THE IJOLY SPIRIT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE, by Pere Garden, 0.13. (Blackfriars, 9s. 6d.).
BOOKS on the Holy Spirit are so rare that one by so noted a master of the spiritual life as Pere Garda needs no recommendation. Still, it is,a pity that this particular book is the theme of a retreat given to a religious community, since so much of its contents are addressed to nuns.
The book correlates the gifts of the Holy Spirit with the Beatitudes, and the Beatitude of Poverty has, for example, a rather different application in the case of vowed religious and married people of the world.
The distinction between the Gifts is not always very easy to see, and there seems to be a certain artificiality in this careful categorisingan artificiality further increased by the relation to the Beatitudes.
The value of the book lies rather in the masterly introduction and the author's experience in drawing practical applications from the abstractions of theology. We recommend especially what be has to say on the "Practice of Meekness," as applied to communities, on pp, 65 and 66.
Most valuable, too, is the section on "The Necessary Work of Purification" with its warnings against rigorism and 'thoroughly material
devotions." M. B.
Papal Bullets
THE entry for Papal Bullets is steadily increasing, and competitors may like to know that they arc pitting their wits against priests, nuns and even Anglican clergymen. The headline of last week was clearly "The Leading Cats of London City" (p. 6) which gave rise to a great variety of uses, with "The Original and the Odd arc Best" (p.6); "Saturdays Will be More Melodious" (p. 2) in no fewer than five entries. A better variation for the second head was "On the Air in February" (p. 8) (Callard, Welling). "What Becomes of old Brevaries?" (p. 2) was another popular entry, witq some irreverent comments. As my space is short this week, I will at once award the guinea to Burdett, Woodford Green, for " Women 'Priests*" (p. 6); "The Leading Cats of London City" (p. 6); "Is it a Menace?" (p. 8). Remember, Bullets of three headlines for two with comment) should reach us at "Papal Bullets," CATROLID HERALD. 67 Fleet Street. London, E.C.4. by Tuesday morning's post.
Target.