Church History
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.
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.
One can spend hours searching for answers about the Catholic Faith and how to share it with others. There are a multitude of books that explain the various areas of Church teaching, but never -- before now -- a definitive desktop volume on more than 260 Catholic topics, from A to Z, featuring key definitions, teachings, practices, people, and resources for further reading.
This fascinating, one-stop guidebook delivers the intellectual tradition of the Church while providing practical Catholic applications, spiritual wisdom, and guidance on a broad range of topics, from the basics of the Faith to more current issues, such as transgenderism and yoga.
These pages put timely and timeless information at your fingertips, whether you're seeking information about a specific teaching, wondering about the Church's stance on a social topic, or looking for inspiration to evangelize someone to the Faith.
You will discover:
Through times of trial, division, repression, and new growth, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has remained faithfully at the foot of the Cross.
The leader of this Eastern Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, grew up in Ukraine during a time when his Church was illegal, and his family had to carry out their religious practices in secret. Born in the western Ukrainian city of Stryi on May 5, 1970, he grew up hearing stories of his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who had to deal with the demands of shifting political situations and the conflicts of Eastern Europe. He studied for the priesthood in an underground seminary and learned from the witness of priests and bishops who were imprisoned for their faith -- including some who lost their lives on account of their fidelity to Christ and his Church.
Today, in the interviews contained in this book, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk offers deep insights about the direction in which the world is going, including the struggle the Church once again faces, thirty years after the fall of the Soviet Union, in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (first place, anthology).
Cardinal Avery Dulles, S.J. (1918-2008), was one of the leading American Catholic theologians of the twentieth century. Published in partnership with America Media, this collection of Dulles's essential work from America magazine includes more than five decades of writing that showcases his wide-ranging interests in ecclesiology, salvation history, pastoral theology, and contemporary literature and reflects the Jesuit's warm personality and astute insights on the Church in an era of great change.
Avery Dulles: The Essential Writings from America Magazine includes occasional and formal writing, book reviews, reflections, and extended essays from America. Known as a synthesizer of Catholic thought from disparate traditions and theological positions, Dulles is perhaps best known for his book Models of the Church, one of a number of important academic works he wrote. Dulles was the author of twenty-five books and produced hundreds of articles for America and other journals.
In these selections from America, Dulles reflects on theological questions such as the relationship between faith and reason, as well as events like the Second Vatican Council that affected average Catholics. Avery Dulles also includes the late cardinal's exploration of the teachings of John Paul II and the authority of the episcopacy--solidifying our understanding of Dulles as both a towering figure and a mediating voice in American Catholicism.
- Are the Gospels folklore? Or are they biographies?
- Were the four Gospels written too late to be reliable?
- What about the so-called "Lost Gospels," such as "Q" and the Gospel of Thomas?
- Did Jesus claim to be God?
- Is Jesus divine in all four Gospels? Or only in John?
- Did Jesus fulfill the Jewish prophecies of the Messiah?
- Why was Jesus crucified?
- What is the evidence for the Resurrection? As The Case for Jesus will show, recent discoveries in New Testament scholarship, as well as neglected evidence from ancient manuscripts and the early church fathers, together have the potential to pull the rug out from under a century of skepticism toward the traditional Gospels. Above all, Pitre shows how the divine claims of Jesus of Nazareth can only be understood by putting them in their ancient Jewish context.
Throughout the modern era, Galileo Galilei has been presented as a victim of cruel torture of conscience, theological narrow-mindedness, and ecclesiastical harassment typical of a dark, closed-minded Church. Frequently portrayed as such in theaters due to prevailing political ideologies, the story of Galileo points to the long-held tension between "science and faith," "technology and ethics," and "progress and the Church."
The story of the real Galileo, however, which has not been told--until now--is sure to rock the established narrative.
Walter Cardinal Brandmüller, an eminent Church historian and expert in Galilean research, evaluates the scientific research of the recent past and exposes shocking historical errors. Uninterested in whitewashing the problematic pages of Church history, he offers a balanced view of the controversy, illuminating it through the lens of a deeper historical understanding.
Leaving no stone unturned, His Excellency separates the facts from the fiction to reveal:
What famous critics, including Aristotelians, had to say about Galileo and his findings
You will discover the various aspects and philosophical views of the Galileo controversy, including how his personal polemics at times superseded his scientific research. Moreover, you will learn about significant scientists' and theologians' arguments regarding heliocentrism and other topics.
