“For Christmas or any other special occasion, why not give as a gift a Catholic book that helped you in living your faith?”
This was the remark of a Catholic publisher as he and thousands of book distributors and book lovers gear up for the country’s biggest annual book event, the five-day Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) that is taking place at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex until September 15.
“A good book can change lives. We have heard of stories of how a book had changed the life of a person for the rest of his life,” said Luis Uson, president and managing director of Sinag-tala Publishers Inc., according to the CBCPNews.
“One of the spiritual works of mercy is to counsel the doubtful,” he pointed out, “and one concrete act that any Catholic can do is to give a book that could help his neighbor in dealing with his faith concern.”
“In this, Catholic publishers and distributors have a very important role,” Uson stressed.
80th year of a spiritual classic
Among the many books made available by Sinag-tala Publishers Inc. is a “spiritual classic” that marks on this month its 80th year since its first publication: The Way by Saint Josemaria Escrivá.
Uson said it is the most widely circulated among the books written by the founder of Opus Dei.
According to him, it has sold more than 4.5 million copies and it is still being translated into more than 43 different languages.
“It is a type of book that people reach out for, and reading it, would like others to have and read,” Uson said.
The Way has 999 of Saint Josemaria’s famous aphorisms which he wrote to promote self-examination and spiritual growth. It presents Christian living as an undertaking that one must carry out in his day-to-day activities.
A conversion story
Uson shared a story of a 24-year-old woman, bedridden with pleural tuberculosis, who gave birth to a son after a very difficult pregnancy. The illness was destroying her body and her spirits were so low that she began to lose hope.
One day, she confided to her doctor that she was afraid that she might die. The doctor told her very gently not to fear death and lent her the book, The Way.
“She was not particularly interested but started to read—and was soon unable to put it down. The book spoke about being grateful for what you have and to focus on the good, not the bad. For the first time in months, she felt at peace,” the book publisher related.
“By that Christmas, she was able to get up and have dinner, and four weeks later she was strong enough to care for her son and have him baptized. The woman said. ‘I love this book—it changed my perspective on life,’” Uson was quoted by CBCPNews.
#ReadMoreLiveMore with OMF Lit
Meanwhile, OMF Literature (OMF Lit), one of the leading Christian publishers in the country, is encouraging all book lovers to #ReadMoreLiveMore through their books.
OMF Lit will launch 10 new, original titles in their booth on Aisle I at the MIBF 2019. The new original titles from OMF Lit are as follows:
Find out how God guided celebrity mom Bettinna Carlos through her Heartbreaks and Breakthroughs.
Poetry lovers will be delighted with Joyful Light, a collection of modern Christian poetry by 10 Filipino women.
Ronald Molmisa talks about how to love and understand your parents better in Papunta Pa Lang Kami, Pabalik Na Kayo.
Dawns, by Isa Garcia, Janina Marie Rivera and Ida Torres, is a weekly devotional for millennial women interested in self-care and spiritual growth.
Feeling overwhelmed? Authors Kerlyn Bobadilla, Larizza Dulay, Manuel Zabat II, Marts Valenzuela and Rigel Fortaleza help Gen Z readers reflect on their fast-paced lives in the devotional Kaya ko pa, Bes!
Meanwhile, kids and kids at heart are sure to enjoy the latest Hiyas (an imprint of OMF Lit) releases:
Read the facts behind circumcision in a light-hearted and informative way in Tuli o Di Tuli by Luis “Tito Dok” Gatmaitan, with illustrations by Manix Abrera.
Learn the secret behind The Last Tree, written and illustrated by Gutch Gutierrez.
Justine Hail continues the story of Shy Shelly in the third book of the series, Shy Shelly and the Big Lie, with illustrations by Tristan V. Yuvienco.
Rediscover the story of Esther and the Extraordinary Deliverer (part of the Wow God! Series), as retold by Lauren V. Macaraeg and illustrated by Abi Go.
Younger children can learn how to “Bee Thankful” with Dee the Bee, written by Joyce Piap-Go and illustrated by Maria Cristina Sison.