Books/Literature
"Ah, would that I could proclaim throughout the whole world the mercy that you have shown to me! Would that everyone might know I should be already damned, were it not for Mary!" - Saint Louis de Montfort
We post, tweet, share, like, heart, double-tap, save, pin, and tag. Like it or "unlike" it, social media is an important way for Catholics today to share the Catholic Faith, including our devotion to the #BlessedMother. But as is often the case in social media, comments can be short, cutting, or downright hateful when friends or followers don't understand our Marian devotion. And even the most confident Catholics can be at a loss as to how to respond.
In #BlessedMother: How to Follow, Share, and Defend Mary in the World of Social Media, author, podcaster, and TV show host Tommy Tighe helps Catholics defend and explain our relationship with Our Lady with wisdom and grace - in 280 characters or less.
#BlessedMother will:
Social media can be a powerful tool for sharing Christ, and Mary wants to be a part of that, through you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tommy Tighe is a Catholic husband and father of four boys living in the San Francisco Bay area, where he works as a marriage and family therapist.
Jesus died to set us free, yet we all experience thoughts from the enemy that lead us away from Christ and his truth. Popular author and speaker Deacon Keith Strohm shines God's light on ten of the most common lies that Satan uses to bind our hearts and prevent us from experiencing the fullness of God's love. Not only does Deacon Strohm helps us gain clarity to the ways in which these lies take hold and imprison us. He also shows us that through the use of Scripture and the spiritual traditions of the Church, we can break the power and authority those lies have in our lives.
We all want to be drawn closer in our relationship with Jesus Christ and more secure in our identities as sons and daughters of God, so we can never be too vigilant in battling the lies of the enemy. This book offers valuable wisdom for any Christian-those just beginning to follow Christ and those who are more mature in their faith.
Since his election, Pope Francis has captured the attention of media and the people. Transfixed by his charisma and the many firsts of his papacy - first pope from the Americas, first Jesuit Pope, and first to be named Francis - they are now eager to know the substance of the man. In 10 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know, John L. Allen, Jr., veteran Vatican news analyst, author, and National Catholic Reporter Senior Correspondent, writes with intimacy and clarity, from the perspective of his decades of experience covering the papacy.
Discover the qualities that have defined Pope Francis from his days as a Cardinal and the early days of his papacy. Using the most recent, as well as archived, interviews with Pope Francis and those who know him, Allen describes his vision of leadership and evangelism and his desire for the Church to be close to the people, especially the poor. Allen describes several more teachings and insights from Pope Francis, such as: Never give up on God's mercy, always remain optimistic, create unity, and even keep a sense of humor. After reading 10 Things, you will know your new Pope and feel your faith renewed.
Vatican correspondent Joshua J. McElwee tackles the topics of faith and family life as covered in the 2015 World Meeting of Families and the October 2015 Synod on the Family. A follow-up to the successful 10 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know, this booklet introduces readers to the most important points Pope Francis has made about the family. At a time when many Catholics are contemplating Church teaching, Joshua J. McElwee brings a fresh voice and perspective to the issues of faith and family closest to the hearts of Catholics everywhere.
Surveys show that the leading cause of Catholics leaving the Church is not receiving solid, timely answers to questions about their Faith. Heightening this problem is a hostile secular culture that perceives faith as being at odds with science and the modern world.
In these incisive pages, David Bonagura directly answers one hundred hot-button questions about the supernatural life and Catholicism today. The questions, which were submitted anonymously by young adults in New York City, leave no controversial issue unaddressed.
This invaluable and easily digestible guidebook is cross-referenced and thoughtfully arranged to help you find answers to your most pressing questions. Bonagura provides straightforward reasoning, including:
The book offers ways to overcome feelings of doubt, tips for fortifying your prayer life, reasons for receiving Holy Communion frequently, and practical steps for growing closer to God. An ideal gift for those searching or struggling, it is a book for anyone looking to know God's love more deeply and be assured of His presence.
This book, another of the informative and reader-friendly 101 Questions & Answers series, provides an introductory look at the theology, practices and structure of the Eastern Catholic Churches, with a comparison to the Latin Rite Church. Although the author emphasizes the Byzantine and Maronite Churches, he takes into account all the ritual Churches.
Written with Roman (Latin) Catholic readers in mind, this book answers questions on the differences and similarities between the eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches that believers may have wondered about or never had the opportunity to ask, e.g., Why do Eastern Catholic babies get to go to communion?; Are the saints in the East different from those in the West?
This information-packed overview book paves the way for readers to address Pope John Paul II's directive in Orientale Lumen with regard to learning about the East.
