liturgical-seasons
Practical Meditations for Each Day of the Month of March
by Abbé Berlioux
Devotion to the foster-father of Christ is an ancient practice that has endured to the present day, and wherever Catholics are found there is also found a deep love for the man to whom God gave the elevated work of raising His Incarnate Son.
The Month of St. Joseph by the Abbé Berlioux is a powerful tool with which to equip the devotee as he embarks upon the month of March, and a fitting one. Each chapter contains the whole day’s reading, prayer, and a fitting example for the reading, usually taken from the author’s personal knowledge or some other historical example. As each of the thirty-one days of March progress, the subjects cover every possible facet of the life and history of St. Joseph, solidifying for the devotee a rich theological truth and piety.
The subjects, containing two short points each day, range from St. Joseph’s fatherhood and devotion as a husband, his poverty, his holy name, his meekness, his exile in Egypt, and life in Nazareth, his example as a worker, and his aid at death beds. So many more subjects are given, which seem to exhaust the complete realm of St. Joseph’s honor, glory, and aid to his devotees. The readings are short and easy for modern man to complete for a morning meditation or between a life of busy labors.
Likewise the prayers following each daily reading are concise and powerful, always containing a petition to beg the grace and strength to imitate the saint. They are also matched to the theme of the reading.
The examples after each reading and prayer reflect upon each truth taught each day. Many of the stories are literally of miraculous events, and others are simply inspiring about individuals who lived a deeply devoted life consecrated to St. Joseph. In these latter, what really shines is the fact that with a fervent devotion to and trust in St. Joseph, even the impossible will be made possible.
The Month of Saint Joseph was first published in the French language in Grenoble in 1872. The book was soon after translated for the English-speaking world. The Abbé Berlioux was a priest of the diocese of Grenoble and was the Curé of the church of St. Bruno. In his works he often uses a literary charm of addressing the reader as “Christian Soul”. In this work, he repeats this name in nearly each day’s reading as he gets to the point of what the individual could do to utilize and live a Christian life based on a greater devotion to the holy patriarch, increasing the seriousness of the tone as well as the attention of the reader with it.
Read The Month of St. Joseph to increase in the soul the love of Christ’s foster-father. The devotion taught in its pages will take the reader by the hand and lead him to live more fully the life of a brother of Christ. In its pages you will find:
- An organized 31 days of St. Joseph devotions for the complete month of March
- Daily spiritual reading on the life, character, and devotions of St. Joseph
- Daily prayers to the holy foster-father of Jesus
- Daily examples of true-life stories that draw out the truths within each day’s reading.
- A collection of devotions and prayers
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 186 pages
Also available in Hardcover with dust jacket upon request (additional cost)
Character Calendar
by Sr Mary Fidelis & Sr Mary Charitas
This pocket-size volume contains a wealth of spiritual guidance through daily devotions to the saint or feast of the day. Originally written in 1931 for upper grade school children by a pair of Notre Dame School Sisters, this book was later updated to align with the General Roman Calendar of 1954.
Beginning with a brief introduction to the saint of the day, augmented by excerpts from the Imitation of Christ and from the Mass for the day, as well as an ideal to ponder and an "action item", this is a wonderful way to focus on the virtues of each of the saints, and thereby to make our lives an imitation of theirs.
Paperback, size 7" x 4.37", 288 pages
The Beginnings of the Life of Grace & Mysticism as Told by the Saints
by Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, SS, DD
This work has been constructed as a daily companion to deepen and fortify the foundation of your interior life as taught by the tradition of the Church.
Cultivating the Spiritual Life is intended to serve as a day-by-day guide for you to live a devout life in the world to point the way to an enlightened, well-balanced, and authentic piety.
Taken from the writings primarily of that great 20th century master of the spiritual life, Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, and further enhanced with writings from various doctors of the Church, saints, mystics, and theologians, Cultivating the Spiritual Life is a daily companion for those searching to grow closer to Christ by understanding how the spiritual life works in us. The purpose of this work is not to transcend any particular school or preference of spirituality, but rather to show what is universally common to the Catholic spiritual life and what each soul must know to succeed in his own earthly pilgrimage to God.
Fr. Tanquerey composed a complete and orderly summary of questions on the spiritual life which can serve as a devotional treatise for spiritual reading by his clear, lively, practical, and careful writing that serves to help foster a truly devout life while avoiding being dry and being controversial.
Cultivating the Spiritual Life should be read by taking the teachings of the Church as a whole and finding the common principles and rules for strengthening the basic fundamentals that the Church has always taught. Fr. Tanquerey wrote those for all those “who are seeking to live a thoroughly Christian life and thus fit themselves to be living, breathing models of Christ in the world today by a deep interior life.”
Leatherette softcover, size 8.5" x 5.5", 600 pages
The Month of St Joseph
by Rev M. de Langalerie
St. Teresa of Avila tells us, “I took for my advocate and lord the glorious Saint Joseph and commended myself earnestly to him...he gave me greater blessings than I could ask of him. I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant.”
This hidden saint, the blessed foster-father of our Lord and protector of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a powerful intercessor for us, as well as a model of perfect virtue. The bible records not a single word of his, yet we know that in the holy house at Nazareth, the young Jesus—the Word made Flesh—was subject to him. Through this series of daily meditations for the month of March, we may increase our devotion to this great saint while also making a fruitful use of the days of Lent.
As patron not only of fathers and of the worker, but of the universal church, all of us—men and women, old and young—would do well to look to him in our every need.
Paperback, size 7" x 4.37", 214 pages
by St Bernard of Clairvaux
For over forty years Bernard of Clairvaux composed works of theology and spiritual reflection. He became the counsellor of kings, nobles, popes, and scholars. He advocated a strong, reformed papacy and was the spiritual leader of the early twelfth-century European Church.
Often overlooked, these short works by Bernard may well give readers their truest insight into the saint's sermons as his monks heard them. The Parables explore the spiritual meaning of Scripture directly and dramatically. The Sentences likely represent his sermon style before he polished his work for publication.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 464 pages
For all the Sundays of the Year
by St Alphonsus Liguori
St. Alphonsus Liguori, the Prince of Moral Theologians, was one of the greatest preachers in Church history. A religious founder, consummate theologian, and holy man of God, Saint Alphonsus never fails to utter a stirring word that draws out a lively penitence and redoubled dedication to the work of God from his audience. The Sermons of Saint Alphonsus Liguori contains sermons tailored to the traditional liturgy of the Roman Church for each Sunday in the year. Here, then, is the complete collection of St. Alphonsus's holy words of admonition.
Resonating throughout these sermons is the profound sense of sin and its awfulness that St. Alphonsus undoubtedly feels and from which he longs to save his flock. He dwells repeatedly on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven, bringing the reader to consider his own eternal destiny. Above all, St. Alphonsus's sermons are permeated by what seems a prolonged meditation on the words of Our Lord: "What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?"
And yet, though St. Alphonsus can be a terrible and grave man to hear, it is only from the most unique tenderness and subtlety of his heart that such words can spring. For "out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaketh," and St. Alphonsus's heart is filled to the brim only with genuine desire for innocence and purity of heart in all his spiritual children. It is worth noting he never refused absolution to anyone in his life.
There is no better teacher on moral theology to ever grace the Church than St. Alphonsus Liguori. Let The Sermons of Saint Alphonsus Liguori guide you away from the mortal error of indifference to sin and into the joyful light and beatitude of holy suffering.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 416 pages
Thought for the Day
by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
"WHAT WILL THIS NEW YEAR BE FOR US? God only knows, but by our desire for sanctification we can turn for help to Our Lord’s will to save our soul and all souls. How consoling it is to think that our everyday life can be transformed into numerous graces of sanctification and Redemption! So it was throughout the life of Our Lord and of the Virgin Mary." — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (January 3rd Feast of St. Genevieve)
This little collection of quotes, taken from the sermons and writings of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, assigns a short reading to every day of the year. It is a beautiful and simple way to practice daily recollection and elevate the mind to God. This new collection of the Archbishop’s words helps to develop the daily habits that can shape our eternal destiny.
"With the shepherds, we will go to that little Child, and despite His frail appearance we will believe in His divinity, confronting all those who, on the contrary, think of doing away with the Child as soon as He is born. Herod is already sending his troops to kill all the infant boys less than two years old, hoping that this future King will be among those children. Madman! He is opposing the One who comes to save him." — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (December 28th Feast of the Holy Innocents)
Paperback, size 6.5" x 4.3", 191 pages
The Catholic Sermon Notes of Saint John Henry Newman
Arranged According to the Calendar of the Traditional Roman Rite
complied by Fathers of the Birmingham Oratory
St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism in 1845. Ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1846, he became a Cardinal in 1879. His writings, noted for their combination of gentle warmth and firm conviction, have helped innumerable non-Catholics overcome their fears and objections in order to embrace the Catholic faith.
Cardinal Newman has been largely known as a great preacher from his “Parochial and Plain Sermons”, which come from his Anglican days. His sermons as a Catholic priest were generally not written down, but many of his notes for these have been preserved. These notes were collected by the Fathers of the Birmingham Oratory, which Newman founded, and were originally published more than a century ago. Largely forgotten for many decades, these notes have now been rearranged according to the liturgical calendar of the traditional Roman Rite.
Cardinal Newman’s Sermon Notes reveal his deeply Biblical approach to homiletics, combined with reflections of a theological, ascetical and apologetic character. As a guide to the liturgical year or as a book for meditation and sermon talking points, it will be of great help to priests wanting to preach in the spirit of its illustrious author.
Hardcover, size 8.25" x 5.5", 228 pages
For Sundays and First Class Feasts
by Angelus Press
Vespers, the traditional evening prayer of the Church, has spiritually sustained the faithful for nearly two millennia. Although painfully absent from parish life since the liturgical reforms of the last century, this newly typeset and edited volume provides everything a parish or individual needs to recite the evening office for Sundays and major feast days according to the rubrics of the 1962 Breviarium Romanum.
In addition to being printed with a dual-column Latin/English text, the book includes the Gregorian melodies necessary for singing Vespers in common; prayers to be said before and after the office; and an extensive introduction on the history of the breviary.
Leatherette Hard Sewn cover, size 8.4" x 6.2", 336 pages, 2 ribbons, red/black tex
Parts I & II. For the Sundays, Holydays, and Festivals Throughout the Ecclesiastical Year to which are added the Lives of the Saints.
by Leonard Goffiné
Translated from the German edition of Rev. George Ott by Very Rev. Gerard M. Pilz, O.S.B. With many approbations of the Most Rev. Archbishops and Bishops of the united States.
It would be difficult to find a book more suitable for the laity, imparting fuller instruction in faith and morals, or giving more lucid explanations of the ceremonies which the Church employs throughout the Ecclesiastical year. It is no surprise that this Catholic treasure has been warmly recommended over time by many bishops and priests since it first appeared in 1880 to strengthen the Catholic faith, propagate true Christian morality and lead to a better comprehension of the Ecclesiastical year. The Epistle and Gospel for each Sunday or Holyday is fully explained, complete with scriptural references; finally there is a short sermon that relates to the Gospel of the day. Replete with inspirational line drawings, which have been removed by most other publishers.
Fr. Goffine offers a short, insightful, and enriching instructions on the Gospel and the Epistles. Excellent guide for those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass. A must have for those who want to understand the liturgical calendar better.
Sewn Hardcover, size 8.25" x 5.6", 962 pages, Impr 1918
by Saint Gregory the Great
Translated by Nora Burke
No matter the stage, the career of Saint Gregory the Great was marked consistently by excellence. Appointed Prefect of Rome around the age of thirty, Gregory forsook his worldly success in favor of monastic silence and communion with God, establishing at his ancestral home the Monastery of St. Andrew. There, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, he lived a “life of permanent dialogue with the Lord in listening to his word.” Providentially, Gregory was called in turn to leave the monastery for the See of Peter; there, his deep understanding of the Divine Word stood him in excellent stead—perhaps nowhere more tangibly than in his preaching.
