Book Club: 4-Part Series

Thursdays, 6 - 7 p.m.
July 11 | July 18 | July 25 | August 1
St. Maria Goretti Parish Hall

Come join Divine Mercy Pastorate's new Evangelization & Formation Coordinator, Matthew Farrelly, for this summer's Book Club reading of C.S. Lewis' classic theological fantasy, The Great Divorce (1946).

Whether you're a long-time Lewis fan, or a first-time reader, this book will not disappoint! Lewis has the very rare ability to combine the glory and beauty of theology with an imaginative richness and grace that leaves you enchanted and spellbound. This particular story is a fantastical journey from Hell toward Heaven through a kind of Purgatory that awakens the heart and the mind about how we think about our eternal destiny—and how we live our daily lives.

We'll conclude our time with a viewing of the film, The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis (2021). This film explores the life and conversion of C.S. Lewis, and is a fitting companion to the book. Come join us!

Please register online using the link above. Books will be available in the church corridor after weekend Masses, July 6-7, or at the first session. Suggested donation $10. You may pay by cash/check or online using the registration link. Since there is no advance reading, feel free come the night of the first session to obtain your copy and pay then.

Dates & Reading Plan

Note: No advance reading is necessary. We’ll introduce the book, Lewis, and his corpus in the first session.

Thursday, July 11 - Introduction to the Book
Thursday, July 18 - Chapters 1-5
Thursday, July 25 - Chapters 6-10
Thursday, August 1 - Chapters 11-14

Discussion Notes

Note: Follow the links in the document below for each session's discussion questions.

Discussion Notes

Past Books

We introduced "Fr. Scott's Summer Book Club" in the summer of 2019. Our first book was one of Fr. Scott's favorites, Introduction to the Devout Life. We were thrilled that nearly 250 books sold and that 50 participants joined us for the book discussions.

Introduction to the Devout Life - Summer 2019

Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. It covers numerous topics and examples on how to turn the desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results.

Prayer by St. Francis de Sales

Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life;
Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise,
God, to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them.
He has guided you thus far in life, and He will lead you safely through all trials;
and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same everlasting Father who cares for you today
will take care of you then and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering,
or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Amen.

Book Outline and Discussion

Devout Life - Discussion (PDF)

Into His Likeness - Fall 2020

The book Into His Likeness, recommended by Bishop Hying, offers an in-depth and approachable explanation of what it means to be a Disciple of Christ and His messenger in the world.

In this book, Edward Sri reminds us of two basic truths: First, (A) The truth of our human condition: we are full of many weaknesses, wounds, and sins. And second, (B) The truth of our high calling—we are called to be perfected in God’s love and transformed in Christ. Living as a disciple is all about the process of getting from A to B.

Lord of the World - Summer 2021

Recommended by Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson is a must-read book. It is a science fiction novel that centers upon the reign of the Antichrist and the end of the world.

This book, written in 1907, is Benson's dystopic vision of a near future world in which religion has, by and large, been rejected or simply fallen by the wayside. The Catholic Church has retreated to Italy and Ireland, while the majority of the rest of the world is either Humanistic or Pantheistic.

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold - Summer 2022

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold, a novel by C.S. Lewis, published in 1956, retells the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche. It was Lewis’s last fictional work.

Discussion Notes & Questions

To Sanctify the World - Summer 2023

SMG's new parochial administrator, Msgr. Holmes, lead the discussion for this summer's book, To Sanctify the World, The Vital Legacy of Vatican II by George Weigel. Bishop Hying gave copies of this book to all the priests in the diocese as a Christmas gift last year.

By studying this book, we dived deeper into the texts of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and explored the continued relevance of its teachings in a world seeking a deeper experience of freedom than personal willfulness.

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church - Madison, WI
St. Christopher Catholic Parish - Verona, WI

DIVINE MERCY PASTORATE