Carl E. Olson's Blog, page 161
March 24, 2013
A CWR interview with Monica Migliorino Miller, author of "Abandoned"
A CWR interview with Monica Migliorino Miller, author of Abandoned | Jim Graves | Catholic World Report
“We’re fighting the most important social justice issue of our time..."
Monica Migliorino Miller released Abandoned:
The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars through Saint Benedict
Press in 2012. It tells the story of how, as a college student in the
1970s, she became involved in the pro-life movement, through 1994, when the
blockading of abortion clinics through Operation Rescue effectively came to an
end.
While many Americans describe themselves as pro-life, few have dedicated
themselves wholly to the cause as Miller has, devoting countless hours on the
streets in front of abortion clinics “sidewalk counseling,” or trying to
persuade abortion-minded women entering abortion clinics—or “abortuaries” as
you may hear her call them—to choose life. Her aggressive, on-the-street
action has included the photographing and displaying of the bodies of aborted
children collected from the dumpsters behind abortion clinics, to painting over
or covering the contact information on subway advertisements of abortion
clinics, to being arrested for linking arms with other pro-lifers in front of
the entrances to abortion clinics. (It is important to note that she and
her fellow pro-life activists never used any sort of violence as a tactic, and
that violence used in the name of the pro-life cause is rare and quickly denounced
by the leaders of the movement.)
While some Americans may be turned off by her activism, to Miller it is more
than justified by the atrocities that occur every day in the nation’s abortion
clinics. Such atrocities, she believes, are tantamount to those of
Hitler’s extermination camps or Stalin’s gulags, and it is her role (and should
be that of any pro-life American) to stand in solidarity with the unborn child
threatened with abortion, and employ all morally acceptable means to save that
child.
In a recent interview with CWR, Miller
discussed her new book.
CWR: Why
did you choose to write Abandoned?
Miller: I wanted to tell the truth.
I’ve been in a position as a pro-life activist that has given me a unique
and incredible experience to see what 40 years of legalized abortion has
brought to our country. I’ve experienced the tragedy of abortion in a
profound way. I wanted to share that experience with everyone.
The book covers a specific 19-year period, from the 1970s through the 90s; I
wanted to preserve this important moment in history and share it with future
generations. We’re fighting the most important social justice issue of
our time, and it is important for us to explain what it is and what it meant.
I wanted to tell the story as someone active in the pro-life cause, so we
don’t have to rely on scholars and journalists to tell it. In the 19th
century, by comparison, in the fight against slavery, it would have been a
tragedy if we didn’t have the writings of the abolitionists themselves, and
instead had to rely only on the interpretations of historians.
Also, while I tell the story from my own perspective, I hope people will see
that the real main character of the book is not me, but the unborn child.
He is the hidden victim of abortion.
CWR: What
reaction has Abandoned received?
Miller: We’ve had a good reaction; I
think Saint Benedict Press is very excited. I’ve written other books that
have been published, but none has achieved the success Abandoned
has. We’re still in the early stages of promoting the book, and we’ve
already sold 6,000 copies.
CWR: What
is the most effective way to save babies from abortion?
March 23, 2013
Three gifts offered by Jesus on His way to the Cross
A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for March 24, 2013 | Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion | Carl E. Olson
Readings:
• At the procession with palms, Gospel: Lk 19:28-4
• Is 50:4-7
• Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
• Phil 2:6-11
• Lk 22:14—23:56
"It is done. We have judged our God and have ordered Him
slain.
We will not have Christ with us more—He is in the way.”
Those lines open Paul Claudel’s poem, “The Way of the Cross”, a lyrical, moving
reflection on the fourteen Stations. Claudel, who is one of my favorite poets,
had a profound love and knowledge of the Bible (he wrote a book titled, The
Essence of the Bible). His poetry has often
opened up new and wonderful perspectives in my study of sacred Scripture.
In writing
that Christ “is in the way,” Claudel emphasizes the two choices before each one
of us: to embrace Jesus as The Way or to try to remove him from our way.
Those choices are evident throughout today’s reading from St. Luke’s Gospel.
There is, in this reading, a series of gifts offered by Jesus as he, the King
of kings, makes his way to his throne, the Cross. These gifts involve choices,
not only on the part of man, but also on the part of the God-man.
In the Upper Room, reclining with the apostles, Jesus took
the bread and blessed it, and said, “This is my body, which will be given for
you…” He took the cup, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which
will be shed for you.” This, of course, is the gift of the Eucharist, “the
source and summit of the Christian life,” the Body and Blood which nourishes
the sons and daughters of God. This gift was offered along with the gift of the
priesthood, through which this perfect and holy sacrifice has been perpetually
offered (CCC, 611).
Yet one of the Twelve rejected the gifts. Judas—grasping and
greedy—had spitefully judged Jesus and believed he was now in the way. Judas
refused to accept and be part of a kingdom rooted in self-sacrifice, suffering,
and redemptive love. “But woe,” said Jesus, “to that man by whom he is
betrayed.”
