Meditations with John Henry Newman

(I'm not including this book in with my 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge because it really is not a narrative kind of read.)

Take Five; Meditations with John Henry Newman by Mike Aquilina and Fr. Juan R. Velez is one of a new series of the Take Five books designed to provide the reader with a quote from a well known Catholic saint or scholar, along with a Scripture verse and pointed questions to help provoke thought and prayers.

The set up goes like this: first, an introduction to the whole book, which informs the reader of how the authors envisioned the book being used and why they set it up the way they did. Then there is a solid summary of the life of John Henry Newman. After this there are 75 readings to meditate on. Each reading has a title which encapsulates the theme, a short line or two that summarizes and puts into the context the quote presented, the actual quote which is no longer than a paragraph or two, next the authors present three points to think about. Under the caption "just Imagine" there is a piece of Scripture that ties into what Newman was saying in his quote and then lastly a little section called Remember which summarized the major point behind this particular passage.

This little book was my companion as I waited for my kettle to boil each morning. My little ritual was to fill the kettle, turn on the flame, make the sign of the cross and begin reading. I had until the kettle whistled to meditate. It really did just 'take five' as the title of the series implies and it was a great way to jump start the morning.

In the Afterward the authors recommend two books for further reading, both by Newman and neither of which I'd heard of before. I have read parts of The Idea of a University by Newman and I've heard of Apologia Pro Vita Sua which I have not read but want to. But now I am really inspired to learn more about this wonderfully brilliant and holy man. I discovered in some books I inherited two biographies about Newman, one by Maisie Ward (those familiar with Catholic publishing will recognize her name)entitled Young Mr. Newman and another book, by Meriol Trevor, another well known author, named Newman; The Pillar of the Cloud.


I'm wondering if I should read one of these biographies first before attempting more straight Newman? Should I reread The Idea of the University but this time from cover to cover, instead of just dipping into it here and there as I did before? Or should I begin with Apologia Pro Vita Sua?

Decisions, decisions.

And now I have to find the other Take Five book I bought way back last fall; this one on St. Ignatius.