Saint John's Bible Calligrapher Brian Simpson

Book co-published by Vatican teaches Catholics to pray with Bible

Book co-published by Vatican teaches Catholics to pray with Bible

Toasting Knox

I found this at The Tablet UK archives.  It is a toast that Cardinal Griffin gave in honor of Msgr. Knox in 1955.  I have included a few highlights, as well as a bit of Knox's response.  For the entire article, go here.

Cardinal Griffin:

"The first appearance of his translation of the New Testament was awaited eagerly. It found its critics and it found its admirers, but the only point on which there was universal agreement was that here for the first time were the epistles of St. Paul in understandable form."

"I need not here go into the problems which arose concerning the authorization for the translation of the Old Testament. I regard it as a great privilege to be proposing this toast today because I can say with personal satisfaction that throughout these years Monsignor Knox enjoyed my full confidence and support. You will know that the Old Testament appeared in two volumes. It appeared first by my single authority, but I am happy to relate by the spring of 1953 Monsignor Knox's translation of the entire Bible was formally authorized by the Hierarchy for public use throughout England and Wales. In this they have now been followed by the Hierarchy of Scotland.  Soon afterwards the decision was reached to produce a definitive one-volume edition of what is now called the Knox Bible, and it is to celebrate this publication that we have gathered today to pay honour to the translator. I am very grateful to the Directors of Messrs. Burns Oates and Washbourne for arranging this function and I take this opportunity of thanking them for their co-operation in the publication of the various volumes which have appeared in the past twelve years. I know that they share my pride in a work well done. Monsignor Knox would also wish me to thank the various scripture scholars who have advised him at every stage of his work. They share in the glory of his achievement."

"It is as the translator that we pay him honour today, but I doubt if there is a person here today who does not regard Monsignor Knox as his own friend. Here is a priest whose scholarship in no way conflicts with his simplicity of character and I know that he is as much at home in a humble presbytery as he is at the high tables of the great. He also enjoys the happy wit which never offends against charity, and it is this which has endured him to so many. His contribution to scholarship and to the Church's literature in this country is probably unrivalled in this century. He is now part of our spiritual armoury, and I am reminded of the lines of Samuel Butler, who wrote of those who "Prove their doctrine orthodox By apostolic blows and knocks."

Msgr. Knox:

"The book which has coalesced today into a single volume has come to be known, not by my wish, as the Knox Bible. Such a phrase dazzles you, for a moment, with a hint of immortality ; but a little reflection will convince you that there is no immortality about lending your name to a product. Become a household Word, and you are speedily forgotten. What housewife ever wastes a thought on the memory of President Hoover ? What traveller even recalls the existence of George Mortimer Pullman ? In what refreshment-room will you find a portrait of the fourth Earl of Sandwich ? The Knox Bible has become a mere name ; already, several years back, a Downside boy, doing a history paper on the sixteenth century, informed the examiner that 'John Knox was a cruel Protestant ; he wrote a book we have today, the Knox Bible.' But the name is worse than ambiguous ; it is, I think, positively misleading. It suggests a one-man show ; whereas today, looking back over the last fifteen years, looking round at the company which has honoured this occasion with its presence, I see the Knox Bible as anything but a one-man show. I see it as produced by a conspiracy of kindness on the part of many. And because only I can assess the extent of the debt in question, I am glad to have this opportunity of acknowledging it."

"Only the lynxeyed compositors of the Cambridge Press know what a lot of difference there is between the Knox Old Testament of 1949 and the Knox Old Testament of 1955. On the very first page, there is an alteration which I should never have had the courage to make if Father Richards, of Old Hall, hadn't gingered me up to it."