The gift of the cup of the New Covenant, the Catechism remarks, “is afterwards accepted by him from his
Father's hands in his agony in the garden at Gethsemani…” (par. 612). This gift
of Jesus—offering himself, his fears, and his horror of death—is a profound
mystery, for it is bound up in mystery of the Incarnation. The second person of
the Trinity, St. Paul states in today’s Epistle, had “emptied himself, taking
the form of a slave” and had “humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point
of death…” The first Adam had failed the test of love in the Garden of Eden
when faced with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But the new Adam,
whose sweat in the Garden of Gethsemani “became like drops of blood,” humbly
embraced the torturous trial of the tree of Golgotha. The anguish endured in
private prayer in the Garden would soon be a public lamentation: “My God, my
God, why have you abandoned me?”
The third gift is that of love, redemption, salvation,
reconciliation. It is the gift of the Cross, the gift of the Incarnate Word who
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. “The shame of his
passion was not the fruit of his own will,” wrote St. Cyril of Alexandria, “but
he still consented to undergo it that he might save the earth.” Arms stretched
wide, Jesus embraced the world. He embraced the thief, who asked to be
remembered in Paradise. He embraced the centurion, who gloried God. He embraces
each one of us as we kneel in silence and contemplate those humble words of
trust and filial devotion: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Jesus, for many people, is in the way. But for those who gaze upon the gift of the
Cross, Jesus is the Way. In the beautiful words of Claudel:
“There is no cross
of our living where His body will not fit.
There is no sin of ours for which He
has not a wound.”
(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the March 28, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
March 22, 2013
Peter and Andrew: Brother Pilgrims to Jerusalem
Peter and Andrew: Brother Pilgrims to Jerusalem | Christopher B. Warner | Catholic World Report
Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew continue the 50-year legacy of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue begun by Paul VI and Athenagoras.
Pope Francis met
with fraternal delegates of the Orthodox Churches, other Christian churches,
and world religions on Wednesday, March 20. These representatives had come to Rome for Francis’
inauguration Mass on Tuesday. Prior to the Wednesday’s meeting, the Holy Father
and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople had a 20-minute private conversation.
Father Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, said the discussion was
both “beautiful and intense.” Over the past week, Francis
and Bartholomew have set a foundation for further cooperation and dialogue by
reaffirming their joint desire to cooperate as Christian brothers in promoting
the stewardship of God’s creation, helping the poor and suffering, and
witnessing to life in Christ.
Bridge-building between Catholic and Orthodox Christians has not missed
a beat following the papal election. It is well known that Pope Francis served as the ordinary for Eastern
Catholics in Argentina so he is very familiar with the liturgical traditions of the East. “He knows our Tradition very well,” says
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church,
“as well as our Liturgy.” Shevchuk was ordained a bishop of the Ukrainian
Catholic Church in Buenos Aires in 2009 and has worked closely with the current
pope.
When Pope Francis
appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in simple regalia and humble
manner, he used gestures and phrases that Eastern
Church hierarchs could not fail to notice. He spoke of the Church of
Rome as the church “which presides in love” and referred to himself as the
bishop of Rome concerned for the Christians of the city of Rome. Referring to
Roman primacy as a “primacy of love” harkens back to the famous second-century quote
from St. Ignatius of Antioch in his letter to the Roman church. This choice of wording,
which describes the Rome episcopate in terms of pre-schism ecclesiology, could
not have been a coincidence.
Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew’s attendance at the events this week in Rome likely marks
the first time ever that a patriarch of Constantinople has been present for the
inauguration of a pope. “This is a profoundly bold step in ecumenical
relations between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics,” says George E. Demacopoulos, Ph.D., historian for
the Orthodox Christian Studies
Center at Fordham University. “One that could have lasting significance.”
New: "Do No Harm: A Novel" by Fiorella de Maria Nash
Now available from Ignatius Press:
by Fiorella de Maria Nash
• Also available in Electronic Book Format
When a British emergency room doctor saves the life a woman who apparently attempted suicide, he is accused of committing a crime and stands trial. Not only is Dr. Matthew Kemble's medical practice at risk, but also his liberty. If he is found guilty of trespassing on a woman's right to die, he could go to jail.
The novel Do No Harm exposes the dangers faced by conscientious doctors in Britain. Dr. Kemble's decision to treat a patient in defiance of her Living Will pits him against English Law, public opinion and his own profession. The legal and personal battles he faces raise many questions about the role of the physician in the modern world, contemporary beliefs about autonomy and human rights, and the increasingly bitter clash of values in twenty-first century Britain.
Set in and around London, the story explores the interrelated stories of a physician facing ruin and imprisonment at the height of his career, his old friend and doggedly determined lawyer, Jonathan Kirkpatrick, and Maria, a passionate, dedicated but intensely lonely young campaigner who while working for the defense proves incapable of staying out of trouble herself.
Fiorella De Maria is an award-winning author. Born in Italy of Maltese parents, she lives in England, where she was educated at Cambridge. Her historical novel Poor Banished Children is about a Maltese woman kidnapped by slave traders in the era of the Barbary pirates.
"A gripping drama of ordinary human beings caught in a web of ethical confusions and moral complexities. It presents to us the razor's edge of conscience in an age dominated by relativism: What can people of good will do when faced with layers of evil in contemporary society, evils that present themselves as rational, legal, even ‘moral'? How do they save life and bring hope to the hopeless- to do no harm, according to the Hippocratic oath? This novel is a biopsy of the sickness of late Western society, and more importantly a sign that we are not abandoned in the midst of it, and that good can triumph against all odds."
