BOOK REVIEWS

Like a Bridge: eds. Laurence Duffy & Charles Girard

It may be that like me you are tempted to skim Introducione and Forewords of books in order to get to Chapter 1 and the meat of it, but in the case of "Like a Bridge" that would be a big mistake, since Laurence Duffy and Charles Girard lay out the plan so succinctly in three sections: the Society of Mary origins; the spirit of their patron Mary entitled "Being Marist"; and then the mission of Mary entitled "Doing the Work of Mary".

The editors seem to have trouble with a definition of 'laity', and in other writings Charles Girard, along with Jan Snijders, has met this problem before, but it would seem to me that the laity in this volume are embraced in the reference to them as the 'People of God' not solemnly vowed Marists, and that would be sufficient to allow their different roles to be pointed up. And the editors do need to point up their differences, mainly because of the perceived obligation of professed Marists to form and inform the Marist family, in order for them to grow in the spirit of Mary, fitting them to carry out their mission of "making the whole world Marist" as envisaged by Father Founder Jean-Claude Colin.

Marists have come to recognise the Marian attitude as a kind of role reversal of the present prevalent tradition that regards the laity as helpmates to the clergy in their programmes of evangelisation, a view still held strongly by many diocesan priests. The idea that the laity are to be the main instruments of mission is also in the vision of Father Founder, for he says, "the priests are not numerous enough to accomplish this work on their own".

So, lay Marists are to be 'like a bridge', supported and upheld by the rest of the Marist Communities, that reach out to the world as it is and where they experience it making a crossing place for those of whatever persuasion to pass over to the Kingdom of God. This small volume expresses all of these ideas by the witness and action of its contributors; a book that provokes serious thought on evangelisation. It is highly recommended reading. CHJ

Obtainable through the Marist Way see Contacts

one light: one world unity and the scriptures

Provides scriptural texts giving the mandate for the Church's search for unity.

Produced by the Bible Society to mark the Centenary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Recommended to all ecumaniacs for personal reflection and prayer, for use in discussion groups and Churches Together meetings to stimulate the search for unity.

An electronic version can be downloaded free of charge from Churches Together in England 'Resources' section

http://www.churches-together.net/

A Handbook of Spiritual Ecumenism

By Cardinal Walter Kasper

This is a remarkably interesting and authoratative book. It contains 96 pages, divided into three main sections: Deepening Christian Faith, Prayer and Worship, "Diakonia" and Witness. There is a short introduction to the concept of Spiritual Ecumenisn showing how it is firmly grounded in the prayer of Jesus "that they may all be one " (Jn17:21) and finds its expression in the documents of the Church, for example the Decree on Ecumenism and Ut Unum Sint.

The book's stated aim is to "offer practical suggestions aimed at implementing and strengthening that spiritual ecumenism which is the heart of all efforts to bring divided Christians together again in unity" . And offering practical suggestions is what it does, over 20 pages of bulleted points " Together Christians can.....", Mixed Marriage Families can....", "Together Local Communities and their Leaders Can.....", "Together young Christians can....". There are also many ideas for ecumenical activities proposed for use at various times throughout the Liturgical Year and ideas as to what can legitimately be done together in the Sacramental Sphere.

At the end of the book there is a useful bibliography of ecumenical documents resulting from conversations with other Christian Churches - Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, World Council of Churches, Pentecostal Churches.

Very readable and Highly Recommended: Costs around £6 in the UK