Author: Maria

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Review: Irena’s Vow

Irena’s Vow (2023), directed by Louise Archambault, left me speechless. Based on a true story, Irena Gut, a Polish woman conscripted to serve as housekeeper to a Nazi officer in Warsaw after it fell to the Nazis, witnesses an unspeakable atrocity against a mother and infant. Powerless to do anything to protect them, she returns to work, shaken. Her supervisor, a kind German civilian, instructs her to keep to herself and survive as she can. She will—in a heartbreaking sacrifice.

Irena supervises a group of Jews forced into labor as tailors to the German officers. They become her friends, sharing the fear of their impending deaths. Irena becomes their source of information for the progression of the Nazi plan in their village. She learns they will be executed soon and acts quickly to hide them in the German officer’s cellar.

As housekeeper, Irena has the run of the household, and keeps her friends hidden for many months before being discovered. During this period, we learn about Irena’s vow to save as many lives as she can. Her vow, buoyed by her Catholic conviction, saves one more life.

In the 1980s, while living in Miami, I had the unique experience of meeting Holocaust survivors. Each personal story of survival carried with it the meaning of the dignity of the human person. When we think of the Holocaust, images from death camps spring to mind, and certainly, as the heinous end for the 6 million persons murdered at the hand of Nazis. We should also know the other stories of that persecution, stories that should horrify and enrage us at the depths of the inhumanity that led to those camps.

Irena’s Vow is one such story of courage, the instinct for survival, remarkable generosity, and the ultimate miracle of life.

Highly recommended for mature teens and older.  In theaters April 15-16

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Review Suffering: What Every Catholic Should Know

Mark Giszczak’s book, Suffering: What Every Catholic Should Know (Ignatius Press) resonated with me. Truth be told, I didn’t want it to affect me as deeply as it did. Long time readers of this blog know of my husband’s illness, and other members of my family are struggling with serious health concerns, as well. Beloved friends, too, have their share of suffering.

I hoped to glean a better understanding of the Church’s teaching on suffering, and I did. If that is all I had taken away from this book, I would have had a strong foundational understanding of the Theology of suffering. I knew there would be deep theological points, but Giszszcak has a direct style that remains formal, but flows conversationally. I enjoyed reading the book, even though the topic is close to my own experience.

Coping with suffering as Christians is not just about pain management but also includes certain spiritual practices that lead us to surrender our lives more fully to the Lord. (10)

What struck me right away is how I experienced all the things that Giszszcak names. Suffering is universal, a part of the human condition, as misunderstood as it is pervasive. He doesn’t avoid the WHY that so many of us ask of God. And so, he begins with the story of Job, and goes on to describe how suffering is deeply personal, yet filled with the power of hope and redemption.

I reflected upon the various times of suffering in my life, as daughter, wife, and mother, as friend and companion, spiritually and physically, and I was consoled.

In suffering, we are transformed. It aligns us with Christ’s suffering on the cross, and brings us closer to Him. Suffering is not endured in vain, but is a great spiritual gift.

A recommended read in good times and in bad.

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Augustine Institute – Ignatius Press; 1st edition (February 26, 2024)
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1955305587
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1955305587
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Review: My Life with the Jedi

In this insightful book, My Life with the Jedi: The Spirituality of Star Wars, author Eric A. Clayton takes us on an Ignatian journey around the Star Wars universe.

A little self-disclosure, I saw Star Wars when it was first released. I was a teenager soaking up all the Sci-Fi I could get my hands on, so you can imagine I fell instantly in love with these heroes and villains. The unique gift of the Star Wars universe is how subsequent generations have delved into the adventure. Parents have introduced it to the children, and it has become a multigenerational experience for the family. What better opportunity to also use it for a little evangelization and instruction?

As Catholics, we always enjoyed the inside joke response anytime we heard “ May the Force be with you.” We cleverly kept up with the new translation, too, just in time for new generations to join in the fun. so it comes as no surprise that Clayton would delve into Ignatian spirituality in concert with the many iterations of the Star Wars canon. After all, Star Wars is an epic adventure that takes us across the universe, only to take us interiorly in a study of The Human Condition. 

We’re familiar with the battle of Good versus Evil–and all the gray that fills the space between the two extremes, but Clayton explores all the many stories that make up the canon. While I have seen all three of the trilogies, and read a good many of the books, I haven’t watched all of the new series. I will, however, express my opinion that “The Mandalorian” is the best of the best.

Nevertheless, you don’t need to be familiar with all the characters; Clayton does a fine job of providing context for his exploration of Ignatian spirituality through the lens of Star Wars. It works.

Clayton sets the framework of his spiritual discussion within the narratives, analyzing motives and growth with a parallel discussion of the Ignatian perspective. The sections end with an examen-like exercise that encourages the reader to put into action the lessons learned.

I enjoyed the book, as I imagine many Star Wars fans would, but you don’t have to be a super-fan to enjoy how Clayton weaves the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius through a storyline that already explores the human condition. 

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Loyola Press (February 27, 2024)
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0829457011
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0829457018

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