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Confessions of An Ex-Feminist
Lorraine V. Murray Confessions is the honest and heart-rending account of a woman who was born into a Catholic family, attended parochial schools and fully embraced the beliefs of her faith, but ran into major roadblocks in college. Amidst the radical feminist college environment of the 1960's, she lost her faith, and her morality, jumping aboard the bandwagon of "free love." She indulged in a series of love relationships in college, all of which crashed and burned. Despite the obvious contradiction between feminist teachings and her own experience, Murray still believed she had to free herself from the yoke of tradition. Attaining a doctorate in philosophy, with an emphasis on the feminist writings of Simone de Beauvoir, Murray taught philosophy in college. For many years, she launched a personal vendetta against God and the Catholic Church in the classroom, trying to persuade students that God did not exist, mocking values Catholics hold dear, and touted feminism as the cure for many social ills. When she discovered she was pregnant, Murray followed the route that feminists offer as a solution for unmarried women. Much to her surprise, her abortion was a shattering emotional experience, which she grieved over for years. It was the first tragic chink in her feminist armor. Continue reading... 
Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of Catechesis
Pierre de Cointet, Barbara Morgan, and Petroc Willey Foreword by Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn | The theme of this book is that the Catechism of the Catholic Church, perhaps the most important work on catechesis since the Apostolic Age, offers not only a new, definitive account for our times of the full teaching of the Catholic faith, but also that it is a superbly crafted work from which to learn and to teach the faith. This book reveals the pedagogy embedded in the Catechism, showing every teacher, parent, catechist or student how to discover the key principles that enable one to learn from, and teach from, the Catechism. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the "wisdom of the presentation" of the Catechism and of "the depth of its spirituality". These points have rarely been explained in any sustained way and have never before been systematically treated. The unique point about this book is that it focuses on these points, rather than a simple explanation of the content of the Catechism. This book offers a pedagogical approach to the Catechism for handing on the faith of the Catholic Church in any setting, whether home, school and parish. It offers perennially valid teaching points drawn from a perennial text, and an explanation of the "pedagogy of God" which underpins all authentic teaching methods in the Church. In this way, the book offers a twelve step "path to recovery" out of unhealthy catechetical addictions and obsessions which have bedeviled the catechetical world. Continue reading... 
Because God is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer
Peter Kreeft Atheistic and agnostic writers are aggressively attacking traditional religious beliefs. Philosopher and prolific writer Peter Kreeft is up to the challenge in this work of popular apologetics aimed at both teens and adults. The masterful Kreeft tackles sixteen crucial issues about the deeper meaning of life. The questions that Kreeft explores range from, "Is faith reasonable?," Can you prove there is a God?", and "Why is Jesus different?," to "Why is sex so confusing?," "Why is there evil?", and "Why must we die?" Kreeft provides thoughtful, lucid, and persuasive answers for believers, unbelievers, and seekers to consider. As always, Kreeft is insightful, inspiring, and entertaining. This book is ideal for those exploring faith for the first time, as well as for confirmation and religious education classes. It's an intellectual and spiritual feast! This is vintage Kreeft. Continue reading... 
Book of All Saints, Vol I
Adrienne von Speyr Adrienne von Speyr, a renowned mystic and spiritual writer from Switzerland, was received into the Catholic Church at the age of 38 by one of the theological giants of the 20th century, Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar, on the Feast of All Saints, 1940. Balthasar became her spiritual director and confessor until her death in 1967, during which time Adrienne was favored with many gifts of authentic mystical prayer. Balthasar considered one of the central characteristics of Adrienne's prayer to be her transparency to the inspirations she received from God, along with a deep personal communion with the saints. Over a period of many years, Adrienne would see the saints (and other holy people) at prayer, and she would dictate what she saw to Fr. von Balthasar - while she was in a state of mystical prayer. This book presents these powerful, unique mystical insights into the prayer lives of many saints and holy people taken from Adrienne's direct visions of them in prayer. Here are the names of just a small number of the Saints whose prayer lives we get a glimpse of in this amazing book: St. John the Apostle, St. Augustine, St. Francis, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. John Bosco, St. Edith Stein and many, many more. Fr. von Balthasar gathered these spiritual vignettes into the first volume of the "Nachlasswerke" (works intended to be published only after Adrienne's death), the Book of All Saints. Continue reading... 
Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat
Jeanne Perego Illustrated by Donata Dal Molin Casagrande | In this beautifully illustrated book for children, Chico the cat describes the life of his "best friend", Pope Benedict, in this authorised biography of the Pope for young people approved by the Vatican. "Dear Children, here you will find a biography that is different than others because it is told by a cat and it is not every day a cat can consider the Holy Father his friend and sit down to write his life story," the Pope's personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, says in the foreword. The Pope is known for his fondness of animals, especially cats, and Joseph and Chico is narrated by Chico, a real cat who took up with the Pope in his native Germany long before he became the Pope. Chico tells the story of the life of "my best friend" from his birth in Germany in 1927, through his days as a young man, priest, bishop and cardinal. With a colorful and sometimes amusing language, the author makes this funny cat tell us about the life of the young Joseph all the way up to his election as Pontiff on April 19, 2005. Continue reading... 
Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? (DVD)
Pope Benedict XVI If Christ has not been raised, said the Apostle Paul, Christian faith is in vain. The Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is not an incidental or minor aspect of Christianity. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity is certainly false. Skeptics have long tried to show that there was no Resurrection. Today, there has been a resurgence of attacks on this central truth of Christianity. Some people claim that the followers of Jesus fabricated the Resurrection. Others argue that the disciples hallucinated or had a "vision" of their dead master, which they confused with a truly risen Jesus. Others still suggest that the Resurrection was a myth or that the apostles may have seen a "spirit" or witnessed a "spiritual resurrection" that had nothing to do with an empty tomb and the transformation of Jesus' dead body. Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? carefully scrutinizes the historical evidence. Rather than accept Christian belief blindly, top scholars and biblical historians critically examine alternative explanations. In the end, they show why it is a matter of sound reason as well as faith to affirm what the early Church proclaimed: Jesus is risen. Continue reading... • Watch clips from Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? at www.ResurrectionDVD.com 
Saved In Hope: Spe Salvi
Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI's second encyclical, Saved In Hope, ("Spe Salvi" in Latin) takes its title from St. Paul, who wrote, "In hope we have been saved". In this special deluxe hardcover edition of the work, the Holy Father continues a line of thought he began with his first encyclical, God is Love. Love and Hope are closely related in the spiritual life. Love of God involves hope or trust in God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man". Hope enables us to look to the next life, but it also inspires and purifies our actions in this life. Pope Benedict considers modern philosophies and the challenges of faith today in light of the virtue of hope. Continue reading... 
Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children's Fantasy
Pete Vere and Sandra Miesel British author Philip Pullman is widely acclaimed by critics and readers for his best-selling, award-winning trilogy, His Dark Materials. But he has been criticized by some for attacking Christianity and promoting atheism. What is the truth about Pullman and his books? What does he believe about God, religion, the Catholic Church, and atheism? What does he hope his books will accomplish? Why does he express such strong disdain for the fiction of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien? Should children be reading the His Dark Materials trilogy, or watching the film version of The Golden Compass, the first book of the trilogy? Continue reading... 
The Confessions of St. Augustine
Extracts Selected by Carolinne White Illustrated with Illuminated Manuscripts from the British Library Extracts Selected by Carolinne White St. Augustine was one of the most remarkable figures of the early Church. In his famous classic, Confessions, Augustine reveals his struggles with temptation as well as his passionate love of God. This work has extracts chosen from his Confessions that express Augustine's wisdom and his mystical yearning for God, as well as his dissolute youth, his ascent to the imperial court in Milan, and his conversion to Christianity at the age of 32. Lively narrative and colorful anecdotes are interspersed with passages of great poetry in praise of God. In the process of describing his own very human failings, Augustine also gives advice on how to live a committed Christian life. His view that happiness is not to be found in transitory physical pleasure, but in searching for the truth beyond the material world, is more than ever relevant today. Continue reading... 
