Christmas Gift Guide 2023

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NAT IONA L CAT HOL IC R EGIST ER , NOV EM BER 5, 2023

2023 ‘Buy Catholic’ Christmas Gift Guide

SHUTTERSTOCK

Ideas for Men, Women, Children, Teachers and Friends

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BY K AT I E WA R N E R

o help you choose thoughtful gifts for friends and family this year, check out these creative ideas, all of which allow you to support Catholic businesses, entrepreneurs and artists with your shopping dollars.

for his office, bedroom or prayer room; EWTNRC. com and (800) 8546316. (Shown is the Bethlehem Stone Crucifix, which is 6 inches and imported from the Holy Land; Item: 916, $35.)

For Children

ideas for incorporating flowers at home through nature’s seasons and the Church’s liturgical calendar. Use code KatieCatholic-15 for a discount off any TAN Books products; TANBooks.com.

For Men

ship with the Holy Spirit. It would make a lovely and useful gift for any Catholic woman on your list! Use code KatieWarner10 for 10% off; https://rb.gy/383h9.

Cufflinks: Check out these sterling silver Miraculous Medal Cufflinks, a unique, faith-based gift for the man in your life from the Catholic Company.

Use code Katie15 for a discount on this item or on any CatholicCompany.com product, including their partner brands like CatholicCoffee.com or Rosary.com.

St. Paul tee: I love the bold artistic style from Baritus Catholic. Check out the St. Paul tee (or the phone cases and holy cards). Does the man you’re shopping for love Catholic tees? Then subscribe him to the Catholic t-shirt club or the collection at Totally Catholic Tees; https://rb.gy/1vz80; CatholicTShirtClub. com; TotallyCatholicTees.com.

A dictionary of quotes from the saints: I am so excited about this new title from Paul Thigpen: Perfect for incorporating more spiritual reading into one’s busy life, Quotes From the Saints provides readers with saintly insights and consolation, through short, inspiring, and at-times humorous, pearls of wisdom from some of the Church’s most beloved saints. Use code KatieCatholic-15 for a discount off any TAN Books products. Stay tuned for more great gifting book picks from the Register this holiday season (in our “Last-Minute Christmas Gift Guide”); TANBooks.com.

Wall crucifix: EWTN Religious Catalogue has a large and beautiful selection of wall crucifixes at various price points. You can find the perfect fit

Catholic art print from Elizabeth Zelasko: This is one of my favorite gift picks for men. I love her collection of prints, ranging from richly detailed iconography to images of inspiring male saints like John Paul II. You can also shop Ruth Stricklin’s stunning gallery of artwork from New Jerusalem Studios; online at ElizabethZelasko.com as well as NJerusalemStudios.com.

For Women

Crinkle Saint Cards: These creative and affordable cards from Chews Life, made from cotton twill, are the perfect combination of crinkly fun and faith formation for infants and young toddlers; ChewsLife.com.

Catholic Dress Co: Gift a modest, comfortable dress from this collection named after saints. You’ll find a variety of dress styles, as well as skirts and maternity pieces; CatholicDressCo.com.

Planner: The Simple Holiness Planner is a beautiful, authentically Catholic planner that provides simple ways to grow in holiness while staying organized. It also includes budget and expense-tracking pages, a weekly faith activity, and QR codes throughout the planner, with links to videos and podcasts for women and children to grow in their faith. The 2024 planner has a monthly focus of growing in a relation-

“Heartshaper” tee: another great mama gift pick, from the Vox Clara Collection. I love that this t-shirt comes in so many colors. The berry-colored one is on my own Christmas wish list; Vox-Clara-Collection.MyShopify.com.

Pajamas: Check out the adorable, creative selection of religious-themed pajamas from Holy Pals. If you’re the coordinating type, check out the family matching Christmas PJ sets, too; HolyPals.com.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

God’s Arranging of the Seasons

BY E M I LY M A L L OY

Catholic jewelry: This is a repeat item on my gift lists every year, especially the beautiful selection from Telos Art Shop. Check out the Oval Medaille Miraculeuse or any of the exquisite crucifix, Marian and saint-themed items.

Bonus savings are available if you use code KATIE5 at checkout for $5 off any order or KATIE10 for 10% off orders of more than $75; TelosArtShop.com.

