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Opening credits

Preface

The Place of Mariology in the Bible

The Marian Belief of the Church

The Primary Marian Dogma꞉ Virgin and Mother – The New Testament Texts

The Primary Marian Dogma꞉ Virgin and Mother – The Theological Meaning

Freedom from Adam’s Sin

The Bodily Assumption into Heavenly Glory

Closing credits

<DIV>Daughter Zion explores the biblical witness to the Church's Marian dogmas- Mary's role as Mother of God, her virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven. Cardinal Ratzinger examines how these beliefs are linked to the Churchs faith in Jesus Christ. Far from competing with the truth about Christ, the Churchs Marian beliefs uphold and underscore that truth. Marys role in salvation, according to Cardinal Ratzinger, was anticipated in the Old Testament. She was prefigured in Eve, the Mother of the Living; in the holy women of the Old Testament, such as Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, Esther, and Judith; and in the prophetic image of the daughter Zion. Cardinal Ratzinger also considers Marys place as the embodiment of created wisdom, who faithfully received the Uncreated Wisdom of the World of God in the Incarnation. Daughter Zion avoids the extremes of denying any biblical foundation for Marian doctrine on the one hand and fundamentalistic proof-texting on the other. Instead, the author beautifully and lucidly develops key biblical themes to help readers understand and appreciate the Mother of God.</DIV>

Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief

Discover

<DIV>A powerful, beautifully written novel of loss, finding and being found, set in a very traumatic time in European history--the Protestant Reformation. The turbulent sixteenth century saw the disintegration of medieval Christendom as it was split into sovereign states. This was particularly destructive in Tudor England, where rapid switches in government policy and religious persecution shattered the lives of many.Especially affected were the monks and nuns who were persecuted by the wholesale dissolution of the monasteries carried out under Henry VIII. One of these monks, Robert Fletcher, a Carthusian of the dismantled priory of Mount Grace in Yorkshire, is the hero of this novel.The story of this strong, vulnerable man is told in counterpoint with the story of one of the most interesting men in all of English history, Reginald Pole, a nobleman, scholar and theologian who was exiled to Italy for twenty years. He was a cardinal of the Church and a papal legate at the Council of Trent. As the archbishop of Canterbury, with his cousin Queen Mary Tudor, he tried, in too short a time, to renew Catholic England. This man, in the tragic last months of his life, becomes in the novel the friend of Robert Fletcher, condemned as a heretic.Readers will learn much from this novel of the anguished period that gave birth to Tridentine Catholicism, the Anglican Church, and other Protestant churches. This same period saw the martyrdom of Thomas More, Thomas Cranmer, John Fisher and many others. The profound issues raised in this novel, which contains no altered historical facts but more human truth than facts alone can deliver, have not gone away.</DIV>

The Time Before You Die: A Novel of the Reformation

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

Is beautiful sacred art a thing of the past? Is it impossible for contemporary artists to inspire the kind of reverence and devotion for sacred subjects that the artworks of great masters have done for centuries?
The Catholic Home Gallery is an answer to these questions—a collection of eighteen artworks by contemporary artists that embody the richness of the Catholic artistic tradition with fresh creativity and insight. Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs, one of the nine artists featured in the book and our guest for this episode, is passionate in her belief that not only is it possible to regain the wisdom and skills of previous centuries of sacred artists—many of which have been lost or sorely neglected in recent times—but that there is an urgent need to do so in the Church today.
In her conversation with host Andrew Petiprin, Thompson-Briggs discusses why sacred art should not be considered a luxury item or reserved only for a privileged elite, but should rather be incorporated into the spiritual formation and life of every Christian. She also talks about her own work as an artist, the importance of bringing sacred art into the home, and some of the other artists working today whose work she admires.
<ul><li><a href='https://ignatius.com/catholic-home-gallery-chgx/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=Catholic+Home+Gallery&amp;utm_id=Catholic+Home+Gallery'>The Catholic Home Gallery: Eighteen Works of Art by Contemporary Catholic Artists</a></li>
<li>Explore <a href='https://gwyneththompsonbriggs.com/'>the art of Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs</a></li>
<li><a href='https://catholicartistsdirectory.com/'>Catholic Artists Directory</a></li>
</ul>

Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs on reclaiming sacred art

<DIV>A Harvard graduate, Rhodes Scholar, and devout Catholic tells you everything you need to know about keeping your faith at a modern university. Drawing on her recent experience, Aurora Griffin shares forty practical tips relating to academics, community, prayer, and service that helped her stay Catholic in college.She reminds us that keeping the faith is a conscious decision, reinforced by commitment to daily practices. Aurora’s story illustrates that when you decide your faith matters to you, no one can take it away, even in the most secular environments and under strong peer pressure. Throughout the book, she shows how being Catholic in college did not prevent her from having a full “college experience,” but actually enabled her to make the most of her time at Harvard.Aurora encourages students who are about to begin this formative journey, or those now in college, that the most valuable parts of college life -- lasting friendships, intellectual growth, and cherished memories -- are experienced in a more meaningful way when lived in and through the Catholic faith.</DIV>

How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard: 40 Tips for Faithful College Students

A surprise box office hit in movie theaters, this powerful film from Spain presents the compelling testimonies of five men and women with unique stories of how their lives were completely transformed by experiencing the True Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The DVD includes the same bonus extra shown in theaters, &ldquo;A Conversation About the Power of the Eucharist,&rdquo; featuring Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Sister Nancy Usselmann, FSP, Fr. Julian Harris, and Fr. Alex Vargas.
Language: Spanish with English subtitles.

Alive: The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist (English Subtitles)

<DIV>That we might find support in the faith and overcome the present temptation to apostasy, schism, and resignation, but at the same time not succumb to the danger of overestimating ourselves and relying on our own activity instead of on grace&mdash;that is the goal of the present book. &ndash;from the Introduction"You shall know the truth," Jesus said, "and the truth will make you free" (Jn 8:32). Such is the liberating power of truth. In this book, Gerhard Cardinal M&uuml;ller, former head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, unabashedly defends the truth of salvation taught by Christ and the Roman Catholic Church. He discusses how Catholic teaching addresses present-day crises in the Church and in the world.This book also includes the cardinal's recently released Manifesto of Faith. Relying heavily on The Catechism of the Catholic Church, it clarifies certain Church doctrines that have lately seemed to be in doubt.</DIV>

The Power of Truth: The Challenges to Catholic Doctrine and Morals Today

<DIV>The third volume of Father Baker's study Fundamentals of Catholicism explores Grace and Sin, the institutional aspect of the Church, the Sacraments and their power and importance in our daily lives, and the Church's teachings about Death, Judgement, and Eternal Life. Clear and direct, this book presents doctrine in an approachable way for readers who are seeking to strengthen their practice and knowledge of the Faith.</DIV>

Fundamentals of Catholicism: Grace, The Church, The Sacraments, Eschatology

<DIV>From May to October, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times to three shepherd children in the tiny village of Fatima, Portugal. What started as a private matter was soon known all over town, throughout the country, and around the world. These apparitions are fascinating, and have gripped the imagination of people all over the world, from simple believers to academic theologians; from skeptics to the curious; from scientists to popes.Fatima: 100 Questions and Answers on the Marian Apparitions utilizes a question-and-answer format to explore the context of these apparitions, why they were so engrossing at the time, what they have meant to the Church and the world in the century since they happened, and why the requests of Our Lady are so important today.Questions include:<ul><li>Who were these children? Why would Mary appear to them?</li><li>What were the so-called &ldquo;Secrets of Fatima&rdquo;?</li><li>What really happened during the Miracle of the Sun?</li><li>In what ways were the children persecuted by the powerful Freemasons in the Portuguese government?</li><li>Did the children see a vision that predicted the attempted assassination of St. John Paul II?</li><li>And many more.</li></ul>The major new feature film, Fatima, tells the story of these apparitions in a narrative and with a limited amount of screen time. As a companion to the film, this book offers the reader greater context and answers many of the questions that the viewer may have about this amazing story.</DIV>