"Will it live to become dated ? According to a reviewer in The Times Literary Supplement, a translation of the Bible gets dated in fifty years. Will somebody suggest, fifty years hence, 'It is time that the Knox Bible was revised, and brought up to date ? ' Then, oh, then, gentlemen, I have a charge to leave with you. If any such suggestion is made, then let the youngest person who is present today rise in his bath-chair and cry out, `No ! The whole point and protest of the Knox Bible was that it is a mistake, this continual revising and refurbishing of existing Scripture translations, this continual cutting down of father's pants to fit Willie. To revise the Knox Bible would be a treachery to the memory of its translator. If it is dated, then let it be scrapped ; let somebody else sit down and undertake the whole task afresh, in a style of his own, and with a treatment of his own ; let him give us, not a pale rehash of the Knox Bible, but a new Bible, and a better ! ' "

Baronius Roman Breviary Available Again

I just received word about this from our friends at Baronius and thought I would pass it on to you:

A new edition of the Roman Breviary 1961 in English and Latin.  An invaluable set of books for all those attached to the traditional Roman Breviary, in the form approved by Pope Benedict XVI in Summorum Pontificum. We hope and pray that this edition which has taken many years of work to complete, will help to bring about an increased use of the traditional liturgy in the praying of the Divine Office of the Church.

Unlike the first printing which needed to be reserved, this print run will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Those customers who want to ensure they get a copy should purchase as soon as possible as we have a limited number of copies. Due to the large production costs of the Roman Breviary and difficulties to forecast future demand it is not possible to guarantee that this title will be reprinted again.

Flexible cover, 3-Volume Set, 4.5 "x 7", 6064 pages,$359.95

Catholic Biblical Quarterly: October 2013

Here are the articles for the October 2013 issue of Catholic Biblical Quarterly:

Forgiveness as Private and Public Act: A Reading of the Biblical Joseph Narrative
J. Gordon McConville

Love Is (Strong as) Death: Reading the Song of Songs through Proverbs 1-9
Kathryn Imray

Rebuke or Recall? Rethinking the Role of Peter in Mark's Gospel
Robyn Whitaker

Cloaks, Conflicts, and Mark 14:51-52
Erin Vearncombe

"Zealots for Good Works"
Benjamin J. Lappenga

Constructing Jesus and the Son of Man
Francis J. Moloney, SDB

Mary of Bethany and the Hermeneutics of Remembrance
Mary Ann Beavis

GoBible NRSV-CE Editions

 In recent years there have been an influx of audio Bibles that have entered the market.  While many of them have been produced for Protestant translations, there have been a few produced for Catholics as well.  Most notable of the Catholic editions available is the Truth and Life Audio Bible RSV-CE, which is available in various formats.  However, I would like to draw your attention to another option, that has only been available for the past year or so.  It is the GoBible NRSV-CE which comes in two editions, the Original GoBible Catholic Edition and the GoBible Traveler Catholic Edition.   You can listen to some audio samples here, found at the right of the page.  Here is a little bit about what each includes:

ORIGINAL GOBIBLE CATHOLIC EDITION FEATURES:

• Contains entire Bible for Catholics
• Over 80 hours of audio, preloaded
• Searchable by verse
• Story index of 230 popular Bible stories
• Topic index
• Holiday/events index
• Bookmarks
• Narrated Rosary and common prayers
• Daily readings by year and cycle
• Voice menu for sight impaired

GOBIBLE TRAVELER CATHOLIC EDITION FEATURES:

• Contains entire Bible for Catholics
• Over 80 hours of audio, preloaded
• Bible-in-a-Year Plan
• Narrated Rosary and common prayers
• Easy-To-Use Navigation
• Lightweight and Portable

More from Christianbook.com:

The GoBible Traveler and Original Edition does not interact with a PC; all of its content, over 80 hours of audio, has been downloaded onto the device. This is an audio device only. The GoBible Traveler’s interactive on-screen menu allows you to scroll easily through the Old and New Testaments and select the book and chapter where you want to begin play. Additionally, you have the option of following the GoBible Traveler’s "Bible-in-a-Year" plan for listening to the entire Bible in 365 days. The GoBible Traveler supports 36 Bookmarks so you can mark your favorite chapters or where you left off listening.

