Inside the Pages Archives

IP#222 Joseph Pearce – Shakespeare on Love on Inside the Pages

Another outstanding addition to the Joseph Pearce canon! “Shakespeare on Love: Seeing the Catholic Presence in Romeo and Joseph-Pearce-1 Juliet” is a terrific read. Once again Jospeh Pearce helps us to see that the story we thought we knew is something very different when viewed with the Catholic Shakepeares len’s. Is Romeo a hero or a self indulgent cad? Is Juliet a free thinking woman or a relationship starved 13 year old victimized by an adult male predator? And how about those adults? Just look at what happens when Eros runs a muck, and virtue is replaced blindly in favor of vice! Let us not forget to mention the tragedy which occurs from bad parenting. Sexual desire and the gift of reason are explored in this compelling work by the prolific Pearce. Who would have thought a book about a 500 year old play would contain such important lessons for our lives today.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

“Joseph Pearce’s book on Romeo and Juliet stands like a lighthouse in the murk of modern literary criticism. His approach challenges the assumptions that govern popular ‘scholarly’ work on Shakespeare in our time. It is massively researched, convincing, intelligent, and (happily) interesting. I commend it highly to all possible readers.” —-Thomas Howard, Author, Chance or the Dance?

IP#216 Russell Shaw – American Church on Inside the Pages

“Americanization ” is a very important concept to comprehend when trying to understand the state of the Roman Catholic Church in America. In “American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America” offers that many of the benefits of cultural assimilation exprienced by Catholic immigrants to the U.S., around the turn of the last century, were good. However, the secular culture has threatened the “Catholic identity” of millions of faithful and of their institutions, such as schools, universities, and hospitals.

Rich in in history, which points potentially to the future, Russell Shaw helps us to see the disturbing aspects of the Church in America today, while offering hopeful outcomes for the future. A very important book, indeed!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (26.0MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

“Russell Shaw is one of the best informed and most articulate observers of the American Catholic experience; a writer of elegant clarity, fairness and impeccable research. If you want to understand the Church in the United States and the challenges she now faces, American Church should be on the short list of books you need to read.”
+Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia

“The new bull-in-the-china-shop of U.S. Catholic history, Russell Shaw upends pedestals, reimagines story-lines, and invites all of us to think again about the roots of the severe challenges — and great opportunities — facing the Church in the United States in the first decades of the third millennium.” —-George Weigel, author of Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church

IP#215 Joseph Pearce – Candles in the Dark on Inside the Pages

Joseph Pearce is one of my all time favorite writers!!! What a joy to speak to him about “Candles in the Dark: The Authorized Biography of Fr. Richard Ho Lung and the Missionaries of the Poor”. Fr. Ho Lung is a fascinating figure: poet, teacher, mystic, and musician (reggae, no less). The child of Chinese Buddhist immigrants, this Jamaican priest is the founder of one of the fastest-growing religious orders in the world, whose mission is to serve the poorest of the poor. With all those elements found in his story, Joseph Pearce, once again, paints an incredibly compelling portrait. As demonstrated in his numerous other biographies, which include the lives of Oscar Wilde, J.R.R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton and others (my favorite is “Old Thunder” on the life of Hilaire Belloc), Joseph captures the passion found in the heart of his subject. This work is highly recommended!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:12 — 24.9MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

From the book description:

Pearce takes us from his childhood in Jamaica, the son of impoverished Chinese immigrants, to his education and ordination as a Jesuit priest. He shows us the glamour of Fr. Ho Lung’s life as a celebrity musician, and the deadly danger of missionary work in Kingston s grittiest ghettos. He tells the story of one who has ascended the heights of worldly success, descended into the depths of suffering and discovered a joy there that none can take away.

In the tradition of Malcolm Muggeridge s classic documentary of Mother Teresa,Something Beautiful for God,Candles in the Dark takes us to a place of unimaginable poverty…and shows us the joy that comes from sacrifice, the irresistible attractiveness of holiness, and the power of God still at work in the world today.

