What to Read

The Message Behind the Movie — The Reboot: Engaging Film without Disengaging Faith
Douglas Beaumont
Ignatius Press, 243 pages

Douglas Beaumont’s updated edition of his original 2009 book challenges viewers of faith to look more deeply at films that may have objectionable elements and yet carry a redeemable message. “It is the gritty portrayal of the darker side of life that often causes Hollywood’s unpopularity among Christian viewers, but it is the idyllic and unrealistic portrayal of life in some Christian movies that can make them ineffective in reaching unbelievers, and even sophisticated believers, with a positive message,” he writes with some insight. His is a useful guide for how we can evaluate cinematic stories in a way that helps us ponder and discuss life’s most earnest questions.

A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History: People and Places that Shaped the Church in the United States
Kevin Schmiesing
Ave Maria Press, 288 pages

Catholic history in the United States isn’t just to be found in shrines and museums. It’s everywhere. Historian Kevin Schmiesing explores a number of points where the Catholic faith and key moments of American history intersect — places you might not expect, such as the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Kentucky’s “Bourbon Trail,” the tragic 1900 hurricane that devastated Galveston, TX, and the Apollo XIII space mission. There are churches and shrines and saints in there too, all connected to enriching stories of how Catholicism has contributed to the greatness of America. It makes for interesting reading that takes you deeper than what you may have learned in history class.

Terror of Demons: 
Reclaiming Traditional Catholic Masculinity
Kennedy Hall
TAN Books, 208 pages

There’s an old war hymn that goes, “Give me some men who are stout-hearted men who will fight for the right they adore.” That sentiment parallels the thesis of Kennedy Hall’s fine book in which he calls for Catholic men to return to being truly “masculine men” in the traditional sense. Too many men today have grown soft and effeminate and do not exercise the strength and leadership proper to their nature — and that failure plays into the devil’s hands. Among the effects is the destruction of family life and the loss of souls who need such leadership. This book calls men to become “stout-hearted” in faith for the good of the Church and the world.