Spiritual Life
by Matthew R. Plese
This book explains fasting and how it has changed over the centuries in one of the most complete compilations yet written. Unfortunately, most summaries of fasting are either inaccurate or incomplete. However, rather than being a mere academic exercise, the purpose of studying the history of fasting is ultimately to help us rediscover these more ancient practices in an attempt to better observe Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother’s call for penance and reparation for sins.
As Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once remarked, “It is a long-established principle of the Church never to completely drop from her public worship any ceremony, object or prayer which once occupied a place in that worship.” The same may be said for matters concerning either Holy Days of Obligation or fast days. What our forefathers held sacred should remain sacred to us in an effort to preserve our catholicity not only with ourselves but with our ancestors who see God now in Heaven.
The 2nd edition features the following topics which were not covered (or covered only briefly) in the first edition, including detailed explanations of how fasting changed in other countries besides America, including Spain and the Philippines, a detailed explanation of who was exempt from fasting and/or abstinence and how those changes were documented and taught in various catechisms over the centuries. Mr. Plese also cover Easter Week food traditions, highlighting their connection with the Lenten fast, Armenian fasting and abstinence rigors, Maronite fasting guidelines, the heroic example of St. John of the Cross and the Primitive Rule of Pope Innocent IV vs. the mitigated rule approved by Pope Eugenius IV, how the time of the meal on fasting days differed (e.g., sunset for Ember Days but 3 PM for the weekly devotional fasts), and so much more.
Even priests have said that 95% of the book's content is new and was not taught to them!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 197 pages
20 Lessons on Following Christ without Compromise
by St. Claude La Colombière
Discover the wisdom of St. Claude La Colombière (1641–1682), the Jesuit saint who served as confessor to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and ardently promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In Not of the World: 20 Lessons on Following Christ without Compromise, readers encounter a treasury of spiritual reflections drawn from his sermons, offering clarity, conviction, and pastoral depth for Christians seeking holiness amid a fallen culture.
With charity and precision, St. Claude explains the sacrifice demanded by authentic love of Christ. He addresses the realities of Christian life in the world without surrendering to it, calling believers to humility, courage, and fidelity. Topics include love of neighbor, human respect, humility, the education of children, and the hidden dangers of pride and envy. Each lesson urges the reader to examine the heart, embrace the Cross, and pursue virtue without compromise.
These reflections remain strikingly relevant for those tempted to conform to secular pressures. With theological insight and spiritual sensitivity, St. Claude offers guidance on eradicating vice, cultivating virtue, and remaining steadfast in the Heart of Christ. This collection forms both the conscience and the will, equipping Christians to live visibly and faithfully for the Lord.
- Learn how to follow Christ faithfully without yielding to worldly compromise
- Confront pride, envy, and human respect with spiritual clarity
- Grow in humility, charity, and love of neighbor
- Deepen devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through practical application
Hardcover, size 7" x 5", x200 pages
by Father Jean-Dominique Fabre, O.P.
Do we know Christ’s final words on the Cross? Do we know how they apply to our spiritual life today, in the 21st century?
In this beautiful book, Father Jean-Dominique O.P. takes each of Christ’s seven last words and shows how they apply to all times of History, but especially to our day when the Church and the world are plunged in so much darkness, just like they were at the supreme moment of Christ’s life on earth, His final hours on Calvary.
The seven words of Christ on the Cross are a true guide for Christian life in times of apostasy and revolution. They are an endless source of light, joy and peace. They kindle in the hearts of Catholics a sincere love of the Cross and the Divine Crucified, as well as a proactive hope. Therefore, it is time, more than ever before, to receive this “light which shines in the darkness”.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 178 pages
Collection of Short Works
by Mother Mary Loyola
This long-awaited anthology of all the minor works by Mother Mary Loyola is the fruit of many years of seeking. The relatively small size of the many booklets she wrote, mostly for the Catholic Truth Society, seems to have led over the years to the loss of most copies. Therefore it was no mean feat to assemble the most complete collection possible, including 13 of her 14 known pamphlets, as well as a bonus selection: a short essay published in a school magazine during the last year of Mother Loyola’s life. From her early How to Help the Sick and Dying to her biographical preface for the Maxims of Mary Ward, they can all be found in this volume. We hope that this will preserve them to future generations.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 522 pages
by St. Francis de Sales
In Consoling Thoughts on Eternity, St. Francis de Sales, the beloved Doctor of the Church, speaks to us of the Christian manner in which we should mourn those whom we have lost.
