Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 7/4/2007

Question
Reverend Card:

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my question whether you have time to answer it or not.   I have a specific question about a historian that apparently wrote a book or several books about Catholic doctrine, perhaps several centuries ago.  I am not exactly sure of the spelling of the person’s name – I just heard a fleeting reference to it on the Catholic cable channel – but it sounded like Elizabeth Sienna or Siennan -  could have been a “C” at the start instead of an “S” but I am not sure and I have not had much luck using goodle.com to figure this out.  It sounded like this particular historian was a convert to Catholicism and is a primary source for learning more about the doctrine of transubstantiation -  It also sounded from the tone of the speakers on the television show that this particular person was well known within Catholic scholarly circles.   My question is two fold:  First, do you know who this may be that they are talking about?  If she wrote an authoritative  book about transubstantiation then I would like to read it.   Secondly, and independently of this particular historian, do you know of any good source that does a really good job of describing what transubstantiation is all about?   Perhaps you could point me in the right direction, one way or the other as to either of these issues.   Again, thanks for volunteering your time to answer this.

Answer
Peace.


dear John
 First, I am a lay person not a clergyman thus no need to call me Reverend. Yet friends call me Rav which is Hebrew and Urdu for rabbi; because my interests in Old Testament things.
 Good news John, I think I know who you are asking about. I am not at my home computer, am at a public library. I have a very good idea who you might mean but I need to check spell with a book I have at home. So I need to wait answer question number one.
  As for your second question, I have several suggestions.
Where to begin? hhehehe. First for some classics:
1- How Christ Said the First Mass
  (Sacrifice from Genesis to the End of Time)
2- One Lamb, One Priest
3- Sacrifice and Sacrament
4- The Second Exodus
5- any book by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Newer books, hmmm....
1. The Lamb' Supper        by Dr. Scott Hahn
2. The Mass Revealed       by Father Shanonn
3. The Word and The Liturgy by Fr. Augustine Baker, S.J.
4. Called to Communion  by Pope Benedict (he wrote it before becoming pope)
5. anything by Pope John Paul (II)the Great
6. The Lamb of Calvary and the Mass by ?

Those are just a few in my personal collection that come to mind because either I am reading them or borrowed to a friend a few.

Please email in a few days, and then I will be able to answer your first question with correct spelling. Also if need a book or two. Send me an address to this email:
ravjerome72@yahoo.com

I send books to those in need free.

                              your servant but His first
                                   George