Brandon Vogt's Blog, page 20

Peter Kreeft Book Giveaway!

“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.” – St. Augustine

 

Since I’ve built up a large collection of extra books and resources, every week I give some away absolutely free, no strings attached. Each giveaway lasts seven days with a new one beginning every Friday. You can enter any time during the week. Check out my past giveaways here.

Today I’m giving away THREE copies of Peter Kreeft’s newest book, Practical Theology.

 

Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from St. Thomas Aquinas

by Peter Kreeft

Ignatius Press, 376 pages, paperback

 

 

From a lifetime of studying the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, popular author Peter Kreeft says that his amazement has continually increased not only at Aquinas’ theoretical, philosophical brilliance and sanity, but also at his personal, practical wisdom, his “existential bite.” Yet this second dimension of St. Thomas has usually been eclipsed by the other. Kreeft wrote this book to help bring that sun out from its eclipse. He provides easily digestible samples of the religious wisdom of Aquinas.

Here are 359 pieces of wisdom from St. Thomas’s masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae, which Kreeft says “are literally more valuable than all the kingdoms of this world because they will help you to attain ‘the one thing needful,’ or ‘the greatest good’ “, the ultimate end and purpose and meaning of life. Three of its names are “being a saint,” “beatitude” (“supreme happiness”) and “union with God.” That was the principle for Kreeft in choosing which passages to use: do they help you to attain your ultimate end – sanctity, happiness, union with God? St. Thomas would have agreed with writer Leon Bloy, who often wrote that in the end “there is only one tragedy in life: not to have been a saint”.

These 359 gold nuggets have helped Kreeft in the struggles of real life, to live in the real world, to grow closer to the Lord, and he hopes they will do the same for his readers. After each passage directly from Aquinas, Kreeft provides brief spiritual commentary to help explain it and apply it – practical, personal, existential, “livable” thoughts.

He has framed these readings as answers to questions that people actually ask their spiritual directors. Each answer is taken word for word from Aquinas.

Among the many topics Aquinas and Kreeft cover here include:

The problem of evil
Interpreting the Bible
Love vs. knowledge
Reconciling justice and mercy
Human freedom and divine grace
Angels and demons
The need for theology
Predestination and free will
Three kinds of goods

 

 

I’m using Rafflecopter to help with the giveaway, which is cool because it allows you multiple entries for commenting, posting on Facebook, sharing on Twitter, etc. Click below to enter:

(If you’re reading this through email or RSS and don’t see the giveaway widget, click here.)

By entering this giveaway you agree to occasionally receive email updates from me—no spam, just updates about free books, cool links, and exciting news.

 

 

The winner(s) will be randomly selected next Friday and the books will be sent out, free of charge, shortly thereafter.

In the future I’ll be giving away more books and resources, sometimes multiple items per giveaway! So subscribe via feed reader or email to ensure you never miss your chance to win.

(Since I’m covering the shipping costs, only residents within the continental United States are eligible to win.)

The post Peter Kreeft Book Giveaway! appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

Become An Expert Catholic Apologist in 2015

It’s that time of the year when many of us ponder what goals we have for next year. Why not commit to becoming an expert Catholic apologist in 2015? Someone who can clearly and confidently explain the Catholic faith?

That’s what the New Saint Thomas Institute (NSTI) will help you accomplish. Dr. Taylor Marshall launched the NSTI last year and it already boasts over 1,250 students from more than 25 countries. Together, they study graduate-level theology and philosophy while paying just a fraction of what traditional universities charge (NSTI costs about $1 per day.)

But today the New Saint Thomas Institute just got even better. This morning they unveiled their Apologetics Certificate, a new program designed to help you better defend and explain the Catholic faith. Watch the video below to learn more:

If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.

The new Apologetics Certificate program is perfect for people who:

Get nervous when talking to non-Catholics about the faith
Are worried they don’t know enough about the faith to take on tough questions
Do know what they believe, but get tongue-tied when sharing it
Can’t attend a traditional university due to high costs or distance

If that describes you, the Apologetics Certificate is what you need. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped as an expert Catholic apologist and you’ll have no fear sharing your faith with others.