Both of these editions are lightweight and come with the entire Catholic Bible as well as Rosary devotions.  The Original Edition, though slightly bigger, has the ability to search the Bible by verse, as well as including a helpful index of popular Bible stories.  This is a nice feature that allows you to go right to a particular story in the Bible, like David and Goliath.   Also, you can read the particular daily readings of the day by the liturgical cycle.  Both editions come with Bible-in-a-Year reading plans.  The Original Edition also has a bigger screen, which may be more useful for those who have poor vision.   However, the biggest advantage to the Traveler Edition is that is is so much smaller and portable.  If you are a runner or plan to use it at the gym, you'll want to go with the Traveler Edition.  

The narrator is Stephen Johnston, who has done a number of other audio Bibles.  He has a deep and distinctive voice, which you would expect from anyone who does an audio Bible.  He also reads the Rosary and common prayers section as well.  One of the main questions you might ask is whether it is worth the price to have this mobile device as opposed to having an audio Bible loaded on your I-Pod or I-Phone.  Of course, that is up to you, but for me the answer is yes.  First off, it frees up space on my I-Phone for other things, considering that the entire Bible is over 80 hours in length.  Secondly, it is nice to have this specific device handy, which is very light and easily fits into my pocket or backpack.    Thirdly, the ability to search the Bible by verse, not just chapter, is a helpful advantage that most audio Bibles do not provide.  Lastly, since I have two young children who seem now-a-days to wake up a couple times a night, it is nice to have this on my night stand ready to go.  After getting the kiddies back to sleep, it is nice to just listen to the Word of God and relax.  

Again, I really appreciate the portability of this product.  I saw it being sold at a recent Catholic Conference my wife and I attended, so I decided to contact the people at GoBible.  They were gracious enough to provide me with a couple review copies.  I think this is a very nice option for those who want to hear the written Word in an easy-to-use format.  It also makes a great gift idea as we get closer to the Christmas season.   

Sunday Knox: Luke 18:9-14

Knox:

There were some who had confidence in themselves, thinking they had won acceptance with God, and despised the rest of the world; to them he addressed this other parable:  Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood upright, and made this prayer in his heart, I thank thee, God, that I am not like the rest of men, who steal and cheat and commit adultery, or like this publican here; for myself, I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican stood far off; he would not even lift up his eyes towards heaven; he only beat his breast, and said, God, be merciful to me; I am a sinner.  I tell you, this man went back home higher in God’s favour than the other; everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and the man who humbles himself shall be exalted.

NAB:

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.  "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Catholic Men's Bible

Thanks to reader Lenny for pointing this out!  This may be a first for Catholic men.  Publication date looks set for early 2014 by OSV.

The Catholic Men's Bible Author: Fr. Larry Richards List Price: 29.95 US$  ISBN: 978-1-61278-727-5 ID #: T1437 Copyright: 2014 Pages: 2050 Format: Paperback Availability: Not yet published

A Review of Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28th Edition with NRSV/REB Greek-English New Testament

Joel Watts, blogger at Unsettled Christianity, has a helpful review of the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28th Edition with NRSV/REB Greek-English New Testament including some fine photos and a video review.

Check it out!

Saint John's Bible Calligrapher Aidan Hart

Children's Bible Offerings from Saint Benedict Press

I wanted to introduce you to two wonderful Bibles for children that are published by Saint Benedict Press.  They are the New Catholic Illustrated Bible and the My First Communion Bible.  Here is a little bit about both before I give some of my own comments from using them (with my daughter).

New Catholic Illustrated Bible:
Everyone should be familiar with the great heroes and stories of the Bible. From the beginning of Creation to the Last Judgement, from Noah and the Flood to the Exodus from Egypt, from the Annunciation of the Lord to His glorious Ressurection, The New Catholic Illustrated Bible tells the story of salvation in a way that will engage and inspire readers of every age. With over 100 beautiful full-color illustrations, and a faithful re-telling of Scripture by acclaimed author Amy Welborn, here is a Bible story book that you and your loved ones will turn to often, now and for years to come. Open its pages and discover why The New Catholic Illustrated Bible is a treasure that belongs in every Catholic home. Easy-to-read lay-flat binding and gold-foil details.


My First Communion Bible:
This beautiful Bible Story book is specially designed to mark a child's First Holy Communion. Special features include a Communion Record page and a beautiful two page letter from beloved priest Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Father Groeschel writes to children on the great gift of meeting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, shares his memory of his own First Communion, and encourages children to love Jesus forever and receive Him often.

