“Holiness for Everyone: The Practical Spirituality of St. Josemaria Escriva” is fantastic book which offers a path to living out holiness in our everyday lives.  Eric Sammons breaks open St. Josemaria’s teachings and presents useful steps at the end of each chapter to  foster incorporation of those daily disciplines into our spiritual practice.  Wonderful food for the journey.

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You can find the book here

From the description:

Strive for your own personal holiness as you implement your daily plan to:
–Be a Contemplative in the Midst of a Busy World
–Live a Life of Prayer
–Recognize the Presence of God
–Make a Plan of Life
–Make Your Work a Way to Heaven

Holiness for Everyone will inspire you as it sets your feet on the path to sainthood.

“Eric Sammons shows that St. Josemaria has recovered the most powerful truth of classic Christianity and restated it in a way that is compelling for men and women of our time.”
—From the Foreword by Scott Hahn

[powerpress] Well we simply can’t say that studying the Old Testament is intimidating anymore, not when there is the work of Dr. John Bergsma to help us through the door. “Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History” is a wonderful guide to begin the journey, not only for the individual, but also for the entire family.  Many of us our visual learners, and bearing that in mind, Dr. Bergsma has transformed what has worked for his classroom into a book that can help us all.  It is indeed a unique approach, which seems like a simple presentation, but is so packed with important fundamental elements of Sacred Scripture that you hardly realize that you’ve mastered the “heavy” things.  Instead you come away more aware and deeply appreciative of the “family” history in which we’ve been given. His love for the Old Testament is apparent, and he passes on new insights to us all.  Having been twice voted Faculty of the Year by graduating classes at Franciscan University, he is a popular teacher whose love of scripture inspires his students….and now we can see why!

Be sure to visit the fantastic “The Sacred Page” blog he shares with Brant Pitre, and Michael Barber (what a trio!)

You can find the book here

“John Bergsma is a very effective teacher of Scripture with a gift for clarity and depth.” —Scott Hahn, Author of Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots

“John Bergsma brings his biblical scholarship, pastoral heart, and gift for teaching together in this charming, easy-to-use overview of Salvation History. Catechists, teachers, and pastoral ministers will find this an inestimable resource, both for their own reference, and for shepherding those under their care. Highly recommended.” —Edward Sri, STD, Chancellor and Professor of Scripture and Theology, Augustine Institute

“We go by way of history and imagination to the Holy Land, and to times long past, and we meet the most fascinating people who ever lived: Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus. We can do all this because of John Bergsma’s rare gifts. This book can change lives.” —Mike Aquilina, Author of The Mass: The Glory, the Mystery, the Tradition

Fr. Joseph Fessio S.J. has such an incredible depth of knowledge and experience, that it is gift to discuss any topic with him, but it is especially wonderful to reflect with him on “the language of the liturgy.”  In this episode we discuss 2 books published by Ignatius Press, “Benedict XVI’s Reform” by Msgr. Nicola Bux and “The Voice of the Church at Prayer” by Fr. Uwe Michael Lang.  We discuss the primacy of place the Sacred Liturgy holds in our lives and the importance of offering it worthily.  Fr. Fessio helps us to understand the history of the reform, especially in its expression through our language.  We also discuss  the importance of elevating our understanding and action as opposed to “dumbing it down”.  We also look at the important role the use of Latin plays in enhancing the sense of the sacred in our sacramental expression.  Msgr. Bux’s book does an incredible job of closely examining the nature of  liturgical reform nurtured by Pope Benedict XVI, while Fr. Lang’s book offers a fascinating history of the language used in our celebrations.  Not just for scholars, these works offer invaluable insight into the heart of the liturgy we participate in.

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You can find it at ignatius.com

Nicola Bux is a priest of the Archdiocese of Bari and a professor of eastern liturgy and sacramental theology. He has studied and taught in Jerusalem and in Rome. He is a consultor to the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith and for the Causes of Saints and consultant of the international Catholic theological journal Communio. He was recently named a consultor to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

It also can be found here

Uwe Michael Lang, a native of Germany, is a priest of the Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri in London. At present, he is a staff member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and teaches at the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archeology and at the Master’s program in “Architecture, Sacred Art and Liturgy” at the UniversitÀ Europea di Roma. In September 2008, he was appointed a Consultor to the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff. His book Turning Towards the Lord (2nd edition, Ignatius, 2009), with a preface by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, has been published in several languages. Most recently, he has edited and contributed to the volume The Genius of the Roman Rite: Historical, Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on Catholic Liturgy (Hillenbrand Books, 2010).