Taken mostly from the letters of the saint, this masterful work gives us the consolation he offered to parents on the deaths of their sons, to a lady on the death of her father, a wife on the death of her husband, and others mourning their loved ones. Throughout he gives reason to hope, and explains how much the thought of Heaven should console us, and how agreeable it will be to parents and friends to meet again and converse together in Heaven.
Readers of Consoling Thoughts on Eternity will experience firsthand why St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is known to history as the Gentle Saint. St. Francis was Bishop of Geneva and a tireless preacher, who yet made time to correspond with numerous souls who wrote him for his insight and guidance. His Consoling Thoughts are compiled from these letters as well as from his other spiritual works.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 96 pages
Resisting Temptation and Overcoming Sin
by Venerable Louis of Grenada
The Sinner's Guide is the most famous work of one of the most prominent and exceptional spiritual teachers of the sixteenth century. It has been compared to The Imitation of Christ for its breadth, intensity, and usefulness for devotion and has been translated into Italian, French, German, Polish, Latin, and Greek. Covering what many spiritual writers neglect, Venerable Louis discusses both virtue and vice—how to both do good and avoid evil.
Included in this volume are chapters on:
- Eleven motives for practicing virtue
- Twelve privileges of virtue
- Cautions against deferring conversion
- Remedies for the seven deadly sins and others
- Virtues and duties of our state
- And far more!
Venerable Louis stands as a master of the spiritual life throughout the whole Christian tradition. Born in extremely poor circumstances, his mother was widowed when he was five, and the pair subsisted on alms gathered from outside the gate of a Dominican priory. Eventually, Louis became a Dominican himself, and began a career of preaching that resulted, at length, in traveling throughout Spain and Portugal. He attained—despite the humble friar's best efforts—various posts in the Order of Preachers and served at courts of nobles and the queen regent of Portugal. He was offered bishoprics and the cardinalate, but declined all offers. He suffered much in his life, accused by the Spanish Inquisition of heresy unjustly; he was later vindicated by the Council of Trent and the witness of subsequent saints. Indeed, he counts among his readers and recommenders such pillars of sanctity as St. Rose of Lima, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Louise de Marillac, and St. Francis de Sales, who recommended Venerable Louis's works be read as a "second Breviary."
But Venerable Louis's primary mission, quite unusually for his time, was to write and preach for the laity. Indeed, a disapproving observer said Venerable Louis wrote for "wives of carpenters," maybe forgetting who the Blessed Virgin was. Let, then, the words of this venerable Spanish preacher illuminate your heart with the light of Christ, speaking, as it were, straight from the bosom of the Master.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 496 pages
by Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J.
Simplicity: the sure path to God!
The saints assure us that simplicity is the virtue most likely to draw us closer to God and make us more like Him.
No wonder Jesus praised the little children and the pure of heart! In them, He recognized the goodness that arises from an untroubled simplicity of life, a simplicity which in the saints is completely focused on its true center, God.
That's easy to know, simple to say, but hard to achieve.
For our lives are complicated and our personalities too. (We even make our prayers and devotions more complicated than they need be!)
In these pages, Fr. Raoul Plus provides a remedy for the even the most tangled lives.
Relying on the words of Jesus and the lives of the saints, Fr. Plus maps out a sure path to the simplicity which Jesus praised, a simplicity that bestows on all of us who seek it happiness, courage, and inner peace, no matter how complicated our circumstances may be or how crowded our days.