The book includes an extensive bibliography of Galileo's works and a timeline of his life, as well as a declaration from twelve Nobel Prize-winning scientists on the necessity of dialogue between science and religion and the need for the Church's guidance.
- Publisher : Columba Press (January 1, 1996)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 96 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1856071758
- ISBN-13 : 978-1856071758
- Item Weight : 1.11 pounds
Many faithful Catholics greet God and give Him thanks and praise when they arise in the morning and retire at night. How they stay connected with Him and the Faith throughout the day, however, varies widely. Many forget that He is right there to call upon whenever the need or impulse arises. Others see Him all around, in the flowers of the field, the birds of the air, the smile of a child. Uniquely, Catholicism Everywhere treats the reader to the many expressions of God in the hobbies, foods, structures, and inventions developed by the Catholic Church and her members.
Enjoy a cup of coffee and thank Pope Clement VIII for his refusal to ban coffee and his edict proclaiming it to be an acceptable drink for Christians. Turn on the radio and recall that Fr. Jozef Murgas patented a form of wireless telegraphy, made the first wireless voice transmission, and gave away his secrets to allow for the development of radio. Send an e-mail and shop online with a nod to Sr. Mary Kenneth Keller, a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who became one of the first two students to earn a doctorate in computer science, helping pave the way for personal computing.
In these crisp, compelling passages, you will also learn about:
These and other remarkable stories show how the Catholic Church and her members have borne tremendous fruit, in faith, to serve their fellow man. This book features chapters on pets, gardening, health care, cuisine, travel, entertainment, science, and more, including the Catholic founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Mayo Clinic, the Blue Army, the Knights of Columbus, and the Legion of Mary.
From sports to weather forecasting to wedding customs to military service, Catholicism Everywhere connects your work, your play, and your daily habits with the vibrant heritage, culture, and prayers of the Catholic Faith.
"What we priests were forced to endure under the Nazi regime, especially in Dachau concentration camp, is no more than a cup filled from the vast sea of human suffering in the world today," wrote Fr. John Lenz. "It is not this suffering as such that is important. The important thing is to show those who have crosses of their own to bear in life just what the grace of God can do for those who follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ the Crucified. It is no less important to reveal the wickedness of Hell."
The Nazi hellhole Dachau concentration camp held the largest number of Catholic priests -- more than 2,400 -- in the Nazi camp system. They came from two dozen countries, from every background -- parish priests and prelates, monks and friars, teachers and missionaries. More than one-third were killed.
Among the survivors was Fr. Lenz, who was asked by his superiors to write an account of what he saw -- and experienced -- so that it would not be forgotten. This book, filled with gripping real-life stories and eighty photos, was the stunning result and became an immediate sensation.
This work is unique among those written on the Holocaust; it reveals how, by tireless sacrifice amid barbaric suffering, the Church was victorious in one of the darkest times in human history. When the Nazis entered several European countries, many people were afraid to speak up. Numerous priests, however, continued to preach the gospel and the truth about the dignity of life and freedom. Through their courageous witness you will learn about:
"Only when we are forced to endure the most profound suffering and hardship do we learn how to catch hold of God's hand in our misery," Fr. Lenz reflected. "We learn to pray."
Catholics--both religious and the laity--made significant contributions to science, the arts, and the betterment of human life during the Enlightenment, the period between the Reformations and the modern world.
Scholar Dominic A. Aquila writes that it is not uncommon for historical accounts of the time to conclude that the Church stood in the way of the scientific revolution and that faith and reason could not coexist. In The Church and the Age of Enlightenment (1648-1848), Aquila outlines Catholic contributions in mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, the arts, and politics, and highlights key figures of the era including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, St. Vincent de Paul, Queen Christina of Sweden, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Aquila begins by looking back at the work of important figures such as Copernicus, Francis Bacon, and Galileo, all of whom died before the 1648. Aquila bookends the Enlightenment era by wars due to dynastic rivalries and social change--beginning with Europe's Thirty Years War, which prompted a rethinking of religious and political practices, and ending with the Napoleonic Wars.
Aquila also highlights key works of visual arts and music from the period, including Giovanni Bellini's Frari Triptych, the world-renowned Oberammergau Passion Play, and George Fredric Handel's Messiah.
In this book, you will learn:
Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.
Fatima, war, Vatican II, St. John Paul II, and the clerical sex abuse crisis: These are just a few of the people and events that helped define the Catholic Church in the modern era.
In The Church and the Modern Era (1846-2005), author David Wagner explores how the Church maintained its core beliefs while meeting the challenges of the industrial age, world wars, the sexual revolution, and technological advancement in an increasingly secular world.
