series and this was the fourth volume I decided to work through. 

I believe as of the writing of this review there have been 40 volumes in the series; the earliest I found was from 1999 through to a volume which was published in 2025. Only about a dozen seem to be in print currently and of those only a handful appears to have eBooks. With my dual form of dyslexia this is disappointing. I greatly prefer eBooks so I can change the font, and the colour of font and page to make reading easier. I have added all the eBook editions I could find to my wish list. About the Series we are informed:

“15 Days of Prayer Series

 On a journey, it’s good to have a guide. Even great saints took spiritual directors or confessors with them on their itineraries toward sanctity. Now you can be guided by the most influential spiritual figures of all time. The 15 Days of Prayer series introduces their deepest and most personal thoughts.
This popular series is perfect if you are looking for a gift, or if you want to be introduced to a particular guide and his or her spirituality. Each volume contains:

• A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader 
• A guide to creating a format for prayer or retreat
• Fifteen meditation sessions with reflection guides”

Many of the books in this series were written in French and translated into English. That does not appear to be the case with this volume. This book was originally published in 2013, the physical volume appears to be out of print but the eBook is readily available. The description of this specific volume states:

“The 15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich is a portrait of an extraordinary and holy woman whose deepest desire was to fulfill Jesus prayer: That they all may be one. Florence Gillet manages to find the way for Chiara to give of herself generously in the meditations and reflections contained in this book, so that many might come to know, understand, and embrace this collective way of holiness. - It is in meeting you [Jesus forsaken], that we become another Mary. [Day 15] - Whoever enters your infinite suffering finds, as if by magic, everything transformed into Love. [Day 12].”

Another states:

“The 15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Lubich is a portrait of an extraordinary and holy woman whose deepest desire was to fulfill Jesus' prayer: "That they all may be one." Florence Gillet manages to find the way for Chiara to give of herself generously in the meditations and reflections contained in this book, so that many might come to know, understand, and embrace this collective way of holiness.

• "We need to enlarge our heart to the measure of the heart of Jesus. How much work that means! Yet this is the only thing necessary." Day 3
• "We must love our neighbors one by one, without holding in our heart any leftover affection for the brother or sister met a moment before." Day 3
• "It is in meeting you [Jesus forsaken], that we become another Mary." Day 15
• "Whoever enters your infinite suffering finds, as if by magic, everything transformed into Love." Day 12
• "When unity with our brothers and sisters is complete, when it has flowered anew and more fully from difficulties, then, as night fades into day, tears into light, often, I find you, Lord." Day 9

Chiara Lubich was an extraordinary woman, an apostle of dialogue in ecumenism, in interreligious dialogue, and among people of no religious affiliation.
The charism of unity given to Chiara and the remarkable testimony of it she gave to the Church and humanity have proven to be well suited for our times. Translated by Bill Hartnett.”

There is no ‘about the author’ section in the book or on the back. But we are informed on the page with the book description that:

“Florence Gillet earned a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. She has published several studies on the spirituality of unity of Chiara Lubich, including 15 Days of prayer with Chiara Lubich, to be released in 2016.”

The chapters in this volume are:

How to Use This Book
A Brief Biography
Premise
Day 1: For Me
Day 2: Being a New Creation
Day 3: Enlarging the Heart
Day 4: The Pact of 40 Days
Day 5: Where None Could Enter
Day 6: I Want to See Her Again in You
Day 7: The Risen One Living Among Us
Day 8: Living Within
Day 9: In a Relationship of Love
Day 10: Evangelizing
Day 11: To Suffer and Be Reborn for Unity
Day 12: The Law of Life
Day 13: Jesus Forsaken and Risen
Day 14: Here I Am
Day 15: With You We Become Another Mary

I highlighted a few of passages while reading this volume some of them are:

“As a Third Order member, she chose the name “Chiara,” as she would be known for the rest of her life. On December 7, 1943, having felt a calling from God, she received permission from her confessor to consecrate her life to God with a perpetual vow of chastity. This is considered the date of the Focolare Movement’s birth. Shortly afterward, she took vows of poverty and obedience.”
 
