A complete guide to what clergy wear, including the various cloths, a brief history, and theology of each liturgical garment.Vestments—the robes, stoles or other items worn by clergy, or cloths used at the altar—not only add beauty to a worship service, but are visual clues to the liturgical season and to the tone of a particular service. The most beautiful and meaningful vestments are often those made for a particular priest, serving in a specific sanctuary. But m...

This practical handbook for homes and church communities helps to enrich the Christian celebration of Advent through the creation and use of an Advent calendar. Written for people of all skill levels, Baumgarten provides instructions for a calendar made of paper or junk mail, a no-sew felt version, and a fabric version for more advanced sewers.Teach Us To Number Our Days, however, is more than a simple crafts' book. Baumgarten provides readers with a brief history of the developmen...

The very title, "The ROSARY: Prayer for Thinking Christians" (Nihil Obstat: Diocese of Springfield, MA) directly challenges skeptics by contending that the Rosary with its repetitive prayer is for "thinking Christians." It begins with an eyebrow-raising report of a message spoken to a lone highway driver and then miraculously confirmed. The startling report does pass the "credibility test" of the Nihil Obstat censor and well-educated cover endorsers (Bud Macfarlane, Jr., MI, founder of the...

AS SEEN ON EWTN • Bestselling author Scott Hahn “leaves the reader with a whole new appreciation of the Mass” (CMN Trade Journal) as he unveils the mysteries of the most familiar of Catholic rituals.Of all things Catholic, there is nothing that is so familiar as the Mass. With its unchanging prayers, the Mass fits Catholics like their favorite clothes. Yet most Catholics sitting in the pews on Sundays fail to see the powerful supernatural drama that enfold...

The bestselling author of Never Alone and A Portrait of Jesus returns to reflect on his personal spirituality to guide us to a deeper understanding of the essence of God.With Trinity, Joseph Girzone guides readers to a deeper understanding of this foundational concept, explaining why it is not antiquated theological dogma, but a living expression of the very essence of God. He offers support and clarity to those who already believe in God...

We believe that when we die, when we shake off this mortal coil, we go to the next step in our eternal existence, from a physical, bodily life, to a new life, a new beginning.We read that in Heaven we will know perfect happiness. We will see God in His Beatific Vision, in the fullness of His Glory. St. Thomas Aquinas, after having a vision of Heaven, stopped writing his Summa Theologiae, and stated to one of the brothers, "The end of my labors has come. All that I have written appea...

Out of the Protestant Reformation came several important doctrines, including a renewed understanding of repentance. Instead of viewing repentance as a one-time confession, the reformers began to teach what the Bible teaches—that it is both radical and perpetual.In this redesigned, concise volume Sinclair Ferguson examines how the Bible defines repentance and how the doctrine has fared in today's evangelical churches. He finds many sorely lacking in proper theological understanding...

In this informative and celebratory read, Richard Abanes calls Christians to focus on the true meaning and significance of Easter. To do this, he examines different aspects of this holy day, including its origin in ?the old rugged cross,? what Lent is for, how Christians celebrate Easter worldwide, and where traditions grew from in history. While jelly beans fill children's fancies, Abanes reestablishes the true center of Easter. Written in lively prose, All About Easter is a quic...

No person in history has provoked more difference of opinion than Jesus of Nazareth. Some say He was a cunning fraud, while others say He must have been out of His mind. In many cases, His story is altered to suit people’s agendas.While there are many ideas about Jesus, to truly understand Him, we must go to the Bible. In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul presents a compelling portrait of Christ as the Son of God as he examines the biblical account.The Crucial Questions booklet...

Many Christians dismiss the need to go to church. It’s just a building, they say. I can worship anywhere. I don’t have to gather with other Christians. Drawn from the teaching of Dr. R.C. Sproul, this booklet explains that the church is not merely a building—it is the people who meet there. Scripture even commands us to gather, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some (Heb. 10:25). It’s dangerous to attempt the Christian life alone. We need one another to live and w...

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) became mandatory in the United States in 1988. RCIA is our adaptation of Christian initiation as it was practiced in the early Church. And so, although these rites are not new, to many they are unfamiliar. This deluxe pamphlet explains RCIA in a way that will help both catechumens and "cradle Catholics" understand the rich tradition of Christian Initiation for adults. Explaining that RCIA is a process, Liturgical Signs and Symbols describe...

Common to people of every time and place is a longing for the truth. We want to know! We want to know the purpose of our life, why we are here on earth, where we came from, whether there is a God, who this God is, whether there is an afterlife, and so much more!These most basic and fundamental questions are hopefully in the forefront of our minds. And if they are not, it's never too late to start! This book offers some of the answers to these questions. It offers the answers found ...