Sophia Institute Press
by Archbishop Luis M. Martinez
Huge in scope, yet simple and readable, True Devotion to the Holy Spirit covers virtually everything there is to know about the Spirit's role in our salvation — and it does so with a refreshing reliance on God's Word, not on opinions or subjective visions.
Luis M. Martinez, the former Archbishop of Mexico City, maintains that as the Spirit is God's supreme gift, so your devotion to Him should be profound and encompassing. In beautiful, practical terms, Martinez illuminates the difference the Spirit can make when He's given His proper place in your soul. This handbook explains how you should respond to the Spirit, how the Spirit helps you grow in virtue, and the characteristics of true love of the Spirit.
Even more, each of the Spirit's gifts and fruits get detailed treatment here. Martinez shows how each contributes to the maturing of the soul, so that by means of the Spirit's active help, you can conquer your sins, learn how to make proper use of the things of this world, become master of yourself, and fully realize the greatness that is available to you as a Christian. This is an essential guide for everyone who longs to know and to love the Holy Spirit more fully.
You'll learn virtually everything we can know about the Holy Spirit's work in the world and in your soul, including:
- Why you will never attain true holiness without the Holy Spirit's constant help
- How the Holy Spirit tenderly teaches you all that you need for salvation Inspirations of the Holy Spirit: they're not extraordinary and superfluous in the spiritual life! How to become attuned to them
- How the Holy Spirit teaches you not just to know and love God, but to enjoy Him
- Maturity in Christ: it doesn't happen automatically as you grow older. How the Holy Spirit can help you gain it today
- The virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit: the distinctive role of each in your salvation
- Consecration to the Holy Spirit: why it must be total — or it's useless
- How the presence of the Spirit in your life will increase your faith, hope, and love
- Three main characteristics of devotion to the Father, inspired by the Spirit: examine your soul in their light
- The Cross: how and why the Holy Spirit will teach you to love it in your own life
- The gifts of the Holy Spirit: how to understand them properly — and gain their help in your soul's perfection
- And much more that will help you not only to know the Holy Spirit better than ever, but to gain His help in your salvation!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 288 pages
Its Place in the Spiritual Life
by Fr Benedict Baur
In this exceptional book, Fr. Baur shows you how to develop a well-formed conscience, properly confess your sins, and develop a firm, practical purpose of amendment. He also shares how to make a meticulous examination of conscience and daily examen, and offers methods for compiling a detailed inventory of your sins. Moreover, Father provides a reflection on the most common sins of omission that lead many to fall into dangerous self-righteous dispositions.
Most importantly of all, Fr. Baur reveals what is really meant by "Christian perfection" and how to attain it in this life. He describes concrete ways to grow in knowledge of self, acquire the strength to uproot sins, and conquer self-love. You’ll deepen your spiritual life measurably as you learn how to:
- Focus on the root causes of sin and surmount sins that you habitually commit
- Overcome thoughts and impulses that are occasions of sin
- Detect when you are becoming lukewarm and promptly revive your love for God
- Grow in reverential love for God and conform your life to His will
- Atone for the temporal punishment due to sin - now, before Purgatory
With clarity and wisdom, Fr. Baur explains why your conscience is holy and must therefore be obeyed. He conveys how frequent Confession increases sanctifying grace in your soul, gives glory to God, and brings healing, joy, and fulfillment. An invaluable resource, this book will enrich your sacramental life and inspire you to greater charity for your neighbor. It will also move you to more frequent and fervent reception of Holy Communion.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5, 256 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
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
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
by Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet
Keep Christ in Christmas this year by turning to this slim volume of daily Advent meditations by Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet, one of the greatest homilists in the history of the Church.
Carefully selected to lift your soul to God in those hectic days that stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas, these forty daily meditations will keep you mindful of the real meaning of Christmas while affording you an admirable distillation of the doctrines and piety of our Holy Catholic Church.
With the help of Bishop Bossuet and the sense of God's grandeur and love that permeates his every word all through the rush toward Christmas you'll stay mindful of the holy words of Isaiah foretelling the birth of our savior; you'll find yourself marveling at the Annunciation and the Visitation; you'll rejoice in anticipation of the coming birth of Jesus; and, finally, you ll look forward to kneeling with St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin in silent adoration of the incarnate Son of God. This year, you won't (as so often happens) arrive at Midnight Mass distracted, exhausted, and frazzled, having neglected your Advent devotions and your ordinary prayers, too. Instead, you'll find yourself stepping lightly into church, ready and eager to adore the newborn King, your soul what it should be: a fit dwelling place for the Redeemer.