Fatima: 100 Questions and Answers about the Marian Apparitions

<DIV>The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Reformation, and the Renaissance popes conjure in the imagination a corrupt Roman Catholic clergy hungry for wealth and power. In this insightful, well researched work, the Vatican's chief historian, Fr. Walter Brandmuller, takes a thoughtful and understanding look at these and other important chapters in Church history. Without denying, or flinching at, the human capacity for folly, failure, and evil, Brandmuller moves beyond the caricatures and legends that often substitute for real history to reveal a Church, both human and divine, fulfilling its mission in every time and place. His goal is not to whitewash any of these past events or issues, but rather to illuminate them, and bring to them a more in-depth, comprehensive historical understanding on the basis of their causes, circumstances and effects. "Now let us take into consideration Church history from the theological viewpoint, highlighting another important aspect. Its essential duty, in fact, turns out to be the complex mission to investigate and clarify that process of reception and transmission, of paralépsis and of parÀdosis, through which was substantiated, in the course of the ages, the Church's raison d'être. Indeed, it is beyond a doubt that the Church can draw inspiration for her choices by drawing on her centuries-old treasury of experience and memory." -Pope Benedict VXI, Address to the members of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, March 7, 2008. </DIV>

Light and Shadows: Defending Church History Amid Faith, Facts and Legends

Originally commissioned by Exodus 90, the pioneering men’s app, these brief but stirring reflections by acclaimed writer Joseph Pearce show how great literature—including poetry—can help every Catholic man striving for virtue and holiness.&#160;Drawing on luminaries such as Homer, Dante, St. John Henry Newman, Chesterton, Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis, Pearce shows that literature, far from being a dead relic of the past, tackles crucial questions which are directly relevant to modern men. Among the many great books he reflects on for the benefit&#160;of men include The Odyssey, The Aeneid, Beowulf, The Divine Comedy, Hamlet, Brideshead Revisited, The Hobbit, Chronicles of Narnia, The Ball and Cross. Some of the classic works&#160;of poetry he comments on for men's inspiration include The Hound of Heaven, God's Grandeur, Twelfth&#160;Night, The Tiger and If.What does Shakespeare say about the dangers of lust? How does God pursue the sinner like a “Hound of Heaven”? What does it mean to be soldiers of Christ on active duty in the Church Militant? What sort of men do we want our sons to become? What does a great poet-saint teach us about the power of the sign of the cross to exorcise demons? How can we nurture a faith which is fearless?&#160;In a culture that fosters toxic masculinity on the one hand and effeminacy on the other, the literary giants of the past offer an inspiring alternative vision of true manhood, one that Catholic men are called to embrace as they “work out [their] salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12).

Great Books for Good Men: Reflections on Literature and Manhood

How can the historical critical method enhance our understanding of Scripture without detracting from it? Find out in this episode!

93: The Historical Critical Method

Ahead of the FATIMA movie release on August 28, 2020, we interviewed Paul Senz, author of "Fatima: 100 Questions and Answers on the Marian Apparitions", a companion to the film.
Book: <a href='https://www.ignatius.com/Fatima-P3661.aspx'>https://www.ignatius.com/Fatima-P3661.aspx </a>
Movie: <a href='https://www.fatimathemovie.com/'>https://www.fatimathemovie.com/ </a>
From May to October, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times to three shepherd children in the tiny village of Fatima, Portugal. What started as a private matter was soon known all over town, throughout the country, and around the world. These apparitions are fascinating, and have gripped the imagination of people all over the world, from simple believers to academic theologians; from skeptics to the curious; from scientists to popes.
Fatima: 100 Questions and Answers on the Marian Apparitions utilizes a question-and-answer format to explore the context of these apparitions, why they were so engrossing at the time, what they have meant to the Church and the world in the century since they happened, and why the requests of Our Lady are so important today.
Questions include:
<ul><li>Who were these children?</li>
<li>Why would Mary appear to them?</li>
<li>What were the so-called “Secrets of Fatima”?</li>
<li>What really happened during the Miracle of the Sun?</li>
<li>In what ways were the children persecuted by the powerful Freemasons in the Portuguese government?</li>
<li>Did the children see a vision that predicted the attempted assassination of St. John Paul II?</li>
<li>And many more.</li>
</ul>
The major new feature film, Fatima, tells the story of these apparitions in a narrative and with a limited amount of screen time. As a companion to the film, this book offers the reader greater context and answers many of the questions that the viewer may have about this amazing story.

Author Interview with Paul Senz on his book, ”Fatima”

Michael O'Brien's Novels Are Becoming MOVIES
Join us and Donate at: https://officialthelighthouse.com/support/
 
The Lighthouse is one of Michael O'Brien’s most well-known novels and it is now in development for becoming a movie. Join us today for an extra special podcast as Ben Eriksen talks with Charlie Goodwin (executive producer) and Eric Groth (producer) about this upcoming film. They discuss their vision of this movie and how they plan to be both good stewards of Michael's novels and of donor’s money by producing a quality film that reaches far into the secular culture.
 
The Lighthouse Movie Website: https://officialthelighthouse.com/
 
You Can Get Your Copy of "The Lighthouse" here: <a href='https://ignatius.com/the-lighthouse-lthh/?_gl=1*13r6g2i*_gcl_au*MjQ2MjkwMjQ4LjE3NTAzNjM4OTA.*_ga*MTU3MzE1MDQxOC4xNzUwMzYzODkw*_ga_RYK15GBDJ9*czE3NTAzOTYwNDEkbzMkZzEkdDE3NTAzOTYwNDckajU0JGwwJGgw'>https://ignatius.com/the-lighthouse-lthh/?_gl=1*13r6g2i*_gcl_au*MjQ2MjkwMjQ4LjE3NTAzNjM4OTA.*_ga*MTU3MzE1MDQxOC4xNzUwMzYzODkw*_ga_RYK15GBDJ9*czE3NTAzOTYwNDEkbzMkZzEkdDE3NTAzOTYwNDckajU0JGwwJGgw</a>
 
Hear Michael O'Brien in his own words here: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpT6P15kwrU&amp;t=45s'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpT6P15kwrU&amp;t=45s</a>
 
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Michael O'Brien's Novels Are Finally Becoming Movies

<DIV>Here is the long-awaited sequel to Rod Bennett''s Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words, a page-turning spiritual adventure following the lives and words of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons. Four More Witnesses invites readers to enter again the world of the early, influential Christian writers, this time meeting Hermas, Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, and Origen.What did these witnesses have to say on the necessity of baptism? What did they think of "eternal security" and confessions to Church elders? What about Mary and her role in salvation history? Christian writers addressed all of these questions, and many more, in the decades following the Apostles&mdash;an era when even the Creed was still a work in progress.Like Four Witnesses, Four More Witnesses is a moving chronicle of the Christian Church in the flower of her youth.</DIV>

Four More Witnesses: Further Testimony from Christians Before Constantine

Continuing with his connected thoughts on artificial intelligence, Fr. Fessio explains how a computer that stores A.I. is like a library that knows nothing.

105: Computers Do NOT Know ANYTHING

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

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter 1꞉ The First Real Miracle

Chapter 2꞉ Life and Death

Chapter 3꞉ The Circle of Life

Chapter 4꞉ A House, a School, and Parking

Chapter 5꞉ What Do You Mean You Can't See It?

Chapter 6꞉ Fear

Chapter 7꞉ Meet the Enemy, but Not Alone

Chapter 8꞉ Life Becomes Tougher

Chapter 9꞉ Choosing Life

Chapter 10꞉ Healing and Suffering

Chapter 11꞉ If You Could Wish for Anything

Chapter 12꞉ Boys' Night, a Birthday, and a Boat

Chapter 13꞉ A Seed is Buried

Chapter 14꞉ Going into the Deep

Chapter 15꞉ Letting Go

Chapter 16꞉ To Share the Cross

Chapter 17꞉ When Light Fades

Chapter 18꞉ Angels among Us

Chapter 19꞉ Time to Take Another Chance

Chapter 20꞉ Love Made Perfect

Chapter 21꞉ Don't Know How This Will Work, Part 1

Chapter 22꞉ Don't Know How This Will Work, Part 2

Chapter 23꞉ Risk, Purpose, and Meaning

Chapter 24꞉ Remember, Life Is But a Whisper

Chapter 25꞉ Pay Attention

Chapter 26꞉ Pay Attention - Again! 

Chapter 27꞉ A Tragic Loss

Chapter 28꞉ Crowning Glory

Chapter 29꞉ Ben Tackles High School

Chapter 30꞉ On a Mission from God

Chapter 31꞉ Big Changes

Chapter 32꞉ Warrior Angel

Chapter 33꞉ Ben and Mary, Again

Chapter 34꞉ Alison and Lily

Chapter 35꞉ Ben Gets a Job

Chapter 36꞉ Defying Gravity

Chapter 37꞉ Nearing the End, but Not Really

Chapter 38꞉ Lori

Chapter 39꞉ A Knock at the Door

Chapter 40꞉ Focused on the Prize

This moving story shows how a family found joy after their hopes and dreams were shattered by the rare, fatal neurological illness of their two sons. Told by the family's father, a popular Catholic radio host and marriage counselor, it recounts the way he and his wife received the courage and the support they needed to give their children abundant, fulfilling lives in spite of their gradual decline.What initially seemed to be a tragedy for Joe Sikorra’s family became a story of human triumph, an outcome made possible by the compassion and mercy of God. Their example can help those facing unexpected losses and challenges to believe that by placing their trust in Providence they too can overcome hardships with the most powerful force on earth—God's love.

Defying Gravity: How Choosing Joy Lifted My Family from Death to Life

Abortion is a scourge on our world, perpetuated by a skewed understanding of love and freedom. The result has been over 62 million lives lost in the United States alone since 1973. Each of these lives is an untold story.It is time for them to speak. In Life to the Full, Abby Johnson and Tyler Rowley have collected twenty-three harrowing personal accounts that demonstrate the evil of abortion and, more crucially, the power of life.In the midst of the fight against the culture of death, it is love, mercy, and miracles that serve as our oxygen, keeping so many determined to bring abortion to an end. The best method of winning hearts is the telling of stories&mdash;true stories. Life to the Full shares lived human experiences in order to breathe new life into the abortion fight and raise up a next generation of men and women committed to protecting the unborn.&quot;This is the book I want supporters of legal abortion to read,&quot; writes editor Abby Johnson. &quot;Page after page will reveal the certainty that it is never okay to kill an innocent human being, and that in order for our nation to know peace, there must be peace in the womb.&quot; This book will inspire those already committed to the cause of life, and make abortion advocates second-guess their convictions.

Life to the Full: True Stories That Reveal the Dignity of Every Human Life

<DIV>After meditating on the Apostles and then on the Fathers of the early Church, as seen in his earlier works Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers, Pope Benedict XVI devoted his attention to the most influential Christian men from the fifth through the twelfth centuries. In his first book, Church Fathers, Benedict began with Clement of Rome and ended with Saint Augustine. In this volume, the Holy Father reflects on some of the greatest theologians of the Middle Ages: Benedict, Anselm, Bernard, and Gregory the Great, to name just a few. By exploring both the lives and the ideas of the great popes, abbots, scholars and missionaries who lived during the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christendom, Pope Benedict XVI highlights the key elements of Catholic dogma and practice that remain the foundation stones not only of the Roman Catholic Church but of Christian society itself. This book is a wonderful way to get to know these later Church Fathers and Teachers and the tremendous spiritually rich patrimony they have bequeathed to us. &#34;Without this vital sap, man is exposed to the danger of succumbing to the ancient temptation of seeking to redeem himself by himself.&#34; - Pope Benedict XVI</DIV>

Church Fathers and Teachers: From Leo The Great to Peter Lombard

<DIV>While shaping the history of the Church and the world, Pope John Paul II lived his daily life among individuals who knew him closely as a spiritual father, a colleague, and a friend. They both served and were served by the most influential saint of the twentieth century.Polish journalist Wlodzimierz Redzioch, a longtime employee of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, interviewed almost two dozen men and women for this book. Among them are lifelong friends who knew the pope (as Karol Wojtyla) in Kraków and people who cared for him during his pontificate, such as his physician and his secretary. Also here recalling their memories of the pope are some of those who worked beside him inside the Vatican—a papal photographer, a papal spokesman, and curial officials, including the German cardinal who became his successor, Joseph Ratzinger.All of those interviewed tell remarkable stories about Pope John Paul II—beginning with his courageous witness in Communist Poland and his important participation in the Second Vatican Council, continuing through his election to the papacy and the challenges of his pontificate, and ending with the sufferings of his final years. The process of his beatification and canonization is also discussed.Through these previously unpublished stories and anecdotes, a composite portrait emerges of a prayerful and thoughtful man with heroic faith, hope, and charity. Capable of discussing, listening, and delegating, John Paul II was also a decisive leader who unabashedly defended the Catholic faith. With his natural flair for friendship and his gifts of joy and humor, he had a tremendous impact on the world because he deeply touched the hearts of countless people everywhere.</DIV>

Stories about Saint John Paul II: Told by His Close Friends and Co-Workers

The Catholic Church is on the verge of a transition of great consequence.
 


As a Catholic theologian, historian, and papal biographer George Weigel notes, the next pope will probably have been a teenager or a very young man during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965); he may even have been a child during those years. Thus the next pope will not have been shaped by the experience of the Council and the immediate debates over its meaning and reception like Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. The next pope, Weigel writes, "will be a transitional figure in a different way than his immediate predecessors. So it seems appropriate to ponder now what the Church has learned during the pontificates of these three conciliar popes—and to suggest what the next pope might take from that learning."
 


Drawing on his personal discussions with John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, as well as his decades of experience with Catholics from every continent, George Weigel examines the major challenges confronting the Catholic Church and its 1.3 billion believers in the twenty-first century: challenges the next pontificate must address as the Church enters new, uncharted territory. To what is the Holy Spirit calling this Church-in-transition? What are the qualities needed in the man who will lead the Church from the Chair of Saint Peter?
 


Taking lessons from the pontificates of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, George Weigel proposes what the Catholic leaders of the future, especially the next pope, must do to remain faithful to the Holy Spirit’s summons to a renewed evangelical witness, intensified missionary fervor, and Christ-centered reform in the wake of grave institutional failures, mission confusion, counter-witness, and the secularist challenge to biblical faith
 


<a href='https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ignatius.com%2FThe-Next-Pope-P3645.aspx%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3Iy1EsutNRoxGPanxWELaiyW_Dios_Hk4IWkr2_3NJlo2URQ0CQoLTP34&h=AT21Z6TJ0Vxn1kLYj8JIQn8-7EM--kjaaFVv7-moGTnysAk52Xb9F6AfF5ccApA0-fQcmuAWrI9svLL78V5RKYH5i-xVIdZcYUDOtrVPvd6aLLGqssbZakXmVwW8Gbj88in-pzS8Sj_6BOnZBqvFM1E--g&__tn__=-UK-R'>https://www.ignatius.com/The-Next-Pope-P3645.aspx</a>

Interview with George Weigel, author of "The Next Pope"

<DIV>Learn more about Redeemed by Grace . At age eight, Ramona Treviño climbed to the top of a roof and begged God to let her know he was real. After receiving a sign, she made a pact with herself to follow him always. But family difficulties and growing pains made it hard for her to continue on that path. Pregnant at 16, she dropped out of high school and entered an abusive marriage, which ended in divorce. Wanting to make a difference and to help girls in similar tough situations, she accepted a job as the manager of a Planned Parenthood facility in Sherman, Texas. Over time, however, Ramona began to grapple with whether she was doing women more harm than good, setting her on a path to seek the truth, no matter where it might lead. Realizing she could no longer refer women for abortions or provide them with false assurances of risk-free sex, Ramona took a leap of faith and left the financial security of her job. Her ultimate conversion involved a full return to the Catholic faith of her childhood and a new role as a pro-life advocate and speaker. This compelling story tells of Ramonaಙs struggle to reconcile her identity as a daughter of God with a world that sends conflicting messages concerning the source of our dignity and happiness. It is the honest and heartfelt account of a woman who, with the help of grace, strove to overcome the wounds of her own past while becoming an agent of healing for others.</DIV>