“Just as the whole Jesus is in the sacred Host and likewise in each piece of it, so also the whole Jesus is in the Gospel and likewise in each Word of it, in every complete idea.””

“When the war did end, Chiara would often remind her followers of this calling to live the Word in order to evangelize themselves first, and then the people around them.”

“Living the Word is prayer because it places us in the Son who is the Word of the Father. And when our prayer is real prayer, says Meister Eckhart, “we do not pray, but are prayed.” When we live the Word we are lived by the Word; it is the Word who lives us, Chiara says.”

“It may turn out that in order to live “turned toward the Father,” toward Jesus, toward our neighbor, it may be necessary sometimes to set aside prayer itself in order to take care of a neighbor, to help and serve a neighbor.”

“Chiara herself showed that she was well aware of this, because she wished that her Movement, which is called the “Work of Mary,” be “as much as possible, a presence of Mary on earth, almost a continuation of her.” And she sealed this desire by including those words in the General Statutes of the Work of Mary (Article 2).”

“In other words, our mutual love allows Christ to manifest his presence in the church and in the world, just as he did through Mary, but now in our togetherness, in our unity.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I picked this volume because though I am aware of the name Chiara Lubich, and a bit about the Focolare Movement. I had picked up a Biography about Chiara, but have not got around to read it yet. That will change after finishing these 15 days. This was an interesting read no knowing much about the woman or the movement she started. I was able to approach the 5 days with new eyes.

This is a good volume in what is shaping up to be a great series. Spending these 15 days with Chiara, the written reflections and the discussion questions was a moving experience. Not knowing much I found sometimes I had to reread sections or make sure I was not making assumptions. But It has inspired me to focus first on people I am unfamiliar with in the series, at least for the next few volumes. I can easily recommend this book and look forward to reading others in the series. I just really wish all of the 40 volumes were available as eBooks, I would work through them all if so.

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

Books in the 15 Days of Prayer With Series:
Blessed Chiara Badano - Florence Gillet and Bill Hartnett
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam - Christian Verheyde
Brother Roger Of Taize - Sabine Laplane
Charles de Foucauld - Michael Lafon 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Matthieu Arnold
Don Bosco - Robert Schiele
Henri Nouwen - Robert Waldron
Jean-Claude Colin - Francois Drouilly
Johannes Tauler - Andre Pinet
Meister Eckhart - André Gozier
Peter Joseph Triest - Brother René Stockman
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - André Dupleix 
Saint Alphonsus Liguori - Jean-Marie Segalen
Saint Augustine - Jaime García
Saint Benedict - André Gozier
Saint Bernard - Pierre Yves Emery
Saint Catherine of Siena - Chantal van der Plancke 
Saint Clare of Assisi - Marie-France Becker
Saint Dominic - Alain Quilici 
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton - Betty Ann McNeil
Saint Eugene de Mazenod - Bernard Dullier
Saint Faustina Kowalska - John Cleary
Saint Francis de Sales - Claude Morel
Saint Francis of Assisi - Thaddée Matura O.F.M.
Saint Jeanne Jugan - Michel Lafon
Saint John of the Cross - Constant Tonnelier
Saint Katharine Drexel - Leo Luke Marcello 
Saint Louis De Montfort - Veronique Pinardon
Saint Martín de Porres: A Saint of the Americas - Brian J. Pierce
Saint Philip Neri - Jean-François Audrain
Saint Teresa of Avila - Jean Abiven
Saint Therese of Lisieux - Victoria Hebert
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Suzanne Vrai and André Pinet
Saint Vincent de Paul - Jean-Pierre Renouard
The Curé of Ars - Pierre Blanc
Thomas Merton - Andre Gozier
…

15 Days of Prayer Series from New City Press


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Thursday, 5 March 2026

Living in Peace - Fr. Jeffrey Kirby - OSV Companion in Faith

The Lord's Prayer 
Companion in Faith
ISBN 9781681927589
eISBN 9781681927596
ASIN B08LXJPD49

The Lord's Prayer - T.J. Burdick - OSV Companion in Faith

I stumbled upon the Our Sunday Visitor ‘Companion in Faith’ Series while doing research for the series ‘OSV Pocket Guides’, and ‘OSV Handy Little Guides’. I was able to track down the 5 volumes in this series and this was the third that I have read. I had previously read five other volume by Father Jeffrey Kirby, and really looked forward to this volume. 

