Our Lady of the Lost and Found: A Novel of Mary, Faith, and Friendship, by Diane Schoemperlen. Viking. 349 pp. $24.95.
Reviewed by BARBARA SONNENBERG, a retired public librarian
who currently serves on the advisory board of St. Anthony
Messenger Press.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED what the Blessed Mother of God would
be wearing if she suddenly appeared in your living room?
In Canadian author Diane Schoemperlen's novel, she is outfitted
in a navy blue trench coat with a white shawl, running shoes
and a long black dress, the skirt of which is covered with
metal medallions. Each medallion represents a petition directed
to Mary and their removal and discussion prior to laundering
gives the book its catchy title.
The first-person narrator is not only a non-Catholic but
also barely a believer in God. She has had no religious
training since Sunday school and her contacts with Catholic
girls in college served to confirm her conviction that most
prayers and devotions are merely superstitious practices
to be utilized when in a tight spot.
Her reaction to one week of living with a very practical,
humorous, up-to-date Mary provides the plot for the story—as
well as a platform for recounting numerous Marian apparitions,
miracles, intercessions and even artistic incarnations.
Lives of saints closely associated with Mary are also recalled
in detail.
These chapters alternate with the recounting of events
in the narrator's life and give her a chance to expound
on a favorite theme of history as an occurrence affecting
the world, and history as local happenings. Here's her summation
of Mary's place in time: "Much as Mary herself exists beyond
the usual time/space continuum which all history must inhabit,
the thousands of recorded apparitions do not. They did not
happen in a vacuum, they happened in the world, the real
world, so to speak."
While the narrator amasses Marian facts and lore, we are
saved from didacticism by an abundant leavening of humor.
For instance, Mary initially introduces herself using some
17 of her titles including "Cloud of Rain That Offers Drink
to the Souls of the Saints." She has learned to operate
modern washers, wears makeup and perfume (lavender since
she's gotten tired of rose), and even has a credit card
made out to MARY THEOTOKOS, which she explains is the title
given to her by the Council of Ephesus.
She speaks wryly of the affectation of the scallop shell
St. James wore like a badge and admits that her astrological
sign is, naturally, Virgo. When her hostess asks how she
is to explain her presence to other people, Mary says: "There
is a Catholic doctrine...called mental reservation.
This means that when speaking or writing, a person can add
certain modifications to solve the dilemma of how to keep
a secret without actually lying." The narrator feels that
this is more a human characteristic than a point of theology!
Mary is never portrayed as unkind or unloving and proves
to be a very considerate guest. She disappears on one occasion
to save some children from drowning but is too embarrassed
to explain her absence.
Ms. Schoemperlen wisely does not attempt to address Mary's
supernatural relationships or attributes, but the reader
who believes the Blessed Virgin to be the summation of all
her titles and, most especially, the Mother of God, will
feel her position considerably slighted.
Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 1954, Ms. Schoemperlen
has produced five short-story collections in addition to
teaching courses in creative writing. She obviously enjoys
language manipulation; her earlier novel entitled In
the Language of Love was composed of 100 chapters with
titles based on stimulus words derived from a word-association
test! Having taken on the challenge of portraying the Virgin
Mary as a contemporary character, Ms. Schoemperlen has more
fully portrayed the narrator. But is this not to be expected
and perhaps intended?
Readers of fiction who enjoy whimsical tales might like
this work, although the transition from fancy to fact can
be rather disconcerting. One must plow through seven pages
of dry, factual listings of 20th-century Marian apparitions
to get to the denouement of the story! The abundant humor
and striking consideration of time/history are very well
presented. This unique novel would provide pleasant winter
reading.
You can order this book from St.
Francis Bookshop at www.StFrancisOnline.com.
The Madonnas of Europe: Pilgrimages to the Great Marian Shrines of Europe, by Janusz Rosikon´. Ignatius Press. 288
pp $49.95.
Reviewed by BARBARA BECKWITH, managing editor of St.
Anthony Messenger.
