Carl E. Olson's Blog, page 181

Pornography, Masturbation, and the Confessor

Pornography, Masturbation, and the Confessor | John M. Grondelski | Homiletic & Pastoral Review



The spread of pornography is a new pastoral challenge for confessors, but I want to suggest that there is another moral issue which is often overlooked in the discussion over pornography.

Confessors today undoubtedly note an increase in a phenomenon that
other social observers have also noticed: a growth in use of, as well as
addiction to, pornography.  Two factors are particularly responsible
for that spread of pornography: ever easier access, and a growing
cultural toleration.

The former is primarily a result of the internet.  Whereas once upon a
time, pornography had to be sought out in seedy neighborhoods, or
bought furtively—both social conditions which helped tamp down on its
spread. Today, pornography is universally available with just a few
clicks on a computer.

The latter is a more complex phenomenon.  While undoubtedly the
greater availability of pornography is, in some measure, responsible for
its social toleration, social acquiescence in pornography is more
complex than that.  A progressive corrosion of public morality owes its
roots to the so-called “sexual revolution” of the 1960s/1970s, which
attacked the notion of public morality itself, as well as ingraining the
message that personal pleasure and “fulfillment” is the be-all, and
end-all, of sex.  The spread of pornography is, like abortion, also an
instance where sexual ethics have been “dumbed down” to general male
standards rather than raised to general female standards.

What do I mean?  In the case of abortion, justification for “a
woman’s right to choose,” when most abortions occur for reasons of
convenience, means that society acquiesces to a general male
promiscuity, while providing a utilitarian solution for women to avoid
having to bear the consequences, and the child.  In the case of
pornography, its spread is also in some measure an acquiescence in
general male promiscuity: men want sex, so women need to match male
images and expectations.  Men shouldn’t become more chaste; women should
become more provocative.  Pamela Paul identified this trend in 2005,
rightly coining a term to describe it: we are being “pornified.” 1

The spread of pornography is, indeed, a new pastoral challenge for
confessors, but I want to suggest that there is another moral issue,
lurking here in the background, which also deserves to be taken
seriously, and which is often overlooked in the discussion over
pornography.  That issue is masturbation.  Masturbation is typically the
“silent partner” in pornography use and addiction.  Its powerful erotic
experience plays no small part in cementing an attraction to
pornography.  When addressing the issue of pornography, masturbation is
often overshadowed and, indeed, overlooked. But this essay aims to lay
out a more explicit connection between pornography and masturbation,
providing some ways for this vicious relationship to be addressed in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Catholic teaching on masturbation was among the second tier
casualties in the rebellion against Catholic sexual ethics, unleashed by
contraception and the dissent against Humanae Vitae.  While
the immediate bone of contention against the encyclical was an effort to
justify contraception, at least in certain instances, the rejection of Humanae Vitae targeted
its central moral teaching, i.e., that there is an “inseparable
connection, established by God, which man, on his own initiative, may
not break, between the unitive significance, and the procreative
significance, which are both inherent to the marriage act.” 2

Continue reading at HPRweb.com.

“Every Child Deserves a Home”

“Every Child Deserves a Home” | Jim Graves | Catholic World Report



Adoptive parents face challenges and make sacrifices to provide loving, stable homes for children in need.

Addressing
families who have adopted children, Pope John Paul II said
in 2000, “To adopt a child is a great work of love. When it is done, much is given, but much is also
received. It is a true exchange of gifts.”

He continued,
“Adopting children, regarding and treating them as one’s own children, means
recognizing that the relationship between parents and children is not measured
only by genetic standards. Procreative love is first and foremost a gift of self. There is a form of ‘procreation’
which occurs through acceptance, concern, and devotion. The resulting
relationship is so intimate and enduring that it is in no way inferior to one
based on a biological connection. When this is also juridically protected, as
it is in adoption, in a family united by the stable bond of marriage, it
assures the child that peaceful atmosphere and that paternal and maternal love which he needs for his full human
development.”

November is National Adoption Month. The
following are interviews with four Catholic couples who adopted children—some
who also have biological children, others who do not. They described the
challenges and blessings of becoming adoptive parents.

“Infertility
was my greatest gift”

Lottie and Tate Hilgefort of Cincinnati, Ohio
married in 2000. They were both anxious to be parents, and were grieved when,
after three years of marriage, they could not conceive a child and carry him or
her to full term. Adding to Lottie’s frustration, her sister, who was much less
anxious to be a parent, conceived on her honeymoon.

