Sr. Mary Dean Pfahler SND
Parish Ministry Director / Spiritual Director
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church
Long Beach CA
Books let you know they want to be read….
I was in So
uth Carolina as the house guest of Denise, a friend of Springbank Retreat Center for Ecospirituality and the Arts. While dicing vegetables for her detox salad recipe, I noticed Joan Chittister’s slim volume Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible lying at the other end of the kitchen counter. Denise recommended it, having shared its treasures with a women’s book study group at the nearby Lutheran church. I made a mental note of the title in case I would have a chance to read it alone or with others.
Now here at St. Bartholomew’s in Long Beach, California, I have that chance. The Women at the Well book study group will be inviting Lydia, Prisca, Deborah, Miriam, Esther, Ruth, Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, Martha and other biblical women into the conversation we women will be hosting.
Not only that, another likely candidate for the book study was sitting on the parish secretary’s desk yesterday. Gina Loehr’s The Four Teresas had been on my wish list for some time. In fact, I was about to buy a copy on amazon.com with a gift card received at my 50th anniversary celebration. When I saw The Teresas on Chris’ desk, I had to find out more. She was about to donate it to the “Little Library” an Eagle scout had just constructed at the edge of the church property. I will move it in that direction after a slight detour!
Another surprise surfaced at the St. Bart’s Women’s Council book sale in early June. I had heard about metaphorical theologian Sallie McFague at Springbank but had not had a chance to read her. Then Brother Don Bisson FMS mentioned her name in a CD talk I was listening to on the commute to work. Wouldn’t you know it? A donated copy of Super, Natural Christians: How We Should Love Nature appeared at the book sale.
See? Books get in your face and don’t give up until you read them.
What book has been stalking you?
Editorial Note
I just checked the website for BetterWorldBooks and all three of these books are currently available. The prices are great and shipping is free within the USA. Besides that, for every book you purchase BetterWorldBooks will donate a book to a Literacy Program. Can’t beat that!!
