A new booked penned by Cardinal Raymond Burke, expected to be available in the United States by late May, will shed light on a practical understanding of the core of the Catholic faith -- the Eucharist.
Drawing on the timeless teachings of Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, "Divine Love Made Flesh: The Holy Eucharist as the Sacrament of Charity," (Catholic Action, $21.95) blends theological, devotional and practical approaches to examine the beauty and power of the Eucharist as it relates to different facets of Catholic life.
The book is being published with the help of Cardinal Burke's longtime friend, Thomas McKenna, founder of Catholic Action for Faith and Family, a San Diego-based association of Catholics that strives to uphold and defend Christian values inspired by teachings of the Church.
McKenna also is founder of the St. Gianna Physician's Guild, which supports Catholic physicians and health care workers in their work.
This is the first time Cardinal Burke has written a full-length book, said McKenna, adding that the idea stemmed from the thousands of articles Cardinal Burke has written over the years.
Since 2008, he has served as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, and is archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
"Cardinal Burke has so much to offer to the universal Church in his writings," said McKenna. "I asked him to do this book as a way to help enhance the faith with his beautiful writings."
"Divine Love Made Flesh" is an easy read aimed toward families, said McKenna. "What you're going to see that's unique is how it connects with people in their various states of life, and how that's connected to the Eucharist," he noted.
The chapters are generally fewer than 10 pages long, and touch on themes including the Eucharist as it relates to the Sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the the beauty and celebration of the Sacred Liturgy, adoration, moral transformation and more.
In the chapter on "The Holy Eucharist and Everyday Life," Cardinal Burke writes that "everything in life must be seen in the light of the Holy Eucharist, in order to see each thing in truth and to act in all things with love."
He also noted that Pope Benedict urges that the lay faithful "should cultivate a desire that the Eucharist have an ever deeper effect on their daily lives, making them convincing witnesses in the workplace and in society at large."
Knowing that can be a particular challenge in their vocation, Cardinal Burke writes about the importance of the laity attending daily Mass, when possible.
The book is being released just in time for the Year of Faith, which Pope Benedict has designated from Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013.
The Holy Father said the year is a response to a modern "profound crisis of faith" and will contribute "to restoring God's presence in this world, and to giving man access to the faith, enabling him to entrust himself to the God who, in Jesus Christ, loved us to the end."
"Divine Love Made Flesh" also is being published in several other languages, to be distributed across the world. Libreria Editrice Vaticana (Vatican Publishing House) is publishing the book in Italian.