---
title: "Book Notes: Two Types of Fatherly Wisdom"
description: Barb Szyszkiewicz reviews two volumes of true short stories, one by a father of four and one by a parish priest.
image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fatherly-wisdom.png
---

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[BOOKS](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/books)

# Book Notes: Two Types of Fatherly Wisdom

May 30, 2019 11:00:52 AM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs)

![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fatherly-wisdom.png)

[![](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fatherly-wisdom.png)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fatherly-wisdom.png) Image created in Canva using free elements.[/caption] Just in time for Father's Day gift planning (or your own summer-reading enjoyment), here are two books packed with fatherly wisdom: true stores, one written by a father of four, and one by a parish priest. CatholicMom contributor [Jake Frost](http://catholicmom.com/author/jfrost/)'s second collection of family stories will charm you as much as his first one did -- but if you didn't read [***Catholic Dad***](https://amzn.to/2VKZ9UZ) yet, don't let that stop you. You can jump right in and read ***[Catholic Dad 2: More (Mostly) Funny Stories of Faith, Family, and Fatherhood](https://amzn.to/2Eqma9R).*** (Or go ahead and read them both!) [![](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/catholic-dad-2.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/catholic-dad-2.jpg) Most of the stories in this book are only two to four pages long -- a great length for busy parents to enjoy. I enjoy Jake's perspective on raising children as a stay-at-home dad, his appreciation for his own mother's influence in his life, his gentle sense of humor, and his unabashed faith that shines through on every page. Rev. Charles J. Cummings, a priest of the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, is clearly a storyteller at heart, and that definitely shows in [***Love, Laughter & Living Saints***](https://amzn.to/2YNS2gl). He notes that some of the stories in this book have made their way into his homilies over his 50 years as a priest. [![](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Love-laughter-living-saints.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Love-laughter-living-saints.jpg) From vignettes of his childhood to seminary stories and tales of the joys and challenges of life as a parish priest, this short book comprises 70 stories in addition to Father Cummings' own vocation story, which serves as the introduction to the book. These stories clearly depict the author's care for his family and his parishioners, and his servant's heart.

### **Visit [our Book Notes archive](http://catholicmom.com/category/book-notes/).**

---

*Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.*

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#### About the Author

![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg)

### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs)

Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor.

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