The Catholic Church is the longest-standing and the most universal of all institutions. The contributions made by Catholic men and women over the past 2000 years are most impressive, from a properly functioning calendar to the inventions of many things that we all take for granted today.
In 101 Surprising Facts About Church History, Fr. Meconi, SJ walks readers through the most amazing achievements of Christ's Body on earth. From economic and mercantile developments to scientific and astronomical advances, from the cataloging of zoological and botanical species to the cherishing of beautiful music and fine arts, Fr. Meconi shows you why the Catholic Church stands as the greatest promoter of human culture and knowledge.
Here, Dr. Kevin Vost provides you with 12 essential life lessons, culled from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Together these lessons will elevate your mind, enrich your spirit, and teach you how to participate fully in the universal vocation to holiness and happiness.
Distilling Thomas's timeless and unparalleled spiritual wisdom, Vost shows you:
These 12 Life Lessons from St. Thomas Aquinas will help you cultivate a rich, robust faith life that will bring you into closer communion with God and beckon others to follow. With the help of Vost and Thomas, you'll soon find yourself confidently and happily living in imitation of Our Lord, the Way, the Truth, and the Life for all men.
Hold on to your horses and get ready for the ride of your life! World Champion surfer Bear Woznick connects us to that deep call in every man's heart to live the heroic way and champion a cause greater than himself. Bear reveals ways to become an everyday hero, someone who goes beyond the ordinary in the little and big moments of life, who rides high in the saddle, rides for the brand, come hell or high water, and pursues God's call in his life.
Cowboys and manliness fit together like a well-worn leather glove. Cowboys live by a personal Creed, and they know how to take a stand. They have a clear understanding of what needs to be done, and they commit to it. In so doing, they inspire others to do the same.
In these gritty pages, Bear cuts through the fog of "woke false righteousness" with the clarity of the snap of the whip that a cowboy wields when protecting the herd from wolves. Now more than ever, your family, your church, and the world need you to mount up and ride the proving trail where you will discover your own grit and determination -- your manliness -- and not apologize for it. Bear invites you on the most radical quest of all: pursuing God's will in power and humility. You're needed now. Are you
ready to man up and ride?
You will come to know:
Here is the book you need to discover and develop the twelve virtues that St. John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719) - patron of teachers, education reformer, and founder of the congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools - determined were most important for teachers.
Br. Luke Grande, F.S.C., fleshes out the essence of each virtue as it relates to teaching and how educators can cooperate with God's grace to actualize the potentialities of students in their charge.
In page after page, you will be inspired by practical advice and reflections, including:
You will also learn how to provide an example by how you pray and how you do "ordinary things greatly," and how "playing the part" and reflecting the poise of a mature teacher will earn you the respect of your students.
Moreover, you will see how to be a real, practical example of piety, understanding, and respect for your duties toward God without scrupulosity or sentimentality. Best of all, you will learn to teach with genuine compassion and a magnanimous spirit toward every student and to cultivate within them a zeal for learning.
St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle encouraged his teachers to have "the firmness of a father and the gentleness of a mother," treating each student with the dignity of a child of God. This classic, desperately needed in this time of educational decline, will help you to see the extent to which you influence students as a teacher and your sacred duty to imitate Christ the Teacher.
Offers 150 fantastic fun facts from the Bible. Each is full of surprises, secret messages, adventure, and intrigue.
Paperback
Good luck getting through an entire day without experiencing the impact of Catholicism. Woken up by an alarm or checked the time? The mechanical clock was invented in the tenth century by a monk who became pope. A bowl of cereal for breakfast? Your milk is safe thanks to Louis Pasteur, a devout Catholic whose research was driven by a love of God and humanity. Knock on wood? It's actually an ancient Catholic practice invoking the power of the Cross when facing trouble or danger.
Each entry in 150 People, Places, and Things You Never Knew Were Catholic is rich with detail and nuance. Here are Catholic stories full of drama, decisions, and inspiration.
The fruits of our Catholic Faith are all around us, and the ways in which the Church has shaped history and the secular world can be found in science, art, pop culture, sports, and more. Our most enduring (and endearing) customs, pastimes, practices, and institutions often can be traced back to an inventive, resourceful Catholic. You'll discover things you never knew -- and come away with inspiration for how you, too, can impact the world.
The First Apology was an early work of Christian apologetics addressed by Justin Martyr to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. In addition to arguing against the persecution of individuals solely for being Christian, Justin also provides the Emperor with a defense of the philosophy of Christianity and a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals. This work, along with the Second Apology, has been cited as one of the earliest examples of Christian apology, and many scholars attribute this work to creating a new genre of apology out of what was a typical Roman administrative procedure.
