Spirituality Catholicism

St. Teresa of Avila (1515 - 1582) gave the world the remarkable account of her life and work in her two autobiographies: The Life and The Foundation. However in both works she would have been aware of the public nature of the works, both to censors and opponents. With her letters the full character of St. Teresa comes out, providing a window into her personal communications. Her advise and counsel was invaluable to the recipients of the letters. Now modern readers can now also profit from these communications through this classic translation of the Spanish.

In the Catholic tradition, moral sexual activity is institutionalized within the confines of marriage and procreation, and sexual morality is marital morality. But theologians Todd Salzman and Michael Lawler contend that there is a disconnect between many of the Church's absolute sexual norms and other theological and intellectual developments explicitly recognized and endorsed in the Catholic tradition, especially since the Second Vatican Council.

The founder of the world's largest religious media empire shares her beloved wit and down-to-earth spirituality in Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures. Editor Raymond Arroyo draws on hundreds of never-before-released private lessons to present the renowned nun's definitive take on the Good Book. Angelica provides readers with guided meditations and probing personal questions, and unearths an often-overlooked practical spirituality.

Se avessi, in modo improvviso e inaspettato, l'occasione di passare un po' di tempo a faccia a faccia con il Papa, cosa gli chiederesti? Proprio questa è stata l'esperienza straordinaria vissuta da Davide Banzato e raccontata nelle pagine di questo libro: in Vaticano per il suo programma I viaggi del cuore, don Davide mai avrebbe pensato di avere la possibilità unica di chiacchierare con il pontefice e porgli le domande che lui, e forse molti di noi, portava dentro di sé.

The world needs saints to show it the way to true humanity. The church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling. The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s plan and the possibility for truly following it in one’s life. So often, we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints - the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope.

When Fortune announced its list of the World’s Greatest Leaders, the top spot was awarded - not to a captain of industry - but to the new pontiff. In the year since his election, Pope Francis earned that accolade - and more. He has achieved the remarkable: breathed life into an aging institution, reinvigorated a global base, and created real hope for the future.How did a man who spent his life laboring in slums far from the Vatican manage to do this and so quickly?

A baby is born. There is a hush in the town and on the mountain top in anticipation of the new little lord, as if time is standing still waiting for the signal to rejoice! Lady Emilia went into labor. The candle bearers were ready to brighten the castle, symbolizing the light that had come into their lives. The serfs stood ready to ring the bells!

As her illness had taken a toll on her strength, Saint Gemma Galgani was not able to return to school. She remained at home and taught her sisters and brothers. At her beatification, one of her brothers said, "Gemma always brought the olive branch." She lovingly cared for the needs, both spiritual and physical, of her family, often at the neglect of herself. She had no use for fancy clothes, and adorned herself in simple, extremely austere black dresses.

Voulant instituer une école de service du Seigneur, "la Règle de Saint Benoît" organise la vie en communauté des moines et décrit les vertus monastiques que sont l'obéissance, l'humilité et l'esprit de silence. Divisée en 73 chapitres, elle permet aussi à tout un chacun de sanctifier son quotidien. Si "la Règle" s'adressait d'ailleurs à l'origine aux seuls moines bénédictins, hors des monastères, de nombreux laïcs s'en inspire d'un point de vue spirituel, attirés par la façon dont elle thématise le travail, le silence ou encore le partage.

What are the sources of anxiety, stress, and fear you experience in your life? Popular Catholic speaker and author Sonja Corbitt believes that these often-paralyzing emotions are the direct result of our everyday battles against sin and temptation. In Fearless, she equips us with the spiritual tools we need to restore our spiritual well-being.

How will we face the end? On whom does our hope finally depend? What are the last things ever to be remembered? These are the questions examined in this course, whose lectures abound with insight and imagery drawn from the rich patrimony of the Church's wisdom and experience. In this course, Dr. Regis Martin presents a comprehensive overview of the finalities that frame our human story and how our action (or inaction) when faced with the end will determine where we spend eternity.

Not long after Martin Luther's defiance of the Church in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down, brother turned against brother, and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover the unity of Faith, Catholic theologians clarified and reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, but turned as well to another form of evangelization: the arts.

In the west the cowboy way is a code of living. It is a mode of determination and perseverance that won't quit until the job is done. It is also a lighthearted way of having fun even through life's ups and downs. The Catholic Cowboy Way takes these same virtues and incorporates them into our walk with Christ. Following Jesus takes grit. By going all in with Him, Jesus teaches us how to fulfill the Father's will with passion and zeal. By learning from our Lord, we can also develop a childlike heart that can find peace and joy in the midst of the craziness of life in the twenty-first century.

Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church is a fresh retelling of the history of the Church. In this easy, not-your-average history book, Steve Weidenkopf introduces you to the vivid, dynamic story of God's work in the world since Pentecost. Along the way, you will meet the weird, wonderful, and always fascinating heroes and villains of the Catholic family tree.

Reflecting on John Paul II's greatness, drawing on first-hand interviews to paint an intimate portrait of the new Pope, and boldly assessing the Church's current condition, God's Choice is an invaluable book for anyone seeking to understand the Catholic future and the larger human future the Church will help to shape.

Here, Joseph Pearce, author of Bilbo's Journey uncovers the rich - and distinctly Christian - meaning just beneath the surface of The Lord of the Rings. Make the journey with Frodo as he makes his perilous trek from the Shire to Mordor, while Pearce expertly reveals the deeper, spiritual significance.

Selections from St. Alphonsus' writings covering virtually every aspect of Hell. This book shows it exists, describes its torments, proves it is eternal, demonstrates it is not unjust, and answers a host of questions. Best short antidote for today's irreligion that we know.

An explosive, sweeping account of the scandal that has sent the Catholic Church into a tailspin - and the brave few who fought for justice. Part history, part journalism, and part true-crime thriller, Michael D'Antonio's Mortal Sins brings to mind landmark books such as All the President's Men, And the Band Played On, and The Informant, as it reveals a long and ferocious battle for the soul of the largest and oldest organization in the world.

In the history of the Church, there are few saints who wrote with such angelic purity and devotion on the subject of angels as Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Much has been written on this Jesuit novice who died at the young age of 23 while caring for plague victims, but little has been available on his actual writings—that is, until now. For the first time in English, Meditations on the Holy Angels, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga’s longest and most significant work is offered to listeners.

In St. Thérèse of Lisieux: A Transformation in Christ, Abbot Thomas Keating reflects on what St Thérèse understood the teaching of Jesus Christ to be. Thérèse had an extraordinary penetration into the heart of Jesus’ teaching, something she developed into a program for daily life. Although she was only 24 years old when she died, Thérèse had an extraordinary spiritual maturity. Father Keating writes about the teachings of Jesus in the parables and then shows what extraordinary insight Thérèse had into those enigmatic sayings.