Theology of Home: Arranging the Seasons: The next edition in the Theology of Home series, Arranging the Seasons, is an absolutely stunning book and makes a perfect holiday gift. Author Emily Malloy, who also writes for the Register, brings a wealth of practical

At the crux of Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons lies the reminder of the simple beauty existing in the everyday that can be recognized through a posture of recollection. As beauty penetrates the heart that is otherwise preoccupied, the presence of God, the source of all that is beautiful, becomes apparent. As we are reminded that all our circumstances work according to his purpose, we grow in endurance and faith. I experienced in a new way the fruitfulness of the patience I tried to convey to others. I deeply recognized, in real time, the fragility of life in the garden, making it even more beautiful.

As I write in Arranging the Seasons, “The world is a garden created for you to bask in and be loved. It is a place of cooperation and wonder. It is where you find the love note written to you from the Creator of the universe who formed you in His likeness and viewed your splendor as the pinnacle of creation.”

Emily Malloy is the food and floral design editor for TheologyofHome.com.

Her book, Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons, is now available.

She and her husband live in Mississippi with their four children.

FLOWERS AT HOME. Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons showcases seasonal beauty. Emily Malloy photo

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The Little Flower for Little Ones: Theotokos Kids Offers Saintly Tales

C

Buy

Faithand FamilyCollective.com; BlessedIsShe.net; AscensionPress. com.

CONTINUING PAGE 17 STORY

ing “Frankincense and Myrrh,” “Peppermint” and “Lavender”; shop.NorbertineSisters.org.

For Friends, Teachers and Catechists

BY E M M A F O L L E T T

olorful and vibrant stories about the saints, presented in a simple but educational way.

Board books perfect for little hands to flip through with ease.

That’s the aim of Theotokos Kids, which focuses on helping parents and caregivers teach children about the Catholic faith with help from the saints. Veronica and Allan Caballero noticed a need for stories about the saints shortly after having their first child.

“Two things were important for us in raising our little ones: sharing the beauty of our faith and our Latino culture,” Veronica Caballero, who also works for EWTN, explained.

“We didn’t find anything that specifically shared the beauty of holiness, especially not in Spanish, which was essential to us since we choose to speak to our daughters in Spanish at home.”

According to the U.S. bishops’ conference, 60% of U.S. Catholics under the age of 18 are Hispanic (USCCB Secretariat of Diversity in the Church), and there is a definite lack of resources for them in the Spanish language. The resources are even more scarce for children. The founders of Theotokos Kids are on a mission to change that, as one of the only Catholic companies in the U.S. that is committed to offering all products in both English and Spanish. “Since we had that need, we knew there had to be other families in the Church with the same need,” Caballero told the Register.

“Our love for our daughters, family experience with entrepreneurship, and passion for evangelization led to the birth of Theotokos Kids.”

Books about St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Gianna Molla and Blessed Carlo Acutis are available, with a forthcoming “Marian Collection.”

The Caballeros’ daughters, Gianna, 5, Luciana, 3, and Isabella, 2, like other children who enjoy Theotokos Kids books, have learned about prayer, heaven, the lives of the saints and God’s unending love for

HOLY STORIES. Young readers enjoy Theotokos Kids books, including the book about the Little Flower. Theotokos Kids offers books on saints and Mother Mary in English and Spanish. Courtesy of Theotokos Kids

all of us through these stories.

These books and this project have provided the Caballero family another way to grow together, too.

“My oldest loves them and everything on the business side,” said Caballero.

“She wants to come with me to all the events we have. And my youngest two choose them independently over all the other books in their library. I love this because they don’t understand that their parents created them and freely choose them solely because of their beautiful illustrations and stories.”

The fruits from this family endeavor have been abundant. As reader and mom Lauren Dempsey of Evansville, Indiana, told the Register, “Theotokos Kids has given us a way to share the saint stories we love with our daughter in a way she understands. They are beautifully written and in a way that makes the saint shine but also includes the hardships they went through.”

“I appreciate the St. Thérèse book talking about how she lost her

mom at an early age but how, with the support of her family, she came to know how much Jesus loved her,” Dempsey added, “or how St. Gianna tried to love all her patients as Jesus would and protected her unborn baby at the cost of her own life. The pictures are so inviting and detailed.

We talk about each detail in the picture and its significance. I also have the Gianna print in her room, in a pink frame; it gives us something to look at, and we ask St. Gianna to intercede for us. I do not have Blessed Carlo yet, but I can’t wait to add it and the other new ones to our collection.”