I HAVE VISITED some of the smaller shrines pictured in
this book such as Einseideln in Switzerland, Montserrat
in Spain, Knock in Ireland, Altötting in Germany, Mariazell
in Austria and Sinj in Croatia. This book makes me see anew
and meditate on the images of Mary I have seen. Someday
I'll make it to major shrines in Europe like Lourdes in
France, Fatima in Portugal or Jasna Gora (Czestochowa) in
Poland.
This is indeed a "deluxe photo/art book," as the publisher
claims. More than 200 photos were taken by Janusz Rosikon´,
who spent five years making pilgrimages to 70 Marian shrines
in Europe. Rosikon´ is a member of the Polish Union of Journalists;
his photos have been published in Time and Newsweek.
It is obvious that taking these photos of Marian shrines
was a labor of love for him.
The book includes Forewords by Cardinal Jozef Glemp of
Poland and Cardinal Andre Maria Deskur, former president
of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and
head of the International Pontifical Marian Academy. Deskur
quotes Pope John Paul II's words about Marian sanctuaries:
"Sanctuaries are the Church's capital, because they are
the focal points from which the Word of God is proclaimed
and where the sacraments are celebrated, where prayers are
held and the Church congregates on a stage greater than
a parish. They are the sites where pilgrims' experiences
merge with the life of the Virgin and the experiences of
the nation, the country and every region with the unceasing
love of the Church and its Mother."
Twelve Polish writers contributed the text and captions
on the various shrines, trying to put them in historical
and religious context.
But it is the photos that shine. The faces of the madonnas
are haunting, well-lit and in detail. Even if you would
go to these shrines, you would not see these statues and
pictures so clearly. The photos of pilgrims, praying alone,
in crowds and in public processions, fingering rosaries,
lighting candles and carrying banners, are also inspiring.
Even the exteriors of the shrines, like Rocamadour in France,
which "clings to a vertical rock, as if suspended between
the earth and the sky," are superbly photographed, in this
case with clouds in the background to give the picture some
depth.
It's wonderful to realize this book covers madonnas from
Ireland to Russia, including many Eastern European countries,
a living testament to the pope's view of a Europe that is
"breathing with both lungs."
If you have been to any of these shrines, or want to take
a great armchair trip to visit 70 at once, consider buying
this book. As oversize coffee-table books go, even at $49.95
this is a bargain.
You can order this book from St.
Francis Bookshop at www.StFrancisOnline.com.
Edith Stein: St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, by María Ruiz Scaperlanda. Our Sunday Visitor. 207 pp. $11.95.
Aunt Edith: The Jewish Heritage of a Catholic
Saint, by Susanne M. Batzdorff. Templegate Publisher.
235 pp. $14.95.
Reviewed by the REV. CHRISTOPHER R. ARMSTRONG, chancellor
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He holds doctorates in
theology and canon law, and is a member of the Secular Order
of Discalced Carmelites.
MARÍA RUIZ SCAPERLANDA has given us a remarkable introduction to the life,
thought and times of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross,
known in the world as Edith Stein, a brilliant professor,
intellectual, philosopher, feminist and Jew. But Edith Stein
was also a convert to Catholicism, a Carmelite nun and a
victim of the Holocaust.
The author divides her book on Stein into five parts. She
begins with the end in view and records Stein's journey
to sainthood. Next, she reviews her life in a Jewish family,
which includes a helpful chapter on the historical setting
of the German Jews. In "Edith the Philosopher," the author
handles adeptly the philosophical concepts of phenomenology,
on which Stein was an expert.
But the crux of the book may lie in a line from the poem
"Tante Edith" written by Stein's niece, Susanne M. Batzdorff,
"[What] led you to worship/The Jew on the Cross?" That is
indeed the key to the whole of Edith Stein's life, she who
chose to be known in Carmel as Teresa Benedicta a Cruce—Teresa
"blessed by the Cross."
Finally, the author reviews the legacy of Edith Stein,
who taught believers so much by her life and work about
the science of the Cross.
I highly recommend this book. It is clear, well-written
and well-researched. It achieves the author's purpose: to
help the reader in "getting to know" Edith Stein, first
as a person and then as a scholar. This book shows why Edith
Stein has been declared a Doctor of the Church.
