This newly revised Catholic prayer book from the U.S. Catholic Bishops is heavily weighted toward Scripture, with passages chosen specifically for almost every topic. Supplementary sources include the lectionary, works of several Catholic organizations, such as the Partnership on Disabilities, and official prayer books of other Christian denominations. Its leather binding, high quality paper, and easy to follow layout ensure that it will be a welcome addition to Catholic homes. In the introduction, Bishop Donald W. Trautman, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Divine Worship, writes that this resource can help us all fulfill the Gospel exhortation to "pray always (Lk 18:1). He urges families to "make it a part of family dinners and holiday celebrations, of bedtime routines and special occasions."

Major topics are devoted to basic prayers, the kind most often committed to memory; daily prayers such as the morning offering and grace before and after meals; days and seasons of the Church year; Catholic living; litanies; and Stations of the Cross. A calendar of saints is also provided, as are two indexes, one of scriptural citations and the other of first lines and common titles.

In Part IV, Family Prayers from Birth to Death, the bishops remind that "Whether in times of joy or times of grief, God is always with us." The subtopic on prayers and blessings for family members is centered on family members, the household, birth and adoption, childhood, marriage, sickness or infirmity, and death and grief.

Part VI, Prayers for the Church and the World, address such topics as Christian unity, the culture of life, evangelization and missions, and social justice. Part VIII, God's Word in Times of Need is made up entirely of scripture passages grouped around issues such as anger; forgiveness; love; quiet; and trouble, crisis, and conflict.

Please notice this review refers to the recent (8/07) republication of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's excellent family prayer book, now leather bound and excellent for gifts and for daily multiple use in the home. The family that prays together stays together.

Now with a sturdier binding and completely revised to include new prayers by the new popes, and to update the Liturgical calendar and cycle of feast days, and with expanded scriptural readings drawn from the liturgical cycles, this book of prayers deserves a central point in every home. It even contains a useful version of the Liturgy of the Hours in which all may gracefully partake.

An excellent wedding gift, birth gift, new home gift, gift for anyone and for any family occasion, even for an old hermit like myself.

The first section contains Basic and essential prayers, as well as prayers for before attending the Eucharistic celebration, Acts of the Theological Virtues (Faith Hope and Charity), Marian prayers, prayers for the sacrament of Reconciliation, plus pious invocations. The second section generously provdes daily prayers, including a great Liturgy of the Hours, prayers upon waking, prayers for meals, prayers at work, at service, at study and for almsgiving. Here we find prayers at noon, upon returning home and for bedtime.

In the third section of this well-laden spiritual banquet we discover prayers of the seasons and day, including Sunday prayers, Advent, Christmas, Lenten and Easter prayers, plus other Feast days and US national holidays. The fourth section bears the title: Family prayers from birth to death, including blessings for family members, for the household, for times of sickness, for times of child-bearing (or adoption), blessings for childhood, for marriage and for grieving.

The fifth section of this generous and comprehensive womb to tomb banquet holds prayers for Catholic Living, including decision making times, for departures, for arrivals, for school and work, for objects, for the weather, for other circumstances and prayers of intercession. Part six contains prayers for the Church and the world, including for Christian unity (ecumenism), our Church in need, a culture of Life, evangelization, our leaders, prayers for migrants and refugees, prayers for Peace, for persons with disabilities, prayers for Social Justice, for stewardship, for the Victims of Abuse, and a new prayer for vocations.

Part seven consists of Litanies. The eighth section, an entirely new thematic section of Scriptural readings, presents God's Word in Times of Need, including anger, forgiveness, sickness and weariness, decision making, hope, doubt, fears, loss and grief, need and loneliness, Love (agape), thanksgiving, quiet, study and times of conflict.

Section nine presents both the traditional and a scriptural Stations of the Cross. Part ten has the Calendar of the Saints. Several indices, including new useful ones by Scriptural reference and first line, conclude this excellent collection approved and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

This new edition comes bound in leather with gold stamping, bearing colored end papers, and includes a presentation page, making it excellent for gift giving or other special occassions. Those Catholics concerned about the orthodoxy of Scriptural passages will be comforted to learn the Bible excerpts used are taken from the Catholic Lectionary for the Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours. We are also pleased to learn this very full book permits us in one resource to find the prayers necessary for the blessing of such seasonal sacramentals as Advent Wreath, the Nativity scene, Easter foods, and vigil candles for the home.

An excellent resource for any Catholic household and highly recommendable in this new edition.