Friday 19 July 2024

How to spread the Gospel Advice and encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI - Fr Donncha Ó hAodha

How to spread the Gospel: 
Advice and encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI
Fr Donncha Ó hAodha
ISBN 9781860827518
ISBN 1860827519
CTS Booklet Do 847

How to spread the Gospel Advice and encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI - Fr Donncha Ó hAodha

Over the last few years, I have read a number of books by and about Pope Benedict XVI. Of the popes in my lifetime, I find his writings of immense spiritual benefit. I would state that I underappreciated him until his resignation. And since then, I have read much. And with each piece I read I appreciate his wisdom, faith, and stand against modernism. This work is different in that it was compiled by Father Donncha Ó hAodha taken from homilies, Angelus reflections, Audiences, Regina Caeli, between 2008 and 2010. This is an excellent read. 

The descriptions of the book is:

“We are all called to spread our faith. In this virtual dialogue, an imaginary Catholic considers the challenges raised by evangelisation. The questions that he asks raise issues we might all encounter whilst trying to spread the Gospel successfully. The responses offered are taken from different instances of the preaching of Pope Benedict. This teaching is joyful and filled with hope, and makes evangelisation a service rather than a hardship, affirming everyone in their mission to be a fruitful apostle.”

About the editor we are informed:

“Fr Donncha Ó hAodha is a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature working in Dublin. Currently he works as a chaplain to a boys’ secondary school and also to a youth centre run by Opus Dei.”

The chapters in this edition are:

A virtual dialogue
Why should I evangelize?
Who is called to evangelize?
What is the message I should be spreading?
How should a Christian spread the Gospel?
Where should I try to spread the Gospel?

This is a wonderfully crafted volume. It has the goal of presenting a dialogue and it does just that. While reading it; it felt like sitting in on a conversation or overhearing a conversation in a coffees shop or pub. It was so hard to put down. I read it in 2 sittings on a single day, and I know I will return to it and read it again. It is easy to digest and packed full of great information. 

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 reminds me a lot of those books. In fact one of those books by Bill Bright was called How To Give Your Faith Away. I could easily see rereading this every month for a year. 

I have a number of volumes form the CTS by Pope Benedict XVI I am trying to track down that are proving most elusive. The CTS had a wide range of booklets based on his sermons, audiences, and papal visits. I have been working on tracking them down, and some are very hard to find at a reasonable price or at all. I was glad to track this one down, for it was an excellent read. 

If you can lay your hands on it, it is well worth a read.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.


Books by Benedict XVI:
Church Fathers and Teachers From Leo The Great to Peter Lombard
Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers 
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