Sacraments
The Gospels might not be "good enough" for modernity, and science is certainly its god. But neither is an impediment to the one, true God. Indeed, He is using methods of the twenty-first century -- His twenty-first century -- to show how our Faith can be proven through Eucharistic miracles with clinical scientific precision.
In this astounding book, prominent cardiologist and author Dr. Franco Serafini walks us through the extensive medical and scientific research into five Eucharistic miracles, unveiling the stunning testimonies of hematologists, oncologists, neurologists, geneticists, molecular biologists, and more who all concluded the same thing: the five Eucharistic miracles are undeniably authentic.
In surprising and fascinating ways, each of these miracles relates to the others: all reveal heart muscle tissue, many reveal a heart that was experiencing extreme suffering, and some reveal a heart still enduring tissue trauma.
You'll learn how the human DNA found in Eucharistic substances was identified, what kept a revered eighth-century relic alive until the twenty-first century, and how the identical blood group recurred in the unique miracles to provide contemporary man with a thrilling statistical fortress. Best of all, you'll be armed with the scientific data to prove not only that God is still active in the world but that He desires all of us to be in union with Him through His Most Precious Body and Blood.
Although frequent Confession is meritorious, one can easily become complacent and fall into a routine that diminishes sorrow for sins. This classic compendium provides preparations and thanksgivings to guide you step-by-step through the Confession process to help you develop a firm resolution, make reparation for sins, and become more disposed to receive God's grace.
Whether you are a recent convert or someone who confesses regularly, this book is for you. Fr. Hubert McEvoy, S.J., breaks open the true purpose of the sacrament and offers practical tips to help you grow in appreciation for God's abundant mercy.
The preparations and thanksgivings in these pages reveal the many benefits that the practice of frequent Confession provides besides the forgiveness of sins. Fr. McEvoy offers an atmosphere of freshness for each Confession by focusing our attention on themes associated with the rich and varied graces of this powerful sacrament. He explores topics ranging from self-knowledge, compunction, and penance to gratitude, forgiving others, and developing specific virtues.
Through stirring reflections on Scripture, and prayers and meditations from esteemed spiritual authors, you will learn:
- Why "confessions of devotion" are beneficial for your soul
- How Christ's gift of forgiveness in the sacrament restores peace
- St. Francis de Sales's advice for avoiding scrupulosity
- How to make a fruitful examination of conscience
- Practical advice and steps on making a good confession
- How to focus on core faults and ways to manage emotions
An extensive index and list of resources are also included, in addition to numerous scriptural passages for further meditation.
Despite our imperfections, Fr. McEvoy shows us how to humbly detest our sins while trusting in God and persevering with confidence and joy. By uniting our hearts more closely to God's will, he explains, we also grow in charity and help to build up the unity of His Church.
"To hasten daily progress along the path of virtue, We wish the pious practice of frequent confession to be earnestly advocated. Not without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was this practice introduced into the Church. By it, genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are purified, the will strengthened, and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself" (Pope Pius XII, The Mystical Body).
Poetics represents the art of living. For the Christian, it also demonstrates the art of learning to live as a saint, exploring what it means to claim that God is remaking us through grace.
 This delicate and delightful book serves as a poetic confession. It's the meditation of a man moving uncertainly from chaos toward beauty who is seeking to connect earth to Heaven--and who found the poetry hidden in the form and beauty of the Mass, and of life itself.
 With profound insights, Fr. Rennier illuminates the things of earth with the eyes of Heaven. He will help you add shape, structure, and heart to your prayer life as he reflects upon the meaning behind the actions in the Mass, the sacred objects, and the sacramentality we find in daily life.
Through Scripture and his own reflections, Father unveils:
Recent decades have been marred by pervasive Eucharistic abuse, from violations of liturgical norms and rubrics to practices that encourage irreverence and facilitate habitual sacrilege. The coronavirus crisis in 2020 has occasioned a further wave of sacramental manipulation, desacralization, and deprivation that has left almost no Catholic in the world unharmed.
These disturbing “signs of the times” call for an unsparing reassessment of official and unofficial policies, practices, customs, and attitudes, along with fresh appreciation for “creative minorities” that are taking a different, more difficult, and more successful path to reverence.
The Holy Bread of Eternal Life is a powerful and timely book by scholar Peter Kwasniewski that exalts the divine gift of the Blessed Sacrament, which can never be too much adored, too much loved, too much cared for, or too much sacrificed for.
Drawing on both Testaments, the Fathers of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Magisterium, Kwasniewski describes the fitting veneration and handling of this “mystery of faith” past and present, the dispositions we need to cultivate for a fruitful reception of the Lord, and the blessings that follow from a life centered on Holy Communion. At the same time, the book critiques many novelties in modern Catholic worship and shows why they must be set aside for the health of souls and the Church.
There is far more at stake in today’s debates concerning Holy Communion than what preferences should be indulged or slip-ups tolerated. At stake is whether we truly believe in Jesus Christ, our God, our Savior, our Friend, and our Judge, really present in the Eucharist; whether we acknowledge and accept His lordship over us in every aspect of what we do and say; and whether we will act, react, worship, and pray in a manner consistent with true belief.
