General
The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord
Out of Stock
$32.00 Inc Tax
Catholic Trivia Game
Catholic Trivia Game
This game makes catechism lessons, lives of the saints, and Church history fun! Educational and entertaining for the whole family.
Contains two decks each containing 250 cards; 1,500 questions in total.
Six categories:
Played using a Trivial Pursuit board game (not included).
This game makes catechism lessons, lives of the saints, and Church history fun! Educational and entertaining for the whole family.
Contains two decks each containing 250 cards; 1,500 questions in total.
Six categories:
- the Baltimore Catechism (C),
- the Latin Mass (M),
- History and the Liturgical Calendar (H).
- The other contains Popes, Patron Saints and Other Pious People (P);
- Ritual, Symbol, and Doctrine (R);
- and Et Cetera (E).
Played using a Trivial Pursuit board game (not included).
Out of Stock
$50.00 Inc Tax
The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization
The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization
How to Taste and See the Abundance of Life
by Mitchell Kalpakgian
In a world gone crazy one might wonder if simple acts of civility are worth the trouble. Dressing with dignity, writing letters, and innocent courtship are just some of the lost arts of kindness and integrity that Dr. Michael Kalpakgian tries to dig up and dust off, imploring us to regain the honor and worth our society once had.
These noble habits of living fill common life with an abundance of simple pleasures that adorn day to day existence. The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization will inspire you to seek out and nourish the simple joys that lift the spirit, rejoice the heart, and enliven the mind.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 104 pages
How to Taste and See the Abundance of Life
by Mitchell Kalpakgian
In a world gone crazy one might wonder if simple acts of civility are worth the trouble. Dressing with dignity, writing letters, and innocent courtship are just some of the lost arts of kindness and integrity that Dr. Michael Kalpakgian tries to dig up and dust off, imploring us to regain the honor and worth our society once had.
These noble habits of living fill common life with an abundance of simple pleasures that adorn day to day existence. The Lost Arts of Modern Civilization will inspire you to seek out and nourish the simple joys that lift the spirit, rejoice the heart, and enliven the mind.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 104 pages
How to Taste and See the Abundance of Life
Out of Stock
$30.00 Inc Tax
Second Latin
Second Latin
Preparation for the Reading of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law
by Cora Carroll Scanlon, AM and Charles L. Scanlon, AM
"[Latin is the] language of wondrous spiritual power, transcending the boundaries of the nations . . . from which it is removed." St. Paul VI, Sacrificium Laudis
Latin is the universal patrimony of all Roman Catholics. It is one of the three holy tongues nailed to Christ's Cross, along with Hebrew and Greek. Most of all, it is the native language of the city where the holy First-Enthroned Apostle Peter and the Pre-Eminent Apostle Paul shed their blood for the Lord—that is, Holy Rome. And so, throughout the generations, Latin has become the language of the Western Church, and, in virtue of Rome's being the seat of Apostolic authority, the universal language of the entire Catholic Church. For over 1500 years at least, all Western liturgy was conducted in Latin, as well as canon law, theology, and philosophy. It is the language that when prayed devoutly burns the demons, "the language of the angels," "the speech of the Christian centuries," and "something of priceless worth," as St. Paul VI called it on the eve of its abandonment in the Roman Church's liturgy. Truly, the loss of Latin is the loss of the resonant reminder of the martyrs of ancient Rome, of all the Western Fathers, Doctors, theologians, and philosophers of the Church. But it is making a comeback, and you can partake of this immense heritage once again!
Serving as the second volume of a consummate course in Ecclesiastical Latin, Second Latin contains lessons and readings from the great works of Church history in canon law, philosophy, and theology—the vast majority of all Western Church writing. With 232 pages of vocabulary and reading and a 3000-word Latin-English glossary, this is a fantastic continuation of a course in Church Latin that will expand the horizons of any student. With this textbook in hand, you will be able to acquire the skills needed to participate in the perennial heritage of the Church of Rome and all of her daughters in the West. Truly this tongue is a pearl of great price in the treasure-house of the Church; Second Latin will take you deep into the trove.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 280 pages
Preparation for the Reading of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law
by Cora Carroll Scanlon, AM and Charles L. Scanlon, AM
"[Latin is the] language of wondrous spiritual power, transcending the boundaries of the nations . . . from which it is removed." St. Paul VI, Sacrificium Laudis
Latin is the universal patrimony of all Roman Catholics. It is one of the three holy tongues nailed to Christ's Cross, along with Hebrew and Greek. Most of all, it is the native language of the city where the holy First-Enthroned Apostle Peter and the Pre-Eminent Apostle Paul shed their blood for the Lord—that is, Holy Rome. And so, throughout the generations, Latin has become the language of the Western Church, and, in virtue of Rome's being the seat of Apostolic authority, the universal language of the entire Catholic Church. For over 1500 years at least, all Western liturgy was conducted in Latin, as well as canon law, theology, and philosophy. It is the language that when prayed devoutly burns the demons, "the language of the angels," "the speech of the Christian centuries," and "something of priceless worth," as St. Paul VI called it on the eve of its abandonment in the Roman Church's liturgy. Truly, the loss of Latin is the loss of the resonant reminder of the martyrs of ancient Rome, of all the Western Fathers, Doctors, theologians, and philosophers of the Church. But it is making a comeback, and you can partake of this immense heritage once again!
Serving as the second volume of a consummate course in Ecclesiastical Latin, Second Latin contains lessons and readings from the great works of Church history in canon law, philosophy, and theology—the vast majority of all Western Church writing. With 232 pages of vocabulary and reading and a 3000-word Latin-English glossary, this is a fantastic continuation of a course in Church Latin that will expand the horizons of any student. With this textbook in hand, you will be able to acquire the skills needed to participate in the perennial heritage of the Church of Rome and all of her daughters in the West. Truly this tongue is a pearl of great price in the treasure-house of the Church; Second Latin will take you deep into the trove.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 280 pages
Preparation for the Reading of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law
Out of Stock
$34.00 Inc Tax
The Price to Pay
The Price to Pay
A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ
by Joseph Fadelle
During his military service, Muhammad, a young Muslim Iraqi from a leading Shiite family, discovers to his dismay that his roommate is a Christian. Muhammad tries to convert his roommate, but he is the one who is converted.