The "modern era" of the Catholic Church began with the election of Blessed Pius IX in 1846 and ends with the death of St. John Paul II in 2005, the last pope to have served as a council father at Vatican II. With monarchies falling, nation-states rising, and industrialization and mass migration underway, the world changed more during this period than any other, Wagner contends. While the Church may feel more user-friendly and less formal than ever before, what we believe has been handed down from the beginning.
Wagner reintroduces you to some of the era's most powerful examples of virtue and faith such as St. John Henry Newman, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Faustina, and St. Maximillian Kolbe. He will also dispel some of the long-held misconceptions about the Church that span the 160-year period.
In this book, you will learn:
Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time.
Prolific historian Roberto de Mattei unfurls the sail to help you navigate in tumultuous times through the stormy waters of worldly events, intellectual movements, apostasies, moral decay, divisions, and persecutions. In these reflections, de Mattei steers you on a voyage from the earliest centuries to the French Revolution, charting the course with fascinating historical details and true stories about key political figures and saints, masterfully relating them to our situation now.
In these stirring pages, you will learn:
Despite the changing tides and pounding waves, you will discover ways the Church weathered storms with Scripture and Tradition as her compasses. You will behold how, in moments of gloom, when all seemed lost, the valor of Catholic heroes restored calm and announced the morning dawn.
1968 witnessed perhaps the greatest revolution in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. It was led by Fr. Charles Curran, professor of Theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, with more than 500 theologians who signed a "Statement of Dissent" that declared Catholics were not bound in conscience to follow the Church's teaching in the encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, that said artificial contraception is morally wrong because it is destructive of the good of Christian marriage.
The battle at Catholic University centered on the major question in Catholic higher education during the turbulent years after the Second Vatican Council, "What is the meaning of academic freedom at a Catholic university?" Curran and the dissenting theologians maintained they needed to be free to teach without constraint by any outside authority, including the bishops. The bishops maintained that the American tradition of religious freedom guaranteed the right of religiously-affiliated schools to require their professors to teach in accord with the authority of their church.
This book uses never-before published material from the personal papers of the key players at CUA to tell the inside story of the dramatic events that unfolded there. Beginning with the 1967 faculty-led strike in support of Curran, this book reveals the content of the internal discussions between the key bishops on the CUA Board of Trustees.
This work attempts to disprove both the standard "liberal" and "conservative" interpretation of the events of 1968, suggesting that the culture of dissent was a direct fruit of the excessive legalism and authoritarianism which marked the Church in the years preceding Vatican II. Because the polarization in 1968 has continued to define the experience of many American Catholics and has had an ongoing effect on Catholic education, this work should be extremely interesting to those who want to understand the past so as to move forward with a greater awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of Catholic education in the United States.
In the bloody Civil War that split our nation, American bishops worked for the success of the Union . . . and of the Confederacy! As Catholics slaughtered Catholics, pious priests on both sides prayed God to give success in battle. . . to their own side. Men in blue and men in gray flinched at the Consecration as cannonballs (fired by Catholic opponents) rained down on them during battlefield Masses.
Many are the moving - and often surprising - stories in these pages of brave Catholics on both sides of the conflict - stories told by Fr. Charles Connor, one of our country's foremost experts on Catholic American history.
Through searing anecdotes and learned analysis, Fr. Connor here shows how the tumult, tragedy, and bravery of the War forged a new American identity, even as it created a new American Catholic identity, as Catholics--often new immigrants--found themselves on both sides of the conflict.
Fr. Connor's account shows that in the nineteenth century and on both sides of the conflict, the Church in America was a combination of visionary leadership and moral blindness - much as is the Church in America today. From consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, Catholics today will discover ways to bridge the gulf that today divides so many in our Church - and in our nation.
Volume 1
A source-book of theological and historical passages from the Christian writings of the Pre-Nicene and Nicene eras. Volume 1 ends circa 382.
Volume 2: the Post-Nicene era through St. Jerome;
Volume 3: St. Augustine to the end of the patristic period. The passages selected are keyed to the numerical order established in M. J. Rouët de Journel's Enchiridion Patristicum. In no sense, however, are these volumes a translation of that standard work. The author has made his own investigation of theological textbooks in common use and has selected the patristic passages most frequently cited, including much that is in Rouët and much that is not. All passages have been freshly and accurately translated from the best critical editions. Preceding each selection is a brief introduction treating the authorship, date and place of composition, and the purpose of the work from which the selection is taken. The author's scholarship and sprightly sense of humor are evident in these prefatory remarks. Of immense value to the reader is the Doctrinal Index provided for each volume. Here one can find the texts pertinent to particular doctrinal points, a method especially useful to homilists. In addition, each volume is enhanced by comprehensive Scriptural and General Indices.