Holy simplicity.
With the wise help of Fr. Plus, you will soon savor the strength that simplicity brings . . . and the abiding joy. With his help, you can attain it.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 96 pages
Letters to Persons in the World
by St Francis de Sales
Three centuries ago, people flocked to St. Francis de Sales, seeking his help for their problems. St. Francis spent countless hours ministering to them face-to-face and wrote over 20,000 letters! From these letters to persons in many countries and in all walks of life, we've selected the ones which will be most helpful to you today.
Each is a hand-written response to someone like you seeking help with an actual problem. You'll be consoled by the warmth, the wisdom, and the holy sympathy you'll find in these pages as the love of this great saint reaches out to us across the centuries. Whatever your circumstances may be, there's wisdom here to make your life holier . . . and happier.
Wisdom for difficult situations . . .
- To a pious wife: how to be devout without irritating your husband
- To an old man, preparing for death
- To a woman who judges herself harshly
- To a woman distressed by her lack of spiritual progress
- To a newlywed, teaching the duties of married life and how to fulfill them
- To a new widow who finds life alone a terrible burden
- To a young man, showing him how to treat his parents better
- To a nun, on placing ourselves in the presence of God
- To a married woman trying to bear patiently her live-in parents-in-law
- To a pregnant woman, tired, sick, and discouraged, who thinks she doesn't pray enough
- To a childless woman, helping her to accept this sorrow
- To a priest, on staying faithful to his calling
- To a nervous woman, showing her how to be less troubled
- To a woman troubled by sinfulness in the world
- To a businessman, showing him how to find God in his busy life
- To an overworked woman
- . . . plus help for dozens of other problems we all face!
Solutions to common troubles . . .
- Family problems — how to keep calm, and even use troubles to improve your family
- Anxiety about the future: your job, your children, anything at all. It can be overcome!
- Your flaws — the right response to them. Plus, ways to bear those you can't overcome
- Family, work, prayer: which should come first? How to set your priorities
- Three criteria for judging pastimes. Do you really know which are spiritually healthy and which are dangerous?
- Helplessness: coping when you're not in control, especially during times of sickness or loneliness
- The roots of heresy — why you must understand Scripture in light of Church teachings
- Temptation and sin: how to turn them into spiritual victories
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 264 pages
by Pere Binet
St. Joseph received magnificent divine graces and favors not granted even to the Old Testament Patriarchs. The most humble of men; St. Joseph received from Almighty God the authority to command both Our Lady and the Son of God Himself; and in Heaven he continues to have great intercessory power with God. Includes many prayers to request his intercession. This book will surely inspire the reader with a profound devotion to this great "Patron of the Universal Church." Impr.
Paperback, size 6" x 4", 176 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
Before the Blessed Sacrament
by Fr. Frederick A. Reuter, KCBS
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is not only the greatest devotion for individual members of the Church, it is also the supreme action of the Church—for the Sacrament of the Eucharistic liturgy is the Sacrifice of God Himself. What the Lord offers us daily in this Most Blessed Sacrament is unspeakably glorious, salutary, and magnificent; it is, as the Second Vatican Council's document Sacrosanctum Concilium says, the "source" and "summit" of the Christian life. Therefore, veneration of the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord is not only extremely beneficial to us; it also very likely may turn out the means of our salvation.
In Moments Divine, find powerful, piercing meditations, devotions, and stories related to the Blessed Sacrament and Its adoration. Suitable for private devotion and Holy Hours made with Our Lord, each of the 30 chapters here contains:
- True Stories
- Various Prayers
- An Act of Contrition
- A Sacred Heart Reading
- A Spiritual Communion
- And so much more...
As Archbishop Fulton Sheen would say, if Faith is alive, no other justification to adore the Blessed Sacrament is needed than that it is the Lord Himself present with us. Nothing can compare to spending time with God; for, if and when we get to Heaven, we will already know Him as intimately there as in our moments divine here on earth.