Lottie’s doctor suggested in vitro fertilization
(IVF). She was tempted to use it, but knew IVF was contrary to Catholic
teaching (for more on IVF, read “Church teaching on in vitro
fertilization”).

“It was a real test of faith,” Lottie said. “I
loved my husband dearly, and I wanted to have his child. But he encouraged me. He
reminded me of the dignity of human life.”

Continue reading at www.CatholicWorldReport.com.

The Introduction to "The Will of God" by Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J.

The Introduction to The Will of God: Finding and Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life by Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J. (also available in Electronic Book Format).

Why did God create me? The Baltimore Catechism’s answer is very profound: “God created me to know him, to love him,
to serve him in this life and to be happy with him forever in the next life.”
There you have the answer to the question of human existence. Many of our
contemporaries do not know that answer. Many spend their lives in a pointless
search for pleasure and wealth. All of that is terminated by death, which comes
to all, and many die in a state of despair. The modern solution, now legal in
some states, is to provide them with physician-assisted suicide.


Where then is the meaning of life to be found? The stimulus for offering the
reflections in this book is the fact that all the saints of the Church—while
differing in personality and spirituality—have one thing in common: they all
sought to do the will of God in their lives. I have been a Jesuit for over
sixty years, and during that time I have read many lives of saints. What has
struck me in all of them is the fact that each and every one sought to find the
will of God in his life and then to do it to the best of his ability, in
imitation of Jesus Christ, our Lord.


There are many levels or degrees of doing the will of God—going all the way
from just avoiding mortal sin, to total dedication to doing God’s will and
serving him twenty-four hours of each day. The highest level is called the
“mystical marriage”, in which the individual is in conscious union with God in
love during every waking moment. Many saints, like Teresa of Avila, after much
effort attained this level. Another aspect of doing God’s will is the
difference between man and the non-personal things of nature.


By that I mean that elements, plants, animals, and heavenly bodies like the
earth and the sun have a fixed nature. They do what they do necessarily. In the
material universe only man is free and can choose to do this or that. All
subhuman realities strive for their end by the necessity of their nature. They
glorify God by being what they are and they do it necessarily. Man, however,
freely strives for his end, namely, union with God for all eternity. This means
that he can either embrace God’s will or reject it. If he freely embraces it,
he will be relatively happy in this life and have the hope of eternal
happiness; if he rejects it and chooses some other end in life, such as
pleasure or money or power, he will not achieve true happiness in this life, and
he will not attain eternal happiness. Here we encounter the mystery of freedom.


Some excellent books on the importance of doing God’s will, to mention just a
few, are The Love of God by Saint
Francis de Sales, Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence by J. P. de Caussade, S.J., and My Father’s
Will by Francis McGarrigle, S.J. In putting
together these thoughts on God’s will I have consulted these books. My goal is
to provide the modern reader with a brief treatment of the wisdom of the Church
on how to reach spiritual perfection, holiness, and intimacy with God by
bringing one’s life in all respects into conformity with the will of God.

The title The Will of God is
inspired by the third petition of the Our Father, “Thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven.” We will investigate the meaning of “will”—both the human will
and the divine will. It is very important to know what God’s will is and where
we can find it. But knowing God’s will is not the same thing as doing it. That
is the rub. In order to achieve my purpose as a human being, in order to become
a saint, it is not sufficient to know the will of God. After one knows the will
of God, one must do it, embrace it, identify with it, and make it one’s own.
Those who do that imitate Saint Paul when he said, “It is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).


It is crucial for each person to find out what God’s will is for him in the
particular circumstances in which he finds himself. That is not always easy to
do. A goal of this book is to help individuals discover what God’s will is for
them—both in general, as regards all human beings, especially Catholics, and
also in the particular circumstances of each person’s life. Thus, if I keep the
commandments and practice love of God and neighbor, what in particular is God
calling me to do with my life? It is here that one must reflect on the duties
of one’s state in life—married, single, priest, religious, parent, child,
student, teacher, employer, employee, and so forth. God calls each one in a
different way because each person is unique and the divine grace he gives to
each one is different.


It is one thing to know God’s will for oneself, but it is something different
to actually do it. For most of us, it is perhaps easier to know God’s will than
it is to accomplish it perfectly. So here we will consider not just God’s will
in an objective sense but also the practical problem of how to carry it out and
do it in daily life. The invocation “thy will be done” in the Our Father
stresses the point of doing God’s will—that is the object of “be done”.


My hope and prayer is that this little book will help its readers to find God’s
will in their lives and to embrace it according to the grace God gives them. The
result will surely be charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
fidelity, constancy, and eventually, happiness with God forever in heaven.