Volume 2
A source-book of theological and historical passages from the Christian writings of the Post-Nicene and Constantinopolitan eras through St. Jerome. Volume 2 concludes with Julian of Eclanum (d. 454).
Volume 2: the Post-Nicene era through St. Jerome;
Volume 3: St. Augustine to the end of the patristic period. The passages selected are keyed to the numerical order established in M. J. Rouët de Journel's Enchiridion Patristicum. In no sense, however, are these volumes a translation of that standard work. The author has made his own investigation of theological textbooks in common use and has selected the patristic passages most frequently cited, including much that is in Rouët and much that is not. All passages have been freshly and accurately translated from the best critical editions. Preceding each selection is a brief introduction treating the authorship, date and place of composition, and the purpose of the work from which the selection is taken. The author's scholarship and sprightly sense of humor are evident in these prefatory remarks. Of immense value to the reader is the Doctrinal Index provided for each volume. Here one can find the texts pertinent to particular doctrinal points, a method especially useful to homilists. In addition, each volume is enhanced by comprehensive Scriptural and General Indices.
Volume 3
A source-book of theological and historical passages from the writings of St. Augustine to the end of the patristic age. Volume 3 ends with St. John of Damascene (d. 749).
Volume 2: the Post-Nicene era through St. Jerome;
Volume 3: St. Augustine to the end of the patristic period. The passages selected are keyed to the numerical order established in M. J. Rouët de Journel's Enchiridion Patristicum. In no sense, however, are these volumes a translation of that standard work. The author has made his own investigation of theological textbooks in common use and has selected the patristic passages most frequently cited, including much that is in Rouët and much that is not. All passages have been freshly and accurately translated from the best critical editions. Preceding each selection is a brief introduction treating the authorship, date and place of composition, and the purpose of the work from which the selection is taken. The author's scholarship and sprightly sense of humor are evident in these prefatory remarks. Of immense value to the reader is the Doctrinal Index provided for each volume. Here one can find the texts pertinent to particular doctrinal points, a method especially useful to homilists. In addition, each volume is enhanced by comprehensive Scriptural and General Indices.
In recent years there has been a growing awareness among lay people of the importance of Tradition within the Catholic Church. A primary source of this Tradition is the collection of what the Fathers of the Church had to say in Her early history. This selection of writings covers a wide range of topics, and is presented in easily readable units, suitable for the busy working man and woman.
Focusing specifically on the 13th-century founding of the Franciscans by St. Francis of Assisi and the Dominicans by St. Dominic Guzm n, the pope said personal holiness led the two saints to preach and to help actualize a return to Gospel poverty, a deeper unity with the Church, and a new movement of evangelization, including within the European universities that were blossoming at the time.
Great Teachers include:
Hugh and Richard of Saint-Victor
William of Saint-Thierry
Rupert of Dutz
John of Salisbury
Peter Lombard
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Dominic Guzm n
St. Anthony of Padua
St. Bonaventure
St. Albert the Great
St. Thomas Aquinas
John Duns Scotus
"Every chancellery in Europe, every court in Europe, was ruled by these learned, trained and accomplished men the priesthood of that great and dominant body."
-- President Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom
With stubborn facts historians have given their verdict: from the cultures of the Jews, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Germanic peoples, the Catholic Church built a new and original civilization, embodying within its structures the Christian vision of God and man, time and eternity.
The construction and maintenance of Western civilization, amid attrition and cultural earthquakes, is a saga spread over sixteen hundred years. During this period, Catholic priests, because they numbered so many men of heroism and genius in their ranks, and also due to their leadership positions, became the pioneers and irreplaceable builders of Christian culture and sociopolitical order.
Heroism and Genius presents some of these formidable men: fathers of chivalry and free-enterprise economics; statesmen and defiers of tyrants; composers, educators, and architects of some of the world's loveliest buildings; and, paradoxically, revolutionary defenders of romantic love.