Happiness. Everyone wants it, but not everyone has it -- or knows how to get it. According to a recent Harris poll, only one in three Americans describes himself as happy. Researchers have dubbed this the "most stressed" of all generations, despite its economic prosperity and technological advances. Anthony DeStefano, best-selling author of A Travel Guide to Heaven and Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To, addresses this problem head-on in his freshly rewritten book, 30 Days to Your New Life, by striving to bring the joy of Heaven down to Earth right now.
Many self-help books explore the subject of happiness, but one important ingredient always seems to be missing: God. In this no-nonsense, refreshingly direct book, DeStefano bridges the gap between personal development programs and Christian/Catholic spirituality. The result is a wake-up call to readers: an outcome-based motivational guide to living life to its fullest -- and holiest. DeStefano's practical, pull-no-punches approach to popular theology has been described as "Tony Robbins meets Thomas Aquinas."
With candor and simplicity, DeStefano presents a 30-day program for attaining lifelong peace and fulfillment as well as (more importantly) eternal happiness in Heaven. The path proposed by DeStefano encourages consistent, purposeful, and prayerful action on the part of the reader and offers genuine hope to everyone, from ambivalent agnostics to engaged Evangelicals to the most fervent of Catholics.
This is a book about getting results, about breaking out of self-delusion and taking small, practical steps to transform your life from head to soul. The author believes that as more and more people today struggle with depression and loneliness, self-help programs need to be less about "self-help" and more about "God's help." God, after all, is the Author of life. He knows what will make us happy -- and what won't.
DeStefano utilizes the best personal-development tools available but balances and corrects them with Bible-based, faith-filled, time-tested, sacramental, Catholic principles. No matter how terrible your circumstances may be or how many times you've failed to achieve your goals in the past, this book will work for you.
Amid a wide range of spiritualities and charisms, the saints shared two consistent devotions: love for the Holy Eucharist and love for Our Lady. Here is the book that will immerse you deeply in both and inflame your heart with love for Jesus' Eucharistic Heart through the heart of His Mother. The relational reflections contained in this volume will restore or increase your faith in the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. They will help you enter into meditation with Jesus and Mary as never before and will open your heart to receive the graces available from the Sacred Mysteries.
Each Marian Eucharistic Visit presented in these pages, similar in format to Lectio Divina, guides you through four parts: ponder (a short prayer or quote from a saint or spiritual writer), reflect (a meditation on the grace you are seeking from your visit), pray (a guided reflection with traditional Marian Eucharistic prayers), and savor (keys to resting in the presence of the Lord). Space is provided at the end of each meditation to journal about the resolutions, affections, and inspirations you receive during your time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Scripture passages are peppered throughout, as are scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary to contemplate.
In page after page, you will find ways to rekindle the fire of divine love in your prayer life and to grow in loving communion with our Lord in the miracle of the Eucharist. Through the Blessed Virgin's intercession, you will grow in virtue and discover spiritual treasures such as these:
You will be inspired by moving stories of saints such as Faustina, the Fátima children, and Pope John Paul II and will see how to apply them to your daily faith journey. With the chapters modeled on particular virtues in the life of Mary to imitate, these precious pages convey the Church's teachings on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, Adoration, Spiritual Communion, and much more.
A Spiritual Pilgrimage
At critical times throughout Salvation History, God’s people have been invited to consecrate themselves. We are at one of those critical times in history, and consecrating ourselves, our families, our country, and indeed, the whole world to the Eucharist may make all the difference.
33 Days to Eucharistic Glory is the first ever Eucharistic Consecration. This unprecedented spiritual resource presents profound truths, astonishing historical facts, powerful practical examples, a daily virtue to adopt, extraordinary prayers, and inspiring stories—all in an easy-to-follow daily format.
Life is a pilgrimage. It is a sacred journey toward our eternal home with God. Learn what it means to be a pilgrim in a world that is constantly trying to reduce you to a tourist and consumer. Journey with Mother Teresa, John Paul II, Thérèse of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe, Thomas Aquinas, Sister Faustina, the Children of Fatima, and Mary the Mother of God to experience Jesus in the Eucharist like never before.
Prepare yourself for an explosion of grace in your life. Grace is the assistance God gives us to do what is good, true, noble, and right. And there is no better way to receive God’s grace than through the Eucharist. Over the next thirty-three days you will learn how these great saints and others lived in Eucharistic Glory.
This extraordinary spiritual guide will forever change the way you spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist.
THIS CONSECRATION IS AN INVITATION to dedicate yourself to God and make yourself 100 percent available to carry out His will on this earth. It is an act of unconditional surrender to Jesus in the Eucharist, an opportunity to set aside our distractions and selfishness, dedicate ourselves abundantly, wholeheartedly, and completely to the will of God, and promise to faithfully respond to God’s grace in our life.
