Deacon’s Blog

From Christian NewsWire: Pope Shenouda III’s New Book, Have You Seen the One I Love, Portrays the Soul’s Quest for Jesus Christ

On May 20, 2008, Have You Seen the One I Love, an exegetical book on the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, will be released for sale to the general public. Pope Shenouda draws upon his many years of contemplation as a monk in the ancient desert of Scetis, Egypt to develop his commentary on the human soul as found in the Song of Songs. The book is a translation and transcription of a lecture series given by Pope Shenouda in the 1970s. In contrast to many modern authors who seek to paint the Song of Songs as a book of sensuality and physical intimacy, Pope Shenouda captures the true spiritual essence of the Song of Songs, drawing upon the wisdom and writings of the early Church fathers. Pope Shenouda explains that the Song of Songs is a meditation of the human soul while she searches for her Beloved, mirroring the spiritual love of Jesus Christ for His Church. It is only with an understanding of our spirituality that we may embark on our voyage leading to our Lord.

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria is the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

The Polish Review recently included a review of Dr. William J. Galush’s “For More Than Bread: Community and Identity in American Polonia, 1880-1940.”

Dr. Galush is Professor Emeritus of Loyola - Chicago with a specialization in American History. He has written extensively on Polish-American history, and has published reviews of publications dealing with the history of the Polish National Catholic Church.

I’m catching up with some older news. Here one from the Chronicle of Higher Education: 8 Professors Are Among 24 New MacArthur Fellows

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named eight professors today among the 24 MacArthur Fellows for 2007.

The fellowships, or “genius awards,” as they are commonly called, recognize people in a variety of fields for their creativity and promise. Each new fellow receives an award of $500,000, which is meant to encourage future exploration and comes with no strings attached.

Among the academic winners for 2007 are a medieval historian, biologists who study bees and spider silk, and several other professors working in the sciences.

The MacArthur Foundation does not accept applications for the awards. Instead, it invites approximately 100 professionals from nearly every academic discipline to submit anonymous nominations to the foundation’s 12-person selection committee. The committee, whose members also serve anonymously, reviews all nominations and then forwards its recommendations to the foundation’s Board of Directors for approval. Winners are then notified via telephone.

This year’s class of 24 brings the total number of MacArthur Fellows since the program began, in 1981, to 756.

…

Stuart Dybek, writer in residence at Northwestern University. His short stories pay tribute to the literature and iconography of the Old World while exploring the imaginations of contemporary American communities.

Here is Mr. Dybek’s profile from Western Michigan University where he is a professor of English.

Benedict XVI, the Bishop of Rome, has a new book coming out, Jesus of Nazareth. A few notes from the AP via the Houston Chronicle:

Benedict began writing his personal meditation on Jesus Christ’s teachings, entitled “Jesus of Nazareth,” in 2003 when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. He stressed that the book is an expression of his “personal search for the face of the Lord” and is by no means official Catholic Church doctrine.

“Everyone is free, then, to contradict me,” he wrote.

Benedict — a prolific and well-known theologian well before he became pope — thoroughly examined the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ public ministry to arrive at the foundation of the Christian faith: that Jesus is God.

Benedict said the fundamental question he is exploring in the book is what Jesus did.

“What did Jesus truly bring, if he didn’t bring peace to the world, well-being for all and a better world? What did he bring?

“The answer is very simple: God. He brought God.”

The 448-page book is due in bookstores in German, Italian and Polish on Monday, Benedict’s 80th birthday. The English edition is due for release May 15 and translations are planned for 16 other languages.

The book is the first of two volumes: Rizzoli, the Italian publisher, said Benedict is expected to write a second volume exploring the birth of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection.

“Jesus of Nazareth” covers several key points of Jesus’ public life and ministry. An entire chapter is devoted to his baptism, another to the prayer Jesus taught the faithful, the Lord’s Prayer, and another to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, praising the poor, the meek and the hungry in the “Beatitudes.”

It looks like this will be a very good read. As with a few of John Paul’s books, I’ll probably read this one as well.

The Catholic mind and heart has much to teach the world. As such reading the works that flow from our shared, yet separate experiences, opens one to seeing things in new ways.

The Consulate General of Poland in New York invites you to the De Lamar Mansion Salon of Arts & Ideas, Thursday, March 29, 8pm, for the formal introduction of a new work of historical fiction JADWIGA’S CROSSING by Aloysius A. Lutz and Richard J. Lutz with Readings by co-author Richard J. Lutz.

Photo ID is required for admittance to the Consulate

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