This is the one of the ‘Companion in Faith’’ books from Our Sunday Visitor I believe there are 5 volumes in the series; but only one every had an eBook edition released, that being this volume. This is a pity. I want to state that this is a wonderful little book or booklet. It was a n excellent little read, and reminder, it is one that could read repeatedly, and with new benefits each time. Second, I really wish this that others in the ‘Companion in Faith’ books were available as eBooks. After having read some in the series I want to read the others but almost never pick up physical books anymore, or if I do I scan them to make digital copies if I am very desperate to read them. Mainly due to my dyslexia. 

The chapters and sections in this booklet are:

Introduction
I. The Peace of God
II. The Call of Mercy
III. The Strength of God
IV. The Care of Our Good Shepherd
V. Mary and the Gift of Peace
VI. No Longer Orphans
VII. Go and Teach
Conclusion

The description of this volume is:

“Life is a blessing, and it is good and beautiful. But sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Responsibilities and expectations increase, stress abounds, and we feel every bit of our limitations and shortcomings.

But there is good news! The sufferings of this life will pass. They are incomparable to the majesty of God's glory and his grace, which he offers to each of us. In response to the assaults of daily life, the Lord Jesus comes and says to us, as he did to the apostles when they were confused and scared in the Upper Room, "Peace be with you!"

In Living in Peace, you will find reflections, prayers, and Scripture passages inviting you to find peace, no matter your circumstances. These reflections were first given to believers to inspire hope during the Easter season of 2020, when most in the United States could not attend Mass because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Born in the trenches and given in a time of great need, the reflections in this book are a timeless reminder that God is greater than anything we might face.

May you receive God's peace and become an instrument of his peace to others.”

About the author we are informed:

“Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, STD, is a Papal Missionary of Mercy, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Indian Land, South Carolina, and a senior contributor to the Crux news site. He is the author of several books, including Kingdom of Happiness: Living the Beatitudes in Everyday Life.”


The volume has both:

Nihil Obstat
Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.
Censor Librorum

Imprimatur
Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
August 21, 2020

I highlighted numerous sections while reading this volume, they are:

“During the quarantine, Christian believers celebrated Easter, the solemnity of the Lord’s resurrection. Unable to attend Easter services in person, many of the faithful streamed them online, praying in the midst of confusion, uncertainty, and a sense of abandonment. During the fifty-day Easter season that followed, the series of reflections contained in this book were first given to believers as a source of hope and a call to mission.”

“While they were initially meant to serve as encouragement in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, these reflections are not limited to a time of quarantine. With their focus on striving after peace so we can live our Christian call, they remain relevant for any time and any season of life, especially when we face moments of stress and anxiety.”

“The Lord Jesus comes and says to us, as he did to the apostles when they were confused and scared in the Upper Room, “Peace be with you.” With this bold, life-giving declaration, he exposes the chaos of our lives, names our burdens, and offers us a new and invigorating power that allows us to reclaim the beauty and redirect the narrative of our lives.”

“The peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, is more real and tangible than anything else in this world. The peace of God empowers us to enter the trenches of life with the sure knowledge that we are loved, and that we have the strength to carry and conquer whatever is given to us and whatever is permitted to befall us.”

“And now we are to redirect our energy and redouble our efforts to receive God’s peace and then become instruments of that peace to others.”

“Few needs in this life—whether real or perceived—can compete with the compelling need that we have in our innermost being to both receive and give mercy.”

