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This excellent new documentary produced in Europe on the life and papacy of Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) shows us the great milestones of his life: renowned theology professor, prolific author, expert at the Second Vatican Council, longtime collaborator of John Paul II, and pope who surprisingly resigned at the age of 86 years old. His battles for defending the faith and for transparency within the Church provoked both support and criticism. It was a long Way of the Cross for this great churchman that ended with a master lesson of humility, giving way to his successor.

Benedict XVI: The Pope Emeritus

Opening credits

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)

Closing credits

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"Life, in the end, has only one tragedy: not to have been a saint." &ndash; L&eacute;on Bloy
The 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.
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How to Be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint (Audiobook)

This is currently the&#160;only&#160;volume that comprehensively presents the scientific evidence in support of Jesus, the Eucharist, and Mary. Father Robert Spitzer, S.J., closely examines the&#160;scientific&#160;evidence for: <ul><li> The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus from the Shroud of Turin </li><li> The Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist from three recent scientifically investigated Eucharistic miracles </li><li> The supernatural dimensions of the apparitions of Mary manifest in the Tilma of Guadalupe, the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, and many healing miracles connected with the Grotto of Lourdes. </li></ul> This work also presents a summary of contemporary historical and exegetical evidence for the historicity, Passion, and Resurrection of Jesus, and concludes with a consideration of the Catholic Church and science&mdash;particularly the Church&rsquo;s contributions to science, the complementarity of science and the Bible, and the complementarity of physical evolution and the creation of a soul. The book makes clear that the Catholic Church is not anti-science, but quite the opposite&mdash;it is one of the most scientifically aware religious denominations in the world. It will also be clear that science is not anti-God, anti-Christ, or anti-religious. On the contrary, its tools and methods give considerable credible evidence for all of them.

Christ, Science, and Reason: What We Can Know about Jesus, Mary, and Miracles

Introduction

Preface

Chapter 1: Faith and Knowledge

Chapter 2: Faith and Existence

Chapter 3: Faith and Philosophy

Chapter 4: The Future of the World through the Hope of Men

Chapter 5: What Will the Church Look Like in 2000?

<DIV>Increasingly, the future is becoming a theme for theological reflection. In the background we can detect a growing concern among many people for the future of faith. Does faith have any future at all, and, if so, where in all the confusion of today's trends will we discover its embryo? But the problem of the future assails not only the believer. In the ever more rapidly advancing process of historical evolution, man is confronted with enormous opportunities, but also with colossal perils. For him, the future is not only hope, but sorrow-a nightmare, indeed. He cannot avoid asking what part faith can play in building tomorrow's world. Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, approaches this problem of universal concern from a variety of angles, bringing his deep personal faith and theological brilliance to bear on these serious questions. &#34;Faith and the Future is a small book, but it deals with the largest issues, and does so in a way that has the ring of lived truth.&#34; - Mike Potemra, National Review</DIV>

Faith and the Future (Audiobook)

<DIV>Pope Benedict's third encyclical, Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), applies the themes of his first two encyclicals —love and hope (God Is Love, Saved in Hope) — to the world'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's predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. Both men contributed greatly to the body of doctrine known as "Catholic social teaching". Both men challenged the simplistic division of political perspectives into conservative and "liberal", and "right" and "left". 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—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's leading moral voice, as well as one of the most insightful and profound social/political thinkers of our day.</DIV>

Charity In Truth

<DIV>Kreeft uses Scripture to provide God's answers to the most common and important questions young people ask about the deeper meaning of life, their own identity, overcoming failure and temptation, the mystery of God's love, and much more. But these are questions asked not just by teens - they are the same questions adults often ask, and God's answers, as found in the Bible, respond to the deepest needs of people of all ages.</DIV>

Your Questions, God's Answers

<DIV>This second edition of Hans Urs von Balthasar's book on Adrienne von Speyr is his personal introduction to the Swiss medical doctor, convert, and mystic, whose message and mission he believed to be vitally important for the Church. Von Balthasar was the spiritual director of von Speyr for almost thirty years as she progressed in the life of grace. She helped him to found the Community of Saint John, an international secular institute, and she wrote more than sixty books on various topics, including prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and saints, which continue to bear fruit for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Catholic spirituality and theology.This book contains three main sections. The first includes a short account of Adrienne's life, which describes her childhood, conversion, and mission; an analysis of her most important theological concerns; and an overview of her published and unpublished works. The second is a collection of enlightening statements that Adrienne made about herself, which illuminate both her exterior and interior life. The third section contains prayers that she herself wrote, which best reveal her spirit.</DIV>