In the Book of Exodus, after the incident with the golden calf, Moses realized that the people had lost their way, and so he called them together and said:
“Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord . . . that He may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”
In the First Book of Chronicles, after God chose his son Solomon to lead, David gave everything he had over to God and the people of Israel. And then he asked:
“Who else among you will contribute generously and consecrate themselves to the Lord this day?”
In the Book of Joshua, God’s chosen people entered the Promised Land after wandering in the desert for forty years. Joshua asked the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant before the people and said:
“Consecrate yourselves to the Lord, for tomorrow He will do wonders among you.”
For the Jewish people, the Ark of the Covenant was God’s dwelling place on earth, God’s presence among them. The Eucharist is God dwelling among us today. And so, today I say to you, with Moses, David, and Joshua . . . “Consecrate yourself today to the Lord . . . that He may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”
33 Days to Eucharistic Glory is the first guide to Eucharistic Consecration. Catholics have consecrated themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Saint Joseph, Saint Raphael, Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Anne, the Holy Spirit, the Miraculous Medal, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mediatrix of All Grace, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Sorrows, and to the Holy Trinity.
I believe it is time we consecrated ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist—it is time for a Eucharistic Consecration.
Using the same 33-day preparation format, 33 Days to Merciful Love journeys with one of the most beloved saints of modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux, and concludes with a consecration to Divine Mercy. So whether you want to deepen your love of Divine Mercy or have a devotion to St. Therese, 33 Days to Merciful Love is the book for you.
Because the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, what could be more important than helping children grow in their understanding of the Mass? In this excellent, practical resource, Patricia Mathson offers easy, meaningful, and enjoyable activities that not only explore and examine each part of the celebration but also connect it with daily life. In this way, Mass becomes the springboard to a life of discipleship, even for the very youngest child. In addition to material for the classroom, there is a family take-home page for each activity, with special recommendations for families with children preparing for First Eucharist. Ideal for faith formation programs, Catholic schools, family catechesis, and more, this book will quickly become indispensable for busy catechists seeking to make our Eucharistic worship come alive for children and families alike.
In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized the great 20th century visionary of Divine Mercy, Sister Faustina Kowalska, and proclaimed the Sunday after Easter to be celebrated annually as Divine Mercy Sunday. In 2006, Pope Benedict stressed that Divine Mercy is not a secondary devotion, but an integral dimension of Christian faith and prayer. Now Pope Francis has proclaimed an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin on December 8, 2015. These three Popes have made it very clear that Divine Mercy is a major part of the Christian faith, and now this powerful new book reveals why.
Best-selling author Vinny Flynn continues his popular 7 Secrets series with a book that brings him back to his roots. Vinny was one of the original editors of the official English edition of the actual Diary of St. Faustina, and he has written and edited a vast number of the Divine Mercy materials that are used today.
Through his secrets of Divine Mercy, Vinny shows how Divine Mercy is not just another worthy private devotion; it is the key devotion, the umbrella devotion over everything else. Every other devotion in the Church, every ritual, every activity, every teaching is under that umbrella of Divine Mercy. It's all there to help us understand and enter into Divine Mercy. He shows us how everything in our lives can become more meaningful, more powerful, more life-changing once we really embrace the gift of Divine Mercy -- the overflow of love from the Holy Trinity.
In this compelling and timely book, Flynn draws from Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the Diary of St. Faustina to not only reveal the heart of Divine Mercy, but to offer you an invitation and a road map so that this mercy can transform your life.
If you're not yet convinced of the impact Divine Mercy can have on your life, if you've never heard of this message and devotion, or if you're curious to learn more about it, this book is perfect for you. It shows us all how to respond to the call of Pope Francis to live lives shaped by mercy, and benefit greatly from the Year of Mercy.
In A Beautiful Second Act, bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life's second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and "soul sisters" who faced these challenges with courage.
As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation--those balancing the needs of both children and parents--are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. A Beautiful Second Act: Saints and Soul Sisters Who Taught Me to Be a Badass Age with Grace contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process.
Chapter after chapter, these inspiring saints and contemporary changemakers from all over the world will help you, too, embrace your second half and the changes it brings to our health, our personal relationships, our responsibilities, our work, and our faith.
Each chapter offers experiences of female saints and soul sisters as they illuminate different aspects of this season of aging: physical changes in the body, shifts in work and purpose, dealing with aging parents and end-of-life issues, the need for strong spiritual friendships, and the importance of mercy.
