September/October – Rescuing Regina

What is it like to be a young mother threatened with deportation to the country whose government has imprisoned you and whose soldiers have tortured you? Regina Bakala found herself in just this situation ten years after escaping the Congo and settling in the United States. Life was challenging but full of hope until the night in 2005 when there was a knock at the door of their home in Milwaukee and immigration agents burst in and took Regina from her home as her family watched. In Rescuing Regina, author Sr. Josephe Marie Flynn, SSND, tells Regina’s powerful story—and how her husband, a pit-bull lawyer, a group of volunteers, and a feisty nun from Milwaukee set aside political differences to galvanize a movement to save her. A compelling story of a quest for justice, Rescuing Regina is also a tale of friendship, faith, hope, and the transformative journey of two friends.

Sr. Josephe will be speaking in Madison in October – more information will follow.

November 17, December 1, 8, and 15 – Praying With Icons

Jim Forest's Praying With Icons offers a simple introduction to the tradition of icons with special emphasis on their practical function in the spiritual life. Beautifully illustrated both with color and black and white photography, the book teaches us that icons are not simply illustrations or "art" in the usual sense, but aids to prayer and contemplation, windows on the divine. Forest also provides a personal and practical guide to how one prays with icons. He concludes with a series of meditative reflections on some of the most typical icons, including the Annunciation, the Nativity, Christ's Baptism, the Transfiguration, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, representations of Mary, the trinity, and the Saints. Praying With Icons is an excellent introduction to icons and a beautiful way to expand our spiritual experience during the Advent season.

Late Spring, 2012 – The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything

For over 500 years, the Jesuit Order of Catholic priests, founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, have enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as a society of scholars, educators, free-thinkers, and activists. In this digestible account of all things Jesuit, James Martin, S.J., encapsulates the uniquely Ignatian concept of spirituality. Translating the essence of the Jesuit philosophy into layman’s terms, he uses both traditional stories and personal anecdotes to vividly illustrate the Jesuit approach to God, friendship, social justice, decision-making, prayer, simplicity, obedience, and self-actualization. Martin’s engaging, intimate tone will appeal to anyone interested in understanding the history, the efficacy, and the universality of the Jesuit mission and way of life.  This book, a New York Times Best Seller, will be an enjoyable way to ease into summer.