IP#214 Dr. Benjamin Wiker – Worshipping the State on Inside the Pages

Dr. Benjamin Wiker once again brings to us a fascinating, well-researched, and informative historical review of the multiple factors which have brought us to the rise of “secular liberalism” in the United States. This is not book about political parties, but rather the overall mindset that has infected every fabric of our society. He demonstrates the interplay between ideas and events. By looking at the teachings of certain influential philosophers (Machiavelli, Hobbes, Spinoza, Rousseau, and Locke) he demonstrates the “step-by-step” descent which has led us to point where various aspects of our culture lift up the “belief of unbelief”, a strange paradox which ultimately undermines the integrity of the moral life of a society. Dr. Wiker is delightfully engaging to talk with. I always look forward to reading his books…over and over again.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:30 — 26.1MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

“Benjamin Wiker’s book is the most forthright and unblinking analysis yet published of the ubiquitous assault on religion in American society. Not only every religious believer but every believer in religious liberty should read it.’

James Hitchcock, Professor of History, St. Louis University and author of What is Secular Humanism?, The Recovery of the Sacred, and The Supreme Court and Religion in American Life.

IP#213 Joan Wester Anderson – An Angel to Watch Over Me and Angelic Tales on Inside the Pages

What a delight to talk once again to Joan Wester Anderson. It would be hard to find a more gracious soul than Joan’s, and to have a chance to have a conversation about the angels…well it doesn’t get much better! Joan is the author of a dozen or more books (many bestsellers!), and her work making known the angelic relam are always a delight. It was difficult to choose which one to discuss first, but we gave it go. I’ve never been disappointed in her writing, and I highly recommended any of the titles found in this post (and yes, I’ve read them all…over and over again).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:00 — 23.8MB) | Embed

IP#212 Fr. Joseph Fessio – Married Priests? on Inside the Pages

“Married Priests? 30 Crucial Questions about Celibacy” is the go to book when seeking answers to just about everything related to the Church’s teaching and exprience in regards to priestly celibacy. With Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J., editor and founder of Ignatius Press the publisher of this work, we discuss several of those questions. Why do Catholic priests not marry? How can celibacy possibly be so important to the Church, if Jesus did not even require it of his apostles? How does this discipline play into the discernment for this particular vocation? We also discuss the vocation of Marriage, and the state of Church in America from Fr. Fessio’s prespective. It is always a joy to have the opportunity to talk with Fr. Fessio.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:59 — 11.9MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

From the book description:

In recent years the arguments in favor of openness to married priests seem to be multiplying. Some object that celibacy is not a dogma but only a discipline that originated in the Middle Ages; that it is contrary to nature and hence harmful for a man’s psycho-physical equilibrium and the maturation of the human personality. And then, if priests could marry, there would be an increase in vocations.

In this book, seventeen various experts make contributions, responding to these and other burning objections, allowing the reader to discover the value that celibacy has today in the lives of thousands of priests and seminarians.

Among the key topics this book discusses are: History of Priestly Celibacy, What Theology Says on the Celibacy, Emotions and Sexuality, Discerning and Fostering a Vocation, Celibacy in the Life of a Priest, Celibacy and Inculturation, Papal teachings on Celibacy from Pius XI to Benedict XVI.

IP#208 Dr. Matthew Bunson – Pope Francis on Inside the Pages

Yet another very special conversation with good friend and Discerning Hearts contributor, Dr. Matthew Bunson about his new book “Pope Francis”. He once again demonstrates why he is one of our leading Church historians! No one articulates a moment with more grace and vision, than Dr. Bunson. More than just a “biography” of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina (which is offered beautifully in this volume), he places, in context, the extraordinary events and emotions leading to the election of the 265th successor of St. Peter…Pope Francis. The who, what, where, why and how are offered in vivid compelling detail. From the moment of Pope Benedict XVI’s earth shaking resignation and its implications, to the Holy Spirit led deliberations of the Cardinals, Dr. Bunson masterfully sets the stage for the first presentation to the world of Pope Francis on the loggia of St. Peter’s. We get the first in-depth look at the life and times of this “son of St. Ignatius”, the challenges, controversies, triumphs of his life thus far, and what we might expect given Bergoglio’s response to his election as the “bishop of Rome”. Matthew Bunson is a joy to read…don’t miss this definitive account of this truly remarkable story.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:56 — 26.5MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

From the book description:

Get inside access to the entire history-making event, from the startling resignation of Pope Benedict through the gathering of Cardinals for the Conclave and the installation of this Pope of the people.

