Books

'Praying with Thomas Aquinas' by Houle, Monshau and Norris

Reviewed by Catherine Sheehan

Contents - Jun 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Church reform: from Stage One to Stage Two - Michael Gilchrist Archbishop Pell installed in Sydney - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Basic Ecclesial Communities: Adelaide's 'new model of church' - Michael Gilchrist Annual women priests protest in Adelaide - AD2000 Report Denver document addresses challenges to Catholic marriage teachings - AD2000 Report US missionary risks death in Colombia - Zenit News Service Anglican defence of Catholic inter-Communion ban - Fr Geoffrey Kirk How a small rural parish survived against the odds - Paul Newton Light to the Nations 2001 - Young Australian Catholics celebrate their faith - Mary-Jane Donnellan Letters: Archbishop Pell (letter) - Godwin Brown Letters: Ballarat Diocese (letter) - Fr Gerry Baldock Letters: Encouragement (letter) - John F. Doran Letters: Consecrated life (letter) - Therese O'Rourke Letters: Indian appeal (letter) - Kevin L. Fernandes Letters: Annunciation (letter) - Andrew Scholl Letters: Altar (letter) - Stuart J. Blackwood Letters: Science and Christianity (letter) - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Letters: Sexual abstinence (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: 'Lest we forget' (letter) - Marion Craig Books: The Turin Shroud: Past, Present and Future, International Scientific Symposium - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: 'As One Struggling Christian to Another: Augustine's Christian Ideal for Today' - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: 'Blessed Columba Marmion: a Short Biography' by Mark Tierney OSB - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: 'The Wedding Present' by Viscountess Margaret Long - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Heaven in Stone and Glass: Experiencing the Spirituality of the Great Cathedrals - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: 'The Doctors of the Church' by Bernard McGinn - Angela Joseph (reviewer) Books: 'Praying The Psalms: A Commentary' by Fr Stanley L. Jaki - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: 'Praying with Thomas Aquinas' by Houle, Monshau and Norris - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Reflection: The priest: mediator between God and man - Archbishop George Pell

Praying With Thomas Aquinas by Mary Mercy Houle, Michael Monshau and Patrick F. Norris (St Mary's Press, 2000, 123 pp). Available from AD Books.

Based on St Thomas' Summa Theologicae, this beautiful guide to prayer takes the reader through 15 meditations. Each of them concentrates on a particular teaching of St Thomas, helping the reader gain a greater understanding of God and the possibility of a more inspired prayer life.

Each meditation presents its theme, provides the corresponding quote from Aquinas and presents an in-depth reflection together with a quote from scripture. Some of the themes include: The Trinity, God's Unconditional Love, Happiness, Friendship with God, The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Virtue and Petitionary Prayer. The reflections given help readers explore each theme, through examining their own life, their relations with others and Sacred Scripture.

What emerges strongly through reading this book is how joyous is the philosophy of St Thomas, how optimistic and how uplifting - such was his great love for God and the goodness in His creation all around him, especially in the human person.

Praying with Thomas Aquinas uses the two foundations that influenced Thomas' life and work: firstly, that we came from God and are returning to him; and secondly, the Dominican aspiration of contemplation and then sharing with others the fruits of our contemplation. The teachings of this Dominican priest whose wisdom is continuously being re-discovered cannot help but encourage a deeper prayer life.

Catherine Sheehan is a Melbourne Catholic writer

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 5 (June 2001), p. 18