Catholic Thought discussion

As we have done in the past, in preparation for our Christmas read we first open up the floor and gather more suggestions. Then, I think, it will be easiest to go through the normal nomination process and vote. We've tried other tabulations before, and it always causes a little confusion.

Works we have read:

No date – Pope Benedict XVI: Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration
2017 – Adalbert Stifter: Rock Crystal, 96 p, published 1863
2018 – Scott Hahn: Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything
2019 –
1. Charles Dickens: The Cricket on the Hearth, 84 p, published 1845
2. Henry van Dyke: The Story of the Other Wise Man 50 p, published 1895
3. Dylan Thomas: A Child's Christmas in Wales, 48 p, published 1952
4. J.R.R. Tolkien: Leaf by Niggle, 22 p, part of Tales of the Perilous Realm
5. Leo Tolstoy: Where Love Is, There God Is Also, 12 p (to 89 p ??), published 1885
2020 - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 114 p, Medieval Romance
2021 –
1. Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men 320 p, published 2017
2. T.S. Eliot: Journey of the Magi, 2 p, published 1927
2022 - George MacDonald: The Christmas Stories, 96 p, second half 19th century



Suggestions for Group Read:

1. Augustine: Christmas Sermons 189 and 194, 4th century, (need to find texts)
2. Benedict XVI: The Blessing of Christmas: Meditations for the Season, 140 p, published 2005
3. Truman Capote: A Christmas Memory, 48 p, published 1956 http://www.sailthouforth.com/2009/12/...
4. G.K. Chesterton: The Shop of Ghosts, 2-4 p, part of Tremendous Trifles published 1909
5. Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, 104 p, published 1843
6. Charles Dickens: The Chimes, 116 p, published 1844 (the story is usually published as part of a compilation)
7. Arthur Conan Doyle: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story, 72 p, published 1892
8. E.T.A. Hoffmann: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, 196 p, published 1816
9. Selma Lagerlöf: The Holy Night, 40 p, published 1904
10. Leo the Great: Christmas Sermons (sermons 21 – 28), 5th century, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3603...
11. George MacDonald: At the Back of the North Wind, 346 p, 1871
12. Francis de Sales: The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Advent and Christmas, 160 p, 16th / 17th century
13. Nikolai Gogol: The Night Before Christmas, 65 p, published 1832
14. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Mystery of Holy Night, 48 p, 1930s / 1940s
15. William P. Saunders: Celebrating a Merry Catholic Christmas: A Guide to the Customs and Feast Days of Advent and Christmas, 179 p, published 2018
16. J.R.R. Tolkien: Letters from Father Christmas, 111 p, 1920s – 1940s
17. Dwight Longenecker: The Secret of the Bethlehem Shepherds, 144 p, published 2022
18. Elizabeth Lev: The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art, 277 p, published 2021



Daily Advent and Christmas Reflections for Private Devotions
The following titles were suggested over the years but are hard to put in practice in a forum such as ours.

1. Edward Sri: The Advent of Christ: Scripture Reflections to Prepare for Christmas, 104 p, published 2013
2. John Paul Thomas: Advent and Christmas Reflections, 128 p, published 2016
3. Fulton Sheen: Advent Meditations with Fulton J. Sheen 32 p, mid-20th century

I read Letters from Father Christmas last year and absolutely loved it!

I forgot the time frame!
Looking at how much time we have left and all the steps involved, I have shortened the each phase a little, so we can start reading before Christmas.
Collecting suggestions until Tuesday, 21st
Nominating: Wednesday 22nd - Monday27th
Poll/Voting: Tuesday 28th - Saturday 2nd Dec

Michelle wrote: "I read Letters from Father Christmas last year and absolutely loved it!"

They are delightful!

Letters from Father Christmas: anything by Tolkien has to be good.

(Kerstin, I still remember the beauty of Rock Crystal, which you nominated one year.)

Eight Meditations on the Great Mystery of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word For the First Eight Days of Advent is a suggestion. I love St. Alphonsus Liguori's writings.

Also, the John Paul Thomas books of reflections was very good!

Here's two to add to the list Kerstin.

"A Christmas Tree and a Wedding" a short story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

"The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree," also a short story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

I don't know if they are any good. They both have Wikipedia entries if you want to read about them.

Here is the updated Christmas Read list. The second Dostoevski short story Manny recommended, "The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree", is also found under the title "The Heavenly Christmas Tree."

Works we have read:

No date – Pope Benedict XVI: Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration
2017 – Adalbert Stifter: Rock Crystal, 96 p, published 1863
2018 – Scott Hahn: Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything
2019 –
1. Charles Dickens: The Cricket on the Hearth, 84 p, published 1845
2. Henry van Dyke: The Story of the Other Wise Man 50 p, published 1895
3. Dylan Thomas: A Child's Christmas in Wales, 48 p, published 1952
4. J.R.R. Tolkien: Leaf by Niggle, 22 p, part of Tales of the Perilous Realm
5. Leo Tolstoy: Where Love Is, There God Is Also, 12 p (to 89 p ??), published 1885
2020 - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 114 p, Medieval Romance
2021 –
1. Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men 320 p, published 2017
2. T.S. Eliot: Journey of the Magi, 2 p, published 1927
2022 - George MacDonald: The Christmas Stories, 96 p, second half 19th century



Suggestions for Group Read:

1. Augustine: Christmas Sermons 189 and 194, 4th century, (need to find texts)
2. Benedict XVI: The Blessing of Christmas: Meditations for the Season, 140 p, published 2005
3. Truman Capote: A Christmas Memory, 48 p, published 1956 http://www.sailthouforth.com/2009/12/...
4. G.K. Chesterton: The Shop of Ghosts, 2-4 p, part of Tremendous Trifles published 1909
5. Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, 104 p, published 1843
6. Charles Dickens: The Chimes, 116 p, published 1844 (the story is usually published as part of a compilation)
7. Arthur Conan Doyle: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story, 72 p, published 1892
8. E.T.A. Hoffmann: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, 196 p, published 1816
9. Selma Lagerlöf: The Holy Night, 40 p, published 1904
10. Leo the Great: Christmas Sermons (sermons 21 – 28), 5th century, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3603...
11. George MacDonald: At the Back of the North Wind, 346 p, 1871
12. Francis de Sales: The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Advent and Christmas, 160 p, 16th / 17th century
13. Nikolai Gogol: The Night Before Christmas, 65 p, published 1832
14. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Mystery of Holy Night, 48 p, 1930s / 1940s
15. William P. Saunders: Celebrating a Merry Catholic Christmas: A Guide to the Customs and Feast Days of Advent and Christmas, 179 p, published 2018
16. J.R.R. Tolkien: Letters from Father Christmas, 111 p, 1920s – 1940s
17. Dwight Longenecker: The Secret of the Bethlehem Shepherds, 144 p, published 2022
18. Elizabeth Lev: The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art, 277 p, published 2021
19. Alfonso Maria de Lugouri: Eight Meditations on the Great Mystery of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word For the First Eight Days of Advent, kindle edition, no page numbers
20. Fyodor Dostoevski: A Christmas Tree and a Wedding: Short Story, 25 pages, published 1848
21. Fyodor Dostoevski: The Heavenly Christmas Tree, 12 pages, published 1876



Daily Advent and Christmas Reflections for Private Devotions
The following titles were suggested over the years but are hard to put in practice in a forum such as ours.

1. Edward Sri: The Advent of Christ: Scripture Reflections to Prepare for Christmas, 104 p, published 2013
2. John Paul Thomas: Advent and Christmas Reflections, 128 p, published 2016
3. Fulton Sheen: Advent Meditations with Fulton J. Sheen 32 p, mid-20th century

Please nominate a title from the suggestions portion of the list. Nominations will be open until Monday 27th or when we reach 8 titles, whichever comes first.

Could I vote for The Mystery of Holy Night?

Absolutely.
We'll be voting next week on all the titles nominated.

Don't forget to nominate a book for our Christmas read.

I will nominate The Night Before Christmas by Nicolai Gogol.
It is delightful given Gogol's quirky humor. ...a devil put the moon in his pocket and plunged the village of Dikanka into darkness... and so the adventure begins.

I had thought maybe it was the poem until you gave a description! That sounds like it would be good.

Michelle wrote: "I had thought maybe it was the poem until you gave a description! That sounds like it would be good."

You're thinking of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: or Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, the poem most everybody is familiar with. The Gogol is a short story, truly delightful and infused with Christian meaning.

Dostoevski, A Christmas Tree and a Wedding

I’m intentionally not nominating. I like all the choices so far. I’ll pick one when it’s time to vote.

The Christmas Read poll is up. We'll be voting through Saturday December 2nd.
Please go through this link. For some reason the poll is not showing up on top when going through the "poll" link on the top right corner. It is way down at #38 even though I tried to sort it.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Thanks, Kerstin!

My choice is: "Advent Meditations With Fulton J. Sheen."

Sherri wrote: "My choice is: "Advent Meditations With Fulton J. Sheen.""

Sherri, you may have misunderstood and missed the window to nominate. We are no longer nominating, but are now voting for the titles which were nominated over the past week. You can find the poll here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

But don't worry, I keep the master list with all the titles suggested, and next year we'll dust it off again. So there will be another opportunity to nominate the title of your choice.

Yes, I sure did misunderstand. Thanks for letting me know.

Some more possibilities for your list for next year Kerstin.

https://aleteia.org/2023/11/30/5-grea...

Manny wrote: "Some more possibilities for your list for next year Kerstin.

https://aleteia.org/2023/11/30/5-grea......"

Thanks!

Another for the list! The Catholic Company just emailed me about this book: Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings - 1941-1944.

Michelle wrote: "Another for the list! The Catholic Company just emailed me about this book: Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings - 1941-1944."

That’s on my list too.

For our Christmas read we'll be reading Fyodor Doestoevskiy's A Christmas Tree and a Wedding: Short Story

Thank you Kerstin. Now you will have to tell us which week we break from Quo Vadis and take up this Christmas reading.

For our Christmas read we'll be reading Fyodor Doestoevskiy's A Christmas Tree and a Wedding: Short Story

I'm wondering if this is a mistake. This is a short social commentary about arranged marriages; not at all a Christmas story,

Could you perhaps have meant: The Heavenly Christmas Tree?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

I may not have realized Sherri that it wasn’t a Christmas story exactly. It was listed under Christmas stories on the web site I saw it. I’m about half way through and it is interesting but so far nothing to relate it to Christmas other than the time of the season. I’ll leave it up to Kerstin if she wants to make a change. I am finding it interesting as a story though.

I finished it several days ago. The only thing Christmas-y about it was the tree mentioned briefly.

Michelle wrote: "I finished it several days ago. The only thing Christmas-y about it was the tree mentioned briefly."

LOL! Let Kerstin and me go through the list and find a short read that’s more appropriate. I apologize. I was the one who found the story and nominated it.

No apology needed, Manny. After all, the title did say " Christmas."

It's fine, Manny- the website steered you wrong.

So let’s pivot. Here are two choices. Both stories and both not very long.

We can stick with Dostoevsky, The Heavenly Christmas Tree.

Or go to Selma Lagerlöf, The Holy Night.

Links are above. Let me hear a preference and we’ll switch to it.

The Kindle version of Holy Night is $11.99. Yikes! But I'm leery of Fyodor and his cynicism.

I'm sorry- I found a collection of her stories- including this one- on Project Gutenberg:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44818

My mother once gave me a collection of Christmas short stories written by well-known German authors. The book is set up like an Advent calendar, one story for every day in December until Christmas. I gave up on it after only reading a few. The stories had nothing to do with the birth of Christ or the joyful anticipation of Advent. Many were rather bleak and with some I couldn't figure out what the point was. So I wondered, shall I slug through the rest to find the one (possible) gem or put it back on the shelf and look for something more edifying? Well, I haven't touched it since.

Michelle wrote: "I'm sorry- I found a collection of her stories- including this one- on Project Gutenberg:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44818"

Great find!

Kerstin wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I'm sorry- I found a collection of her stories- including this one- on Project Gutenberg:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44818"

Great find!"

Thanks! The official Kindle version was highway robbery. $11.99 for 40 pages!

There are also really cheap collections of Christmas stories and poems on Amazon such as this one Christmas Classics Premium Collection, which has the Lagerlöf story. I've had it on my kindle for a long time but only have read a few.

Gutenberg website format can be hard to read. I think I found it in a more readable format. Is this the same story?

https://allmogens.se/en/text-2/den-he...

Thank you! That's nice and clean.

I finished Doestoevsky's A Christmas Tree and a Wedding. It's not a Christmas story per se but I think the Christmas tree is there for a reason. We can discuss this when we set up a folder for the two stories.

Now I'm off to the Lagerlöf story.

What a charming tale. Thank you, Manny.

That was a beautiful little story!

Oh, and if anyone was considering the books of stories from Project Gutenberg, the formatting was nicely done :)