Deluxe soft leatherette, size 5.5" x 4", 338 pages, Impr.
From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
“But there are also many other things which Jesus did which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.” (John 21:25).
Did you know that the revelations as told in The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ inspired and provided many of the powerful images and scenes in the film The Passion of the Christ?
Written to inspire an increased love for God, this book details the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, the renowned 19th century German nun who was a visionary, mystic, stigmatist, and victim soul. Blessed Anne’s visions give accounts of many more of the unknown details of the Passion, providing our imaginations rich food to further contemplate Our Lord’s great suffering on our behalf, and thereby grow our love for Him by meditating upon His most sacred and dolorous Passion.
Every Catholic should meditate frequently upon the Passion of Our Lord; with this book in hand you will be able to meditate on the narrative of the Passion in a new, vivid, and especially spiritually enriching way. Edifying, inspiring, surprising, and heart-rending, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich's descriptions of our Lord's Passion will melt a heart of stone.
The content of her visions includes:
- The Blessed Mother’s role in the Passion and in our redemption
- The details of the insults hurled at Jesus
- Jesus’s conversations with His disciples and with the two thieves
- The reactions and fear of the people all throughout Jerusalem
- An account of the descent into Hell
- And much more…
Also included is a biography of the author, which explains the details of her holy life and how different members of the hierarchy of the Church have promoted her visions as credible.
Easily the best and most complete meditation on the Passion, this book is a must-have Lenten read, as well as a year-round way of fostering a spirit repentance and love of our suffering Lord.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 382 pages
From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
This is first volume in a set that records the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times, going back all the way to the creation of the world. She witnessed the fall of the Angels; the sin of Adam; Noah and the Flood; and the lives of St. John the Baptist, St. Anne, St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Mary Magdalen. In these accounts, what shines through most is the indelible, infinite love of God for all mankind.
Anne Catherine's visions also included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, Anne Catherine Emmerich also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.
The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich is beyond doubt one of the most extraordinary books ever published, simply because it is the story of the Bible and the Gospels, but elucidated in the most vivid manner since the Four Evangelists themselves. May it bring much fruit to your meditation.
This is Volume 1 of the 4-volume set, Impr. 2,623 pages
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 528 pages
The Story of a Soul
The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux
"Be not afraid to tell Jesus that you love Him; even though it be without feeling, this is the way to oblige Him to help you, and carry you like a little child too feeble to walk."
The Story of a Soul, better known to the English public as The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, was first published in 1899. Today it ranks amongst the greatest Christian spiritual classics and it has been translated into practically every well-known language. Almost every pope since its publication has proposed St. Thérèse's teaching to the faithful for their imitation — Pius XI declared her the greatest saint of our age and John Paul II made her a Doctor of the Church.
The Story of a Soul possesses in some degree a characteristic common both to the Gospels and The Imitation of Christ. Men and women open the book, often quite casually, and are caught by the vivid clarity or simple profundity of some sentence in such a way that their lives are completely changed. The style of St. Thérèse is extremely simple and spontaneous, having a charm that is hard to describe, especially when she rises to poetic heights. The final chapter, written for her eldest sister Marie, is simply a childlike outpouring of her heart to Jesus Himself. This spiritual classic will speak gently to your heart.
Leather Hardcover, size 8.5" x 5.5", 232 pages
From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
This is second volume in a set that records the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times, going back all the way to the creation of the world. She witnessed the fall of the Angels; the sin of Adam; Noah and the Flood; and the lives of St. John the Baptist, St. Anne, St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Mary Magdalen. In these accounts, what shines through most is the indelible, infinite love of God for all mankind.
Anne Catherine's visions also included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, Anne Catherine Emmerich also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.
The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich is beyond doubt one of the most extraordinary books ever published, simply because it is the story of the Bible and the Gospels, but elucidated in the most vivid manner since the Four Evangelists themselves. May it bring much fruit to your meditation.
