Madeleine Delbrel: A Life Beyond Boundaries - Softcover

Mann, Charles F.

4.57

7 ratings by Goodreads

9780964560062: Madeleine Delbrel: A Life Beyond Boundaries

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0964560062 ISBN 13: 9780964560062

Publisher: New World Pr, 2000

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Who? Madeleine Delbrel (1904-1964), an unconventional Frenchwoman, grew from precocious child to bohemian adolescent and from confirmed atheist to Catholic convert. A woman of great compassion and awareness, she was vigorously involved in the major social, political, cultural, and religious movements of 20th-century France. After her conversion, she founded an experimental community of professional women who lived and worked among the French Communists in the Paris suburb of Ivry-sur-Seine. A true humanitarian with a contemplative spirit, she came to love God intimately in the streets, cafes, subways, and people of Paris. Today Madeleine Delbrel is revered in Europe as both a social activist and a "secular mystic." Her "Cause for Beatification," the first step to sainthood, is currently under study in Rome.

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From the Publisher:

What? "A Life Beyond Boundaries" is the first account of Madeleine Delbrel's life and writings to appear in English. Through this engaging biography you will discover how she faced parental conflict, personal ambition, and severe depression over her own atheism. You will learn about her conversion experience and her practical approach to spirituality; her heroic Resistance work as Minister of Social, Health, and Education Services during the World War II Nazi occupation of Paris; her brave efforts as a woman to challenge and change the injustices of a male-dominated French society; and her amazing role as a layperson in preparing the way for Church renewal and Vatican Council II.

This intriguing life story celebrates Madeleine Delbrel's lively wit and humor; her outspoken advocacy for the poor and the oppressed; her daily adventures living in a small Christian community; and her long years of collaboration and friendship with her neighbors -- the French Communists.

Why? Madeleine Delbrel defies labels, stereotypes, and easy definitions, which is precisely why she is so fascinating. She will challenge your boundaries and inspire a broader worldview. She will lead you through the mundane where the spirituality of everyday life and the dignity of every person are clearly recognized. You will fall under her tender, lighthearted spell and emerge refreshed and refocused on new priorities...and so much more.

From the Author:

To be the first to read the entire collection of Madeleine Delbrel's unpublished writings, to interview her family and friends, and to undertake all the research of an authorized biographer was a unique privilege. The process of discovering and learning about Madeleine Delbrel was, from start to finish, totally invigorating. This astonishing woman, so energetic and eccentric, and so full of fun and laughter, had consistently turned convention on its ear. Her way of thinking and behaving tended to go beyond the rigidly drawn boundaries that often shape people's lives such as body versus soul, profane versus sacred, action versus contemplation, abnormal versus normal, and them versus us. Throughout her lifetime she had risked taking a more inclusive, holistic approach to reality.

In this biography I attempted to recount, step by step, the intriguing journey, the multiple adventures, and the refreshing life and love of Madeleine Delbrel -- a life and love that extended beyond all the familiar, age-old boundaries. Meeting this truly remarkable women, even if only posthumously, was for me a distinct pleasure that had a freeing and lasting effect. To all who read this biography, I wish the same joyful encounter and liberating experience.

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