It is always a delight to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer!  His sure brilliance, combined with his infectious joy and good humor, is so engaging that any topic he leads us on becomes an adventure.  With “Cosmic Origins”, a soon to be released DVD, Fr. Spitzer and a group of physicists and academic heavyweights exploring modern scientific theories about how the universe came to exist.   I would call this a “mathematical apologetic”, which is so beautifully points to the greater “purpose” of our creator, that I couldn’t help but smile through the entire presentation.  Stunning, wonderful…and so much fun!

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To learn more about this film and how you can arrange screenings for your parish or group go here
Cosmic Origins explains what we know about the beginning and nature of the universe, as well as its transcendent implications in clear, easy-to-understand terms. The 49-minute film weaves together a compelling narrative from academics and credentialed scientists pointing toward a very Catholic understanding of how the universe came to exist.

Cosmic Origins is distributed by Ignatius Press.

I love the writing of Evelyn Waugh…his prose are some of the best of our time, if not of all time.  And when that talent is used to pen a biography of the heroic English martyr, Edmund Campion, a tremendous blessing has been given to all who gleen it’s pages.  What a story…what a life.  We are joined once again by the wonderful Vivian Dudro to discuss this incredible work, as well as the life and times of this great saint.

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You can find the book here

From the description:

Evelyn Waugh presented his biography of St. Edmund Campion, the Elizabethan poet, scholar and gentleman who became the haunted, trapped and murdered priest as “a simple, perfectly true story of heroism and holiness.”

But it is written with a novelist’s eye for the telling incident and with all the elegance and feeling of a master of English prose. From the years of

success as an Oxford scholar, to entry into the newly founded Society of Jesus and a professorship in Prague, Campion’s life was an inexorable progress towards the doomed mission to England. There followed pursuit, betrayal, a spirited defense of loyalty to the Queen, and a horrifying martyr’s death at Tyburn.

“For Greater Glory: The True Story of  Cristiada The Cristero War and Mexico’s Struggle for Religious Freedom” is meant as a companion book to the film of the same name, but it truly be considered a stand alone in its own right.  Ruben Quezada does a fine job of outlining a horrific persecution which occurred just south of our border a little over 80 years ago, yet many of us know little or nothing about.  The Mexican government brutally killed men, women and children in an attempt to snuff out the life of the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico in the 1920’s.  Bishops and priests were martyred, Churches descrated, along many other atrocities. “Vivo Christo Rey” became the prayer triumphantly proclaimed by the Church Militant…this the story of their fight for religious freedom

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You can find the book here

“For Greater Glory is a top-flight production whose message of the importance of religious freedom has particular resonance for us today.”
— Most Reverend José Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles

“For Greater Glory is ‘must-see’ viewing for all those who care about faith and liberty today.”
— Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus

As you read you’ll discover:

• Who were the Cristeros?
• What drove the Mexican government to ruthlessly persecute Catholics?
• Can a priest “wage war”
• What role did groups like the Knights of Columbus play in this armed resistance?
• Why did thousands of Catholics – priests, religious, lay people – willingly give their lives in the Cristiada?
• What role did the U.S. play in ending this bitter conflict?
• What did the Pope do to support the Church in Mexico?
• Which characters in the movie went on to become Catholic saints and blesseds in real life?
• Why is this dramatic episode of history so little known today?
• What is the lesson of the Cristiada for those struggling for religious freedom today?

I have read many fine Catholic Apologetic books over the years, but I have to say “How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot Button Issues” is the BEST!  Dr. Austen Ivereigh, along with the Our Sunday Visitor Editor in Chief John Norton, have compiled the “must have” text for any and all Catholics who desire to respond to the call for the New Evangelization.  More than answers to just about any issue  that could come forward in a discussion about the Catholic Church and the faith we profess, their work encourages  us to respond with reason based on the fundamentals of Catholic Social Teaching and decorum befitting virtue driven discourse.  Once again, this is a MUST HAVE.  Check out Austen’s article in the OSV weekly entitled “How to Defend the Faith“ for just a taste of what can be found in the book.

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You can find the book here

From the book description (and it’s 100% accurate):

It is about winning friends, not arguments. It is about shedding light, not heat. It’s about reframing the argument so hearts can be opened and minds can be inspired. 

How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice is a new sort of apologetics. It is for those moments when you are thrust into the spotlight as the token Catholic whether the spotlight is simply at the office water cooler or whether it is front and center at the in-laws Thanksgiving celebration. How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice gives Catholics a fresh way of explaining the Church’s teaching on contentious issues humanly, compellingly, and succinctly.

But this book does not pretend to suggest it is as simple as memorizing a speech. Every conversation is different. Every day’s news cycle will bring new arguments and new challenges. Instead, it is a book about what the issues really are and where the criticisms are coming from so you can understand and communicate effectively. 

It is the fruit of a group of speakers and experts brought together by a single idea: to make sure that Catholics and the Church were represented properly in the media when Pope Benedict came to visit the UK in 2010. Their original and thoughtful approach helped make that visit a triumph and now it can be expanded for a much broader use.

Whether read in groups or alone, studied in schools or parishes, How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice offers the same thorough briefings on hot topics and the same top tips for effective communication which helped make the project such a success.

 

We love to hear the stories of the lives of the saints, especially those we are not familiar with!  So we owe a big thank you to
Brian O’Neel for shining the light on 39 holy unknowns in “Saint Who?”.    Men and women, clerics, religious, and laity, married and single, there’s story from all walks of life.  The book contains a short biography of each saint, a section on why that saint merits our attention and devotion today, and a short prayer.  He also discusses with us what makes a blessed, what makes them a saint.  A wonderful read.

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You can find the book here

From Servant Books:

Mary Elizabeth Sperry,  in a way fascinating way, organizes Bible topics and people into multiple lists in “Bible Top Tens: 40 Fun and Intriguing Lists to Inspire and Inform” .  More than just a “trivia” book, “Bible Top Tens”,  is another way to exprience the Bible.

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You can find the book here

From the description:

This book is intended to open Scripture in a brand new way. By organizing important people, places, and events into lists, we can reframe our experience and understanding of God’s Word, while serving as a memory aid or providing ideas for further reading and study.

Discover the top ten Bible misunderstandings, the top ten things to know about the Bible, the top ten animal stories, the top ten angelic appearances, or the top ten miracles.

Get introduced to the top ten women with attitude, the top sibling rivalries, the heroes, the villains, or even the top ten people you should know but probably don’t.

Explore the top ten parables, promises, or challenges from Jesus.

Leave it to the wonderfully thoughtful Mike Aquilina to bring us the lives of just some of those glorious maternal nurturers we call “the Mothers of the Church”.  From the well known Sts. Perpetua and Felicity and St. Monica to lesser known “mothers” like Proba the Poet and St. Olympias, Mike, along with his co-author Christopher Bailey, share their inspiring stories.  Mike Aquilina’s sincere love for these women and the witness they have provided us in our present age helps us to appreciate, once again, what God can do with ordinary people who are open to His extraordinary grace.

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You can find Mike’s book here

The Mothers of the Church include:

Holy Women of the New Testament
–St. Blandina
–St. Perpetua and St. Felicity
–St. Helena
–St. Thecla
–St. Agnes of Rome
–St. Macrina
–Proba the Widow
–St. Marcella
–St. Paula
–St. Eustochium
–St. Monica
–Egeria the Tourist

Fr. Robert Sirico offers an engaging presentation of the moral foundation for the free market.  He helps us to see our economy, not as a “mechanism” but rather as a dynamic of human relationship.  When this is done, basic principles found in Catholic Social Teaching can then be applied and used to redeem a system that can bring about the common good.  Many view the free market theory and policies as rationalization for the excess found in capitalism and fuel for the sins in the heart of some capitalists.  Fr. Sirico, doesn’t deny this reality, but instead helps us to see the goodness hidden beneath the distorting effects of moral failure, challenging us to bring the light of virtue into the system which can enhance the dignity of the human person and better the society as a whole.  An important and fascinating topic for our time, Fr. Sirico somehow manages to make a potentially dry subject compelling and relevant by sharing much from his own spiritual journey and life.  An excellent read…highly recommended to all.

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You can find the book here

“I’ve been doing financial counseling and education for over two decades, and one thing that has always stood out to me is how much money is connected to every part of our lives, from relationships to politics to ministry. Money is never just about money; it’s always just part of the issue. That’s why I appreciate Father Robert Sirico’s ministry. Sure, he talks about money, but he also shows how all of these different aspects of our lives interact with and impact each other.”
—Dave Ramsey, New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio show host

What great fun and an outstanding resource all in one fantastic book.  I love Jane Austen…I love this book.  Elizabeth Kantor gets it so right!  The book description says it best:

Women today are settling for less than we want when it comes to men, relationships, sex, and marriage. But we don’t have to, argues Elizabeth Kantor. Jane Austen can show us how to find the love we really want.

In The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After, Kantor reveals how the examples of Jane Austen heroines such as Elizabeth Bennett, Elinor Dashwood, and Anne Elliot can help us navigate the modern-day minefields of dating, love, relationships, and sex. By following in their footsteps—and steering clear of the sad endings suffered by characters such as Maria Bertram and Charlotte Lucas—modern women can discover the path to lifelong love and true happiness.

Charged with honesty and humor, Kantor’s book includes testimonies from modern women, pop culture parallels, the author’s personal experiences and, of course, a thorough examination of Austen’s beloved novels.

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You can find the book here

 

“This book would have helped me avoid a few broken hearts for sure! Kantor teaches you how to guard your emotions in an independent, sophisticated, and empowered way through Jane Austen’s works. She offers timeless wisdom for the modern woman, and most importantly, encourages us to take our relationships seriously.”

—Amy Bonaccorso, author of How to Get to “I Do”

Mark Shea once again gives us an outstanding resource to grow in our Catholic faith!  This time its with “The Heart of Catholic Prayer:  Rediscovering the Our Father and the Hail Mary”.  Mark takes great care and time with varied sections of each prayer and helps us to deeply reflect on the mystery contained within them.  Both meditative and catechetical, what we will find is a treasure house of grace, which if pondered deeply, will unite us closer to the heart of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Outstanding!

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You can find Mark’s book here

To learn and understand the Our Father and Hail Mary is to learn the deepest contours of the Church’s interior life, for both are prayers that come from the Holy Spirit, who is the soul of the Church. 

Experience the ordinary truths of the Faith that the Church has always taught, but in ways which will generate a spark of recognition in the contemporary mind. Upon completion of this book, you will never recite either of these prayers in the same way again.

It was with great joy to be able to speak with Mary Ann Glendon about  “The Forum and the Tower: How Scholars and Politicians Have Imagined the World, from Plato to Eleanor Roosevelt”.  A fascinating book that chronicles not only the thoughts, but also the lives of  12 notable philosophers and/or statesmen throughout history.  The “and/or” is important, because not all can can successfully combine both.  In fact, only  two in this particular work, are found to be that complete “Philosopher Statesman”.   Why is that so?  Why is difficult for one who develops a theory to put it into practice?  And on personal level on my part, that this is one of the most enjoyable and engaging converstations I’ve been blessed to have in this particular “forum”.  We also discuss Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI and their influence in today’s world.

Mary Ann Glendon is Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and is a former United States Ambassador to the Vatican. She holds A.B., J.D., and M.C.L. degrees from the University of Chicago. In 2004, Pope John Paul II named her as the first woman to serve as President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

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You can find the book here
About the Book:

As Aristotle noted long ago, two very different and sometimes incompatible ways of life—the political and the philosophical—exert a powerful pull on the ambitious and talented members of any society. Mary Ann Glendon, who teaches at Harvard Law School, says that she sees this double attraction in her students. Some go into politics, but many turn away, fearful of the compromises and corruptions of power. Such students may go on to become teachers and scholars, but they never quite give up on the idea of “making a difference” in the wider, public world, even if they aren’t quite sure how to do it. Ms. Glendon’s The Forum and the Tower profiles 12 figures in Western history who struggled—not always successfully—with the conflict between an active life and a contemplative one, between ‘life in the public forum and life in the ivory tower.’… The Forum and the Tower is a wise exploration of the eternal tension between action and thought.
— Brian C. Anderson, The Wall Street Journal

It’s great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley!  This time we discuss YOUCAT, an engaging a catechism designed for a youthful audience.  I say “youthful” because it appeals to seekers in all age groups.  Bright in design, filled with questions and answers, and thoughtful in its presentation of doctrine,  YOUCAT, on every page, brings the faith alive.  A fantastic resource for every home…a perfect gift for confirmation kids and adults alike.  Especially in the light of the challenges facing the Catholic faith in today’s world, we talk with Mark the need for this particular resource.

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You can find out more here

What Pope Benedict XVI has to say about the YOUCAT project:

“Study this Catechism with passion and perseverance. Make a sacrifice of your time for it! Study it in the quiet of your room; read it with a friend; form study groups and networks; share with each other on the Internet. By all means continue to talk with each other about your faith.”