Religion Catholicism

In 1858 a German princess who had been recently inducted into the convent of Sant'Ambrogio in Rome wrote a frantic letter to her cousin, a confidant of the Pope, claiming that she was being abused and that she feared for her life. What the subsequent investigation by the Church's Inquisition uncovered were the extraordinary secrets of Sant'Ambrogio and the illicit behavior of the convent's beautiful, young mistress, Maria Luisa.

Whether you are a cradle Catholic learning the Holy Bible or a Protestant convert divesting yourself of your Protestantism, this book on the scriptures is for you. The only book of its kind from a traditional Catholic perspective, it cuts through the fluff and gets to the heart of the spiritual realities, which are fundamental to all discussion on the Holy Bible. It also tells the story of how the rejection of these spiritual realities has led directly to the current crisis in the Church.

This book, edited by biologist Ann Gauger, clears up common misconceptions regarding intelligent design, showing why it is an argument not from ignorance but from knowledge and how the evidence for God's design of the natural world is growing.

Decisions, decisions . . . life presents us with so many, big and small. How can we confidently make choices that bring us true happiness? The life of the virtues holds the key, and among those virtues, prudence holds the reins. No, this isn't your grandmother's definition of prudence. This virtue actually inspires practical wisdom, allowing us to choose well and to bring order into our lives. In Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly, Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, aims to work prudence back into the conversation and explain how it can transform us along our path toward what really matters.

In Who Do You Say I Am?, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, offers beautiful insights on the importance of Jesus and the Church in our day-to-day lives. With short daily reflections crafted to inspire anyone seeking to appreciate and deepen their faith, Cardinal Dolan explores the lessons of Jesus and offers fresh new understandings of the saints, prayer, the Bible, beauty, and the pursuit of God, especially in light of the often turbulent nature of faith itself.

Ancient Rome's brutal culture exploited the weak and considered human life expendable...Four centuries later, even ordinary men and women prospered in what had become a vigorous new Christian society, a society that served the vulnerable, exalted women, treasured virtue, and loved peace. These audiobook document the many ways in which Christians penetrated and civilized that debased Roman empire, introducing then-radical notions such as the equal dignity of women, respect for life, protection of the weak and vulnerable, and much more. Listen to find out more....

A beautiful rendition of all the mysteries of the Rosary, with accompanying Scripture passages for each mystery, to help better understand each of the 20 aspects of the life of Christ and His Holy Mother that we meditate upon in the four sets of mysteries. A beautiful, spiritual, meditative aid for the proper and devotional recitation of the Holy Rosary.

Saxum - the Latin word means rock - is a term that St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, sometimes used in letters to Alvaro del Portillo to describe him. Don Alvaro, as he came to be known, was for many years the founder's closest associate as well as his successor and first Prelate of Opus Dei after it became a personal prelature-a foundational rock for this dynamic international Catholic group devoted to promoting sanctity in ordinary life.

In this short book, Forbes beautifully recounts the life and accomplishments of the famous St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism. Forbes tells of St. Benedict upbringing and early life in Rome, where he became disillusioned with their pursuit of pleasure and comfort. Taking up the life of a solitary in a cave in the mountains of Italy, he grew in holiness through prayer and fasting.

In How to Converse with God, St. Alphonsus Ligouri teaches us how to use the small events of everyday life to raise our hearts and minds to God: in praise, contrition, hope, joy, and union with God's will. In this way, we can “pray unceasingly” and converse with God in the way most pleasing to him - personally and confidently.

Father Jonathan Morris has seen firsthand how our day-to-day lives are consumed with anxiety and stress as we focus on our failures and troubles while peace feels unattainable. When he rediscovered the Serenity Prayer, he realized that this little prayer can be a powerful road map for our spiritual journey toward God. As he began to share this prayer with others, he saw that living these simple lines became a source of profound peace and happiness.

It is one of the most ancient, arcane, and to some, embarrassing rites of the Roman Catholic Church. Yet the number of priests in Italy trained as exorcists has risen tenfold over the past decade - and they are still unable to keep up with the skyrocketing demand for their services. Award-winning foreign correspondent Tracy Wilkinson reveals that "devil detox", as some call it, is a booming industry, complete with motivational speakers, international conventions, and plenty of controversy.

St. Gregory of Nyssa (AD 335 - 395), the great theologian and bishop of Nyssa, turned his considerable skill to finishing the work that his brother St. Basil the Great had started on the creation of the world (the Hexaemeron). The result is this book, which examines how humans are formed as a "mean between the divine and brute beasts".

Paray le Monial is a beautiful, quiet town nestled in the center of France. But the power that emanates from this town is pure Holy Spirit. You can still feel the presence of our Lord Jesus. For, it is here that our Lord appeared to a nun over a period of 17 years. He brought his faithful message of love to an unfaithful people who had grown cold. Here, he, once again, spoke of that tremendous love of his to become man and suffer death - even death on the cross.

In Calming the Storm: Navigating the Crises Facing the Catholic Church and Society, experienced Vatican journalist Diane Montagna conducts a wide-ranging and trenchant interview with Fr. Gerald E. Murray that examines the root causes, and potential solutions, to the many challenges the church faces today.

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696 - 1787) was an Italian bishop famous for his moral teaching. Initially, he practised law but was drawn to the religious life and became a priest in the Catholic church. He ministered as a missionary to the poor setting up "Evening Chapels". He would later settle his own congregation, and then was eventually appointed bishop. He wrote many famous sermons, meditations, and ascetical works. His meditations are still used today for the stations of the cross during Lent.

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola are a set of Christian prayers and meditations written by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th-century Spanish priest, theologian, and founder of the Society of Jesus. The work is divided into four thematic "weeks" of variable length, designed to assist the worshiper in acts of devotion.

A very optimistic audiobook showing how an "ordinary" Catholic can become a great saint without ever doing anything "extraordinary"—just by using the many opportunities for holiness that to most people lie hidden in each day. Written with an assurance of success that is totally convincing and infectious, these are many easy but infallible means of reaching great sanctity.

On the day after the Orlando nightclub shooting, James Martin SJ posted a video on Facebook in which he called for solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. "The largest mass shooting in US history took place at a gay club, and the LGBT community has been profoundly affected," he began. He then implored his fellow Catholics - and people everywhere - to "stand not only with the people of Orlando but also with their LGBT brothers and sisters."

In his first book published as Pope, and in conjunction with the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis here invites all humanity to an intimate and personal dialogue on the subject closest to his heart—mercy—which has long been the cornerstone of his faith and is now the central teaching of his papacy. In this conversation with Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli, Francis explains—through memories from his youth and moving anecdotes from his experiences as a pastor—why “mercy is the first attribute of God.”