The Will of God: Finding and Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life

by Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J.

• Also available in Electronic Book Format

God created us for a purpose. Each one of us is unique, but each one
has a destiny of eternal happiness. We reach this destiny by freely
embracing the will of the God who made us, as it is manifested to us in
the circumstances of our daily life.

This book provides the modern reader with guidance on how to reach
intimacy with God and happiness with him forever by bringing one's life
into conformity with his will. The book consults many sources-the Bible,
the teachings of the Church, and the lives of the saints-and in all
three the formula is the same: Obey God in all things.

In discerning the will of God, there are many questions to consider:
What is the relationship between human freedom and divine Providence?
What good can result from sin and suffering? What is a vocation, and how
does a person hear this calling from God? These questions are
considered in chapters divided according to the verses of Psalm 119,
which praise God's commands as expressions of his will.

All the saints of the Church have this in common: They sought to
discover the Creator's will for them and then tried to accomplish it to
the best of their ability and according to the grace they received from
God. The task of all of us is to do likewise.

Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J., was for many years the editor
of Homiletic and Pastoral Review, the premiere magazine for clergy and
laity interested in pastoral issues for today's Church. He is the author
of Inside the Bible and Fundamentals of Catholicism.

"Bringing a lifetime of experience in prayerful discernment and sound
theology, Father Baker shows what is meant by God's will, how it is
known, and why embracing it is the key to our holiness. These short
chapters are meant to guide the Christian zealous enough to seek out
God's own desires, yet humble enough to follow them."

- Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J., Editor, Homiletic & Pastoral Review

"Father Baker helps us to discover God's will and, what is even more,
important how to live God's will! He uses the Holy Scriptures,the
teaching of the Church and the saints to help us become holy and
transformed into the saints that God created us to be. Read this book
and discover what God wants you to do!"

- Fr. Larry Richards, Author, Be a Man!

"Father Baker has long been known as a sound and wise guide both to the
Bible and to the teachings of the Church. In this book, he relates the
most important themes pertaining to the faith-such as love, suffering,
sanctity, sin, grace, providence, and even the Old and New Testaments-to
the imperative of St. Ignatius of Loyola that we must always strive to
know God's will and perfectly fulfill it."

- Kenneth Whitehead, Author, One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic

Plans for Walk for Life West Coast, January 2013, in full swing

Pro-lifers rally and stand up for life in San Francisco on January 26, 2013

 November 29, 2012 – Pro-lifers on the west coast are energized and making plans for this year’s 9th Annual Walk for Life West Coast on January 26, 2013, which will begin at 12:30 PM in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza. They expect to produce a bigger, more dynamic, grassroots Walk for Life West Coast that will demonstrate a growing trend: America is becoming more pro-life.
 
Dolores Meehan, Walk for Life West Coast co-founder and organizer, says, “The indomitable spirit of pro-lifers will never be dampened by the seeming success of pro-abortion policies. Public policies come and go, but the courage and righteousness of individuals persevering to protect the most vulnerable in our midst … that’s what will be remembered for generations to come.  Now more than ever, we must stand and be counted in the public square. We are ‘in it’ to ‘win it’.”

The Walk for Life is gearing up for some vibrant speakers this year, including:

· Lacey Buchanan, a young mother whose YouTube video about her blind son went viral and has touched over 11 million viewers;

· Elaine Riddick, a woman who was forcibly sterilized at age 14 under orders from North Carolina’s Eugenics Board, whose goal was to purify the state’s population by weeding out the mentally ill, diseased, feebleminded and others deemed undesirable;

· Rev. Clenard Childress, the founder and director of www.BlackGenocide.org, a website designed to reach the African-American Community with the truth about abortion;

· Kelly and Matthew Clinger, a post-abortive couple who share their story about the heartache and pain caused by life in the music industry, divorce, addiction, and abortion.

The Walk for Life West Coast team is also excited to announce that actress and model Jennifer O’Neill (www.jenniferoneill.com), who is the national spokeswoman for the Silent No More Post-Abortion Awareness Campaign, will join the Silent No More program prior to the rally.

Founded in 2005 by a group of San Francisco Bay Area residents, the Walk for Life West Coast’s mission is to change the perceptions of a society that thinks abortion is an answer. Walk participants are expected from throughout the Bay Area and across the United States and Canada.
 
More details and the most up-to-date information about the walk is available at: www.walkforlifewc.com.
 
To set up an interview with any of the Walk for Life West Coast’s dynamic speakers or event organizers, please contact: Rose Trabbic, Publicist, Walk for Life West Coast, media@walkforlifewc.com or (239)867-4180

What is the New Evangelization?