In Islam changing one's religion is a crime, and Muhammad's family does everything possible to make him renounce his new faith in Christ. After threats and blows come prison and torture. Muhammad, who has become Joseph by his baptism, experiences a long Calvary but does not give in. Finally, he is taken from prison by relatives who threaten to kill him if he does not resubmit to Islam. They shoot him and leave him for dead.
The Price to Pay is the true story of Joseph Fadelle's conversion to Catholicism. He risks everything-family, friends, his inheritance and home, and even his life-in order to follow Christ. In a dramatic and personal narrative style, Fadelle reveals the horrible persecution endured by Christians living in a violent and hostile Muslim world.
Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 232 pages
A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ
by Joseph Fadelle
During his military service, Muhammad, a young Muslim Iraqi from a leading Shiite family, discovers to his dismay that his roommate is a Christian. Muhammad tries to convert his roommate, but he is the one who is converted.
In Islam changing one's religion is a crime, and Muhammad's family does everything possible to make him renounce his new faith in Christ. After threats and blows come prison and torture. Muhammad, who has become Joseph by his baptism, experiences a long Calvary but does not give in. Finally, he is taken from prison by relatives who threaten to kill him if he does not resubmit to Islam. They shoot him and leave him for dead.
The Price to Pay is the true story of Joseph Fadelle's conversion to Catholicism. He risks everything-family, friends, his inheritance and home, and even his life-in order to follow Christ. In a dramatic and personal narrative style, Fadelle reveals the horrible persecution endured by Christians living in a violent and hostile Muslim world.
Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 232 pages
A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ
Dining with the Saints
Dining with the Saints
The Sinner's Guide to a Righteous Feast
by Michael P. Foley and Rev Leo Patalinghug
Michael Foley’s fans have been devoutly drinking with the saints for years. Now it’s time for dinner! The inimitable theologian and mixologist teams up with the priest and TV chef Leo Patalinghug in a culinary romp through the liturgical year. Want to get closer to the saints while upping your dinner game? Now every meal can be a family feast - with the Saints!
Dining with the Saints brings the Catholic liturgical year to life, pairing over two hundred saints' stories with an irresistible smorgasbord of international recipes.
Craving a breakfast treat? Join St. Benedict and learn to craft Eggs Benedict with Basil Hollandaise in March. Searching for a spicey dinner feast? Uncover the life of St. Catherine of Siena and serve up a delicious Pici Pasta with Pumpkin and Spicy Sausage during the month of April. Tempted by sweets? Honor St. Maria Goretti with Goretti Tiramisu.
Featuring dozens of new and exciting recipes, Dining with the Saints provides an unforgettable feast that sinners and saints will enjoy!
Hardcover, size 9.25" x 7.5", 500 pages
The Sinner's Guide to a Righteous Feast
by Michael P. Foley and Rev Leo Patalinghug
Michael Foley’s fans have been devoutly drinking with the saints for years. Now it’s time for dinner! The inimitable theologian and mixologist teams up with the priest and TV chef Leo Patalinghug in a culinary romp through the liturgical year. Want to get closer to the saints while upping your dinner game? Now every meal can be a family feast - with the Saints!
Dining with the Saints brings the Catholic liturgical year to life, pairing over two hundred saints' stories with an irresistible smorgasbord of international recipes.
Craving a breakfast treat? Join St. Benedict and learn to craft Eggs Benedict with Basil Hollandaise in March. Searching for a spicey dinner feast? Uncover the life of St. Catherine of Siena and serve up a delicious Pici Pasta with Pumpkin and Spicy Sausage during the month of April. Tempted by sweets? Honor St. Maria Goretti with Goretti Tiramisu.
Featuring dozens of new and exciting recipes, Dining with the Saints provides an unforgettable feast that sinners and saints will enjoy!
Hardcover, size 9.25" x 7.5", 500 pages
The Sinner's Guide to a Righteous Feast
A Landscape with Dragons
A Landscape with Dragons
The Battle for Your Child's Mind
by Michael D. O'Brien
The Harry Potter series of books and movies are wildly popular. Many Christians see the books as largely if not entirely harmless. Others regard them as dangerous and misleading. In his book A Landscape with Dragons, Harry Potter critic Michael O'Brien examines contemporary children's literature and finds it spiritually and morally wanting. His analysis, written before the rise of the popular Potter books and films, anticipates many of the problems Harry Potter critics point to. A Landscape with Dragons is a controversial, yet thoughtful study of what millions of young people are reading and the possible impact such reading may have on them.
In this study of the pagan invasion of children's culture, O'Brien, the father of six, describes his own coming to terms with the effect it has had on his family and on most families in Western society. His analysis of the degeneration of books, films, and videos for the young is incisive and detailed. Yet his approach is not simply critical, for he suggests a number of remedies, including several tools of discernment for parents and teachers in assessing the moral content and spiritual impact of this insidious revolution. In doing so, he points the way to rediscovery of time-tested sources, and to new developments in Christian culture.
If you have ever wondered why a certain children's book or film made you feel uneasy, but you couldn't figure out why, this book is just what you need. This completely revised, much expanded second edition also includes a very substantial recommended reading list of over 1,000 books for kindergarten through highschool.
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 261 pages
The Battle for Your Child's Mind
by Michael D. O'Brien
The Harry Potter series of books and movies are wildly popular. Many Christians see the books as largely if not entirely harmless. Others regard them as dangerous and misleading. In his book A Landscape with Dragons, Harry Potter critic Michael O'Brien examines contemporary children's literature and finds it spiritually and morally wanting. His analysis, written before the rise of the popular Potter books and films, anticipates many of the problems Harry Potter critics point to. A Landscape with Dragons is a controversial, yet thoughtful study of what millions of young people are reading and the possible impact such reading may have on them.
