Marian Feast
David Mills has a new book out, Discovering Mary: Answers to Questions About the Mother of God, and I reviewed it for the Pittsburgh Catholic. Thusly: In ordinary family life, no one is so near to us as our mothers. We emerge from their very bodies. As babies we feed in their arms and feed from their substance. No voice is so familiar to us as Mom’s. If there’s one person we know on this earth, it’s Mom. Yet many of us — maybe most of us — would be hard pressed to state her basic biographical facts.

No Migne Feats
A Russian site has posted Migne’s Patrologia Graeca in its entirety. Can it last? Hat tip: Adrian Murdoch. Speaking of Migne … Were he alive today, maybe he’d be blogging. And if he were blogging, he’d maybe be as productive as Roger Pearse. If you haven’t been keeping up with Roger’s projects, do check in and read through the archives. A patristiblogger could do nothing but follow Roger’s work and still stay very busy.

Temptations
Reviewed at BMCR … Giusto Traina, 428 AD: An Ordinary Year at the End of the Roman Empire Reviewed at BMCR … Ramsay MacMullen, The Second Church. Popular Christianity A.D. 200-400 Reviewed at BMCR … Chiara Torre (ed.), Martini Bracarensis De ira: introduzione, testo

Come Along to Rome!
Come along and set your feet in the footsteps of the Fathers. Once again, I’m helping to lead a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. It would be awesome if you could join us. I do think this is our best lineup ever: Scott and Kimberly Hahn Steve and Janet Ray Elizabeth Lev Rob Corzine and Matt Leonard

Hope to see you there!
There’s a great conference coming up at St. Paul Seminary, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7. It’s titled “Priesthood and Blessing,” and it will be a good way to mark the Church’s Year of the Priest. It’s not, however, primarily for clergy, and it’s not all about the ordained priesthood. It’s for all Catholics, since we share in the “common priesthood” of Christ. The lineup of speakers is outstanding. I’ve heard them all and would gladly pay to hear them again. Friday, November 6 Scott Hahn: “