St. Cloud native reminisces about mentors, travels in new book

St. Cloud native Jim Studer uses Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” to introduce his newly published book “The Road Taken.” Studer states that Frost’s traveler never took the road less traveled: “as the poem seems to be a metaphor for life’s journey, there is no one road ‘less traveled by.’ We all travel our own road, which no one else has or ever will travel.”

Author sees 500th anniversary of Lutheranism as a Catholic one, too

The book addresses ecumenism as much as repentance, basing the first on the second. Present-day Western Christians have taken a close look at past theological clashes, some of which led to war. Yet Marty urges us to look to the present and future: “We know that the past is past. It does not exist. It cannot be changed. What can be changed is one’s attitude.” He bids that we ask ourselves how we today contribute to division within the church and to repent of this.

Comic book series: ‘ Mooncop: Last Man on the Moon’

Written and drawn by British cartoonist Tom Gauld, “Mooncop” follows a policeman in an unknown year in an alternate future as he concludes his patrols of the lunar surface. The officer, whose name is not given, watches as the last few members of a once-promising colony return to Earth and the handful of remaining structures are dismantled.

Books look at poor from hands-on, historical perspectives

Jesuit Father Sean Salai provides a lot of information in “What Would Pope Francis Do?” — a relatively short but well-written book that is particularly suitable for young Catholics. Six thematic chapters (on longing, closeness, dignity, weariness, tenderness and Mary) reflect on Pope Francis’ teachings from his 2013 exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”).

Author gleans life lessons from legendary football coach

John Gagliardi, the legendary football coach at St. John’s University in Collegeville from 1953 to 2012, still teaches a popular class on campus. Formerly called “Theory of Coaching Football” and now called “Leadership Lessons with John Gagliardi,” the class is always at full enrollment, with many students turned away.