The star of Bethlehem exemplifies the birth of Jesus, the Wittenberg Door is synonymous with the Protestant Reformation, and "the pill" symbolizes the sexual revolution. It's "stuff" that helps tell the story of Christianity. In this unique, rich, and eye-catching book, popular Catholic author and EWTN host Mike Aquilina tells the Christian story through the examination of 100 objects and places. Some, like Michelangelo's Pietà, are priceless works of art. Others, like a union membership pen, don't hold much monetary value. But through each of them, Aquilina offers a memorable and rewarding look at the history of the Church. When Catholics tell their story, they don't just write it in books. They preserve it in memorials, monuments, artifacts, and museums. They build grand basilicas to house tiny relics. In this stunning book, Aquilina, together with his writer-daughter Grace, show how the history of the Church didn't take place shrouded in the mists of time. It actually happened and continues to happen through things that we can see and sometimes hold in our hand. The Christian answer to Neil MacGregor's New York Times bestseller A History of the World in 100 Objects, Aquilina's A History of the Church in 100 Objects introduces you to:
Not long after Martin Luther's defiance of the Church in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down, brother turned against brother, and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover the unity of Faith, Catholic theologians clarified and reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, but turned as well to another form of evangelization: the Arts.
Convinced that to win over the unlettered, the best place to fight heresy was not in the streets but in stone and on canvas, they enlisted the century's best artists to create a glorious wave of beautiful works of sacred art -- Catholic works of sacred art -- to draw people together instead of driving them apart.
How Catholic Art Saved the Faith tells the story of the creation and successes of this vibrant, visual-arts SWAT team whose war cry could have been "art for Faith's sake!" Over the years, it included Michelangelo, of course, and, among other great artists, the edgy Caravaggio, the graceful Guido Reni, the technically perfect Annibale Carracci, the colorful Barocci, the theatrical Bernini, and the passionate Artemisia Gentileschi. Each of these creative souls, despite their own interior struggles, was a key player in this magnificent, generations-long project: the affirmation through beauty of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.
Here you will meet the fascinating artists who formed this cadre's core. You will revel in scores of their full-color paintings. And you will profit from the lucid explanations of their lovely creations: works that over the centuries have touched the hearts and deepened the faith of millions of pilgrims who have made their way to the Eternal City to gaze upon them.
Join those pilgrims now in an encounter with the magnificent artworks of the Catholic Restoration -- artworks which from their conception were intended to delight, teach, and inspire. As they have done for the faith of so many, so will they do for you.
Ancient Rome's brutal culture exploited the weak and considered human life expendable. Women were used as property; unwanted children were left on the streets to die.
Four centuries later, even ordinary men and women prospered in what had become a vigorous new Christian society - a society that served the vulnerable, exalted women, treasured virtue, and loved peace.
Faith had triumphed. Truth was proclaimed. And on this rock-solid foundation, Christian society flourished in the West for the next 1500 years.
These eye-opening pages document the many ways in which Christians penetrated and civilized that debased Roman empire, introducing then-radical notions such as the equal dignity of women, respect for life, protection of the weak and vulnerable, and the obligation of rulers to serve those they rule and maximize their freedom.
Here you'll learn about the seven specific areas where any paganism, ancient or modern, is particularly vulnerable. They provide a roadmap for modern Christians to reclaim for the Faith our own neo-pagan modern culture.
Facing an overwhelmingly dark and hostile culture, Rome's early Christians took the steps necessary to transform it. Their struggles and the hard lessons they learned - documented here - afford us hope that, by imitating their example, we may do the same for our culture today.
How Christianity Saved Civilization was previously published as Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again. This new edition has been brought into print to offer hope that Christianity may once again transform our dark and hostile culture.
25 essays originally published by Magnificat (December 2013 – December 2015) that will give you a new appreciation for the Church and her mission in the world. You know the Church supports your sacramental life, but did you know… - Who created the tradition of the Christmas manger? - Who is the father of modern genetics? - Who developed hospitals to continue the healing work of Christ? - That the greatest dramatist of all time was Catholic? And more! Professor Esolen’s captivating style is as entertaining as it is eye-opening. A great book to affirm that God guides his Church!
Rediscover how the Catholic faith has inspired the greatest achievements in history!
24 entertaining and eye-opening essays by Prof. Esolen originally published in Magnificat (2018-2019) that will give you a new appreciation for the Church and her mission in the world.
Meet...
- A sainted woman who inspired three of her brothers to become saints...
- A navigator who spread the Gospel during his voyages...
- A rich man who embraced poverty to win pagans for Christ...
Professor Esolen's captivating style is as entertaining as it is eye-opening.
Let these stories inspire you to turn your faith into action!
