Book Reviews and More: Benedict Patron of Europe - J.B. Midgley

Benedict Patron of Europe
CTS Great Saints
J.B. Midgley
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860823275
CTS Booklet B782

To start with I am a huge fan of the Catholic Truth Society and the writings of J.B. Midgley. I have been working on tracking down and reading all 28 books by J.B. Midgley. Twenty-six of those books were for the Catholic Truth Society. And 6 of those were from the CTS Great Saints Series. I have also read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series. And have loved almost all of them. Lately I have been focused more on this series, and a couple of others, almost alternating books in each series, and still have over a dozen in this series I want to read. On top of finishing all the books written by Midgley. This volume was published in 2005 and as of the date of this review there is no eBook edition. I can easily that this is a great book, by an excellent author in an amazing series!

The description on the back of the book is:

“By taking the name Benedict XVI, the new Pope underlines the power and legacy of one of Christendom’s – and Europe’s – greatest saints. This booklet tells the story of St Benedict’s life, monasteries and famous followers down the centuries.

The unfolding influence of his celebrated ‘Rule’ on sixth and twenty-first century Europe is explored, particularly in the light of current concerns over a pervading de-Christianisation of Europe, its institutions, and its soul.”

And the chapters in the volume are:

Introduction
The Life of Benedict
Benedict’s Rule
Benedict’s Legacy

The first half of the book is about the man and his rule. The second half is the impact of the rule through the lives of successive saints and holy men down through the ages to today. Those eminent Benedictines are are:

St Augustine of Canterbury d.c.604
St Cuthbert, 634-687
St Bede the Venerable, 673-735
St Boniface, 675-754
St Dunstan, 909-988
St Bruno and the Carthusians, 1030-1101
St Anselm of Canterbury, 1033-1109
St Bernard of Clairvaux. 1090-1153

And Midgley has written biographies on at least 1 of those and others mentioned in the book. This book also begins and ends with prayers. Which is imminently fitting for a book on Saint Benedict. The book opens with a prayer written for the feast day of Benedict and ends with a novena prayer to Benedict. I have added both prayers into my daily devotions. I added the prayer at the beginning the day the book arrived when I was flipping through it.

Midgley finds a way to tie most of his writings back to the impact on Wales, England or the British Isles and he does the same in this volume. The book was an excellent little read. It has left me with an even greater appreciation for this Saint, his rule, and as mentioned a prayer devotion to him intercession.

A great volume that I give top marks!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books by J.B. Midgley:
Advent & Christmastide with the Saints
Antonio Rosmini
Benedict - Patron of Europe
Bernard of Clairvaux – CTS Great Saints
Charles Borromeo - CTS Great Saints
Companion to St. Joseph
Companion to the Feasts of Mary
Companion to Saint Peter
Companion to Saint Paul
Companion to the Angels
Companion to the Feasts of Our Lord
Companion to the Passion of Our Lord
Dominic - CTS Great Saints
George: Patron of England - CTS Great Saints
Dewi Sant: St David Patron of Wales
Francis de Sales – CTS Great Saints
John Baptist de La Salle – CTS Great Saints
John Vianney – CTS Great Saints
Lent with the Saints
Nurturing the Young
Robert Bellarmine
Saint John the Baptist
Stations of the Cross and Resurrection with the Saints
The Eucharist with the Saints
The Four Evangelists
Thomas Becket – CTS Saints of the Isles
Vincent de Paul – CTS Great Saints
Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic
…

Contributed to:
First Fridays and First Saturdays The Devotions Explained
...

Books in the CTS Great Saints Series:
Antonio Rosmini - J.B. Midgley
Bernard of Clairvaux - J.B. Midgley
Benedict Patron of Europe - J.B. Midgley
Charles Borromeo - J.B. Midgley
Dominic - J.B. Midgley
Elizabeth of the Trinity The Great Carmelite Saint - Jennifer Moorcroft
Francis de Sales - J.B. Midgley
Gemma Galgani Gem of Christ John Paul Kirkham
George: Patron of England - J.B. Midgley
John Baptist de La Salle - J.B. Midgley
John of the Cross - Jennifer Moorcroft
John Vianney - J.B. Midgley
Louis Marie de Montfort His Life, Message and Teaching - Paul Allerton SMM
Martin de Porres - Glynn MacNiven-Johnston
Patrick Missionary to the Irish - Thomas O’Loughlin