NSTI just opened enrollment for the Apologetics Certificate but registration will end on January 6. You definitely want to get in before the doors close for a couple reasons. First, the price will soon rise from the current $37 per month to $60 per month when the Certificate enrollment opens again in 2015. Sign up now and you’ll get the lower price. Second, if you sign up now you get all sorts of bonuses like Taylor’s excellent books, The Crucified Rabbi and Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages, a copy of his “Catholic Bible Cheat Sheet”, and several bonus video and audio series.

Just click below to learn more and sign up:

Learn More!

What can you expect in the Apologetics Certificate program? The videos will explain how to respond to:

Protestants
Judaism/Islam
New Age and Cults
Dissenting and Lapsed Catholics
Atheists/Agnostics

The program also includes a video series on discussing the moral teachings of the church (abortion, same-sex marriage, drugs, etc.) and a module on what apologetics is and how to adopt the habits of a good apologist. Download and view the entire syllabus here:

View Syllabus (PDF)

There are many good books out there on Catholic apologetics, but I don’t know of a more comprehensive program that walks you through everything you need to know, without costing an arm and a leg. It’s simple, it’s affordable, and you can watch the videos wherever you are, on any device.

So I encourage you to check out the Apologetics Certificate program and sign up before the enrollment window closes:

Sign Me Up!

 



 

The post Become An Expert Catholic Apologist in 2015 appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

Father Barron MEGA Giveaway!

“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.” – St. Augustine

 

Since I’ve built up a large collection of extra books and resources, every week I give some away absolutely free, no strings attached. Each giveaway lasts seven days with a new one beginning every Friday. You can enter any time during the week. Check out my past giveaways here.

This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Word on Fire, the media evangelization ministry of Fr. Robert Barron. He and the team have donated an amazing giveaway package. One winner will receive a mega Fr. Barron prize pack including the ten-part CATHOLICISM DVD series, the recent CATHOLICISM: The New Evangelization DVD series, and a copy of each of Fr. Barron’s nine books.

Read below for a list of all the giveaway items and for details on how to enter:

 

I’m using Rafflecopter to help with the giveaway, which is great because it gives you multiple entries for commenting, posting on Facebook, sharing on Twitter, etc. Click below to enter:

(If you’re reading this through email or RSS and don’t see the giveaway widget, click here.)

 

 

CATHOLICISM DVD series

by Fr. Robert Barron

Word on Fire, DVD, five discs

Released on August 25, 2011

For the first time, in breathtaking, high-definition cinematography, the beauty, goodness and truth of the Catholic faith are illustrated in a rich, multimedia experience.

Journey with acclaimed author, speaker and theologian Fr. Robert Barron to more than 50 locations throughout 15 countries. Be illuminated by the spiritual and artistic treasures of this global culture that claims more than one billion of the earth’s people.

From the sacred lands of Israel to the beating heart of Uganda, from the glorious shrines of Italy, France, and Spain, to the streets of Mexico, Kolkata, and New York City, the fullness of CATHOLICISM is revealed. Journey deep into the Faith as you watch each episode.

Mike Leonard, a veteran NBC Today Show correspondent and acclaimed filmmaker, is the Executive Producer of this groundbreaking series.

The box set includes five DVDs, each containing two episodes. Each episode runs 50-60 minutes.

If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.

 

CATHOLICISM: The New Evangelization DVD set

by Fr. Robert Barron

Word on Fire, DVD, four discs

Released on September 10, 2013

CATHOLICISM taught us what the Church believes and why. Now CATHOLICISM: The New Evangelization shows us how to put our Faith into action in today’s increasingly secular world.

You’ll follow Fr. Barron around the world to Australia, England, and around the U.S. to examine the Church’s mission within the challenges of Western secular culture. This 90-minute film first tells us what the “New Evangelization” is, and then takes us on a fascinating tour to witness examples of new ardor, new expressions, and new methods of evangelization in action.

The DVD set also includes four hours of extra features, including two Fr. Barron speeches, as well as full interviews and insights on the New Evangelization with George Weigel, Ross Douthat, Brad Gregory, and Brandon Vogt.

If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.

 

Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith

by Fr. Robert Barron

Image, 304 pages, hardcover

Released on September 6, 2011

What is Catholicism? A 2,000 year living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart and mind of the Catholic faith.

Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, and teaching, Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism – from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and Saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell – using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world.

Paired with his documentary film series of the same title, Catholicism is an intimate journey, capturing “The Catholic Thing” in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic, unique, and inspiring, Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation, in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths, while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life.

 

Eucharist

by Fr. Robert Barron

Orbis, 141 pages, paperback

Released on September 30, 2008

Fr. Barron, the popular preacher and podcasting priest, offers inspiring insights into the beauty of Christ’s presence in our lives and the centrality of the profound mystery of the Eucharist as an important part of that presence.

Today so many believers do not have much understanding or appreciation for the great mystery of the Eucharist, which Vatican II called the “source and summit of the Christian life.” This fresh look at the Eucharist brings to light its reality as sacred meal, the sacrifice necessary for communion with God and the real presence of Christ.

 

 

Word on Fire: Proclaiming the Power of Christ

by Fr. Robert Barron

Crossroad, 240 pages, paperback

Released on April 1, 2008

Word on Fire is one of the leading introductions to Catholic faith and culture. Based on specific Bible readings from the Old and the New Testament, Fr. Barron shares enthusiastically from the riches of Christian belief and tradition. His lively presentation of Catholicism uses art, music, painting, poetry, philosophy and the saints’ lives to illustrate the Biblical message.

With sections on God, Jesus, the church, the liturgy, living the spiritual life, and the saints—each one featuring a beautiful illustration by Michael O’Neill McGrath—this book offers passionate evangelism for discerning readers interested in Catholicism, whether in private reflection or in group discussion.

 

Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master

by Fr. Robert Barron

Crossroad, 192 pages, paperback

Released on April 1, 2008

In this book, a young, contemporary theologian examines the life and work of Catholicism’s greatest theologian.

Father Robert Barron shares with the reader not only the deep spirituality within Aquinas’ theological writings, such as the arguments for God’s existence, but also Aquinas’ little known spiritual writings on prayer and other topics. Throughout the book, he makes Aquinas’ teachings accessible and applicable to our daily lives.

The result is that you’ll discover a brilliant saint who is deeply in love with Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Priority of Christ, The: Toward a Postliberal Catholicism

by Fr. Robert Barron

Brazos, 352 pages, paperback

Released on June 1, 2007

For a long time, Christians have tried to bridge the divide between Christianity and secular liberalism with philosophizing and theologizing.

In The Priority of Christ, Father Robert Barron shows that the answer to this debate and the way to move forward lies in Jesus. Barron transcends the usual liberal/conservative or Protestant/Catholic divides with a postliberal Catholicism that brings the focus back on Jesus as revealed in the New Testament narratives.

Barron’s classical Catholic postliberalism will be of interest to a broad audience including not only the academic community but also preachers and general readers interested in entering the dialogue between Catholicism and postliberalism.

 

Bridging the Great Divide: Musings of a Post-Liberal, Post-Conservative Evangelical Catholic

by Fr. Robert Barron

Sheed and Ward, 312 pages, paperback

Released on September 17, 2004

Bridging the Great Divide represents a pivotal moment in the life of the Catholic community. Today’s faithful are searching for an expression of Catholic Christianity that is vibrant, colorful, provocative, counter-cultural, deeply rooted in the tradition, and full of the promise of the Good News.

In this timely and prophetic book, Father Robert Barron-himself a member of the younger generation-has minted a new vernacular and blazed a new way that bridges the great divide and gives voice to the concerns of post-liberal, post-conservative, evangelical believers.

 

 

 

The Strangest Way: Walking the Christian Path

by Fr. Robert Barron

Orbis, 175 pages, paperback

Released on April 9, 2002

Is Christianity a bland, domesticated religion, unthreatening and easy to grasp? Or is it the most exotic, unexpected, and uncanny of religious paths?

For the mystics and saints—and for Robert Barron who discovered Christianity through them—it is surely the strangest way.

“At its very center, ” writes Barron, “is a God who comes after us with a reckless abandon, breaking open his own heart in love in order to include us in the rhythm of his own life.” What could be more compelling?

 

 

Heaven in Stone and Glass: Experiencing the Spirituality of the Great Cathedrals

by Fr. Robert Barron

Crossroad, 128 pages, paperback

Released on April 1, 2002

Like a mystical tome awaiting to be deciphered, a Gothic cathedral holds many secrets about the soul’s yearning for God.

In Heaven in Stone and Glass, Catholic priest and professor of theology at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago teaches us how to read these secrets, with beautiful reflections on aspects such as light and darkness, the labyrinth, the meaning of gargoyles and demons, and the imagery of vertical space. whether you are preparing for a pilgrimage to York Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, or looking ahead to inspirational bedside reading, this book is the perfect guide.

 

 

And Now I See: A Theology of Transformation

by Fr. Robert Barron

Crossroad, 296 pages, paperback

Released on September 1, 1998

Barron, professor of systematic theology at Mundelein Seminary, near Chicago, offers an accessible exploration of Christian theological concepts He divides his book into three sections as he examines Christianity as a source of human transformation.

In his first section, Barron argues that human nature is alienated from itself and thus humans are in need of a mediator who can draw them back to God and self.

The second section takes up a renewed understanding of God in light of the alienated nature of humanity. In his final section, Barron contends that Christ is a healer and reconciler who seeks to draw humanity back into relationship with God. Along the way, Barron draws on sources as diverse as Dante, Paul Tillich, Thomas Merton and Flannery O’Connor.

 

 

The winner(s) will be randomly selected next Friday and the books will be sent out, free of charge, shortly thereafter.

In the future I’ll be giving away more books and resources, sometimes multiple items per giveaway! So subscribe via feed reader or email to ensure you never miss your chance to win.

(Since I’m covering the shipping costs, only residents within the continental United States are eligible to win.)

The post Father Barron MEGA Giveaway! appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

For Just $5, Get Professional Graphics for Your Parish or Ministry

I’ve written before about how awesome Parish Designer is. Chances are, your parish or ministry can’t afford to hire a full-time graphic designer. But thanks to Parish Designer, you can get two or three custom design packages every month for a low price. They take away the stress of designing flyers, creating posters, and choosing the right fonts so you can focus on doing what you really want to do: ministry.

Today Parish Designer just made a really exciting announcement: you can get two custom design packages for just $5. You spend $5, try out Parish Designer for a month, and you’ll get two custom designs. Then if you like the service, you can continue at the regular monthly price. If you don’t like the service, you can cancel and keep your two design packages. Total win!

If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.

But here’s the even better part. From now until Christmas, Parish Designer will give $5 from every monthly subscription to feed young people on the streets of Uganda. That means when you give Parish Designer a try, your entire first month goes toward helping the hungry!

Here’s more information from their sister site, HighFiveForUganda.com:

“Our ministry partners in Uganda he have been providing food for the children at the Butale community school in the Masaka District, Uganda. They are feeding 250 children who come from 5 different villages to the Butale school where they feed them all every day. Many of these children are victims of poverty, HIV and other diseases.

With an empty stomach, medication for HIV+ children cannot work because their bodies are too weak. With an empty stomach, students cannot concentrate on their studies at school. so they cannot learn. Many of the children that attend this school are orphans and for many of them the meal they provide is the only food that they have to eat each day.

Our ministry partners are also feeding orphans who are living in the slums of Masaka. Over 60 boys (ages 6-14), get a hot meal every night. It’s not much, but since it is often the only meal they have that day, it allows them to sleep without the pains of an empty stomach.

Despite all the work being done, there’s still over a thousand young people living on the streets, lonely and hungry.

We need your help to care for those orphans!”

 

To make signing up even more of a no-brainer, Parish Designer has convinced me to personally donate $5 to Uganda for each person that starts a subscription! That means you’ll get awesome designs and send $10 each month to Uganda.

So visit Parish Designer today and then click the $5 sign up button to grab your two custom design packages:

The post For Just $5, Get Professional Graphics for Your Parish or Ministry appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

Did God Really Command Genocide?: Coming to Terms with the Justice of God [Book]

Did God Really Command Genocide?: Coming to Terms with the Justice of God by Paul Copn and Matthew Flannagan (Baker Books, 2014)











This new book, which is an expansion of a chapter in Paul Copan’s bestselling book, Is God a Moral Monster? (Baker, 2011), is the most careful, scholarly examination of this prickly issue. Catholics might not embrace the authors’ “Divine Command Theory” of ethics, but it’s nevertheless a clear analysis of the most troubling “dark passages” of Scripture.

The post Did God Really Command Genocide?: Coming to Terms with the Justice of God [Book] appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

The Saint Who Punched a Heretic

Today marks the feast of St. Nicholas, a saint remembered by most for his association with Santa Claus, some for his commendable charity, but a small number for his famous punch against a third-century heretic.

As the story goes, during the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea (AD 325) there was a big argument over the divinity of Christ. Arius, a heretical bishop, believed that Christ was not divine, but rather just a creature. The Council challenged him to defend his claims in front of his brother bishops, including jolly old St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas tried to listen patiently but he considered Arius’ proposal so radical, so heretical, that he could no longer contain himself. In the middle of the speech, he rose with a scowl, charged toward Arius, and punched him right in the face.

The noted Punch is memorialized in many icons and works of art, including this piece:

 



 

Unfortunately, the Punch got St. Nichols into serious trouble. The Emperor Constantine was present at the Council, and he was so alarmed by St. Nicholas’ act of violence that he and the other bishops stripped Nicholas of his office and confiscated his two episcopal markers: his personal copy of the Gospels and his pallium, the vestment worn by all bishops in the East.

But the story didn’t stop there. According to tradition:

 

“After Nicholas was deposed, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Nicholas who was being held in a prison cell for his fist-fight with the heretic.

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ asked Saint Nicholas, “Why are you here?” Nicholas responded, “Because I love you, my Lord and my God.”

 

Christ then presented Nicholas with his copy of the Gospels. Next, the Blessed Virgin vested Nicholas with his episcopal pallium, thus restoring him to his rank as a bishop.

 

When the Emperor Constantine heard of this miracle, he immediately ordered that Nicholas be reinstated as a bishop in good standing for the Council of Nicea. Today we recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday so we know how the controversy played out. The bishops at Nicea sided with Saint Nicholas and Saint Athanasius and they condemned Arius as a heretic.

 

To this very day, we still recite in the Creed that Christ is “God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.””

 

St. Nicholas’ redemption as a bishop is memorialized in the icon below. Notice Christ (left) holding out the book of the Gospels, Mary (right) holding out the episcopal pallium, and Nicholas (center) holding the Gospels and wearing the pallium:

 



 

In honor of this strange and colorful story, the satirical website Catholic Memes has whipped up some funny images. Enjoy!

 

The post The Saint Who Punched a Heretic appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

“Sword and Serpent” Book Giveaway!

“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.” – St. Augustine

 

Since I’ve built up a large collection of extra books and resources, every week I give some away absolutely free, no strings attached. Each giveaway lasts seven days with a new one beginning every Friday. You can enter any time during the week. Check out my past giveaways here.

Today I’m giving away FIVE copies of Taylor Marshall’s bestselling new book, titled Sword and Serpent: A Retelling of Saint George and the Dragon.

Since Taylor released the book last week, it has soared up the Amazon rankings, for a long time sitting in the #1 spot in its category:

 

Sword and Serpent: A Retelling of Saint George and the Dragon

by Taylor Marshall

Saint John Press, 410 pages, paperback

 

 

In A.D. 299, the Roman oracles ceased to prophesy for the Emperor Diocletian. The silence of the gods sparks a bloody storm of persecution that sweeps across the Roman Empire. As the fires of suspicion and hatred ignite all around them, a young man and a young woman are united by a mysterious prophecy from the catacombs of Rome…one that will set them on a journey to battle an evil beyond imagining.

What happens when you mash up the traditional Saint George legend in a novel with something like Princess Bride and Hunger Games, along with relics, martyrs, bilocating saints, Diocletian, the young Constantine, and of course…a demonic “dragon”? The answer is Sword and Serpent.

 

If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.

 

 

I’m using Rafflecopter to help with the giveaway, which is cool because it allows you multiple entries for commenting, posting on Facebook, sharing on Twitter, etc. Click below to enter:

(If you’re reading this through email or RSS and don’t see the giveaway widget, click here.)

By entering this giveaway you agree to occasionally receive email updates from me—no spam, just updates about free books, cool links, and exciting news.

 

 

The winner(s) will be randomly selected next Friday and the books will be sent out, free of charge, shortly thereafter.

In the future I’ll be giving away more books and resources, sometimes multiple items per giveaway! So subscribe via feed reader or email to ensure you never miss your chance to win.

(Since I’m covering the shipping costs, only residents within the continental United States are eligible to win.)

The post “Sword and Serpent” Book Giveaway! appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

Why G.K. Chesterton Believed in Santa Claus

G.K. Chesterton, the wondrous apostle of sanity explains why, as he grew into adulthood, his belief in Santa Claus increased:

 

“What has happened to me has been the very reverse of what appears to be the experience of most of my friends. Instead of dwindling to a point, Santa Claus has grown larger and larger in my life until he fills almost the whole of it. It happened in this way.

 

As a child I was faced with a phenomenon requiring explanation. I hung up at the end of my bed an empty stocking, which in the morning became a full stocking. I had done nothing to produce the things that filled it. I had not worked for them, or made them or helped to make them. I had not even been good – far from it.

 

And the explanation was that a certain being whom people called Santa Claus was benevolently disposed toward me…What we believed was that a certain benevolent agency did give us those toys for nothing. And, as I say, I believe it still. I have merely extended the idea.

 

Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and the house on the planet, and the great planet in the void.

 

Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dollars and crackers. Now, I thank him for stars and street faces, and wine and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present so big that it only went halfway into the stocking. Now I am delighted and astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to hold it, and then leaves a great deal outside; it is the large and preposterous present of myself, as to the origin of which I can offer no suggestion except that Santa Claus gave it to me in a fit of peculiarly fantastic goodwill.”

 

Read more from G.K. Chesterton on Santa Claus here (PDF):

If you’re a parent struggling with the Santa question, check out this helpful article from The Radical Life: “Are You Lying to Your Children About Santa?”

The post Why G.K. Chesterton Believed in Santa Claus appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

Learning from an Unlikely, but Hugely Successful Evangelist

Today we continue our regular series called “Learning from the Saints.” Our guide is expert Bert Ghezzi, a dear friend of mine and the author of numerous books including Voices of the Saints, Saints at Heart, and Discover Christ: Developing a Personal Relationship with Jesus.

His more recent books are The Heart of Catholicism and Prayers to the Holy Spirit. You can learn more about Bert and his work at BertGhezzi.com.

Today, Bert profiles St. Francis Xavier, perhaps the greatest Catholic evangelist of all time.

 

 

By a series of divinely inspired accidents, St. Francis Xavier abandoned his plan to be a scholar and became a great missionary, second perhaps only to St. Paul. If you could interview him, he would say that he was unskilled in evangelism and languages, and so a most unlikely candidate to carry the Gospel to foreign lands. Yet in just one decade he introduced Christianity to tens of thousands in the East.

In 1533, Xavier completed his studies at the University of Paris and was about to begin his career as a theologian. Instead, however, he sensed a divine call to join St. Ignatius Loyola in the Society of Jesus. So in 1534 Francis Xavier became one of the first Jesuits and was ordained a priest three years later.

Ignatius planned to deploy Francis as a teacher, but reluctantly sent him to India in the place of a sick brother. En route, Francis, the intellectual, made friends of many rough seamen and evangelized them. He arrived in Goa in 1542 and plunged into his work.

Xavier’s mission strategy was simple. When he entered a village, he gathered the idle and the young. He introduced them to Christ and the Church, using the Creed, the Our Father and the Ten Commandments. He won the children with songs and jingles and they helped him reach the village adults. As soon as people expressed faith in the Creed, he baptized them. With this primitive method, St. Francis Xavier converted thousands of souls and planted the Catholic Church from south India to Japan.

In the face of hardship, St. Francis drew strength from his Jesuit brothers in Europe. “For my own great comfort,” he wrote them, “and that I may have you constantly in mind, I have cut from your letters to me your names written in your own hand, and these I always carry about with me, together with the vow of profession which I made, to be my solace and refreshment.”

