Cor Jesu Sacratissimum: From Secularism and the New Age to Christendom Renewed

by Roger Buck

The Cor Jesu Sacratissimum is the Heart of the World, the beating Heart of the Church, yet that truth becomes ever more obscured in our modern age. This book’s mission is precisely to disclose and address those obscuring the New Age movement, globalized secular culture born of the Enlightenment, the often-hidden legacy of Protestantism in the Anglo-American world, and, perhaps most baneful of all, the liberal excesses in the Church Herself, unleashed after Vatican II. It details also the personal journey of a Catholic convert, once submerged in the New Age, who found liberation in Catholic Tradition. Drawing upon his intimate knowledge of all things New Age, Roger Buck first unveils its Eastern origins in a way that goes far beyond what most Christian and Catholic books ever say on the subject, and then confronts head-on the apparent death of Christianity in the West. For, increasingly, he argues, Westerners face a tragic choice between Secularism or a vague post-Christian New Age spirituality that subtly and insidiously depersonalizes what is truly human. The only answer, he contends, entails restoring not only Catholic culture, but also the spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, born in France at the cusp of modernity. The book owes an unusual debt to the Catholic thinkers Valentin Tomberg and Hilaire Belloc, as well as the author’s own experience of living in France and Ireland—all of which are explored in this personal cry from the a cry for Christendom renewed. “In this elegant feast of a book, Roger Buck—master of the blog of the same name—expertly skewers the modern world, with its twin horrors of arrogant materialism and non-specific ‘spirituality.’ But he does this without a drop of malice in his compassionate soul. Rather, he strives to tear away the choking illusions of modernity, to reveal the bright, shining love and truth at the center of the universe—symbolised by the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and incarnate in the Catholic Church and her Sacraments. Buck cuttingly diagnoses, but lovingly prescribes.”— CHARLES COULOMBE, author of Puritan’s Empire and Everyman Today Call Rome “Roger Buck goes to the heart of the problem paralyzing our broken-hearted world. As a seeker after truth, he first thought he could find it in the New Age movement, but finally discovered it in the goodness and beauty of the Catholic Church, moving beyond the spirit of the age to the Spirit who moves all ages.”—JOSEPH PEARCE, author of Wisdom and A Life of G. K. Chesterton “In Cor Jesu Sacratissimum, Roger Buck traces his journey—geographical, metaphorical, and mystical—from New Age adventurer to Catholic traditionalist, from spiritual dilettante to repentant wayfarer, from lost to found. Along the way we are treated to spiritually rich meditations on politics, economics, social movements, modernity, the spiritual dangers of our age, and the eternal mysterium of the Church. But Roger Buck does not merely describe his own journey. No, he holds our times up to a mirror and shows us our own faces. And with great clarity.”—MICHAEL MARTIN, author of The Submerged Sophiology and the Turn to a Poetic Metaphysics “Roger Buck has done a great service to the Church by his careful and well-informed examination—both charitable and unflinching— of the New Age, and his discussion of wider issues in the Church from the perspective of a former New Age initiate. Buck shows that the New Age is an attempt, however flawed, to escape the materialism of modernity, and that it is Catholicism in its traditional forms—with its mystery and ritual, its sacramantals, art, and pious practices—that can best reveal the immense reality of the suffering and love for all mankind of Christ’s Sacred Heart to those trapped in the false mysteries of the New Age.”—JOSEPH SHAW, Chairman of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Religion

482 pages, Paperback

Published December 6, 2016

About the author

Roger Buck is a Catholic convert who once lived at Findhorn, Scotland - probably the most renowned New Age community in the world. He is passionate about Ireland, where he now lives with his beloved wife.

He is the author of Cor Jesu Sacratissimum and a traditional Catholic website of the same name.

THE GENTLE TRADITIONALIST is his first book and the opening chapter can be read online here:

http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2015/...

His latest book is The Gentle Traditionalist Returns

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

When researching information on the Sacred Heart of Jesus—primarily with reference to the history of the devotion as it has evolved since the private revelations of St. Margaret Mary Alaquoque—I stumbled across Roger Buck’s (and his wife’s) blog, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum. After spending too much time there, I decided to purchase Roger’s book of the same name, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum.