Questions Answered | By Fr. Brian Mullady, OP | Homiletic & Pastoral Review

Question: I have heard much about the New
Evangelization to which Pope John Paul II so eloquently called the
Church. Can you explain what it is and why it differs from former
evangelical efforts on the part of the Church?

Answer: The New Evangelization was a
constant preoccupation of Pope John Paul II, and his concerns and
recommendations are still necessary today. John Paul II recognized that
the secularization of Europe and America, which began in the 19th century, had come to fruition with full force in the latter part of the 20th century.  The two most important trends which began in the beginning of the 20th
century, moral relativism and abdication of personal responsibility,
were tragically becoming more and more prevalent even with ordinary
Catholics in countries which had traditionally been considered bastions
of Catholicism.  As a result, every country, even those with Catholic
cultures going back more than a millennium, could now be considered
missionary territory. One did not have to go to the foreign missions any
longer for the missionary experience. There were almost no social
supports in the larger society for Catholic thought.  Coupled with this,
many recognized a great malaise in catechesis after the Second Vatican
Council, which resulted in at least three generations of uncatechized
adults who were officially baptized and communicants.

John Paul II was very specific in his solution to this problem. He
named it the “New Evangelization.” First, he called for a rediscovery of
the true doctrine concerning Christ and redemption. The New
Evangelization must be centered on Jesus Christ. This includes a renewed
understanding of the Church, the liturgy, and sacraments. Since Vatican
II, Christ has been reduced to merely a moral teacher or political
liberator—and this cannot stand. He must be considered to be the one and
unique Redeemer and Mediator between God and man.

Since the New Evangelization is no longer just reserved to the
foreign missions, Catholics must get used to the idea that cultures and
countries, which were always considered safely or overwhelmingly
Catholic, are now places where urgent and thorough education in the
faith is vital.  “Business as usual” does not suffice any longer.

Continue reading at www.HPRweb.com.

A Rational Basis for Marriage between One Man and One Woman

A Rational Basis for Marriage between One Man and One Woman | Bill Maguire | Catholic World Report


Same-sex marriage not only undermines real marriage, it redefines the human person.

It is imperative
for Catholics to develop rational arguments to defend the institution of
marriage in the public square. We live in a pluralistic society and, therefore,
what we accept as revelation is not necessarily accepted by others. However, an
argument grounded in right reason—without explicit recourse to
revelation—is in principle comprehensible to all persons of good will.



As we consider the
current debate over marriage, it would be a mistake to underestimate the
pedagogical function of the law and how a fundamental change in marriage law
will result in a fundamental change in our understanding of the human person.
What is at stake in the push to redefine marriage to include same-sex partners
is not only the radical redefinition of marriage—but, also and
necessarily, the radical redefinition of the human person and the entire range
of relationships that constitute our basic experience as persons: male and
female; husband and wife; mother and father; son and daughter; brother and
sister.



Same-Sex Marriage Renders the Public Recognition of
Marriage Unnecessary



Marriage between
one man and one woman is recognized as a public institution, with its attendant
benefits and responsibilities, precisely because it serves the common good.
Marriage offers the State its most necessary common good: bringing children into the world and raising them
in a family that includes the love of their mother and father. The State needs
people (citizens) in order to flourish: no people = no State. Under the
principle of subsidiarity, the common good is better served when mothers and
fathers raise their children, not the State.



Extending marriage to same-sex partners, will redefine
marriage in such a way that marriage will no longer be understood to have a
direct relationship to the procreation and education of children.

Continue reading at www.CatholicWorldReport.com.

Musica Sacra: James MacMillan and his sacred music for our time

Musica Sacra | Kevin McCormick | Catholic World Report



James MacMillan and his sacred music for our time

In September 2010, when Pope
Benedict made his historic and transformative visit to the United Kingdom, his
first stop was Glasgow, Scotland. There, as he inaugurated the first-ever
official state visit by the pope to the UK, he celebrated the opening Mass to
the sounds of newly commissioned liturgical music. The music was thoughtful,
joyful, singable, yet richly musical. It was the premiere of a work by a man
well known in the contemporary classical music community but less known to
those outside it: Scottish composer James MacMillan.

James MacMillan has accomplished
the seemingly impossible for a contemporary artist of any medium. The Scottish
composer and conductor has created a deep repertoire of compositions spanning
from small chamber pieces to orchestral works and full-blown operas. His music
successfully blends modern compositional expressions with a traditional musical
understanding. His work is respected by the avant-garde and well-received by
the customary classical concertgoer. His compositional style is praised by
performers, conductors, and other composers. He maintains an active and
internationally renowned musical life as a highly commissioned composer and
heavily-booked guest conductor. And somehow he is able to reserve time to work
regularly with his own parish choir in Glasgow.