This inspiring book unveils the incomparable history of the Catholics of Ireland, who clung valiantly to the Faith for hundreds of years through some of the worst persecutions ever inflicted on a people. Their unrelenting love of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a clarion call for us in these times when attendance at Holy Mass has waned and the desacralization of the liturgy advances.
From the golden hour in which St. Patrick, as bishop, said his first Mass on Irish soil down to the coming of the Normans, love of the Blessed Eucharist was one of the dominant characteristics of the Irish race. Even during the Protestant Reformation, with its monastery closures, confiscation of Church treasures, and universally hostile treatment of Catholics, King Henry VIII nevertheless left one thing untouched -- the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But the attacks would soon begin.
You will be astonished by the assaults on the Mass during Queen Elizabeth's "reign of terror," which resulted in the martyrdom of more than two hundred Irish Catholics -- many killed in the sanctuary! James I continued the rule of terror, which was brought to new depths of cruelty by the ruthless Oliver Cromwell.
In these pages, Fr. Augustine Hayden reveals a myriad of shocking details that are highly relevant to our time, including:
What the Council of Regency did to Protestantize the Mass (Has history repeated itself?)
"The Mass was the focus of the enemy's hatred," wrote Fr. Augustine, "and it was also the magnet of the people's devotion. Masses infinite in churches, Masses in houses, Masses in every corner -- these were the 'crimes' with which the people of this country were charged."
You will see why the heroic Catholics of Ireland believed that the Holy Mass and the Real Presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament are worth cherishing -- even unto death. Amid war, starvation, and relentless cruelty, our Eucharistic King gave the Irish the graces they needed to remain steadfast and become a bastion of devotion for the world.
Throughout much of the nineteenth century, both secular and Catholic leaders assumed that the Church and the modern world were locked in a battle to the death. The triumph of modernity would not only finish the Church as a consequential player in world history; it would also lead to the death of religious conviction. But today, the Catholic Church is far more vital and consequential than it was 150 years ago. Ironically, in confronting modernity, the Catholic Church rediscovered its evangelical essence. In the process, Catholicism developed intellectual tools capable of rescuing the imperiled modern project.
A richly rendered, deeply learned, and powerfully argued account of two centuries of profound change in the church and the world, The Irony of Modern Catholic History reveals how Catholicism offers twenty-first century essential truths for our survival and flourishing.
Bestselling author of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist casts new light on the Virgin Mary, illuminating her role in the Old and New Testaments. Are Catholic teachings on Mary really biblical? Or are they the "traditions of men"? Should she be called the "Mother of God," or just the mother of Jesus? Did she actually remain a virgin her whole life or do the "brothers of Jesus" refer to her other children? By praying to Mary, are Catholics worshipping her? And what does Mary have to do with the quest to understand Jesus? In Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, Dr. Pitre takes readers step-by-step from the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation to reveal how deeply biblical Catholic beliefs about Mary really are. Dr. Pitre uses the Old Testament and Ancient Judaism to unlock how the Bible itself teaches that Mary is in fact the new Eve, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, and the new Ark of the Covenant.
"Clear, profound and practical--you do not want to miss this book."--Dr. Scott Hahn, author of The Lamb's Supper and The Fourth Cup Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist shines fresh light on the Last Supper by looking at it through Jewish eyes. Using his in-depth knowledge of the Bible and ancient Judaism, Dr. Brant Pitre answers questions such as: What was the Passover like at the time of Jesus? What were the Jewish hopes for the Messiah? What was Jesus' purpose in instituting the Eucharist during the feast of Passover? And, most important of all, what did Jesus mean when he said, "This is my body... This is my blood"? To answer these questions, Pitre explores ancient Jewish beliefs about the Passover of the Messiah, the miraculous Manna from heaven, and the mysterious Bread of the Presence. As he shows, these three keys--the Passover, the Manna, and the Bread of the Presence--have the power to unlock the original meaning of the Eucharistic words of Jesus. Along the way, Pitre also explains how Jesus united the Last Supper to his death on Good Friday and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Inspiring and informative, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist is a groundbreaking work that is sure to illuminate one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith: the mystery of Jesus' presence in "the breaking of the bread."
For Christians, Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, and who rose from the dead in triumph over sin and death. For non-Christians, he is almost anything else--a myth, a political revolutionary, a prophet whose teaching was misunderstood or distorted by his followers.
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary, or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI. He thinks that the best of historical scholarship, while it can't "prove" Jesus is the Son of God, certainly doesn't disprove it. Indeed, Benedict maintains that the evidence, fairly considered, brings us face-to-face with the challenge of Jesus--a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority, claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception.