“The Christian message of mercy is a divine gift. As such, it has always been viewed as a radical message in our fallen world. It rocked the ancient world when Christians first began to say, “I forgive you.” It shakes up our world today. Our wayward minds and hearts struggle to understand the dismissal of vengeance and the bestowal of mercy.”

“Throughout the Acts of the Apostles we see the marks of the Christian way of life. In the sacred narrative we can discern what it means to be a Christian community. This community is essential since it is the laboratory—the proving grounds and springboard—for us to live a life of mercy.”

“We were not created for a life of constant tension. We were created for glory. We are offered true peace in Jesus Christ. We are called to be recipients of mercy and to be instruments of peace to those around us.”

“The more we follow the way of the Lord, the more the Holy Spirit will be able to work through us, and the more softened and inclined our hearts will be to ask for mercy and to give it to others. This enables us to live the life of peace that Jesus won for us by his saving death and resurrection.”

“The Christian faith is not a religion for wimps. And it doesn’t make us wimpy, either. Instead, it calls us to denounce the evil spirits of indulgence, rash anger, entitlement, and self-pity, and to live in a spirit of freedom, love, and hope.”

“We are the children of the Resurrection. We are the sons and daughters of God. We have received his grace, which is his own life and power within us. Grace makes us strong. There’s no room in our hearts for wimpy or fallen spirits.”

“We will walk through this valley of the shadow of darkness, knowing that our Good Shepherd—the Risen Christ, the strong and powerful Lord—is guiding us and giving us his strength.”

“This is not a religion for wimps. There is no room for compromise, false accommodation, overindulgence, or self-pity. In the name of the Risen Christ, we send these dark spirits back to hell where they belong. They do not belong in the heart of a person consecrated to Jesus Christ.”

“As we seek to live in peace, this should be the petition of our hearts: “Lord I’m scared, I don’t know where things are going. I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life or in our world. Lord, it feels as if I’ve lost everything. The day is far spent and night is falling. Stay with me, Lord. Help me!””

“Our work begins with our loved ones, and then it expands to friends, coworkers, and neighbors. We are even called to shepherd our enemies by caring for them and seeking their conversion. This is the radical call of the Risen Christ! He has turned our fallen world upside down.”

“Will we let the Risen One shepherd us? Will we accept the call to selflessly shepherd others? Will we allow the Resurrection to triumph over self-pity and pride? Will we allow love to dispel fear? We decide.”

“Do we realize that we have been made for eternity? Do we fully understand that the things of this world are given to us in order to prepare us for eternal life? Do we let ourselves experience the wonder of being a child of our Father in heaven and a sibling to our older brother, Jesus Christ? The Holy Spirit has been sent upon us, and his grace is being poured into our hearts. We have all that we need to allow goodness to triumph over evil, and for peace to vanquish anxiety.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I highlighted so much of the volume that I exceeded the maximum extract from my Kindle. This volume has a lot of practical suggestions and recommendations. Its is very different from the other volumes I have read in the series.

When I was in university, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, there was a series of booklets by the founder Bill Bright, called Transferable Concepts, and by reading them many times you could almost memorize them and the message so that you could share it. This volume and series remind me a lot of those books.

This book and series would be excellent for High School Students, College or University Students and us older adults. It is easy to engage with. Father Kirby writes in an engaging manner and offers some personal. An excellent little volume, one any Catholic, or any Christian would benefit from reading!

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

Books in the OSV Companion in Faith Series:
For Those Who Grieve - Jeannie Ewing
The Beatitudes - Kathleen M Basi
The Power of Forgiveness - Patrice Fagnant-Macarthur
…

Books in the Handy Little Series from OSV:
The Handy Little Guide to Confession - Michelle Jones Schroeder
The Handy Little Guide to the Holy Spirit - Michelle Schroeder

Handy Little Guides - Our Sunday Visitor

Companion in Faith Series Our Sunday Visitor

Books by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby STD:
101 Surprising Facts About St. Peter's and the Vatican
A Pastoral Guide to Opening Your Parish
Be Not Troubled
Doors of Mercy: A Journey Through Salvation History
God's Search for Us
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Luke: The Gospel of Mercy
Thy Kingdom Come
…
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Wednesday, 4 March 2026

