Read-A-Book-A-Month bible challenge invites the help of the whole Diocese in raising the project’s profile on the internet. ‘When I google ‘catholic’ and ‘bible-challenge’ complains Mary Callan, ‘the World Wide Web offers me a site which promises ‘a list of bible-challenges to disprove catholic teaching’.

Let’s give our project a higher profile, and encourage all Christians [...]

READ-A-BOOK-A-MONTH bible-challenge has slowed down since Easter, as author Mary Callan prepares for a family wedding and helps with a convalescence.

‘Everything had to slow down’ says Mary. ‘The next pamphlet is on its way at last: St Mark’s gospel and St Peter’s epistles.’ The three books are offered together since Mark is known to have [...]

[ Friday March 19, 2010; 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. ] F Mary Callan in York’s Literature Festival

In an afternoon entitled ‘Oh, No! Not that woman again!’ Mary Callan presents ‘Four Disastrous Heroines of the Bible’ looking at how the bible can help us process modern disasters, followed by ‘Did Paris get it Wrong?’ a new look at the story of Helen of Troy.

Mary will [...]

The March project is to complete reading the Book of Isaiah, ideal Lenten reading. God shows Himself Lord of history, and promises Israel’s return from exile. The Suffering Servant prophecies prepare us for Christ’s suffering. The usual pamphlet to accompany the month’s reading will be delayed, ’till I’ve given up the day job’, says author [...]

[ Sunday January 10, 2010; 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. ] After beginning to read Isaiah’s prophecies during Advent, the READ-A-BOOK-A-MONTH bible-challenge continues with the histories during January and February, reading the First and Second Books of Kings.

Here are exciting accounts of confrontations between kings and prophets, as the nation is torn into two kingdoms. Even the weather is God’s tool in attempting to reclaim His [...]

As Read-A-Book-A-Month bible-challenge enters its second year, Catholic Voice asks promoter Mary Callan to reflect on the year’s experience.
‘It’s all very low-key,’ says Mary, ‘apart from the Pope launching the Bible Readathon on Italian TV at the same time as we launched this challenge in York. That was a huge encouragement. A few people have [...]

[ Sunday September 20, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. ] After the Book of Judges in August, all blood-and-guts, the READ-A-BOOK-A-MONTH challenge relaxes in September, reading the short Book of Ruth, a family story with a happy ending. One pamphlet includes both books, as Ruth’s story is set in the time of Judges.

Mary Callan’s readers are used to her unexpected insights, but may still [...]