Bishop Brendan Leahy 
Towards a Better Education of Children: Extracts from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family, ‘Amoris Laetitia’
edited by Bishop Brendan Leahy (Veritas, €2.99/£2.56)
With back to school days already here, the minds of families all across Ireland are focused on the education of their children. Education for Catholic families is not merely a matter of STEM subjects, but, one might almost say, a root and branch matter, vital for the whole shape of life. Vatican documents do not always make for the easiest kind of reading: they are shaped by centuries of theological discourse, and written in an often unfamiliar manner. Hence this abridgement of the key points of Pope Francis’ important document Amoris Laetitia will be welcomed by many who feel they should prime themselves with the current views of the Church. It is recast in the form of a ‘conversation’ with Pope Francis. The Pope urges his readers to realise that perfection is not what is aimed at, what is sought is the development of mind, soul and society. This means ‘education for life’ in the deepest sense. This is the sort of booklet every family should have, but it is also a short text which other Christians will read with benefit.
Catholic Education: a Lifelong Journey
edited by Gareth Byrne and Sean Whittle (Veritas, €17.99/£15.39)
This book also deals with education as a lifelong experience. But the text is aimed more at those professionally engaged in education. Parents, in this context, delegate education to teachers, teachers they can trust.
But these teachers are crucially aware that society in general is the real context in which this education takes place. The contributions by a very varied range of writers, experienced and new to the field, attempt to outline what is to be sought and how it might be achieved.
The cover of the book is deeply symbolic: it is a small family group of seven walking across what seems to be the strand of Dublin Bay. The question facing Catholic education is related to this. Does this image show the tide going out (perhaps never to return), or is the tide starting to come in again to refresh and continue the course of life?
The enthusiasm and insights of this book suggests that indeed the tide is coming in again. But society may well have to live eventually with the fact that the tide of faith no longer flows as it did. Echoes here of Mathew Arnold looking out over Dover beach: sobering thoughts for all.
Dipping into Life: 40 Reflections for a fragile faith
by Alan Hilliard with a foreword by Tony Bates (Messenger Publications, €12.95)
Here is a booklet in a more traditional mould. Fr Alan Hilliard has great experience of pastoral care in difficult situations. He brings to these pages a sense of realism, but also of hope and these 40 epiphanies will be found relevant for everyday reading by a great many people, and a source of encouragement for both individuals and the groups.