No Escape - Jude Hardin - The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 3

No Escape
Jack Reacher Experiment Book 2
ISBN 9781545220672
ASIN B06XT7BW14

No Escape - Jude Hardin - The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 3

First I want to state I enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest in the series and the other two Reacher Series Jude has penned. Second a few years ago I read my first Reacher novel. I had picked up one for my dad, and after giving the back a read, I grabbed the eBook for myself. In under a year I had read all the Reacher Novels in print and all the books in the Hunt for Jack Reacher by Diane Capri. Since then I have read 58 books in the Reacher universe and am expanding out to the three series by Jude Hardin now.

The description of this book:

“About The Jack Reacher Experiment series

Rock Wahlman: Forty-one years old, United States Navy Master at Arms, E-8, retired.

DOB 14 October 2057.

Grew up in an orphanage, recently discovered that he is the product of a human cloning experiment, an exact genetic duplicate of a former army officer named Jack Reacher.

Now someone wants all evidence of the experiment to be erased, which means that someone wants Wahlman to be erased.

He’s on the run, desperate to survive, desperate to learn the truth about why all this is happening…

The use of story situations and supporting characters from the Jack Reacher universe authorized by Lee Child.

No Escape: The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 3 is 18,000 words, approximately 85 pages.”

Based on the page count this volume is more of a novella, the book in this series are available as 9 stand-alone stories or in 3 omnibus editions. I will continue to read and review the stand-alone editions because that is how I started the series. But; back to the story at hand. I read this volume in a single sitting on a cold Sunday in February, over a few mugs of tea.   

As I have said before; even death can’t keep Reacher down, in a manner of speaking. Rock Wahlman is a clone of Reacher, but he was not the only one. In the first volume, on the night his life goes sideways, he tries to save a man after his rig goes off the road and into water. The man he pulls from the water looks just like him. Having been raised in an orphanage this raises some questions. After an attempt on his life, he starts putting together the pieces. His life may have been different than Reacher’s but his determination when he is threatened is the same. 

This story continues a short while after the last volume. Wahlman now using aliases has become a drifter, moving from town to town; never staying anywhere too long. He is still trying to piece together the information about who in the military is trying to cover their tracks. He needs enough proof to be able to expose it, and get some sort of life back. He has begun reading up on Jack Reacher’s exploits because the files are declassified now. He is not quite living the Reacher lifestyle, he has a backpack, fake ID, but in this installment begins he is working doing manual labour building fences. But when he recognizes a man in a dinner he is off on the run again. He wants to re-establish contact with Kasey who he left behind in Barstow. But he has discovered a personal aversion to going backward, and he realizes the murder of Kasey’s ex might be tied to his own problems. To find out what happens read this installment in the series.

It is a well written story. That stays true to the original character and universe. It is a fun read in what is shaping up to be a good series. Even if this volume had not been set in the Reacher Universe I would have enjoyed it. The fact that it is only adds to the mystique that is Jack Reacher. It was good read and leaves you desperate for the next installment in this series. This marks book 3 of 9 in the shorter editions or the end of the first of three of the omnibus editions. It is a thriller, a book I can easily recommend to fans of Reacher or anyone who loves a good action thriller.

Books by Jude Hardin:
Books in the Jack Reacher Experiment Series:
Kill Shot
357 Sunset
Redline
End Game
Ricochet
Gone
…
The Reacher Experiment Books 1-3 
The Reacher Experiment Books 4-6 
The Reacher Experiment Books 7-9
…
The Reacher Experiment: The Complete Series Books 1-9
…

The Reacher Code Series:
Timestream 1
Timestream 2
Timestream 3
…

Jack Reacher Files Series:
Fugative
Choke
Hostage
Velocity
The Girl from the Wrong Side of Cordial 
…

Dead Ringer - Jude Hardin - Jack Reacher Experiment Books 1-9
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