my spiritual exercisesby john kearney
TRANSCRIPT
Irish Jesuit Province
My Spiritual Exercises by John KearneyReview by: P. H.The Irish Monthly, Vol. 73, No. 863 (May, 1945), pp. 225-226Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20515391 .
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BOOK REVIEWS 225
Ambas$ador of Christ. A Three-Act Drama of Saint Patrick. By Aodh de Blacam. Dublin : M. H. Gill and Son. Price 2/6.
In his dramatic writings Mr. de Blacam has set himself the task of evok
ing heroic, far-off days. Because he writes of what is (or should be) known his plays are primarily pageants : he puts on the stage in colour and noble
speech scenes of which we have read in black and white in books ; he makes what we have read come alive, come true? One reason, then, why his plays are so popular in schools (and with dramatic societies throughout the
country) is that they fill in the background of history. Another reason is that they call for fine speaking. An actor trained in these plays will always speak his lines well. Thus in the present play (Act II, 2) ; O Faly : "
Go
back to my strong dun, and tell my people that O Faly guards his own ; and
that a deed shall be done this night that will please the old gods and bring back their favours. When the Christian Bishop is dead the old ways will
return. The strong man shall rule, the weakling bleed, and wealth shall be to
him who can hold it. My sons?ah, my sons?they shall return to me, and
they shall hold my kingdom, and go in silk and gold. Be strong, my arm I Be keen, my spear ? Ah, gods of the ancient stones, gods of the mist, guide my blade to the heart of Patrick ! Ah i Was that the far-off sound of the Christian bell? No?but I hear steps?they draw near. The man in the cloak ! The man with the crooked stick in hand !" Such lines were spoken before they were written down.
This play was written to celebrate the 1,500th anniversary of the found
ing of the Primatial See of Armagh by our National Apostle ; and had its
first production at St. Patrick's College, Armagh, on St. Patrick's Day, 1944. It was a fitting tribute.
R. J.
My Spiritual Exercises. By John Kearney, C.S.Sp. Dublin and London :
Burns Oates and Washbourne, Ltd. 9/-. The expression
" Spiritual Exercises
" usually denotes the course of
meditations and other occupations which go to make up a retreat, but Fr. B. Fennelly, C.S.Sp., through whose care this book by the late Fr. Kearney has been edited, explains that it is composed of a number of instructions
designed to help "
anyone who is striving to lead a fervent spiritual life ". The style and scope of the book is essentially practical ; it gives instruc tions and suggestions as to helpful methods of performing such exercises of
piety as Liturgical Prayer, Mental Prayer, the Divine Office, the Stations of the Cross, Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the Rosary, Exam ination of Conscience, Confession, the Mass and Holy Communion. It may
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226 THE IRISH MONTHLY
be said at once that it is a book which is to be strongly recommended as a most useful and practical help to those who aim at leading what St. Francis de Sales calls the Devout Life. The style is, simple and direct, and the traditional teaching of the Cnurch is put forward in an attractive and
convincing manner. This volume oughts form part of one's spiritual librar y ? as a book of reference and instruction, andi for reading during a
retreat, and provides very suitable matter for the monthly recollection so
strongly recommended by guides on the spiritual life. P. H.
AN UNUSUAL PENANCE The young woman talked to the priest in the confessional and found him
sympathetic. "
My child, "
he said, after he had given her her penance, "
if I may suggest it, you would be wise to read This W?r Is the Passion. It's a
wonderful book, and in times like these it's a great consolation. I doubt if you would understand it all. It's mystical and deep. But even the parts you would grasp would do you much good. So you won't forget the name, will you?" "
I won't," said the penitent, humbly. She was Frances Caryll Houselander, who wrote This War Is the Passion.
D. A. Loan, S.J.
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