Don't waste another Advent! Let Meditations for Advent keep you prayerful amidst the worst distractions of the holiday season. Let it draw you daily closer to Jesus, whose birth the season celebrates, and whose birth your soul yearns to celebrate, too.
Paperback, size 7" x 5", 173 pages
by Caryll Houselander
Tales about Catholic children to form your own little ones in holy wisdom and piety.
Caryll Houselander is best known for the intensity of her vision of the suffering Christ and His immeasurable love for us, a theme that she frequently spoke of with breathtaking luminosity in her many books about Him.
Few know, however, of the many remarkable stories she wrote for Catholic children — delightful tales that are simple but not shallow. Indeed, like her books for adults, they manifest a tender love of Christ and His little ones not commonly found among us these days.
Here are twelve of Houselander's best tales, charmingly illustrated with Renée George's lively drawings of pirates and princesses, castles and kings.
Through the tale of Jack and Jim, even young children will grasp the meaning of Christ's suffering; in Racla the Gypsy, they'll discover the charity which is at the heart of the Eucharist; in the The Curé's Guest, they'll see how Christ makes up for the sins of others.
All the stories touch on Catholic themes, but these tales are not really catechetical. Yes, they do take for granted that Catholicism — especially prayer and the Mass — plays a large role in the lives of these children, but they do something more . . . and more important.
Tale after tale introduces children to the tender love that Jesus has for each of them, and to the fire of love for Him that can burn in the hearts of Catholics — even in the hearts of little ones like themselves.
There is no better gift you can give to a young child.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 160 pages
by Fr Dominic Prümmer, O.P.
First published in 1921, Fr. Prummer's Handbook of Moral Theology was immediately regarded as an international classic. The author's clarity of vision, precision of expression, and humble fidelity to the traditional Catholic moral framework during a period of social upheaval and increasing doctrinal deviation made his manual the standard reference text for generations of clergy, seminarians, and laity. For those seeking answers to moral questions, the Catholic advice was often "Look it up in Prummer!"
At long last, this centenary edition restores the superb English translation of 1956 in a fresh new typesetting, making Fr. Prummer's original text much easier to navigate and more pleasant to read. The many citation errors that plagued earlier editions have been painstakingly corrected, and scores of additional citations have been added from Aquinas's Summa Theologiae, Denzinger's Enchiridion, and the Roman Catechism - three of the author's favorite sources. The topical index has likewise been expanded and now includes technical moral terms of more recent use (such as "double effect") to allow for more rapid contemporary reference.
After a brilliant introduction to the science of moral theology, part 1 explores the end of man and all aspects of human conduct, and part 2 examines the sacraments and sacramentals and their core importance to the Catholic moral life. These packed pages contain the traditional Catholic moral teachings on:
- Law, conscience, sin, and the passions - with their respective types, causes, and effects
- Divine rights and obligations in Christian family life and civil society
- Scandal and moral cooperation in evil
- Right worship, secret societies, private property, capital punishment, sexuality, abortion, war.
- And much more!
In our own time of widespread confusion and decay, Fr. Prümmer’s Handbook is the definitive and complete Catholic source book of the Church’s moral doctrine as it was received and taught before the laxity and innovations of the last century. Far more than a work of mere historical interest, this surprisingly relevant guide to Christian moral perfection is a treasure that will endure as long as there are souls seeking eternal life.
Hardcover, size 9.2" x 6.2", 512 pages
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
A Defense of the Catholic Priesthood
by Michael Davies
On 30 June 1968, pope Paul VI pronounced his Credo in which the doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass "celebrated by the priest in the Person of Christ in virtue of the power he received in the Sacrament of Order" was very clearly, unambiguously, and correctly expressed. Twelve days earlier, Pope Paul VI had signed the Apostolic Constitution in which he approved and imposed the new ritual of the ordination of deacon, priest, and bishop. In this book the author examines the new rite of ordination to the priesthood and exposes its differences with the former one used in the Roman rite for a number of centuries, enjoying the highest authority.
There can be no doubt of the validity of the New Rite but there are certain features which the author deplores. A number of prayers and ceremonies have been suppressed which, in the Old Rite, served clearly to express the most essential character and duty of priesthood: to offer the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass. This is a sign of a tendency which can be observed in other official liturgical innovations (not to mention illegal ones). It is a matter of great concern for many Catholics that this and similar things are done at a time when the sacrificial character of what is now commonly called the "celebration of the Eucharist" is questioned or even denied by many who do not leave the Catholic Church.
