Library Book Sale

This year the Caroline Chisholm Library is celebrating Spring with a Reading Carnival introduced by a massive Book Sale. 

A wide variety of books are available for sale at the Library during Library opening hours.

We have titles covering the Saints, Theology, Philosophy,Devotions, Fiction plus much more! Don’t miss out!

Now is your chance to stock up on some great books and perhaps a Christmas present or two?

Your Bequest; a Seed for the Future of the Library

Help the Caroline Chisholm Library flourish in the tough road ahead.

 

Have you considered leaving a financial legacy to the Caroline Chisholm Library? 

A bequest is a powerful way to secure the Library’s long-term future.

Many cultural organisations in Melbourne, like the Athanaeum Club and the Institute for Public Affairs, have benefitted from the generosity of members who have left legacies. These legacies have secured the long-term future of such organisations, especially when they have allowed them to purchase their own premises.

Ultimately, we too would like to purchase our own premises in the Melbourne CBD. This will free up rent money that we can use to develop the Library collection and to expand our range of culturalactivities.

Leaving a legacy is simple. All you need to do is make “The Caroline Chisholm Library Inc” a beneficiary of your will. Any amount, large or small, will help to secure the long-term future of the Library. (Note that we are no longer the Central Catholic Library, so that old name should not be used).

For more information please contact David Kennedy or Paul Nixon at the Library on 03 9670 1815.

Discussion Group Update

The Discussion group on Wednesdays is just starting a new topic on the Virtue of Faith. It will be based on that section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

All are made very welcome so drop in at 1pm every Wednesday for a conversation to remember!

Caroline Chisholm Library Playgroup Update

The Caroline Chisholm Library Playgroup welcomes families in the CBD of Melbourne and our members too.

We particularly welcome grandparents who come into the city and would like to bring their little pals with them for some play and story time.

We meet on Mondays during school term from 10am to 12pm.

Morning is tea provided.

Ring Pauline Kennedy on 0411 044 988 for more information.

Join us for the Spring Reading Carnival and make a bookmark to take home.

Book Review - “Engagement with God” by Hans Urs Von Balthasar.

“Engagement with God” by Hans Urs Von Balthasar.

The far ranging scale and erudition of the Swiss theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar’s (1905-88) thought can sometimes daunt even the most adventurous reader.

This compact volume however, provides a lively and accessible entry point to von Balthasar’s “theo-dramatics”. This theo-dramatics is in part his response to liberal humanism and to totalising systems such as Marxism. It recovers the notion that human history and experience is situated within the drama (ultimately comedic) of God’s active and revelatory commitment to His creation.

This volume summarises some of the key ideas that are contained in von Balthasar’s five volume series “Theo- Drama” which in turn is part of massive trilogy of works.In the drama of Creation, Redemption and Glory therefore the Triune God is not a remote producer- but the author, director AND actor.

Von Balthasar challenges Christians to follow Christ- not by our initiative in “imitating” him- still less by our adopting some vague and selective list of “Christian values” but by immersing ourselves radically and personally through sacramental, mystical and practical avenues into life of Christ crucified. Only this will overcome the rift that has come about in the modern Christianity – between contemplation and action, between liberty and law and between the world and the Church.

This shorter work provides a valuable addition to the Library’s Von Balthasar collection that has been augmented gradually as our collection funds and donations permit. 

Anna Krohn.

Interested in volunteering at the Library?

Our volunteers are the life of our Library. We are not just a treasure of books and writing, but a treasure trove of good friends and support.

Our volunteers sort and catalogue books, contact our members and answer our phone. They also paint the lunch room, clean out the office, raise funds and tidy the toys. Others teach the practice of Iconography and lead discussions. They do this with a warm welcoming smile as you walk in the door.

They also have so much to teach us at the Library.

One of our regular volunteers, is an intrepid adventurer in her 70’s, she is now in Siberia. When asked why Siberia? Her answer was ‘why not?’ Another volunteer is a dynamo cataloguer, she is also a medical doctor specializing in Cystic Fibrosis. Just to keep her mind sharp she is studying Hebrew!

Another regular volunteer buries himself in our latest donated collections and surfaces with fabulous book reviews – watch out for his contributions to later Library Briefs editions.

The one common grace about our volunteers is their love for our Library and their big welcome when you visit us.

What would you like to do at ‘The Caroline?’ We need more people like you, ready to make new friends, learn new skills and show your smile!

Join us at ‘The Caroline’. Contact Anna Krohn on 03 9670 1815 and one of

our friends will get back to you.