In this study of the pagan invasion of children's culture, O'Brien, the father of six, describes his own coming to terms with the effect it has had on his family and on most families in Western society. His analysis of the degeneration of books, films, and videos for the young is incisive and detailed. Yet his approach is not simply critical, for he suggests a number of remedies, including several tools of discernment for parents and teachers in assessing the moral content and spiritual impact of this insidious revolution. In doing so, he points the way to rediscovery of time-tested sources, and to new developments in Christian culture.
If you have ever wondered why a certain children's book or film made you feel uneasy, but you couldn't figure out why, this book is just what you need. This completely revised, much expanded second edition also includes a very substantial recommended reading list of over 1,000 books for kindergarten through highschool.
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 261 pages
The Battle for Your Child's Mind
Digital Safety Guide
Digital Safety Guide
by Priests of St. Mary's College and Academy
This short tutorial provides an introduction to the ethical use of technology and discusses the most common social media and online risks, with a special focus on the youth. Additionally, this booklet provides practical recommendations and tools for the conscientious use of technology.
This indispensable book will be advantageous to any Catholic who interacts with the internet realm, whether it via a smartphone or computer.
Parents contemplating giving their children access to any Internet-enabled device will find valuable insight by consulting the guidelines provided here.
Booklet, size 6" x 4", 36 pages
by Priests of St. Mary's College and Academy
This short tutorial provides an introduction to the ethical use of technology and discusses the most common social media and online risks, with a special focus on the youth. Additionally, this booklet provides practical recommendations and tools for the conscientious use of technology.
This indispensable book will be advantageous to any Catholic who interacts with the internet realm, whether it via a smartphone or computer.
Parents contemplating giving their children access to any Internet-enabled device will find valuable insight by consulting the guidelines provided here.
Booklet, size 6" x 4", 36 pages
Out of Stock
$14.00
Drinking with the Saints
Recipe for a liturgically correct cocktail: mix Bartender’s Guide and Lives of the Saints, shake well, garnish with good cheer. Drinking with the Saints is a concoction that both sinner and saint will savour. Michael Foley offers the faithful drinker witty and imaginative instruction on the appropriate libations for the seasons, feasts, and saints’ days of the Church year.
- A guide to wine, beer, and spirits, including 38 original cocktails
- Lively sketches of scores of saints, from the popular to the obscure
- Tips on giving the perfect toast and on mixing the perfect drink
- Even includes drinks for Lent!
Pub crawl your way through the religious calendar with this light-hearted collection of cocktail recipes, monastical lure, Latin toasts, and recommendations on spirits, wine, and beer for every season! With delicious recipes from “The Monk” (Gin, Lemon juice, Benedictine) to “The Bonny Scott” (Scotch, Drambuie, Calvados, Passion fruit), this book is one part bartender’s guide and one part spiritual manual.
The Sinner's Guide to a Holy Happy Hour
Out of Stock
$58.00 Inc Tax
Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else)
Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else)
Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters
by Kevin Vost
"They laughed when I said I could name all 27 books of the New Testament . . . but after I named them all in order, plus the 46 books of the Old Testament, they begged me to show them how I did it."
Yes, I know that memorizing the Faith is no substitute for living a holy life, but even devout people can't live by truths and precepts they don't remember.
That's why, over 700 years ago, St. Thomas Aquinas perfected an easy method for his students to memorize most any information, but especially the truths taught by Christ and His Church.
As the years passed, our need for this ancient art of memorization grew, yet somehow our culture largely forgot it . . . which is why today, when you and I try to remember a list of things, we have to repeat their names over and over. Or, to remember to call the dentist, we tie a string on our finger. And we clutch at any means whatsoever to recall our passwords for ATMs, credit cards, and voicemail, our login names for Yahoo, eBay, and Amazon, and the host of other names and numbers that clog our minds and clutter our days.
Now, thanks to the delightful pages of Memorize the Faith!, you can easily keep all these in mind - and learn the Faith! - by tapping into the power of the classical memory system that helped St. Thomas become the Church's preeminent theologian, and made it easier for him to become one of its greatest saints.
Here, Catholic scholar Kevin Vost makes available again Aquinas's easy-to-learn method - the method Dr. Vost himself has used for decades to recall names, dates, phone numbers, the first dozen digits of pi (3.141592653589) and even whether, when his wife called him at work today, she asked him to bring home ice cream and toffee . . . or was it truffles and coffee?
Indeed, Dr. Vost will teach you to remember virtually anything, but he devotes most of his book to showing you how to improve your memory of Catholic truths so you can live the Faith better.
By the time you finish this book, you will have memorized dozens of key teachings of the Church, along with hundreds of precepts, traditions, theological terms, Scripture verses, and other elements of the Faith that every good Catholic needs to know by heart.
Memory is the foundation of wisdom. It makes holiness easier. To grow wiser in the Faith . . . and holier . . . turn to Memorize the Faith! today.
Note: Memorize the Faith! will teach you and your children how to remember anything, but it's particularly useful to those involved in religious education: catechists and converts, CCD teachers, RCIA members, and homeschoolers of all ages.
Here, Dr. Vost and St. Thomas Aquinas show you easy ways to memorize the following truths and precepts of our Faith, plus many more:
And anything else you want to remember, from the 14 items on your grocery list to the birthdays of your 7 nephews and nieces!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 250 pages
Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters
by Kevin Vost
"They laughed when I said I could name all 27 books of the New Testament . . . but after I named them all in order, plus the 46 books of the Old Testament, they begged me to show them how I did it."
Yes, I know that memorizing the Faith is no substitute for living a holy life, but even devout people can't live by truths and precepts they don't remember.
That's why, over 700 years ago, St. Thomas Aquinas perfected an easy method for his students to memorize most any information, but especially the truths taught by Christ and His Church.
