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Need great chapter books for your kids that are wholesome, engaging, and exciting? We are going to talk about the best books for kids from <a href='https://www.facebook.com/Bethlehem-Books-371977183555/?__tn__=kK-R'>Bethlehem Books</a>!


 
<a href='https://bethlehembooks.com/?fbclid=IwAR0mAHDDO2y2ewZaN7zNHWP-HLJ7ugn_V-CVId__PdR2L-RUW_ZwAvYPYUE'>https://bethlehembooks.com/</a>
 


Correction: Eleanore M. Jewett is an American, not an English author.
Her two books published by Bethlehem Books are set in Medieval England.

Best Chapter Books for Kids from Bethlehem Books

Discover

Welcome to the Ignatius Press Podcast! Ignatius Press has been faithfully publishing Catholic books, films, art, and more for over 40 years. With our extensive history, our library contains a wide variety of authors and titles, and we can’t wait to share them with you. On this podcast, we will feature author interviews for those who are interested in deepening their faith and learning more about Jesus Christ, his Church, and the rich Catholic intellectual and artistic tradition. We pray that this podcast will inspire and nourish your faith.

Ignatius Press Podcast

When Fr. Paul Mankowski, SJ died in September 2020, friends, colleagues, and long-time readers mourned the loss of the biting wit and keen insight that characterized his writing, much of which was published under the pseudonym “Diogenes.”
 
In this episode, two men who knew and admired Fr. Mankowski—his fellow Jesuit, Fr. Joseph Fessio, and his editor at Catholic World Report and later Catholic World News, Philip F. Lawler—remember their friend, whose writing spanned decades and covered Church news, art and culture, politics, and more.
 
A sampling of Fr. Mankowski’s writings, most of which he published as Diogenes, has been collected in the new book, “Diogenes Unveiled: A Paul Mankowski Collection,” edited by Lawler and available at Ignatius.com: http://bit.ly/3X6UuNR
 
You can read more essays by Mankowski in the book “Jesuit at Large,” edited by George Weigel: https://ignatius.com/jesuit-at-large-jlerp/
 
You can find Philip F. Lawler’s writing at CatholicCulture.org: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/authors.cfm?authorid=3
 
And you can follow him on Twitter, <a href='https://twitter.com/PhilLawler'>@PhilLawler</a>.

Diogenes Unveiled: Fr. Fessio and Phil Lawler remember Fr. Paul Mankowski, SJ

<DIV>Foreword by Cardinal Christoph SchoenbornThe theme of this book is that the Catechism of the Catholic Church, perhaps the most important work on catechesis since the Apostolic Age, offers not only a new, definitive account for our times of the full teaching of the Catholic faith, but also that it is a superbly crafted work from which to learn and to teach the faith. This book reveals the pedagogy embedded in the Catechism, showing every teacher, parent, catechist or student how to discover the key principles that enable one to learn from, and teach from, the Catechism.The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the "wisdom of the presentation" of the Catechism and of "the depth of its spirituality". These points have rarely been explained in any sustained way and have never before been systematically treated. The unique point about this book is that it focuses on these points, rather than a simple explanation of the content of the Catechism. This book offers a pedagogical approach to the Catechism for handing on the faith of the Catholic Church in any setting, whether home, school and parish. It offers perennially valid teaching points drawn from a perennial text, and an explanation of the 'pedagogy of God' which underpins all authentic teaching methods in the Church. In this way, the book offers a twelve step &lsquo;path to recovery' out of unhealthy catechetical addictions and obsessions which have bedeviled the catechetical world.It is unique in its origin, emerging from a 'catechetical friendship', encouraged by Cardinal Sch&ouml;nborn, between three institutions working in an authentic Catholic catechetical tradition. The three authors display a deep trust and love for the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church &ndash; words that hold a rich heritage and can be pondered lovingly and searchingly, since they are for our good, for everyone's good.</DIV>

Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of Catechesis

How does a city boy who only lived to the age of fifteen &quot;go viral&quot; more than a decade after he died? Discover the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be beatified by the Catholic Church. Born in 1991, the same year as the launch of the World Wide Web, Carlo has been hailed by the pope as an example of love and holiness in our complex digital age. This tech-savvy Italian teen has shown the world that computer coding and video games are no obstacle to sainthood. From a young age, Carlo&#39;s enthusiasm for Jesus was contagious. His witness brought his own family back to faith and even helped convert his Hindu au pair to Catholicism. Carlo called the Eucharist &quot;my highway to heaven&quot; and was eager to tell everyone about the incredible reality of Christ&#39;s true presence in the world. To this end, he used his computer to help design an exhibition dedicated to eucharistic miracles that has traversed the globe. Vatican journalist Courtney Mares has traveled in the footsteps of Acutis across Italy to tell his story in depth, interviewing many whose lives he helped transform. This book paints a portrait of him as seen through the eyes of his friends, family, teachers, priests, doctors, classmates, and followers. Features an eight-page color photo insert and an account of the miracles attributed to Acutis&#39; intercession, including one certified by the Vatican. Carlo sought no attention for himself while alive, yet in the years after his death, he has become a global &quot;influencer for God&quot;.

Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers

<DIV>When she was about nine years old, Josephine Bakhita was kidnapped near Darfur, Sudan, by Arab slave traders. For several years she was subjected to brutal and humiliating treatment until she was ransomed and taken to Venice, Italy, where she became a Catholic and a nun.Joyfully and serenely Bakhita served in a convent, school and infirmary run by Canossian sisters in a small, obscure town in northern Italy until her death in 1947. Then something even more remarkable than her redemption happened.Hundreds of ordinary people came to see Bakhita lying in state, and along with these visits came stories about how the simple nun had given comfort, advice and encouragement as she went about her tasks as cook, doorkeeper, nurse, etc. Almost immediately graces and miracles attributed to Bakhita's intercession began to be reported.Ever since, the place where Bakhita died and the wonders began has been a shrine visited by people from all over the world. They come to seek the intercession of one who was no stranger to loss and suffering and yet had given herself with complete confidence to the Lord. It is here, in this sparsely furnished room, where Italian journalist Roberto Italo Zanini begins his story of Bakhita and her journey from slavery to sainthood.Based on Bakhita's autobiography, which she dictated to a Canossian sister in obedience to her superior, the canonization files and many other sources, Zanini records the life, virtues and miracles of this daughter of Africa who has become a sister to the whole world.</DIV>

Bakhita: From Slave to Saint

Fr. Fessio explains what “Deo Volente” means, and why we should use it in our daily life.

119: You Should Use This Latin Phrase

<DIV>Michael O'Brien presents a thrilling apocalyptic novel about the condition of the Roman Catholic Church at the end of time. It explores the state of the modern world, and the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary religious scene, by taking his central character, Father Elijah Schäfer, a Carmelite priest, on a secret mission for the Vatican which embroils him in a series of crises and subterfuges affecting the ultimate destiny of the Church. Father Elijah is a convert from Judaism, a survivor of the Holocaust, a man once powerful in Israel. For twenty years he has been "buried in the dark night of Carmel" on the mountain of the prophet Elijah. The Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State call him out of obscurity and give him a task of the highest sensitivity: to penetrate into the inner circles of a man whom they believe may be the Antichrist. Their purpose: to call the Man of Sin to repentance, and thus to postpone the great tribulation long enough to preach the Gospel to the whole world. In this richly textured tale, Father Elijah crosses Europe and the Middle East, moves through the echelons of world power, meets saints and sinners, presidents, judges, mystics, embattled Catholic journalists, faithful priests and a conspiracy of traitors within the very House of God. This is an apocalypse in the old literary sense, but one that was written in the light of Christian revelation. </DIV>

Father Elijah: An Apocalypse

<DIV>This well-researched book explains why the Catholic Church continues to teach marital indissolubility and addresses the numerous contemporary challenges to that teaching.It surveys the patristic witness to marital indissolubility, along with Orthodox and Protestant views, as well as historical-critical biblical exegesis on the contested biblical passages.&#160; It also surveys the Catholic tradition from the Trent through Benedict XVI, and it examines a Catholic argument that the Catholic Church's teaching can and should change.&#160; Then it explores Amoris Laetitia, the papal exhortation from Pope Francis on marriage, and the various major responses to it, with the issue of marital indissolubility at the forefront. Finally, it retrieves Aquinas's theology of marital indissolubility as a contribution to deepening current theological discussions.The author argues that Amoris Laetitia upholds the traditional Catholic teaching that a valid and consummated Christian marriage is absolutely indissoluble, in accord with the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, as solemnly and authoritatively taught by the Council of Trent and affirmed by later popes and the Second Vatican Council.&#160; He says that Amoris Laetitia should be interpreted and implemented in light of the doctrine of marital indissolubility: implementations that undermine this doctrine should be avoided.Levering says that numerous contemporary Catholic theologians and biblical scholars are mistakenly turning the indissolubility of marriage into contingent dissolubility based upon whether the spouses continue to act in loving ways toward each other.&#160; The sacrament's gift of objective indissolubility is thereby undermined.&#160; Fortunately, the main interpreters of Amoris Laetitia, whose views have been approved by Pope Francis, insist that the Apostolic Exhortation does not change the doctrine of marital indissolubility in any way.</DIV>

The Indissolubility of Marriage: Amoris Laetitia in Context

<DIV>This small and simple spiritual gem offers a profound contemplation of the Seven Last Words of Christ, with specific application to the seven sacraments he instituted. Adrienne von Speyr leads us to the foot of the Cross, where she gazes upon the crucified Christ and listens deeply as he cries out in suffering and opens the portals of divine grace.The Cross: Word and Sacrament&#160;will challenge and encourage the reader to participate more deeply in the Paschal Mystery through a greater appreciation and understanding of the sacraments and their source in the Cross. The words Jesus utters in his agony, as recorded in the Gospels, contain not only the gifts experienced in the sacraments of the Church but also questions: Do you truly understand what is being offered to you? Will you accept these gifts? Will you suffer the mystery contained in such love?In short, this book calls the reader to conversion, which is a continual process of turning toward the Son, who leads us, in union with the Holy Spirit, into an ever-deepening relationship with the Father. Thus is the reader invited to enter the very life of the Trinity, that communion of love without end.</DIV>

The Cross - Second Edition: Word and Sacrament

Cardinal Ouellet offers an ecclesiological key for a better understanding and practice of a Synodal Church. He asks what does the future hold for a synodal Church? Missionary conversion or confusion? Spirits are stirred by the many questions raised by the vast consultation of the people of God gathered under the uncomfortable tent of synodality.&#160;In our desire for reforms, the Cardinal says that we are losing sight of the one perfect model, the archetype, Mary, and that we should keep our gaze constantly fixed on Our Lady in order to know ourselves what the Church, the ecclesial spirit, ecclesial behaviour really are.&#160;He states that the main weakness in the synodal process has been the lack of theological reflection, which risks leaving the Church at the level of charitable NGOs. This book proposes to fill this gap in the hope that the synodal operation will go further than the sociology of changing structures and the distribution of power.&#160;Hence the elements proposed by Ouellet for a more Trinitarian, pneumatological, Marian and nuptial ecclesiology, to prevent the Church from being divided into ideological struggles that extinguish the flame of mission. The boldness of this book is to highlight the charismatic dimension of the Church, too long neglected for lack of pneumatology. Its revolutionary originality lies in placing the charism on the same footing as the Word and the Sacrament.