Another mom, Andrea Arango, of Coconut Creek, Florida, agreed. “Theotokos Kids has been a blessing to my family,” she said. “My family really enjoys these amazing, colorful, bright and inspirational books. It has taught us to love these saints. Every Catholic family with small children should have them.

They are a great and easy way to help work towards holiness and to get closer to God. Absolutely adorable. Praise the Lord and God bless in abundance Theotokos Kids.”

And as writer-publisher Veronica Caballero said, “It is truly an honor for us to be able to create these stories for our own children and little ones around the world.”

Emma R. Follett writes from Wisconsin.

READ TheotokosKids.com

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR AND PROCLAIM THE LOVE OF CHRIST TO THE NATIONS

Gift tote from Catholic Family Crate: Make your own gift bundle using this cute Mass tote bag, one of the card games (like Alleluia!

— a favorite of my children), and this super neat “Pray by Sticker” book (another much-loved item in our house). These are such fun items to pop in a stocking or give as a standalone gift for your children, grandchildren or godchildren. I love the balance of fun and catechesis of Catholic Family Crate. Use code Katie2023 for a discount.

Glory Stories from Holy Heroes are also a huge hit at our house; these dramatized stories of the saints make perfect gifts for St. Nicholas’ Day, stockings, etc.; CatholicFamilyCrate.com; HolyHeroes.com.

Children’s books: Check out the new release, Sister Clare Gets Ready for Prayer, a fun, interactive and catechetical title that helps children journey through a day in the life of a cloistered, contemplative Dominican nun.* We also love gifting and receiving the Lego Catechisms (and other Lego products) from Holy Heroes. Perhaps you might even gift the child on your list an enrollment in Holy Heroes’ Very Young Catholic Project, with great books incorporating theology, geography and history, while exposing children to the universality of the Church; TANBooks.com; HolyHeroes.com.

“Compassion Cards”: From Faith & Family Collective, these make a thoughtful gift for an older child, with prompts to pray for one’s “neighbors” and develop the virtue of compassion more intentionally, to prompt greater focus on others during the holiday season. If you have a teen, consider a great Bible like the Blessed Is She Journaling Bible or The Great Adventure Bible;

Judith, an EWTN monthly donor, recently wrote to us:

Will you join Judith – and many others – by signing up as a monthly donor?

Your regular gifts will tell the world about Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and the Saints.

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Stickers, prints and prayer cards: I love gifting stickers, like this “Surrender Prayer” sticker from Raising Faith Prints, as a present topper or inside a beautiful prayer card like the ones from Novena Cards. Stickers are perfect for water bottles, journals and more.

From the same shop, check out “Our Lady Among the Flowers” Print, another lovely gift for anyone on your list; https://rb.gy/njzw1; NovenaCards.com;and https://rb.gy/n3dxt.

Friar Crafted Did you know Father Paschal Mary of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word is a craftsman?

His Magnificat covers are available through EWTN Religious Catalogue. The handmade leather covers come in a variety of colors. They are embossed with Magnificat and the monstrance on the front and the St. Paschal Arts logo on the back. The covers fit the regular-size edition of the Magnificat personal missal as well as the Benedictus publication; order at EWTNRC.com or (800) 854-6316.

Interested in making a rosary?

Father Paschal’s St. Paschal Arts initiative from Etsy offers a Rosary Maker Kit, too: SaintPaschalArts.etsy.com.

“I love the crafting process of designing and making things,” Father Paschal told the Register.

“From a young age I would take things apart to figure out how things worked (rarely to put them back together again, to my parents’ chagrin). In the past few years I have been able to expand my creative hobbies to include sewing, woodworking, leatherwork, rosary-making and 3D printing. It is a consolation knowing that others will be helped in their prayer by my offerings and will remember the friars in prayer, too.”

The Mysteries of the Rosary Picture Study Cards: From Into the Deep, this picture-study bundle contains everything one needs for catechetical art appreciation based around the four sets of the Mysteries of the Rosary. A perfect gift for the traditional or home-schooler, or for a friend’s prayer time or prayer table; IntotheDeep.co.

Soap bars: From the Norbertine Sisters, these all-natural soap bars come in a variety of scents, includ-

with a Gift Annuity through the Society of the Little Flower.

