This is wonderful and inspiring book from Father Dolan. For Catholics who are familiar with Father Dolan this is definitely a good addition to your home library. However, this is worthwhile read for any Christian looking for inspiration and hope I'm these difficult times.

Hope in dark times. This accessible, easy-to-read little book is a time capsule of homilies from Cardinal Dolan as the pandemic began, raged on, and began to wane in 2020. A shepherd leading his flock in times of uncertainty, it is interesting to relive those not-long-ago days that dragged on forever through the lens of a leader in charge of trying to find hope and light in a season that flooded us with anything but. Jesus, we are reminded, is always there. Love and hope can always be found. Good can come out of evil. Even when things are hard, the Church will live on (and so will baseball, the Cardinal is confident.)



Thank you to NetGalley and Loyola Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s an undeniable fact that the last 15 months have been quite stressful for most people; for some it has been downright painful. The coronavirus has taken its toll on everyone in some way or another. People lost lives, their health, their job, not to mention the pain of being separated from family and loved ones. Many people were isolated, depressed and even angry.

Recently, people have begun feeling optimistic with the vaccines, new treatments, better information and the economy opening back up. We now see progress and hope emerging in many parts of the country. But in some areas of the country, as well as the world, the battle against this virus still goes on. Fear still lurks to some degree in people's hearts that the progress we’ve made might slip through our fingers. Everyone I’ve talked to dreads going backwards. Sadly, most people have lost something or someone in this crisis. But one of the most important activities that was taken away that we are still reeling from has been the ability to worship together as a community. It has been very frustrating for friends and neighbors to be denied access to their churches. That’s why when Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s book, “I Am With You - Lessons of Hope and Courage in Times of Crisis” was still available as an ARC I jumped at a chance to read it. This wonderful little book is filled with Cardinal Dolan’s sermons and articles taken from the time frame of the lockdowns, approximately March through August 2020, and is filled with faith, hope and encouragement for those who were sad, fearful, and lonely. But this book was not only pertinent then, it’s just as relevant now . We still have a virus problem throughout much of the world and it’s devastating effects from the past still linger and haunt us. We will be talking about this pandemic for a very long time.

Cardinal Dolan’s book guides us through turbulent waters and helps us navigate through our anxiety, frustration and anger at our inability to worship in our churches and our inability to see our loved ones, especially those who have passed. What he really emphasizes (and I loved this part best) is that whether we are at home or in the pews, Jesus is still with us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We can still enrich our faith with prayer and scripture individually and/or with online prayer groups. While many of us had to stay at home and may still be at home, we can still fill this void by enriching our knowledge and prayer life with activities that not only fill our time, but our hearts and souls as well.
He gives so many beautiful examples of Jesus’s healing and grace from scripture and relates it to what we are experiencing today. He also invites us to remember that although most were unable to receive the sacraments when our churches were closed, many priests still worked hard to bring Eucharist , Reconciliation and especially Anointing of the Sick to others. Priests and parishioners found ways to be creative while also staying safe. He also brought to light those countless essential workers and volunteers who stepped up to the plate to help others in need in our time of crisis. This beautiful book emphasizes and teaches faith in action. It also offers particular scripture passages that coincide with his sermons or articles for the reader to enjoy and contemplate. Some chapters are especially poignant, as they are taken from Lent and Holy Week, a time when many parishioners felt vulnerable and alone without the ability to publicly worship together.

In conclusion, this book is a gem. It helps us see everything that has happened through a different lens. “I Am With You - Lessons of Courage and Hope in Times of Crisis'' by Cardinal Timothy Dolan offers hope, insight and encouraging words in a time that is still unprecedented . It’s well worth the time to read and absorb and is sure to enrich your life.

I want to thank NetGalley and Loyola Press for an ARC of “I Am With You - Lessons of Courage and Hope in Times of Crisis” for fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Many readers may be familiar with New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Cardinal Dolan has conducted many masses there and is a well-known figure in church circles. This title provides a collection of thoughts from the Cardinal that address some of the issues related to Covid and its effects on us all. There are twenty-three chapters; a few of these include Be Not Afraid, The Doors Were Locked, and J-O-Y. This book offers an inspiring read to Roman Catholics (and maybe others).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own..

This book is a collection of the sermons and podcasts Cardinal Dolan has given during the pandemic. I must admit to being a Cardinal Dolan fan. During the lockdown, I watched mass from St .Patrick's Cathedral just to hear him speak. These essays are readable and understandable. He presents the Bible in a way the the average person can identify with and understand. He attaches Bible readings to each essay in case the reader wants to go deeper. This book brings hope into an otherwise dark time. I highly recommend it.

A set of short reflections & homilies based on Bible readings for the day. Cardinal Dolan gave these in the first two months of the lockdown in NYC due to the virus. Despite the references to the lockdown & virus, they offer a good reflection for all Christians. Each reflection ends with citations f further Bible readings.

I enjoyed this short little book of short homilies (mostly daily Mass homilies, but a few Sunday masses with longer homilies) by Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York City. It is accessible to all, free of lofty theological jargon, and speaks to our everyday struggles in the midst of the Corona virus pandemic. The reflections are organized by date and cover homilies during the first part of the pandemic — through August 2020. In each homily, Cardinal Dolan demonstrates how the Gospel message of the day is uniquely applicable to our current times and our experiences during the pandemic. He intersperses his messages with personal stories that allow the reader to feel that not only is the Gospel message speaking to each one of us, but that we are all in this together and that, mostly importantly, God is with us throughout and his love is ever-present.

If I could, I’d rate the book a solid 3.5, maybe 3.8. It is a book that is certainly worth reading. And there is nothing negative that I would say about it. But I would not categorize it among the classics that are timeless in their appeal. This book is uniquely targeted to those suffering through the Corona pandemic.

Finally, the Afterword might be more appropriately placed as a Foreword. The writer comments that “as you read this book ....” and this clearly should be read before delving into the book.

What an uplifting little book! I love Cardinal Dolan and his infectious attitude and was delighted to be able to read this. Such good messages in this time of sadness and despair. Sometimes we need reminding of the love of God and the power of prayer. Thank you Father Dolan for taking the time to spread hope and joy exactly when we need it!