Books For A Budding Dominican

[elizabeth_jane]

I am a book nut, so I am interested in getting my hands on any and all books about Dominicans--the saints, the founders, the Way of Life, etc....basically ANYTHING.

[alicemary]

Have you read Amata means beloved by our Sr. M. Catharine? Also on the Summit Dominican website store there are several books on things Dominican

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='elizabeth_jane' post='1435060' date='Dec 16 2007, 09:54 PM']I am a book nut, so I am interested in getting my hands on any and all books about Dominicans--the saints, the founders, the Way of Life, etc....basically ANYTHING. [/quote]

What a question!
St. Dominic by Bede Jarrett is the classic. Available from TAN Publishers
The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality: a Drink Called Happiness, Fr. Paul Murray (2006)
The Dominicans: a short history, Fr. Hinnebush
To Heaven with Diana (available from our website: www.nunsopsummit.org
Early Dominicans, Paulist Press
The Dominican Tradition (Spirituality in History) (2006)

I could go on and on but the best thing to do would be go to Amazon or better yet go to www.3op.org. They have a book list which is comprehensive. A lot of good books are out of print but available.
DO NOT bother with Eric Borman's Dominican Spirituality. It's rewriting what the Order is all about.

A great book is THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE by Fr. Thomas Philippe, OP. It's retreat conferences to a Dominican monastery. Unfortunately, it's hard to get. It was published in the early 90's.

You can get some things online: [url="http://domcentral.org/trad/"]http://domcentral.org/trad/[/url]
Jordan of Saxony: On the Beginnings of the Order of Preachers
Mandonnet's History of the Dominican Order. etc.

Have fun!

SMC

[elizabeth_jane]

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1435075' date='Dec 16 2007, 10:27 PM']What a question!
St. Dominic by Bede Jarrett is the classic. Available from TAN Publishers
The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality: a Drink Called Happiness, Fr. Paul Murray (2006)
The Dominicans: a short history, Fr. Hinnebush
To Heaven with Diana (available from our website: www.nunsopsummit.org
Early Dominicans, Paulist Press
The Dominican Tradition (Spirituality in History) (2006)

I could go on and on but the best thing to do would be go to Amazon or better yet go to www.3op.org. They have a book list which is comprehensive. A lot of good books are out of print but available.
DO NOT bother with Eric Borman's Dominican Spirituality. It's rewriting what the Order is all about.

A great book is THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE by Fr. Thomas Philippe, OP. It's retreat conferences to a Dominican monastery. Unfortunately, it's hard to get. It was published in the early 90's.

You can get some things online: [url="http://domcentral.org/trad/"]http://domcentral.org/trad/[/url]
Jordan of Saxony: On the Beginnings of the Order of Preachers
Mandonnet's History of the Dominican Order. etc.

Have fun!

SMC[/quote]


Great!!! Thanks!
Also thanks for telling me what NOT to read--that is, in some cases, even better!!

[De_Profundis]

[quote name='elizabeth_jane' post='1435079' date='Dec 16 2007, 08:39 PM']Great!!! Thanks!
Also thanks for telling me what NOT to read--that is, in some cases, even better!! [/quote]

Agreed...I made the mistake of buying Borgman's "Dominican Spirituality"...[i]yikes[/i]. However a good, solid, book by the same name was written by Fr. Hinnebusch and can be read [url="http://www.domcentral.org/trad/domspirit/default.htm"]here[/url]

Likewise thanks to Sister for more trustworthy titles.

[Thomist-in-Training]

Also Sr. Mary Jean Dorcy's "Saint Dominic's Family" has one-page portraits in chronological order of seemingly all the notable Dominicans who ever were. She also has a book called "Shepherd's Tartan" with amusing vignettes of the life of a Dominican active sister. Chesterton's Life of St. Thomas Aquinas (subtitled "The Dumb Ox") is a good one too.

[PrayerSupporter]

"A great book is THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE by Fr. Thomas Philippe, OP. It's retreat conferences to a Dominican monastery. Unfortunately, it's hard to get. It was published in the early 90's"

Just a FYI...AbeBooks.com lists a copy or two available for $20, with other copies at $30+.

Is the book The Dominican Nuns in Their Cloister a good one?

[praying4carmel]

Sinsinawa Dominicans have a GREAT Bookshop!