As the years passed, our need for this ancient art of memorization grew, yet somehow our culture largely forgot it . . . which is why today, when you and I try to remember a list of things, we have to repeat their names over and over. Or, to remember to call the dentist, we tie a string on our finger. And we clutch at any means whatsoever to recall our passwords for ATMs, credit cards, and voicemail, our login names for Yahoo, eBay, and Amazon, and the host of other names and numbers that clog our minds and clutter our days.
Now, thanks to the delightful pages of Memorize the Faith!, you can easily keep all these in mind - and learn the Faith! - by tapping into the power of the classical memory system that helped St. Thomas become the Church's preeminent theologian, and made it easier for him to become one of its greatest saints.
Here, Catholic scholar Kevin Vost makes available again Aquinas's easy-to-learn method - the method Dr. Vost himself has used for decades to recall names, dates, phone numbers, the first dozen digits of pi (3.141592653589) and even whether, when his wife called him at work today, she asked him to bring home ice cream and toffee . . . or was it truffles and coffee?
Indeed, Dr. Vost will teach you to remember virtually anything, but he devotes most of his book to showing you how to improve your memory of Catholic truths so you can live the Faith better.
By the time you finish this book, you will have memorized dozens of key teachings of the Church, along with hundreds of precepts, traditions, theological terms, Scripture verses, and other elements of the Faith that every good Catholic needs to know by heart.
Memory is the foundation of wisdom. It makes holiness easier. To grow wiser in the Faith . . . and holier . . . turn to Memorize the Faith! today.
Note: Memorize the Faith! will teach you and your children how to remember anything, but it's particularly useful to those involved in religious education: catechists and converts, CCD teachers, RCIA members, and homeschoolers of all ages.
Here, Dr. Vost and St. Thomas Aquinas show you easy ways to memorize the following truths and precepts of our Faith, plus many more:
- The 9 Beatitudes
- The 12 Apostles
- The 7 Virtues
- The 7 Sacraments
- The 4 Last Things
- The 7 Capital Sins
- The 10 Commandments
- The 4 Marks of the Church
- The 14 Stations of the Cross
- The 5 Precepts of the Church
- The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
- The 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy
- The 20 Mysteries of the Rosary
- The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy
- The 10 Holy Days of Obligation
- The 6 Sins Against the Holy Spirit
- The 5 Proofs for the Existence of God
- The 27 Books of the New Testament
- The 46 Books of the Old Testament
And anything else you want to remember, from the 14 items on your grocery list to the birthdays of your 7 nephews and nieces!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 250 pages
Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters
Out of Stock
$33.00 Inc Tax
The Thinking Toolbox
The Thinking Toolbox
Thirty-Five Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills
by Nathaniel Bluedorn, Hans Bluedorn
The Thinking Toolbox has been the best selling text for teaching critical thinking skills and introduction to logic for over 15 years.
"The Bluedorns have certainly achieved their goal of creating a logic textbook that is neither boring nor distant, but rather informative, approachable, enjoyable, and valuable." - Jordan J. Ballor at the Acton Institute --Acton Institute web site
"I think the best part of The Thinking Toolbox would be the examples because they are hilarious. . . . I would highly recommend this book. It's useful and great comedy at the same time." Sarah (age 11) --student
This book is like a toolbox, full of different kinds of tools you can use for different thinking tasks. Just as you use the wrench in a regular tool box to fix the sink, so you can use the tools we give you in this book to solve thinking problems.
- When it is dumb to argue
- Using the scientific method
- Five rules of brainstorming
- Who has a reason to lie?
- How to analyze opposing viewpoints
- How to analyze evidence and sources
- How to list reasons why you believe something
- And much more
We wrote this book for children and adults who want to learn logic and critical thinking skills. The Thinking Toolbox follows the same style as The Fallacy Detective with lessons and exercises and an answer key in the back. Parents and teachers, as well as anybody who wants to learn logic, will find The Thinking Toolbox easy to use and practical.
Features:
- Fun to use not dry like a math textbook
- Can be used after The Fallacy Detective
- Introductory teaches skills you can use right away
- Self-teaching format
- For ages thirteen and older
- Over 60 cartoon illustrations by Richard LaPierre
Paperback, size 9" x 6.5", 292 pages
Thirty-Five Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills
by Nathaniel Bluedorn, Hans Bluedorn
The Thinking Toolbox has been the best selling text for teaching critical thinking skills and introduction to logic for over 15 years.
"The Bluedorns have certainly achieved their goal of creating a logic textbook that is neither boring nor distant, but rather informative, approachable, enjoyable, and valuable." - Jordan J. Ballor at the Acton Institute --Acton Institute web site
"I think the best part of The Thinking Toolbox would be the examples because they are hilarious. . . . I would highly recommend this book. It's useful and great comedy at the same time." Sarah (age 11) --student
This book is like a toolbox, full of different kinds of tools you can use for different thinking tasks. Just as you use the wrench in a regular tool box to fix the sink, so you can use the tools we give you in this book to solve thinking problems.
- When it is dumb to argue
- Using the scientific method
- Five rules of brainstorming
- Who has a reason to lie?
- How to analyze opposing viewpoints
- How to analyze evidence and sources
- How to list reasons why you believe something
- And much more
We wrote this book for children and adults who want to learn logic and critical thinking skills. The Thinking Toolbox follows the same style as The Fallacy Detective with lessons and exercises and an answer key in the back. Parents and teachers, as well as anybody who wants to learn logic, will find The Thinking Toolbox easy to use and practical.
Features:
- Fun to use not dry like a math textbook
- Can be used after The Fallacy Detective
- Introductory teaches skills you can use right away
- Self-teaching format
- For ages thirteen and older
- Over 60 cartoon illustrations by Richard LaPierre
Paperback, size 9" x 6.5", 292 pages
Thirty-Five Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills
Out of Stock
$48.00
Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture
Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture
by Michael O'Brien
Master storyteller, best-selling novelist and artist Michael O'Brien - the man to whom CNN went for comment on Harry Potter - has penned the definitive work assessing the Potter phenomenon. This book is essential reading for all parents whose children have read or are considering reading the wildly popular offerings by J.K.Rowling and similar works such as Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Although this is an analytical work, the reader will be captivated from the beginning, from the must-read preface onward.
