Speak, Lord, Your Servant Is Listening by Mgr David L. Rosage (Redemptorist Publications 90p)
This daily guide to scriptural prayer comes from the pen of an American priest who divides the year up into 52 weeks of solidly based meditations on scripture. They correspond roughly to the order of thoughts given by St Ignatius Loyola in the "Spiritual Exercises".
There is a brief essay to be read each week, facing a selection of daily scriptural readings. As an example, for week 23 the title of the essay is "Faith — A Prayer Posture". Opposite is the heading: "Who is Jesus?" Then there are references to seven texts beginning "I am . . ." with Our Saviour's own answer. A very helpful book!
Your Father's Business by Charles W. Harris, CSC (Redemptorist Publications £1)
This paperback is a series of letters to Bill, a college student in America, from Fr Harris. The author very honestly states that the result of his letters, intended to influence Bill towards the priesthood, was that Bill in the August after receiving the last one, married Ann.
Yet Father Harris did feel that the original letters, slightly amended, might help other young men to hear what "the Lord is saying".
They are down-to-earth and deal with problems as faced by the married as well the celibate. the laity as well as the clergy. One is loneliness. Others are love, friendship. and human weakness. On the other side is prayer and the question of vocation. It is a book worth reading by all young people of both sexes, as it will help them to weigh up what God wants from them in life. If it helps to guide young people to a right decision in what to make of life, surely a pound is not too much to pay!
In His Name: Prayers for the World and the Church by George Appleton (Lutterworth Press $2.20).
This paperback is a reprint of the excellent collection of prayers by George Appleton, the former Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem.
It begins with a meditative prayer based on the Our Father, and contains the fruit of his research into the prayer life of the great Christian traditions of' East Its aim was to stimulate concern for the world and the mission of the Church in it. It is a book not to be read, but to be prayed.
I'll Take Your Message Lord: Prayers for Students by Geoffrey Adamson, SJ (Published by the author and obtainable from him at Sacred Heart Church, Talbot Road, Blackpool, at 5p).
The author of "Prayers During Illness" has now issued, with Jesuit and diocesan approval, this 12-page pamphlet of prayers to help students. It deserves a wide circulation, and will hopefully be made available through university chaplaincies and Catholic schools.
F. Leo Smith, SDS