Seek that Which is Above
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger In this beautifully illustrated book, Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) gives us profound meditations on what our life in Christ should be like as it is lived through the various Seasons and Feasts of the liturgical the year. This book also includes thoughts on other spiritual and secular themes such as the true nature of peace, why it is difficult for so many to experience joy, the relationship between spirit and matter, vacation and rest, etc. These inspiring insights from the man who became Pope, show how Joseph Ratzinger's deeply spiritual and theological experience, together with his wide literary and cultural interests are a gift to the Church in the modern world. Here is a shepherd leading the faithful entrusted to his care to deep springs of refreshing, life giving water. Continue reading... 
God Is No Delusion: A Refutation of Richard Dawkins
Thomas Crean, O.P. Richard Dawkins, biologist and best-selling author, claims that belief in God is a "delusion" and that "religion" harms society. Dawkins contends that he has reason and evidence on his side, and he dismisses faith as unfounded, even irrational. Dominican Thomas Crean tackles Dawkins' claims head-on. He presents straightforward arguments for God's existence, and he uses reason and evidence to defend such things as miracles and the authority of the Bible. He also shows how God is important for a coherent understanding of morality, and why Dawkins' approach winds up reducing morality to the individual's subjective likes and dislikes. By demonstrating how Dawkins' criticisms rest on misunderstandings, superficial readings, poor argumentation, a lack of historical awareness, and not a little prejudice, Crean reveals Dawkins to be out of his philosophical and theological depth, and his case against God to be fundamentally flawed. Continue reading... 
Socrates Meets Descartes: The Father of Philosophy Analyzes the Father of Modern Philosophy's "Discourse on Method"
Peter Kreeft This is the 5th volume in the series of popular volumes by the Peter Kreeft, in which the "Father of Philosophy", Socrates, cross-examines various other important philosophers and thinkers (in previous books he examined Marx, Sarte, Machiavelli, and Socrates himself.) Kreeft states that Socrates and Descartes are perhaps the two most important philosophers who have ever lived, because they are the two who made the most difference to all philosophy after them. These two fathers of philosophy stand at the beginning of the two basic philosophical options: the classical and the modern. Kreeft focuses on seven features that unite these two major philosophers and distinguish them from all others. So this dialog between Socrates and Descartes is a dialog between the fundamental stages in the history of philosophy, the history of consciousness, and the history of Western culture. Continue reading... 
Sermon in a Sentence: A Treasury of Quotations. Volume 5: Saint Thomas Aquinas
John McClernon This is the fifth volume in this popular series of deluxe, small hardcover books that contain a collection of hundreds of direct quotes and short sayings of great saints, this book being from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. His words are arranged and classified by the virtues represented in the 20 decade Rosary. The Rosary mysteries--Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, Glorious--provide us with a mosaic of virtues for the spiritual life, a ladder for advancing in holiness and in love of God and neighbor. The previous volumes in this series featured quotes from the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Francis de Sales, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Teresa of Avila. These lovely little books provide a handy pocket-sized volume of hundreds of meditations for prayer and spiritual reading arranged by themes and virtues. They are ideal for anyone to carry with them to use for daily spiritual reading and inspiration. Continue reading... 
Meet Henri de Lubac
Rudolf Voderholzer This work traces the life and writings of this French Jesuit priest, revealing the importance and brilliance of de Lubac's works, the holiness of his life, and his deep love for the Church, which sometimes persecuted this faithful son and devoted priest. Pope John Paul II, who had the highest esteem for de Lubac, stopped his address during a major talk and acknowleged the presence of de Lubac saying, "I bow my head to Father Henri de Lubac." Subsequently, the Pope appointed the holy and beloved theologian a Cardinal. This book reveals who this great Churchman and theologian was, and the importance of his writings. • Visit the Ignatius Insight author page for Henri de Lubac 
Marian Devotions in the Domestic Church
Catherine and Peter Fournier This is the third volume in a series by the Fourniers of unique, illustrated spiral bound activity books for families to help them to better understand and celebrate various seasons, feasts and devotions in the Catholic Church. This large size book is designed with a wide variety of ideas, spiritual passages, prayers and fun activities to help families incorporate a true devotion to Mary into their domestic church. This lavishly illustrated book suggests many ways to incorporate that Marian devotion into the family life. Many of the main Marian feasts are incorporated into the book, and each feast is presented with a brief outline, some history, and various suggestions for a family celebration. Since there are literally hundreds of feasts honoring Our Lady, only some of the most well-known could be featured in this book. Illustrated. 