Redeemed by Grace: A Catholic Woman's Journey to Planned Parenthood and Back

<DIV>The beginning of a specifically Anglican liturgy and culture within the Roman Catholic Church was established in the United Sates by Pope John Paul II. Since then, Anglican Use parishes have been worshipping in a distinctively Anglican style within several American dioceses. Thanks to Pope Benedict XVI, these communities are now able to form into personal ordinariates led by bishops who were previously Anglican clergy. As a result, even more Anglicans seeking full communion with Rome can find a home within the Catholic Church. The twelve essays in this book discuss the reasons Anglicans have sought reconciliation with the Holy See, while retaining elements of their own liturgy and traditions. They explore the history and scope of Pope John Paul II's Pastoral Provision and Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Constitution and examine the needs of the new ordinariates if they are to flourish. Also considered are the changes to the Roman liturgy since the Second Vatican Council and the specific patrimony that Anglicans bring to Catholic worship. Many of these essays have been written by erstwhile Anglican clergymen who have been ordained into the Catholic priesthood (and one into the episcopate). A few are by Catholic experts on this topic. There is also a contribution from a woman who had been an ordained Episcopal priest before becoming a Catholic. Here is a wealth of information for anyone interested in the Anglican communities within the Catholic Church, the "reform of the reform" of the Roman liturgy or the testimonies of Anglicans who have become Roman Catholics.</DIV>

Anglicans and the Roman Catholic Church: Reflections on Recent Developments

<DIV>"When I swung over that windowsill, everything changed for me. We are meant to go in and out of doors in civilized style, but my mother bade me climb into woodsy wildness and a darkness flushed with crimson light and torches &hellip;"&#160;Clambering into the branches of a tree, a young woman flees flaming arrows and massacre. She will need to struggle for survival: to scour the wilderness for shelter, to strive and seek for a new family and a setting where she can belong. Her unmarked way is costly and hard.For Charis, the world outside the window of home is a maze of hazards. And even if she survives the wilds, it is no simple matter to discover and nest among her own kind&mdash;the godly, those called Puritans by others. She may be tugged by her desires for companionship, may even stumble into an intense love for a man, and may be made to try the strength of female heroism in ways no longer familiar to women in our century.&#160;Streams of darkness run through the seventeenth-century villages of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Occult fears have a way of creeping into the mind. What young woman can be safe from the dangers of wilderness when its shadowy thickets spring up so easily in the soil of human hearts?&#160;Much will oppose Charis' longings for renewal and peace; she must pursue and discover the hero's path to a larger, more vivid life.&#160;&#160;</DIV>

Charis in the World of Wonders: A Novel Set in Puritan New England

Fr. Fessio explains one of the fruits of his morning reflection on the simplicity of God. Father’s analogies are very helpful for understanding how an omniscient and omnipotent God can also be simple.

114: Explaining the Simplicity of God

Fr. Fessio describes the second dimension of the Mass—the cosmic dimension. Fr. Fessio explains how Christ is the center of this dimension.

132. The Cosmic Dimension of the Mass

<DIV>Best-selling author Peter Kreeft presents a series of brilliant essays about many of the issues that increasingly divide our Western civilization and culture. He states that "these essays are not new proposals or solutions to today's problems. They are old. They have been tried, and have worked. They have made people happy and good. That is what makes them so radical and so unusual today. The most uncommon thing today is common sense."Kreeft says that one thing we can all do to help save our culture is to gather wisdom as data to preserve and remember, like the monks in the Dark Ages. Data is important and necessary; they are the premises for our conclusions. He presents relevant, philosophical data that can guide us, divided into 7 categories: epistemological, theological, metaphysical, anthropological, ethical, political, and historical. He then explores these categories with classic Kreeft insights, presenting 40 pithy points on how we can implement the data from these categories to help save civilization &ndash; and more importantly, save souls.He emphasizes the single most necessary thing we can do to save our civilization is to have children. If you don't have children your civilization will cease to exist. Before you can be good or evil, you must exist. Having children is heroic because it demands sacrificial love and commitment. Cherishing children is the single most generous and unselfish act that a society can perform for itself.He discusses the "unmentionable elephant in the room". It's sex. Religious liberty is being attacked in the name of "sexual liberty". Our culture war today is fundamentally about abortion, and abortion is about sex. Today we hear astonishing, selfish reasons people give to justify not having children, or killing children through abortion. So let's fight our culture war, which is truly a holy war, with joy and confidence. And with the one weapon that will infallibly win the future: children.</DIV>

How to Destroy Western Civilization and Other Ideas from the Cultural Abyss

<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

In a society that often claims to value the voices of the marginalized, one group that find themselves frequently silenced by the very people claiming to speak for them are detransitioners—men and women who have gone down the road of “gender transition,” only to change their minds, embrace their biological sex, and reverse course.
In this episode, Andrew Petiprin speaks with Jennifer Lahl, a nurse and documentary maker who works to amplify the voices of those who have been harmed by gender ideology. Together with Kallie Fell, Lahl has written the new book <a href='https://ignatius.com/the-detransition-diaries-ddp/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=Detransition+Diaries&amp;utm_id=Detransition+Diaries'>The Detransition Diaries</a>, which tells the stories of five women and two men who have reclaimed their identities after dangerous journeys through hormone therapies, surgeries, and other treatments aimed at changing their biological sex.
Find The Detransition Diaries at <a href='https://ignatius.com/the-detransition-diaries-ddp/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=Detransition+Diaries&amp;utm_id=Detransition+Diaries'>Ignatius.com</a>.
Follow Jennifer Lahl on X: <a href='https://twitter.com/JenniferLahl'>@JenniferLahl</a>
Follow Kallie Fell on X: <a href='https://twitter.com/kal_fell'>@kal_fell</a>

Jennifer Lahl on the untold stories of detransitioners

<DIV> You Crown the Year with Your Goodness is a remarkable work, containing timely and timeless homilies for the liturgical year by a profound spiritual writer. Originally broadcast on the radio, the homilies in this volume span decades and represent some of the best of Father Hans Urs von Balthasarಙs preaching. They are arranged to correspond with the Churchಙs liturgical calendar, and include homilies on major feast days of Christ, his Mother, and the liturgical seasons. Each homily makes for insightful, informative, and inspirational spiritual reading, deepening the readerಙs appreciation for the Word of God and helping him to enter into the great Mystery of God. Also included are Father von Balthasarಙs Yearಙs End Examination of Conscience and four talks on Jesus Christ, that address contemporary debates about the Lord. This work is a feast for the heart and the mind presented by a man described by Pope Benedict as ಜa priest who, in obedience and in a hidden life, never sought personal approval, but rather in a true Ignatian spirit always desired the greater glory of Godಝ. Father Hans Urs von Balthasar (19051988), a Swiss theologian, was one of the most important Catholic thinkers and writers of the twentieth century. His many works address theology, literature, philosophy, and spirituality. Included among his books are his multi-volume works The Glory of the Lord, Theo-Drama, and Theo-Logic, as well as such works as Love Alone is Credible, Prayer, and Heart of the World. Highly regarded by Pope John Paul II, Father von Balthasar was named a cardinal of the Catholic Church but he died shortly before being received into the sacred college. </DIV>

You Crown the Year with Your Goodness: Sermons Throughout the Liturgical Year

We will be measured not by our human achievements, but by our love. Fr. Fessio explains how we can be great in the kingdom of God.

123: The Greatest in the Kingdom of God

Jesus said that "not one jot or tittle" of the Law would change. . . Am I sinning by trimming by beard?

69: What Happened to the Old Hebrew Law?

Oftentimes, we think our identity is something we create, but in today’s episode Fr. Gregory Pine shows us that our identity is found in Christ, present in the Eucharist.
 
Get Your Copy of his “Your Eucharistic Identity” here: <a href='https://ignatius.com/your-eucharistic-identity-yeip/'>https://ignatius.com/your-eucharistic-identity-yeip/</a>
 
Fr. Gregory Pine is a well-known priest, Dominican, philosopher, and YouTuber, and today we are so grateful to introduce his new book, “Your Eucharistic Identity.” Andrew Petiprin joins Fr. Pine to discuss what it means to find our identity in the Eucharist. They reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist and even its “weirdness” to the extent that a real substantial change is brought about without any visible change. Fr. Pine articulates a proper understanding of transubstantiation and clarifies how we find our uniqueness and belonging in the Body of Christ.
 
If you want to deepen your understanding and love for the Eucharist, then this is the episode for you!
 
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Music from Pexels, Gregor Quendel. <a href='https://www.classicals.de/legal'>https://www.classicals.de/legal</a>

Fr. Gregory Pine: How the Eucharist Changes Your Identity

<DIV>The Fathers of the Church, deeply-rooted in the Scriptures, have left us a rich treasure as inheritance, not only of texts, but also of manners, forms and gestures of prayer. Today, western Christianity in a special way, needs to rediscover the intimate union which must existin prayer just as in any aspect of Christian lifebetween theory and practice, between contemplation and practical exercise. One learns how to pray by praying, and the whole of our being is called to participate in this work: the mind, the heart, but also the body, the gaze, the senses. Fr. Gabriel Bunge, a hermit with great spiritual discernment and profound knowledge of the Fathers of the desert, presents with masterly coherence this important unity between what one believes and what one expresses in the practice of prayer: a fascinating rediscovery of the valuable treasure contained in the teachings of the Church Fathers on the practice of personal prayer. </DIV>

Earthen Vessels: The Practice of Personal Prayer According to the Holy Fathers

<DIV>In response to Benedict XVI's first encyclical, the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies and Marriage and Family reflects, together with the Holy Father, on love. From the very beginning, the fundamental work of the Institute has been pursuing a deeper understanding of God's plan for marriage and family. In these twenty-five years various generations of students and professors, following the legacy of John Paul II, have been able to discover and communicate the beauty of the vocation for which all men have been created: the call to love. Twenty-six professors from the Institute's various sessions express what in their understanding are the main themes of the document, approaching the topics raised by the Holy Father with different theological and philosophical perspectives; by so doing they have highlighted the significance and fecundity of the lines of thought suggested by the Pope. This book is offered as a path towards a fuller understanding of the profundity and richness of the love with which God fills us and wants us to communicate in our turn.</DIV>

The Way of Love: Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est

<DIV>The Catholic Church is the longest-enduring institution in the world. Beginning with the first Christians and continuing in our present day, the Church has been planted in every nation on earth. The Catholic Church claims Jesus Christ himself as her founder, and in spite of heresy from within and hostility from without, she remains in the twenty-first century the steadfast guardian of belief in his life, death, and resurrection. The teachings and redemptive works of Jesus as told in the Gospels are expressed by the Church in a coherent and consistent body of doctrine, the likes of which cannot be found in any other Christian body.The history of the Catholic Church is long, complicated, and fascinating, and in this book it is expertly and ably told by historian James Hitchcock. As in the parable of Christ about the weeds that were sown in a field of wheat, evil and good have grown together in the Church from the start, as Hitchcock honestly records. He brings before us the many characters-some noble, some notorious-who have left an indelible mark on the Church, while never losing sight of the saints, who have given living testimony to the salvific power of Christ in every age.This ambitious work is comprehensive in its scope and in incisive in its understanding, a valuable addition to any school or home library.</DIV>

History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennium

<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

This powerful film, inspiring audiobook, and encouraging eBook are among our all-time favorites. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;ve decided to give them to you completely free this month! Please sign in or create your free account to access this content for free through December 31, 2025.
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Free Catholic Classics

<DIV>The twenty-three men and women who tell their conversion stories in these pages were not drawn to the Church by sound evangelization programs, beautiful buildings and liturgies, or saintly witnesses among the clergy. On the contrary, many of them were attracted to Catholicism in spite of a now decades-long stretch of deficient catechesis, mediocre Masses, and uninspiring leadership. Christ himself led these souls to his Church, concludes editor Donna Steichen, who compiled this consoling collection, and it is the Lord who set them to work replanting his devastated vineyard."Despite their marked differences in origin, education, and field of service," writes Steichen, "each one makes it clear that it is Christ who did the choosing. They testify that Christ touched their hearts and intervened in their lives in unexpected, sometimes even miraculous, ways." </DIV>

Chosen: How Christ Sent Twenty-three Surprised Converts to Replant His Vineyard

<DIV>The writings of the Fathers of the Church have never been more widely available, yet obtaining an exhaustive and user-friendly volume of patristics can still be a daunting task. Without realizing it, many priests, seminarians, members of religious communities, and even laity already own a patristic library-their Liturgy of the Hours.In the four volumes of the Liturgy of the Hours, the official daily prayer of the Catholic Church, there are nearly 600 selections from the writings of Fathers and saints. Seeing the potential of this vast collection as a theological resource, Milton Walsh has organized these selections by topics according to the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This topical concordance allows the reader to compare what the various authors have written on the same themes, while a chronological timeline of the readings shows their relationship to each other in time.Walsh has also provided background on the liturgical celebrations of the Church, as well as historical information on each author. In addition, there is a chapter on how patristic readings can assist in understanding the Bible.This fresh and original presentation of material that is literally at the fingertips of anyone praying the Liturgy of the Hours can be a tremendous aid to both religious devotion and theological study.</DIV>

Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours

<DIV>This is a unique collection of ten of Chesterton's famous Father Brown stories which puts special emphasis on the role that Brown's Catholic faith played in helping him solve the murder mysteries. As Dorothy Sayers once wrote, Chesterton was "the first man of our time to introduce the great name of God into a detective story … to enlarge the boundaries of the detective story by making it deal with death and real wickedness and real, that is to say, divine judgment."This paperback Father Brown edition includes generous footnotes (not available in other editions) which help to clarify the literary and historical allusions made by Father Brown. It is based on the texts of the original editions by Chesterton for assurance of complete authenticity, and is set in easily readable type. These are excellent short detective yarns in the classic British tradition of Sherlock Holmes - puzzling concoctions of mysterious crimes, dubious suspects and ambiguous clues. They are among the very best of the Father Brown stories. </DIV>

Father Brown of the Church of Rome: Selected Mystery Stories

<DIV>This acclaimed commentary on Saint Teresa of Avila's classic work, Way of Perfection, discusses the various forms of Christian prayer, with an emphasis on Teresa's meditation on the Our Father. The author, a renowned expert on Carmelite spirituality, includes many quotations from Saint Teresa and Saint John of the Cross, which have been conformed to the most current authorized translations.Teresa of Avila reformed the Carmelite order in the sixteenth century. Seeing Teresa in deep prayer, her first companions asked her to teach them how to pray. The apostles made the same request of Jesus: "Teach us to pray." Jesus answered by teaching the Our Father. Teresa responded to her sisters by writing Way of Perfection, which contains an extended commentary upon the Lord's Prayer. As Jesus did in his Sermon on the Mount, Teresa, in her Way of Perfection, first teaches the necessary dispositions for prayer before teaching the different kinds of prayer.Named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970, Teresa united not only prayer and the apostolate, but contemplation and the apostolate, for contemplation is a particular kind of prayer that tends toward the most sublime intimacy with our Lord.</DIV>

The Way of Prayer: A Commentary on Saint Teresa's Way of Perfection

There are three dimensions to the Mass: the historical, the cosmic, and the personal. And in this episode, Fr. Fessio outlines the historical dimension of the Mass by examining the Old Testament and the life of Christ.
Get your copy of The Mass of Vatican II: https://ignatius.com/mass-of-vatican-ii-mv2p/?searchid=3424209&amp;search_query=the+mass+of+vatican+II