Features include: 

• Padded Hardcover
• Gold foil stamped cover
• Gilded page edges
• Presentation and First Communion Record Page
• Engaging full-color illustrations
• Foreword by Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. 
  
  Following Father's letter, 26 Bible stories from the New Testament will help children come to know and love Jesus even more. Each story is beautifully illustrated in a manner that will inspire young readers and bring the Bible stories to life.

I have spent most of my time with the New Catholic Illustrated Bible since it is something that I can read to my daughter (and my son).  Amy Welborn does a great job condensing the Biblical stories into bite-sized chunks, perfectly suited for bedtime reading.  The illustrations are fantastic as well.   If any of you remember some of those old illustrations that always seem to come with any children's related Bible or prayer book from Catholic Book Publishing, which often seem hopelessly dated, I can assure you that these are so much better.  Just take a look at the image on the right of the fiery furnace scene in Daniel.  So, I highly recommend this illustrated Bible, which comes at an amazingly cheap price of $16.22 as of today.

The My First Communion Bible I see more as a keepsake.  It too is beautifully illustrated, with gold gilded edges.  It would make a great gift for any child's first communion.

Thank you to Saint Benedict Press for these review copies.

J. Mark Bertrand's Review of Allan's NRSV in Brown Highland Goatskin

October Contest Winner

Congrats to Dragan K who was randomly selected to win the RSV Bible and Jesus Shock book.  Please email me at mccorm45 (at) yahoo (dot) com with your full name and address and I'll get your prize out to you.  Thanks to all who entered.

Sunday Knox: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Knox Bible:

It is for thee to hold fast by the doctrine handed on to thee, the charge committed to thee; thou knowest well, from whom that tradition came;  thou canst remember the holy learning thou hast been taught from childhood upwards. This will train thee up for salvation, through the faith which rests in Christ Jesus. Everything in the scripture has been divinely inspired, and has its uses; to instruct us, to expose our errors, to correct our faults, to educate us in holy living;  so God’s servant will become a master of his craft, and each noble task that comes will find him ready for it.  I adjure thee in the sight of God, and of Jesus Christ, who is to be the judge of living and dead, in the name of his coming, and of his kingdom,  preach the word, dwelling upon it continually, welcome or unwelcome; bring home wrong-doing, comfort the waverer, rebuke the sinner, with all the patience of a teacher. 

NAB:

Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Saint John's Bible Calligrapher Susan Leiper

October Contest

For this month's contest I am going to be offering a copy of the beautiful

Revised Standard Version, Burgundy, Zipper Duradera Readers Edition from Oxford/Ignatius.  This is not the compact edition, but the standard sized one.  I believe it is now out of print. It contains the RSV-CE text, with presentation pages, Dei Verbum, and a section of Catholic prayers and devotionals. Along with the Bible, I will include a copy of my favorite Peter Kreeft book Jesus Shock.  The self test at the beginning is worth the price on its own.  I use it at the beginning of my classes each semester.    

So here are the rules:
1) If you have a blog, please advertise this contest on your site. (If you don't, you can still enter the contest.)

2) This contest is only for people who are in the North America. (Overseas shipping costs remain too high for me right now. Sorry.)

3) To enter, please put your name in the comment section of this post.  Winner will be drawn randomly.

4) The contest ends on Sunday, October 20th, at 11:59 PM. I'll announce the winner on Monday morning.  At that time, the winner must contact me, via email, with their address within one week to receive their prize.

5) One entry per person. If you post anonymously, you must leave a name at the end of your comment entry.

The Knox Bible and Biblegateway.com

I have received a number of email inquiries about why the Knox Bible was removed from the Biblegateway.com site.  I contacted Bible Gateway and this was their response:

Dear Timothy,

Greetings from Bible Gateway.

Thank you for contacting us concerning the availability of the KNOX BIBLE. We have removed this Bible from our library at the request or the publisher.