Drawing from a diverse range of occupations, races, times, and outcomes, Johnson writes about her own struggle to redefine her second act and what it means to trust God as our lives begin to wind down and our ultimate purpose comes into crystal-clear focus.
Popular author and TV and radio host John Martignoni has written a book that highlights the flaws in Protestant teaching -- using something that is in rather short supply in today's culture: common sense. He throws in a little simple logic too. He uses the Bible as the background for his plain yet provocative analysis of numerous underlying problems with Protestantism as a whole and then focuses on specific Bible passages to ask a number of tough questions regarding individual Protestant doctrines and dogmas.
Catholics can use this book not only to respond effectively to questions from family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and even strangers about why they believe what they believe but also to ask questions of their own -- questions that will leave the Protestants in their lives struggling to come up with logically and scripturally consistent answers and will, hopefully, led them to some serious introspection.
With simple, clear-cut explanations, Martignoni lays out the reasons why Protestantism, as a whole and in its individual parts, is illogical and lacking in both common sense and biblical sense. In page after page, you will find concise, candid, power-packed arguments from Scripture, history, and just plain rational thinking, along with thirty questions to ask Protestants about what they believe and why. This treasure trove of apologetics will teach you about:
Additionally, you will learn four reasons why the Catholic Church is indisputably the Church that Jesus founded, which beliefs are essential to authentic Christianity, and how to prove that Jesus is really present in the Holy Eucharist.
You will also discover insights into relevant and fascinating questions on faith and works, what the "Catechism of the Protestant Church" teaches, what is required to attain salvation, who wrote the Bible and decided which books to include, when the Church was founded, and much more.
A catechism is a way of teaching the Faith that strengthens the bonds of unity in our Church and, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "enlivens the faith of the People of God."
In the same spirit, Master Gardener and certified greenhouse grower Margaret Realy's A Garden Catechism: 100 Plants in Christian Tradition and How to Grow Them will help you create a garden that is more than just a landscape. Filled with an array of plants for all seasons and climates, this beautiful book shows you how to create a faith-based garden that symbolically expresses the teachings of our faith and leads you into prayer.
Presenting accurate plant culture that is easy to understand, aesthetically pleasing, and grounded in Catholic history and tradition, A Garden Catechism is perfect for beginning and experienced gardeners alike. Entries for each plant include:
Plus, you'll find a wealth of useful information about gardening basics, how to craft a prayer garden, and selecting the right plants for your vision and space.
This unique, comprehensive resource combines the heritage of our Faith and the joy of gardening in a way that is accessible to anyone.
Let's get growing!
"A remarkable, one in a million book! Never before have I seen such an exquisite blending of Creator, creation, and creativity in a single volume. A Garden Catechism is a stroke of genius that gives glory to God while educating, inspiring, and entertaining the reader. Even non-gardeners will find this book interesting and spiritually fortifying and I'm betting they will be drawn into the wonders of gardening themselves." --Marge Steinhage Fenelon, award-winning author and internationally known speaker
"Born from a deep font of knowledge and faith, A Garden Catechism is a masterclass on the art of discerning, designing, and developing a garden where you'll find respite, hope, and a fresh way to commune with the Creator. I have always turned to Margaret for her encyclopedic knowledge of plants and have trusted her with my most intimate prayer intentions. I'm delighted to be able to turn the pages of this beautiful tool and to share it with others. A brilliant new pathway to caring for our common home and glorifying God while getting our hands dirty!" -- Lisa M. Hendey, author of I Am Earth's Keeper
"A Garden Catechism is a beautiful work of love created by one who loves our Mother Mary and appreciates greatly how beauty and nature open us to God's presence. I know this book will be a great guide for all who garden to create sacred space, and a wonderful inspiration for many others who will often sit with this book to enter that holy presence with them."--Father James Phalan, C.S.C., National Director of Family Rosary
"Divine, practical, encouraging, and inspiring! What a treasure trove this book is! Margaret Rose Realy has done the exhaustive research and organization, and we reap the benefits. Veteran and novice gardeners, converts and cradle Catholics alike will all find something to love and learn in this gorgeous book."--Danielle Bean, author of Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday
"If you pick this book up and thumb through it you will be immediately 'hooked' and want to own it, and that for good reason. Master Gardener and Benedictine Oblate Margaret Rose Realy has brought all of her extensive knowledge on raising and nurturing the abundant delights of color and scent which grace each season, and married it to her deep study of scripture, Catholic devotionals, saintly hagiographies (and even delightful legend), and brought us a book that is almost impossible to put down. I was happy to discover that the Hosta beside which I pray the rosary in my backyard in summer carries a similar symbolism as the lily, and so goes with the rosary! Coupled with the gorgeously wrought illustrations of Mary Sprague, this book is an informative and entertaining treasure. It will become the classic reference for its topic."-- Elizabeth Scalia, author of Little Sins Mean a Lot: Kicking Our Bad Habits Before They Kick Us (OSV)
"It's easy to sense God's grandeur in a garden. The variety of petals and stamens and leaves, the rich colors, the fragrance, all point to a Creator with an unlimited imagination. And Margaret Rose Realy's newest book, A Garden Catechism, is chock-full of reminders that God is great. Margaret shares her years of hands-on experience to help her readers design and care for the flowerbeds they've always dreamed of. She offers a beautifully illustrated primer of gardening basics, describing the trees and shrubs, grasses and herbs and blooming plants that work well together. But that's not all: Margaret teaches us fledgling gardeners the spiritual significance of each flower. She shows us how to create a Mary garden, a labyrinth, a rosary garden, and more. And she teaches us the spiritual significance of each flower. A Garden Catechism, like the many flowers described on its pages, helps readers to bring their prayer life into the garden, enriching both soils and souls." -- Kathy Schiffer, Correspondent and Blogger, National Catholic Register
"John Paul II thought faith is important for culture, but also culture is important for faith. Margaret Rose Realy's beautiful book reflects this perfectly -- and it is beautiful! Mary Sprague's illustrations are vintage-feel vignettes you'll want to hang on your wall. Most of us haven't grown up in the Catholic culture still present in parts of Europe or Latin America, but A Garden Catechism is a way to start planting a faith-inspired culture into our lives, one graceful grass or fragrant flower at a time. It will do for our yards what stain glassed windows do for churches: not just adorn, but also instruct and inspire. I live in a Spanish apartment with no garden, but I still am happy to have this book to enjoy with my kids - it's a true catechism of our faith, presented bloom by bloom."-- Kathleen N. Hattrup, Spirituality/Church News Editor, Aleteia.org, English Edition
"In A Garden Catechism, Margaret Rose Realy has achieved the extraordinary: she has made me interested in plants! How did she do this? By ushering me into a contemplative garden space, immersing me in the lesser-known stories of faith surrounding the fruits of the earth, and offering practical tips on the cultivation of the soil (as well as the soul). With lyrical writing and lush illustrations, A Garden Catechism is an instant classic -- a truly sublime, sensible, one-of-a-kind work of homey genius. I can't wait to see what Margaret does next!" -- Dr. Tod Worner, Managing Editor of Evangelization & Culture, Word on Fire Institute
"Margaret Rose Realy's A Garden Catechism provides the framework for gardening as a meditative practice. Beautifully illustrated, with religious symbolism associated with various plant and prayer garden themes, the book provides guidance and ideas for planning gardens based on these deeper meanings. Margaret also tells some lovely stories from the church's tradition associated with the plants. The Catechism provides detailed culture notes - useful to gardeners the world over." -- Clara Geoghegan, Executive Secretary of the Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Blaise Pascal reflected that humanity is obsessed with divertissement, that is, diversions. By embracing noise and pleasure, we avoid thinking about anything that may be associated with aging, dying, or our final end. But what if our determination to avoid these thoughts means that we are consigning ourselves to living an aimless life? Best-selling author Vittorio Messori invites you to explore this and other aspects of Pascal's Wager in a compelling, conversational way.
In these soul-stirring pages, you will find that death isn't simply an individual concern but a collective one. Society's continual advancements in technology and rising political hostilities make the possibility of nuclear apocalypse and other mass extinction events ever more real. Modern culture, however, seems fascinated with death only in entertainment. For death in reality, it relies on euphemisms and escapism rather than direct, honest engagement with the problems of sin, suffering, and grief.
Through thought-provoking examples from history, entertainment, psychology, and culture, you will learn ways in which society's treatment of death is impacting education, careers, mental health, and daily living. You will also discover:
- How death is viewed in light of ideologies from the Enlightenment to Marxism to existentialism
- The connection between radical liberalism and individualism, which lead to a culture of death
- Why the burden of proof lies with those who deny the afterlife
- How the challenge to consider religion is really about human dignity, self-respect, and duty
- How Christian belief is unique from other religions and its denominational differences
- What the Bible says about the afterlife, beginning with the Old Testament
You will also learn ways to restore hope and will see how silence can be a gift and why Messori believes that humor is a virtue. In addition, you will see why the Church's worldview helps to bring meaning and value to every human life, why death is triumphing in modernity, and how you can help turn the tide by choosing life -- now and in the world to come.
