The Relevance of the Stars: Christ, Culture, Destiny

by Lorenzo Albacete, Lisa Lickona (Editor), Gregory Wolfe (Editor)

From popes to television personalities to high school students, everyone who encountered Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete knew there was no one like him. He could engage you with a joke about a New Yorker cartoon, move on to a keen commentary on the state of the culture, and finish off with a meditation on the Gospel of John. In his talks and essays, Albacete made profound theological and philosophical insights accessible without ever losing their depth and breadth. But with the exception of a single book published in his lifetime, much of Albacete's wisdom has been scattered and hard to find. The Relevance of the Stars fills this vacuum. With his characteristic wit and ease, Albacete engages the thorniest questions--the relation of faith and reason, the problem of modernity, the possibility of a Christian culture--as they play out in science and politics, money and love, law and finance. He speaks to families, youth, and his friends in the media. The New Yorker cartoons feature here, of course, alongside Dostoevsky, Flannery O'Connor, and Elie Wiesel. Albacete masterfully engages the thought of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Father Luigi Giussani, the founder of the international lay movement Communion and Liberation, whose passion for the infinite Albacete made his own.

166 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2021

Reviews

[Fred]

A companion to help form a deeper human gaze on our world:
On Chappelle's show, Dave Chappelle did a bit "the Educated Guesser," parodying Miss Cleo, the psychic. I mention this because the author of this book, Lorenzo Albacete, a priest from Puerto Rico, also wanted to respond to Miss Cleo. He says that "In the Bronx where I live, many Miss Cleos open up chickens to discover what the future holds, and in the nicest buildings in Manhattan they read their horoscopes. But a prophet is not one who tells us what will happen in the future. A prophet tells us the truth about the desires in our heart" (143).

I begin this review by mentioning Dave Chappelle, because even though Chappelle and Albacete never met, I see a kinship between them in their curiosity to understand what it is to be human, and in the fearless way they talk to anyone about anything. Who was Lorenzo Albacete? He was a priest who was born and grew up in Puerto Rico, but lived for many years in New York City. He was a physicist who became a priest, and ended up becoming friends with journalists when he shared his perspectives— formed by his encounter with Jesus Christ and his friendship with Luigi Giussani, the founder of Communion and Liberation.

Here's what Albacete had to say about his journalist friends: "One editor of The New York Times told me: 'Monsignor, we have many friends who are priests and who agree with us on almost everything. As a result, what they have to say is not very interesting. Those who disagree with us, however, do not want to become our friends. You are here because you do not agree with us on many issues, but it is obvious that you like us and see us as your friend" (105).

This is a collection of essays on disparate topics to diverse groups: the nature of religious violence, identity in a multi-cultural society, sexuality, desire for the infinite, atheist humanism, liberation theology, the idolatry of moralism, lawyers, investors, youth ministers. This diversity creates a problem for me: how do I recommend this book? Who would benefit from it? Those who have heard of Albacete don't need my recommendation because many will buy it and put it on their shelves anyway. Other Catholics will be disappointed because it would be too much work to reconcile with their favorite ideologies. Protestants may wonder why it shows up on Amazon with C.S. Lewis as Christian Anthropology, whatever that is. And atheist humanists? No doubt, one might be curious enough to pick it up.

What would dear Lorenzo say? If you could pick up an order of chicken wings or this book, what would be better? I know that Msgr. Albacete really loved chicken wings. For my part, I would say that this is a good book if you, like me, feel loneliness in front of the great issues of our day, and want a human companionship when thinking about them. It's a surprising book, one that challenges me to go beyond my customary reactions to everything.

I give this book 4 stars because I think people will find this review more trustworthy than if I gave it 5 stars. And the stars that Albacete was really interested in were the stars of night, those stars that an ant might have seen one time and suffered because she tried to tell the other ants about them.

[jaycob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albacete hits a bullseye so many times on the core truth that stands at the center of Fr. Luigi Giussani’s movement of Communion and Liberation: the truth that the essential truth of being human is that of an infinite desire… the truth that youth is the time when this is made most apparent… and the truth that Jesus Christ is this unification between human desire and infinite mystery. These principles have stood at the center of my Catholic high school experience. I was introduced to these ideas during my freshman theology class. I find their fulfillment, four years later, through the writings of Lorenzo Albacete, a Catholic intellectual whose prolific career was captured in the 150 pages of this collection of essays and writings.

Through Albacete, through Giussani, through the New York Encounter, through my freshman theology teacher, and through every friendship and relationship I’ve formed and forged through the past four years, and really the entirety of my life, I’ve found undeniable evidence in a reality that the grace of the infinite intersects with human life in every possible instance. What more could be so beautiful?

After finishing this book, there’s little doubt in my mind that I would like to be a vehicle of cultural change in the world. I would like to be a part of that story: inspiring the hearts of the youth to change the world. I believe I’ve done that in my small community. I’ve spread happiness and joy to everyone I know. I receive just as much back. My friend wrote on my poster — the poster to my final high school musical — saying that the joy that permeates throughout my life could save the world.

If I can be the vessel or the channel that connects the dense truth of Albacete’s writings to more general audiences, I think that would be more than fulfilling. Perhaps there’s a direction for my future career.

If you have time, please take the time to read these accounts. As dense and difficult and challenging of a read as they may be, I’d be pressed to search for something that rings more true to the human experience.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays written by a well-known Catholic prelate. I found some of them interesting, but they didn't really form much of a coherent whole. The book also lack strong introductions that could have provided some of the relevant background for readers unfamiliar with the author.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging essays that touch on a variety of topics including faith, culture, politics, freedom. You get hints of Fr. Albacete’s connections with Communion & Liberation and with JPII Institute on Marriage & Family.

Enjoyable and thought provoking.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Albacete is hilarious while digging deep into who we are and what we are made for. He is a great introduction to the works of Fr. Luigi Giussani and sets his work in an American context.