Selected from his work of forty homilies on the Gospels (Homilia XL in Evangelia) and translated by Nora Burke, Saint Gregory’s Parables of the Gospel comprises an even dozen sermons on the parables of the Hidden Treasure; the Laborers in the Vineyard; the Marriage Feast; the Ten Virgins; the Talents; the Sower; the Great Harvest; the Barren Fig Tree; the Great Banquet; the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin; the Rich Man and Lazarus; and the Good Shepherd.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 180 pages
by Rev. P. Huguet, Marist,
translated by a Sister of Mercy.
Pious souls, deeply afflicted by the outrages that the Sacred Heart of Jesus receives from careless and impious Christians, consecrate to It, in the spirit of reparation, the first Friday of each month. Is it possible, O faithful souls who read these touching words proceeding from the Heart of your loving Saviour, that you can remain insensible to the invitation that He extends to you to repair the outrages heaped upon His love ? Will you have less zeal for Jesus Christ than for an earthly friend or for a loving father—you who can not bear to see a loved one suffer the least ill-treatment without expressing your grief and endeavoring to console him by your affectionate tenderness?
Paperback, size 5.5" x 4", 155 pages, Impr 1884
Practical Meditations for Each Day of the Month of November
by Abbé Berlioux
The two great commandments are to love God above all things and one's neighbor as oneself. The highest regard that can be paid to one's neighbor is to remember him, and all the poor souls in Purgatory after they have passed out of this world beyond the grave. This is why man needs the liturgical month of November.
The season has passed from the heat of summer to the crispness of Autumn with all its bounty. Many reap from the gardens and fields that which God graciously bestowed to them through the labor of their hands. Harvests are celebrated and preserved in various ways all around the world. Fittingly, we retire with full larder and bursting barns in order to now pull from the treasure of graces and indulgences, that are available at every moment for the relief of the poor souls in Purgatory, again, from our Father's loving hand. To better make use of these graces, and to preserve a holy life, The Month of the Souls in Purgatory, by the Abbé Berlioux, contains a valuable harvest of devotions, practices and meditations toward sanctifying the month of November. The book is excellent as a daily reader for the month, but also very useful for the anniversaries of the deaths of loved ones, whose daily assistance is a chief duty of the Church Militant. Let us remember the dead, and look to our last day as well.
Each chapter contains the whole day's reading, prayer, and a fitting example for the reading, usually taken from the author's personal knowledge or some other historical example. The subjects range from the ancientness of praying for the dead, the pains and nature of the suffering, the holiness and nearness to God of the souls, the favors granted by them to those on earth who relieve them, the various means of relieving the poor souls, the ways souls end up in Purgatory and how to avoid these downfalls, as also apparitions by the dead, carrying out the wishes of those who pass before us, an admonition to make provisions in one's own will that supplies for masses and alms against time spent in Purgatory, and more. The readings are short and easy to complete for a morning meditation, between the labors of a busy life, and for raising to a higher level one's entire being toward a particular goal that is common to all men. As one saint said before beginning the November devotions, "Let us empty Purgatory!"
The Month of the Souls in Purgatory was first published in the French language in Grenoble. The book was soon after translated for the English-speaking world and published in 1886. The Abbé Berlioux was a priest of the diocese of Grenoble and was the Curé, or parish priest, of the church of St. Bruno. In this work, he calls out to the reader, addressing him by the name, "Christian Soul", in nearly each day's reading as he gets to the point of what the individual could do to utilize and live a Christian life based on a greater devotion to the souls in Purgatory, increasing the seriousness of the tone as well as gripping the attention of the reader with it.
Read The Month of the Souls in Purgatory to increase in the soul the love of God's justice and mercy! In its pages you will find:
- An organized 30 days of devotions to the Holy Souls for the complete month of November
- Daily spiritual reading on the various truths and means of the devotion
- A detailed study of the pains and helplessness of Souls in Purgatory, and ways to personally apply the message
- Daily prayers to and for these suffering souls
- Daily examples of true-life stories that draw out the truths within each day's reading.
- A special Rosary of the Dead
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 158 pages
Also available in Hardcover with dust jacket upon request (additional cost)
From Thomas A Kempis, For Every Day in the Year
compiled by Sara O'Brien
Consider this little pocket book as a precious gift for a loved one!
