Walter Macken
CTS Devotions
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860828829
eISBN 9781784694401
ASIN B073GZYK1J
CTS Booklet D765
Over the last few years I have read over 150 books from the Catholic Truth Society. This is the first that I have read that is a standalone Novena. And I believe it is the only book published by Father Walter Macken. About the author we are informed that:
“Fr. Walter Macken is a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature working in Dublin. His father is the well known novelist, Walter Macken. He has worked with students most of his working life and gives retreats regularly.”
I believe the books was originally published as a paperback in 2013. And the eBook was released in 2017. I cannot find what the original CTS Booklet number was. I checked many of the ones I have and cannot find it listed in the further readings section. I picked this up after finishing a novena to saint Gemma Galgani. And loved praying this.
The description of this volume is:
“This eBook is designed to reflect more deeply on Mary, Mother of God, during the days leading up to and around any of her feast days. Drawing from Scripture, Church teaching and recent papal teaching, Fr Macken offers valuable catechesis on Mary and her place in the life of the Christian’s daily life. These Novena reflections (rather than prayers) help us to enrich our contemplation and prayer, and are just as valuable at any other time. The Novena is centred around the themes of faith, simplicity, serenity, missionary spirit, practical humility, distractions, charity, confession and family life.”
The chapters in the volume are:
A Presentation
Day One: Faith
Day Two: Simplicity
Day Three: Serenity
Day Four: Missionary Spirit
Day Five: Practical Humility
Day Six: Distractions
Day Seven: Charity
Day Eight: Confession
Day Nine: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Family Life
The first section of this volume states:
“This novena is designed to help us think more consistently about what Our Lady did at different moments of her life. We are trying to make a space for her each day of this novena. That implies that we need to reserve that space for God. It can be simply done by reading the comment for each day in the early morning before setting out for work. It can be done in the quiet of the evening around the fire with our family or friends. Many people have derived benefit from reading it together. The object is to help us think our way into the life of the Blessed Virgin. We have to imagine ourselves beside her. We have to watch her as she gathers water from the well, or washes the clothes in the stream. We will look at her for those few moments, and we will be delighted and charmed by how ordinary she is, and still she is the Mother of God. There is the use of a novena like this one. We will get to know Our Lady better, become more familiar with her lifestyle. And in that way we will grow in understanding her Son. As she did, we will learn to listen to him to ponder on what he said.”
And having prayed through it once I can state that it lives up to that. This book other that a brief introduction is just the Novena. But there are a few pages for each day of the novena. Each day has seven sections.
This is an excellent novena. I am certain you will be blessed by reading and praying through it. Another excellent resource from the Catholic Truth Society!
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.
For other books in the CTS Devotions Series click here.
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