O'Brien's earlier work, A Landscape with Dragons, delineated authentic Christian fantasy literature from its counterfeits. Now in Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, he contrasts Potter-world with C.S. Lewis's Narnia and with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and specifically Harry with Frodo. For those whose children have consumed Potter, O'Brien's analysis will enable parents to comprehend the messages which have been fed their children and give them the points and arguments which will hopefully be the antidote to properly reset their moral order.
The book goes beyond Potter, however, to address other bestselling series such as Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass. In addition to these and other fantasy books, O'Brien reviews the films which they spawned.
In all, O'Brien's new book teaches Christians how to discern harmless fantasy literature and film from that which is destructive to heart, mind and soul.
"The corruption of Christian civilization's symbols is a centuries-old phenomenon, yet until the modern age the mutations and inversions, along with the making of new diabolic symbologies, remained on the fringes of society in secret societies and small esoteric cults. Now the culture of the cults is visible everywhere, and with the Harry Potter series is entering (and captivating) the mainstream. Through it, the corruption of symbols has moved to a new level of influence, and it has done so on a scale that is unprecedented in the history of literature. If we lose the language of true symbolism, we lose at a basic level of consciousness our way of knowing things as they are. Symbols are not items in some storage room or attic of the psyche that we can take up and discard at will, or rearrange without consequences. To tamper with them is to destabilize the very foundations of the house. While most Christians would never knowingly exchange symbols of evil for symbols of good, many have accepted a new realm of eclectic symbology that allows a mixture of good and evil symbols to influence their thoughts and feelings. But two contradictory symbol worlds cannot long remain in a state of peaceful co-existence within us. Either one or the other will come to dominate and will eventually demand the expulsion of the other." - Michael O'Brien
Paperback, size 8" x 5.5", 278 pages
by Michael O'Brien
Master storyteller, best-selling novelist and artist Michael O'Brien - the man to whom CNN went for comment on Harry Potter - has penned the definitive work assessing the Potter phenomenon. This book is essential reading for all parents whose children have read or are considering reading the wildly popular offerings by J.K.Rowling and similar works such as Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Although this is an analytical work, the reader will be captivated from the beginning, from the must-read preface onward.
O'Brien's earlier work, A Landscape with Dragons, delineated authentic Christian fantasy literature from its counterfeits. Now in Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, he contrasts Potter-world with C.S. Lewis's Narnia and with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and specifically Harry with Frodo. For those whose children have consumed Potter, O'Brien's analysis will enable parents to comprehend the messages which have been fed their children and give them the points and arguments which will hopefully be the antidote to properly reset their moral order.
The book goes beyond Potter, however, to address other bestselling series such as Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass. In addition to these and other fantasy books, O'Brien reviews the films which they spawned.
In all, O'Brien's new book teaches Christians how to discern harmless fantasy literature and film from that which is destructive to heart, mind and soul.
"The corruption of Christian civilization's symbols is a centuries-old phenomenon, yet until the modern age the mutations and inversions, along with the making of new diabolic symbologies, remained on the fringes of society in secret societies and small esoteric cults. Now the culture of the cults is visible everywhere, and with the Harry Potter series is entering (and captivating) the mainstream. Through it, the corruption of symbols has moved to a new level of influence, and it has done so on a scale that is unprecedented in the history of literature. If we lose the language of true symbolism, we lose at a basic level of consciousness our way of knowing things as they are. Symbols are not items in some storage room or attic of the psyche that we can take up and discard at will, or rearrange without consequences. To tamper with them is to destabilize the very foundations of the house. While most Christians would never knowingly exchange symbols of evil for symbols of good, many have accepted a new realm of eclectic symbology that allows a mixture of good and evil symbols to influence their thoughts and feelings. But two contradictory symbol worlds cannot long remain in a state of peaceful co-existence within us. Either one or the other will come to dominate and will eventually demand the expulsion of the other." - Michael O'Brien
Paperback, size 8" x 5.5", 278 pages
The Temperament God Gave You
The Temperament God Gave You
The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord
by Art and Laraine Bennett
All of us are born with distinct personality traits. Some of us live for crowds and parties; others seek solitude and time for quiet reflection. Some of us are naturally pushy, while others are content just to get along. We don't pick and choose these traits; they're just part of the way we're made.
For in the womb God doesn't merely mold our body; He also gives us the temperament that, all our days, colors our understanding, guides our choices, and serves as the foundation of our moral and spiritual life.
Ancient philosophers identified four basic temperaments, and over the centuries, countless wise souls have used these four to understand human nature. Now comes The Temperament God Gave You, the first Catholic book on the subject in 70 years. Here veteran Catholic counselor Art Bennett and his wife Laraine provide an accessible synthesis of classical wisdom, modern counseling science, and Catholic spirituality: a rich understanding of the temperaments and what they mean for you and for your family.
Drawing on decades of study, prayer, and practical experience, Art and Laraine show you how to identify your own temperament and use it to become what God is calling you to be: a loving spouse, an effective parent, and a good friend. Best of all, they give you a Catholic understanding of the four temperaments that will bring you closer to God and help you discover the path to holiness that's right for you.
Peace. Happiness. Holiness.
You'll find yourself growing in each of these qualities as you come to understand -- and learn to use as you should -- the temperament God gave you.
Take the temperament test!
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 288 pages
The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord
by Art and Laraine Bennett
All of us are born with distinct personality traits. Some of us live for crowds and parties; others seek solitude and time for quiet reflection. Some of us are naturally pushy, while others are content just to get along. We don't pick and choose these traits; they're just part of the way we're made.
For in the womb God doesn't merely mold our body; He also gives us the temperament that, all our days, colors our understanding, guides our choices, and serves as the foundation of our moral and spiritual life.
Ancient philosophers identified four basic temperaments, and over the centuries, countless wise souls have used these four to understand human nature. Now comes The Temperament God Gave You, the first Catholic book on the subject in 70 years. Here veteran Catholic counselor Art Bennett and his wife Laraine provide an accessible synthesis of classical wisdom, modern counseling science, and Catholic spirituality: a rich understanding of the temperaments and what they mean for you and for your family.
Drawing on decades of study, prayer, and practical experience, Art and Laraine show you how to identify your own temperament and use it to become what God is calling you to be: a loving spouse, an effective parent, and a good friend. Best of all, they give you a Catholic understanding of the four temperaments that will bring you closer to God and help you discover the path to holiness that's right for you.
Peace. Happiness. Holiness.
You'll find yourself growing in each of these qualities as you come to understand -- and learn to use as you should -- the temperament God gave you.
Take the temperament test!
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 288 pages
The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord
Out of Stock
$32.00 Inc Tax
The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse
The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse
Improve your marriage by understanding your spouse!
by Art and Laraine Bennett
In their bestselling book, The Temperament God Gave You, authors Art and Laraine Bennett re-introduced the age-old concept of the four classic temperaments, and showed how to use them to understand yourself, get along with others, and grow closer to God.
Now they're back with more temperament wisdom, designed specially for couples and guaranteed to improve your marital communication, intimacy, and happiness: The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse.
In no other kind of human relationship is knowledge of the temperaments - the fundamental personality traits, hard-wired into us at birth, that affect the way we respond to the world around us - so critical, and so fruitful, as in a Christian marriage. For it's only through mutual understanding of our own patterns of reaction, and those of our spouse, that we can motivate, nurture, respect, and above all, love each other with the selfless patience to which Christ calls us in the sacrament.
In a fun-to-read style that incorporates practical psychology, real-life anecdotes, and decades of clinical experience, the Bennetts will show you:
Improve your marriage by understanding your spouse!
by Art and Laraine Bennett
In their bestselling book, The Temperament God Gave You, authors Art and Laraine Bennett re-introduced the age-old concept of the four classic temperaments, and showed how to use them to understand yourself, get along with others, and grow closer to God.
Now they're back with more temperament wisdom, designed specially for couples and guaranteed to improve your marital communication, intimacy, and happiness: The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse.
In no other kind of human relationship is knowledge of the temperaments - the fundamental personality traits, hard-wired into us at birth, that affect the way we respond to the world around us - so critical, and so fruitful, as in a Christian marriage. For it's only through mutual understanding of our own patterns of reaction, and those of our spouse, that we can motivate, nurture, respect, and above all, love each other with the selfless patience to which Christ calls us in the sacrament.
In a fun-to-read style that incorporates practical psychology, real-life anecdotes, and decades of clinical experience, the Bennetts will show you:
- The four kinds of spouses — which kind did you marry?
- How temperament affects the way you and your spouse work, pray, argue, socialize, and show affection.
- Tips for developing the communication skills that your temperament needs most, and for nurturing them in your spouse.
- All the possible temperament combinations in marriage, and how to handle the unique challenges that yours creates.
- Proven ways to figure out what really makes your spouse tick!
So often we wish we could make our spouses different (because they're not just like us); yet the Bennetts show that true marital contentment lies not in changing the way God made our loved ones, but in appreciating it — and helping them to perfect it. Read The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse and discover a new world of understanding and respect for the person you married.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 209 pages
Improve your marriage by understanding your spouse!
Out of Stock
$31.00 Inc Tax
The Fallacy Detective
The Fallacy Detective
Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning
by Nathaniel Bluedorn, Hans Bluedorn
A book that introduces Catholic logic and critical thinking by blowing up the tricksterism of Madison Avenue advertising, campaign sloganeering, media grandstanding, product endorsements, and billboard jingoism. Fun to use. Self-teaching, not intimidating. Starts with skills you can use right way. A fallacy is an error in logic, a place where someone has made a mistake in his thinking. These are fallacies, with more in the book to smile your way to exercising your mind and learning how to identify screwy thinking:
- A cloud is 90% water. A watermelon is 90% water. Therefore, since a plane can fly through a cloud, a plane can fly through a watermelon.
- Christianity came along in the first century, and a few hundred years after that, the Roman Empire fell, Christianity must have made it fall.
- "A low income level seems to be the greatest factor contributing to why some families, where both parents work full time, are still below the poverty line."
- "The bristlecone pine trees are said to live for thousands of years. That's why I take a capsule a day of dried bristlecone pine bark. I think it will help me live longer."
- "I've been looking into the history of wars. It seems as if, just before any war, all the countries involved build large armies. I think that the building of a large army causes war."
- Magazine ad: "Does the pain medication you use now start to work in less than one second?"
- In a commercial, a handsome man with big, bulging muscles is seen working out on the new Gutwrencher exercise machine. "Tone up your muscles in two weeks!" it says.
GET A GRIP ON ALL THE BASIC HEAD GAMES: Red herring fallacies ad hominem (against the man) attacks * genetic fallacy (attacking an argument for where it began, how it began, or who began it)* faulty appeal to authority * appeal to the people * straw man * circular reasoning * loaded question * part-to-whole * whole-to-part * either-or * making false assumptions * hasty generalizations * weak analogy post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore, because of this) * proof by lack of evidence * bandwagon * appeal to pity * repetition * propaganda * snob appeal * appeal to Tradition and Hi-tech.
Geared for junior high and older, but it would make great table talk for whatever age. Each of the 36 lessons has exercises, with an Answer Key at the back. Includes THE FALLACY DETECTIVE GAME, giving you, family, and friends an entertaining way to spot and make up your own examples of fallacies. Written specifically from a Christian worldview with practical relevancy to the crisis in media bias. Learn not just to think, but to think right.
Paperback, size 9" x 6.5", 233 pages, Illustrated, Answer Key
Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning
Out of Stock
$48.00 Inc Tax
The Tremaynes and the Masterful Monk
The Tremaynes and the Masterful Monk
Part VI
by Fr Owen Francis Dudley
In the fictional novel Fr Dudley provides us with a character study of Gordon Tremayne.