Benedict XVI presents this challenge in his new book, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection, the sequel volume to Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration.
Why was Jesus rejected by the religious leaders of his day? Who was responsible for his death? Did he establish a Church to carry on his work? How did Jesus view his suffering and death? How should we? And, most importantly, did Jesus really rise from the dead and what does his resurrection mean? The story of Jesus raises many crucial questions.
Benedict brings to his study the vast learning of a brilliant scholar, the passionate searching of a great mind, and the deep compassion of a pastor's heart. In the end, he dares readers to grapple with the meaning of Jesus' life, teaching, death, and resurrection.
"Only in this second volume do we encounter the decisive sayings and events of Jesus' life . . . I hope that I have been granted an insight into the figure of Our Lord that can be helpful to all readers who seek to encounter Jesus and to believe in Him."
-Pope Benedict XVI
In this bold, momentous work, Joseph Ratzinger--in his first book written since he became Pope--seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent "popular" depictions and to restore Jesus' true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the Pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and invites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.
From Jesus of Nazareth: "the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought?
The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who formerly unveiled his countenance gradually first to Abraham, then to Moses and the Prophets, and then in the Wisdom Literature--the God who revealed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth.
He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love."
The Study Guide is also available!
With a foreword by Tim Gray, Ph.D., chapter summarizes and outlines by Mark Brumley and Curtis Mitch, and study questions by Mark Brumley and Laura Dittus
A user-friendly aid for readers of Pope Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection, this Study Guide is excellent for individual or group study, for formal class instruction or informal study. Excellent for parish groups, high school programs, college classes, and graduate studies. The Study Guide does not replace Benedict XVI's book, but it makes it more accessible and beneficial to the average reader-whether lay, religious, or clergy-as well as the knowledgeable student.
The Study Guide includes:
Who was Jesus? A prophet? There have been many of those. A miracle-worker? A radical revolutionary? A wise teacher? There have been many of these, too. In his latest book, renowned Scripture scholar Gerhard Lohfink asks, What is unique about Jesus of Nazareth, and what did he really want?
Lohfink engages the perceptions of the first witnesses of his life and ministry and those who handed on their testimony. His approach is altogether historical and critical, but he agrees with Karl Barth's statement that "historical criticism has to be more critical."
Lohfink takes seriously the fact that Jesus was a Jew and lived entirely in and out of Israel's faith experiences but at the same time brought those experiences to their goal and fulfillment. The result is a convincing and profound picture of Jesus.
"Fr. Mullady offers a readable and rock-solidly reliable treatment of what is surely the most important -- and debated -- subject in contemporary Catholic theology. His approach to Church doctrine (ecclesiology) demonstrates the profound consistency and coherence of the Magisterium's teaching as it draws from biblical and patristic sources and develops from the medieval to the modern period, culminating in Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium). In the process, Fr. Mullady applies a 'hermeneutic of continuity' to show the deep convergence of Vatican I and Vatican II (no small feat!). Along the way, readers gain a renewed sense of the indispensable role of classical Thomism for doing Catholic theology -- with precision, fidelity and flexibility." -- Dr. Scott Hahn
For decades, we have heard the phrase "the spirit of the council." Here is the book that will elevate your understanding of the Church by helping you unpack what one of the central documents of the Second Vatican Council -- Lumen Gentium -- really taught and understand it through the lens of traditional Church teachings, history, and philosophy.
As Fr. Mullady explains the supernatural character of the Church and our universal call to holiness, you will discover the authentic character and purpose of the People of God and the unique vocations to which we are called. You will also learn about:
- The trinitarian life of the Church and its role as mystery and sacrament
- Ecumenism and the necessity of the Church for salvation
- Sensus Fidelium and discernment of truth in matters of faith
- Papal and episcopal infallibility and types of doctrine
- Marriage, family, and the mission of the laity in the Church
- The indispensability of the sacramental life for sanctification
As you learn about the role of the Church on earth, you will see how it is the channel through which we receive God's grace to attain Heaven. By growing in understanding of the continuity of teaching, you will be empowered to give a more fervent witness to Christ and the life-giving hope and joy to which we are called.
