Language Department Chair David Bonagura '99 Publishes “Staying with the Catholic Church”

Last week, Scepter Publishers released the second book by Mr. David Bonagura ’99, entitled Staying with the Catholic Church: Trusting God's Plan of Salvation. The book articulates the mission of the Catholic Church and why we need her as we navigate the challenges of the modern world.

“I wrote the book because people are always asking about the Church,” explained Bonagura, chairman of the Language Department and teacher of Latin and theology. “Catholics have an intuitive grasp of God, of the incarnation, and of the sacraments. But they tend to have difficulty understanding where the Church fits in with God’s plan, and how their parish that they attend each week is tied into a global entity. This book explains how the Church is the necessary means through which we are connected directly to Jesus Christ and through which we receive His grace in the sacraments.”

The book contains six chapters, each of which takes its focus from common questions people have about the Church. These questions include what the Church is, why Jesus established her, why she has so many teachings, and what roles lay people have within the Church.

Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre commented that “Staying with the Catholic Church will be a blessing for anyone who wishes to understand why many Catholics still love their Church and remain faithful to the Splendor of Truth that the Church teaches, leading them to holiness and eternal life.”

Two years ago, Bonagura released his first book, entitled Steadfast in Faith: Catholicism and the Challenges of Secularism, which articulates the nature of faith and belief in a world that is increasing turning its back on God.

Bonagura credits his Regis education with giving him a start as a writer. “I first attempted to write a book when I was eleven years old,” Bonagura joked. “When I came to Regis, I wrote for The Owl; I loved to write the articles about the cross country and track teams, which, in typical Regian fashion, were all peppered with inside jokes. But I really learned a lot about the writing craft in sophomore English. I still follow one lesson I learned then, and I pass it on to my students when correcting their essays: ‘Show, don’t tell!’ In other words, state your ideas clearly and engage them immediately. Do not write phrases like, ‘This line means’ or ‘This is significant because.’ Rather, state what needs to be said without a warm-up. This way, the author’s voice can be heard more forcefully.”

Both of Bonagura’s books are available at Amazon.com.