Fr. Dudley writes in the notes of this book “we are apt, rather smugly I think, to place certain characters beyond redemption. My choice of Gordon Tremayne has been deliberate, for the reason that humanly he seemed unredeemable. In the event he proved otherwise - owing to the monk acting on the principle of the potentially reclaimable deep down. The Gordon Tremaynes of this world are not uncommon, whose cruelties cry to heaven for vengeance, and yet remain untouched by law. Beyond human reach they may be, but not beyond reach of the Divine.”
Hardcover, size 7.75" x 5.25", 333 pages
Part VI
by Fr Owen Francis Dudley
In the fictional novel Fr Dudley provides us with a character study of Gordon Tremayne.
Fr. Dudley writes in the notes of this book “we are apt, rather smugly I think, to place certain characters beyond redemption. My choice of Gordon Tremayne has been deliberate, for the reason that humanly he seemed unredeemable. In the event he proved otherwise - owing to the monk acting on the principle of the potentially reclaimable deep down. The Gordon Tremaynes of this world are not uncommon, whose cruelties cry to heaven for vengeance, and yet remain untouched by law. Beyond human reach they may be, but not beyond reach of the Divine.”
Hardcover, size 7.75" x 5.25", 333 pages
Part VI
Out of Stock
$30.00 Inc Tax
The Shallows
The Shallows
What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
by Nicholas Carr
Nicholas Carr’s bestseller The Shallows has become a foundational book in one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the internet’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply?
Now, Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet's intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by "tools of the mind"--from the alphabet to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer--Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways.
Building on the insights of thinkers from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic--a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is that of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption--and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.
Part intellectual history, part popular science, and part cultural criticism, The Shallows sparkles with memorable vignettes--Friedrich Nietzsche wrestling with a typewriter, Sigmund Freud dissecting the brains of sea creatures, Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplating the thunderous approach of a steam locomotive--even as it plumbs profound questions about the state of our modern psyche. This is a book that will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds.
This 10th-anniversary edition includes a new afterword that brings the story up to date, with a deep examination of the cognitive and behavioral effects of smartphones and social media.
Paperback, size 8.3" x 5.5", 320 pages
What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
by Nicholas Carr
Nicholas Carr’s bestseller The Shallows has become a foundational book in one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the internet’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply?
Now, Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet's intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by "tools of the mind"--from the alphabet to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer--Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways.
Building on the insights of thinkers from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic--a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is that of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption--and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.
Part intellectual history, part popular science, and part cultural criticism, The Shallows sparkles with memorable vignettes--Friedrich Nietzsche wrestling with a typewriter, Sigmund Freud dissecting the brains of sea creatures, Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplating the thunderous approach of a steam locomotive--even as it plumbs profound questions about the state of our modern psyche. This is a book that will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds.
This 10th-anniversary edition includes a new afterword that brings the story up to date, with a deep examination of the cognitive and behavioral effects of smartphones and social media.
Paperback, size 8.3" x 5.5", 320 pages
What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
To Love Fasting
To Love Fasting
The Monastic Experience
by Adalbert de Vogüé, O.S.B.
To love fasting: An impossible ideal or a fundamentally sound rule for life? Fasting, for centuries, was a constitutive element of religious practice. Yet that practice has waned almost to the point of vanishing, as the world—particularly in the West—has made its appetites like unto gods.
“What are the instruments of good works?” To love fasting. (Rule of Saint Benedict)
With fervor and conviction, Dom Adalbert de Vogüé proposes a re-evaluation of fasting, one that comprehends it not as a punishment for man’s physical shortcomings, but as a joyful liberation of man’s spiritual character. To Love Fasting describes the “regular fast,” observed as a rule of daily life, connecting it with its biblical and patristic origins, discussing its vicissitudes by excess or defect through the centuries, and comparing it with its non-Christian and non-religious analogues throughout the ages.
First published in English in 1989, To Love Fasting is a clarion call to appreciate fasting (like chastity) as an abstinence worthy of being loved, for the simple yet profound reason it purifies the body and pacifies the soul, giving joy and freedom to the whole person, and affording indispensable assistance toward the attainment of union with God.
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 190 pages
The Monastic Experience
by Adalbert de Vogüé, O.S.B.
To love fasting: An impossible ideal or a fundamentally sound rule for life? Fasting, for centuries, was a constitutive element of religious practice. Yet that practice has waned almost to the point of vanishing, as the world—particularly in the West—has made its appetites like unto gods.
“What are the instruments of good works?” To love fasting. (Rule of Saint Benedict)
With fervor and conviction, Dom Adalbert de Vogüé proposes a re-evaluation of fasting, one that comprehends it not as a punishment for man’s physical shortcomings, but as a joyful liberation of man’s spiritual character. To Love Fasting describes the “regular fast,” observed as a rule of daily life, connecting it with its biblical and patristic origins, discussing its vicissitudes by excess or defect through the centuries, and comparing it with its non-Christian and non-religious analogues throughout the ages.
First published in English in 1989, To Love Fasting is a clarion call to appreciate fasting (like chastity) as an abstinence worthy of being loved, for the simple yet profound reason it purifies the body and pacifies the soul, giving joy and freedom to the whole person, and affording indispensable assistance toward the attainment of union with God.
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 190 pages
The Monastic Experience
Out of Stock
$40.00
Drinking with Your Patron Saints
There’s a patron saint for everything. And Michael Foley has a drink for every patron saint.
Have a problem with the Tax Office? Pray to St. Matthew and mix up a classic Income Tax cocktail to toast the tax collector apostle. Looking for a deal at a gun show? Try St. Adrian of Nicomedia, the patron of arms manufacturers, and raise a glass of craft beer from Denver’s Call to Arms in the saint’s honour. Or stir up a Gunfire, traditionally served to British soldiers on Christmas Day. Need to sell your house? Ask St. Joseph for his help and honour his patronage with a Sazerac, made with wormwood in honour of his trade as a carpenter. Drinking with Your Patron Saints gives you a saint for every occasion. Packed with inspiring stories and delicious drink recipes for saints from Adam to Zita, this book will be a boost to your spiritual life—and your spirits.