- Michael D. O'Brien, author, Father Elijah
Praise for Fiorella de Maria's previous novel, Poor Banished Children
"A soulful, beautifully written, and haunting novel."
- Ron Hansen, New York Times best-selling author, Mariette in Ecstasy
"Catholic writer De Maria deserves a wide audience."
- Publishers Weekly
"A meditation on guilt, innocence, and transcendence that will haunt the reader long after the book is done."
- Mary Eberstadt, author, The Loser Letters: A Comic Tale of Life, Death, and Atheism
"This is serious fiction with prose that is clean, strong, and worthy."
- Thomas Howard, author, Narnia and Beyond
"It's not often that a historical novel comes along that is at once period-appropriate, psychologically plausible - and very, very difficult to put down."
- The Weekly Standard
New "Homilietic & Pastoral Review" book reviews
For March 2013:
Reviews for the following books:
CONSTITUTIONAL ILLUSION AND ANCHORING TRUTHS: THE TOUCHSTONE OF THE NATURAL LAW. By Hadley Arkes. (Reviewed by Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.)
THE SOUL OF WIT: G.K. CHESTERTON ON WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Edited and Intro by Dale Alquist. (Reviewed by Ken Colston.)
WILL MANY BE SAVED? WHAT VATICAN II ACTUALLY TEACHES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION. By Ralph Martin. (Reviewed by Peter A. Huff)
THE SEVEN BIG MYTHS ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. By Christopher Kaczor. (Reviewed by Daniel J. Blackman)
KNOWING GOD. GOD AND THE HUMAN CONDITION. By Frank Sheed. (Reviewed by Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J.)
MARRIED PRIESTS? 30 CRUCIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT CELIBACY. Edited by Arturo Cattaneo. (Reviewed by Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J.)
CHALICE OF GOD: A SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY IN OUTLINE. By Aidan Nichols, O. P. (Reviewed by Msgr. Daniel B. Gallagher)
March 21, 2013
Cardinal Bergoglio’s Letter to the Catechists of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires
Cardinal Bergoglio’s Letter to the Catechists of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires | CWR Staff
An exclusive English translation of the future Pope Francis’ 2012 letter on evangelization and opening the doors of faith
Editor’s note: On August 21, 2012, the feast of St. Pius X, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio—now Pope Francis—published a letter to the catechists of his Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. This is an exclusive English translation of that letter.
“In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” (Lk 1:39)
Dear catechists,
It has been a custom now for many years that I write you a letter around the feast of Saint Pius X. In this way I wish to greet you on his day, thank you for your quiet, faithful work each week, for your ability to be Good Samaritans who offer hospitality out of faith, by being familiar faces and dear hearts that make it possible to transform, in some way, the anonymity of the big city.
This year, the day of the catechist finds us facing a grace-filled event that we are already starting to experience. Within two months begins the Year of Faith that our Pope Benedict XVI has declared “so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ” (Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, 2).
It will certainly be a jubilee year. Hence the invitation that the same Pope extends to us to enter through the “Door of the Faith.” Entering through this door is a journey that lasts a lifetime, yet in this time of grace we are all called to renew it. Therefore from the bottom of my heart I exhort you in this year, as your pastor and as your brother, to strive to experience the present time with the transforming power of this event.
We all remember the invitation repeated so many times by Blessed John Paul II: “Open the doors to the Redeemer.” God is urging us once again: Open the doors to the Lord: the door of the heart, the doors of the mind, the doors of catechesis, of our communities... all the doors to the Faith.
In this opening of the door of faith there is always a free and personal Yes: a Yes that is a response to God that takes the initiative and draws near to man so as to start a dialogue with him, in which the gift and the mystery are always made present.
A Yes that the Virgin Mother was able to give in the fullness of time, in that humble village of Nazareth, so that through this interaction the new and definitive covenant could begin what God had prepared, in Jesus, for all mankind.
It always does us good to turn to look at the Blessed Virgin. Even more so for those of us to whom is entrusted, in one way or another, the task of guiding the lives of many brethren, and thus united, to be able to say Yes to the invitation to believe.
But catechesis would be seriously compromised if our experience of faith were to leave us confined in and anchored to our familiar world or in the structures and spaces that we have been creating over the years.
March 20, 2013
New: "Jacob's Ladder: Ten Steps to Truth" by Peter Kreeft
Now available from Ignatius Press:
Jacob's Ladder: Ten Steps to Truth
by Peter Kreeft
There are ten important questions everyone should ask; and the
answers to these questions, which lead to ultimate truth, are a matter
of reason, not of faith.
Well-known Catholic philosopher and writer Peter Kreeft tackles each
of these questions in a logical step-by-step way, like climbing the
rungs of a ladder. Because questions are best answered by dialogue,
Kreeft answers these fundamental questions in an imaginary conversation
between two very different people who meet at the beach.
Kreeft's
characters begin at the beginning, at the bottom of the ladder, which
is the passion for truth. When it comes to the most important questions a
person can ask, no mere interest in philosophical dabbling will do. The
passion for truth does not stop there, however, but carries the reader
from one page to the next in this thought-provoking adventure of the
mind.
Among the topics, or "steps", that Kreeft's characters delve into include:
Do you have the passion to know?
Does truth exist?
What is the meaning of life?
What is love, and why is it so important for our lives?
If there is a God, what proof is there for his existence?
Has God revealed himself to us in a personal way?
And many other important questions and topics to help climb the ladder to the truth about life.
Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., a Professor of Philosophy at
Boston College, is one of the most widely read Christian authors of our
time. His many bestselling books include Back to Virtue, Because God
is Real, You Can Understand the Bible, Angels and Demons, Heaven: The
Heart's Deepest Longing, Fundamentals of the Faith, and A Summa of the Summa.
"When I was coming into the Catholic Church 25 years ago, the voice that
stood out for me more than any other on the contemporary scene as an
oasis of clear and accessible sanity was Peter Kreeft's. Jacob's Ladder shows
that a mind, heart and soul filled with Catholic teaching only becomes
richer, deeper and more beautiful with time. Lift this joyous chalice to
the lips of your soul and drink deeply. It is satisfying indeed!"
- Mark Shea, author, By What Authority?
"Peter Kreeft is our generation's C.S. Lewis, as this brilliant new book of his further demonstrates. The genius of Jacob's Ladder lies
in Kreeft's canny ability to capture the imagination with vivid and
arresting prose while simultaneously leading the reader, step by step,
above and beyond the cramped limitations of the imagination into the
spacious and lofty heights of reason, reality, and truth."
- Patrick Madrid, author, Where is That in the Bible?
"In Jacob's Ladder, Peter Kreeft offers a wonderful book for
someone genuinely interested in asking profound questions and seeking
profound answers. With clarity, wit, and insight, the characters of his
dialogue consider some the most central questions in human
life-including truth, meaning, love, God and Jesus-in a way both
entertaining and accessible. The first chapter especially, considering
and refuting various forms of relativism and subjectivism, is a
necessary preamble to any serious discussion of anything."
- Christopher Kaczor, Author, The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church
"In this delightful and ingenious guidebook for living Catholic
faith, Peter Kreeft removes most contemporary popular objections to
embracing God, Jesus, and the Catholic Church. Using two characters,
Mother, an imposing beach-going philosopher of life, and Libby, a
23-year old former journalist who has naively adopted the culture's
critique of religion, Kreeft exposes the many fallacies in contemporary
moral and philosophical relativism. By imparting a deeper insight into
the ideal of passion, truth, meaning and love, Mother creates a light to
shine upon the true, good, and beautiful character of principles, God,
Jesus, and Catholicism. This is a "must read" for those seeking a way
out of our cultural malaise."
- Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Author, Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life
Video Trailer for the book:
March 19, 2013
Preparing for Holy Week and Easter
20% off select books and films in preparation for Holy Week and Easter
Offer ends March 26th, 2013 at 12:00 midnight EST
These prices are available online only through Ignatius.com
To
prepare for Holy Week and Easter, Ignatius Press is offering 20% off of
ideal books and films for the season. Reflect on Our Lord's last days
by reading Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week or delve into de Wohl's novel on the Crucifixion The Spear.
Join top Bible experts as they discuss the true meaning of Christ's
death and resurrection in the fascinating & informative documentary
film Did Jesus Really Rise from The Dead? Choose from any one
of these great titles, including the new biography of Pope Francis to
help prepare yourself for the upcoming Easter season.
Francis: Pope of a New World
Andrea Tornielli
In the words, the ideas, and the personal recollections of Pope
Francis--including material up to the final hours before his
election--the most highly regarded Vatican observer on the international
scene reveals the personality of this man of God, gentle and
humble.This complete biography offers the keys to understanding the man
who was a surprise choice, even a kind of revolutionary choice, for
pope. It is the story of the humble pastor of one of the world's largest
archdioceses; a cardinal who takes the bus, talks with common folk, and
lives simply.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96
Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary,
or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI. This is a book for
Christians—Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox—as well as other believers
and nonbelievers. Benedict brings to his study the vast learning of a
brilliant scholar, the passionate searching of a great mind, and the
deep compassion of a pastor's heart. In the end, he dares readers to
grapple with the meaning of Jesus' life, teaching, death, and
Resurrection. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $12.95
The True Icon
Paul Badde
In this lavishly illustrated book, best-selling author Paul Badde
sets out on a journey through Europe and the Holy Land as he traces the
rich history of the Shroud. With the investigative skills of a seasoned
journalist, Paul Badde uncovers many of the mysteries surrounding the
Shroud and also researches another relic honored as a burial cloth of
Christ-the Veil of Manoppello, which bears the image of the Holy Face. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $22.95, sale price: $11.50
The Spear
Louis de Wohl
This panoramic novel of the last days of Christ ranges from the
palaces of imperial Rome to the strife-torn hills of Judea-where the
conflict of love and betrayal, revenge and redemption, reaches a mighty
climax in the drama of the Crucifixion. For this is the full story of
the world's most dramatic execution, as it affected one of its
least-known participants-the man who hurled his spear into Christ on the
Cross.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36
On the Passion of Christ
Thomas a Kempis
in this wonderful meditation book, perfect for Lent, or any time
of the year, the great spiritual writer and monk gives profound, short
reflections on Gospel passages about the passion and death of Christ.
