I have already started reading it and so far I am quite impressed. Highly readable with great details on the Holy Father's childhood life and onward. There are also some interesting insights into Vatican II and the liturgy.
Jeff Miller | Homepage | 11.10.06 - 9:05 am | #

To quote my son "I want, I want, I want!"
Sounds fantastic.
Dean Steinlage | 11.10.06 - 10:14 am | #

Aloha from Hawaii ...

This book has been around for a while, you know ... I've used the quotes in my catechumenate sessions to illustrate our Church's viewpoint on many facets of the faith and to present the Holy Father as a person of holiness and dedication.

I do a weekly "Newsletter" for my catechumenate group and very often highlight one of the quotes from the book in a section of the Newsletter called "Living in the Presence of God." One cannot support this wonderful Vicar Christ too much.

I like it, too, because of the way it's set up to collect the Holy Father's in themes.

Enjoy and remember ...

Linda
St Elizabeth Church
Aiea HI
Linda Cacpal | 11.10.06 - 4:42 pm | #

Thomas,
By the way, you were reading "Milestones" a while back... did you finish? How did you like it?

Linda
Linda Cacpal | 11.10.06 - 4:44 pm | #

Hello again, Mr.Peters!

I actually posted on my blog about Moynihan's book in comparison to George Weigel's "God's Choice" and I reproduce both of my reviews here for your edification:

I just finished Weigel's quasibiography of the Pope, "God's Choice". It was perhaps the most accurate and penetrating analysis of the Church at its current place in time. Weigel proposes curial reform and episcopal reform among the top tasks facing the new pontiff while celebrating Benedict XVI as precisely the person to follow the late pontiff-- all the while managing to cast the petrine ministry in the clearest, most accessibly human terms. I've moved from that text to Moynihan's work on the spiritual life of Benedict XVI, "Let God's Light Shine Forth". They should offer fascinating foils to one another; I'll let you know how it goes. [http://catholicland.blogspot.com/2006/03/good- read.html]

Moynihan's work turned out to be merely a collection of papal pearls of wisdom listed under topic headings rather than anything insightful into the "Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI". The biographical section preceding these extracts wasn't nearly as engrossing as Weigel's. I doubt Weigel has a compliment in the media-- who else could hit nails on the head like he does? I don't know who Moynihan is, but it would appear he wanted people to have some idea of who this Ratzinger person was and rushed to put a book in print- albeit a sympathetic work- but rushed nevertheless, and therefore of little use. If anyone knows a reliable text to read, do tell. I have found very few texts whose authors or titles I feel I can trust.
[http://catholicland.blogspot.com/2006/03/so- so.html]
SWP | Homepage | 11.10.06 - 8:26 pm | #

I would like to see someone TRULY undertake an analysis of "the spiritual vision of Pope Benedict", because Moynihan's isn't it. He doesn't present The Vision, he simply lists quotes. They're great quotes, don't get me wrong-- but I can go to the Vatican website or EWTN and read the source documents myself, rather than the tidbits he extracts.

So where, then, do we find The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict? Has someone conducted such an exploration in print? Even Weigel, who I clearly admire, did more of a "papacy inventory" than an actual inquest into this man's VISION.

I'm glad to see some of your readers found the book useful. I'm wanting more and found it wanting.
SWP | Homepage | 11.10.06 - 8:35 pm | #