Mr. Davies gives an impressive exposition of the facts and the meaning he attaches to them in the light of Trent, the Pontifical letter Apostolicae Curae of Pope Leo XIII, other official documents, and also the Canterbury Declaration on Ministry and Ordination in the Anglican and Catholic Churches. He rightly rejects the latter completely as a totally ambiguous document.
This is a rich and scholarly book which should be in the hands of all who study post-conciliar developments in the official Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Christ.
Paperback, size 8.25" x 5.25", 255 pages
Time-Honored Wisdom on the Perfecting Power of Marriage
by Msgr. Ronald Knox
“Every marriage is an event in human history,” declared renowned preacher Msgr. Ronald Knox, articulating the animating principle of Bridegroom and Bride. “In the tapestry that Divine Providence weaves out of our lives, love of man for woman and love of woman for man” is the underlying structure.
Msgr. Knox delivered a treasure trove of wedding homilies — whether at the marriages of earls or those of numerous former students whom he served as chaplain. The result is this classic spiritual gem of a collection containing twenty-four wedding sermons befitting for both engaged and married couples as well as all seekers of genuine human affection. Each chapter is “the kind of thing for which five minutes is too short and ten minutes is too long.”
With his customary charm, wisdom, and assurance, Msgr. Knox underscores the goodness and beauty of human love. Taking its cues from the features and Scripture readings of the nuptial liturgy, these precious pages illuminate the perfecting power of the Sacrament of Marriage and the grace of the covenant to sanctify and strengthen bride and bridegroom and their family unto eternal life.
The awe-inspiring meditations delve deeply into commonplace truths that are not often pondered. As Msgr. Knox reflects upon the words of the wedding vows and the wedding ritual, you will delight in finding:
- Two things that make for a happy marriage
- Three ways that Christmas offers an example for newlyweds
- How the love of a husband and wife warms the lives of others
- Why the fiat in marriage is like Our Lady’s yes at the Annunciation
- Three warrior virtues learned in the school of love
Above all, you will see out how “nature is supernaturalized” in marriage, and “becomes the handmaid of grace,” through which the husband and wife grow in holiness. As Msgr. Knox explains, through the Sacrament of Matrimony, the couple is taken up in the current of divine love and — in their ordinary duties and lives of sacrifice — live in worship of God. Through the intercession of the Holy Family, the husband and wife will begin to enjoy a love that finds its fulfillment in Heaven.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 160 pages
And Other Working Women
by Hubert Van Zeller
This unique spiritual guide will help you grow holier and more prayerful as you perform the most menial household chores -- not in spite of those chores, but in the midst of them.
Written especially for women in charge of households, Holiness for Housewives will help you better understand and respect your vocation as a housewife -- and discover in it your own God-given path to sanctity.
This handy guide will show you how to:
- Find meaning in even the most boring work
- Pray in the midst of a bustling household
- Bear the stress of those long days in which the work never seems to end
- Develop a greater awareness of God's presence -- even amid the diapers and the dirty dishes
- Learn to rely more on your will and less on emotions, when life seems to be an endless round of drudgery
- Handle your burdens and sorrows with prayers that are especially fashioned for housewives
Let Holiness for Housewives show you how to find and savor the lasting pleasures that await you in your noble, God-given vocation as a housewife!
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 104 pages
And Other Reflections
by St. Francis Borgia
St. Francis Borgia (1510–1572) was a member of a devout and influential family in Spain, served as the Duke of Gandia, and was a favorite of Charles V. He penned these pages as an exercise during a retreat prior to entering the Jesuits, but their riches quickly became known and widespread.
Due to his humility, fervor, and leadership, St. Francis is referred to as “the second founder” of the Society of Jesus. In this spiritual treasure, he will guide you in imitating the sentiments and actions of Christ to repair for your sins, grow in union with our Lord, and share the benefits of this devotion with others. Moreover, he will teach you his overriding goal: to perform every good work that the Holy Spirit places on your heart, in communion with Christ, for the Father’s glory — while there is still time.
To this end, he offers fruitful spiritual exercises to help your soul grow in the virtue of humility and sanctify your daily living. With this incomparable confessor, you will discover:
- What to ponder while getting dressed, praying, performing acts of charity, eating, and retiring
- Penetrating reflections on uniting your suffering to the sufferings of Christ
- The wedding garment with which you need to clothe yourself to enter the Eternal Banquet
- Three potent meditations to teach you how to grow in humility
- Profound meditations for Holy Communion to help you prepare to receive devoutly and thankfully
- Stirring meditations to help you grow in self-knowledge and gratitude to God
In these absorbing pages, you will find guidance for your state in life and probing reflection questions to spur you on to more ardent faith. These exercises will touch your heart, enlighten your mind, and inspire your soul to aim for greater glory.
