Letters

Parish libraries?

Bob Cotterall

Contents - Mar 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Selecting and forming future priests - Michael Gilchrist St Thérèse's relics make Australian pilgrimage - Mother Teresa OCDM News: The Church Around the World 'Conservation Plan' recommends changes to Toowoomba's Cathedral - Michael Gilchrist North American vocations summit overlooks orthodox success stories - Zenit News Service Former Anglican Bishop of London explains why he became a Catholic - Monsignor Graham Leonard Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration spreads throughout the world - Fr Douglas Harris 'Liturgiam Authenticam', ICEL and the need for improved Mass translations - Anna Silvas The Benedictine medal: a long history of devotion - Fr Fabian Duggan OSB Thoughts of a recent convert to Catholicism - Rett Peaden Letters: Watered-down faith - Teresa Martin Letters: Testimonies - Raymond de Souza Letters: Apology - Fr M. Shadbolt PP Letters: Last straw (letter) - Justin Kearney Letters: Human Rights (letter) - Sr M.B. Eanswythe OSB Letters: Courage Needed (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Sunday obligation - Leo Willems Letters: Forgotten teachings - Mrs Hiske Deschepper Letters: Nicene Creed - Ken Bayliss Letters: Parish libraries? - Bob Cotterall Letters: Indian appeal - Kevin L. Fernandes Letters: Teaching position - Robert Anderson Books: Freedom and Virtue: The Conservative-Libertarian Debate, George W. Carey (ed) - Alex Sidhu (reviewer) Books: Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism, by Paul Vitz - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Living The Catholic Faith, by Archbishop Charles Chaput - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Fatima Handbook, by Leo Madigan - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Books: Fr Werenfried - A Life, by Joanna Bogle - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: John Paul II: St Joseph's renewed significance for the Church - Br Christian Moe FSC

God made us, says the old catechism, so that we might know, love and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next.

But, it is not always easy to know God adequately in this world. Indeed, our Catholic world is marred by so-called Catholics who do not really believe, and by too many chattering dissidents.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Sheehan/Joseph apologetics text and other similar titles are all available - although some can be expensive.

One way of encouraging more Catholics to read orthodox books would be to set up a small lending library in every parish. The cost of books, shelving and administration would be covered by hiring out the books to readers. Book selection would need to be handled by someone competent and reliable.

If given a sympathetic hand by priests, I am sure the scheme would work and prove most beneficial

BOB COTTERALL
Wellington, New Zealand

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 2 (March 2002), p. 15