Word, Sacrament, Charism: The Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church

Opening credits

Introduction

1 The Message of Populorum Proessio

2 Human Development in Our Time

3 Fraternity, Economic Development and Civil Society

4 The Development of People, Rights and Duties, the Environment

5 The Cooperation of the Human Family

6 The Development of Peoples and Technology

Conclusion

Closing credits

<DIV>Pope Benedict&#x2019;s third encyclical, Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), applies the themes of his first two encyclicals &#151;love and hope (God Is Love, Saved in Hope) &#151; to the world&#x2019;s major social issues. Drawing on moral truths open, in principle, to everyone (the natural law) as well as on the teachings of the gospel (revelation), Pope Benedict addresses Catholics and non-Catholics alike, challenging us all to recognize and then to confront the social evils of our day. The first part of the encyclical examines the dynamic teaching of Benedict&#x2019;s predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. Both men contributed greatly to the body of doctrine known as &#x201C;Catholic social teaching&#x201D;. Both men challenged the simplistic division of political perspectives into &#x201C;conservative&#x201D; and &#x201C;liberal&#x201D;, and &#x201C;right&#x201D; and &#x201C;left&#x201D;. Both men were convinced that the natural moral law and the teaching of the Gospel were indispensable for a world in desperate search of hope and meaning. In the second part Benedict surveys the social issues that confront the human race today&#151;assaults on the dignity of the human person such as the attack on human life, poverty, issues of war and peace, terrorism, globalization, and environmental concerns. Benedict provides sound moral principles to address these social and economic problems, and to promote a culture of life and genuine peace. In this outstanding work, Pope Benedict shows us why so many observers regard him as the world&#x2019;s leading moral voice, as well as one of the most insightful and profound social/political thinkers of our day. </DIV>

Charity In Truth

Teaching Programs

<DIV>Father James Schall, the well- known author and professor of philosophy at Georgetown University, inquires about the various orders found in the cosmos, the human mind, the human body, the city, and he seeks to reflect upon the unity of these orders.In a world in which the presence of reason and order are denied � presumably in the name of science � in favor of chance explanations of why things are as they are, it is surprising to find that, in the various realms open to the human intellect, we find a persistent order revealed. At first sight, it may seem that this reality can be explained by chance occurrence, but after a point, there is a growing sense that behind things there is, in fact, an order. This order can be traced in the many areas that are open to the human mind. As Aquinas has noted, the order within the cosmos points to an order outside of it, since the cosmos cannot be the cause of its own internal order.Philosophers have long inquired about the curious fact that the order of things implies not a mere relationship of one thing to another, but a hint that the universe is created with a certain superabundance. Why is the universe, and the things within it, not only ordered but, ordered with a sense of beauty? Not only is there an order in things, but also the human mind seems attuned to this order as something it delights in discovering. This relationship implies that there is some correspondence between mind and reality. What is the relationship between the mind and reality? The Order of Things explores this question. Relying on common sense and the experience available to everyone, Schall concludes that it requires more credulity to disbelieve in order than to experience it. Finally, Schall explores the fundamental cause of order, what it is like? Having looked at the order of the created universe, it is not surprising that the revelation of the Godhead is itself ordered in terms of an inner relationship of Persons.</DIV>

The Order of Things

<DIV>This study of the life and character of Therese of Lisieux is a remarkable, penetrating, and fascinating search for the truth behind one of the most astounding religious figures of modern times. A young nun who entered a convent at fifteen and died at twenty-four, ThTrFse roused an incredible storm of spontaneous veneration only a few months after her death, and has been called by one Pope as the greatest saint of the modern times. Countless images of the sweetly smiling saint flooded the world. But who was she, really? The Hidden Face has sprung from this question. It presents the true Therese, as objectively as possible, and gives a convincing interpretation of her sainthood. It is a book not for Catholics alone, but for anyone fascinated by the force of spirituality, by the incalculable effects of what Pascal called the "greatness of the human soul." It opens the cloistered world of the Carmel, takes off the sugar coating, and reveals the stark drama behind convent walls, the tension between personalities, the daily details of conventual life. And it throws light on the tremendous purifying process that turned the pampered darling into a saint of heroic virtue. The work of a mind of rare intelligence and integrity, this book is unique among the lives of saints. First published in Germany in 1944, the original is now in its eighth edition. This first English translation is based on a new, revised version using the latest edition of the saint's writings.Ida Friederike Goerres is the author of several outstanding works on sanctity including The Nature of Sanctity and The Cloister and the World. The Hidden Face is considered her most important work. </DIV>

The Hidden Face: A Study of St. Therese of Lisieux

<DIV>Divine Intimacy is considered a classic throughout the Christian world, a work prepared with loving and conscientious labor by one of the great Catholic teachers of our time. This revision of his famous works vibrates with the freshness of the springtime of grace stirred up by Vatican II and inspired by the renewed impulse to a more vital return to Sacred Scripture. Of all the books of meditation available today, this series is the most practical, liturgically and spiritually formative, and helpful for true communion with God. Volume II covers from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost</DIV>

Divine Intimacy

What does it mean to be a man or a woman? How do we talk about gender in a world that seems confused about the most basic realities of our bodies? What does Christianity bring to the table in discussions of feminism and women’s roles? Dr. Abigail Favale’s new book “The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory” (https://bit.ly/3KUyO01) grapples with these questions and more. In this episode, Favale speaks with Leah Libresco Sargeant, author of “Building the Benedict Option: A Guide to Gathering Two or Three Together in His Name” (https://bit.ly/3Fyacta) and the “Other Feminisms” Substack (https://otherfeminisms.substack.com/), about Favale’s new book and how the Catholic view of the human person can help us understand and communicate the beauty and challenges of our sexed bodies.