Batzdorff's own book on Edith Stein represents the dilemma
of Catholics and Jews in regard to her and their respective
faiths. For Catholics, Edith Stein is a martyr and a saint.
For Jews, Stein is an apostate. Catholics hope that Stein
could be a model for Jewish/Catholic dialogue and a bridge
between Judaism and Catholicism. But Jews see her as neither,
only as someone who left Judaism.
Batzdorff gives us an intimate and vivid picture of Stein's
Jewish heritage, the family and friends whom she loved and
who had loved her in return. It recalls the chilling terror
of the Nazi era and grapples with some thorny issues like
Stein's self-image, her love of Germany and the problems
her own book, Life in a Jewish Family, caused for
her relatives.
In fact, Aunt Edith seems to be a response to Edith
Stein's autobiography. Batzdorff claims that her aunt was
not quite accurate in her portrayal of the Stein family.
When that manuscript was discovered, it seemed to have reopened
some wounds within the family. Nevertheless, Batzdorff's
mother Erna, Stein's sister, tended the flame of her beloved
sister's memory, and especially her Jewish heritage. When
Erna died, her daughter Batzdorff, the book's author, took
on the task.
The book is an important contribution to the life and times
of Edith Stein. I would recommend it, however, only to those
who have first read Stein's Life in a Jewish Family,
to which Batzdorff mainly refers. Moreover, the splendid
Introduction by Dr. Eugene Fisher sets some parameters for
Jewish/Catholic dialogue on the significance of Stein for
both traditions, and acts as a catalyst for our common humanity.
You can order this book from St.
Francis Bookshop at www.StFrancisOnline.com.
That Special Starry Night,
by Jeff Carnehl. Concordia Publishing House. 27 pp. $12.95.
Miracle of the Poinsettia,
a retelling by Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R., illustrations by
Dennis Rockhill. Paulist Press. 28 pp. $12.95.
Christmas Nativities & Stories,
by Elisabeth Van Mullekom-Cserép. Nativity House Publishing.
224 pp. $60.
Reviewed by SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER, an assistant editor
of this magazine and the author of the new "Faith-filled
Family" column.
MY TWO-YEAR-OLD daughter, Madison, loves being read to
before bedtime. From the beginning of That Special Starry
Night, Madison was hooked.
The story is the Christmas story with a twist. Author and
illustrator Jeff Carnehl presents the tried-and-true story
of Jesus' birth, but uses snowmen—or "nomen" as Madison
calls them—for the key roles in the story.
On the first page of the book we read, "On a chilly December
night the wind swirled around freshly made snowmen. Inside,
the home was cozy and warm, filled with the sweet smells
and sounds of Christmas. As the children hung their favorite
ornaments on the tree, Dad said, 'Let me tell you the story
of what happened on a special starry night.'"
The book then continues with the story, but is accompanied
on every page with a wonderful split illustration covering
the two-page spread—one of the family listening to
the story and the other of the snowmen in the scenes being
described.
Carnehl's work can be found in Concordia Publishing House's
Hey, My Angel! and Creative Clips. His illustrations
have also appeared in several prominent children's magazines.
It was nice to see the traditional Christmas story told
in a slightly different way.
With the next book, Miracle of the Poinsettia, Madison
was immediately drawn to the cover illustration with its
vibrant colors.
The story is a retelling of a traditional Mexican folktale
of the origin of the poinsettia. Maria, a young girl who
lives on a poor family farm in a small village in Mexico,
struggles to find a gift to give the baby Jesus as was the
custom. After numerous attempts, Christmas Eve arrives and
Maria is left without a gift. What Maria eventually discovers—that
Jesus will love whatever she gives as long as it comes from
her heart—is what makes this book so endearing.
Each page is a two-page spread with the illustration in
the middle and the text in Spanish on the left and English
on the right.
The book's illustrations are wonderfully done. The colors
are bright and vibrant—just the thing to catch a young
child's attention.
The end of the book contains a one-page story on the history
of the Christmas crèche. And although much of the information
was lost on Maddie, I found it very interesting.