First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr

<DIV>Priesthood and crisis are two words that appear to be very closely related. Or so it has seemed for the past thirty years and more. The crisis in the priestly ministry is constantly showing new sides, however-the issue of the priest's own self-understanding, for example, the interplay of the various different vocations within the Church, and the struggle, in the face of a plethora of different offices and ministries, to discern what constitutes the specific priestly dimension and identity.Again and again, in his theological writings, Hans Urs von Balthasar has addressed the fundamental issues of of?ce and ministry, of priesthood and discipleship. He has uncovered the foundations from a biblical and theological historical perspective and has offered answers to the current problems of priestly existence. This book presents the confrontation with relevant trends, and at the same time the opposing current generated by von Balthasar, since he does not follow popular positions but instead gives us the very core of the Gospel and of revelation, like rye bread.In order to illuminate the spirituality and meaning of the life of the priest of today, von Balthasar goes back to the origins, to the apostles, to their calling, and above all to that moment from which their apostolic mission and their entire Christian existence originates, the Paschal mystery of Jesus. On the eve of his death, Jesus establishes the Eucharist and the priesthood; immediately after his Resurrection he bestows on the disciples the power to forgive sins, entrusts his sheep to Peter, and sends them out into the whole world. Thus von Balthasar considers the life and mission of today's priests in continuity not only with the first apostles, but above all, with Jesus himself. The person and mission of Jesus Christ stand at the center of priestly spirituality. Hence all the reaections in this work revolve unswervingly around Jesus Christ and his mission. Jesus is the source and norm of priestly existence. Only when God, made manifest in the figure of the Savior Jesus Christ, is understood as the center from which this priestly existence springs, and only when this enduring center is proclaimed, can the bold presumption of the Lord in entrusting his mission to weak men be understood in confident trust and attract new followers, even in lean times.</DIV>

Priestly Spirituality

<DIV>Rich in humor and culture, as well as passion and love for the cause of God and of man, Milestones is the early autobiography of Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger. It tells the fascinating and inspiring story of his early family life, the years under Nazi oppression in Germany, and his part in World War II-including how as a teenager he was forced to join the Hitler Youth and the German army, from which he risked his life to flee. This book also recounts Joseph Ratzinger's calling and ordination to the priesthood, the intellectual and spiritual formation he received, his early days as a parish priest, his role as an expert at the Second Vatican Council, his experience as a popular university professor and theologian, and his appointment as Archbishop of Munich-Freising in Germany. Joseph Ratzinger would go on to serve for over two decades as the Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith under John Paul II, before being elected pope himself in 2005. Written before Benedict XVI became pope, Milestones remains a valuable road map to the man's mind and heart. It dispels the media myths and legends, and it reveals the real Benedict XVI-a man of the Church who loves God and humanity, a scholar, a theologian, a teacher, and a humble pastor with deep compassion and profound spiritual insight. Illustrated. </DIV>

Milestones: Memoirs: 1927 - 1977

Doctors and nurses have a unique view into suffering and pain. Day after day, they see people at their most vulnerable, not only physically but often emotionally. By taking responsibility for the lives of others, they are blessed with the privilege of comforting and healing, but they also carry a burden that can be overwhelming&mdash;unless they are strengthened by the Divine Physician. Adrienne von Speyr, one of the freshest and most original spiritual writers of the twentieth century, draws from her long experience as a medical doctor to teach Christian medical professionals the art of treating and loving their patients. Physicians and nurses are called by God to be more than mere custodians of health, but bearers of Jesus&rsquo; good news, healers who care for the body as well as soul. To be true to their calling, they must come to understand their patients as whole human persons&mdash;indeed, as their own equals. This book&mdash;at once powerful and practical&mdash;offers a spirituality of the medical field. For the Catholic doctor or nurse, the life of faith &ldquo;must influence all his actions.&#160;.&#160;.&#160;. It is the primary thing; everything must conform to it.&rdquo; By being transparent to God and faithful to their duties, physicians and nurses can bring about profound healing and, if they are humble, give their patients a foretaste of the tender care that our Father has for us.

Doctor and Patient

<DIV>Pope Francis, in his foreword, states that one of the major themes in the thought of Joseph Ratzinger is the relationship between faith and politics: "His firsthand experience of Nazi totalitarianism led him even as a young student to reflect on the limits of obedience to the state for the sake of the liberty of obeying God."; In support of this, he quotes from one of Ratzinger's texts presented in this volume: "The state is not the whole of human existence and does not encompass all human hope."Ratzinger explored various aspects of this subject in books, speeches, and homilies throughout his career, from his years as a theology professor to his tenure as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and most recently as Pope Benedict XVI. This is the only book that collates all of his most significant works on political themes inside one volume.</DIV>

Faith and Politics

Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988) was one of the most important Catholic voices of the twentieth century. In his view, a priest is called to imitate the Eucharistic Christ, who gives himself with abandon for the life of the world. He should aspire to be as common and as humble as bread, available to be blessed, broken, and distributed. Through his availability, God Himself becomes present to the world and the world becomes present to God.This concise book presents Balthasar’s theology of discernment and vocation in a way that responds to current questions regarding the viability of the priestly and religious vocations today. Balthasar offers indispensable resources for understanding the relationship between personal freedom and vocation, showing how one becomes a person precisely through the reception of a definitive mission, a mission that makes a person truly ecclesial and thus open to both God and to others.While the book is particularly focused on the priesthood, it will be of interest to priests, religious, and all those discerning God’s call. A short epilogue looks at Balthasar as a model for the theological vocation.