A beautiful pocket book of “Little Gems”, short inspirational thoughts, selected and arranged for every day in the year. “If thou considerest the dignity of the giver, no gift will seem to thee little, which is given by so great a God.”
Paperback, size 2.5" x x3.5", 128 pages, Impr 1891
Daily Meditations on the Traditional Mass
by Fr. Benedict Baur, O.S.B.
Between the countless duties, deadlines, and distractions that afflict man, finding space to concentrate on the powerful omnipresence of God is a struggle. Still, spending just a few minutes each day in quiet recollection conveys rich rewards, enabling us to reorient our lives to the rhythm of the sacred prayer of the Church. Liturgical piety is indispensable for our sanctification as it draws us into the mystery of our Faith and fosters within us a spirit of charity and divine praise.
For the first time ever in a single volume, the spiritual classic The Light of the World, by the renowned Dom Benedict Baur, O.S.B., offers a year-long cycle of powerful meditations following the traditional Catholic liturgical calendar. In the celebrated lineage of Prosper Gueranger, The Light of the World combines dogmatic precision with spiritual unction to offer a “daily retreat” for the entire Church year, renewing one’s daily spiritual life through the prayers of the classical Roman Rite. Features include:
- Reflections for every Sunday, weekdays, ember days, rogation days, and more
- Guidance for mental prayer and contemplation based on the liturgical orations
- Daily prayers incorporating adoration, thanksgiving, petition, and reparation
- Practical suggestions and resolutions for battling vice and growing in virtue
- Devotions to Christ’s redeeming sacrifice and sanctifying presence as our spiritual center
- Classic exegesis on the Sacred Scriptures and the sacraments
- Colloquies on Our Lady as the model of prayer and guide to the interior life
- Instructions on remote and proximate preparations for daily meditation
- Spirituality based on the Rule of St. Benedict: “Let our mind be in harmony with our voice”
- Methods of prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola and the tradition of St. Sulpice
Instructive and deeply inspiring, The Light of the World is an ideal companion volume for providing spiritually nourishing yet accessible reflections to extend the graces of the Church’s venerable worship into one’s entire day. Dom Baur offers readers an expansive tour of the treasures of our Faith through the prism of traditional liturgy, to preserve and impart its riches to future generations.
Hardcover, size 9.2" x 6.2", 736 pages
My Book of the Church's Year
by Enid M. Chadwick
“Quite simply, it’s the loveliest, most charming, and in many ways most clever introduction to the liturgical calendar I’ve ever come across. It is informed by a deep Catholic love for the seasons of the year, the feasting and fasting, the great holy days, the pageantry of the saints and their stories, the underlying rhythm that connects nature, culture, and sanctity.” - Peter Kwasniewski
Thoughly written and illustrated by Enid Chadwick, a High Church Anglican, the feasts depicted in this book differ only in very minor ways from the traditional Catholic calendar. Chadwick’s handsome illustrations are simple enough for young children, and yet at the same time full of complexities for those who are attentive, making My Book of the Church’s Year appealing to a wide range of ages.
Full colour reproduction of the original 1948 edition with a new Forward by Peter Kwasniewski.
Hardcover, size 9.5" x 6", 52 pages
Holy Thoughts For Every Day in the Month
Drawn from the works of St Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri with Some Additional Practices of Catholic Devotion from the works of St. Alphonsus Maria De Liguori
Each day of the month contains a Morning thought with Aspiration, followed by an Evening thought with Aspiration. In addition there are 58 pages of Catholic devotions to include Novena to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, Acts before and after Holy Communion, etc.
Paperback, size 3.6" x 4.9", 138 pages, Impr 1887
Practical Meditations for Each Day of the Month of May
by Abbé Berlioux
In May we run with excitement to endow Mary’s altars with boughs of flowers that vie with nature’s splendor, and spiritual offerings as well as good works to pay homage to the most generous of queens. To more fully live the spirit of the season, we must enter into the very spirit of the Mother of God. As the preface states: “She is a spiritual universe.” There is nothing in our path toward heaven, which she cannot supply, if we but study her soul and apply her works in our lives.