Joseph Ratzinger: Life in the Church and Living Theology: Fundamentals of Ecclesiology
Maximilian Heinrich Heim This is a major work on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, by a highly regarded German theologian, priest and writer. Since his election to the Papacy, Ratzinger's theology, and in particular his ecclesiology (theology of the Church), has been in the limelight of theological and ecumenical discussions. This important work studies in detail Ratzinger's ecclesiology in the light of Vatican II, against the ongoing debate about what Vatican II really meant to say about the life of the Church, its liturgy, its worship, its doctrine, its pastoral mission, and more. Has his theology of the Church changed since Vatican II, or has it continued to develop consistently? Is the Catholic Church one church among many churches? Is she the object of hope or a historical reality? Continue reading... 
The Greek Fathers: Their Lives and Writings
Adrian Fortescue The Fathers of the Church were great, holy men of history who lived in the early centuries of Christianity and made a significant impact on the Church and society by their lives and their teachings & writings. There are various groups of such men considered to be Fathers of the Church, and this work focuses on the lives, adventures and central teachings of the great Greek Fathers, whose names are well-known in the history of the Church. The author covers seven Greek Fathers who lived between the years 293 to 754, most of them living in the 200-400's. These are St. Athanasius (293-373), St. Basil (330-379), St. Gregory Nazianzos (330-390), St. John Chrysostom (344-407), St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386), St. Cyril of Alexandria (+444) and St. John of Damascus (+754). This work gives popular sketches of these great saints, focusing more on their lives than on their theology, and is meant for the inspiration and illumination of the layman. Continue reading... 
Catholic Study Bible: Hebrews
Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch Based on the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, this volume leads readers through a penetrating study of St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews, using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights and commentary by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what the Letter to the Hebrews often assumes. They also provide rich historical, cultural, geographical, and theological information pertinent to the Letter. The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies, and Charts. Each page includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for the Letter to the Hebrews. These can deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure, and themes. Outlines of the Letter and a map are also included. Continue reading... 
Chastity, Poverty and Obedience: Recovering the Vision for the Renewal of Religious Life
Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C. Among the many topics addressed by the Second Vatican Council was the need for the renewal of religious life. Some forty years later, many religious orders of women are dying out, begging the question: Did the reforms of Vatican II help the religious orders become more fruitful, or did they plant the seeds of destruction? In writing this work, Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C., carefully and prayerfully examined the decree on religious life promulgated by the Council Fathers and uncovered its noble meaning and purpose. With her penetrating eye and thoughtful reflection, Mother goes to the heart of the document, Perfectae Caritatis, and finds there the calling to pursue perfect love--though chastity, poverty and obedience--that Christ himself extends to those disciples who would follow him more closely. Continue reading... 
Chance or Purpose?: Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith
Christoph Cardinal Schönborn Cardinal Christoph Schönborn's article on evolution and creation in The New York Times launched an international controversy. Critics charged him with biblical literalism and "creationism". In this book, Cardinal Schönborn responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned "theology of creation". Can we still speak intelligently of the world as "creation" and affirm the existence of the Creator, or is God a "delusion"? How should an informed believer read Genesis? If God exists, why is there so much injustice and suffering? Are human beings a part of nature or elevated above it? What is man's destiny? Is everything a matter of chance or can we discern purpose in human existence? In his treatment of evolution, Cardinal Schönborn distinguishes the biological theory from "evolutionism", the ideology that tries to reduce all of reality to mindless, meaningless processes. He argues that science and a rationally grounded faith are not at odds and that what many people represent as "science" is really a set of philosophical positions that will not withstand critical scrutiny. Continue reading... 
Island of the World: A Novel
Michael O'Brien Island of the World is the story of a child born in 1933 into the turbulent world of the Balkans and tracing his life into the third millennium. The central character is Josip Lasta, the son of an impoverished school teacher in a remote village high in the mountains of the Bosnian interior. As the novel begins, World War II is underway and the entire region of Yugoslavia is torn by conflicting factions: German and Italian occupying armies, and the rebel forces that resist them--the fascist Ustashe, Serb nationalist Chetniks, and Communist Partisans. As events gather momentum, hell breaks loose, and the young and the innocent are caught in the path of great evils. Their only remaining strength is their religious faith and their families. For more than a century, the confused and highly inflammatory history of former Yugoslavia has been the subject of numerous books, many of them rife with revisionist history and propaganda. The peoples of the Balkans live on the border of three worlds: the Islamic, the orthodox Slavic East, and Catholic Europe, and as such they stand in the path of major world conflicts that are not only geo-political but fundamentally spiritual. This novel cuts to the core question: how does a person retain his identity, indeed his humanity, in absolutely dehumanizing situations? In the life of the central character, the author demonstrates that this will demand suffering and sacrifice, heroism and even holiness. Continue reading... 
The Order of Things
James V. Schall, S.J. Father James Schall, the well-known author and professor of philosophy at Georgetown University, inquires about the various orders found in the cosmos, the human mind, the human body, the city, and he seeks to reflect upon the unity of these orders. In a world in which the presence of reason and order are denied--presumably in the name of science--in favor of chance explanations of why things are as they are, it is surprising to find that, in the various realms open to the human intellect, we find a persistent order revealed. At first sight, it may seem that this reality can be explained by chance occurrence, but after a point, there is a growing sense that behind things there is, in fact, an order. This order can be traced in the many areas that are open to the human mind. As Aquinas has noted, the order within the cosmos points to an order outside of it, since the cosmos cannot be the cause of its own internal order. Philosophers have long inquired about the curious fact that the order of things implies not a mere relationship of one thing to another, but a hint that the universe is created with a certain superabundance. Why is the universe, and the things within it, not only ordered but, ordered with a sense of beauty? Continue reading... 
The Judge: William P. Clark, Ronald Reagan's Top Hand
Paul Kengor and Patricia Clark Doerner The most important biographical record of the Reagan years--from the Reagan governorship to the 40th president's period in the White House--has not been written, until now: it is the story of Ronald Reagan's indispensable man, confidant, and single most important adviser: William P. Clark, known to many as simply The Judge. With his record, resume, and the respect he earned from so many quarters, why did Bill Clark never pen an autobiography? Why did he never write memoirs, even while less influential advisers advanced their stories in the 1980s, proclaiming theirs to be the authoritative "insider's account" of the Reagan presidency? And why did Clark not write that story as everyone--from top Reagan officials such as Cap Weinberger to authoritative Reagan biographers such as Lou Cannon--urged him to do so? Bill Clark's reluctance to promote himself stopped him from picking up pen and paper. Instead, at long last, he acquiesced to the writing of this biography. Paul Kengor did the convincing, and Pat Clark Doerner worked with Clark to painstakingly review the manuscript--after Kengor and Doerner together wrote this fascinating account of one man's life, from a ranch house to the White House and then, again, back to the ranch--to what Ronald Reagan called the "sunset of life." Continue reading... 
The Blessing of Christmas
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger This lovely little book, profusely illustrated, is ideal for the Christmas and Advent season with its inspiring, profound, yet popular meditations on the blessings of the season by the current Pope. Taken from his sermons as well as his writings, these beautiful meditations by the acclaimed spiritual teacher, writer and now Pontiff, give his usual fresh insights into the deeper meaning of this most wondrous event, and show the Pope to be a man who knows how to address both the mind and the heart. Includes Silk Ribbon Marker, lavishly illustrated. NEW IGNATIUS PRESS BOOKS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Request a FREE Ignatius Press catalog If you'd like to receive the FREE IgnatiusInsight.com e-letter (about every 1 to 2 weeks), which includes regular updates about IgnatiusInsight.com articles, reviews, excerpts, and author appearances, please click here to sign-up today! |
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