Spirituality Catholicism

"Living compassionately is rarely convenient and often downright challenging", writes Joyce Rupp, best-selling and award-winning author and retreat leader. The definitive Christian guide to compassion, Boundless Compassion is the culmination of Rupp's research and work as codirector of the Servite Center of Compassionate Presence. Through this six-week personal transformation process for developing and deepening compassion, Rupp nudges, encourages, and inspires you to grow in the kind of love that motivated Jesus' life and mission for his disciples.

Jesuit priest John Gerard hid from English authorities for eight years before his eventual capture and torture in the Tower of London. Risking everything to preserve Catholicism in Tudor England, Gerard moved from house to house, converting many people and evading capture by mere seconds. Following a hair's-breadth escape from the Tower to the continent, he survived to tell his tale and pass on his experience to future missionaries and martyrs in The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest, a fascinating tale of espionage, disguise, priest hunters, and brilliantly designed hideouts.

Drawing from the rich tradition of the church and powerful insights from the saints and the Bible, this invaluable resource teaches Catholics how to recognize God's voice, discern spirits, and know which vocation God is calling them to. It will also show you that it is possible to be in the waiting yet fully joyfully alive at the same time. After listening to this book and following this five-step discernment process, Catholics can be at peace with their decision, knowing that they have truly discerned God's will.

"Francis, go and build up my house, which thou seest, is falling into ruin." To fulfill this command of Our Lord, St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) began by restoring physical churches and continued by building up the spiritual church in souls. Francis' humility, purity, and true joy inspired many to conversion and a deeper faith.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton has become synonymous with modern Christian apologetics. But his impact goes beyond just those interested in a defense of Christian thought. His writings have influenced such diverse authors as C.S. Lewis, Marshall McLuhan, and Jorge Luis Borges, and remains a subtle and unseen presence in contemporary Catholic thought. At his funeral, Ronald Knox said "All of this generation has grown up under Chesterton's influence so completely that we do not even know when we are thinking Chesterton."

The Story of a Soul is the autobiography of Thérèse of Lisieux. It was first published on September 30, 1898, a year to the day after her death from tuberculosis at the age of 24, on September 30, 1897. The book was a single volume formed from three distinct manuscripts - manuscripts of different length, written at different times, addressed to different people, and differing from one another in character. The work of unifying these disparate manuscripts was carried out by Pauline, the sister of Thérèse.

"Pour vous, qui suis-je ? "Cette interrogation de Jésus à ses disciples n'a rien perdu de sa force. Les Evangiles laissent planer un doute sur l'identité de cet homme hors du commun : est-il un prophète ? Le Messie attendu par les Juifs ? Le Fils de Dieu ? Comment les chrétiens des premiers siècles ont-ils progressivement été amenés à affirmer la divinité de Jésus, alors que lui-même ne s'est jamais identifié à Dieu ? Comment furent élaborés les dogmes de la Sainte Trinité et de l'Incarnation ? Quel a été le rôle du pouvoir politique dans l'élaboration du credo chrétien à partir de la conversion de l'empereur Constantin ?

During the past five decades, the Second Vatican Council has been alternately celebrated or maligned for its supposed break with tradition and embrace of the modern world. But what if we've gotten it all wrong? Have Catholics—both those who embrace the spirit of Vatican II and those who regard it with suspicion—misunderstood what the council was really about? Fr. Blake Britton discovered the truth and beauty of the council while he was in seminary and he has witnessed firsthand the power of its teachings

Écrit par le fondateur des Jésuites, les "Exercices spirituels" constitue l'un des livres de méditation les plus populaires.

The resurrection from death is a strong component of the Christian faith, which the Nicene Creed, affirms stating: "We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." The early Christian writers Irenaeus and Justin Martyr, in the second century, wrote against the widespread idea of their time that only the soul survived. In like manner, we have this later writing of St. Gregory of Nyssa (335-395 AD) which clearly articulates the position that a person is both soul and body and that Christ has promised to raise them both.

"Here, then," says St. Alphonsus, "is our heaven on earth - the Most Blessed Sacrament". This book was conceived and written to help us grow in the knowledge and love of God and in appreciation for what he has done for us. For each of the 31 days of the month, St. Alphonsus provides for us a "Visit to Our Lord" - which is a brief meditation on and a fervent prayer of love toward Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Each Visit to Our Lord is followed by a "Visit to Our Lady".

In this popular abridgment of his monumental Preparation for Death, St. Alphonsus teaches the proper attitude toward Death, which is one of readiness; of always having one's "debts cleared". He cautions against letting even one day pass without reflecting on the certainty of death, the shortness of time and the length of eternity. Each chapter is a short consideration on some aspect of death, divided into three points easily understood by people in every state of life.

There is no better way to Christ than through his mother. That’s why St. Louis de Montfort’s traditional method of total consecration to Jesus through Mary is the time-honored, saint-tested way to grow closer to our Lord. This is the traditional method devised by St. Louis de Montfort himself. And now, we’ve made it available in this audiobook, perfect for preparation for a total consecration and for yearly renewal. This classic and revered devotional is essential for every Catholic home.

What does the Bible really say about the birth of Jesus? How did the celebration of Christmas become associated with things like Santa Claus and decorated trees? In The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber offers an inspiring look at the Bible's accounts of Jesus' birth and the development of the Christmas season. As Dr. Barber will show, to find our way "home" at Christmas, we need to first return to Christmas' home in the story of the Bible.

It is of vital importance that each individual soul recover this lost sense of sin and to begin the struggle to conquer the deadly sins that threaten his or her salvation. The Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin will help you do just that in your own life. As Fr. Kolinski makes clear, the truest medicine is found in the sacramental life of the church. But, in addition to the graces found in frequent confession and reception of the Eucharist, the Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin will be an indispensable aid in your fight.

The Golden Arrow tells of both the life of Sister Mary of Saint Peter and her life's work: the devotion, granted to her by Jesus himself, to his Holy Face. Approved by Pope Leo XIII and promoted by St. Therese of Lisieux half a century later, the devotion to the Holy Face may be the single most important devotion of our time that still remains relatively unknown.

This two-volume work is not written to persuade Jews to convert to Christianity. It is written to persuade Christians of the inevitability and desirability of that conversion. It is written to persuade Catholics to pray properly for it. If we do, then in God’s time the conversion will happen, followed soon after by the awesome return of our lord Jesus Christ on clouds of glory. If we do not pray properly for the conversion of the Jews then we will have hell on earth until we do.

In the late 19th century, Father Charles Arminjon, a priest from the mountains of southeastern France, assembled his flock in the town cathedral to preach a series of conferences to help them turn their thoughts away from this life's mean material affairs - and toward the next life's glorious spiritual reward. His wise and uncompromising words deepened in them the spirit of recollection that all Christians must have: the abiding conviction that heavenly aims, not temporal enthusiasms, must guide everything we think, say, and do.

Pope Pius X's catechism is a rather short book in which he provides a Roman Catholic understanding of the Christian faith with a question and answer format. The book was issued in 1908, and was reaffirmed by Ratzinger in 2002. The book has three parts dealing with faith, the Ten Commandments, and grace. It also lists the most important prayers for Catholics.

From the Old Testament times until today, St. Michael the Archangel has always powerfully defended and assisted God's people on earth. Based on Scripture, Church history and saintly traditions, this book explains St. Michael's name, his rank among the Angels, his victory over Satan, his role among the Israelites, his role as Guardian Angel of the Catholic Church, as defender of souls, Heavenly Physician, helper in battle, advocate of the dying, consoler of the Poor Souls in Purgatory and guardian of the Blessed Sacrament and the Pope.