Books I'd Pay to Publish

In recent years I’ve been encouraged to publish some of the things I’ve written, but I don’t rate my own writings that highly. Through my readings and meditations I HAVE found a few books which I believe deserve publishing, unfortunately they haven’t been written yet. For a number of months I tried to encourage some established writers to publish the first book on my un-published list. I received many a sympathetic ear and some interest, but in the end all pleaded to other projects or priorities.

I am trying to make the 3rd book on my list happen, and it may, but perhaps not in the way I imagined. When I began my look at publishing, I quickly realized that effective marketing makes a book get published and makes it popular, and nothing breeds success like success. A book published by a successful author is much more likely to also be successful, than a book published by a nobody. I am a nobody. I tried for nearly a year to get a known author to agree to put his name on a book which I would pull together (no work on his/her part), again with no success. I’ve been advised to begin the publishing effort, under my own name if necessary: If God wants this done, he will make it a success. I’m continuing under that assumption.

Meanwhile, I thought I put to paper here the books which I would like to see written and published, and I’d even contribute toward their publishing. Beyond merely my interest, I think they need to be written; the stories need to be told and heard. And I think them important.

1. Who is Church? There are many Catholics in the world, and especially in America, who believe things are seriously wrong with the Catholic Church, and they know the way to correct it. I hear they will hold a convention, formalizing their efforts next year. From abortion to celibacy to marriage, they think the Church needs to change. Kerry Kennedy wrote a book about some of the more well-known of these people; I don’t have to tell you who are included. In general, they describe themselves as: “We Are Church.” They’d like to see the Church hierarchy turned upside down, with they or small groups of people “inspired by the Holy Spirit” telling the Church what to do and what to teach.

I read an interesting meditation relating to this topic by Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, given to the papal household. Here are a few excerpts: The common temptation today is to look for experience rather than the simple self-surrender of faith. There is an even more subtle temptation, to expect the VISIBLE form of the Church in her sacraments and institutions to be “convincing to men.” This temptation can grow into an obsession: public recognition, media recognition, becomes the yardstick. But if it is true that … the Church’s institutions make possible the hidden divine life, then we really should not expect the institutions to have a particularly attractive and apologetical effect. Men do not turn toward the Church because of her institutions, (but) the saving power of God, which is at work in a hidden way in them.
Anyone who looks for the Church’s success in her institutions is easily disappointed, indeed, embittered. He is hoping for fruit from peel, confusing the tough peel with the fruit it protects and contains.

2. What Sex Scandal? I think I’ve noted before that I am still looking for a book which accurately states the facts of the “Sex Scandal of the Catholic Church.” I read the book “Sacrilege”, by Leon J. Podles, which made an attempt at telling the story. From my reading, however, Mr. Podles got caught up in his feelings, and couldn’t create an unbiased report. “The laity have also bought into the poisonous clericalism that infects the Church.” (P423). I like passionate books, but not passionate history books. I’d like to see a true, unbiased, factual, history of what happened, who was involved (including in the legal field and parents who stood by and did nothing, and those who did what they thought best based on data available at that time ---- not as we see things now, looking back with present knowledge), and IF anyone is contingently liable, who are they, and are they all being pursued equally by the law and the press. I’d also like to have data on just how much this is ONLY a Catholic Church problem. The Church leadership may be morally to blame for many irresponsible actions, but as we know, in America most morally irresponsible actions end up on You-Tube or some xxx-rated websites which have tens of millions of paying visitors. What facts make the Church particularly evil?

And, (horrors!) I think I’d like to read an unbiased look at the impact on the people involved. Did all the priests lack a moral bone in their body? Were all the victims impacted as if they had a limb cut off, or wish they’d been aborted rather than have that abuse happened? Was every bishop totally knowing and totally unfeeling? And is the fact that a priest did this evil worse than if a parent, teacher, friend, or imam did it?

I think a book needs to be written to tell the unbiased history. “Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.”

3. God isn’t Dead; He’s in Us. The “God is Dead” crowd of a few years back (and those “re-born” as some vocal atheists today), claim that God doesn’t act in the world; we’re on our own.

I’ve heard some first person stories by people who would strongly dispute that assertion. They were moving along in their lives, when the proverbial ‘bolt of lightning’ struck them. Later they found out it was God, and He was far from “not acting,” but was virtually demanding them to act on His behalf. And they did, and accomplished marvelous results. It may have happened to us too, our conversion stories, but the stories I’d like to see put in print are stories about people who KNEW they couldn’t do what it seemed God was asking, but they could, and they did --- much to their surprise. And many of God’s children benefited from their answering His call.

I’d like to see some of their stories in print today because we need to see some encouragement, encouragement that the government isn’t the answer to everything: problems and solutions. We are. I think we need to see that God can and does work miracles, through us, if we let Him. I think we need to see that the principle of subsidiarity is alive in the Church and in us; Love of Neighbor starts with us not someone else, and it will help get us all to heaven.

4. What is a “Just” Government? What did Moses say? What did Jesus say? Philosophers? CCC? Does a just government favor the poor? Doe it punish other people? Other nations? What is a fair limit of government, and how does it laws and leadership relate to religious principles? What of America’s government; how does the Constitution fit in? What are defined responsibilities and limits of government, and how does that compare to religions, religious thinkers, and philosophers of old? What are duties of the governed? Where does subsidiarity fit in? Do our Constitution and the Catholic Church disagree?

What about those who seek office? How do men of faith fit in? What did people in 200-400AD think about Rome, and what it was doing, and should it fall? What were men of faith doing then?

Where does freedom fit in? What are the blessings of freedom, and the blessings of responsibility? Is freedom ONLY the freedom to be happy? Is the freedom to choose an action first and foremost about actions benefitting us, or benefitting others? From a Catholic viewpoint, what is freedom? How do our choices relate to God’s choices?

I’d like to understand these things better, to see books written about these things. Writers anyone?