Distributed Like Bread: Hans Urs von Balthasar on Discernment, Vocation, and the Priesthood

<DIV>Bishop Fulton Sheen's renowned and inspiring television series, Life Is Worth Living, was watched by millions of viewers from all walks of life and every religious belief. This book contains the full-length scripts of forty-four of those top-rated programs that drew thousands of letters weekly to Sheen from his viewers in response to the advice and insights he gave on his shows. Bishop Sheen's writings, tapes and videos are as popular today as when he was alive. His timeless insights offered in this book give wise, personal and inspiring guidance on the problems affecting our lives in today's world. His talks cover an amazing variety of subjects, from the character of the Irish to the handling of teen-agers. He discusses education, Christianity, relativity, and world affairs. He speaks about love, conscience, fear, motherhood, work. He tells amusing anecdotes, recites poetry, and ponders the fate of the free world as well as America's destiny. Among his many best-selling books, none has greater universal appeal than Life Is Worth Living. It offers a stirring and challenging statement of Bishop Sheen's whole philosophy of life and living. It is a book for everyone - of immediate concern to all people seeking understanding, belief, and purpose in these troubled times. </DIV>

Life Is Worth Living

<DIV> Theo-Logic is the third and crowning part of the great trilogy of the masterwork of theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, following his first two parts, The Glory of the Lord and Theo-Drama. This is the third volume of Theo-Logic.Theo-Logic is a variation of theology, it being about not so much what man says about God, but what God speaks about himself. Balthasar does not address the truth about God until he first reflects on the beauty of God (The Glory of the Lord). Then he follows with his reflections on the great drama of our salvation and the goodness and mercy of the God who saves us (Theo-Drama). Now, in this work, he is ready to reflect on the truth that God reveals about himself, which is not something abstract or theoretical, but rather the concrete and mysterious richness of God's being as a personal and loving God. </DIV>

Theo-Logic: Theological Logical Theory

00 Opening credits

01 1. Childhood between the Inn and the Salzach Rivers

1. Childhood between the Inn and the Salzach Rivers

02 2. First School Years in the Village—The Shadow of the “Third Reich”

2. First School Years in the Village—The Shadow of the “Third Reich”

03 3. Gymnasium Years in Traunstein

3. Gymnasium Years in Traunstein

04 4. War Service and Imprisonment

4. War Service and Imprisonment

05 5. In the Seminary at Freising

5. In the Seminary at Freising

06 6. Theological Studies in Munich

6. Theological Studies in Munich

07 7. Priestly Ordination—Ministry—Doctorate

7. Priestly Ordination—Ministry—Doctorate

08 8. The Drama of My Habilitation and the Freising Years

8. The Drama of My Habilitation and the Freising Years

09 9. Professorship in Bonn

9. Professorship in Bonn

10 10. Beginning of the Council and Transfer to Munster

10. Beginning of the Council and Transfer to Munster

11 11. Munster and Tubingen

11. Munster and Tubingen

12 12. The Regensburg Years

13 13. Archbishop of Munich and Freising

12. The Regensburg Years

14 Closing credits

13. Archbishop of Munich and Freising

<div>Rich in humor and culture, as well as passion and love for the cause of God and of man, Milestones is the early autobiography of Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger. It tells the fascinating and inspiring story of his early family life, the years under Nazi oppression in Germany, and his part in World War II - including how as a teenager he was forced to join the Hitler Youth and the German army, from which he risked his life to flee.
This book also recounts Joseph Ratzinger's calling and ordination to the priesthood, the intellectual and spiritual formation he received, his early days as a parish priest, his role as an expert at the Second Vatican Council, his experience as a popular university professor and theologian, and his appointment as Archbishop of Munich-Freising in Germany. Joseph Ratzinger would go on to serve for over two decades as the Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith under John Paul II, before being elected pope himself in 2005.
Written before Benedict XVI became pope, Milestones remains a valuable road map to the man's mind and heart. It dispels the media myths and legends, and it reveals the real Benedict XVI - a man of the Church who loves God and humanity, a scholar, a theologian, a teacher, and a humble pastor with deep compassion and profound spiritual insight. Illustrated.
</div>
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Milestones: Memoirs: 1927 - 1977 (Audiobook)

<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