All of this at the relatively
young (for a composer) age of 52. The son of a welder and teacher, MacMillan’s
childhood included study of piano and trumpet. He began composing at an early
age, and by secondary school already had a penchant for the sounds of
Renaissance church music. Eventually making his way to undergraduate work at
Edinburgh University, he passed on the opportunity of the more focused
conservatory life for the broader experience offered in the university
setting. 

This early choice is indicative
of MacMillan’s interest in a wider appreciation of the language of music, a
trait which informs much of his writing. Like his British predecessor Benjamin
Britten, he composes compelling vocal melodies with rich choral arrangements
with ease. And like Debussy, he possesses an evocative musical vocabulary which
allows him great latitude in his compositional structures. Perhaps not
coincidentally he shares with both of those composers an enthusiasm for the
sounds of the East Asian hammered-bell instrument called the gamelan, which sometimes overtly, other
times more subtly, finds its way into his music. That is not to say that his
music shares the trance-like meditative quality of much of the music of East. He
infuses an intensity into his scores, one which reflects the fundamental
struggle between good and evil inherent in the human drama.

Against the fad, with the grain

Though his early writings include
Marxist leanings from liberation theology, MacMillan admits in his more recent
interviews that he is a “lapsed lefty.” MacMillan has been courageous in
confronting the “liberal assumption” that is often militantly and sneeringly
guarded by captains of the “Arts élite.” Growing up in a community that he
regarded as often hostile to his Catholic religion and its community, MacMillan
knows the struggle of living in contradiction to the majority around him. 

Perhaps it was this struggle which
allowed him, from the earliest stages, to compose more freely and with less
concern for being blown by the whimsical winds of the avant-garde. Whatever the
case, MacMillan’s solid grounding in classical compositional structures have
provided him a freedom in blending styles and moods into a synthesis which is
historically contiguous with past masters.

Continue reading on the CWR site.

Save 20% off books about the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the U.S.

Celebrating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary with 20% off the titles listed below.

Offer ends Tuesday December 4th, 2012 at 12:00 midnight EST. These prices are available online only through Ignatius.com


December 8th  marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception who is the Patroness of the United States. Ignatius Press is honoring this feast day by offering 20% off on a large selection of books, DVDs and music that we hope will enrich your lives and deepen your love for Our Blessed Mother.

Join Best-Selling Author Dr Christopher Kaczor for a special online WEB chat

Tune-in and chat LIVE

Wednesday, December 5 at 8:00 PM EST/5 PM EST
Go to Livestream Channel

Dr. Christopher Kaczor will be discussing his new book, The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church, and taking your questions live!

Fatima for Today
The Urgent Marian Message of Hope
Fr. Andrew Apostoli
Because of the prophetic nature of her messages, Our Lady of Fatima has been the subject of much controversy and speculation. In this book, Father Andrew Apostoli carefully analyzes the events that took place in Fatima and clears up lingering questions and doubts about their meaning. Also available as an e-book andaudio download.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56

 

The World's First Love(2nd edition)
Mary, Mother of God
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Sheen presents a moving, eloquent portrayal of Mary, Mother of God. Combining profound spirituality, history, and theology, Mary's whole life is lovingly portrayed in this rich source of information, consolation and inspiration. Also available as an e-book and audio download.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56

 

The Rosary: Chain of Hope
Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel
Responding to the Pope's Apostolic Letter on the Rosary, his five new "Luminous Mysteries", and declaration of 2003 as "The Year of the Rosary", Fr. Groeschel presents this book of meditations on all 20 mysteries of the rosary. Drawing on his vast personal experiences as well as the grand traditions of the Church, he takes us on a spiritual journey that will inspire us to greater depths of prayer.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96

Mary
The Church at the Source
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Hans Urs von Balthasar
Two great theologians endeavor to recover the centrality of Marian doctrine and devotion for the contemporary Church, offering a spiritually rich approach to Mariology that brings into new relief the Marian contours of ecclesial faith. Ratzinger and von Balthasar show that Mary is both the embodiment of the Church, and the mother who co-operates in giving birth to the Church in the souls of believers. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $15.95, sale price: $12.76

 

Maria of Guadalupe
Shaper of History, Shaper of Hearts
Paul Badde
In this heartfelt report, journalist and historian Paul Badde tells the story of the apparition that changed the world. Badde brings a fresh perspective on the details and impact of this apparition. Includes 16 pages of color illustrations.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56

 

The Song of Bernadette
Franz Werfel
This is the classic work that tells the true story surrounding the miraculous visions of St. Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, France in 1858. Werfel, a highly respected anti-Nazi writer from Vienna, became a Jewish refugee who barely escaped death in 1940, and wrote this moving story to fulfill a promise he made to God.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96


Daughter Zion
Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Daughter Zion explores the biblical witness to the Church's Marian dogmas―Mary's role as Mother of God, her virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven. Cardinal Ratzinger examines how these beliefs are linked to the Church's faith in Jesus Christ. Far from competing with the truth about Christ, the Church's Marian beliefs uphold and underscore that truth. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $9.95, sale price: $7.96

Maria
Pope Benedict XVI on the Mother of God
Pope Benedict XVI
This glorious volume is a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book with dozens of inspirational and famous color paintings, sculptures and artwork of the Blessed Virgin Mary from all over the world. The beautiful pictures are accompanied by the profound writings and homilies of Pope Benedict XVI on the person of Mary, and her unique role in human history and in the plan of God for salvation history.
Regular price: $21.95, sale price: $17.56

 

Splendors of the Rosary
A beautifully designed volume that celebrates the 20 mysteries of the Rosary with glorious art, meditations, scripture and prayers. Gorgeous reproductions of classic paintings and illuminations throughout the book help the reader to visualize each mystery and aid in contemplation.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96

 

Father Peyton's Rosary Prayer Book
Fr. Patrick Peyton
The most complete prayer book of meditations on the mysteries of the Rosary today. He gives 230 meditations on the twenty mysteries of the Rosary, with each set of five meditations having its own theme. Includes the new "Luminous Mysteries, the Rosary prayers", and many full-color illustrations. Also available as an e-book.
Regular price: $10.95, sale price: $8.76

 

33 Days to Morning Glory
Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC
A 33-day journey to Marian consecration with four giants of Marian spirituality: St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and Blessed Pope John Paul II. Fr.Gaitley masterfully summarizes their teaching,making it easy to grasp, and simple enough to put into practice. More specifically, he weaves their thoughts into a user-friendly, do-it-yourself retreat that will bless even the busiest of people.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96
Mary: God's Yes to Man
Encyclical Letter: Redemptoris Mater
Pope John Paul II's only encyclical on our Blessed Mother, with introduction by the Cardinal Prefect of the congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and commentary by one of the world's leading Catholic theologians, Hans Urs von Balthasar. The Church's supreme magisterium and representative of the Church's most penetrating theological reflection combine to provide for all the faithful a rich and concise compendium of the Mother of the Redeemer.
Regular price: $10.95, sale price: $8.76


Maiden and Mother
M. M. Miles
This unique Marian devotional includes hymns, prayers, songs, ballads, litanies, and other texts drawn from all centuries, bringing together a precious collection of texts from the most ancient to modern. The whole builds into a book for private or small-group devotion to the Blessed Virgin that has no rival for comprehensiveness and usefulness.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96
The Wonders of Lourdes
The Wonders of Lourdes tells the true story of this marvellous shrine from the very first apparition to the present day. This unique collection chronicles 150 true and moving stories that celebrate 150 years of faith, prayer and miracles, and recounts the epic history of a pilgrimage site that has become a sign of conversion, faith and hope for millions of believers.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $19.96


Mother of God Coloring Book
Katherine Sotnik
Beautifully drawn classic images of Our Lady and the Christ Child from famous shrines and miraculous images. Excellent short stories accompany each illustration to provide an outstanding resource for a child to be instructed in his faith while creatively coloring the glorious images of Mary.
Regular price: $4.95, sale price: $3.96
Mary Most Holy Coloring Book
Katherine Sotnik
This book in the series of Sotnik's popular and lovely coloring books, uses the inspiring Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the text. She presents numerous, beautifully drawn classic images of Our Lady under her many titles, including Mother of Good Counsel, Mother of Divine Grace, Queen of Martyrs, Health of the Sick, Mystical Rose and many more.
Regular price: $4.95, sale price: $3.96

Films

[image error]Blessed Duns Scotus
The inspiring true story of the holy Franciscan priest and theologian who won a famous debate against the Dominicans in the 13th century in which he defended Our Lady's great privilege of her Immaculate Conception, laying the groundwork for the Church to later define that as a dogma of the Catholic faith. Filmed in beautiful ancient monastery locations in Europe, Scotus is revealed as a humble and courageous apostle of the Faith against the oppressive anti-Catholic government in power. His public defense of the papacy as the head of the Church eventually got him thrown out of the country.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96

 

Footprints of God: Mary
The Mother of God
This second film in the the Footprints of Godseries follows Mary on her extraordinary journey on location in Turkey, Israel and Greece with popular Catholic author and speaker Stephen Ray as guide. Down-to-earth teaching on subjects like Mary's Immaculate Conception, Assumption into Heaven, and her role of intercessor, and more are offered in an energized, high-impact style that combines the best elements of a travel documentary, biography, Bible study, apologetics course, and church history review.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $19.96

 

 

Lourdes
A Story of Faith, Science and Miracles
Bernard, a non-Christian French journalist, is assigned a story on Lourdes in the late 1990s. Just before he leaves for Lourdes, Bernard learns that his wife is pregnant. However, he is not told that this pregnancy is risky—and that doctors are suggesting an abortion. While researching for his report on Lourdes, Bernard comes across the pages of an old family manuscript. The manuscript was written by his ancestor, Henri, an atheist scientist who met Bernadette at Lourdes in 1858 This intriguing film uses the pages of the manuscript to trace the stories of three lives— Bernadette, Henry and Bernard.
Regular price: $24.95, sale price: $19.96

Our Lady of America
This important new documentary presents four leading authorities on the true story of the approved apparitions of Our Lady of America in the 1950s to an American nun who was a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. The contents of the messages, requests and promises of Our Lady, specifically for the people of America, are urgently important.
Regular price: $10.95, sale price: $8.76
Also available: Audio Talk on CD
Regular price: $9.95, sale price: $7.96

Bernadette
150th Anniversary Edition
From Jean Delannoy, one of France’s foremost filmmakers, comes this top quality feature film production of the story of St. Bernadette and the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. Actress Sydney Penny gives a beautiful performance as Bernadette, and the rest of the cast is equally superb.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96

 

The Passion of Bernadette
Following up the acclaimed best-selling movie, Bernadette, the story of the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes to Bernadette Soubirous, this beautiful Jean Delannoy film tells the rest of the story of her life after the Marian visions- the life that made Bernadette a saint.
Regular price: $19.95, sale price: $15.96

Music

Advent at Ephesus
The first of its kind for the Advent season, this gorgeous recording captures in song the spirit of hope and expectation of Advent. This unique CD is recorded by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, a young, monastic order of Sisters located in rural Missouri, dedicated to prayer and chant. Advent at Ephesus includes an amazing variety of traditional Latin and English hymns, polyphony, Gregorian Chant, medieval harmonies and an original piece to prayerfully lead you through the sacred Advent season in preparation for Christmas. 17 Hymns total.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36

 

Our Lady, Mother
of God
18 Chants to Celebrate the Virgin Mary
This glorious anthology features Marian chants from the two great traditions of Christianity, the East and the West, from the finest chant monasteries in the world. These are chants born from prayer and contemplation. The 18 Marian chants include Salve Regina, Regina Caeli, Stabat Mater, Salve Mater Misericordiae, Paradisi Portae, 3 versions of Ave Maria, and many more.
Regular price: $15.95, sale price: $12.76

Catholic Marian Classics
Richard Proulx and his Cathedral Singers once again bring their incredible talents to this sequel to Catholic Latin Classics, presenting lovely sacred music and moving renditions of 21 classic Marian hymns that are a wonderful tribute to Our Lady. Hymns include four Ave Marias, Salve Regina, Sing of Mary, Regina Caeli, Hail Holy Queenand 13 more.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56

Marian Grace
Ancient Hymns and Chants
A gorgeous recording by Marian Grace, a very talented young Nashville-based musical group whose lofty goal is to uncover the Church's richest musical treasures and to transform culture through the marriage of beauty and truth. In addition to Marian Grace, the various chants on the album are sung by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and the FRATERNUS brothers of Nashville, TN.
Regular price: $14.95, sale price: $11.96

 

Through the Eyes of His Mother
Rosary, Divine Mercy, Hymns
The complete Rosary and Divine Mercy meditation set, with Irish tenor Mark Forrest, wife Muriel and Fr. Francis Peffley providing beautiful meditations and vocal prayer for all 20 Rosary mysteries, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Litany of the Saints. Includes background music, plus a few hymns by Forrest. A wonderful 2 CD set.
Regular price: $16.95, sale price: $13.56
A Mother's Love
Britain's best-selling choir, The Sixteen, presents a new album of music inspired by classic hymns to the Virgin Mary. Harry Christophers, the most prolific choral conductor of modern times, directs the choir performing a glorious album of Marian songs ranging from medieval composers like Palestrina, and Lassus through Bruckner and Liszt, to modern times, including a world premiere work by Margaret Rizza, Ave Generosa.
Regular price: $17.95, sale price: $14.36





