A logical presentation of the sacraments as the principle acts of worship in the Catholic church. Synthesizes contemporary research on symbol, ritual, and sacramental, liturgical, and pastoral theology into a single, readable resource. Each chapter ends with questions for reflection and discussion.

A succinct introduction to the book of Job, in the form of reflections.

As a Carmelite immersed in the contemplative spirituality of his order, Father John Welch writes from the lived experience of an interior life. The seventy short articles here under one cover were first published in Christ is our Hope, a monthly publication of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet focused on evangelizing and educating.

King David ranks among the most intriguing persons in the Hebrew Bible. The Second Book of Samuel tells the story of David's kingship-his public successes and his private foibles. The narrator's rehearsal of this story, as questioning as it is vivid, glimpses the secrets of David's heart. In this commentary, Craig E. Morrison focuses on the aesthetics of the "art of the telling": how does the narrator succeed in breathing life into his portrait of David? How does he draw the reader into hi...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"User-friendly...The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything...helpfully unpacks core precepts like ‘finding God in all things.’" —TimeThe Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by Father James Martin, SJ (bestselling author of Jesus and Learning to Pray) is a practical spiritual guidebook rooted in Ignatian spirituality that shows you how to manage relationships, money...

A deep-dive into the history, culture, and legacy of the medieval Christian dualist movement, Catharism—as seen in popular novels by Dan Brown and Kate MosseCenturies after the brutal slaughter of the Cathars by papally endorsed Northern French forces, and their suppression by the Inquisition, the medieval Cathars continue to exert a powerful influence on both popular culture and spiritual seekers. Yet few people know anything of the beliefs of the Cathars beyond v...

By meditating on personal examples from the author's life, as well as reflecting on the inspirational life and writings of Thomas Merton, stories from the Gospels, as well as the lives of other holy men and women (among them, Henri Nouwen, Therese of Lisieux and Pope John XXIII) the reader will see how becoming who you are, and becoming the person that God created, is a simple path to happiness, peace of mind and even sanctity.

During his seven-month stay in a Trappist monastery, Henri Nouwen had a unique opportunity to explore crucial issues of the spiritual life and discover "a quiet stream underneath the fluctuating affirmations and rejections of my little world." Nouwen participated fully in the daily life of the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York -- in work and in prayer. From the early weeks in the abbey -- dominated by conflicting desires and concerns -- to the final days of Advent, when he finds a n...

Awake My Soul introduces the practice of devotions to a new generation of the faithful. The essays in this enlightening collection celebrate the traditional Catholic devotions those sensual, physical, time-honored forms of piety that have sustained generations of believers. Contemporary men and women are finding in the devotions what earlier generations found comfort in times of trial, models of discipleship, encouragement to care for others, and ways to draw closer to Jesus in prayer and ...

“Martin’s final word is as Jungian as it is Catholic: God does not want us to be Mother Teresa or Dorothy Day. God wants us to be most fully ourselves.” —Washington Post Book WorldWITTY, WRYLY HONEST, AND ALWAYS ORIGINAL, My Life with the Saints is James Martin’s story of how his life has been shaped by some surprising friends—the saints of the Catholic Church. In his modern classic memoir, Martin introduces us to saints throughout history—from St. Peter ...

The activist, nun, and esteemed spiritual voice who has twice appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday sounds the call to create a monastery within ourselves—to cultivate wisdom and resilience so that we may join God in the work of renewal, restoration, and justice right where we are.“Essential reading for anyone wishing to find the compass of their heart and the wellspring from which to live fully.”—Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industrie...

Take the Plungeexplores baptism, showing how it touches the deepest dramas of human life.Cardinal Radcliffe argues that Christianity will only thrive today, overcoming the challenges of secularism and religious fundamentalism, if we rediscover the beauty of baptism. It touches the deepest dramas of human life: birth, growing up, falling in love, daring to give oneself to others, searching for meaning, coping with suffering and failure, and...