Gender, autonomy, and what our bodies mean: A conversation with Abigail Favale and Leah Libresco Sargeant

<DIV>This book explores in depth six Gospel scenes so as to discover in these the essential elements of Christian discipleship. It describes the basic requirements for receiving the Word of God effectively in our hearts: namely, that we "become wet clay in God's hands", so that God can impress upon us any form he chooses. It also contemplates the vital position of the Mother of the Lord in the life of his disciples. The author shows that the call to discipleship is above all an invitation to intimate companionship with Jesus, as we read in Mark: "Jesus called to him those whom he desired… in order that they might be with him" (3:14-15). What we normally call the "active apostolate" can never be an end in itself, but only the fruits of a life of prayer and adoration. These are what must be at the heart of a disciple's life, which can never be swept up by mere activism.</DIV>

The Way of the Disciple

<DIV> Von Balthasar shows the tension between the necessary unity in Christianity and the diversity that should and must exist. Today when most people talk about pluralism and really mean dissent and rebellion, von Balthasar shows how genuine variety is both possible and desirable within Catholic unity. </DIV>

Truth Is Symphonic: Aspects of Christian Pluralism

Introductory Message

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 1꞉ What Difference Does Heaven Make?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 2꞉ Fourteen Questions about Heaven

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 3꞉ What Will We Do in Heaven?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 4꞉ Is There a Purgatory?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 5꞉ What Is the Communion of Saints?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 6꞉ Will We Have Bodies in Heaven?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 7꞉ What Will Our Bodies Be Like?

I꞉ Heaven and Us - Chapter 8꞉ Is There Sex in Heaven?

II꞉ Heavenly Space and Time - Chapter 9꞉ Where Is Heaven?

II꞉ Heavenly Space and Time - Chapter 10꞉ Is There Time in Heaven?

II꞉ Heavenly Space and Time - Chapter 11꞉ What Is Eternity?

III꞉ Heaven and Earth - Chapter 12꞉ Does Heaven Begin Now?

III꞉ Heaven and Earth - Chapter 13꞉ How Do We Experience Heaven Now?

III꞉ Heaven and Earth - Chapter 14꞉ Can We Know the Joy of Heaven Now?

IV꞉ Heaven and Hell - Chapter 15꞉ Is There Really a Hell?

IV꞉ Heaven and Hell - Chapter 16꞉ Is Hell Fire or Loneliness?

IV꞉ Heaven and Hell - Chapter 17꞉ How Many Roads to Heaven?

Appendix

<DIV>In the style of C. S. Lewis, Kreeft provides an unexcelled look at the nature of Heaven that offers readers a refreshingly clear, theologically sound, and always fascinating glimpse of that &#34;undiscovered country.&#34; Kreeft's engaging and informative account thoughtfully answers intriguing questions about heaven that speaks to the mind and heart. </DIV>

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Heaven: But Never Dreamed of Asking

<DIV>Romano Guardini (1885-1968) was one of the greatest Catholic minds of the twentieth century. He helped shape Catholic theology between the two world wars and after, as well as the thinking of many non-Catholics of the period. His influence contributed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and it continues to be felt through Pope Benedict, who, as a theologian, a cardinal and now as Pope, has drawn extensively on Guardini for inspiration. Indeed, Guardini was a major theological mentor of Benedict XVI, influencing the Pope from his understanding of Jesus to his writings on the sacred Liturgy, from his view of faith to his perspective on the modern world. Romano Guardini: Reform from the Source, written by another great theological mind, Hans urs von Balthasar, presents a kind of ಜroadmapಝ to Guardiniಙs thought. As an introduction to Guardini, von Balthasarಙs study is intended to challenge readers to take up Guardiniಙs own writings and to find in him the wisdom that has inspired so many others. Many of Guardiniಙs influential works are still in print today, works that cover a wide range of important spiritual, theological and moral issues. ಜRomano Guardini was one of the most important interpreters of the modern Catholic experience, someone we need to engage again and again. This winsome precis by Hans Urs von Balthasar provides an ideal place to begin.ಝ  R.R. Reno, Featured Editor, First Things, Professor of Theology, Creighton </DIV>

Romano Guardini: Reform from the Source

Want to get more out of reading books? Join Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro every Wednesday as they take an important book off the shelf and steadily unpack the most important passages over the coming weeks. Not only can you enjoy their delightful and engaging banter, but their discussion will help you get more out of the text as you follow along.

Off the Shelf

Noir

Seelos: Tireless Intercessor is a true story that chronicles the heroic and miraculous life of a young immigrant priest, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (1819&ndash;1867). This Redemptorist missionary was beatified by Pope John Paul II in the Solemn Jubilee Year 2000. Father Seelos possessed great mystical gifts due to his intense prayer life. His dedication to ministry with cheerful holiness makes him still an outstanding model for clergy, religious, and laity alike. As an itinerant preacher and lifelong friend of the poor and destitute, Seelos was a spiritual father to tens of thousands. Despite his early death at age forty-eight, so profound was his missionary zeal that sickness, persecution, and even the upheaval caused by the Civil War could not stop him.