God bless your day,

Bible Gateway Customer Care

Sunday Knox: 2 Kings 5:14-17

Knox:
So down he went, and washed in the Jordan seven times, as the servant of God had bidden him. And with that, his flesh healed up, and became like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. So, coming back with all his retinue, he stood there in the presence of God’s servant; I have learned, he said, past doubt, that there is no God to be found in all the world, save here in Israel.

And now, he said, pray accept a gift from thy servant, to prove his gratitude!  As the Lord I serve is a living God, Eliseus answered, I will accept nothing from thee; nor would any pleading bring him to consent.  At last Naaman said, Have thy way, then, lord prophet, but grant me a gift instead. Let me take away with me part of the soil of Israel, as much as two mules can carry; my burnt-sacrifice, my offerings henceforward are for the Lord only, and for no alien god.

NAB: 
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God. 
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.

Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. 
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant."

Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused. 
Naaman said: "If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."

Should Catholics Read Protestant Bibles?

The Message: Tobit 8:5-8

One of my favorite Biblical passages, within one of my favorite Biblical books is Tobit 8:5-8.  So, when I purchased the Kindle edition of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition this was the first passage I went to check out.  Here is is, followed by the NRSV.  And remember, the Deuterocanonicals are translated from the Nova Vulgata.   

The Message:
"Blessed are you, God of our fathers!  Blessed be your name forever and ever!  May the heavens and all your creatures bless you from age to age!  You made Adam and gave him Eve.  From both came the human race.  you said, did you not, that it was not good for man to be alone?  That he needed a helper, a look-alike?  And so you provided.  Now I take this woman, my cousin, as my lawful wedded wife, not to quiet my lust but to awaken my love.  Keep our best interests at heart.  We want to have children and grow old together."  "Amen," he said, and "Amen," she said.


NRSV:

“Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name in all generations forever. Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you forever. You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve as a helper and support. From the two of them the human race has sprung. You said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.’  I now am taking this kinswoman of mine, not because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that she and I may find mercy and that we may grow old together.” And they both said, “Amen, Amen.”

The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition

The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition is now available for purchase.  You can also view some actual pages, including an intro from Eugene Peterson and Deuterocanonical translator William Griffin here.  

An interesting note from William Griffin's intro is that he did not translate from the Greek or Hebrew for the Deuterocanonicals, but rather the Nova Vulgata.  So there you go, our first translation into English from the Nova Vulgate.  How fascinating!

The paperback is available on Amazon for a little over $20, while the Kindle edition is $7.99.   I am hoping to acquire an edition in the coming weeks for review.

Now for the first time and exclusively from ACTA Publications, The Message® features the deuteroncanonical books translated by William Griffin in The Message®: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition. Including the books of Judith, Tobit, Sirach, Wisdom, Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, and additions to Esther and Daniel, all translated in the same contemporary American-idiomatic paraphrased style as the other editions of The Message®. 

Eugene Peterson's The Message® is a fresh, compelling, insightful, challenging, faith-filled translation of the Bible into contemporary idiomatic American English and is first and foremost a reader's Bible. Eugene Peterson and William Griffin (translator of the deuterocanonical books) have made the Scriptures come alive again by translating them in a way that people can understand what God is trying to say to us today.

This Bible is meant to be read. The Message® is not meant to be a subsititue for your other bible translations. It is meant to sit next to them where you can pick it up and simply start reading. We hope it will send you back to your other translations with new insight and curiosity. 

For more info, head over to the ACTA Publications site or my interview with the publisher.

Gospel of Mark Comic

From Salesian Info Agency: "On the occasion of the opening of the Year of Faith, the Salesians of the Province of China published an English language edition of the Gospel of Mark in comic form, taking cues from the original version of the book in Mandarin.

The new edition, comprising two volumes, had already been completed long ago under the guidance of the Salesian, Fr Dennis Martin, who died in 2006. Assisted by a group of enthusiastic pupils, Fr Dennis had supervised the production of the new version, which reiterated previously published volumes from Vox Amica Press of Hong Kong, changing the lyrics based on the Gospel of Mark in the New American Bible.

