David G Bonagura Jr
Teacher, Professor, Writer
Mourning with St. Jerome:
Catholic World Report's interview about
Jerome's Tears.
Jerome's Tears:
Letters to Friends in Mourning
Jerome's Tears: Letters to Friends in Mourning brings together, for the first time in English, seven stirring letters of consolation that St. Jerome wrote to his friends grieving the losses of spouses, children, and relatives. Teeming with examples from Scripture, Jerome weaves messages of hope, exhortation, and even admonition into some of the most moving personal letters ever composed. With these testimonials St. Jerome will soothe the hearts of readers today as they recall the memories of loved ones who have gone before them.
Praise for Jerome's Tears
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“Those in mourning usually report heavy reliance upon faith, family, and friends. David Bonagura, whose previous works have unfailingly inspired, tells us St. Jerome would agree! What an uplighting perspective from a father of the Church bringing ancient wisdom to the wounds of today!” — Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“Our age has mislaid many of the greatest Christian things, which is the main reason why life in our day has become so bewildering. And because of that absence, we’ve also forgotten how to do many fundamental human things, such as properly consoling one another and mourning like Christians in the face of suffering and death. In these crisp translations, David Bonagura has recovered a little-known side of the great Doctor of the Church, St. Jerome, along with a timeless wisdom that is like a beacon in a storm. A book to keep close at hand - and return to often.” — Robert Royal, President, Faith and Reason Institute
“David Bonagura's beautiful translation of St. Jerome's letters to friends grieving the death of their loved ones is a welcome gift to the modern reader seeking wisdom and guidance when facing the sorrow of loss. St. Jerome reminds his friends that eternal life is the reward of faith, piety and virtue. Those who have faithfully followed Christ in this world enter into the eternal joy of seeing God face to face. This assurance assuages the pain caused by death, inspiring us to seek that same eternal joy in the hope of being united once again, in Christ, with those we now mourn.” — Fr. Gerald E. Murray, Pastor, Church of the Holy Family, New York, NY, and member of EWTN's The Papal Posse
“St. Jerome was brilliant, prickly, ascetic, and difficult. In these powerful and poignant letters, we see that he was also wise, caring, and attentive—a pastor whose astounding erudition is matched by his Christo-centric compassion. David Bonagura has done us a great service in translating and introducing these timeless missives.” — Carl E. Olson, Editor, Catholic World Report