256pp, hardcover
Have a problem with the Tax Office? Pray to St. Matthew and mix up a classic Income Tax cocktail to toast the tax collector apostle. Looking for a deal at a gun show? Try St. Adrian of Nicomedia, the patron of arms manufacturers, and raise a glass of craft beer from Denver’s Call to Arms in the saint’s honour. Or stir up a Gunfire, traditionally served to British soldiers on Christmas Day. Need to sell your house? Ask St. Joseph for his help and honour his patronage with a Sazerac, made with wormwood in honour of his trade as a carpenter. Drinking with Your Patron Saints gives you a saint for every occasion. Packed with inspiring stories and delicious drink recipes for saints from Adam to Zita, this book will be a boost to your spiritual life—and your spirits.
256pp, hardcover
The Sinner's Guide to Honoring Namesakes and Protectors
Out of Stock
$40.00 Inc Tax
How to Think Like Aquinas
How to Think Like Aquinas
The Sure Way to Perfect Your Mental Powers
by Kevin Vost
About St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope John XXII said, “A man can derive more profit in a year from his books than from pondering all his life the teaching of others.”
And Pope Pius XI added: “We now say to all who are desirous of the truth:
‘Go to St. Thomas.’ ”
But when we do go to Thomas – when we open his massive Summa Theologica or another of his works – we’re quickly overwhelmed, even lost.
If we find him hard to read, how can we even begin to “think like Aquinas?”
Now comes Kevin Vost — the best-selling author of The One-Minute Aquinas — armed with a recently rediscovered letter St. Thomas himself wrote – a brief letter to young novice monk giving practical, sage advice about how to study, how to think, and even how to live.
In this letter written almost 800 years ago, St. Thomas reveals his unique powers of intellect and will, and explains how anyone can fathom and explain even the loftiest truths.
Vost and St. Thomas will teach you how to dissect logical fallacies, heresies, and half-truths that continue to pollute our world with muddy thinking. Best of all, you’ll find a fully-illustrated set of exercises to improve your intellectual powers of memory, understanding, logical reasoning, shrewdness, foresight, circumspection, and practical wisdom.
You’ll also learn:
- The four steps to training your memory.
- How to know your mental powers – and their limits.
- Why critical thinking alone is insufficient for reaching the truth.
- Twenty common fallacies – and how to spot them.
- The key to effectively reading any book.
- How to set your intellect free by avoiding worldly entanglements.
- How to commit key truths to memory.
Pius XI called St. Thomas Aquinas the “model” for those who want to “pursue their studies to the best advantage and with the greatest profit to themselves.” Leo XIII urged us all to “follow the example of St. Thomas.” Over the centuries, dozens of other popes have praised him.
Surely it is time to listen to these good men, time to “go to Thomas,” to learn to think like him, and, yes, even to live like him.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 256 pages
The Sure Way to Perfect Your Mental Powers
Out of Stock
$38.00 Inc Tax
The Life of Matt Talbot
The Life of Matt Talbot
by Sir Joseph A Glynn
What did alcoholics do before there was Alcoholics Anonymous?
Let us consider a few parts of this holy man's life: "He was not quarrelsome when drunk, but went quietly home to bed when the public-houses had closed for the night. No matter how much drink he had taken the night before, he was up in time for his work, which started at 6 a.m., and left the house clean and tidy in his person. He acquired the habit of taking the Holy Name in vain and of using strong language when talking with his fellow workers, and he began to neglect the Sacraments, though he went to Mass on Sundays. His prayers consisted of blessing himself when he got out of bed in the morning, as he was, usually, too drunk to say any prayers going to bed. For two, if not three, years before his conversion he had not been to the Sacraments of Penance or the Holy Eucharist. "The picture which Matt Talbot presents to us at this period is that of a young fellow going fast on the road to ruin; the craving' for drink gradually mastering him; the duties of his religion almost completely neglected; and the duties to his parents entirely ignored. The picture is dark, but it is not all black. All his troubles came from the one sin-indulgence in drink. He had no other vice and his moral character was irreproachable."
From his early teens until age 28 Matt's only aim in life had been liquor. But from that point forward, his only aim was God. Matt became increasingly deout. He lived a life of prayer, fasting and service, trying to model himself on the sixth century Irish monks. Though he has not been formally recognized as a saint, Matt Talbot may be considered a patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 112 pages
by Sir Joseph A Glynn
What did alcoholics do before there was Alcoholics Anonymous?
Let us consider a few parts of this holy man's life: "He was not quarrelsome when drunk, but went quietly home to bed when the public-houses had closed for the night. No matter how much drink he had taken the night before, he was up in time for his work, which started at 6 a.m., and left the house clean and tidy in his person. He acquired the habit of taking the Holy Name in vain and of using strong language when talking with his fellow workers, and he began to neglect the Sacraments, though he went to Mass on Sundays. His prayers consisted of blessing himself when he got out of bed in the morning, as he was, usually, too drunk to say any prayers going to bed. For two, if not three, years before his conversion he had not been to the Sacraments of Penance or the Holy Eucharist. "The picture which Matt Talbot presents to us at this period is that of a young fellow going fast on the road to ruin; the craving' for drink gradually mastering him; the duties of his religion almost completely neglected; and the duties to his parents entirely ignored. The picture is dark, but it is not all black. All his troubles came from the one sin-indulgence in drink. He had no other vice and his moral character was irreproachable."
From his early teens until age 28 Matt's only aim in life had been liquor. But from that point forward, his only aim was God. Matt became increasingly deout. He lived a life of prayer, fasting and service, trying to model himself on the sixth century Irish monks. Though he has not been formally recognized as a saint, Matt Talbot may be considered a patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 112 pages