“The Liturgy in Stained Glass” is a book of thanksgiving, with its publication in 2025 marking the 100th anniversary of “abbey status” for the Canonry of St. Norbert Abbey. This insightful hardcover book – produced over multiple years under the direction of Fr. Stephen Rossey, O. Praem. – reveals the beauty of our abbey’s impactful, artistic stained-glass windows as they bring Norbertines and friends of the abbey closer to God. The windows let light shine through, revealing beauty, color and the elements of the liturgy. In the light of faith, one can experience a deepening of the spiritual life. “The Liturgy in Stained Glass” is 133 pages and measures 13 1/4″ tall by 9 1/4″ wide. We hope you enjoy immersing yourself in the beauty of St. Norbert Abbey’s stained-glass windows.
The Mass Explained from Catholic Book Publishing explores the theological meaning of the Mass; examines the role to which baptized Catholics are called in its celebration; and helps readers to discover the meaning of its words, songs, gestures, and ritual actions. Written by Msgr. James P. Moroney, this book features clear, straightforward illustrations and a useful glossary of terms. This handy, informative Mass guide is bound in a flexible full-color cover.
The Mass is ever ancient, ever new, and the Church's understanding of this divine gift is ever deepening.
In this revised and expanded third edition of The Mass of the Early Christians, renowned author, speaker, and patristics scholar Mike Aquilina reveals the Church's most ancient Eucharistic beliefs and practices. Using the words of the early Christians themselves -- from many documents and inscriptions -- he traces the history of the Mass from the earliest days of the Church through the fourth century. That the Mass has always stood at the center of the Church's life is evident in Scripture, as well as in the earliest Christian sermons, letters, artwork, tombstones, and architecture.
These legacies from the early Church bear witness to the very worship Catholics know today.
The Mass is ever ancient, ever new, and the Church's understanding of this divine gift is ever deepening.
In this revised and expanded third edition of The Mass of the Early Christians, renowned author, speaker, and patristics scholar Mike Aquilina reveals the Church's most ancient Eucharistic beliefs and practices. Using the words of the early Christians themselves — from many documents and inscriptions — he traces the history of the Mass from the earliest days of the Church through the fourth century. That the Mass has always stood at the center of the Church's life is evident in Scripture, as well as in the earliest Christian sermons, letters, artwork, tombstones, and architecture.
These legacies from the early Church bear witness to the very worship Catholics know today.
From the beginning of Celtic scholarship in English, there was mention of Egyptians in ancient Ireland. However, allusion to "seven Egyptian monks in Desert Uilaidh" in the Litany of the Céile Dé from the seventh century Book of Leinster was dismissed as merely symbolic.
But evidence continues to accumulate that connections with the Mediterranean in ancient Ireland were real.
Archaeology documents frequent commerce between Ireland and the whole Mediterranean world from prehistory forward. Over the years, more and more similarities, links, and borrowings between ancient Ireland and the East have been found in art, architecture, literature, and liturgy, hymnody, and monastic custom.
From the art in the Book of Kells to some passages in the Antiphonary of Bangor to images on Irish high crosses, there are parallels too close and too frequent and accidental to be.
Monastery and High Cross is a cross-disciplinary meta-analysis of English-language research into these questions over the last one hundred and sixty years. It reviews scholarship in history, art, architecture, monastic traditions, liturgical and literary allusions, and assembles a comprehensive and thought-provoking collection of evidence.
Opus Dei's establishment as a personal prelature was a seminal event in the life of the Church, with important implications for every Catholic. Now three theologians and members of Opus Dei -- Pedro Rodriguez, Fernando Ocá riz, and José Luis Illanes -- explore the significance of Opus Dei and its place in the Church as a whole. They examine Opus Dei's mission in the context of the Church's larger work, plus a host of related issues: the vocation to Opus Dei in relation to the Church's vocation to holiness; the nature of that vocation for people in different states in life; the proper role of the Christian in the secular world and Opus Dei's call for the sanctification of ordinary life; and much more. Here, then, is an in-depth guide to understanding the role and importance of this key apostolate.
Opus Deis establishment as a personal prelature was a seminal event in the life of the Church, with important implications for every Catholic. Now three theologians and members of Opus Dei Pedro Rodriguez, Fernando Ocáriz, and José Luis Illanes explore the significance of Opus Dei and its place in the Church as a whole. They examine Opus Deis mission in the context of the Churchs larger work, plus a host of related issues: the vocation to Opus Dei in relation to the Churchs vocation to holiness; the nature of that vocation for people in different states in life; the proper role of the Christian in the secular world and Opus Deis call for the sanctification of ordinary life; and much more. Here, then, is an in-depth guide to understanding the role and importance of this key apostolate.