Now, in response to the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI to renew the commitment to Christian proclamation, the Province "Maria Ausiliatrice" gave to the printers the two volumes in English. In doing so, the Chinese Salesians intend, in the first place, to offer young readers the opportunity to get to know the figure of Jesus, through the simple and compelling comics form; and secondly, to pay their last respects to the Salesian missionary life of Fr Dennis, appreciating a piece of his legacy.

The two volumes chronicle the life of Jesus with bold graphics and great fidelity to the Gospel account. Flipping through the pages is a special character: "Little Priest", who has the task of guiding the readers on their journey to understanding the Good News.

The comics are one of the most popular media among young people around the world, and this helps to make this work a useful tool to tell the story of Jesus. The new English Edition already has various famous admirers: Salesian Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, hoped that "this book might arouse the interest of people to explore the Gospel and the Kingdom of heaven", while Fr Steve Ryan, Coordinator of Youth Pastoral and young adults of the Province of the Eastern United States, recommends this book to parents, teachers and instructors.

The book is on sale in major Catholic bookstores in Hong Kong; for those who want to buy it elsewhere or receive further information try osenquiry@vap.org.hk"

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of this two volume comic.  It is truly a beautiful book, which covers the entire Gospel of Mark.  I dabble a little bit into comics from time to time, so I am pretty comfortable reading them.  The art for this comic tends to be a bit more  in the style of Eastern manga than what you would typically see from a Western comic.  It includes a Foreword by Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, as well as an introduction to the Gospel and a Map of the Holy Land.  If you are interested in obtaining a copy for yourself or a friend, you can email osenquiry@vap.org.hk for more information.  They are very helpful in placing your order in a secure way.  It will, however, take at least five weeks for the comic to arrive from Hong Kong.  It was well worth it!

If you are looking for something in a more Western comic style, I highly recommend A Child is Born by Billy Tucci.  It is simply stunning.  Also, it is interesting to note that Billy is Catholic.  Many of the other comic/manga Bibles on the market are done by Protestant authors.  They are certainly good as well, but it is always great to support Catholic authors.   Tucci's book makes a great Christmas gift.  

Update from Reader Brian:

In case any of the Catholic Bibles Blog readers were interested in obtaining a set of the Gospel of Mark comics from Vox Amica, I just wanted to mention Kenneth and Margaret over at the Fountain of Love and Life bookstore up in Canada.  I reached out to Clare Chan in HK about purchasing a couple of sets of the comics, and she recommended that I go through FLL in Canada.  The Fountain of Love and Life bookstore was very accommodating and helpful throughout the process of ordering a set of the Gospel of Mark comic edition, and it looks like they have quite a selection of Catholic books/videos.  You can check out the bookstore athttp://bookstore.fountainofloveandlife.org/ .

Sunday Knox: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

Knox:
"Lord, must I ever cry out to thee, and gain hearing never? Plead against tyranny, and no deliverance be granted me? Must I nothing see but wrong and affliction; turn where I will, nothing but robbery and oppression; pleading at law everywhere, everywhere contention raising its head? Write down thy vision, the Lord said, on a tablet, so plain that it may be read with a glance;  a vision of things far distant, yet one day befall they must, no room for doubting it. Wait thou long, yet wait patiently; what must be must, and at the time appointed for it. Foul air the doubter breathes; by his faith he lives, who lives right."


NAB: 
"How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live."

Lift Jesus High Rally

If you live in the Michigan/Ohio/Indiana area I highly recommend this one day conference.  You can find out more about it here, including how to register.  It is full of great speakers, music, as well as Holy Mass and opportunities for Confession!

Catholic Diocese of Toledo & Renewal Ministries of Ann Arbor, MI are sponsors of Lift Jesus Higher.  Both are dedicated to proclaiming Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit through renewal and evangelization all over the world.

Fr. Jonathan Morris, of the Archdiocese of New York and Religion Commentator for the Fox News Network will be the keynote speaker.  Fr. Jonathan Morris will be joined by the dynamic Renewal Ministries speakers Ralph Martin, Sister Ann Shields, and Peter Herbeck.

