The Gift of Peace

""This book is an important part of my preparation for dying and allowing others to share in that awesome experience,"" wrote Chicago's Cardinal Bernadin just days before his death last November. With transparent honesty, Bernadin recounts the traumatic events and emotions of his last three years: a false accusation of sexual misconduct, the grim diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, severe back and leg pain and fatal liver tumors. Yet suffering, for Bernadin, was not punishment but opportunity. ""Through suffering we empty ourselves and are filled with God's grace and love,"" he writes. ""We can begin to think of other people and their needs."" In that spirit, he began a ministry to others with terminal illnesses, and his prayer list swelled to 700 names. In this gem of a book, reminiscent of the best of Henri Nouwen, Bernadin stresses the importance of regular prayer, the need for loving human relationships and the profound peace that comes from trusting God even in the worst of times. 50,000 first printing. (Jan.)