Joined by Grace: A Catholic Prayer Book for Engaged
and Newly Married Couples by John and Teri Bosio. Ave Maria Press (Notre
Dame, Indiana, 2017). 136 pp., $9.95.
Forever: A Catholic Devotional for Your
Marriage by Jackie Francois Angel and Bobby Angel. Pauline Books and
Media (Boston, 2017). 163 pp., $15.95.
Prayers for Catholic Couples: With Reflections from
Pope Francis' 'The Joy of Love,' compiled and edited by Susan Heuver.
Word Among Us Press (Frederick, Maryland, 2017). 167 pp., $11.95.
Whether they know it or not, married couples today need lots of
prayer to live their vocation well. They always have, but perhaps today they
may need it more than ever. Three recently published books approach this need
in rather different ways.
Of the three, the most like a traditional Catholic prayer book is
Joined by Grace, in which John and Teri Bosio
have compiled a great many traditional Catholic prayers, from prayers from the
Mass to litanies to praying with some of the saints to other devotions, such as
the rosary and the stations of the cross, each with a brief explanation.
For couples already connected well to a parish and mainly
comfortable with formal prayers, this may be quite helpful; however, it's
unfortunate that these prayers and devotions aren't linked more specifically
with the joys and challenges that marriage presents.
The second book, Forever by Jackie
Francois Angel and Bobby Angel, is designed as a four-week exploration of the
theology of the body from St. John Paul II, a theology that some couples have
found more helpful than others. It tends to be rather didactic and not as
devotional as a prayer book often would be, perhaps suitable for a couple to
read aloud to one another daily, but what the Angels have done here requires a
considerable time commitment on the part of a couple.
Last, but not least, is Prayers for
Catholic Couples, which includes brief excerpts from Pope Francis' 2016
apostolic exhortation "The Joy of Love," ("Amoris
Laetitia"). Susan Heuver has done a fine service for couples in
making insights from this compassionate document easily available to couples
for their reflection.
In his introduction to his pastoral letter, Pope Francis
explained, "It is my hope that, in reading this text, all will feel called
to love and cherish family life, for 'families are not a problem; they are
first and foremost an opportunity.'" That tone indeed comes through in
this little book.
Pope Francis talks about the lack of perfection in families:
"No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need
constantly to grow and mature in their ability to love."
He observes about marital fidelity that "just as a good wine
begins to breathe with time, so too the daily experience of fidelity gives
married life richness and 'body.' Fidelity has to do with patience and
expectation. Its joys and sacrifices bear fruit as the years go by and the couple
rejoices to see their children's children. The love present from the beginning
becomes more conscious, settled and mature as the couple discovers each other
anew day after day, year after year."
He even discusses parenting: "It is also essential to help
children and adolescents to realize that misbehavior has consequences. They
need to be encouraged to put themselves in other people's shoes and to
acknowledge the hurt they have caused. ... It is important to train children
firmly to ask forgiveness and to repair the harm done to others."
After each brief excerpt from "The Joy of Love" Heuver
includes a reflection question or two and a short prayer for the couple to
share. These offer an opportunity for a couple to reflect on their lives on the
run, which is often the only opportunity they may have.
All three books could be helpful for couples trying to live a
faith-filled, sacramental marriage in a world that seems to value change and
superficiality instead.
Finley is the author of several books on practical
spirituality, including "Prayers for the Newly Married" and "The
Liturgy of Motherhood: Moments of Grace," and previously taught in the
religious studies department at Gonzaga University.