This one-day event has it all! The day begins with praying the Rosary, participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the afternoon and ends with celebrating the Holy Mass with His Excellency, The Right Reverend Bishop Leonard Blair for the Diocese of Toledo & concelebrated with many Priests & Deacons.

Please Consider Sponsoring a PIME Child

I am sure that many of you have seen on TV or other media outlets the various child sponsorship programs that are out there.  Many of them, like World Vision and Compassion International, are run by Protestant ministries.  I am grateful for the work they do in the many countries they minister.  However, I would like to let you know of a Catholic child sponsorship program that my wife and I are involved in.  It is run by the PIME Missionaries, who are Catholic religious order of priests and brothers who commit themselves to lifelong missionary service, especially to non-Christians. (PIME stands for the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in Latin.) Founded in Italy in 1850, PIME is an International Society of Apostolic Life with about 500 members in 17 countries. PIME's priority is the proclamation of the Gospel. They are actively involved in human development and the promotion of justice and peace. Their ministries include the foundation of schools, hospitals and clinics, orphanages, and the pastoral care of newly founded Catholic communities.

One of the best ways you can help them out is by sponsoring a child through their Foster Parent Program. Foster Parents pledge $15 a month to help support a child in the missions. Yes, for just 50 cents a day, a child will be provided with many of the necessities most of us take for granted. But most importantly, that child will know that someone loves and cares for him or her. One little boy or girl will have hope. 

This sponsorship program is near and dear to both my wife and I for two reasons.  First, the PIME Missionaries headquarters in the USA is located in Detroit, where we live.  Over the years, we have come to know a number of the PIME priests and they are very humble and holy men.   Secondly, our foster child is from India and her name is Rizwana.  Although we will likely never be able to meet her, we consider her a part of our family, even if from a distance.    

As you know I have never, nor will I ever, ask for donations for this blog, but I would greatly appreciate your consideration in becoming a foster parent.  If you are not able to at this time, please pass along this program to someone who you think might be able to.  Thank you for your consideration!

"Your Bible" Series: Joshua's Good News Bible

My name is Joshua. I stumbled on Timothy's blog a few months back as I was researching a product. I have been a pretty loyal reader ever since. I'm Protestant (Southern Baptist for the most part). In the almost 20 years I have walked with Jesus, I have used many versions ranging from the colloquialism of The Living Bible to the traditional language of the KJV and RSV-2CE. Out of all these, one is really special.

I became acquainted with the Good News Bible* (GNB) 20 years ago. This occurred while on a trip to see relatives in Tennessee. While I was there, I saw a box of Bibles. I asked if I could read one during my stay. Reading it helped me see that the Bible was a special book and not just another thing to read. Before this, the only Bibles I had were the aforementioned KJV and Living Bible as well as the New International Version (NIV). After this, I started going to a Baptist church and got saved, giving my life to Christ. That Christmas, I got my own copy.

You might be asking yourself: Is there a need for the GNB when we have other versions such as the NABRE or NIV? I say yes and here’s why. It’s easy to understand. (I'm not saying it’s the easiest to understand. That title would go to the International Children's Bible. This is a Protestant translation written at a 3rd grade reading level.) This understandability helps clarify passages that can be difficult at times. On the down side, this isn’t a version suited for liturgical use or study. The second reason I like the GNB is the illustrations by Swiss artist Annie Vallotton. They are engrossing, drawing you into the text. For example, I’m reading through Ecclesiastes. At Ecclesiastes 1:14 there is a drawing that shows Solomon showing regret. This helps me to better understand what’s being said. The last reason I like the GNB is that it’s a version for everyone. It is available with the Protestant canon and in a Catholic edition. If you desire to get a copy, I would look for the 1979 edition. A 1992 revision added gender-inclusive language.

In short the GNB has been a blessing to me! I want to thank Timothy for allowing me to share my story and thoughts.

 *The Good News Bible is known as the Good News Translation (GNT) in the United States.

Thank you Joshua for sharing your story.  I am always looking for additional entries in the monthly  "Your Bible" Series, so please send an email to mccorm45(at)yahoo(dot)com if you are interested.