Catholic World Report

Islam's Rise and the West's Denial
by CWR Staff



William Kilpatrick on what the spread of militant Islam and the blindness of atheism means for the future of the West.
William Kilpatrick is an author and lecturer who taught for many years at Boston College and whose articles on Islam have appeared in numerous publications, including Investor's Business Daily, FrontPage Magazine, the National Catholic Register, and World magazine. He has written several books, including Psychological Seduction and Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong, and his most recent book, Christianity, Islam and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West, now available from Ignatius Press. Kilpatrick recently spoke with Catholic World Report about Islam and its growing significance for the West.

Homiletic & Pastoral Review

What does it mean to be “pastoral”?
by Fr. Kenneth Baker SJ



The term “pastoral” comes from the Latin, pastor, meaning “shepherd,” and thus refers to the work and concern of the shepherd for his sheep.
In the current ecclesiastical jargon, what is the meaning of the word “pastoral”?  The term was frequently used to describe Pope John Paul I during his very short reign.  He was said to be a “pastoral” pope, presumably because he was close to his people in Venice, and in his first diocese, Vittorio Veneto.  The term also seemed to stand in opposition to “curial,” since he had never been a part of the Roman Curia, nor had he been a Vatican diplomat, such as his four predecessors, Paul VI, John XXIII, Pius XI, and Pius XII.

Again, in the sad weeks between the sudden death of John Paul I, and the election of Blessed John Paul II, much was said and written about the need for a “pastoral” Pope.  When certain journalists, theologians and ecclesiastics stress the need for a “pastoral” Pope, what do they really mean?

A practical guide to exploring the signs of heaven at home

SAN
FRANCISCO, November 27, 2012 – Did you know that every room of your
house – the living room, the kitchen, the bedroom, and even the bathroom
– is a holy place where God’s grace awaits you, if only you know how to
recognize His presence there? With a rich awareness of God’s
all-encompassing love, author and convert Thomas Howard takes you on a spiritual tour through your own home in his refreshing book Hallowed Be This House: Finding Signs of Heaven in Your Home (new edition; also available as in Electronic Book Format) and shows you how everything in it can lead you closer to God.

In each room, Howard
shows you the surprising ways you can meet God there. With wonderful
insights, he reveals how, even in your daily activities you can meet the
same God who came to Israel in the terror, smoke and fire in the
Tabernacle, and the God who died for us on Cross. But they’re by no
means confined to a lofty spiritual plane: Howard sees chances to love and serve God, and sees His gentle hand, in the most seemingly dull and ordinary of places and actions.   

Howard
explains, “I suppose the book might be said to be an attempt to point
out the obvious. Most of us live in households of one sort or another,
and moving from room to room opens up to us the very syllabus for our
schooling in Charity, which is the only thing that matters.”

So take up Hallowed Be This House
to find out how cooking and cleaning, having family dinners together,
and all the other commonplace actions that make up the fabric of your
daily life can actually disclose God’s presence to you. Your daily life
as well as your devotional life will be forever transformed by this
unusual look at how lovingly God awaits us even in the smallest things.   

Peter Kreeft, author of Handbook of Catholic Apologetics, who wrote the Foreword of this book, says, “Howard’s vision is the quintessential Catholic, sacramental vision. To read this book is to see with the eyes of Christ.”

Hallowed Be This House
is “plain-spoken spirituality inviting us to come closer to God and
showing us more about Christ in a most appealing manner,” says Alfred McBride, O.Praem., author of Fr. McBride's Family Catechism.

“Tom Howard, an accomplished writer of great distinction, has the rare gift of being able to express profound truths in whimsical terms. In Hallowed Be This House,
he explores with charm and wit the sacramental aspect of our daily
lives. I found the book vastly entertaining and, what is more, felt
refreshed and the happier of having read it. So, I am sure, will all its
readers,” says Malcolm Muggeridge.

Thomas Howard was a Professor of English and Literature for over 30 years. He is the author of numerous popular books including Chance or the Dance, Dove Descending: T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, On Being Catholic, Lead Kindly Light and Evangelical is Not Enough.

To request a review copy or an interview with author Thomas Howard, please contact: Rose Trabbic, Publicist, Ignatius Press, (239)867-4180 or rose@ignatius.com

Cardinal Edwin O'Brien on the threat to religious liberty in the U.S.

From Catholic News Service: