The Jesus Prayer


Kallistos Ware - 2014
    A simple and direct method of invoking the mercy of Jesus Christ by repeating his Holy Name, it is a way of obeying St Paul’s instruction to “pray always”. In an increasingly noisy and frenetic world, the Jesus Prayer offers us an oasis of inner peace and a lifeline back to God.

Slaying Dragons: What Exorcists See & What We Should Know


Charles D. Fraune - 2019
    Chad Ripperger, Fr. Gabriele Amorth, Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea, Fr. Gary Thomas, among others, and packages it into an approachable and intriguing book that conveys, to today’s Catholics, critical insights into the activity of the diabolical and spiritual warfare tactics with which we must be familiar. These exorcists pull their teachings from the sacred traditions of our Faith, the teachings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the wisdom of exorcists under whom they were trained, and their own extensive experience in the realm of spiritual warfare, deliverance, and exorcisms. The purpose of this book is to help enlighten Catholics to the spiritual war in which we all find ourselves. Not only is this battle real, but the Church knows it well, and has provided both wisdom and weapons, teachings and sacramentals, to enable Catholics to fight in this battle into which they have all been drafted, and be victorious. “The devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking to devour,” as St. Peter says. These exorcists face this devil, and the many demons who fell with him, as a central part of their spiritual ministry. Let them teach you what they know and impart to you those things that will aid you most in your spiritual life. Allow yourself to be instructed by spiritual masters that you may learn the manner in which the devil attacks you, the weapons you have at your disposal, and the means to find healing for the wounds you have suffered in your life. Know your enemy. Know his tactics. Know his motives. Know his nature. Know his origin. Know his goal. Know his language. Know his network. Know his strengths. Know his weaknesses. Once this knowledge is obtained, you can more effectively predict your enemy’s behavior, recognize his traps, use the proper preventative measures against him, and drive him away when he persists. Book now has the nihil obstat. Visit our store at www.TheRetreatBox.com for special sales. Sign up there on our email list. Follow us at www.TheSlayingDragonsBook.com for news, commentary, and publications on the topic of spiritual warfare.

Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith


Robert Barron - 2011
    I want to function rather as a mystagogue, conducting you ever deeper into the mystery of the incarnation in the hopes that you might be transformed by its power. Father Robert BarronWhat is Catholicism? A 2,000-year-oldliving tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart and mind of the Catholic faith. Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ s incarnation, life, and teaching, Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and Saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world. Paired with his documentary film series of the same title, Catholicism is an intimate journey, capturing The Catholic Thing in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic, unique, and inspiring, Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation, in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths, while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life. Includes over 100 black and white and color photos."

A Concise History of the Catholic Church


Thomas Bokenkotter - 1977
    With a clarity that will appeal to any reader, Thomas Bokenkotter divides his study into five parts that correspond to the major historical and epochal developments in Catholicism. His authoritative, thorough approach takes readers from the Church’s triumph over paganism, through "the sound and fury of renewal," to a new section devoted to such topics as dissent and current developments in the ecumenical movement. Informative illustrations throughout the book, new to this edition, enrich the reader's experience, and the addition of a wide-ranging bibliography increases its value as a sourcebook.

The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life


Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange - 1932
    Garrigou-Lagrange; sets forth the classic Catholic traditions on the spiritual life as the full flowering of Sanctifying Grace in the soul. He explains the three stages of the spiritual life-the Purgative Way; the Illuminative Way; and the Unitive Way-showing the transitions or conversions from one period to another. How can one become a saint without knowing the way -- the pitfalls; common mistakes; and experience of Saints who have gone before. Impr. 112 pgs; PB

Return To Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic


Francis J. Beckwith - 2008
    He was baptized a Catholic, but his faith journey led him to Protestant evangelicalism. He became a philosophy professor at Baylor University and president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). And then, in 2007, after much prayer, counsel, and consideration, Beckwith decided to return to the Catholic church and step down as ETS president.This provocative book details Beckwith's journey, focusing on his internal dialogue between the Protestant theology he embraced for most of his adult life and Catholicism. He seeks to explain what prompted his decision and offers theological reflection on whether one can be evangelical and Catholic, affirming his belief that one can be both. EXCERPTIt's difficult to explain why one moves from one Christian tradition to another. It is like trying to give an account to your friends why you chose to pursue for marriage this woman rather than that one, though both may have a variety of qualities that you found attractive. It seems to me then that any account of my return to the Catholic church, however authentic and compelling it is to me, will appear inadequate to anyone who is absolutely convinced that I was wrong. Conversely, my story will confirm in the minds of many devout Catholics that the supernatural power of the grace I received at baptism and confirmation as a youngster were instrumental in drawing me back to the Mother Church. Given these considerations, I confess that there is an awkwardness in sharing my journey as a published book, knowing that many fellow Christians will scrutinize and examine my reasons in ways that appear to some uncharitable and to others too charitable.

The Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom


John Chrysostom - 1967
    This is a fresh translation of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostem and is published as a parallel Greek and Emglsih text. The Greek text is that published in Athens by the Apostoliki Diakonia in 1950 with reference to some other texts. The English translation is a new one undertaken by a committee of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. The translation has for the first time adopted contemporary usage rather than the archaic forms used in earlier editions. This book is principally designed for use by members of the congregation but will also be employed by the priests and deacons celebrating the Liturgy.

Why the Church?


Luigi Giussani - 2000
    He then describes the Church's developing self-awareness of its dual elements of the human and divine. Concerned with verifying the Church's claim to embody Christ, Giussani situates the locus of verification in human experience, arguing that a different type of life is born in those who try to live the life of the Church. Why the Church? is a seminal study that will engage both the scholar and the general reader.

The Divine Mercy Message and Devotion


Seraphim Michalenko - 1982
    It covers every aspect of the authentic Divine Mercy message and devotion - from the Feast and Hour of Great Mercy to the Chaplet and Novena, as well as selected prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina. Learn of God's merciful love in the Bible, of the Eucharist and Reconciliation as the great Sacraments of Mercy, and of our call to bring God's mercy to the dying and departed. Produced on Eden Hill, home of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church


Stephen K. Ray - 1997
    In addition to a moving account of their conversion that caused Ray and his wife to cross the Tiber to Rome, he offers an in-depth treatment of Baptism and the Eucharist in Scripture and the ancient Church. Thoroughly documented with hundreds of footnotes, this contains perhaps the most complete compilation of biblical and patristic quotations and commentary available on Baptism and the Eucharist, as well as a detailed analysis of Sola Scriptura and Tradition.

The Spirit of the Liturgy


Romano Guardini - 1998
    In poetic terms, it clarifies the underlying principles and existential implications of the belief that when Christians join in the Eucharist and other liturgical celebrations, they do so not as discrete individuals but as interconnected members of the one People of God.

The Secret Of The Rosary


Louis de Montfort - 1710
    We might say that it contains everything that can be said about the Rosary, its content and form, its real worth, about the instruction necessary for its appreciation and use."De Montfort calls the Rosary "the mystical rose tree of Jesus and Mary in life, death, and eternity." He says that the roses of your rosary will "never wilt or die, and they will be just as exquisite thousands of years from now as they are today."He warns us against both the ignorant and scholars who regard the Rosary as something of little importance..."The Rosary is a priceless treasure which is inspired by God." TV Script - Oct. 10, 1955(The Age of Mary)

Hard Sayings: A Catholic Approach to Answering Bible Difficulties


Trent Horn - 2016
     In Hard Sayings, Trent looks at dozens of the most confounding passages in Scripture and offers clear, reasonable, and Catholic keys to unlocking their true meaning.

Into Your Hands, Father: Abandoning Ourselves to the God Who Loves Us


Wilfrid Stinissen - 2008
    According to Carmelite Father Wilfrid Stinissen, surrender to God, abandonment to the One who loves us completely, is that central reality. The life of Jesus shows us the centrality of abandonment, for it is truly the beginning and the end of his mission on earth. In this simple but profound book, Father Stinissen distinguishes three degrees or stages in abandonment. The first stage consists of accepting and assenting to God's will as it manifests itself in all circumstances of life. The second is actively doing God's will at every moment of one's life. In the third stage, abandonment to God is so complete that one has become a tool in God's hands. At this stage it is no longer I who do God's will, but God who accomplishes his will through me.

The Saints' Guide to Happiness: Practical Lessons in the Life of the Spirit


Robert Ellsberg - 2003
    Perhaps that’s because it is so hard to experience lasting happiness.In The Saints’ Guide to Happiness, Robert Ellsberg suggests that some of the best people to show us are holy men and women throughout history—from St. Augustine to Flannery O’Connor, Thomas Merton to St. Theresa of Avila and Mother Theresa.These people weren’t saints because of the way they died or their visions or wondrous deeds. They were saints because of their extraordinary capacity for goodness and love, which—in the end—makes us happy.