It’s hard enough for today’s parents to raise faith-filled children. But for the parents of kids with special needs, the challenges can be almost overwhelming; these parents’ own spirituality may suffer amidst the daily obstacles of raising a child with disabilities, and they may wonder how—or even if—their child can ever experience a meaningful spiritual life.In Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs, David Rizzo—whose 12-year-old daughter has au...

For the price of less-than a gallon of gas you can gain an edge that will put you ahead of the rest of the motorists vying for space on the highways of Southern California. This advantage extends to:local residents who've lived here for years and are grizzled veterans of the commute;new licensees who are working up the courage to tackle the freeways;individuals recently relocating to Southern California; andout-of-town business travelers and tourists who fac...

For many parents seeking faith formation for their child with special needs, the resources are either severely lacking or nonexistent. A family looking to participate in the life of the Church can find it a struggle to get the support, materials, and community needed to grow the faith for their child with special needs.David and Mercedes Rizzo know the struggle all too well. When they searched for sacramental preparation materials for their daughter Daniella, who has autism and is ...

Fr. Matthew Schneider, a priest on the autism spectrum, knows the challenges that autistics face in prayer, as well as the autistic traits that can be leveraged to deepen one’s prayer. With clarity and honesty, he shares from his own experience and that of others on the spectrum to give hope and confidence to readers. This ground-breaking book includes 52 meditations, which provide a coherent progression of material for prayer that can be used on a daily or weekly basis.Father Matt...

Joe Paprocki, best-selling author of The Catechist’s Toolbox, has written the first step-by-step book that demonstrates how you can teach a 75-minute catechetical session with practical techniques that expand upon the textbook to create a more prayerful and experiential climate in the classroom.While textbooks are an essential tool for catechists to present the teachings of the Catholic Church in a clear and accurate manner, Beyond the Catechist’s Toolbox gives yo...

This new book has proven to be a key component in getting many people; parents, teens, priests, religious educators, men and women of all ages excited about the true meaning of Confirmation as Knighthood in the Kingdom of God. Backed by Sacred Scripture, the Catechism and the writings of the Church Fathers, this book is sure to re-ignite interest in what it means to be a Soldier of Christ in God's Kingdom on earth and how Confirmation accomplishes that. This is an excellent tool for evange...

Parishes can be proud of the strides they’re making in welcoming persons with disabilities. In fact, says Maureen Pratt, “I have never seen such good potential for persons with disabilities to be present and completely engaged in church life.”So, what’s the next step? How do we bring this good potential to reality, both for the benefit of persons with disabilities and for the whole parish community?In this important, ground-breaking book, filled with stories of her own life...

When your worst nightmare happens, where can you turn? What can you do? What can you think or feel that could possibly make a difference and give you comfort? In STILL LIFE author Sheila Pearl shares her personal story of struggle, discovery, and transformation – for herself and her husband. Rabbi Aaron Pearl had been a brilliant orator, scholar and forward-thinking teacher. He prized his fine mind, above all. His greatest fear is what most people fear: losing his mind. Like most people wh...

One of the less formal but most important functions of parish ministry entails providing counseling to parishioners in need of sympathetic hearing and understanding advice from someone they personally know and trust. Jesus Wept provides a theological, psychological, and doctrinal foundation of the Eastern Orthodox Christian view of death that counselors can pass along to help the bereaved place the decedent's passing into proper spiritual context. It also discusses the psychologic...

After the Suicide Funeral: Wisdom on the Path to Posttraumatic Growth references the long and painful journey of bereavement that many suicide-loss-survivors experience in the wake of losing their loved one. A new area of positive psychology offers another vehicle for understanding the consequences of this experience by investigating the possibilities for personal growth within the context of this distressing and traumatic event. There is much to be mined by exploring faith as both a facil...

The task of being a caregiver includes having to cope with present losses, recurrent losses that occur over an extended period of time, and grief that is in anticipation of future losses or death. Long-time caregivers are thus inundated with loss and grief, a condition which can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion. But caregiving can include so much more. It is possible for caregivers to cope, to care, and to still create a good life. Caring for the Caregiver discusses and illustrate...

Many pastoral leaders feel ill-equipped to respond to the turmoil of those who face the death by suicide of a loved one. Responding to Suicide is the first book written for Catholic leaders that takes a holistic approach to understanding suicide and ministering effectively in its aftermath.Winner of the Resource of the Year award and a first-place award in resources for ministry from the Association of Catholic Publishers and a third-place award in pastoral ministr...