This is not a simple book to categorize or describe. It could almost be called two books, plus a mish-mash of other things thrown in. The first half is partly introduction to New Age philosophy/‘spirituality’ and partly, Mr. Buck’s personal conversion story. The last half of the book continues Roger’s evolving conversion as he grew in faith and the deterioration of the post-Vatican II Church, as he has personally experienced it. There is extensive Western Christian Church history, especially in France and Ireland woven throughout.

My intention was just to read the second half of the book. Not that I wasn’t interested in the New Age or the author’s conversion story, but as stated above, my motive was background on the Sacred Heart devotion. That purpose was not to be. However, there was so much else of interest, I not only continued to the end, I returned to the beginning and read the first part.

PLUSES:
1) Unique style and perspective of author; born American Protestant, moved to the UK, then Ireland, France and back to Ireland, after a period of traveling all over Europe in a van.
2) Author’s honest, upfront blend of personal testimony with religion, history, and other academic disciplines. He doesn’t even try to be PC. I found this to be SO refreshing!
3) Introduction to key concepts, players and development of the ‘New Age’ as well as something of an understanding of itself. Many interesting quotes.
4) Odd tidbits of information peppered the entire book, trivia yet not trivial.
5) More like conversation than reading. Roger was ‘present’ throughout the book in a way which left me feeling like I could call him by his first name.

MINUSES:
1) Many of the assertions are the author’s beliefs and opinions. He does not bother to hide or soften them, to placate anyone, so prepare to have a cherished belief or two trampled.
2) The text can drag in places, or maybe it was just certain chapters did not interest me as much as others.
3) Some topics he seemed to beat to death; others he seemed to introduce and then drop. The latter I found frustrating.
4) It did not contain the information I was looking for. Perhaps this is unfair as it is personal, but I still think a book named, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum, which means, The Sacred Heart of Jesus, should have had more information on that topic.
5) He uses more exclamation points even than I do, and I know I use too many. This made me aware of my own bad habit and determined to exercise more self-control.
6.) There were numerous detours and asides which will drive some readers to distraction, i.e., it rarely reads as a simple narrative—not that it claims to—but be forewarned.

Not sure exactly how to rate such an unusual book. Disappointing in some respects, amazing in others. Overall though, I am delighted to have discovered and read it and will hang on to Cor Jesu Sacratissimum as a good reference not only for ‘New Age’ (because truly it is all I ever care to know on that subject) but for so much more.




December 31, 2018: Some days back I finished reading the second half of this book and have gone back to the beginning. I bought this book for the info on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, not expecting to be interested in the autobiographical information by Mr. Buck, but he has so intriguingly interwoven his own personal testimony with the history, that he has me wanting to known him more. Now I shall read the first half...


November 6, 2018: On page 356. Buck's observations on the French Revolution particularly struck me. He quotes Warren Carroll in asserting that conditions in pre-revolutionary France were no more ripe for revolt than many other places, and certainly do not explain (in and of themselves) the viciousness of the French Revolution, unique, excepting the Communist Revolution of 1917. This makes me want to read more from Carroll and about the French Revolution.


October 22, 2018: You could say I stumbled on this book, or was led. Led, definitely, led! Was researching a question about the history of the Sacred Heart devotion and its relationship to Divine Mercy and discovered this particular page of a gorgeous website known as Cor Jesu Sacratissimum which all Catholics used to know meant Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is managed by a deeply faithful couple, Roger and Kim Buck. Roger gives a powerful testimony to his conversion in a 20-something minute monologue linked above. Well worth your time. He was deeply into the New Age movement when he converted.

This book is part personal history, part history of the Sacred Heart devotion. I confess I skipped the first half of the book (his personal testimony, to return to it later) because I want to learn more about the Sacred Heart first. Still reading...

[LittleFlowerEnjoyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. I stopped reading, after being very engaged in the author's analysis of the New Age mindset and our materialistic culture, when he decided to take a hard-left and start preaching about climate change. Even to the extent of defending the Pope's emphasis on climate over the traditions of the Church. I'm sorry, but not what I was expecting from this book.

[Jovan Weismiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read This Book!!!

If you are concerned with the state of the world, if you are a 'searcher ', if you are looking for meaning in your life, read this book! Mr Buck has written probably the most important book I
have read in years. I cannot recommend it highly enough!