Bøger udgivet af Sophia Institute Press

"Do we believe that Jesus can heal us and bring us back from the dead?"Pope Francis Healing, in a word, is resurrection. "He forgives all your inequities, He heals all your diseases, He redeems your life from the pit, He crowns you with steadfast love and mercy" (Ps 103:3-4). Here retreat master, Ignatian trained spiritual director and author Kathleen Beckman offers a guide for a personal or group healing retreat based on Divine Mercy in Scripture and in the lives of the Saints. Beckman skillfully helps us to see how the "rays of divine mercy" heal families, marriages, the sick, poor, suffering, friends, enemies, laity, clergy, our vocations, doubters, believers, those with diabolical suffering, sinners, saints, the unborn, the elderly, children, the Church and the whole world. Each chapter concludes with a "profile in mercy" a reflection on a saint who was a vessel of mercy including Blessed Mother Teresa, St. John Paul II, Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyen, Venerable Conchita Cabrera, St. Maria Goretti, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Gianna Molla, St. Faustina, St. Peter and the Virgin Mary. Also contained in this book are scriptural spiritual exercises for healing: From unforgiveness to forgiveness From fear to trust From anxiety to peace From shame to mercy From pride to humility From powerlessness to prayer From sin-sickness to the Eucharist From spiritual weakness to the Beatitudes From worldliness to works of mercy From spiritual warfare to Christ's victory Healing the culture through works of mercy Believers long and desperately need to encounter the living, joyful, truthful majestic face of the Father of Mercyhealer and lover of humanity. These pages lead to a healing encounter.

Research shows again and again that when families openly live and share their faith together, their marriages are stronger, children and parents get along better, and children are less likely to succumb to drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, or negative peer pressure. In this book, experienced psychotherapists Greg and Lisa Popcak show how you can transform your family into a joyful place where each member experiences life as a gift from God. From tapping into the rich beauty of Catholic traditions to mustering the motivation needed to deepen your spiritual life, you discover the practical, positive, and tangible difference our faith can make in your family life. You'll also learn . . . -The five marks of a Catholic family. Are you missing the most important? -How to keep rituals fresh and alive rather than boring and routine. -The four characteristics of teaching your children to have the heart of a disciple. -The one thing children need to catch their faith on fire. -How to shepherd your kids through the seven stages of faith. -Six steps to helping kids develop individual prayer time -How to discern your family's charism - and what to do with it. -How to foster your children's sense of mission.

When Ronda Chervin's son, Charles, ended his own life, he did so believing that it is pointless to endure inevitable suffering. In the wake of Charles's death, Dr. Chervin set out to discover some of the most basic but all too often misunderstood answers to why God allows us to suffer, and how we can bear it with perseverance and hope. She shares her discoveries in these pages, helping you understand that while there is no escape from pain, pain itself is the road into the heart of Christ where peace can be found. You'll be given encouragement and practical advice as you explore afflictions such as failure, fear, frustration, loneliness, loss, marital problems, physical pain, fatigue, and temptation. Dr. Chervin explains each affliction in detail and offers reflections on the lives of saints who suffered from the very same cross. Throughout each chapter you're given practical suggestions on how you can meet Christ in your particular pain. You'll draw wisdom from the lives and writings of saints who were addicted, depressed, exhausted, raped, and unhappily married. And among these saints, you'll discover within their responses a pattern that you can ponder and imitate. "Avoiding Bitterness in Suffering" will bring courage and hope that in Christ and in communion with his saints, you can and will triumph over every kind of adversity. You'll also learn: How you can overcome the pain associated with loneliness and isolation Five ways to overcome doubts about the Faith Four steps to liberation from the suffering of indecision Five ways to meet Christ in the suffering of exploitation What St. Benedict teaches us about failure and how it changed the world How to cope with failure and poverty Five ways you can transform fear into trust in Christ How you can turn frustrations and anger into a Christian spirit

Learn St. Francis de Sales's technique of daily prayer and grace-filled awareness that will transform your life- no matter how busy your lifestyle.

"The future of humanity passes by way of the family." St. John Paul II's Letter to Families remains one of the most insightful and encouraging resources for parents and spouses. As the Holy Father says in the opening lines of his letter, he is knocking "at the door of your home, eager to greet you with deep affection and to spend time with you." In this new study edition you have an incomparable guide to rediscovering the beauty of marriage and parenthood. You'll also come to a deeper sense of your role in the family, and you'll be better prepared to respond to the countless challenges that families experience in today's secular culture. The Holy Father's heroic defense of the family gives us not only hope and courage, but also wonderful tools and advice that will lead to Christ's triumph in our "domestic church."

Many claim that Catholic Social Teaching implies the existence of a vast welfare state. In these pages, Anthony Esolen pulls back the curtain on these false philosophers, showing how they've undermined the authentic social teachings of the Church in order to neutralize the biggest threat to their plans for secularization the Catholic Church. With the voluminous writings of Pope Leo XIII as his guide, Esolen explains that Catholic Social Teaching isn't focused exclusively on serving the poor. Indeed, it offers us a rich treasure of insights about the nature of man, his eternal destiny, the sanctity of marriage, and the important role of the family in building a coherent and harmonious society. Catholic Social Teaching, explains Pope Leo, offers a unified worldview. What the Church says about the family is inextricable from what She says about the poor; and what She says about the Eucharist informs the essence of Her teachings on education, the arts and even government. You will step away from these pages with a profound understanding of the root causes of the ills that afflict our society, and thanks to Pope Leo and Anthony Esolen well equipped to propose compelling remedies for them. Only an authentically Catholic culture provides for a stable and virtuous society that allows Christians to do the real work that can unite rich and poor. We must reclaim Catholic Social Teaching if we are to transform our society into the ideal mapped out by Pope Leo: a land of sinners, yes, but one enriched with love of God and neighbor and sustained by the very heart of the Church's social teaching: the most holy Eucharist.

Strength in Simplicity This classic book shows you how to grow closer to God in the things you already do every day, without burdening you with numerous devotions or complicated methods. Author Emmanuel de Gibergues explores the virtue of simplicity that is, having the single intention of pleasing God in all that you do. You'll come to recognize the signs of true simplicity, and find out how to practice simplicity toward God and in your life's activities. Even better, you'll find the secrets of practicing simplicity within yourself a deceptively difficult spiritual discipline that de Gibergues makes easy in these pages. As this book helps you bring the calming and transforming virtue of simplicity into every part of your life, you'll become better able to direct all things to God and learn new ways to be attentive to His presence in your life. Don't rush through life without the saving message of these pages! Strength in Simplicity reveals to you: True simplicity: how it isn't willful ignorance or simple-mindedness How to set your life on a sure course to God Two advantages of simplicity: what you'll gain by clearing your life of complications How to eliminate anxiety, trouble, and discouragement from your soul How simplicity can make you generous, courageous, and more loving Four signs that you really are keeping it simple: are they in your soul now? Failure: your attitude toward it may be crippling your spiritual life. Find out how The most dreaded enemy of your soul's progress: is it keeping you from deepening your happiness and love for God? Two indispensable qualities for beginners in the spiritual life: do you have them? Suffering: how simplicity helps you through the worst of it And much more to help you simplify your life and come closer to God!

Pope St. Pius X said that "in just one year, a man can derive more profit from the works of St. Thomas Aquinas than from a lifetime studying the works of others." If you don't have a year to study the more than 3,000+ pages St. Thomas wrote, then turn to The One-Minute Aquinas, the fast-paced book that provides busy readers with simple, readable explanations of the truths that, for 750 years now, have caused the works of St. Thomas to be sought out by kings and popes, scholars and saints, as well as by ordinary souls like you hungry to know God and to love him more and more. In this book's lucid pages, author Kevin Vost gives you mall, digestible portions of St. Thomas's life-giving wisdom that you can enjoy one minute at a time. Tables and graphics will help you grasp and remember St. Thomas's key ideas with a minimum of time and effort. Best of all, in The One-Minute Aquinas you'll find quick, sure refutations of the countless relativistic, secular, and pseudoscientific ideas that are so influential in our culture today and so shallow, contradictory, and wrong! Pope John Paul II declared that "The Church has been justified in consistently proposing St. Thomas as a master of thought and a model of the right way to do theology." Now The One-Minute Aquinas enables even those with limited time and only a modest education to benefit from the wisdom of this great saint. Here, with minimal effort and among scores of other things, you'll finally come to know and understand: Why God permits evil, Why He created t he universe, His power and (yes!) its limits. Why Jesus let Himself be tempted. How you can grow quickly in virtue. The natural law and the Commandments. The causes of lust (and how to remedy it). Aquinas's five simple proofs that God exists Grace: did you know there are six kinds? Temperance (and what it does not forbid) Fortitude, and the virtues that strengthen it Mary: can she really be the Mother of God? And more!

With simplicity and holy wisdom, authors David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler show you how to bring peace, calm, and the true joy of Mother Church to your home.

Behind the lurid headlines: why the Church in America declined. Forty years ago, three powerful forces capsized the Catholic Church in America. These pages detail those forces, and map the path that you and I - and our priests and bishops - must walk if we are to make the Church in America vigorous again.

For every half-dozen heroes antiquity could muster, Christendom produced thousands; and often from the strangest holes and corners. Instead of drying up the spirit of adventure, the Fire of Pentecost kindled it anew and made it burn with an unquenchable flame. The Master's parting instructions to His followers resulted in a host of enterprises quite as daring as any to be found in Homer. Some of these are brought vividly to life in these stories about courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. Although written primarily for youthful readers, they are sure to interest all those to whom the achievements of their fellow Christians are a matter of pride and encouragement.