[url="http://www.sinsinawa.org/Bookshop/index.html"]http://www.sinsinawa.org/Bookshop/index.html[/url]

P4C

Also I LOVED "Amata Means Beloved" By Our Sr. Mary Catherine It's a wonderful book! I second alicemary's vote.

Edited December 17, 2007 by praying4carmel

[praying4carmel]

try this one too..

Search for Living Waters.

[url="http://www.domlife.org/Books/Search_LivingWaters_nuns.html"]http://www.domlife.org/Books/Search_LivingWaters_nuns.html[/url]

[AlterDominicus]

[quote name='elizabeth_jane' post='1435060' date='Dec 16 2007, 08:54 PM']I am a book nut, so I am interested in getting my hands on any and all books about Dominicans--the saints, the founders, the Way of Life, etc....basically ANYTHING. [/quote]


Amata Means Beloved by Sister Mary Catharine!

*Hides* You know I love you Sister Mary Catharine.

[veritas99]

Some good books not necessarily about Dominican's but written by Dominicans are The Intellectual Life by A.D Sertillanges. This is one of my favorites. I've read several of his books and have enjoyed them emensely. The De Malo by Aquinas is good. I like Garrigou LaGrange he has some interesting stuff. I love Thomistic Theology and Philosophy.

[elizabeth_jane]

I feel like I should be reading Thomas Aquinas and Augustine--thoughts? I read Augustine's Confessions and was a bit underwhelmed...

[De_Profundis]

[quote name='elizabeth_jane' post='1435381' date='Dec 17 2007, 05:37 PM']I feel like I should be reading Thomas Aquinas and Augustine--thoughts? I read Augustine's Confessions and was a bit underwhelmed...[/quote]

If you were underwhelmed by the "Confessions", go for Aquinas. He's almost [i]over[/i]whelming and definitely not something to read when you're tired. On a side note, when I start to think I know a thing or two, I go to St. Thomas...he keeps me humble.

Edited December 18, 2007 by De_Profundis

[Thomist-in-Training]

How can you be underwhelmed by the Confessions??? You must have read a really awful translation! Augustine's rhetoric is so amazing. "If material objects please you, they are being loved in God. Then return love to their maker lest, being pleased in them, you displease Him. If souls please you, take what you can and bring them with you to Him, saying Him we love; he made us and is not far distant. Rather, He is very close to the heart, and the things derived from Him have their being in Him. Otherwise they would go their way and perish. For the things that come from Him are unjustly loved when He has been abandoned." I think my favorite part though is "What is it that I love when I love my God?", that section...

On reading... Someone here, I don't remember who, had a link to her blog with several suggestions for discerners I found really humbling because they were all pretty relevant to me: mostly, "you ain't a Dominican till you're a Dominican," basically! and to focus more on your spiritual life and not on being a super good whatever-it-is long before you enter (again I say, this is something I have been guilty of!) St. Thomas is amazing, but I wouldn't start reading him right now unless you have a lot of free time, or wish generally to instruct yourself in theology. The Summa is for everyone, not just Dominicans anyhow.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1435520' date='Dec 18 2007, 01:59 AM']How can you be underwhelmed by the Confessions??? You must have read a really awful translation! Augustine's rhetoric is so amazing. "If material objects please you, they are being loved in God. Then return love to their maker lest, being pleased in them, you displease Him. If souls please you, take what you can and bring them with you to Him, saying Him we love; he made us and is not far distant. Rather, He is very close to the heart, and the things derived from Him have their being in Him. Otherwise they would go their way and perish. For the things that come from Him are unjustly loved when He has been abandoned." I think my favorite part though is "What is it that I love when I love my God?", that section...

On reading... Someone here, I don't remember who, had a link to her blog with several suggestions for discerners I found really humbling because they were all pretty relevant to me: mostly, "you ain't a Dominican till you're a Dominican," basically! and to focus more on your spiritual life and not on being a super good whatever-it-is long before you enter (again I say, this is something I have been guilty of!) St. Thomas is amazing, but I wouldn't start reading him right now unless you have a lot of free time, or wish generally to instruct yourself in theology. The Summa is for everyone, not just Dominicans anyhow.[/quote]

This is very good advice. I think that we can be influenced by the world even in vocation discernement without realizing it. Preparing to enter a particular religious order isn't about knowing absolutely all the facts you can learn before you enter! To become a Dominican it takes TIME, and prayer and grace to be molded into a particular way of following Christ.