Seelos: Tireless Intercessor

1. Ten Reasons to Read This Book

2. A Radically Life-Changing Idea

3. Why This Idea Is Not As Ridiculous As It Seems

4. An Irrefutable Logical Proof of Its Truth

5. How This Truth Changes Your Life

6. God as Your Guru

7. How Divine Providence Does What Seems Impossible

8. Faith and Reason꞉ Can We Believe It if We Don’t Understand It?

9. Why Surrender Does Not Squash Individuality

10. Where to Find God꞉ The Practice of the Presence of God

11. Overcoming Deism and the Absentee God

12. The Epistemology of Holiness

13. Little Things

14. Holiness Is Easy

15. Methods

16. Faith, Hope, and Love Are Only One Thing

17. Unselfconsciousness

18. “Love Is All You Need”

19. Love and Sex

20. When to Find God꞉ “The Sacrament of the Present Moment”

21. The Future

22. Peace

23. Failures

24. Suffering

25. Objection꞉ I Can’t Be a Saint

26. Duties

27. Activity and Receptivity

28. Spiritual Warfare

29. Grace

30. Detachment

31. Creation

32. God and You Only?

33. Praying while Working

34. Gratitude

35. “Progressive” or “Conservative”?

Appendix 1꞉ A Meditation on the Relationship between Being and God’s Will

Appendix 2꞉ A Dialogue between Stupid and Sensible (the Two Parts of My Soul)

<DIV>"Life, in the end, has only one tragedy: not to have been a saint." &ndash; L&eacute;on BloyThe ever-popular and prolific Peter Kreeft says that the most important question he has written about is how one becomes holy; or to put it another way, how one becomes a saint. This question is central to all the great religions, Kreeft demonstrates, for striving toward holiness, moving toward perfect love, is the whole purpose of life.Kreeft admits that he is only a beginner on the climb to holiness, and it is to novices like him that he has written this engaging and encouraging book. Using the insights and experiences of saints and great spiritual writers throughout history, Kreeft shows what holiness is and how it can be achieved. He especially draws upon the spiritual classic Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J. The core of Caussade's timeless gem is that God reveals himself to all of us through the daily events of our lives. The surest way toward spiritual growth, therefore, is by perceiving and accepting the merciful will of God in every situation.Kreeft stresses the simplicity of his approach to holiness, which focuses mainly on the virtue of love. Sanctity is love, he asserts, and only that can give us what we all long for&mdash;deep and lasting joy.</DIV>

How to Be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint

Fantasy

Christian

<DIV>One of America's most prominent public intellectuals brings thirty-five years of experience in Washington and Rome to bear in analyzing the turbulence that characterizes world politics, American public life, and the Catholic Church in the early twenty-first century.In these bracing essays, George Weigel reads such events as the First World War, the collapse of Communism, and the Obama and Trump presidencies through a distinctive cultural and moral lens, even as he offers new insights into Pope Francis and his challenging pontificate.Throughout, two of Weigel's key convictions&mdash;that ideas have consequences for good and ill, and that the deepest currents of history flow through culture&mdash;illuminate political and economic life, and the life of the Church, in ways not often appreciated or understood.Many of the chapters in this book originated in George Weigel's annual William E. Simon Lecture, which since 2001 has become a major event in Washington, D.C. They are unique in their application of philosophical and theological perspectives to the issues of history and politics, enabling the reader to see current events in a deeper way.</DIV>

The Fragility of Order: Catholic Reflections On Turbulent Times

<DIV>Fr. Thomas Dubay, a renowned teacher and writer on prayer and the spiritual life, presents a simple, profound and practical book on the most important of all human activities, communion with God. Prayer Primer is written for intelligent adults (and teenagers) who want God and a serious prayer life, but it does not presuppose that they need or have a theological background. It does take up many questions rarely answered adequately in the classroom or from the pulpit, often not mentioned at all: Why pray? (be ready for some surprises) … Why vocal prayer is important and yet should be limited … What contemplation is and is not … Praying with Scripture … Family prayer - even how to introduce children to group meditation … Prayer in a busy life … Pitfalls and problems - together with solutions … Buddhism? New Age? Centering prayer? … What should you do when dry and empty and not at all inclined to pray? How do you even get started? … Where and how to begin? … Assessing progress … Growing in depth. All of these subjects, and more, are clearly and concisely explained for citizens of this 21st century.</DIV>

Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within

<DIV>The brilliant English writer Christopher Derrick presents a disturbing indictment of today's colleges and universities and the troubled condition of liberal education. The occasion for his writing this book was a visit to Thomas Aquinas College in California which deeply impressed Derrick with its true liberal and Catholic education. This small independent college convinced him of the need for reform in Catholic higher education today, and he uses the example of this college as the way this reform should be carried out."This book is comparable to Newman's Idea of a University. Derrick has wit and a brilliant aphoristic style. This book could well serve as a manual for the reform of Catholic higher education today." -Paul Hallet, The National Catholic Register</DIV>

Escape from Scepticism: Liberal Education as If Truth Mattered

<DIV>Cardinal Christoph Schönborn's article on evolution and creation in The New York Times launched an international controversy. Critics charged him with biblical literalism and 'creationism'. In this book, Cardinal Schönborn responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned "theology of creation". Can we still speak intelligently of the world as 'creation' and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a 'delusion'? How should an informed believer read Genesis? If God exists, why is there so much injustice and suffering? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? What is man's destiny? Is everything a matter of chance or can we discern purpose in human existence? In his treatment of evolution, Cardinal Schönborn distinguishes the biological theory from 'evolutionism', the ideology that tries to reduce all of reality to mindless, meaningless processes. He argues that science and a rationally grounded faith are not at odds and that what many people represent as 'science' is really a set of philosophical positions that will not withstand critical scrutiny. Chance or Purpose? directly raises the philosophical and theological issues many scientists today overlook or ignore. The result is a vigorous, frank dialogue that acknowledges the respective insights of the philosopher, the theologian and the scientist, but which calls on them to listen and to learn from each another.</DIV>

