Book Reviews and More: Year of Faith Prayer Book - Edited by Barry R. Pearlman

Year of Faith Prayer Book

Year of Faith Series

Barry R. Pearlman

Catholic Truth Society

ISBN 9781860828188

CTS Booklet D756

The ‘Year of Faith’ was from October 2012 through November 2013. I did not encounter any of these booklets during the year of faith, but from the two I have read so far, they are well worth tracking down and reading. So far, I have been able to discover 8 books and booklets that are marked as part of this series:

Companion to Faith

Praying The Creed In The Year Of Faith

The Essential Creed - Exploring the Apostles' Creed in the Year of Faith

Year of Faith Prayer Book

Year of Faith Stations of the Cross

Year of Faith with John Paul II

The Gift of Scripture

The Word of the Lord Discovering Verbum Domini

From those discovered some are clearly marked on the front cover and some have the Year of Faith logo on the back of the book. The description of this volume:

“Taking the main themes for the Year of Faith: the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Deposit of Faith, this booklet contains prayers and devotions to be used daily, and for periodic prayer and reflection. The reader becomes involved in praying for the Church, the faithful, the world and for the kind of ‘conversion to Christ’ that Pope Benedict asks for in this year of faith.”

About the editor of this volume, we are informed that:

“Barry R. Pearlman is a Catholic apologist and writer, with a PhD is Social Psychology, and a Bachelor of Theology degree from Melbourne College of Divinity, previous publications: A Certain Faith: Analogy of Being and the Affirmation of Belief; and Fatima: A Heart for the World.”

The chapters and sections in this prayer book are:

A Gift of Faith

The Holy Father’s Prayer for the Year of Faith

Prayers to the Most Holy Trinity

For Faith in the Father

For Faith in the Son

For Faith in the Holy Spirit

The Blessed Virgin Mary

The Joyful Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries

The Glorious Mysteries

The Hail Holy Queen

The Communion of Saints

St Joseph

Sts Peter and Paul

The Angels

Our Guardian Angel

The Church and the World

For the Pope

For Priests and Religious

For the Deposit of Faith

For the Unity of Christians

For the Spread if the Gospel

For the Conversion of Our Country

For Peace

For Religious Freedom

For Marriage

For the Sanctity of Life

For the Sick

For the Faithful Departed

Personal Petitions

For Faith

For Hope

For Charity

For Humility

For Wisdom

For Patience

For Final Perseverance

Adoration and Devotion

Before the Blessed Sacrament

The Divine Praises

Litany to the Holy Name of Jesus

A Novena in Thanks for Faith

One of the prayers that really moved me and that I have added to my daily prayers is:

"Calm,

O maiden most pure,

the wild story of my soul,

for you alone showed yourself on earth

to be the port

of all who set a course

through the perils of life.

You who gave birth

to the Light,

brighten, O Pure Lady,

the eyes of my heart.

You were given to us on earth

as protecting, bulwark and boast.

You were given to us as tower

and sure salvation,

O Maiden.

For this we no longer fear adversity,

we who devotedly glorify you."

-Joseph the Studite

The other prayer that really touched me was ‘Prayer for the Conversion of England’, but I have been praying it for the conversion of Canada. This is an excellent little prayer book. I really appreciated some of the prayers that I had not encountered previously. I also appreciate that the prayers were attributed for example:

J. Michael de Coutances

Ludovicus Blosius

St Symeon the New Theologian

Joseph the Studite

A great volume and wonderful first read from this series. I look forward to reading other books in this series and have an ever growing list of books from the Catholic Truth Society I want to read.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the Year of Faith Series click here.

CTS Year of Faith Books: