Cardinals commend new Carmelite books for Lent

Anne Kelly - Stations of the Cross

Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor have written the forewords to two new books published specially for Lent by Saint Albert's Press, the publishing house of The British Province of Carmelites.

Cardinal O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews & Edinburgh, has written the foreword to a new book by fellow Scotsman Fr Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm.

As Prior General of the Carmelite Order between 1995 and 2007, Father Joseph is very well known across the international Carmelite Family and beyond. Since returning to ministry in his native province of Britain, he has published a number of best-selling books, including The Sound of Silence: Listening to the Word of God with Elijah the Prophet, and Let It Be: Praying the Scriptures in company with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Father Joseph has now written a third book of Bible meditations, entitled Truly the Son of God: The Way of the Cross in the Gospel of Mark. The book makes an ideal reflection resource for Lent, or indeed any time of year.

As the publicity for the new book states: "In the life and death of Jesus, the Good News of God's love for all humanity was revealed. Seeing his Son nailed to a cross did not make the Father reject us; instead he offered us even more hope and love through the resurrection.

In a beautiful set of reflections on Mark's Gospel, Father Joseph gives a fresh perspective on the traditional practice of tracing Jesus' Passion through the 'Stations of the Cross'.

After setting Mark's Gospel in context and exploring its layers of meaning through informative scriptural commentary, Fr Joseph considers how God's Word might lead us into a deeper relationship with God through prayer and service.

In this new book Fr Joseph engages with the challenge of aggressive secularism, encourages Christians to stand up for the Kingdom values Jesus taught, and prompts readers to put their love of God into active service of the marginalised.

Father Joseph reveals how meditating upon Scripture can lead into vocal, mental and silent prayer. Drawing from the Christian contemplative tradition, particularly the teachings of Saint Teresa of Avila, he shows how we can deepen our friendship with the God that we know loves us, as proved by the Passion of Christ."

The book is illustrated with artwork from the Carmelite priories at Aylesford and Faversham.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien adopted Fr Joseph's book Let It Be as his book for Advent in 2010. In his foreword to Truly the Son of God, the Cardinal writes: "This is indeed a book not just for Lent but for any time we wish to indulge in guided prayer throughout the year. I recommend this book to those who wish to immerse themselves in the account of the Passion of Our Lord from St Mark's Gospel, thus strengthening their own Christian faith and their desire for Christian action."

The book costs £11.95 (+ £2 postage and packing in the United Kingdom).

A second book for Lent, entitled Steps of Pain, Steps of Hope, has also been published by Saint Albert's Press, and likewise comes with a word of recommendation from a British cardinal. This book is a contemporary reflection on the Stations of the Cross by a friend of the Carmelite Family in Britain, Monsignor Matthew Dickens.
The cover states: "The Stations of the Cross help us follow Jesus through his passion, death and resurrection. In this series of fresh meditations, Monsignor Matthew Dickens helps Christians to retrace Jesus' "steps of pain and steps of hope", encouraging them on the journey through life. Jesus' journey to the Crucifixion and beyond it into the Resurrection reveals that the Christian hope is not an empty dream. The risen Lord will lead us into his Kingdom, however frail our faith may be and however heavily our sins may weigh us down."

These beautiful meditations, rooted in Scripture and the experience of daily living, will be a source of inspiration to all who want to follow Jesus through the cross to new life. This 40-page book is beautifully illustrated by artist Anne Kelly, whose work was presented as a gift to Pope Benedict by Southwark Archdiocese during his 2010 Papal Visit.

The author, Monsignor Matthew Dickens, served as assistant and parish priest in several parishes in South London and Kent before being appointed Vicar General and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Southwark in 2009. As a priest in Southwark, a diocese in which the Carmelite friars have three communities, Monsignor Matthew knows the Carmelite Family well, and the British Province was delighted to publish this, his first publication.

The book comes highly recommended by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster.

In his foreword Cardinal Cormac writes: "It is very helpful to read fresh reflections which focus on the mystery of the Passion. Steps of Pain, Steps of Hope by Monsignor Matthew Dickens is a fresh and movingbmeditation. I warmly welcome these Stations of the Cross and hope that they will be read and reflected upon by many Christians."

The price of the book is £3.95 (+ £1 postage and packing in the UK).

A third publication by a Carmelite is also being promoted this Lent. Love Unknown by Sr. Ruth Burrows is the 2012 Book for Lent adopted by Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Sister Ruth is a nun at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Quiddenham near Norwich. Her book is published by Continuum.

For more information on these books and to order them see: http://carmelite.org/index.php?nuc=news&item=662&func=view&id=40