Chance or Purpose?: Creation, Evolution and a Rational Faith

<DIV>“Test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from evil.’’ 1 Thessalonians 5:21The renowned Cardinal George Pell, formerly Archbishop of Sydney and recently appointed by Pope Francis as Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy at the Vatican, challenges readers with the admonition of Saint Paul to “test everything”. These powerful reflections consider some of the ultimate questions that confront us all: Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? What is the good we should do and the evil we should avoid?Reaching out to youth, as well as to people of all ages, faiths, and experiences, Cardinal Pell uses an engaging style mixed with a keen Aussie wit. He writes as a seasoned story-teller, an expert historian, an insightful scholar, a patriot par excellence, and an outstanding Churchman.His advice to all is credible, practical, and helpful: Search for genuine love. Do not follow the crowd. Remember to pray. He reminds Christians, “Every lover must be a fighter. . . . We know that evil will triumph if good people do nothing.” To those harboring doubts or tempted to disbelief he brings steadfast encouragement. “The Christian vision does not deceive,” he writes, “if it comes slowly, wait, for it will come without fail.”Among the many interesting topics he discusses are the Trinity, the meaning of suffering, the relationship between faith and science, the role of Christians in public life, and the enduring wisdom of Humanae Vitae.Cardinal Pell’s overall message points us to the Cross of Christ as the unique and final measure of what it means to be human, and thus holy. Cardinal Pell, modern man of faith, vision and action, inspires readers to go deeper and to “test everything”.</DIV>

Test Everything: Hold Fast to What Is Good

<DIV>This classic collection offers rich meditation material before the Blessed Sacrament, providing prayerful souls with insights gleaned from the wealth of Church teaching and tradition. The selections are drawn from a variety of sources and times. They come from the Old and New Testaments, the Church Fathers, great saints, popes, councils, traditional prayers. These prayers and meditations offer a rich view of the Eucharist, and their unique perspectives are intended to aid us in our understanding, appreciation and worship of this Sacrament of Sacraments.Praise for Adoration: ""A treasure trove offering the finest jewels in prayer, meditation, Church teaching and the wisdom of the Fathers, all focused on Our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. This book offers so much to help us in the great revival of Eucharistic Adoration spreading through the Church."" - Msgr. Peter Elliott, Author, Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite""This beautiful book of prayers and meditations fills a real need experienced by hundreds of thousands whose spiritual lives are being prayerfully enriched by Christ present in the Eucharist."" - Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.""A treasure-chest of the Church's prayer and devotion to the Eucharistic Lord! This book will serve as a valuable resource for one's personal prayer and reflection before the Most Blessed Sacrament."" -Cardinal John O'Connor</DIV>

Adoration: Eucharistic Texts and Prayers throughout Church History

Our recently elected Pope Leo XIV has already made several comments about the dangers of artificial intelligence. So if you want to learn more about A.I., join Fr. Fessio explains the first of four steps of artificial intelligence—pretraining—which requires data to be collected and tokenization.

106: Pretraining—The First Step of Making A.I.

Stacy Trasancos talks to author Aude Dugast about Dugast's new biography of French scientist and pioneer in modern genetics, Jérôme Lejeune. An extraordinary man who put his brilliance at the service of children with Down syndrome, Lejeune advocated for their dignity, and he suffered attacks on his reputation as a result.
To write this definitive biography (https://bit.ly/3nDwhzo), Dugast spent eleven years consulting thousands of archives. She met at length with Lejeune’s wife and relatives, families of his patients, and his French and foreign collaborators.

Jérôme Lejeune: A Man of Science and Conscience

<DIV>Since the end of colonization Africa has struggled with socio-economic and political problems. These challanges have attracted wealthy donors from Western nations and organizations that have assumed the roles of helper and deliverer. While some donors have good intentions, others seek to impose their ideology of sexual liberation. These are the ideological neocolonial masters of the twenty-first century who aggressively push their agenda of radical feminism, population control, sexualisation of children, and homosexuality.The author, a native of Nigeria, shows how these donors are masterful at exploiting some of the heaviest burdens and afflictions of Africa such as maternal mortality,unplanned pregnancies, HIV/AIDS pandemic, child marriage,and persistent poverty. This exploitation has put many African nations in the vulnerable position of receiving funding tied firmly to ideological solutions that are opposed tothe cultural views and values of their people. Thus many African nations are put back into the protectorate positions of dependency as new cultural standards conceived in the West are made into core policies in African capitals.This book reveals the recolonization of Africa that is rarely talked about. Drawing from a broad array of well-sourced materials and documents, it tells the story of foreign aid with strings attached, the story of Africa targeted and recolonized by wealthy, powerful donors.</DIV>

Target Africa: Ideological Neocolonialism in the Twenty-First Century

For about 300 years, Catholic priests and lay people in England were persecuted, and even martyred, for the practice of their Faith. But before this period of brutality, Catholicism had been vibrant in England. And after it, Catholic England would flourish once again. Joseph Pearce, acclaimed biographer and author of the new book FAITH OF OUR FATHERS: A HISTORY OF TRUE ENGLAND, joins us in this episode to discuss “true England”—the England in which the Catholic Faith thrived before its violent suppression by the Tudor monarchs; the England that maintained the Faith through a bitter period of anti-Catholic bigotry; and the England that flowered again in the literary and spiritual revivals of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Discovering “True England”: A conversation with Joseph Pearce

