Perhaps no modern-day leader of the Roman Catholic Church has sparked as much controversy as Pope Pius XII, the Bishop of Rome during World War II. Was he a Nazi sympathizer? Or did he vehemently oppose Hitler's regime? The conflicting opinions about Pius XII's wartime performance indicate not only the complexities of the man, the former Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, but also the difficulty in …

The first one-volume history, based on the Vatican archives, of Pope Pius XII and his dealings with the contesting powers and with the Jews during World War II.

Attacks on the priesthood have grown unrelenting in recent years, as incidents of sexual misconduct reveal chronic, deeply-rooted flaws in seminaries, rectories, and chanceries across the country. Keen observers (among them some Catholics) foretell the end of the priesthood — and even perhaps a dissolution of the Church itself. They’re wrong. Christ Himself instituted the …

The Privilege of Being a Woman Alice von Hildebrand Women historically have been denigrated as lower than men or viewed as privileged. Dr. Alice von Hildebrand characterizes the difference between such views as based on whether man's vision is secularistic or steeped in the supernatural. She shows that feminism's attempts to gain equality with men by imitation of men is unnatural, foolish, …

Certainly, historically Dom Gueranger and Pope St. Pius X are truly at the origin of the Liturgical Movement, that is, "the renewal of fervor for the liturgy among the clergy and the faithful."  But it is a false and pernicious claim that there has been a "homogenous development" in the Movement begun by them resulting in the New Order of Mass! The Liturgical Movement is a fast-reading …

  Rev. Edward J. Hayes, Rev. Msgr. Paul J. Hayes, Dorothy Ellen Kelly, R.N., James J. Drummey Is it morally permissible to do everything that is scientifically possible? This is one of the most important questions of the day as advances in medical science and technology have made a reality of things that were only in the realm of science fiction a short time ago. Catholicism and Ethics …

Peter Kreeft The popular author and professor, Peter Kreeft, tackles the most controversial issue of our times in his always unique and compassionate style. He presents approaches to the abortion issue from a logical, psychological and dialogical explanation of the pro-life position. Kreeft hopes that clear reason, rather than force, will help convince people of the truth of abortion and the …

Extensively revised and nearly doubled in length, and also newly enriched with dozens of historical illustrations, this second edition of Cranmer's Godly Order is in effect a new book.  Wth greater documentation and detail than ever, Davies traces the steps by which the ancient Catholic Mass became the Lord's Supper in the Church of England - and shows how those changes were directly …

Would a major American newspaper accept a full-page ad viciously denigrating African Americans, Jews, or another minority?  Of course not. But when the target is the Catholic Church, the rules change.   Anti-Catholicism has been an integral part of American culture from the time the Pilgrims landed at Cape Cod. Even in today's supposedly tolerant climate, vicious stereotypes, …

In The Clash of Orthodoxies: Law, Religion, and Morality in Crisis , Robert George tackles the issues at the heart of the contemporary conflict of worldviews. Challenging liberalism's claim to represent the triumph of reason, George argues that on controversial issues like abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, euthanasia, same-sex unions, civil rights and liberties, and the place of religion …

The Shepherd's Voice Series brings you the current teaching of Bishops and Cardinals on vital topics facing the Catholic Church today. Archbishop Jos é Gomez, renowned expert on death and dying issues, explains what every Catholic needs to know in order to effectively and morally prepare for the inevitable death of our loved ones and even ourselves.  With changing values and modern medical …

This document from Vatican II describes the duties and responsibilities of the laity in their mission within the Church. Sections Include: Introduction I: The Vocation Of The Laity To The Apostolate II: Objectives III: The Various Fields Of The Apostolate IV: The Various Forms Of The Apostolate V: External Relationships VI: Formation For The Apostolate Exhortation Footnotes

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 (Archbishop of Vienna, Austria) responds to his critics by tackling the hard questions with a carefully reasoned "theology of …

In Defense of Marriage - The Foundation of Civilization Matthew Arnold Tim Staples This booklet provides basic arguments against same-sex "marriages" and an overview of the Catholic Church's teaching on the matter. This is a great book to pass out at church or to give to friends that don't understand the issues involved in the debate.

Peter Kreeft Juxtaposing "ecumenism" and "jihad", two words that many would consider strange and at odds with each other, Peter Kreeft argues that we need to change our current categories and alignments. We need to realize that we are at war and that the sides have changed radically: many of our former enemies (e.g. Muslims) are now our friends, and some of our former friends (e.g. humanists) …

Gerhard Ludwig Muller With the apostolic letter of Pope John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church has presented the tradition of conferring Holy Orders on men only as an expression of divine revelation and hence as a doctrine that binds in faith. This makes clear that the Church's practice in this regard cannot be interpreted as a concession to the customs of …

In 1997, eight different Vatican Congregations co-authored this document concerning problems with the bluring of the distinction between the lay faithful and the ordained priesthood, primarily in liturgical matters. Among other things addressed were the use of extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, the preaching of homilies and the proper minister for the sacraments. The document is divided …

In Tiers of Glory: The Organic Development of Catholic Church Architecture Through the Ages by Michael S. Rose A Return to the Beautiful! Great Gift Idea! "One who deserves credit for promoting the new renaissance in sacred architecture as well as the burgeoning Catholic-preservation movement is critic and author Michael S. Rose," wrote Duncan Stroik, the editor of Sacred Architecture, in …

Aime Georges Martimort Since the 17th century the history of deaconesses in the Church has been the subject of numerous monographs. What is most evident about the history of deaconesses, however, is how complex the whole subject is. In this exhaustive and thoroughly researched work, Martimort presents a very readable analysis that has become the standard study of the role of women deaconesses …