131. The Historical Dimension of the Mass

“What mothers do is the most foundational aspect to what the character of the next generation will be” (Hope Schneir). In this episode, Rose Trabbic talks to Hope Schneir the co-author of Soul Garden: A Catholic Mother’s Collective to talk about the joys and challenges of motherhood. They discuss dealing with burn out, management of technology in the home, and even some new recipes to share with their families.
Drawing from the contributors published in Soul Garden, Hope provides thoughtful tips and insights for all mothers. She hopes that this episode and her book will help her follow sisters in Christ as they nourish their family and grow closer to God.
Get your copy of the “Soul Garden” here: <a href='https://ignatius.com/soul-garden-sgp/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA88a5BhDPARIsAFj595jNYrKAu0_6r6KuYSbtrUDDw8ZjvBJwywDUNUV9Fx_E_sd8_5aUskMaAsVbEALw_wcB'>https://ignatius.com/soul-garden-sgp/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA88a5BhDPARIsAFj595jNYrKAu0_6r6KuYSbtrUDDw8ZjvBJwywDUNUV9Fx_E_sd8_5aUskMaAsVbEALw_wcB</a>

Hope Schneir: Nourishing Catholic Moms in the 21st Century

The Founding of the American Republic is on trial. Critics say it was a poison pill with a time-release formula; we are its victims. Its principles are responsible for the country's moral and social disintegration because they were based on the Enlightenment falsehood of radical individual autonomy.
In this well-researched book, Robert Reilly declares: not guilty. To prove his case, he traces the lineage of the ideas that made the United States, and its ordered liberty, possible. These concepts were extraordinary when they first burst upon the ancient world: the Judaic oneness of God, who creates ex nihilo and imprints his image on man; the Greek rational order of the world based upon the Reason behind it; and the Christian arrival of that Reason (Logos) incarnate in Christ. These may seem a long way from the American Founding, but Reilly argues that they are, in fact, its bedrock. Combined, they mandated the exercise of both freedom and reason. These concepts were further developed by thinkers in the Middle Ages, who formulated the basic principles of constitutional rule.
Why were they later rejected by those claiming the right to absolute rule, then reclaimed by the American Founders, only to be rejected again today? Reilly reveals the underlying drama: the conflict of might makes right versus right makes might. America's decline, he claims, is not to be discovered in the Founding principles, but in their disavowal.
https://www.ignatius.com/America-on-Trial-P3479.aspx

Interview with Robert Reilly on his book, ”America on Trial”

<DIV>This work is a winsome and beautifully written account of a modern spiritual journey. It tells the colorful and gripping story of one man's religious path from a fundamentalist Baptist childhood to an adolescence in emergent church spirituality. He moves on through hipster years as a house painter and a musician, then marries and enters a seminary in Wisconsin. After years of wearing a black cassock and preparing to be an Anglican priest, he boldly joins the Catholic Church.An Immovable Feast&#160;is a profound love story told with humor, wisdom, and bite. A fresh breeze blows through it as Tyler Blanski reminds us that the Catholic religion is not dead because it is not mortal. It is the festival of heaven on earth.</DIV>

An Immovable Feast: How I Gave Up Spirituality for a Life of Religious Abundance

Introductory Message

Chapter 1꞉ "The Very Worst Scandal of Our Times"

Chapter 2꞉ "Monstrous Doctrines and Prodigious Errors"

Chapter 3꞉ Media Matters

Chapter 4꞉ All in the Family?

Chapter 5꞉ A Case for Openness

Chapter 6꞉ The Church with Nothing to Hide

<DIV>Shaw, widely known Catholic writer, speaker and former communications director for the U S Bishops, discusses the abuse of secrecy in the Church, the scandals it has caused and the serious problem of mistrust that exists in the credibility of the Church. Not concerned with the legitimate secrecy that is necessary to protect confidentiality and people&#x2019;s reputations, Shaw is rather concerned here with the stifling, deadening misuse of secrecy that has done immense harm to communion and community in the Church in America. Shaw shows the secrecy issue is a theological as well as practical problem that raises such questions as: What kind of Church do we want our Church to be, open or closed? What kind of Church should it be? And how much secrecy is compatible with having such a Church? As Pope Benedict XVI has stated, &#x201C;The consequence is clear: we cannot communicate with the Lord if we do not communicate with one another.&#x201D; The Church is a communion, not a political democracy, and thus openness and accountability are even more crucial for the life of the Church than they are in a democracy. In a talk he gave many years before he became the current Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had this to say about the reality of ecclesial communion: &#x201C;Fellowship in the Body of Christ and receiving the Body of Christ means fellowship with one another. This of its very nature includes mutual acceptance, giving and receiving on both sides, and readiness to share one&#x2019;s goods . . . In this sense, the social question is given quite a central place in the theological heart of the concept of communion.&#x201D; This is a beautiful vision of the Church. Shaw&#x2019;s aim in his book is to make a contribution to realizing this vision in the concrete circumstances of the present day, by helping to end the culture of secrecy, especially within American Catholicism, and replacing the destructive culture with an open, accountable community of faith. &#34;Throughout his career, Russell Shaw has served admirably Mother Church through his balanced, reasonable, informed, accessible, and forthright writings. Understanding that there are legitimate applications for the use of secrecy in both everyday religious life and secular society, he now addresses the unfortunate and long standing consequences of unnecessary secrecy and the lack of open and effective communication within the Catholic Church. Inhibiting the promotion of truth, knowledge, and accountability and increasing the chances of corruption, the author notes how unnecessary secrecy in the Church also weakens community/&#34;communio;&#34; maintains a second class status for the laity, furthers its &#34;clericalization&#34; and lessens its influence in worldly affairs; creates suspicion both internally and in the outside world; and impedes the speedy and effective just resolution of any number of crises affecting the religious institution today, most conspicuously, the recent sexual scandal. Let's hope the Bishops and other Church insiders recognize this important message of reform on the part of someone so committed to the Catholic faith. - Joseph A. Varacalli, author, The Catholic Experience in AmericaRussell Shaw has long been a unique -- and uniquely valuable -- voice in American Catholicism. He was for many years the US Bishops' official spokesman, and he has the perspective and insights of an &#34;insider&#34;. But Shaw is not an apologist for the hierarchy. He is at once a devout and loyal (and orthodox) member of the faithful, and a sharp critic of the cult of secrecy which so many bishops have cultivated. In this sobering but much-needed book, Shaw shows how some shepherds abused secrecy, and in doing so compounded the sex misconduct crisis with a broader crisis of trust in clerical leadership. But this is not a book about sex-abuse. I</DIV>

Nothing to Hide: Secrecy, Communication and Communion in the Catholic Church

<DIV>The renowned novelist De Wohl, with his usual crisp language and descriptive narrative, as well as irony and humor, presents the colorful and tumultuous times of the early Christian era in this story of intrigue, romance and power politics revolving around Helena, the devoted and saintly mother of Constantine, the first Christian emperor. This historical novel tells the story of the quest for the True Cross through fifty years of the most exciting events in Roman and Christian history. The narrative begins when the Tribune Constantius, a Roman officer stationed in Britain, meets and wins Helena, only daughter of the mystical and oracular King Coel of Britain. Through the course of their early lives together, and during their ten-year separation when Constantius returns to Britian as a conquering Caesar and Helena has become a rejected wife, devoted mother, and militant Christian, there is a sure and convincing portrayal of character growth and personal conflict. Helena's fierce determination to raise Constantine as a warrior son and her gradual discovery and dramatic acceptance of Christianity prepare her for the final miracle of her life discovery of the True Cross, the Living Wood on Calvary. The Living Wood is a chapter from the turbulent half-forgotten pages of early Christian history and legend in which the religious conflicts and problems are handled with moving simplicity. It is also an action-packed novel of those times-with a lesson for us today-that captures with equal skill and tumult and the shouting of the battlefield and the devious plots and counter-plots of the court. </DIV>

The Living Wood: A Novel about Saint Helena and the Emperor Constantine

Jews are God’s Chosen People, and it is through God’s gratuitous gift of grace that the rest of the world (the Gentiles) are grafted onto the tree of salvation.
Get “From Sinai to Rome” Here: <a href='https://ignatius.com/from-sinai-to-rome-fstrp/'>https://ignatius.com/from-sinai-to-rome-fstrp</a>
 
Pope Pius XI once remarked, “Spiritually, we [Catholics] are all Semites,” and, as Saint Paul writes in Romans, in a sense, Christians are Jews by adoption. In today’s episode, Andrew Petiprin is joined by Professors Angela Costley and Gavin D’Costa, who examine the question of Jewish–Catholic relations from every angle. They not only discuss how the Church is uniquely opposed to antisemitism, but also how the Church is deeply rooted in Judaism. Finally, they discuss the reality of Hebrew Catholics and their role in the Body of Christ.
 