Hardcover, size 7" x 5" x 128 pages
of St Frances of Rome
by St. Frances of Rome
St. Frances of Rome (1384–1440) displayed mystical gifts from childhood. Though she longed to remain a virgin, her parents arranged a marriage for her, and, as a wife and mother, she led a devout life that mirrored that of a consecrated religious, through fervent prayer and tireless works of charity. In fact, she founded a community of Benedictine oblates who live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, each according to her own state in life; the community now counts thousands of members worldwide.
Frequently, St. Frances experienced ecstasies and visions, especially after receiving Holy Communion. In these absorbing pages, translated by Fr. Robert Nixon, O.S.B., her spiritual director records her life, mystical graces, and miracles as well as her severe demonic attacks and her unwavering trust in God throughout.
These pages are ideal for reflection before or after Mass or during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In the visions of St. Frances, you will encounter the Fountain of light eternal and His embrace as the fire of divine love inflames your heart with more ardent devotion. You will also encounter:
- Brilliant sights, harmonious sounds, and sweet scents of Heaven to fortify your faith
- Five streams of virtue flowing from the Lamb of God to quench your soul’s thirst
- The sure remedy for all distractions and anxieties that impede your love for God
- Sacred Scripture in a fresh, vibrant way to be nourished and renewed
- Lessons from the saints who visited St. Frances on her journey toward Heaven
- Guidance from our Eucharistic King on how to cast aside your worldly cares and ambitions
As you perceive ways to make the sentiments of this great mystic your own and be enriched by her insights, you will draw increased strength from the Holy Eucharist and adore God’s Presence with awe and love as never before.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5" x 144 pages
Victory Over Vice
by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Fulton Sheen claims that since all seven deadly sins led Christ's enemies to nail Him to the Cross, we can find in the example of His suffering and death sure means to overcome each of those sins, plus the key to understanding — and to nurturing in our own soul — each corresponding virtue.
So, for example, in these pages filled with wisdom and hope, Blessed Sheen teaches us not only how to conquer our gluttony; he shows us how to satisfy our spiritual hunger. We learn not merely how to overcome pride; we discover what we must do to grow humble. From Christ's holy response to each of the seven deadly sins that led to His Crucifixion, Blessed Sheen draws a lesson in how you and I must deal with those same sins, whether we meet them in others or in ourselves.
Day after day, Christians struggle to do good, to avoid evil, and to take up with patience and love the crosses that threaten to crush them. For those of us who still know more of sin than sanctity, Fulton Sheen's revelation of the light that vice sheds on virtue affords a way to understand even better, and a means to attain it. If you abide by the holy counsel of these pages, enduring virtue will soon be yours: you will have achieved your own long-sought-after victory over vice.
Paperback, size 7" x 5", 128 pages
The Aquinas Catechism
A Simple Explanation of the Catholic Faith by the Church's Greatest Theologian
by St Thomas Aquinas
The essentials of the Catholic Faith — clearly & beautifully explained by one of the Church’s greatest thinkers!
Although St. Thomas Aquinas was one of the Church’s most intellectually powerful theologians, few know that he also wrote a great deal that’s well within the reach of ordinary believers.
In fact, as you’ll find in The Aquinas Catechism, St. Thomas had a remarkable ability to communicate the Faith — including both its most complex and its simplest elements — in plain language. Here you’ll find his deeply insightful, straightforward, and clear explanations of the Apostles’ Creed, the Commandments, and the Sacraments — as well as of the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
In other words, this book will give you a basic course in the Catholic Faith, taught by the Church’s greatest theologian.
Let him help you:
- Gain a better grasp of Church doctrine
- Pray with greater fervor and understanding
- Receive the Sacraments more worthily
- Learn what God requires of you and why
- Explain Church teachings to non-Catholic friends
- Discover the scriptural sources of our Catholic Faith
- Find remedies for moral weaknesses that still afflict you
- Glimpse the greatness of the Church’s supernatural mission
- And much more!
Above all, let St. Thomas teach you how to explain, defend, and live your Faith . . . with the clear-sighted wisdom of a saint!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 336 pages
by Mary Reed Newland
First published fifty years ago, How to Raise Good Catholic Children is a rare treat for today's parents: a wise and readable book on child care that derives its wisdom from the Catholic home rather than from psychologists.
Author Mary Reed Newland here draws on her own experiences as the mother of seven to show how the classic Christian principles of sanctity can be translated into terms easily applied to children - even to the very young.
