Journal of a Soul


Pope John XXIII - 1964
    Elected Pope at the age of 78 he astonished the world by his breadth of mind, his simplicity and the love which shone out of him for the whole world.

Goodbye Vietnam


William Broyles Jr. - 2013
    Previously published as Brothers in Arms, this edition includes a new preface by the author.When William Broyles Jr. was drafted, he was a twenty-four-year-old student at Oxford University in England, hoping to avoid military service. During his physical exam, however, he realized that he couldn’t let social class or education give him special privileges. He joined the marines, and soon commanded an infantry platoon in the foothills near Da Nang. More than a decade later, Broyles found himself flooded with emotion during the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. He decided to return to Vietnam and confront what he’d been through. Broyles was one of the very first combat veterans to return to the battlefields. No American before or since has gone so deeply into the other side of the war: the enemy side. Broyles interviews dozens of Vietnamese, from the generals who ran the war to the men and women who fought it. He moves from the corridors of power in Hanoi—so low-tech that the plumbing didn’t work—to the jungles and rice paddies where he’d fought. He meets survivors of American B-52 strikes and My Lai, and grieves with a woman whose son was killed by his own platoon. Along the way, Broyles also explores the deep bonds he shared with his own comrades, and the mystery of why men love war even as they hate it. Amidst the landscape of death, his formerly faceless enemies come to life. They had once tried to kill each other, but they are all brothers now.

The Life of St. Gemma Galgani


Germanus Ruoppolo - 1914
    Gemma Galgani (1878-1903) was a mystic, stigmatist, visionary, ecstatic, victim soul, discerner of spirits, seer of hidden things, prophetess, spouse of Christ, zealot for souls and devotee of the Poor Souls in Purgatory. She died at only 25. Her mother was also saintly, and it is beautiful to see how she helped cultivate this lily of purity. See how Gemma made great sacrifices painful to human nature from her tenderest years. Inspiring and edifying! Impr. 382 pgs, PB

Purgatory: Explained by the Lives and Legends of the Saints


F.X. Schouppe - 1888
    In this fascinating book, Father Schouppe presents the ancient Catholic tradition on Purgatory, explaining how its pains are excruciating—greater than any suffering known on earth, how they are adapted to the past sins of each individual soul, how they can vary in duration from less than one minute to a period of several centuries, and how they manifest the infinite mercy of God no less than His justice. On many occasions God has allowed souls in Purgatory to appear on earth to plead for prayers, sacrifices, and Masses for their relief; in Purgatory Explained the reader will find scores of true stories of apparitions and revelations on Purgatory taken from the lives of St. Margaret Mary, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Gertrude the Great, St. Francis de Sales, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Magdalen de Pazzi, St. Lidwina of Schiedam, St. Margaret of Cortona, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Curé of Ars. These amazing revelations all emphasize the wonderful relief which the souls in Purgatory receive from prayers, penance, almsgiving, and especially from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for them. Moreover, these stories describe the measureless gratitude of the souls in Purgatory, and the priceless benefits which they obtain for their benefactors in return.Purgatory Explained is a book which goes to the very heart of the Faith and should be read by every Catholic—by everyone who has deceased relatives or friends, by everyone who has sins to make up for, and by everyone who wants to make a spiritual investment that will return to him a hundredfold.

Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words


Rod Bennett - 2002
    Four ancient Christian writers--four witnesses to early Christianity --left us an extensive body of documentation on this vital subject, and this book brings their fascinating testimony to life for modern believers. With all the power and drama of a gripping novel, this book is a journey of discovery of ancient and beautiful truths through the lives of four great saints of the early Church--Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons.

The Teaching of the Twelve: Believing Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community


Tony Jones - 2009
    The Didache is an early handbook of an anonymous Christian community, likely written before some of the New Testament books were written. It spells out a way of life for Jesus-followers that includes instruction on how to treat one another, how to practice the Eucharist, and how to take in wandering prophets. In The Teaching of the Twelve, Jones unpacks the ancient document, and he traces the life of a small house church in Missouri that is trying to live according to its precepts. Readers will find The Teaching of the Twelve inspirational and challenging, and they will discover a unique window into the life of the very earliest followers of Jesus the Christ. A new, contemporary English translation of the Didache is included.

A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul


Lisa M. Hendey - 2011
    Hendey, founder of the award-winning CatholicMom.com and bestselling author of The Handbook for Catholic Moms and The Grace of Yes shares her passion for the saints by introducing fifty-two holy companions as guides for the amazing vocation of Catholic motherhood.Guided by the example of the saints, Hendey eloquently links personal stories, scripture, prayer, and soul-strengthening exercises into a spiritually rich and deeply practical resource for Catholic women. This edition includes a new preface and cover and is updated with information about saints canonized since the first edition.Allow The Book of Saints for Catholic Moms to help you grow in your faith and enrich your heart, mind, body, and soul by spending each week of the year with Lisa M. Hendey and a different saint. This award-winning spiritual guidebook introduces you to popular saints such as Thérèse of Lisieux, Teresa of Calcutta, John Paul II, and Patrick, as well as lesser known but equally inspiring saints such as Gianna Beretta Molla and Damien of Molokai.Each week Hendey offers:a thematic prayer intention;biographical and devotional information about the saint;lessons she learned from each saint;daily scripture meditations;prayers;activities for moms and children; andpractical, spiritually rich steps that help moms incorporate the wisdom and exemplary faith of each figure into their own lives.

Behold, I Come Quickly: The Last Days and Beyond


Hoyt W. Brewster Jr. - 1994
    In this insightful book, the author looks at the teachings of ancient and modern prophets concerning the times we live in now and the times to come. In a clear and straightforward manner, he discusses dozens of signs of the latter days and examines many specific prophecies about what has happened and what will happen--and how we can be prepared for whatever comes. A memorable, easy-to-understand portrait of the last days

Joan of Arc


Hilaire Belloc - 1929
    In his characteristic style, Belloc carefully tells the complete story in the most compelling manner. A great story, a great saint, a great author. You won't be able to set it down, a Catholic treasure. Gold embossed cloth.

The Christ Commission


Og Mandino - 1980
    . . if he were given just one week back in ancient Jerusalem.That night author Matt Lawrence got his wish.A knock-out punch took him right out of this world and landed him in Biblical Judea in 26 A.D., just six years after the execution of Jesus at Golgotha.In relentless pursuit of his investigation, Lawrence walked the same streets Jesus walked, visited the same places . . . and found himself facing the same dangers.Eyewitness reports might lead him to a discovery that would shake the world--but will he live long enough to tell the 30th century that he just solved the greatest mystery of all time?"

Exiled: The Story of John Lathrop


Helene Holt - 1987
    Such a man was John Lathrop, a minister in the King's church, who, at the peril of his life, fought for religious freedom. This is the astounding biographical account of Lathrop's struggle and his ultimate exile to America. Winner of the National Freedom's Foundation Award

A Short History of the Roman Mass


Michael Treharne Davies - 1997
    Covers Low Mass, Sacramentaries, other Western Rites, etc. Highlights the reforms of Popes St. Gregory the Great (590-604) and St. Pius V (1566-1572). Says neither \"reform\" produced a \"new\" liturgy.

The Great Adventure Bible Timeline Study Kit: Study Materials


Jeff Cavins - 2006
    Each lesson should be concluded with the corresponding lecture from the DVD or CD series, which contains expert commentary presented by Jeff Cavins. The Bible Timeline Study Kit includes:Study Set: Questions and ResponsesAn in-depth, 176-page set of Study Questions (including maps, charts, tables and note-pages) with a corresponding 88-page set of Responses provides you with a guide for your reading and Scripture study.Bible Timeline ChartA 33" full-color chart provides a visual overview of the books of the Bible. It allows you to track the growth of God's family from Creation to the establishment of the Church and see Bible history in context of world events.Bible Timeline BookmarkA full-color bookmark provides the significance for the color assigned to each time period and serves as a reference tool to mark your place in your Bible.Memory Bead WristbandThe t

Francis: Man of Prayer


Mario Escobar - 2013
    First Latin American. And a new pope who chose as his first act a simple request: please pray for me.The recent resignation of Pope Benedict XVI took the world by surprise and for good reason. More than 600 years had passed since a pope last left his post.Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, is a man of prayer, a man of action, and a humble man who has always promoted others over himself. In fact, it was Bergoglio who bowed out of the running in the papal election of 2005 to facilitate the rise of Benedict XVI.However, the new pope faces a Catholic Church in crisis--a church that has lost the media pull of John Paul II and is still hounded by pedophile scandals and the filtration of documents from former papal administrations. His first year may not be an easy one, but neither this man nor the church itself has ever shied away from the challenges thrust upon them.Pope Francis is austere and simple but has vast theological training. He is a man of his time but one who also travels by subway and bus just like any other citizen. Tirelessly fighting poverty and marginalization, he is a beacon of hope for the poor, persecuted sectors of the church. Has a Catholic spring finally arrived after a very long winter?Francis is the complete biography of a humble man who has suddenly become one of the most powerful and influential men on the planet.

The American Catholic Almanac: A Daily Reader of Patriots, Saints, Rogues, and Ordinary People Who Changed the United States


Brian Burch - 2014
    KENNEDY, VINCE LOMBARDI , DOROTHY DAY, FULTON SHEEN, AND ANDY WARHOL HAVE IN COMMON? They’re all Catholics who have shaped America. In this page-a-day history, 365 inspiring stories celebrate the historic contributions of American men and women shaped by their Catholic faith. From famous figures to lesser-known saints and sinners, The American Catholic Almanac tells the fascinating, funny, uplifting, and unlikely tales of Catholics’ influence on American history, culture, and politics. Spanning the scope of the Revolutionary War to Notre Dame football, this unique collection of stories highlights the transformative role of the Catholic Church in American public life over the last 400 years.Did you know…• The first immigrant to arrive in America via Ellis Island was a 15-year-old Irish Catholic girl?• Al Capone’s tombstone reads “MY JESUS MERCY”?• Andrew Jackson credited America’s victory in the Battle of New Orleans to the prayers of the Virgin Mary and the Ursuline Sisters?• Five Franciscans died in sixteenth-century Georgia defending the Church’s teachings on marriage?• Jack Kerouac died wanting to be known as a Catholic and not only as a beat poet?• Catholic missionaries lived in Virginia 36 years before the English settled Jamestown?