In a little over one hundred years, the Catholic Church has undergone a remarkable transformation, from an ecclesiastical model in which the Church is Mater et Magistra, to cite the opening words of the first social encyclical of John XXIII, so that "the Church allies itself with the dominant classes that control the state, organizing projects around these classes, giving rise to colleges, universities, Christian political parties, and the like," to quote Leonardo Boff, one of the key spokesmen of the theology of liberation. Boff continues, "A vast network of assistance programs are established, leading the Church to become a Church for the poor rather than a Church with or of the poor."

Such a conception of the Church as the intermediary par excellence for the poor as an object of charity ultimately derives from the Church-State alliance of the fourth century A.D. and is manifested in the saints as icons of the Church, such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Vincent de Paul, or St. Peter Claver, who devoted their lives to ministering to the poor and the slaves, respectively, yet did not actively work to change the existing social and political order that was very much the source of their unfortunate condition.

This limited social and political understanding of the condition of the poor pervades the teaching of the Church until the watershed 1891 encyclical of Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum, which criticizes the ideologies and systems that are the source of injustice in industrial society and calls for structural changes, so that, very significantly, the Church for the first time seeks to address the condition of the poor by a means very different from simply the giving of alms, in the metaphorical sense, by bringing about social and political change on a societal scale.

One major culmination of this theological reorientation is the key phrase, "preferential option for the poor," found in the documents of the 1979 Conference of Latin American Bishops at Puebla, Mexico, to express a sea change in the imperative by which the institutional Church sees itself in ministry to the poor. Also often cited is the statement located in the document issued by the 1971 Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World: "Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation."

Such a change in "Catholic ethos," to use Dorr's words, may be found in notable contemporary figures such as Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton, for whom action on behalf of social justice were understood to be an integral part of their call to live out their Catholic faith, in particular, the injunction to exercise charity toward others.

Donal Dorr, an Irish missionary priest, discusses with perspicacity this by no means linear transformation in religious ideology, ending with the extraordinary 1991 social encyclical of John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, which commemorates the first social encyclical.

Dorr is very readable yet not in the least simple, interpreting with lucidity the special emphases and profound ramifications of Catholic social teaching, what has been described as the Church's "best-kept secret." With admirable intelligence, he seeks to interpret papal encyclicals according to what he believes is the original intended meaning of the author, to place such teaching in social and political context, and to provide an interpretative framework of ideological development. His closing evaluation is especially enlightening. So informative and helpful is Dorr's exposition that John A. Coleman, S.J. of the Jesuit School of Theology, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, praises it as "classic," "magisterial," "first," "indispensable," and "masterful." Indeed, Dorr's work is the best introduction to Catholic social teaching that I have come across.

However, this 1992 book is a little dated and does not cover the most recent and interesting developments in Catholic social teaching. Moreover, while it is a good introduction to specifically papal and, to some extent, episcopal teaching, it by no means covers the spectrum of theological developments in this area, nor will it provide a sufficiently broad framework for interpreting all the major currents of thought that bear on this weighty topic.

Ok,I'm almost two years late with my review of this splendid little book,as it was ostensibly intended as a devotional,literary companion for those folks who were lucky enough to have travelled to the eternal city during the Jubilee year of 2000.I never made the pilgrimage myself but made sure to snap up this book as well as the equally desirable and rewarding "Pilgrims in Rome" as soon as they hit the shelves of my local bookshop.
To be sure,a lot of the content of the former especially,is tied chronologically into the Jubilee "Stations of prayer" that took place at the major basilicas,churches and catacombs.Yet,much else within it's 250 odd pages is well worth having as a source of present and future interest.For one thing,it's amazing just how much gorgeous sacred art (check out Bernini's "Glory" on P.134 as a typically,stunning example) is crammed into it's modest dimensions,and I especially like the quotations from the Vulgate that preface each chapter,with their charming illuminated first letters.Attention to small detail like that can't help but win you over almost immediately !

The third main division of the book is called "Celebrations,prayers and songs" and this is a veritable treasure-chest of the liturgy which garners together texts that are more often found scattered throughout several various volumes,so it's nice to have them all here within easy reach for once.We get the full Order of the Mass in Latin with a parallel English translation,as well as a plethora of personal and communal prayers.I found the "Way of the Cross" very affecting,and not least because of the choice of Tiepolo's beautiful stations that are used to illustrate it.