Examine Pope Francis the man – his background, his ideas, his mission, and his challenges and opportunities as our new pope – including 16 pages of full color photos from Pope Francis’ past and present.

“I want to ask you to walk together, and take care of one another …We need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others.” Pope Francis

IP#207 Sr. Janice McGrane – Saints for Healing On on Inside the Pages

Sr.-Janice-McGrane It was a delight to once again talk with Sr. Janice McGrane S. S. J., this time about her book “Saints for Healing: Stories of Courage and Hope”. In this, her second book, she offers a short biography of the lives of 11 saints, their background on relevant cultural issues, and a reflection. Each saint has a special connection to “healing”…some are expected, some are a wonderful surprise. Sr. Janice has introduced us to special companions who can walk with us on the journey to our ultimate destination….an encounter with the Divine Physician. Marvelous, simply marvelous.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

For a copy of the book

From the book description:

With grace and insight, McGrane tells us also about healing that occurs on a larger scale: Joan of Arc healed the morale of France in its most dire hour, Edith Stein and Maximilian Kolbe offered comfort and consolation in the midst of the horror of Auschwitz, Henriette DeLille transceneded the racism of her time to minister with slaves, Hildegard of Bingen shared her knowledge of herbs to heal others, Catherine of Siena helped repair a divided and corrupt church, Damien ministered to the lepers of Molokai. These stories and those about Teresa of Avila, Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, Archbishop Romero, and Fr. Mychal Judge lead us to these healing saints for compaionship and inspiration when we, too, hurt.

IP#206 Sharon Doran – “The Bible” on an Inside the Pages Special

With “Seeking Truth” founder and teaching director, Sharon Doran, we take a critical look at the History Channel presentation of “The Bible”, produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett. While we appreciate the opportunity to have the Bible lifted up in such a way on cable television, this presentation, and in particular the episode entitled “The Mission”, contains some problematic elements which subtly challenge basic tenets of our Catholic Christian understanding of the Gospel. The argument has been made that artistic license needed to be employed to present the scope of the Bible in 10 hours, however certain choices were made by it’s producers which could be questioned by the discerning heart. Also, several prominent Catholic leaders have encouraged the viewing of this presentation. Should we being viewing it as a means of Evangelization or as simply a piece of entertainment? Is there a danger in using this as tool in Catholic catechesis? With Sharon, along with our Bibles in hand, we address some these questions and take a deeper look at some of the more challenging depictions presented in “The Mission” episode.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:41 — 26.3MB) | Embed

For solid teachings on the Sacred Scripture, we encourage you to check out “Seeking Truth” which is an in depth Catholic Bible Study, commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more go to:www.seekingtruth.net

IP#205 Christopher West – Fill These Hearts on Inside the Pages

Christopher West continues to offer to us work that is compelling, as well as challenging, in regards to our deepest desires…the yearning in our hearts that can only find rest in God. Through the Scriptures, the writings of the Saints, and the teachings of the Church, Christopher West helps us to understand that so much of what we seek and how we seek it, especially expressed through our bodies, cannot be authentically found in what our culture offers. The only place where true peace, joy, and fulfillment can be found is in the abundant love and grace which resides in the Heart of God who longs for us…it is up to us to respond.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:43 — 26.3MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

“Christopher West is a gifted and effective evangelist with a passion for tackling one of the greatest obstacles to belief today: the heresy that Christianity is a joyless, rule-bound religion. Not so, argues West, in this timely, powerful book. Drawing upon Scripture, the saints and the glimmers of truth in pop culture, West reminds us that Christianity is essentially a love story, and Christian sexual ethics exist to help us fulfill, not repress, our deepest desires. For anyone who has ever doubted that Christ’s call to purity of heart is good news, Fill These Hearts will prove a surprising and consoling read, one with the potential to change your life as well as your mind.”
–Colleen Carroll Campbell, author of My Sisters the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir