Adrienne von Speyr A twentieth-century mystic's meditative reflection on the role of God the Father in eternity and in time. The book brings the reader a greater awareness of the First Person of the Trinity in eternity, and the interaction of the Three Persons. Then the reader is helped to consider the role of the Father in creation and throughout salvation history. Finally we are led to …

Soul of the World:  Notes on the Future of Public Catholicism By George Weigel What is distinctive about the Church in the world? What does the Church ask of the world, and what should the world expect of the Church? Soul of the World is George Weigel's exploration of the rich theological roots of the public witness of the Roman Catholic Church, especially during the pontificate of John …

Hans Urs von Balthasar Theo-Logic is the third and crowning part of the great trilogy of the masterwork of theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, following his first two parts, The Glory of the Lord and Theo-Drama . This is the third volume of Theo-Logic . Theo-Logic is a variation of theology, it being about not so much what man says about God, but what God speaks about himself. Balthasar does …

The Glories of Divine Grace Fr. Matthias J. Scheeben Catholic catechisms all teach that with Baptism we become children of God and heirs of Heaven; that we receive thereby Sanctifying Grace and thus have a share in the life of God Himself. However, after learning this, most Catholics think little more about the nature of Sanctifying Grace, what it means and what it does for us. Far from being …

The Answer To Faustus, A Manichean by Saint Augustine The Answer to Faustus, a Manichean is the most extensive attack on the Manichean religion that the early Church produced. Since Augustine himself had been associated with Manicheanism for nearly a decade before his conversion, his writing displays an insider’s knowledge of Manichean teaching. Written probably at the very end of the fourth …

Part of the acclaimed Ancient Christian Writers Series from Paulist Press. Volume 6.

  “A strikingly beautiful defense of Christ’s solution for the ills of man.”                                Ave Maria Magazine , 1940 Key reviewers three generations ago, before most Catholics had lost their way, highlighted the …

Elisabeth Leseur Edited by Janet K. Ruffing This volume, the first in the highly praised Classics of Western Spirituality series to venture into the 20th century, introduces the writings of Elisabeth Leseur (1800-1914), a French laywoman who left a precious record of a remarkable inner spiritual journey that was all but hidden from those who knew her. Leseur confronted the twin challenges of …

In  Bethlehem, Father Faber charts the spiritual meaning for us of Our Lord's Incarnation, birth, infancy, and early life. Nothing the God-man did or allowed Himself to undergo is without meaning-and the author explores those hidden meanings of the Early Life of Our Lord with a profundity and breadth that one would hardly believe possible. "The Incarnation lies at the bottom of all …

Hans Urs von Balthasar In one of the last books written before his death, the great theologian von Balthasar provides a moving and profound meditation on the theme of spiritual childhood. Somewhat startlingly, von Balthasar puts forth his conviction that the central mystery of Christianity is our transformation from world-wise, self-sufficient ``adults" into abiding children of the Father of …

Hans Urs von Balthasar Von Balthasar presents one of the few serious studies available on the thought of one of the most important, and yet most neglected Fathers of the Church, Gregory of Nyssa. He was the most profound Greek philosopher of the Christian era, a mystic and an incomparable poet whom St. Maximus designated as the "Universal Doctor" and the Second Council of Nicaea declared him …

Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R. Foreward by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Nothing but the truth.  That's what Jesus promised when he told his apostles that after his death the Spirit of Truth would com upon them.  Twenty-one centuries later, we might ask: What happened next?  Did the Spirit descend? Did the Spirit stay?  Is the Spirit with us today? If so, how does the Spirit …

Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English. Copleston, an Oxford Jesuit of immense erudition who once tangled with A.J. Ayer in a fabled debate …

In this exciting new book Thomas Nash refutes the common charge that the Mass is “unbiblical” in a resoundingly biblical fashion. From the Garden of Eden to Christ's Ascension, the biblical roots of the Mass go much deeper than the Last Supper and Christ's Passion. Old Testament sacrifices like Abel’s, Abraham’s and the Passover all prefigure and are fulfilled by Christ's Sacrifice, which is …

"The ultimate of human happiness is to be found in contemplation." In offering this proposition of Thomas Aquinas to our thought, Josef Pieper uses traditional wisdom in order to throw light on present-day reality and present-day psychological problems. What, in fact, does one pursue in pursuing happiness? What, in the consensus of the wisdom of the early Greeks, of Plato and Aristotle, of the …

Come, Creator Spirit Meditations on the Veni Creator Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap.; Denis and Marlene Barrett, Translators Written particularly for the Charismatic Renewal in the English-speaking world, Come, Creator Spirit is a helpful guide for a better understanding of the Holy Spirit. In this detailed commentary on the famous hymn Veni Creator , sung at the beginning of every new year, …

St. John Eudes One of the most prolific ascetical writers of the seventeenth century, St. John Eudes was a reservoir of holy wisdom and fervor.  Perhaps no book of our author better exemplifies his profoundly incarnational dactrine than The Admirable Heart of Mary.  Eudes reveals to his disciples this most pure and maternal of all hearts in its corporal and spiritual pulsations, …

William K. McDohough Foreward by Scott Hahn In this fourth title in the series of contemporary Catholic classics, William K. McDonough offers a popular explanation of the meaning of the Trinity, "the fundamental doctrine of the Catholic faith," and its relation to the body of Christian revelation.  He presents a synthesis of the Catholic faith: the triune life of God; the Person of the …

Sr. Mary Jeremiah, theologian and contemplative Dominican, presents a well-researched and beautifully written summary of the spirituality of St. Catherine of Siena, focusing on her intimate and loving relationship with Jesus and its implications for the spirituality of the Sacred Heart, providing a deeper insight into the mystery of the Sacred Heart under the guidance of one of the great women …

Hans Urs von Balthasar In the twelve months before his sudden death, Hans Urs von Balthasar had been writing a series of reflections on the twelve articles of the Apostles' Creed. These texts, which are undoubtedly among the last things he wrote, take on the character of a legacy, a spiritual testament. For they amount in their extraordinary compactness and depth to a little "summa" of his …

John Hardon, S.J. What is Grace? Among the mysteries of Catholicism, none is more practically important than the doctrine of grace. It is at the very heart of Christianity because it describes the panorama of God's dealings with mankind. However the doctrine of grace is not simple, as may be seen from the sequence of errors in the understanding of grace seen along the path of the Church's …

A survey of the principal themes of patristic writing, touching on the major Greek and Latin Fathers of the Church.  

The mixed results of the ecumenical dialogue since the Second Vatican Council have made it clear that the primacy of the Bishop of Rome remains the single most serious obstacle on the path of ecumenism. In his landmark 1995 encyclical Ut unum sint, Pope John Paul II reiterated the constant teaching that the Catholic Church “has preserved the ministry of the Successor of the Apostle Peter, the …

John F. Kippley The thesis of this book is that God intends that sexual intercourse should be at least implicitly a renewal of the marriage covenant. From this it follows that the marriage covenant provides the criterion to evaluate the morality of every sexual act. Thus the title, Sex and the Marriage Covenant , is an appropriate description of the book’s contents. Marriage comes into being …

The Gift of God: The Holy Spirit Fr. Andrew Apostoli During the past two decades more references to the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God have probably been made than were made in the last several centuries. The Second Vatican Council stirred a new interest in the identity and the activity of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity and opened up whole new avenues of study into the scriptural …

One thing in this world is different from all other. It has a personality and a force. It is recognized and (when recognized) most violently loved or hated. It is the Catholic Church. Within that household the human spirit has roof and hearth. Outside it, is the night." This statement from "A Letter to Dean Inge" encapsules the spirit of Essays of A Catholic by the great Catholic historian and …

Ways Of God For Meditation And Prayer Attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas Improve your own spiritual life by carrying this pocket edition of his meditations where ever you go. In them, St. Thomas recalls Christ’s words, “Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” and shows you how to fulfill His command in the midst of your everyday duties. Read and meditate on a few …

Aeterni Patris: Restoring Christian Philosophy. An exhortation by Pope St. Leo XIII on the reasons for Christian philosophy, primarily Thomism, and the problems that have resulted because of its neglect.

Summa Theologiae A Concise Translation "The teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas is presented in continuously flowing paragraphs with appropriate chapter headings, much more like the style of modern philosophers since Descartes. ...The real meat of St. Thomas Aquinas has been captured here with remarkable good judgment, and it is in fact a fresh and stimulating experience to read Aquinas' …

I Am With You Always Michael Davies New revised and expanded edition of the original 1986 issue. Beautifully explains beyond question the doctrine of the Church's indefectibility—especially in regards to the rite of Mass found in the 1970 Roman Missal. The author explains the sometimes difficult meaning of Christ's words "He that heareth you heareth Me" as it pertains to His …

Edited by Josef Pieper Near the end of a long career as one of the most widely read popular Thomistic philosophers of the twentieth century, Josef Pieper has himself compiled an anthology from all his works. He has selected the best and most representative passages and arranged them in an order that gives sense to the whole and aids in the understanding of each excerpt. Pieper's reputation …

Henri de Lubac This is a masterpiece written by one of the 20th century's greatest theologians.  The book's influence has been vast and profound.  In many ways it laid the foundation for the Second Vatican Council and the book remains a powerful corrective to misunderstandings of Catholicism that have been erroneously presented as flowing from the council.  Drawing on the Bible, …

RIGHT AND REASON is probably the greatest and most successful Ethics book written to date. Widely used in Catholic colleges, it is undoubtedly the clearest and easiest-to-read Ethics text ever published. The author says that no book can take the place of a professor in the classroom, but this one virtually does-and Fr. Fagothey says he wrote it that way. Though issued in 1959, it remains …

Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English. Copleston, an Oxford Jesuit of immense erudition who once tangled with A.J. Ayer in a fabled debate …

The last two decades or so have seen a marked resurgence of interest in natural law thought. Russell Hittinger has been a major figure in this movement. The First Grace: Rediscovering the Natural Law in a Post-Christian World reveals the power and subtlety of Hittinger's philosophical work and cultural criticism. Hittinger first defines the natural law, considers its relationship to the …

Clear, practical guidelines that show how all of us can participate in interreligious dialogue without compromising our own faith or attacking the faith of others.

In today’s culture of scientific enlightenment, many consider belief in demonic possession and exorcism to be superstitious remnants of the Dark Ages. Even many Christians, contrary to the clear words of Jesus in the Gospel, scoff at the notion that the Devil and demons really exist. Is demonic possession real? Are believers really in any danger from Satan and his crafty minions? What is the …

The Holy Innocents are revered as martyrs; but those Crusaders who gave their lives with most sincere desire to restore the right of pilgrims in the Holy Land are not martyrs.  Why?   In this small treatise originally presented at a conference in 1928 on the English Martyrs, Fr. Knox explains the criteria for Christian martyrdom with clarity and with examples.  He traces for us …

Arianism and Other Heresies by Saint Augustine This volume contains six works of Augustine of Hippo, all dealing with the general topic of heresy, along with two works by other authors to which Augustine is replying. The Works of Saint Augustine - the new series from New City Press, in conjunction with the Augustine Heritage Institute, will provide the complete works of Saint Augustine for the …

Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. Healing the Culture presents the most comprehensive philosophy of the pro-life movement in print today. This book changes the discussion on abortion and euthanasia by linking these issues with the philosophical underpinnings of our culture and the principles and values through which we live. More than an explanation of the life issues, this book presents a course …

Mary, Mirror of the Church Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap.; Frances Lonergan Villa, Translator Mary is a great gift and example to all Christians because in her God's Word was written and by her it was accepted and its grace manifested. In this she is, as the title indicates, a mirror of the Church, the people of God. She reflects what we are called to be. While this work cannot help but …

St. Clement's epistle, written c. 96, is called the first epistle, and is a model of a pastoral letter. The epistles of St. Ignatius, Bishop of Smyrna at the beginning of the second century, are addressed to six Christian communities. 

The human need for friendship is raised to the supernatural level in Robert Hugh Benson's timeless illustration of the greatest friendship anyone could ever possess. In The Friendship of Christ , first published in 1912, the Catholic convert son of an Archbishop of Canterbury shows how anyone can achieve a deeper relationship with God the Son. The book shows how Christ works in the soul of …

Hans Urs von Balthasar All von Balthasar's theological reflection converges here, and here as nowhere else one can find the systematic elaboration of his Christology, Mariology, Ecclesiology, Anthropology and Trinitarian doctrine.

With the original preface by Hilaire Belloc Flee To The Fields is a collection of essays by the leaders of the Catholic Land Movement which flourished in England and Scotland during the quarter century just prior to the Second World War. It was and remains: a challenge to all those attempting a Faustian bargain with modern, industrial "civilization"; an inspiration for those seeking the vision …

Understanding The Trinity Fr. John P. Arendzen Although many religions acknowledge the oneness of God and recognize the good things He does for us, Christians alone have been admitted to sacred intimacy with Him. God has spoken to us about Himself as only a friend dares speak to a friend, telling us about His own inner life. In loving kindness and tender condescension, God has through the …

Von Balthasar sets forth and explains the Scriptural evidence for our ability to know the Lord and for His knowledge of us.

Conceived originally as a serious presentation of  the development of philosophy for Catholic  seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume   A History Of Philosophy has  journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to  universal acclaim as the best history of  philosophy in English. Copleston, an Oxford …

Probably written in 406-408, this dialogue between an unidentified bishop and Theodore, a deacon of the Church of Rome, has as its aim to point out Chrysostom as a model of what a true Christian bishop should be. 

This is a study of seven of the American Founding Fathers - an examination of their attitudes, values and philosophies, all from the Roman Catholic point of view.  No American who would underestand his heritage can afford to miss what D'Elia gleans from the diaries, letters, books, and lives of Benjamin Rush, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Hamilton and Charles Carroll - the only …

Henri Cardinal de Lubac De Lubac shows that Christian Tradition is a living force and in the Apostle's Creed there is both depth and relevance for today's understanding of the Christian message.

This work, which establishes Irenaeus as the most important of the theologians of the second century, is a detailed and effective refutation of Gnosticism, and a major source of information on the various Gnostic sects and doctrines.