Advent Spiritual Reading

Pauline Books & Media has a great selection of Advent books, which are detailed here, but I'd like to highlight one of our newest. Advent Grace is a daily book of reflections on the Gospel readings during Advent. These are all written by our Sisters, whose thoughts are the fruit of a prayerful search into God's Word. Below is an excerpt from the book.

Book excerpt:
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
Sr. Karen Marie
Lectio:
Matthew 11:28–30
Meditatio:

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Who cannot relate to this passage? The feeling of being tired and burdened can last all year for many of us, and is simply more intense these weeks before Christmas. Yet Advent is the one time we really long to slow down and appreciate the season. We know that we celebrate at Christmas the mystery that holds for us great joy—the birth of our Savior. Children are innately happy in this season, filled with eager anticipation—even the secular world celebrates this season of joy. We long to savor the gift, to get away from the frenetic pace so often connected with this season…
In the midst of this hectic season, Jesus invites us to take his “light” and “easy” yoke upon our shoulder. But to take up his yoke, we shall have to lay down our own—there is no room for two. We shall have to lay down those “unnecessary anxieties” that weigh on us and squelch our joy. Jesus invites us to let go of whatever weighs us down…

Advent Grace is available at our Pauline Center. A trim book at 128 pages and $7.95, this is the perfect Advent companion!

Faith & Film Night: The Long Walk Home

Tomorrow's film presentation is The Long Walk Home. The film, which stars Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg, centers around a white family in Montgomery, Alabama, during the beginning of the civil rights movement. The following is a great treatment of the film from Amazon.com:

"This underrated 1990 film directed by Richard Pearce (Country, Leap of Faith) features exceptionally nuanced performances by both Sissy Spacek (Coal Miner's Daughter) and Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost).... Spacek plays a Southern socialite who becomes gradually enlightened by the plight of her housekeeper, played by Whoopi Goldberg, as she struggles to raise her family amid the increasing turmoil, prejudice, and violence around her. A well-done treatment of an important period of American history, The Long Walk Home is an effective and accurate period drama. It is also an opportunity to see fine, understated performances by two very popular actresses in an earnest and socially conscious setting." --Robert Lane

I can't embed the trailer here, but you can see it by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post. This is going to be a great film to discuss, and we look forward to viewing it with you. Please join us tomorrow, Friday evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi955646233/

Please Join Our Lectio Divina Group

We are still in the initial stages of organizing our Lectio Divina group, which meets every other Tuesday to read and pray the Scriptures together. Our next meeting time is tomorrow, October 27th, at 6:30 p.m. Please consider joining us; you will be amazed by the power and grace of God's Word to daily transform your life.

The saints knew this, which is why they steeped themselves in the scriptures. So must we.

"To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers, so it is the same with the Scriptures; the more familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden treasures and yield their indescribable riches" (St. John Chrysostom, A.D. 347-407).

Upcoming Book Signing Event

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting Fr. Andrews Amritharaj, author of the book From a Spiritual Perspective--Life is Meaningful, for a book signing here in our Pauline Center on Friday, October 30th, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Father teaches moral theology and spirituality at St. Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park and is associate pastor at Our Lady of Good Counsel in San Leandro.

Please plan on joining us to meet Fr. Andrews and find out a little about his new book.

Sr. Kelly's First Profession of Vows

I'm sure many of you remember our novice, Sr. Kelly, who was with us for several months last year. Well, you'll be pleased to know that at the end of August she professed her first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Daughter of St. Paul! Her religious profession name is Sr. Kelly Andrew Marie, and we are blessed to welcome our newest professed sister to our province.

For those of you who are interested, we are happy to share with you two videos of the profession ceremony that were done by one of our sisters in Boston. The second video contains the actual profession of vows. Enjoy, and please keep Sr. Kelly and all religious vocations in your prayers!

We Need Your Help

Our Marketing Department in Boston has just added a great new feature to their blog: reader polls. They've put up a poll this week about social networking book sites.

If you have a chance to respond to this very brief poll, it will help them with the feedback they need to create the best possible online experience for you, our privileged customers and friends. And if you get a chance, please visit our new website, which is currently in development.

Two New Saints' Biographies

This Sunday, October 11th, Pope Benedict will canonize two new saints: Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and Fr. Damien, the famous leper-priest of Molokai. Both of these persons lived heroic, selfless lives that serve as models of inspiration and holiness for others.

We at Pauline Books & Media are very pleased to announce that we have two new publications available on these saints. Song of Silence: The Journey of St. Jeanne Jugan, details the incredible ordeal the saint underwent in establishing her community--including repeated betrayals and rejection (to the point that she was not recognized as the foundress of her own Order until after her death). Still, she clung to faith and transformed her trials into a path toward holiness. St. Damien de Veuster, Missionary of Molokai is a 32-page booklet that includes a brief biography and novena prayers to the extraordinary priest who gave his life for the lepers of Hawaii.

Stop by the Center today to learn more about these two remarkable individuals who are the newest canonized saints of the Church.