Each chapter, focusing on a specific aspect of the Passion of Our Lord,
gives a prayer, a meditation and spiritual advice and closes with
another short prayer. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $12.95, sale price: $10.36
Behold the Pierced One
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
In this profound and illuminating work, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
turns the gaze of an accomplished theologian upon the crucified Savior.
This synthetic and meditative work is theological without being
abstract or dry, and spiritual without being sentimental. The pierced
heart of Christ must be the heart of theology and Christian life as
well. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $11.95, sale price: $9.56
Life Out Of Death
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Death and dying are inseparably linked with life. They are
self-evident and at the same time cannot be grasped by reason alone -
they are ordinary, and yet so incredible. In these meditations, the
acclaimed theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar investigates this great
mystery. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $11.95, sale price: $9.56
The Passion from Within
Adrienne von Speyr
The mystic Adrienne von Speyr, drawing on her very special
God-given charism of being able to experience the interior states of
persons, shares her profound insights on the suffering, loneliness and
loss Christ endured for love of us during His Passion. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $11.95, sale price: $9.56
Contemplative Provocations
Fr Donald Haggerty
A great many religious people undertake a serious dedication to
prayer. For those who are spiritually courageous and full of desire for
God, this book will provoke them to persevere in this ultimate adventure
in life-the more complete discovery of the living God. this work offers
a rich profusion of insights on the life of prayer and the pursuit of
God. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56
A School of Prayer
Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer is essential to the life of faith. In this superb book,
based on Pope Benedict's weekly teaching, he examines the foundational
principles of the life of prayer. Believers of various backgrounds and
experience in prayer-from beginners to spiritually advanced-will be
enriched by this spiritual masterpiece. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36
The Imitation of Christ
Thomas a Kempis
The spiritual classic by à Kempis, the second most widely read
spiritual book after the Bible, has had an astonishing impact on the
spiritual lives of countless saints, peasants, and popes for centuries.
Drawing on the Bible, the Fathers of the early Church and medieval
mysticism, his four-part treatise shrugs off the allure of the material
world, blending beauty and bluntness in a supremely spiritual
call-to-arms.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96
The Suffering of Love
Regis Martin
Quoting widely from Christian, Jewish and secular sources, Regis
Martin makes an unflinching examination of this universal question on
the meaning of suffering. By meditating on Christ's passion, death and
descent into Hell, he asks us to consider anew the God who overcomes
evil by plunging himself into the depths of human misery.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56
The Face of God
Paul Badde
Paul Badde takes the reader along on a thrilling journey of
discovery as he travels to research this remarkable relic, tracing the
turbulent history of the Holy Face from ancient times up to the historic
2006 visit to Manoppello by Pope Benedict XVI. Illustrated with 16
pages of color photos. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $9.95
Tears of God
Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel
Fr. Benedict Groeschel, best-selling author and beloved spiritual
teacher, writer, and psychologist, wrote this latest book for all those
who have suffered great sorrow or catastrophe in their lives and for
those close to such persons, who share their deep suffering. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $10.95, sale price: $8.76
Deep Conversion/Deep Prayer
Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.
Fr. Thomas Dubay is one of the most popular and respected retreat
masters and spiritual directors in the USA. In this book, he responds to
the call to priests by both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI to help
believers and all those interested in spirituality to develop a deeper
prayer life and union with God. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $12.95, sale price: $10.36
He Leadeth Me
Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J.
Captured by the Russian army during World War II and convicted of
being a "Vatican spy," American Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek spent
some 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of
Siberia. He here recalls how it was only through an utter reliance on
God's will that he managed to endure. Also available as an audio download.
Regular price: $15.95, sale price: $12.76
Jesus, Teach Us To Pray
Jerome Bertram
In this book Fr. Jerome Bertram answers the plea of so many of
his contemporaries. Drawing on his own experience and his vast knowledge
of trusted spiritual authors, he leads his readers into the various
ways of prayer. After a few introductory chapters stressing the
importance of prayer, Fr. Jerome takes us through the Our Father, the
very prayer which the Lord himself left with us. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $12.95, sale price: $9.06
Into Your Hands, Father
Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen
In the spiritual life, we need a central idea: something so basic
and comprehensive that it encompasses everything else. According to
Carmelite Father Wilfrid Stinissen, surrender to God, abandonment to the
One who loves us completely, is that central reality. In this simple
but profound book, Father Stinissen distinguishes three degrees or
stages in abandonment. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $11.95, sale price: $9.56
Love Is Stronger Than Death
Peter Kreeft
In one of his most penetrating books, Kreeft ponders the meaning
of a terminal illness we all have: death. The three vital questions of
Life, Death, and God are approached through a variety of human
experiences. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $11.95, sale price: $9.56
The Mystery of Death
Adrienne von Speyr
Von Speyr addresses the perennial and ultimate human question--the
question of death. This book is not only a synthesis of the Christian
view of death. It is also an antidote to the insipid sociological
sentimentalism of so many books written about death and dying today. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $9.95, sale price: $7.96
Jesus, the Divine Physician
Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn
Cardinal Schönborn, a renowned spiritual writer and teacher,
presents this third book in his series of meditations on the Gospels, in
which he seeks to help readers have a deep personal encounter with
Jesus Christ as seen in the Sacred Scriptures. His first two books
focused on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and this book covers Luke.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56
Abandonment to Divine Providence
Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J.