Mother Angelica, celebrated Foundress of EWTN Global Catholic Network, brings clarity to the enigma of eternal life with God and pours light upon the greatest mystery of all - Heaven itself - in these insightful pages.

A humble prayer calls down fire from above, and as we learn to live a life rooted in prayer, this heavenly fire grows into a profound awareness of the presence of God. This is the deepest purpose of prayer, and making this journey is essential for reaching the heights of holiness for which we were made. In "Fire From Above," Dr. Anthony Lilles, Academic Dean at St. John's Seminary in California, shows you how to put your whole life in conversation with the Risen Lord within the Catholic tradition of spirituality. The wisdom of great saints and mystics will help you discover how to surrender your pride and appeal to God with humble trust, and how prayer addresses your deepest human needs. Dr. Lilles then shows you how the mystery of prayer unfolds, and how God provides heroic levels of courage and deep internal resolve through humble and persevering devotion. You'll examine how spiritual battles and dryness in prayer are essential to reaching communion with God, including the dark night of the soul. In these remarkable pages, you'll also explore: Why finding time to pray is always possible and necessary even when life is busy How the proper use of sacramentals can render the heart more vulnerable to God's saving power while protecting it from evil. Practical ways to confront self-deception and other challenges to contemplative prayer. How forgiveness and bearing hardships are means for spiritual maturity The indispensible role of Our Lady in the life of faith Read these pages, and you'll soon embark on the epic adventure which is the life of prayer, and you'll find encouragement to desire neither the goods nor the experiences of this world, but instead to pursue alone the Lord and His divine plan for your life.

By means of his many books and thousands of radio addresses, lectures, television shows, and newspaper columns, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen reached millions of souls with the clear, consoling teachings of Christ. From that vast body of work, Catholic evangelist Al Smith has here gathered many of Sheen's finest writings, focusing on six major themes presented in classical Sheen style, both deep and succinct: the Our Father, the Mass, the Holy Hour, Thoughts for Meditation, the Stations of the Cross, and Prayers of Meditation and Petition. Together, these readings constitute a journey of prayer, a mini retreat that carries you through the central events in Christ's life: His Passion, His Death, His Resurrection, His sending of the Holy Spirit, and His coming again in glory. As they have done for so many thousands of others, so Archbishop Sheen's wise words will do for you: they will bring you to know Christ better and to love Him more.

Daily meditation keeps your faith lively, supple, and relevant. It irrigates the soil of your soul, making your life more fruitful and continually opening up new vistas along the path to spiritual maturity. Now, Father John Bartunek, author of Inside the Passion, has created an extensive Christ-centered resource to serve as a daily meditation companion. The Better Part is meant to be a catalyst to personalize your times of prayer and meditation, enabling you to follow the Holy Spirit's lead more readily. The first section of The Better Part offers a detailed and practical guide to Christian meditation. The second and larger section is divided into units. Each unit consists of five parts: a passage from the Gospels and a four-part commentary based on the same four themes throughout the book: Christ the Lord, Christ the Teacher, Christ the Friend, and Christ in My Life. All four Gospels are contained and commented upon in their entirety. This structure is substantive, meditative, and flexible. Truly, this is a book for a lifetime!

In this exceptionally authoritative and insightful book, Fr. C. C. Martindale elucidates the historical and theological interpretations of the Apocalypse from Roman times to the present.

A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery sweeps readers through the various liturgical celebrations of Lent, the Paschal Triduum, and the Easter Season, unveiling the rich spiritual treasures contained in each. Based principally on the solemn texts themselves and on the writings of the Fathers of the Church, it clarifies the meaning and purpose of each celebration and suggests practical ways for participants to pray these observances more fruitfully.Entering the celebrations from Ash Wednesday through Lent and the Easter Triduum with the holy insights contained here allows the faithful more effectively to engage Christ Himself, who meets us in these divine ceremonies.A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery shows readers how prayerful participation in the Paschal Mystery brings life, joy, and holiness. It's a powerful aid for every Christian who seeks to make Lent and Easter a truly life-changing experience.

Lovingly illustrated by celebrated artist Frank Fraser, Thomas D. Williams's magnificent poem First Christmas tells of the monumental event that Christians have celebrated for more than two thousand years: the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. Replete with glorious angels, joyful shepherds, indifferent townspeople, humble kings, delightful donkeys, cattle, sheep, and, of course, Joseph, Mary, and the adorable baby Jesus, these sublime pages leave Santa Claus behind and bring to vivid life the tender, moving, true story of Christmas. If you love the classic poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas," you'll treasure First Christmas and place it at the center of your family's annual Christmas celebrations.