<DIV>Recognized as a modern spiritual classic and perhaps Dietrich von Hildebrand's greatest work, this sublime and practical study gives a penetrating analysis of the true path to holiness for those who love Christ. The first requisite is the person's desire for change, and with that fundamental attitude in mind, von Hildebrand devotes a chapter to each of the successive spiritual attitudes necessary for those who strive for Christian perfection. The Beatitudes are treated with beauty and depth in an uncompromising challenge to every serious Christian to put into practice these teachings of Christ. "A magnificent treatise by a distinguished philosopher on the pursuit of spiritual perfection." -Publishers Weekly "A major contribution to the only important question: the transformation of our soul in Christ." -Archbishop Fulton Sheen"A masterpiece of modern spirituality: eminently practical and highly recommended." -Fr. John Hardon, S.J."A solid and penetrating analysis of the Christian virtues, and their application in the struggle toward Christian perfection." -Library Journal </DIV>

Transformation in Christ: On the Christian Attitude

<DIV>In His saints, God is manifest as goodness, power and truth. The variety of saints reflects the infinite beauty and love of the God whose image they most perfectly reflect. This collection of portraits of the lives of twelve saints, many less well-known, focuses on how each of these particular men and women have a specific message that is significant for those living in our challenging times.Though they lived in other times, these twelve saints faced problems similar in many ways to those of our present day. Among the twelve featured here are Paschal Baylon, saint of the Eucharist; Margaret Clitherow, a mother and martyr; Isidore, a farmer; Margaret of Castello, an outcast; Gemma Galgani, a lay stigmatist; Robert Southwell, a poet, and six more. Ivan Innerst presents a true and lifelike picture of each saint whose life has more inspiration to offer today's Christian than has previously been widely known. Each saint has something to share on a range of topical questions for today to help us better live the Gospel message.</DIV>

Saints For Today: Reflections on Lesser Saints

Join the club.  But Jesus has an important message for the overachievers out there:  learn to LOVE.

14: Are You a Perfectionist?

With Jesus, you have ALREADY died—and LIFE has already won out.

60: Don't Fear the Reaper

How are all those self-help videos on Instagram working for you? Not great, you say? Don't worry. Mary's Magnificat shows us psychology done the right way—with God front and center.

21: What Catholics Should Think about Psychology

<DIV>This book is an engagement between a great modern philosopher defending classical philosophy against an army of challengers to the very notion of philosophy as classically conceived. It is written very much in the spirit of the scholastic disputations in the medieval universities, which produced the great Summas: a mutual search for truth, a philosophical laboratory, a careful winnowing of each objection. Such objectivity is lamentably rare in contemporary philosophy.In order to combat modern misunderstandings of challenges to the classical concept of philosophy, Pieper shows us the unique and uniquely valuable thing philosophy is as conceived by his masters: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and above all, Aquinas. Along this path he scatters gems of insight, such as: art and religion as Philosophy's defenders; the relationship between philosophy and science; philosophy as "seeing and saying"; and philosophy as rooted in meditation and loving contemplation. Pieper emphasizes that philosophy is something all human beings do, and should be the better for doing.</DIV>

In Defense of Philosophy: Classical Wisdom Stands Up to Modern Challenges

<DIV>In the style of C. S. Lewis, Kreeft provides an unexcelled look at the nature of Heaven that offers readers a refreshingly clear, theologically sound, and always fascinating glimpse of that "undiscovered country." Kreeft's engaging and informative account thoughtfully answers intriguing questions about heaven that speaks to the mind and heart. </DIV>

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Heaven: But Never Dreamed of Asking

<DIV>Maximus the Confessor, saint and martyr, is the theologian of synthesis: of Rome and Byzantium, of Eastern and Western theology, of antiquity and the Middle Ages, reexcavating the great treasures of Christian tradition, which at that time had been buried by imperial and ecclesial censure.Von Balthasar was an authority on the Church Fathers-Irenaeus, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Evagrius Ponticus, Augustine, and above all, Maximus the Confessor. This masterpiece on Maximus broke new ground at that time. Subsequent editions included new material from decades of research. This is the first English translation of the latest edition of this acclaimed work.This book presents a powerful, attractive, religiously compelling portrait of the thought of a major Christian theologian who might, for this book, have remained only an obscure name in the handbooks of patrology. It is based on an intelligent and careful reading of Maximus's own writings. Here the history of theology has become itself a way of theological reflection.</DIV>

Cosmic Liturgy: The Universe According to Maximus the Confessor

<DIV>A beautiful little book of brief meditations on the love of God by the Swiss spiritual writer, mystic and medical doctor von Speyr. These short "insights" are fruits of Adrienne's contemplative prayer that reflect her constant quest for an ever deeper union with God, a union of divine and human love that is shown in her life by her great compassion for others as seen in her tireless devotion to her many medical patients. She knew that in order to best serve others she must first serve and love God with all her heart, and thus her life and writings reveal the combination of a deep spiritual and practical approach to the meaning of love as seen in these wonderful, uplifting reflections that echo the inmost mystery of Christianity.</DIV>