This special volume of the famous spiritual treatise also includes
the many insightful letters of Father de Caussade on the practice of
self-abandonment. These numerous letters provide a great additional
source of wisdom and practical guidance for how to grow in abandonment
and to deepen our union with God in our daily lives. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96
Jesus of Nazareth, Volume 1
Pope Benedict XVI
Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction
as a believer, the Pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood
portrait of Jesus and invites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central
figure of the Christian faith.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56
With God in Russia
Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J
Fr Ciszek, author of the best-selling He Leadeth Me,
tells here the gripping, astounding story of his twenty-three years in
Russian prison camps in Siberia, how he was falsely imprisoned as an
"American spy", the incredible rigors of daily life as a prisoner, and
his extraordinary faith in God and commitment to his priestly vows and
vocation.
Regular price: $18.95, sale price: $5.68
Padre Pio Under Investigation
Francesco Castelli
The documents in this book reveal every aspect of Padre Pio's life
from his amazing supernatural gifts to his health. In his depositions,
he admits, under oath, to the phenomenon of bi-location and to other
supernatural charisms, and for the first time tells the detailed story
of his stigmatization. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36
To Know Christ Jesus
Frank Sheed
This modern spiritual classic by Frank Sheed, the renowned author,
publisher and lecturer, is brought back into print for the benefit of
new generations of readers to develop a deeper, more profound knowledge
of Jesus Christ. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36
Children's Books
My First Pictures of Easter
Maite Roche
The moving events of Holy Week and Easter are tenderly told and
illustrated for toddlers by the best-selling children's author Maïte
Roche. Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are
introduced with one large picture and simple text.
Regular price: $6.99, sale price: $5.59
My First Pictures of Jesus
Maite Roche
Introduce your toddlers to Jesus with this attractive board book
with rounded corners by the best-selling author and illustrator Maïte
Roche. With inviting pictures and simple text, the book invites very
young children to come to Jesus-to be healed, forgiven and loved by him.
Regular price: $6.99, sale price: $5.59
The Illustrated Gospel for Children
Jean-Francois Kieffer, Christine Ponsard
In youthful yet tasteful comic-book style, Jesus comes alive for
young readers with vibrant and expressive four-color illustrations and
simple but engaging text. The moving story of the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus is told in a way young readers will find both
attractive and challenging; the Gospel is simplified without losing any
of its saving power.
Regular price: $14.99, sale price: $11.99
The Gospel for Little Ones
Maite Roche
With touching four-color pictures and simple but beautiful
language, the life of Jesus unfolds for very young children. From the
Annunciation to the Ascension, all the main events in the life of our
Lord are artfully described on hard, childproof pages with rounded
corners.
Regular price: $12.99, sale price: $10.39
Films
Padre Pio
Miracle Man
This movie captures the Capuchin friar's intense faith and
devotion, and deep spiritual concern for others, as well as his great
compassion for the sick and suffering. It reveals the amazing details
and events in Padre Pio's life as a boy and throughout his 50 years as a
friar, dramatizing the frequent attacks of the Devil on him, as well as
the persecution he suffered at the hands of people, including those in
the church.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $19.96
The Passion of the Christ - Definitive Edition
This deluxe two-disc DVD of the epic film by Mel Gibson is a great
addition to any Catholic's movie collection. Featuring a
behind-the-scenes documentary, another documentary on the life of
Christ, deleted scenes, two versions of The Passion, commentary from Gibson and the writers, production art and trailers, historic images of Christ, and much more!
Regular price: $21.95, sale price: $17.56
This Side of Eden
From the grand to the mundane, life at Westminster Abbey in
British Columbia is anything but ordinary. This film presents a poetic,
compelling and richly intimate portrait of the daily life of the
Benedictine Monks, at work, prayer and leisure, with a focus on the days
of Holy Week and the Easter Triduum.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96
The Shroud of Turin
This is the definitive collection of three stunning films on the
Shroud of Turin that spans 32 years of award-winning filmmaking on the
Shroud by acclaimed British film producer & director David
Rolfe.These films use the latest scientific, historical, medical and
archaeological research on the Shroud to reveal the amazing evidence for
the very strong possibility of the authenticity of it as the burial
cloth of Christ.
Regular price: $29.95, sale price: $23.96
Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
Skeptics have long tried to show that there was no Resurrection.Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
carefully scrutinizes the historical evidence. Rather than accept
Christian belief blindly, top scholars and biblical historians
critically examine alternative explanations. In the end, they show why
it is a matter of sound reason as well as faith to affirm what the early
Church proclaimed: Jesus is risen.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96
Jesus of Nazareth
Zeffirelli's award-winning film with an all-star cast that
depicts the life of Christ from His birth through His Resurrection. This
epic production is acclaimed for its thorough Biblical and historical
accuracy, with six hours of superb acting, beautiful music, and
outstanding cinematography.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $19.96
The Holy Face
Two inspiring new documentary films on one DVD, The Holy Face and The Human Face of God,
that tell about the discovery of the amazing relic of the Holy Face on a
cloth revered in a Church in Manoppello, Italy. Paul Badde, author of
the international best-selling book on the Veil of Manoppello, The Face of God is a featured spokesman in both films.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96
The Last Things
This film presents the reality of death and what will follow for
every person: first the particular Judgment before God, then Heaven or
Hell as our destination for all eternity. The Catholic teaching on
Purgatory is also explained, giving examples from the Scriptures and
philosophy.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96
Catholic World Report
Pope Francis and Secularist Stereotypes
By Michael Coren
Don't be surprised that the honeymoon lasted just a few hours.
The Catholic Church looks neither right nor left but up. In other
words, the Church is not a vehicle for conservatism or liberalism,
capitalism or socialism, but a vehicle for Catholicism. Anyone who
thinks and believes otherwise has surely misunderstood the teaching and
purpose of the institution left us by Christ Jesus. To continue reading, click here.
Homiletic & Pastoral Review
Welcome, Holy Father Francis!
By Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J.
Like
Francis of Assisi, our Holy Father is calling us back to the great
saint who “rebuilt Christ’s Church” by living a life of sheer simplicity
and charity.
Let us take this opportunity to welcome our Holy Father Francis and to
promise him our prayers and obedience. The Cardinals in conclave emerged
this past week as men of the Spirit. For they have picked the first
non-European pope in well over 1000 years; and, they picked the first
religious priest since Pope Gregory XVI (d. 1846)—a member of the
Camaldolese, a barefooted order of Benedictines, living as hermits,
founded in 1012 by St. Romuald. In doing so, the Pope’s electors have
revealed to the world what it is they want from the next pontificate. To continue reading, click here.
"The Importance of Knowing St. Joseph" by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.
The Importance of Knowing St. Joseph | Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. | The Introduction to The Mystery of Joseph by
Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P. | Ignatius Insight
The publication of this serious, even profound study of a
person intimately joined to the life of the Messiah and written by one of the
most respected figures in our contemporary Catholic scene should cause serious
attention to be paid to the often neglected figure of Saint Joseph.
Father
Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P., an important French theologian who died only in
2006, was a man whose thought was of great influence and depth. He was also a
man greatly devoted to the Church who founded the Community of Saint John.
This new community is now recognized in several countries as a very successful
attempt to restore a vibrant spirituality to the religious life, which in many
places has seemed moribund for years.
The Brothers and Sisters of Saint John
are a cause of hope to those who look ahead to the restoration of the authentic
and powerful traditions of the religious life that have gotten lost in recent
times. The Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Renewal have welcomed them
with joy.
Father Philippe's book on Saint Joseph is very consistent
with the new biblical theology called for by Pope Benedict XVI. The author very
impressively examines the sparse facts that we have concerning the life of
Saint Joseph, teasing from them material that connects easily and well with a
very impressive structure of theological teaching. This then becomes a means
of providing a firm foundation for devotion to the Foster Father and Guardian
of the Son of God.
Except for Christ and Saint Paul, New Testament figures
attract little attention from the secular world and especially the secular
media – even when they are in a kindly mood. Occasionally a small amount
of attention is shown to the figure of the Blessed Mother but rarely is Saint
Joseph or any of the Apostles mentioned. Even in cities named Saint Joseph or
San José are the inhabitants really conscious of the fact that their hometown
is actually named for a person – a person who played a role of immense
importance in God's plan of redemption for humankind. This apparent obscurity
finds at its root a kind of Protestantism that is focused intensely on the
figure Christ and on the writings of Saint Paul, but which seems barely
acquainted with Saint Joseph and even the Mother of God, herself.
Catholic
theology, which takes a less constricted view of such things, opened up a world
of devotion to Saint Joseph the humble carpenter of Nazareth as well as to the
Mother of God. How could it be otherwise? These are the figures who stood at
the manger on the first Christmas; they are the ones to whom the care of the
Word Incarnate was entrusted by God.
In recent years there has been a gradual but very welcome
return to biblical theology and a simultaneous turning away from the overly
exclusive use of the historical-critical method. In the wake of such changes
there has also come a resurgence of interest in the figure of Saint Joseph. When
we place the few facts that we have of him in the context of his personal
responsibilities for the Messiah, we begin to move away from the shadowy figure
presented in Scripture and discover a multi-dimensional person – one
still wrapped in mystery, but one of great importance.
Young Catholics seeking
more solid theological food than what is generally being fed to them through
the historical-critical school alone will find in Father Philippe's book much
to feed their spiritual lives and inspire their devotion.
Father Philippe has profoundly moved many of these
intelligent and well educated young men and women, and quite a few of them have
joined the community he founded.
The Community of Saint John
now includes not only members from France but also from many parts of the
world. The same spirit and insight that led Father Philippe to such success in
the founding of this congregation can be found in his writings, which I
recommend to all. The Mystery of Joseph is a wonderful place to begin your appreciation of Father Philippe. His way of
looking into Scripture and finding in it an inexhaustible theological reservoir
is an inspiration to all. Read and enjoy and pray. Father Philippe will teach
you much about Saint Joseph and much about your faith. When you're all
finished you will be quite surprised to see how your vision of this great saint
may have changed. Even if you've been devoted to St. Joseph for many years, I
feel safe in saying that in The Mystery of Saint Joseph you will learn a great deal about Jesus' Foster
Father's true and undying importance.
The Mystery of Joseph
By Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P.
Foreword By Fr. Benedict Groeschel
Although the greatest of saints, after Mary, St. Joseph is perhaps the
least well understood. What Scripture teaches is compelling, but
mysterious: he moves quietly and thoughtfully through its
pages, almost unobserved in his humility and silence.