• A $5,000 charitable gift annuity provides an 80-year-old individual with annual payments of $410 • Little Flower gift annuities provide fixed payments for life • Payments are primarily tax-free through life expectancy •Age 70 ½+: IRA assets can be used to fund a gift annuity; (Call us for the special rules) Your gift helps those in need through Carmelite ministries and the education of seminarians

Sample One Life Rates*

You can also become a monthly donor by: • Or mailing checks to: EWTN, 5817 Old Leeds Rd., Irondale, AL 35210

MORE IDEAS Find more ideas in past gift guides: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2021 Book Gift Guide, 2022, at NCRegister.com.

littleflower.org/specialgifts

To become a monthly donor, please visit ewtn.com/monthly.

• Calling 1-800-447-EWTN (3986) 8AM to 8PM ET, Monday – Friday

Katie Warner writes from Georgia, where she lives with her family, writes children’s books and home educates. She is online at KatieWarner.com.*denotes products by the guide’s author.

Secure Your Future

EWTN tells the world about Jesus every day, which is only possible by the grace of God and with the support of generous souls like you. Today, we need your help to continue this mission.

As a disabled senior citizen, EWTN has been my at-home church. … I don’t know what I would do without it every day. What a comfort it is to be able to turn on the TV and know you’re still part of your Catholic Faith and community no matter where you are!

Padre Pio ‘Choose Joy’ mug: This stoneware style mug is a great gift from His Girl Sunday, which also offers other nice items like the liturgy kitchen pinafore apron and a cute pack of Bible highlighters; HisGirlSunday.com.

Prayer Impressions stamp: From spiritual bouquets to Holy Spirit, Divine Mercy and Ave Maria consecration stamps, these make really unique gifts or present toppers for your crafting Catholic teachers, catechists or friends, from ArmaDei.com.

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*Rates are subject to change • Minimum age 60 • For U.S. residents only Please call our office to learn the rates for two-life gift annuities.

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NAT IONA L CAT HOL IC R EGIST ER , NOV EM BER 5, 2023

Presents From EWTN

CHRISTMAS MERRY & BRIGHT CD EWTN anchor Raymond Arroyo brings his New Orleans jazz roots and well-honed dramatic talents to a toe-tapping, heartwarming, new classic Christmas album. Item: 987CD, $17.95.

THE MAGNIFICENT MISCHIEF OF TAD LINCOLN (Turnabout Tales) EWTN news anchor and author Raymond Arroyo offers a fun picture-book biography of Tad Lincoln and his relationship with his father, President Abraham Lincoln, complete with a story about a parent’s love for his son and the wisdom of a child; Item: 3823, $18.95.

SAINTLY TEES Don your devotion. Pier Giorgio, Item: 175; St. Joseph, Item: APPTTC1E; both $20-$23.

HOLY FAMILY HOLY WATER FONT This beautiful holy water font features a large low-relief sculpture of the Holy Family. Made of a resin-stone mix, this font measures 7 1/2 inches high x 5 inches wide with a 1 1/4-inchdeep basin and a key-hole hook on the back for hanging. Item: 60511, $26.

HOLY FAMILY MOSAIC PLAQUE This beautiful image is printed on gold foil with a mosaic background and mounted on a gold painted board with a metal hook for hanging. Measures approximately 4 inches wide x 6 inches high. Imported from Italy. Item: 6E806, $9.95.

HOLY FAMILY OLIVE WOOD ORNAMENT Each olive wood ornament is made and finished in Bethlehem by a family that has been in business since 1925. Item: 529OW, $9.

THREE HEARTS OF THE HOLY FAMILY NECKLACE This pendant features the Three Hearts of the Holy Family — the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Chaste Heart of St. Joseph — all joined together as one medal on an 18-inch gold-plated chain with a lobster clasp; medal is 16-karat gold over solid .925 sterling silver; made in the U.S. Item: G1239, $59.

FRESHWATER PEARL NECKLACE WITH MIRACULOUS MEDAL & PEARL EARRINGS Exhibit your faith by wearing this lovely 4mm-freshwaterpearl 16-inch necklace, with sterling silver Miraculous Medal, made in the U.S. Item: P2316, $85.

LIVING THE WORD CATHOLIC WOMEN’S BIBLE AND JOURNAL SET Ladies, journal as you read Scripture. Contributors include EWTN’s Johnnette Benkovic Williams. Item: 1251K; $74.99.

EWTN SWIRL COFFEE MUG Enjoy your morning coffee or tea in this 16-ounce blue-andwhite swirl mug. On both sides of the mug is the EWTN logo in navy blue — a great conversation starter and a great way to evangelize. The mug is 5 inches tall and has a comfortable Cshaped handle. It is microwave- and dishwasher-safe. Register editor recommended. Item: 94568, $10.