The next day I found Maddie reading the book to her baby
doll. This is a book that has definitely found a place in
her library.
Christmas Nativities & Stories is another Christmas
treat, featuring the Christmas story told in a most unusual
way with Nativity scenes, poems and stories from all over
the world.
The author and publisher of this book, Elisabeth Van Mullekom-Cserép,
is also the owner and proprietor of "Nativity House," a
Christmas museum in Australia featuring 600 Nativity scenes
from 60 countries. Proceeds from the book and the museum
go to charities in Australia and the United States.
Cserép's collection of Nativity scenes illustrates this
book, accompanied by stories, poems and tales of "how different
nations celebrate Christmas generally and religiously."
The high-quality paper on which the book is printed only
adds to the beauty of the pictures and illustrations.
This book is not meant to be read from beginning to end
but enjoyed in snippets. Christmas Nativities & Stories
is enjoyable reading when taken in small pieces. If not,
it can seem overwhelming and overdone.
You can order this book from St.
Francis Bookshop at www.StFrancisOnline.com.
Lives of Service: Stories From Maryknoll,
by Jim Daniels. Orbis Books. 128 pp. $25.
Reviewed by ANTHONY ADENU-MENSAH, O.F.M.Conv., who studied
Social Communications at the Gregorian University in Rome.
He did an internship at St. Anthony Messenger last
summer and will be returning to Ghana to edit a Franciscan
magazine, Catholic Messenger.
ONE REMARKABLE CHANGE brought about by the Second Vatican
Council has been the way the Church understands itself and
its activities. This change has had consequences also on
how mission and missionary activities are perceived in the
Church today. Missionary work is not so much to convert
nonbelievers as to share a life of faithful witness to the
love of Christ for all God's people. This is a major theme
of Jim Daniels's book, Lives of Service: Stories from
Maryknoll.
Everything about the book seems so ordinary! But that is
deceptive. The book jacket tells the reader immediately
that this is a photo story of some missionary group (Maryknoll).
Such stories have always been told: "Once upon a time, a
group of men and women religious went to a far-off place...."
But this daring journalist shows the story of these unique
American missionaries. Daniels is a professional photographer
who has worked for Associated Press and other publications
like National Geographic, and toured the most difficult
and dangerous parts of the world to document the Maryknoll
story.
Jim Daniels's book is revolutionary. Using gorgeous, four-color
photos and well-chosen words, he writes a story about human
relationships. This is what makes this book seem so exraordinary.
One would expect that a story about missionary activities
would seek to tell of the resistances and the persecutions
missionaries face in their attempts to "Christianize" the
world. I expected to read a story showing how missionaries
are overcoming the barriers of disease and treacherous climatic
and environmental conditions.
What betrays the revolutionary in the author is his desire
to show that, in encountering other people, missionaries
themselves are enriched personally and culturally. This
is what underlies the experiences of the Maryknollers whose
lives of service in places like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Tanzania,
Panama, Sudan and West Papua he recounts with passion. He
shares the story of Maryknoll priests, brothers, sisters
and lay missionaries.
One lay missionary who returned to his native America testifies,
"I miss the easy exchange and relaxed engagement of speaking
with Tanzanians....I have regained a profound sense of gratefulness
appreciating what has become commonplace in America—clean
water to drink, food year-round, dependable jobs. We have
so much to thank God for." This sums up the testimonies
of all the missionaries who are the focus of this book.
This cultural enrichment is the driving force behind the
missionaries' capability to work for justice and peace and
to treat people with compassion. Working in the missions
helped one lay doctor to learn what she wasn't taught in
medical school—kindness, which she considers the most
important tool.
To say that the people in the mission lands are also enriched
is to state the obvious. Whereas missionaries use words
to describe their experiences, the author subtly lets the
testimonies of the mission people come through the photos.
The colorful, often close-up shots of the people speak loudly
of their genuine affection, which is itself a sign of the
bond between the missionaries and the people.
This book creates a sense of solidarity among all God's
people. The challenge is for all "to witness and participate
in another's life, and to lose and find a little of [oneself]
along the way."