My only complaint about this rewarding and fascinating little book is,that although we get the Latin texts of such great hymns as "Ubi caritas" and "Ecce panis" appended at the back,we don't get the English translations alongside them.Still,that's a fairly minor quibble on my part and really should not stop you eagerly setting out to buy the remaining stocks of this beautifully composed and thoughtfully considered memento of a unique moment in time.

Noted for their works on the lives of various artists, Jacqueline and Maurice Guillaud have once again produced a STUNNING work featuring Raphael's magnificent frescoes, which are located in the private apartment of Pope Julius II. The frescoes are: The Stanza della Segnature which includes the very famous School Of Athens, The Stanza dell'Incendio and The Stanza d'Eliodoro. What is really interesting about this book is that the photographs are printed on voluptious onionskin paper!!. This selection is Perfect for displaying the artist's brilliant pallette. This book is an absolute delight!!

When Pope Julius II needed someone to design and create the frescoes for his private appartment in The Vatican, he knew who to call: Raphael; and what staggering frescoes they are!

The frescoes are part of the Stanza della Segnatura which contain the famous School of Athens, and The Triumph Of Religion. These 2 works are found on the largest walls. Also included are The Stanza dell'Incendio and The Stanza d'Eliodoro.

What makes this book so sensuous and stunning are the beautiful color photographs that husband and wife team Maurice & Jacqueline Guillaud have taken. Full of spectacular close-ups, you immediately get the full force of Raphael's vivid pallette. One of the trademarks of the Guillaud's is to print all of their photographs on onionskin paper, which has the look of paint on fresh plaster. This is a great way to experience the works of this great artist.

Anthony Grafton's "Rome Reborn" is not just a simple and well done 'exhibition catalogue' intended to be a luxurious appendix to the famous exhibition of 1993 held in the Library of Congress. On the contrary, his 'magnum opus' not only exceeds by far the boundaries of this genre, but also laid the new foundations of modern scholarship in the field of Renaissance studies focusing on Rome and its cultural rebirth in the Renaissance. In combining several methodologies which have been used separately in various disciplines before, Grafton showed himself once more the absolute master of contemporary Renaissance Studies in its broadest sense. His "Rome Reborn" should therefore be on the desk of everyone occupied (professionaly or in another way) with the cultural history of the Renaissance.

Take Up My Cross is a small gift volume in the Treasures of the Vatican LIbrary Series. It consists of illuminations and illustrations related to the cross from books in the Vatican library. There is no explanatory or identifying text; the art is often accompanied by a short scriptural passage related to the art. The art is well chosen and reproduced. For those who are primarily visual, this is an excellent meditative boo.

Having made up my mind in advance to approach Braham's book with outright scepticism I put it down after reading with a newfound perspective on this troubling issue. The arguments contained within are surprisingly convincing and well-constructed. The book effectively demonstrated to me that many generally-held beliefs about Vatican policy during WWII are based on little more than second-hand and often erroneous information. Difficult to put down, this book is good reading for anyone with an interest in history and politics (whatever your spiritual persuasion).

I am an advanced math studies student currently studying theoretical quantum physics, Quion's theorem, and CX-456 machine logic encoding (this is for the real minds of mathematical locale out there), and my professor recomended this book for me to take in. It is a fascinating read, if albeit questionable, since it does infact come from the United State's premier agency, and information they regard on a daily basis is beyond top secret, it does, for the most part, make sense, and actually spurs thought to those who know what they are looking at.

This 'reality' novel tells an incredible story: the Vatican through Mgr. Marcinkus tried to use $950 million of forged bonds as a collateral for new loans. But a New York policeman discovered the transactions and the key figure was convicted.
The other villains, besides the Archbishop, in this unbelievable story are very well known Mafia, masonic and money laundering figures: Michele Sindona, Roberto Calvi.
An only average police novel but with an astonishing content. Not to be missed.
I recommend another book with the same main characters in another murky affair: David Yallop 'In God's Name. An investigation into the murder of pope John Paul I'.

This three-volume set (including one on the Second Vatican Council, one on the Constitutions of the Council, and one on the Decrees and Declarations of the Council) is the best, most user-friendly reference tool I've seen about this landmark Council. It is difficult to overstate the effects of SV2 on how Catholics "do" church. Whether you are only casually interested in learning more about the Church, or are a convert who would like to understand more about why Catholics react the way they do to certain issues, this series is for you. (And while you're at it, pick up a copy of "With Mary in Prayer" to understand a bit more about her!)