Because it's rooted in experience, not in theory, nothing that Mrs. Newland suggests is impossible or extraordinary. In fact, as you reflect on your experiences with your own children, you'll quickly agree that hers is an excellent commonsense approach to raising good Catholic children.
Let Mrs. Newland show you how to introduce even your littlest ones to God and develop in your growing children virtues such as:
- The habit of regular prayer
- Genuine love of the Rosary
- A sense of the dignity of work
- Devotion to Mary and the saints
- A proper love for the things of this world and for the things of Heaven
- Attentiveness at Mass
- Love for the Eucharist
- An understanding and love of purity
- The ability to make good confessions
- And dozens of other skills, habits, and virtues that every good Catholic child needs.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 336 pages
by St. Robert Bellarmine
Rather than turning away from death, great saints such as Robert Bellarmine, the author of this book, use it as a lens through which to view life from the right perspective — God's perspective.
Seen this way, death becomes for them — and can become for you — a source of spiritual liberation rather than a reason for fear, enabling you to love the world as it ought to be loved and to answer your final summons with joy.
St. Robert Bellarmine makes it simple for you. He explains sixteen things you can do to put your life in order now, so you'll start living better today and be prepared for death whenever it comes, be it tomorrow or years from now. Not only will these sixteen insightful measures free you from fear; they'll invigorate your spiritual life and bring into all aspects of your life the consoling peace of Christ.
Let St. Robert Bellarmine — the brilliant Doctor of the Church who influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence and other American founding documents — introduce you to The Art of Dying Well. You'll discover:
- Why learning these principles is more important than anything else you can do today
- How to die to the world while living in it — without losing the truly good things in life
- Fasting: how this spiritual discipline can determine your soul's destiny
- The secret spoiler of prayers and good works: has it crept into your heart?
- Why now is the time to prepare for death — whether you're young or in your twilight years
- And much more to help you learn to live well now and to die holy when God calls you!
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 144 pages
A Handbook for Christians
by Fr William Ullathorne
Find lasting happiness through the two virtues that lead to all others: patience and humility.
Heroism, self-denial, and even martyrdom are worthless without humility and patience. This book shows you how to develop these two key virtues, no matter how difficult your circumstances may be.
You’ll learn why Jesus said that to save your life, you must first lose it, and you’ll come to see how the self-surrender in humility and patience is guaranteed to bring you lasting peace and happiness.
From this simple book you’ll learn many things:
- Ten ways you can start acquiring patience today
- Why God’s patience is the guarantee of your salvation
- Humility: why it’s the foundation of our Christian Faith
- The startling reason why God rejects the proud
- The four ways that patience heals the soul
- Easily hurt or disappointed? Learn the Lord’s antidote!
- How to avoid all spiritual injury – forever!
- Why humility is the very core of holiness
- The battle for your soul: do you know who’s winning?
- God’s own humility: it’s a searing lesson for the proud
- Minor troubles: how to keep them from overwhelming you
- The secret rewards of humility that only the humble know
- Five obstacles to virtue: how to overcome them
- Why troubles may be your most valuable possessions
- How faith depends on the virtue of humility
- Three obstacles to prayer: a simple way to wipe them out
- Six conditions for making your prayer more effective
- Spiritual problems: how to gain strength to overcome them
- And many other truths to make your life happier and holier
Paperback, size 7" x 5", 144 pages
by Romano Guardini
If you already say the Rosary, this book will help you pray it with greater devotion. If you don't say the Rosary, you'll discover why you should—and how to begin.
Unlike most Rosary books, The Rosary of Our Lady doesn't assume you already have a special love for Mary. Rather, it shows why such love is appropriate to all Christians who yearn to grow closer to Christ.
In these pages, you'll learn how to pray the Rosary as it was meant to be prayed and to identify—and overcome—the bad habits that too easily develop in those of us who pray the Rosary often.
Whether you've already spent many hours praying the Rosary or only want a simple, clear, and holy book to introduce the Rosary to a relative or friend, then this book is the book for you.
You'll also learn:
- How to take your daily concerns with you to the Rosary—and leave them there.
- Who should—and shouldn't—pray the Rosary
- What makes up the Rosary? The beads? The thoughts behind them? Or must there be something deeper?
- The paradox of the Rosary: Why is the Rosary both easy and difficult?
- How much of the Rosary should you be praying?
- How to pray the Rosary . . . even in times of exhaustion and stress.
- The one petition you must make if you're going to pray the Rosary well.
- The "paramount truth" that is the key to linking the words of your prayers to the mystery you're contemplating.
- Three practical hints for those who have difficulty with the Rosary.
Paperback, size 7" x 5", 160 pages