The subjects, containing two short points each day, range from Our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Conception, her holy name, her motherhood, each of her shining virtues, her devotion to Holy Communion, and other subjects.
It was originally written in the 19th century by the Abbé Berlioux, who was a priest in the diocese of Grenoble in 1872 and was the Curé, or parish priest, of the church of St. Bruno. The devotional enjoyed ten editions of popularity in the French language before being translated and printed in English in 1884. Each chapter contains the whole day’s reading, prayer, and a fitting example for the reading, usually taken from the author’s personal knowledge or some other historical example. This is what gives the book a unique atmosphere. As each of the thirty-one days of May progresses, the subjects cover every possible facet of the known life of Mary, historical tradition, apparitions and the life of the Church surrounding this ancient devotion, solidifying for the devotee a rich theological truth and piety.
The author uses literary tools in his writings so as to awaken his reader from a spiritual slumber. Particular emphasis in this book is derived from the daily repetition of the phrase “Children of Mary”, addressing the reader affectionately and with a personal effect that cannot be ignored. It is as though the very voice of our heavenly mother is calling out to the reader, as a mother calls her children to her, and should we all not come running? Come, Children of Mary, come to the safety of your mother’s mantle.
In this book you will find:
- An organized 31 days of devotions to the Blessed Mother for the complete month of May
- Daily spiritual reading on the life, virtues, and traditions surrounding the Blessed Virgin
- Daily prayers to Mary
- Daily examples of true-life stories that draw out the truths within each day’s reading.
- Various ways of consecrating oneself to Mary
- Various ways of praying the Holy Rosary and a unique Marian way to attend Mass.
The book is most excellent for the original purpose, to devote one’s life to the practices of the May altar, but it is also an excellent choice during the time of Lent, when the entire Christian world is tuned in so singularly to the deep sorrows and grief of Our Blessed Mother; and Advent, at which time we contemplate Our Blessed Mother’s expectation of her Divine Child.
Paperback, size 8" x 5", 198 pages
Also available in Hardcover with dust jacket upon request (additional cost)
Sermons of the Cure of Ars
For the Sundays and Feasts of the Year
by St John Vianney
Reprint of the 1901 edition of St. John Vianney’s Sermons! These sermons cover all the Sundays of the Year and all the principal feasts, combined with a few of the greater saints. It is almost 400 pages and unabridged from the original.
- Easy to read layouts with large font;
- Beautiful dropcaps and floral effects
- Balanced margins that provides an easy reading experience
This edition has all 85 of the extant sermons of St. John Vianney, and several additional sermons distributed to cover all the Sundays of the Year as well as the principal feasts (as they were in 1901). There is a lot more here to find spiritual nourishment.
This wonderful work by the patron of parish priests should be in every home!
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 424 pages
Also available in Hardcover upon request (additional cost)
The Year of the Lord in Liturgy and Folklore
by Fr Francis X. Weiser, S.J.
The Church’s Liturgical Year reflects the fullness of Divine Revelation. In the various celebrations and commemorations of the Year of the Lord, the Church recalls the mysteries of faith: the Incarnation of God’s only-begotten son, his passion, death, and resurrection which won redemption for mankind, and his institution of the sacraments and founding of his Church for the salvation of souls. Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, first published in 1958, is a masterful summary of the origin, history, development, and observance of the events on the Christian calendar as they developed to the mid-twentieth century.
With warmth, wit, and due reverence, Francis X. Weiser, S.J., presents the liturgical and devotional aspects and the cultural expressions—the food and drink, music and dancing, and more—found in these salvific occasions. Set in three parts, the study progresses through the temporal rhythm of the seasons (Sundays and weekdays), the recollection of Christ’s redeeming work (Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, Pentecost and Corpus Christi), and the jubilation over the fruits of that work (the Blessed Mother and the angels and saints).
An easily accessible and richly detailed guide to the holy-days and celebrations of the Christian liturgical year, Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs remains true to its testament as “a key to a devout and meaningful observance of the Year of the Lord.”
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 384 pages