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY STATUE Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! This resin Marian statue measures 10 inches. Item: 61023; $34.50.

NEW FRIENDS NOW AND FOREVER “Purgatory Lady” Susan Tassone’s new children’s book explains purgatory to young readers; it’s an age-appropriate and engaging book for children ages 6-10. Item: 30208, $19.95.

All available at EWTNRC.com or (800) 854-6316.

Holy Embroidery The “Made for Sainthood” shop on Etsy offers beautiful embroidery.

Creator Alex McKay’s work highlights saints all year — but the focus is on the Holy Family and adoration of the Christ Child for Christmas.

“These are my two best-sell-

ers, especially at Christmas,” she told the Register. “I love the ‘Oh, come let us adore Him’ piece because it catches your eye as a popular song and thoughts of Infant Jesus on Christmas night, but it’s also a reflection on that fact that we as Catholics have the opportunity to adore Christ in

adoration every day.”

She added, “Then I love being able to capture a traditional Holy Family Nativity scene in my own style of modern hand embroidery.”

SHOP Etsy.com/shop/MadeforSainthood

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Preparing older candidates for the Priesthood for over 60 years If interested, please contact: Very Rev. Brian R. Kiely, Rector Telephone: 781-810-2013 Email: rev.kiely@psjs.edu

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NAT IONA L CAT HOL IC R EGIST ER , NOV EM BER 5, 2023

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7 Things You Didn’t Know About J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholic Faith

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BY C L A R E WA L K E R

rofessor Holly Ordway’s new book, Tolkien’s Faith, is not just an intriguing peek at the Catholic faith of the beloved author of The Lord of the Rings — it is truly a deep dive. Here are just a few of the delightful treasures Ordway discovered: 7. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was not a cradle Catholic. He was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (then a member country of the British Commonwealth) and baptized as an infant in the Anglican Church, at the Cathedral of St. Andrew and St. Michael.

When he was 4 years old, his father died in South Africa. Mabel, Tolkien’s mother, permanently relocated the family to England. When Tolkien was 8, Mabel converted to Catholicism, and she raised both her sons (J.R.R. and his younger brother, Hilary) as Catholics. After her conversion, Mabel suffered condemnation and loss of all support from her family.

They cut off all financial assistance to her, even though she was a widow with very little means and suffered from poor health besides. Yet she managed to instill in young Tolkien a love for God and the Church that stayed with him his entire life.

6. The legacy of St. John Henry Newman figured strongly in Tolkien’s life. Mabel received her instruction in the faith at St. Anne’s, a parish near Birmingham founded by Newman.

After her conversion to Catholicism,

she and her sons attended Mass and received their Catholic formation at the Birmingham Oratory. The Birmingham Oratory, modeled after St. Philip Neri’s Oratory in Rome, was the first such one in England and had also been founded by Newman in 1852. And Tolkien’s legendary academic career was at Oxford University, Newman’s own academic stomping grounds. It is worth noting that, like Tolkien’s mother and most other converts to Catholicism in Victorian England, Newman suffered ostracism from his former colleagues, associates and even his family — the future Catholic cardinal’s sister Harriet never spoke to him again. During his Oxford days, Tolkien was active in the Newman Society and even served as its vice president. And, finally, Tolkien’s third son, Christopher, had a

very personal connection to Newman: His godmother was Newman’s great-niece.

5. J.R.R. and Hilary were orphaned when their mother succumbed to her diabetes-related illness and died in 1904. Before her death, she had appointed one of the Oratorian priests, Father Francis Morgan, by then a dear friend of the family, to be the boys’ guardian in the event of her passing. Under the care and tutelage of Father Morgan and the other Oratorians, the Tolkien boys received an exemplary upbringing. Father Morgan had been a student of John Henry Newman and even served as the cardinal’s secretary for a time. Tolkien referred to Father Morgan as “his second father” and described the Birmingham Oratory as “a good Catholic home, in excelsis.”

4. Understanding the life and teachings of St. Philip Neri is essential to understanding Tolkien’s faith, namely St. Philip’s humor, his insistence on cultivating the virtue of humility, and his devotion to music, the arts and the intellectual life. St. Philip founded the original Congregation of the Oratory, in Rome, in the 1500s. It proved so influential and successful that numerous oratories sprung up all over the world, including the Birmingham Oratory. Tolkien took Philip as his confirmation name, after Philip Neri. If you look carefully at Tolkien’s monogram, which he designed himself, you’ll see all five of

his initials. The J, R, R (one of them is backward), and T are easy to see. The P for Philip is not so obvious, but it is cleverly incorporated into the forward-facing R, with a small spur to the right at its foot.

3. If you want to read a really good rendition of the Old Testament Book of Jonah, you can read Tolkien’s translation of it in the original 1966 Jerusalem Bible (JB). Alexander Jones, the director of the project to translate La Bible de Jérusalem from French to English, approached Tolkien in 1957, and Tolkien agreed.

He worked mostly from the French text, but learned a little Hebrew as needed. In the photo gallery of the book, there’s a photo of the page in the JB listing all the contributing translators and editors, including Tolkien’s. I remember on a retreat once picking up the Jerusalem Bible to read and being pleasantly gobsmacked to discover that Tolkien had a hand in a well-regarded English translation of the Sacred Scriptures.

2. Tolkien is a household name, one of the most famous Catholic monikers in the world. But even Tolkien suffered a dry spell in his Catholic faith, a period of about 10 years, from 1920 to 1930, during which he admits that “out of wickedness and sloth I almost ceased to practice my religion. …” These were difficult years, in which he started at the bottom rung of academia and worked hard to advance his career, navigated

with varying degrees of success the tension in his marriage over his wife’s conversion to Catholicism, and bore increasing responsibilities as his home gradually filled up with small children. Yet he emerged from his “dark night” with a strong, vibrant faith and unshakable love for God, the saints, the Church and the Holy Eucharist. As Ordway writes in her book, “A full treatment of [Tolkien’s] faith uncovers a life marked by determination and decision.”

Christians of all traditions would do well to admire and emulate him.

1. Tolkien’s third name, Reuel, is curious and unusual. Evidently, it has been meaningful to Tolkien and his entire family: It was his father’s middle name; his parents gave the name to both their sons; and Tolkien, in turn, gave it to all four of his children, including his daughter, Priscilla. His progeny have continued the tradition: Tolkien’s grandchildren and greatgrandchildren all have “Reuel” as one of their middle names. But what does it mean? The name “Reuel” is from the Old Testament. It is Hebrew for “friend of God.” What a joy and a blessing it would be for all people of faith to be given this name by God himself!

Bonus: Tolkien’s Favorite Saints As Catholics, we of course want to know: Other than St. Philip Neri, were there any saints to whom Tolkien had a special devotion? Indeed,

there were: St. John the Evangelist, who is traditionally depicted as an eagle and who may, therefore, have been in Tolkien’s mind as he crafted the role of eagles in Middle-earth.

St. Bernadette’s closeness to the Blessed Virgin Mary was particularly resonant with Tolkien because of his deep appreciation for the Immaculate Conception. Tolkien declared, “I attribute whatever there is of beauty and goodness in my work to the influence of the Holy Mother of God.” St. Thomas More, one of the patron saints of the Newman Society at Oxford, no doubt resonated with Tolkien because of the anti-Catholicism still very much alive in England in his day.

He also must have been quite taken with St. Brendan, who sailed west into lands and seas unknown and whose journey is perhaps echoed in Tolkien’s entire Middle-earth legendarium, or at least the part about sailing west. Tolkien wrote a poem about St. Brendan called Imram (Irish for “voyage”). It was originally published in 1955 in the British weekly magazine Time & Tide. The poem is reprinted in Sauron Defeated (1992), Vol. 9 of Christopher Tolkien’s epic 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth.

Clare Walker writes from Illinois.

READ Bookstore.wordonfire.org

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Sacred Sounds of Christmas

Celebrate Jesus this Christmas!

72:03

The Chants of

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christmas ®

R A C E

Elizabeth C. Patterson | Design by: IHS Designs | Cover image: Madonna and Child with Angels / Art Resource, NY / John MichaelProducer: Talbot Christian Musician, Author andreleased 1992 | Gloriæ Dei 2O12 Arts Empowering Life Foundation, Inc. | All rights reserved. | Originally Fra Angelico | -© Legendary Cantores | Distributed by gdcrecordings.com, Orleans, Massachusetts, 02653, U.S.A. Monastic Founder whose music has been the soundtrack of the faith journey of millions throughout the world.

G LO R I Æ D E I C A N TO R E S SCHOLA

P E A C E

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