Lumina and New Lumina

Spiritual Growth

<DIV>In 1521 Ignatius of Loyola decided to change his life, and he became a pilgrim, setting out for Jerusalem. Ignatius the pilgrim lived radically: traveling on foot, seeking reconciliation, and striving for interior transformation through a deep encounter with God. Through this book modern pilgrims can follow his example and the route he took to Manresa, Spain, near Barcelona.The route began in the castle of the Loyola family, where young Ignatius, the wounded soldier, was recovering from injuries received in battle. &#160;His body was broken, but his heart was ardent as he longed to recuperate and to rebuild his life. What should he do with himself? What is the true path to happiness? Should he pursue a career in the king's court or follow some other course? These were the questions Ignatius was asking himself. He was experiencing a sixteenth-century identity crisis, which was in many ways like the twenty-first-century version.This book is a guide to Ignatius' experiences of conversion, healing, and freedom. It includes accounts by various people who have taken the Ignatian Way and offers guidance for planning and embarking on a similar pilgrimage, with some help from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. Anyone can use this book to create his own way, even without leaving home, for as Ignatius says, the fundamental goal of the pilgrim is to come into contact with his inner source of light and happiness&mdash;God the Creator.</DIV>

On the Ignatian Way: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

<DIV>Kreeft considers all the fundamental elements of Christianity and Catholicism, explaining, defending and showing their relevance to our life and the world's yearnings. Here is a book to help you understand your faith more fully and to explain it to others more winningly. Like every religion, this faith has three aspects, corresponding to the three parts of the soul and filling the innate needs of all three parts. Kreeft uses these three divisions as the basic outline for his Christian apologetics. First, every religion has some beliefs, whether expressed in creeds or not, something for the intellect to know. Second, every religion has some duty or deed, some practice of program, some moral or ethical code, something for the will to choose. Finally, every religion has some liturgy, some worship, some "church", something for the body and the concrete imagination and the aesthetic sense to work at. Creed, Code and Cult; Words, Works and Worship, are a most useful way of outlining any religious faith, including the Catholic Faith of Christians. "These essays were written for Catholics by a Catholic. But I believe that nearly everything I say here will be found by the orthodox Biblical Protestant reader to be his faith as well: That solid and substantial core that C.S. Lewis called "mere Christianity" Peter Kreeft </DIV>

Fundamentals of the Faith: Essays in Christian Apologetics

Inspirational

Today's theological vocabulary word: "prolepsis." How Adam and Eve's sin caused entropy BEFORE they were even created and, more importantly, how Jesus redeemed the whole universe BEFORE he was born.

23: Before the Big Bang Was, “I AM” (Entropy, pt. 2)

Cardinal Ouellet explains what “synodality” is and what the risks and opportunities are for a synodal Church.
Get Your Copy of His Book “Word, Sacrament, Charism” here: <a href='https://ignatius.com/word-sacrament-charism-wscp/?searchid=2543554&amp;search_query=ouellet'>https://ignatius.com/word-sacrament-charism-wscp/?searchid=2543554&amp;search_query=ouellet</a>
 
Among Catholics, there has been a lot of talk about “synodality” and a “synodal Church” over the past few years. Pope Francis even called a synod on synodality. But what is synodality, and why is it important to the Church? Is it even relevant for Catholics in the pews? Does it undermine the Church’s mission or past teachings?
Today, Cardinal Ouellet joins Mark Brumley to explain what synodality is, why it is important, and what are its inherent risks and opportunities. We are grateful for the opportunity to speak with his Eminence because he was involved in the most recent synod on synodality as well as the four previous synods. He also worked with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis and served as the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops for ten years. Therefore, today’s episode and his recently released book “Word, Sacrament, Charism: The Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church” provide valuable insight into synodality and into the mind of the Church as she chooses to promote greater synodality.
 
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Cardinal Ouellet: Synodality Is Not What You Think It Is

<DIV>Hans Urs von Balthasar made detailed statements about his work on five occasions, mostly on the birthdays that marked the end of a decade of his life: as a young author in his "desire to lift out of the jumble of history the four or five figures which represent for me the constellation of my idea and my mission;" as publisher and writer, "out of concern for the reader" and in order to equip this reader with a guide to his own books. Then, in the midst of the transformations connected with the Council, he wrote an "Account" for himself and his readers, about what had been done, and what was still required.Finally, in a kind of pause, as one already looking toward the close of his life, he gave once again an account of what had been achieved and what could no longer be achieved, in a clear shift of emphasis away from his "authorship" in favor of the pastoral work in the communities which he had founded. This present volume is a helpful guide to his many-sided work.</DIV>

My Work: In Retrospect

What difference does divinization make if we still have to go to the DMV like everyone else?

67: Fine, We Share the Divine Nature—So What?

Preface

Guilt Show

The Beggar

The Waitress

Biker Guy

Letting Go of Someone I Never Knew

Right Place, Wrong Timing

The Pipe in the Pipe

The Box of Books

The VW Bug

Save Face on Facebook

The Bus Ride

Give 'Em Hell

Miracle Sinus-Headache Cure

St. Joseph to the Rescue

The Plane Ride

Caroline

A Narrow Escape

The Death Cookie

Suffer the Little Children

The Cheesecake

The Angry Wife

Short-Changed on the Foreign Exchange

The Lost Girl

The Roller Coaster

Teach Your Children Well

Gate B-32

The Mosque

An Embarrassing Case of Mistaken Sacramental Identity

<DIV>Popular author and presenter Patrick Madrid draws Life Lessons from the many interesting, funny, instructive, and poignant experiences of his life. With wisdom and good humor, Patrick reflects upon the treasure trove of riches we can all take from our daily lives.Grounded in Scripture and a firm moral foundation, Patrick's Life Lessons shows how the smallest stories that make up your life are clear pointers to the greater story of God's work in your life. The laughter, the tears, and the beauty of life come alive through Patrick's insightful and clear style. These life lessons will inspire you to look anew at your everyday experiences-and see the wonder of God.</DIV>