And yet Pope Paul VI has said: "If we look carefully into this life that
was apparently so unremarkable, we shall find that it was greater and
more adventurous, more full of exciting events, than we
are accustomed to assume in our hasty perusal of the Gospel."
In this illuminating book, Fr. Philippe leads you deep into the
beautiful mystery of St. Joseph - revealing the greatness of the
apparently unremarkable man who was the guardian of Jesus and Mary,
and who is now the Guardian of the Church, "overflowing with
immeasurable wisdom and power."
Weaving together the many different strands of the Church's
ever-deepening understanding of St. Joseph, along with his own profound
insights, here is a warm and moving portrait of the humble, heroic
carpenter of Bethlehem - a great man who became, by God's grace, a great
saint. After reading this book, you will never see St. Joseph (and
perhaps yourself) in quite the same way again.
"This is an amazing book on a crucial (but neglected) topic,
written by one of the greatest Catholic theologians of recent times. Profound
and deep, clear and practical, grounded in Scripture and illumined by the
brilliance of St. Thomas Aquinas — I know of no other book like it."
— Dr. Scott Hahn
"In this beautiful book one of the great men of the Church
of recent times helps us to contemplate the face of St. Joseph in all its
chivalrous nobility, and to understand how the mystery of Our Lady's 'spouse
most chaste' supplies the Church with a light in which she can move forward on
her pilgrimage 'with a new surge of life and love.' " — Fr. John Saward,
author Cradle of Redeeming Love
"In recent times, St. Joseph seems to have fallen out of
favor in the conscious minds of believers. These deep meditations are a
wonderful antidote for that. I highly recommend The Mystery of Joseph." — Archbishop John J. Myers
"If St Joseph has a role in the Incarnation and its
consequences – and he does – then he is an essential figure within
our religion. The silence of St. Joseph in the New Testament can lead us to
neglect him or see his role as minor. Fr. Philippe's book brings out the
significance of the events of Joseph's life, and shows us his hidden
greatness." — Cardinal George Pell
"In these gentle meditations, Fr. Philippe draws out of the
Gospels a mystical theology of who St. Joseph is, and what he represents."
— Aidan Nichols, O.P., author of Rome and the Eastern Churches
Fr. Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P. (1912-2006) was the founder of the Community of St. John. A prolific author, he is increasingly recognized as an
important theologian of the later 20th century.
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A Week of Firsts
A Week of Firsts | Michael Severance | Catholic World Report
The “Bergoglio comeback” and insights from Vatican-watchers into what we can expect from Pope Francis
Some of the less-experienced journalists covering the papal conclave were right on the money one week ago. As
wrote in my report last Monday, many of these young vaticanisti covering their first
conclave believed that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio had a strong chance of
surging from behind to beat leading papabili
such as Cardinals Scola and Ouellet.
They were convinced the Argentine
would have his rivincita—his comeback—in
the 2013 conclave. Their rookie rhyme was not without reason.
Their plain and simple reasoning,
not appreciated by the most experienced Vatican scholars and journalists, was
essentially this: here is a man who was the apparent runner-up in 2005, and 50
of the cardinal electors from 2005 would be present again in the Sistine
Chapel. Surely a good portion of them, say 30 to 40, would team up to recast a
Bergoglio ballot for pope. Certainly many cardinal electors still felt wronged
for having lost and desired retribution. Thus, they came to battle for their chosen
leader.
Even if this wasn’t exactly what
played out behind the closed doors of the conclave, a man known as “the quiet
thunder” would indeed come roaring from behind to be chosen in the 2013 papal
election.
To their credit, expert papal
scholars and veteran vaticanisti,
such as John Allen, Jr., did have a hunch: namely, the next pope would come
from a developing country, most likely from the New World, and with little or
no Curia experience, thus being positioned as an objective reformer without the
local friends or nepotistic considerations that can fuel corruption.
Like other experts, Allen thought
the most likely scenario involved a New World candidate who is Euro-compatible,
that is, a polyglot with plenty of first-world experience and Continental
heritage. Thus there was strong support for the Brazilian of German extraction,
Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer. Bergoglio was seen as too old, especially
considering Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had apparently indicated the need for a
younger, more energetic successor.
All said and done, it is a fairly
safe bet that Cardinal Bergolgio had very strong support on the first vote and
that he enjoyed a wave of momentum until the white smoke blew after the fifth
round on day two. It is also a safe bet
to say the Holy Spirit gently nudged cardinal electors to reconsider Bergoglio
when, during the last of the pre-conclave general congregations, he urged his
colleagues to revitalize the Church’s sensitivity to poverty, renew her virtue
of austerity in a consumerist-materialistic society, and rid herself of sinful
corruption.
The rest is now history.
A week of firsts
Certainly, last Wednesday was not
the first time many faithful had personally witnessed the exciting Habemus Papam! pronounced from St.
Peter’s loggia.
Many folks, just like me, were
right there in St. Peter’s Square only eight years ago when a shy Benedict
appeared before a spill-over crowd. Still others, now graying and with grandchildren,
were there on John Paul I’s or John Paul II’s first day nearly 35 years ago.
Notwithstanding, this past week proved
a historic week of “firsts” for many other noteworthy reasons.
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