The title of the book, Abba, is the term used in more than one place in the New Testament for addressing God as Father and it is with the 'Our Father' prayer that these meditations are concerned. At first sight it might be thought impossible to say anything fresh on something so familiar to all Christians as the Lord's Prayer. Yet the inexhaustible depths of meaning to be found in it may, by the very fact of familiarity, all too easily escape notice and understanding.
In this personal healing retreat from Heather Khym, cohost of the popular Abiding Together podcast, you are invited to break through the barriers that prevent you from trusting and experiencing the deep love of Jesus and be transformed by the freedom that comes when we vulnerably bring our entire selves to the foot of the Cross.
Rooted in the teaching of Khym's Vancouver-based ministry, Life Restoration, Abide shares scripture, essential Catholic teaching, and the author's personal healing journey to reintroduce you to God as the Divine Healer, Restorer, and Miracle Worker. Khym offers you a compass to navigate your past as you dig into difficult memories that have disoriented your understanding of God and made you afraid to trust him. She challenges you to cast off your self-protective tendencies and to recognize your need for healing so you can be the person you were created to be.
Jesus says, "Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
We are meant to abide in Jesus, to unite ourselves to him. Yet over the course of our lives, we experience brokenness and loss, which lead us to doubt God's presence.
Khym challenges you to step outside your comfort zone so that you can authentically:
Each chapter includes practical reflection-based exercises that help you recall troublesome memories, identify the roots of your feelings, and meditate on excerpts from scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You'll come away with a renewed hope in the power of God to bring freedom to your fearful heart as you start to live a life restored in Christ, one that begins with and is sustained by an intimate relationship with Jesus.
Following Christ isn't always easy. You need faith, courage, patience, and love.
Colleen Swaim looks at eight young souls who became saints for the against-the-current, selfless heroism of their teen years. In addition to the inspiring stories, Ablaze includes maps, recipes, prayers, journal prompts, scripture references and reflection questions to help the reader apply the saints' experiences to every day life.
Read how an Italian high school student inspired thousands as she faced cancer joyfully. Follow a new Christian as he marches to his death by fire after standing firm in his faith in the face of a wretched king. Lock arms with a young man and his crucifix as he dares brawling teens to throw the first stone.
We are all called to follow Christ in our own ways. This book will inflame your heart with vivid storytelling, saintly challenges, prayers, images, and more. Discover how you can set your world ablaze with love for the Lord!
Features: Saint Dominic Savio; Saint Teresa of the Andes; Saint Kizito; Blessed Chiara Luce Badano; Saint Stanislaus Kostka; Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception; Blessed Pedro Calungsod; and Saint Maria Goretti.
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Review by Lisa M. Hendey, CatholicMom.com webmaster:
If you're a mom of teens like me, you're constantly on the lookout for books and resources that will help inspire your family. With this new book by Colleen Swaim -- her first, but hopefully just the start of a prolific writing career -- we discover a treasure of the faith for Catholics young and old.
Ablaze is aimed at teens, but truthfully, the resources contained within this book will aid anyone looking to grow in sanctity and faith. Colleen profiles the lives of eight young saints and blesseds, sharing their path to sainthood with accounts that are filled with insight and detail. She has a voice that truly manages to bring these stories to life. Perhaps it's her work as a high school teacher that has provided her with an insight into what will move, challenge and inspire young people. Ablaze is filled with so much more than simply biographical details, including sidebars, vocabulary descriptions, maps, sacramental lessons, and even recipes. Journal prompts, prayers, scripture references and reflection questions help the reader to fully interact with the content presented, applying it to the challenges of every day life.
Each of the saints profiled, though living in different periods of history, has a freshness and a relevance to the world our teens face today. Colleen Swaim aptly brings their heroic virtues to light in a way that will have teens (and grown ups too!), eagerly interacting with her content and asking for more. I give Ablaze my highest recommendation and will enjoy sharing it with my own son this summer.
Sexual abuse is not the only mistreatment that can happen in the Church. There is also spiritual abuse. Fr. Dysmas de Lassus, superior general of the Carthusian Order, comes out of his silence to denounce the unacceptable behavior of some religious superiors and founders of communities. Rooted in the monastic tradition and the robust theology of religious life, Fr. Dysmas presents elements that will assist everyone in evaluating the dangers of certain spiritual practices and methods of government associated with community life.
Fr. Dysmas's wisdom and experience will help you attain the broad equilibrium that nourishes personal and community growth, through the respect of individuals, Catholic tradition, and a healthy spiritual life.Speaking out for the first time, he condemns an era of mental abuse in the Church and in the world. This free and liberating guide exposes some of the abuses within religious orders and includes testimonies of victims.