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Music from Pexels, Gregor Quendel. <a href='https://www.classicals.de/legal'>https://www.classicals.de/legal</a>

Can You Be a Jewish Catholic? With Dr. Costley and Dr. D’Costa

Francis X. Maier has been immersed in the life of the Church at different levels for decades. As senior aide to Archbishop Charles Chaput for more than twenty years, and as editor-in-chief of the National Catholic Register for many years before that, he got to know the leaders and major players in the American Church in both professional and personal settings.
When he sat down to write a book offering a snapshot of Catholic life in the U.S., he had many contacts in high places to whom he could reach out. But they wouldn’t be able to tell the whole story.
In writing his new book <a href='https://ignatius.com/true-confessions-tch/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=True+Confessions&amp;utm_id=True+Confessions'>True Confessions: Voices of Faith from a Life in the Church</a>, Maier conducted more than one hundred candid interviews with individuals living and working in the Church. These included bishops and priests as well as laymen and women serving in various leadership roles. But they also included husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, parish priests and religious sisters living their vocations in low-profile ways: faithfully carrying out their professional duties, loving their families, and building up their local communities.
In this episode, host Andrew Petiprin speaks with Maier about what he learned about the American Church while conducting these interviews, and about how our current situation—colored as it is by scandals, political division, and secularism—contains many sources of profound hope.
Find True Confessions by Francis X. Maier at <a href='https://ignatius.com/true-confessions-tch/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_campaign=True+Confessions&amp;utm_id=True+Confessions'>Ignatius.com</a>.

Francis X. Maier: A layman surveys the American Church today

<DIV>Pope Saint John Paul II declared that the great challenge for Christians today is to become&#160;&ldquo;the home and school of communion.&rdquo;St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) is a sure guide to attaining the communion for which every human heart longs. This work considers St. Teresa&rsquo;s life and writings in the context of the &ldquo;spirituality of communion&rdquo;. As a philosopher she was directed towards attaining communion with the Truth, and she discovered that Truth was a Person, Jesus Christ. As a Carmelite nun she gave up everything for communion with him.Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, in the foreword, says Edith Stein's message &ldquo;is above her time&rdquo; and that the author, Sister M. Regina van den Berg, F.S.G.M. &ldquo;is well qualified to write such a book.&rdquo; Sister Regina explores in detail Edith Stein's theory of empathy as developed in her doctoral dissertation, as well as her later theory of community. Sister Regina has also used a number of Edith Stein's writings that, until this work, have not yet been available in English translation.Each chapter explores an aspect of &ldquo;communion&rdquo;, richly revealing the wisdom of Edith Stein, &ldquo;a Jew who became a philosopher . . . a convert to Catholicism who became a Carmelite nun and crowned her life with martyrdom&rdquo;. Stein&rsquo;s work &ldquo;provides insights that can help us to grow in the spirituality of communion, first by presenting to us the truth about the human person's nature and vocation and then by showing us how we can arrive at a spirituality of communion in the various aspects of life.&rdquo;</DIV>

Communion with Christ: According to Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Fr. Fessio Introduction

Acknowledgments 

Introduction to Trilogy

Part One, Chapter One - The God of Love Is with Us 

Part One, Chapter Two - Jesus' Victory Over Satan, Sections 1-4 

Part One, Chapter Two - Jesus' Victory Over Satan, Sections 5-7 

Part One, Chapter Three - The Devil is Real 

Part Two, Chapter Four - How the Devil Works, Sections 1-3 

Part Two, Chapter Four - How the Devil Works, Sections 4 

Part Two, Chapter Four - How the Devil Works, Sections 5-6 

Part Two, Chapter Five - The Deadly Sins, Part One, Sections 1-3 

Part Two, Chapter Five - The Deadly Sins, Part One, Sections 4-6 

Part Two, Chapter Six - The Deadly Sins, Part Two, Sections 1-3 

Part Two, Chapter Six - The Deadly Sins, Part Two, Sections 3-4

Appendix

<DIV>Spiritual writer, theologian, and philosopher Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., tackles the topic of recognizing and overcoming spiritual evil. His focus is the human heart. His goal: our spiritual and moral transformation, which leads to true peace and genuine happiness.The book is divided into two main parts: (1) the realities of God's goodness and of spiritual evil, and (2) recognizing and overcoming the diabolical tactics of deception, temptation, and sin. The author synthesizes the best advice given by Catholic spiritual masters throughout the ages and gives a practical guide to implementing it in our busy lives.Father Spitzer provides the biblical and theological background of Jesus' victory over evil. He also explores the reality of the devil, including extraordinary manifestations of diabolic activity such as possession. With insights from modern psychology, he shows how prayer can transform the subconscious psyche, making us better able to resist temptation, detach from the world, and grow in holiness.</DIV>

Christ Versus Satan in Our Daily Lives: The Cosmic Struggle Between Good and Evil

<DIV>Born into an upper class family in Castile, Spain, Gonzalo de Yepes had good prospects - that is, until his father was ruined in a speculative venture. After his father died a pauper, Gonzalo was welcomed into the home of a rich uncle, who intended him to marry one of his younger daughters. The young man would have been set up for life, but he fell in love with Catalina Alvarez, the ward of a poor weaver, and insisted on marrying her despite his uncle's threats to cut him off from the family fortune. Thus, Gonzalo and Catalina were wed in simplicity, and their union produced three sons, the youngest of whom came to be known as Saint John of the Cross. Stories of saints do not often begin with their parents' courtship. But in this historical novel, love is at the very center of the drama, for Saint John of the Cross became one of the Church's foremost experts on intimacy with God. His mystical poems on divine love are considered some of the greatest verses ever written in the Spanish language. Richly drawn against the backdrop of Spain's Golden Age, the novel follows the joys and hardships experienced by the family of young Juan de Yepes Alvarez. His attraction to doing good for others, his call to the priesthood and his entrance into the Carmelites all unfold with captivating style. Testing Saint John to the utmost were his efforts, along with those of Saint Teresa of Avila, to reform the Carmelite Order. His Brothers in religion harshly resisted him, locking him in a cell where he was frequently beaten and nearly starved to death. In spite of all, this ardent and fascinating man would write: "Where there is no love, put love and you will gain love." </DIV>

Fire of Love: A Historical Novel about Saint John of the Cross

Pope Francis has just named Fr. Kapaun a venerable making this American hero and medal of honor winner one step closer to sainthood. Today we celebrate this great occasion by sitting down with Roy Wenzl, author of “The Miracle of Father Kapaun.” Roy has done extensive research on Father Kapaun and interviewed many of the POWs that Father served with both in the war and in the prison camp. Father’s riveting story will surely inspire you as we continue to pray that one day Father Kapaun will be recognized as a saint of the Catholic Church.   
 
Get your copy of The Miracle of Fr. Kapaun: <a href='https://ignatius.com/the-miracle-of-father-kapaun-mfkp/'>https://ignatius.com/the-miracle-of-father-kapaun-mfkp/</a>
 
Movie about the life of Fr. Kapaun: <a href='https://ignatius.com/the-miracle-of-father-kapaun-mfkm/'>https://ignatius.com/the-miracle-of-father-kapaun-mfkm/</a>
 
The Free Documentary about the Finding and Return of Fr. Kapaun’s body: <a href='https://www.kansas.com/news/special-reports/father-kapaun/article255618296.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrF4RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbe0v7Mun-UIbVLzj8XqbZL9RfkwxJCIhGw5uRD-pQ7aD42VJMv7cdnPlA_aem_u08OpxpIyYVKMPCJHdsjMw'>https://www.kansas.com/news/special-reports/father-kapaun/article255618296.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrF4RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbe0v7Mun-UIbVLzj8XqbZL9RfkwxJCIhGw5uRD-pQ7aD42VJMv7cdnPlA_aem_u08OpxpIyYVKMPCJHdsjMw</a>
 
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Fr. Kapaun: American Medal of Honor Winner AND a Future Saint?!