This is Volume 2 of the 4-volume set, Impr. 2,623 pages
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 504 pages
From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
This is third volume in a set that records the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times, going back all the way to the creation of the world. She witnessed the fall of the Angels; the sin of Adam; Noah and the Flood; and the lives of St. John the Baptist, St. Anne, St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Mary Magdalen. In these accounts, what shines through most is the indelible, infinite love of God for all mankind.
Anne Catherine's visions also included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, Anne Catherine Emmerich also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.
The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich is beyond doubt one of the most extraordinary books ever published, simply because it is the story of the Bible and the Gospels, but elucidated in the most vivid manner since the Four Evangelists themselves. May it bring much fruit to your meditation.
This is Volume 3 of the 4-volume set, Impr. 2,623 pages
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 616 pages
by Marguerite Duportal
These pages will help you gain happiness and peace by showing you how to understand - and conquer - any trouble, no matter how great. Here you'll learn how to avoid the mistakes most of us make when we're suffering - mistakes that only make our burdens heavier. You'll come to see that misfortunes are not the blind workings of chance, but are vital elements in God's loving plan. With the wisdom in these pages, you'll soon be using your troubles as instruments to unleash God's healing power in your soul.
Here you'll discover:
- How to preserve your peace even amid troubles you can't avoid
- Pain: the surprising role it can play in God's loving plan for you
- Suicidal? Why this suffering world is better than no world at all
- How to find the beauty hidden in the most unappealing duties
- Peace with God: how bearing your suffering well can lead you to Him quickly and directly
- The very worst temptation you'll face in your troubles - and how to prepare for it in good times
- Hope: how you can gain the life-transforming power of this virtue
- How you can bring Christ's light to others in their own sorrow
- How to turn even your worst troubles into opportunities for good
- Why suffering is no compelling argument against Faith
- Despair: the amazing way you can avoid giving in to it, no matter how heavy your burdens
- And a wealth of practical wisdom to help you sing God's praises even in the worst of times!
Paperback, size 7" x 5", 128 pages
Our Daily Struggle with Satan
by Fr Livio Fanzaga
Fr. Livio Fanzaga, the Rome-educated, Vatican-endorsed writer and director of Europe's largest Catholic radio network, warns: Efforts to soft-pedal the reality and continuous threat of the devil have left many Catholics "unarmed and unprepared" to resist him. But the question is: How does Satan tempt and deceive us? And how can we see through and resist him?
In The Deceiver: Our Daily Struggle with Satan, Fr. Fanzaga confidently guides you through everything the Catechism, Sacred Scripture, and the wisdom of the saints tell us about the wiles and antics of the devil. You'll come to understand why evil exists, and you'll explore real-life examples of how the enemy tempts and ensnares us. The Deceiver masterfully unmasks the devil's seductive plan to create a kingdom of his own in your heart, ruled by pride, sensuality, greed, anger, fear, violence, and destruction.
Most importantly, Fr. Fanzaga provides you with the weapons you need to combat the darkness of the enemy and the seven capital vices. "Satan wants to buy you at a cheap price, but Jesus has poured out His blood in order to obtain your soul," reflects the author.
These pages correct many of the most common misconceptions about Satan while shedding important light on the end times. They also reveal:
- The strategy of the evil one in attacking our minds and hearts
- Why sin is so alluring
- How we can help - and harm - others on their way to salvation
- How you can use the light of God to expose evil
- How to be on constant guard against temptation and Satan's traps
- The proper roles of repentance and mortification
- The keys to opening your soul to grace and discernment
Fr. Fanzaga warns us in this stunning book: "In a cultural climate that excludes the supernatural, the devil acts without being noticed. In a context of life in which God and His moral law are denied, Satan moves like a fish in water. Souls without light and deprived of the weapons of the holy battle are doomed."
The Deceiver; will equip you with the weapons you need to defeat Satan while opening your eyes to the miracles of God's healing love as you prepare for eternity.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 288 pages