Book Reviews and More: In Conversation With God Volume #6: Special Feasts: January-June by: Francis Fernandez

In Conversation With God
Volume #6: Special Feasts: January-June
By: Francis Fernandez
ISBN 090613823X
Scepter Press
7 Volume Set
ISBN 0906138191

This volume much like volume 7 contains the special feats and solemnities that occur between January and June, these are the feasts days fixed to a calendar day, and some other special meditations.

There are a few great sub-collections in this book. They are The Christian Unity Octave in January, Seven Sunday's of St. Joseph in , the Corpus Christi Octave in May. Then the feast days are divided into a few categories: Saints and Angels, Jesus and Marian. And of course being of Irish and Scotch heritage I love the devotion to St. Patrick which has been added to the English edition of the book.

In this volume you will encounter meditations on: St. Francis de Sales, Timothy & Titus, St. Thomas Aquinas, St Patrick, St. Joseph, Our Lady of Montserrat and many more.

This series was originally published in Spanish and was completed in January 1991; the English translation was completed in 1993. It has been immensely popular since they first started coming out in1988. They are published around the world, and have helped thousands of readers in enriching their spiritual lives.

Some examples of the wisdom from this book are:
"Friendship with Christ will teach us to have a big heart, big enough to include those many people we meet along our way. This is especially true with respect to our relatives and friends."
p.29

"We should take advantage of the means of formation which are at our disposal. This would include studying Sacred Theology, making good retreats, being attentive in spiritual reading. This all comes down to acquiring a good doctrinal formation in accord with our personal circumstances. We need to know God very well so that we can better make him known to others."
p.80

"Today's feast is an open invitation for us to renew our dedication to the Lord. We should offer him our entire being, our thoughts, our works, everything we are, everything we do."
p.88
"We have to Christianize the world that we know in our ordinary lives. We have to bring faith and optimism to this world without becoming overwhelmed by the difficulties involved."
p.109

"Today, as we thank Our Lord for the gift of faith that Saint Patrick handed on, and resolve to follow his example in our own generation."
p.122-123

Scepter Press in North America has just reprinted them again last fall.About the Complete Series:

The complete series is worth the money, time and effort. This is an amazing Catholic meditation and daily reflection series. The seven volumes have daily readings for each day of the church year, as well as volumes 6 & 7 being special Feast Days. The readings draw heavily upon the writings of Josemaria Escriva the founder of Opus Dei, Pope John Paul II, and the daily readings from the common liturgy for that day. The Sundays have three sets of readings, depending on whether we are in year A, B, or C in the church readings. These devotions are all about 6 pages long and divided into 3 sections. They can all be read as a complete section, or part in the morning, midday and evening as they each have three sections. I find that with every day there is so much meat in these devotions that I am already planning on reading them again next year.

This series was originally published in Spanish and was completed in January 1991; the English translation was completed in 1993. It has been immensely popular since they first started coming out in1988. They are published around the world, and have helped thousands of readers in enriching their spiritual lives.

There is a complete subject, and biblical reference index in volume 7; unfortunately the earlier volumes' indexes only go as far as that volume #. The indexes are subject and reference quoted by church Fathers, Popes and Saints. These books will draw anyone deeper into a faith and a life of action based upon that faith.

Books edited by Francis Fernandez Carvajal:

Year of Faith Treasury: Prayer

Year of Faith Treasury: Holy Communion

Year of Faith Treasury: The Roman Pontiff

Year of Faith Treasury: The Sacrament of Confession

Year of Faith Treasury: The Virtue of Faith

Year of Faith Treasury: The Virtue of Fortitude

In Conversation with God:

Volume #1 Advent and Christmastide

Volume #2 Lent and Eastertide

Volume #3 Ordinary Time Weeks 1-12

Volume #4 Ordinary Time Weeks 13-23