Xavier exhausted himself trying to meet the needs he saw, and wished that other young people would decide to abandon their own plans and serve on mission. “How many in these countries,” he once wrote to Ignatius,

“fail to become Christians, simply for the lack of a teacher of the Christian faith! Often I think of running throughout the universities of Europe, and principally Paris and the Sorbonne, there to shout at the top of my voice, like one who had lost his senses–to tell those men whose learning is greater than their wish to put their knowledge to good use, how many souls, through their negligence, must lose Heaven and end up in hell. If all, who with so much labor, study letters, would pause to consider the account they must one day render God concerning the talents entrusted to them, I am sure that they would come to say: ‘Here I am, Lord. Send me where you please, even to India.’ How much happier and safer they would be, eventually, when facing that dreadful hour from which no man can escape. Then, with the faithful servant of the Gospel they could say: ‘Lord, five talents you gave me; behold five others I have gained.'”

St. Francis Xavier died in 1552 while he was waiting to be smuggled into China.

 

 

(Image Credit: Novena of Grace)

 

 

Read more from Bert at his website www.BertGhezzi.com, or check out his many books on Amazon.



 
 
 
 

 

The post Learning from an Unlikely, but Hugely Successful Evangelist appeared first on Brandon Vogt.

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Cyber Monday Deals for Catholics

Cyber Monday, held annually on the Monday after Thanksgiving, has quickly become the biggest online shopping day of the year. Many online stores offer their best deals on this day to encourage early Christmas shopping. While there are many places you can go online to find deals on electronics and other big-ticket items, I wanted to provide a place for Catholic stores and ministries to make their deals known to Catholics who are trying to kick-start their Christmas shopping.

If you’re looking for meaningful Christmas gifts, browse these specials and support great organizations at the same time!

(If I’m missing your organization, please email me at brandon@brandonvogt.com.)

 

 

Ave Maria Press – Get 30% plus free shipping on all books using code CYBER14.

Cassie Pease Designs – Check out the new products and their BEST Postcard sale yet! A complete set of all 50 Postcard designs is 50% off today only.

Catholic Answers – Catholic Answers has all of their eBooks and MP3s at half price through Friday. Everything else is 10-25% off and more through the end of the year!

Hair Bows 4 Life – Get 25% off any hairbows using the coupon code ADVENT14. A portion of the sales go back to the pro-life community!

Homeschool Connections – Homeschool Connections is offering 20% off of select online classes using the code cybermonday. They are also offering a $60 discount on Unlimited Access, which provides 150 recorded, independent-learning courses for Catholic families.

Ignatius Press – From now until December 31st get 50% off new and best-selling DVD series such as “Symbolon”, “YDisciple True Beauty and True Strength”, and “Lectio”.

Lifeteen – Free shipping on all orders today, as well as a free Advent Companion with all orders today.

Lighthouse Catholic Media – Get 50% off complete “Symbolon” DVD sets. Additionally, they’re offering a Buy One, Get One Free on their newest bible study, “Lectio: Peter.”

Likable Art – For Cyber Monday and Tuesday, Likable Art will donate all proceeds from their store to Catholic Relief Services.

Michelle Quigley – Get 15 % off the Catholic Daily Planner using code cyber15.

Mystic Monk Coffee – Save 10% on great coffee by using the code MONDAY10.

Pauline Books and Media – Special Cyber Monday sale featuring several books and CDs up to 15% off!

Sacred Art Series – Sacred Art Series from Bloomfield Books is offering 20% off its Rosary Flip Books with the coupon code CATHOLIC.

TAN Books – TAN Books Black Friday sale has been extended through Monday. 40-90% off everything. Code is BLK2014.

Tiny Saints – Get 30% off and free shipping using the coupon code the discount code CYBER30.

Trendy Traditions – Get 25% off with the code ADVENT2014!

Veils by Lily – Get 10% off all veils plus FREE standard shipping on U.S. orders!

Verbum – Save up to 30% on Verbum’s most popular collections! You can get the popular Navarre Bible New Testament Standard Edition, regularly $184.95, for $142.95—today only!

Word on Fire – Special Christmas pricing on Fr. Robert Barron’s DVDs, like the CATHOLICISM series and Priest, Prophet, King. On Cyber Monday and Tuesday, you can also take an additional 15% off everything in the store—including those Christmas specials!

 

 

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