It's still good to read up on Dominican history and saints but more to NOURISH you not just to fill your head with facts.

I'm perplexed myself as to how you could be underwhelmed by the Confessions.

As for St. Thomas, you really shouldn't just go into it cold. One must have a certain preparation in philosophy first or else you won't get anything out of it. Peter Kreeft's THE SUMMA OF THE SUMMA may help.

[shortnun]

[quote name='veritas99' post='1435370' date='Dec 17 2007, 06:16 PM']Some good books not necessarily about Dominican's but written by Dominicans are The Intellectual Life by A.D Sertillanges. This is one of my favorites. I've read several of his books and have enjoyed them emensely. The De Malo by Aquinas is good. I like Garrigou LaGrange he has some interesting stuff. I love Thomistic Theology and Philosophy.[/quote]
Have you read [b][url="http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Monster-Thomism-Introduction-Garrigou-Lagrange/dp/1587317524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197990768&sr=8-1"]The Sacred Monster of Thomism[/url][/b]? The author is one of my profs!

[veritas99]

[quote name='shortnun' post='1435618' date='Dec 18 2007, 10:15 AM']Have you read [b][url="http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Monster-Thomism-Introduction-Garrigou-Lagrange/dp/1587317524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197990768&sr=8-1"]The Sacred Monster of Thomism[/url][/b]? The author is one of my profs! [/quote]


no it's on my list to read though. My roommate got me Christian Perfection and Contemplation by Fr.Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange,OP for my Birthday yesterday. I'm very excited to read it

[veritas99]

To add on a bit to what Sister said about not jumping into Aquinas cold.

The following is from a Letter Saint Thomas wrote to I believe a novice. A young brother wrote in inquring about how one should study. One of professors Dr.John Boyle gave me this to read for fun along with a commentary and the orignal Latin text. He said that there are many who don't believe that this was written by Aquinas but Dr.Boyle said he doesn't find those arguments convincing. With that sais I think Aquinas provides some pretty good advice.


A Letter of Saint Thomas Aquinas to Brother John
"Because you have asked me, my brother John, most dear to me in Christ, how to set about aquiring the treasure of knowledge, this is the advice I pass on to you: that you should choose to enter by the small rivers, and not go right away into the sea, because you should move from easy things to difficult things.
Such is therefore my advice on your way of life: I suggest you be slow to speak, and slow to go to the room where people chat. Embrace purity of conscience; do not stop making time for prayer.
Love to be in your room frequently, if you wish to be lead to the wine celler Show yourself to be likable to all, or at least try; but do not show yourself as too familiar with anyone; because too much familiarity breeds contempt and will slow you in your studies; and don't get involved in any way in the deeds and words of worldly people.
Above all, avoid idle conversation; do not forget to follow the steps of holy and approved men. Never mind who says what, but commit to memory what is said that is true: work to understand what you read, and make yourself sure of doubtful points. put whatever you can into the cupboard of your mind as if you were trying to fill a cup. "Seek not the things that a higher than you"
Follow the steps of blessed Dominic, who produced useful and marvelous shoots, flowers and fruits in the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts for as long as life was his companion.
If you follow these things, you will attain to whatever you desire. Farewell. "

[elizabeth_jane]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1435520' date='Dec 18 2007, 01:59 AM']How can you be underwhelmed by the Confessions??? You must have read a really awful translation! Augustine's rhetoric is so amazing. "If material objects please you, they are being loved in God. Then return love to their maker lest, being pleased in them, you displease Him. If souls please you, take what you can and bring them with you to Him, saying Him we love; he made us and is not far distant. Rather, He is very close to the heart, and the things derived from Him have their being in Him. Otherwise they would go their way and perish. For the things that come from Him are unjustly loved when He has been abandoned." I think my favorite part though is "What is it that I love when I love my God?", that section...[/quote]

I think I just have a really bad translation. I think it's a Signet classics version. Suggestions on a better one?
Oh there were parts I loved-- "Late have I loved thee," etc., but some of it....I'm really hoping it was just the translation!

[elizabeth_jane]

[quote name='veritas99' post='1435726' date='Dec 18 2007, 02:49 PM']I suggest you be slow to speak, and slow to go to the room where people chat.[/quote]

So I guess St. Thomas wouldn't be a phatmass member???
Ha ha.