Catholic Press Association book awards, 2012
"This little book is a gem!"
From Sunday Mass to Monday mayhem: Can the central act of Catholic worship transform our daily lives?
In the United States, only 25% of self-proclaimed Catholics attend Mass on a weekly basis. Many Catholics believe that far more people would attend if only the homilies were better, or the music were more inspiring, or . . . the list goes on. But best-selling authors Fr. Dominic Grassi and Joe Paprocki are convinced that the real problem lies not in the Mass itself but in a lack of understanding of how the Mass prepares each person to live day in and day out as a baptized Catholic Christian.
In Living the Mass, Grassi and Paprocki show how each part of the Mass relates to our baptismal call, closing the chasm between Sunday Mass and daily life. This newly revised edition takes into account the changes in the new Roman Missal, yet rather than isolating those texts or commenting on them, the authors have integrated the changes seamlessly into the book. This assimilation ensures that readers stay focused on the core message of the book--how the Mass as a whole changes us--rather than become sidetracked by the Missal's new texts.
Ideal for the countless Catholics who attend Mass simply out of habit, for the many who haven't been to Mass in a while, or for anyone seeking to join the Catholic Church, Living the Mass compellingly demonstrates how the one hour spent at Mass on Sunday can truly transform the other 167 hours of the week.
In The Basic Book of the Eucharist, Fr. Lawrence Lovasik, author of the beloved bestseller The Hidden Power of Kindness, says that in the Eucharist Catholics can find "the unsearchable riches of Christ." In this book, he shows how.
Fr. Lovasik emphasizes Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist, helping you recognize His presence there. With deep and warm faith, he shows you how you can receive everything that God offers you in the Mass -- including quite a few important spiritual graces that you probably aren't aware of. He tells you how Holy Communion can bring you to real union with God, give you joy and consolation, and even bring peace and happiness to your family.
Fr. Lovasik even explains how you can overcome some of the misperceptions that are common among Catholics about frequent Communion and reveals why you should seek the help of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament amid your day-to-day pressures and troubles.
So if you're looking for increased protection from sin, a greater ability to love God and others, and an unfailing source of peace, let Fr. Lovasik show you the way to find all this and more in the Holy Eucharist. Based firmly on Scripture and Church teachings, The Basic Book of the Eucharist will help you receive Communion more worthily and find in it a preparation for Heaven -- as well as a foretaste of its delights.
But what if the problem is much more fundamental? What if the problem goes to the very foundations of who we are as human beings in relationship with God?
In The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order, Scott Hahn makes the startling claim that our society's ills and its cures are rooted in whether we reject or accept the divine graces made available through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Man, he argues, is social in his very nature. We were created for community. As it was in the beginning, so it remains today. The family, formed through the Sacrament of Matrimony, is the most basic building block of every societywhether we like it or not. We've corrupted marriage, and so we have a corrupt society. If we get marriage right, our society, through God's grace, will flourish.
This is so because Matrimony, like all the sacraments, heals and elevates human nature. Without marriage, our ambitions toward a just social order will remain forever foolhardy. With it, the seemingly impossible, a truly peaceful and humane civilization, becomes possible.
A great book about having the sacrament of Reconciliation.
In Visions of the Divine, Catholic evangelist, author, and businessman Steve Auth reunites the art of the Eucharist with the Eucharistic liturgy itself. Much of this art was separated from the context of the Mass for which it was created many centuries ago and is relegated now to museums sprinkled around the world. Along with his co-authors Evelyn Auth and Msgr. Roger Landry, Steve leads the reader on a worldwide pilgrimage to some of the most spectacular and moving artistic masterpieces created over the millennia to help clergy and laity alike penetrate more deeply into the Eucharistic mystery. Journeying to museums and churches in nearly twenty cities across the United States and Europe, the authors will guide you through the liturgy of the Mass in ways you may never have experienced.
Whether you attend church out of obligation, for the sense of community you find there, or for the Eucharistic presence itself, Visionsof the Divine will help you make these experiences richer, more vibrant, and more fulfilling. And if you've never attended a Roman Catholic Mass and are curious about what happens there, Visions will give you an experience guaranteed to leave you thirsting for more.
Narrated in the author's simple, emotive style, Visions of the Divine presents you with dozens of colorful images of thought-provoking art that will immerse you in each element of the Mass at a deeper and more profound level, including:
From Rembrandt, El Greco, and Van Gogh to Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael; from Velaquez, Picasso, and Dali to lesser-known greats, such as Pontormo, Masaccio and Drolling, the array of breathtaking art in Visions of the Divine will enlighten your path to communion with God. You will witness our Father's love for you and be encouraged to let yourself be loved by Him within the Eucharistic mystery.
If you or someone you know is wondering why going to Sunday Mass matters, this is the perfect resource. It's a thought-provoking and very positive guide that describes how worship as a parish community strengthens our faith and our sense of belonging. This is a compelling and challenging call to embrace our beliefs and celebrate them as Catholic Christians.
Also great for those who have slipped away from Sunday liturgy and need a special nudge to see it in a new and more spiritual light.