You will learn:
You will also gain a proper understanding of obedience and discover the three conditions, according to St. Francis de Sales, that highlight what blind obedience really means. Moreover, you will see the difference between the silence that is life-giving and the silence that kills. You will also find two criteria for healthy communication with the outside world and the way to achieve balance in living a life of sacrifice to foster genuine humility. Above all, you will see the necessary path to healing and how the truth sets us free.
The Accidental Marriage is a contemporary story that explores these questions through vibrant, sympathetic characters whose struggles and triumphs illustrate that love doesn't always look like you would expect.
Scott and Megan are friends who live and work in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area. Mostly contented with their jobs and same-sex relationships, they meet for lunch and sympathetic conversation from time to time.
When Megan's partner wants a baby, Scott offers to help. The ensuing complications force Scott and Megan to grapple with how much they're willing to sacrifice for friendship and for the child they've conceived. When Megan's situation unravels, Scott must step up to responsibilities he's never assumed before. Then his circumstances start to crumble, and a series of misfortunes strip them of everything but each other.
Tanner Kalina was destined for an acting career in Hollywood but couldn't escape the nagging feeling that the limelight would never be enough; after all, neither was baseball stardom, stand-up comedy, or the thrill of surfing. No matter his pursuit, he was always haunted by the reality that booking the part, winning the award, or catching the perfect wave (you name it) would never quite satisfy him.
In Aching for Greatness: Discover God's Love in the Restless Search for More, Kalina shares how his restless search for more led him to the realization that God is the only one who can ever truly fulfill the longings in his heart. Kalina didn't change everything about his life overnight, but he did commit to giving Jesus a real chance, going all in and no longer walking with one foot in and one foot out.
Inspired by the early Christians after Pentecost, the men and women who "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42), Kalina shares how these four spiritual practices became a model for developing intimacy with Jesus:
Chances are, this restless search for more is something you can relate to, something you've experienced in your own life. When those empty feelings lead you to ask, "Why do I feel so alone? Why don't I feel fulfilled?," Kalina encourages you not to feel ashamed or defeated but to realize that acknowledging how you feel is the first step to a life filled with greater joy, connection, and peace.
So, what's your next step? Are you ready to find what you've been looking for?
Aching for Greatness will inspire you to set out on the adventure that only a deep, personal knowledge of God can offer. With a two-thousand-year-old roadmap to follow and the conviction that nothing aside from an intimate relationship with God will bring lasting peace, you're sure to discover God's powerful love.
Secular and religious thinkers agree: the sexual revolution is one of the most important milestones in human history. Perhaps nothing has changed life for so many, so fast, as the severing of sex and procreation. But what has been the result?
This ground-breaking book by noted essayist and author Mary Eberstadt contends that sexual freedom has paradoxically produced widespread discontent. Drawing on sociologists Pitirim Sorokin, Carle Zimmerman, and others; philosopher G.E.M. Anscombe and novelist Tom Wolfe; and a host of feminists, food writers, musicians, and other voices from across today's popular culture, Eberstadt makes her contrarian case with an impressive array of evidence. Her chapters range across academic disciplines and include supporting evidence from contemporary literature and music, women's studies, college memoirs, dietary guides, advertisements, television shows, and films.
Adam and Eve after the Pill examines as no book has before the seismic social changes caused by the sexual revolution. In examining human behavior in the post-liberation world, Eberstadt provocatively asks: Is food the new sex? Is pornography the new tobacco?
Adam and Eve after the Pill will change the way readers view the paradoxical impact of the sexual revolution on ideas, morals, and humanity itself.
Celebrated author Mary Eberstadt continues her ground-breaking examination of the legacy of the sexual revolution. The book's predecessor, Adam and Eve after the Pill (2012), dissected the revolution's microcosmic fallout via its empirical effects on the lives of men, women, and children. This follow-on book investigates the revolution's macrocosmic transformations in three spheres: society, politics, and Christianity. It also includes an analysis of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
With unflinching logic, Eberstadt summarizes the toll on Western society of today's fractured homes, feral children, and social isolates. Empathetic yet precise, she connects the dots between shrinking, broken families and rising sexual confusion, seen most recently in transgenderism and related phenomena. The book also traces the dissolution of the home to signature developments in Western politics, especially the increase in acrimony, polarization, street violence, and identity politics. The result is an indictment of the turn taken by much of the world following the post-1960s embrace of contraception and the stigmatization of traditional morality.
The book's section on the revolution's infiltration of the churches is must-reading for anyone concerned about the fate of Western Christianity. In a moment when millions wonder whether the Catholic Church will retreat from age-old moral teachings, this book demands to be put at the center of discussion.
Adam and Eve after the Pill, Revisited is both an indispensable blueprint for today's emerging revisionism, and a manifesto for a more humane order to come.