<DIV>Ray, a former Evangelical Protestant and Bible teacher, goes through the Scriptures and the first five centuries of the Church to demonstrate that the early Christians had a clear understanding of the primacy of Peter in the see of Rome. He tackles the tough issues in an attempt to expose how the opposition is misunderstanding the Scriptures and history. He uses many Protestant scholars and historians to support the Catholic position. This book contains the most complete compilation of Scriptural and Patristic quotations on the primacy of Peter and the Papal office of any book available. It has over 500 footnotes with supporting evidence from Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and non-Christian authorities.</DIV>

Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church

<DIV>This unique collection of Father Brown mysteries links tales by G.K. Chesterton with the Ten Commandments. The connection is often surprising, however, for the criminal is not necessarily the worst sinner in the story, nor is his crime necessarily the worst offense.When Chesterton created the character of Father Brown, he brought a new dimension to mystery stories--the distinction between crime and sin. As the priest- detective applies his powers of observation to solve a case, he picks up clues about other offenses, such as those against the Sabbath or one's parents. Father Brown's main concern is not the laws of the State but the Commandments of God.As Dorothy Sayers once wrote, G.K. Chesterton was "the first man of our time to introduce the great name of God into a detective story . . . to enlarge the boundaries of the detective story by making it deal with death and real wickedness and real, that is to say, divine judgment."This edition includes footnotes not available in other versions, which help to clarify the literary and historical allusions made by Father Brown. It is based on the texts of Chesterton's original editions, for assurance of authenticity, and is set in easily readable type."John Peterson is the world's greatest expert on Chesterton's famous priest- detective. His presentation of these particular Father Brown stories only adds to their craftiness and profundity." — Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton Society</DIV>

Father Brown and the Ten Commandments: Selected Mystery Stories

It is often said that one can find God in nature, but few have explored the theology behind such a common statement. Join us as Fr. John Nepil talks with Andrew Petiprin about the theological lessons and underpinnings of mountain hiking, which he details in his new book To Heights and Unto Depths. This book and the ensuing conversation artfully weave together theological insights and real-world experience.
 
Fr. Nepil and Andrew examine the spiritual benefits of the outdoors, both the joys of reaching the summit and the lows felt during arduous hours hiking. They also discuss the modern crisis of manhood, the responsibility of leadership, and how the works of theologians such as Von Balthasar, Cardinal Ratzinger, and Luigi Giussani can reveal spiritual wisdom found on the trail. For those who love the outdoors or theology, this episode is a must watch!
 
Get your copy of To Heights and Unto Depths: <a href='https://ignatius.com/to-heights-and-unto-depths-thudp/'>https://ignatius.com/to-heights-and-unto-depths-thudp/</a>
 
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Fr. John Nepil: Where Catholic Theology Meets Alpine Adventure

In this episode, Ignatius Press founder Fr. Joseph Fessio talks to his friend and fellow Jesuit, Fr. Robert McTeigue, about Fr. McTeigue’s new book, “Christendom Lost and Found: Meditations for a Post Post-Christian Era” (<a href='http://bit.ly/3Rl25FY'>http://bit.ly/3Rl25FY</a> ).
 
The book is a kind of a war journal, written between 2020 and 2021 during “the COVID Interruption” and the violent outbursts in cities across America. Witnessing cultural collapse in every direction, Fr. McTeigue offers meditations on what it will take to build Christ-centered cultures in our time—what must be retrieved and what must be renewed.
Fr. McTeigue can be heard Monday through Friday at 5pm Eastern on his radio show “The Catholic Current”; listen on your favorite podcast platform or online: <a href='https://thestationofthecross.com/programs/the-catholic-current/'>https://thestationofthecross.com/programs/the-catholic-current/</a>
Find Fr. McTeigue’s first book, “Real Philosophy for Real People,” at <a href='http://Ignatius.com'>Ignatius.com</a>: <a href='http://bit.ly/3HI1WIz'>http://bit.ly/3HI1WIz</a>

Post-COVID meditations on building a Christ-centered culture

This book presents brief, inspiring biographies of over 40 Irish men and women whose causes for canonization are in progress, along with others who enjoy a strong reputation for sanctity. Written in response to Pope Benedict XVI&rsquo;s call to the Irish to renew the Church in Ireland by drawing on the legacy of their ancestors, it details the heroic lives of twentieth-century saintly models, as well as a few older ones, to encourage contemporary Catholics to seek holiness. Featuring chapters by various contributors, including the postulators of some of the causes, the book offers moving insights into its subjects and the times and places in which they lived. Some lived and died in Ireland, while some were missionaries in other countries. Some were priests or consecrated religious; others were devout and dedicated laypeople. Some died as martyrs; others were distinguished by lives of humble service. What unites them all is their profound love for Christ and his Church. This is a timely, important work given the decline of Christianity in Western society, and the need for the Church to embrace a process of spiritual renewal and evangelization. While it deals with Irish models, it is a work for the universal Church since the saints have relevance for all of us, regardless of where they are from. Those whose inspiring stories are told include Monsignor Hugh O&rsquo;Flaherty, Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J., Father Edward Flanagan, Frank Duff, Sister Clare Crockett, Venerable Patrick Peyton, Venerable Matt Talbot, Venerable Edel Quinn, Blessed John Sullivan, Blessed Columba Marmion, and many more.

The Rock from Which You Were Hewn: The Lives and Legacy of Holy Irish Men and Women

<DIV>Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans were handsome, bright university students in 1942 Germany. As members of the Hitler Youth, they had once been enthusiastic supporters of the German renewal promised by National Socialism. But as their realization of Nazi barbarism grew, so did their moral outrage.Hans and Sophie formed a small group of like-minded friends, which initially included two medical students, a student of philosophy, and a fifty-year-old professor. They self-identified as Christians from various traditions-Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox-and they called themselves the White Rose. In a darkened studio lent them by an artist, they printed eloquent anti-Nazi leaflets, which they ingeniously spread throughout Germany.A Noble Treason tells the true story of this underground group at the University of Munich that instigated, organized, and carried out the first overt resistance to Hitler's regime. What gives A Noble Treason its unforgettable and inspiring quality is the personality, character, and courage of the White Rose members, as they resisted the pull of wartime patriotism and overcame their fear of the terrible price they would pay for their dissidence.The story of the White Rose is one of faith-inspired idealism in deadly conflict with ideological tyranny. Its theme is the ultimate victory of that idealism despite its bloody-and seemingly final-destruction by the state.</DIV>

A Noble Treason: The Story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Revolt Against Hitler

<DIV>This major volume is a collection of the writings of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) on the theology of the Liturgy of the Church, a subject of preeminence to him as a theologian, professor and spiritual writer. It brings together all his writings on the subject, short and long, giving his views on liturgical matters and questions over many years and from various perspectives.He chose to have his writings on the Liturgy for the first volume published of his collected works (though listed as vol. 11) because, as he says in the Introduction: "The liturgy of the Church has been for me since my childhood the central reality of my life, and it became the center of my theological efforts. I chose fundamental theology as my field because I wanted first and foremost to examine thoroughly the question: Why do we believe? But also included from the beginning in this question was the other question of the right response to God and, thus, the question of the liturgy."By starting with the theme of liturgy in this volume, Ratzinger wants to highlight God's primacy, the absolute precedence of the theme of God. Beginning with a focus on the liturgy, he said, tells us that "God is first". He quotes from the Rule of St. Benedict, "Nothing is to be preferred to the liturgy", as a way of ordering priorities for the life of the Church and of every individual. He says that the fundamental question of the man who begins to understand himself correctly is: How must I encounter God? Thus learning the right way of worshipping is the gift par excellence that is given to us by the faith.The essential purpose of his writings on the liturgy is to place the liturgy in its larger context, which he presents in three concentric circles. First, the intrinsic interrelationship of Old and New Testament; without the connection to the Old Testament heritage, the Christian liturgy is incomprehensible. The second circle is the relationship to the religions of the world. The third circle is the cosmic character of the liturgy, which is more than the coming together of a circle of people: the liturgy is celebrated in the expanse of the cosmos, encompassing creation and history at the same time.</DIV>