In 1941, a brilliant, good-looking young man decided to give up a promising literary career in New York to enter a monastery in Kentucky, from where he proceeded to become one of the most influential writers of this century.

Thomas Merton’s first book, The Seven Storey Mountain, describes his early doubts, his conversion to a Catholic faith of extreme certainty, and his decision to take life vows as a Trappist. Although his conversionary piety sometimes falls into sticky-sweet abstractions, Merton’s autobiographical reflections are mostly wise, humble, and concrete. The best reason to read The Seven Storey Mountain, however, may be the one Merton provided in his introduction to its Japanese translation: “I seek to speak to you, in some way, as your own self. Who can tell what this may mean? I myself do not know, but if you listen, things will be said that are perhaps not written in this book. And this will be due not to me but to the One who lives and speaks in both.”

In the half-century since its original publication, this timeless spiritual tome has been published in over twenty languages and has touched millions of lives.This 50th anniversary edition contains an introduction by Merton’s editor, Robert Giroux, and a note to the reader by biographer William H. Shannon.

This is a story of a soul who is searching for God. Like many of us, his journey took him past the world into silence, the silence of God.

In The Catholic Church and Science Answering the Questions Exposing the Myths author Ben Wiker The Darwin Myth A Meaningful World takes on the most common errors that modern materialistic thinkers convinced that faith and science must be mortal enemies have foisted into popular culture.
With great learning clarity and wit he tackles stubborn confusions many people have about the relationship between Christianity especially Catholicism and the empirical sciences and separates truth from lies the factual from the fanciful.

Weren t the Middle Ages dark for science Didn t the pope say Darwin was right From the Big Bang to Galileo from the origins of life on Earth to the existence of life on other planets The Catholic Church and Science clears away the fog of falsehood and misunderstanding to reveal a faith whose doctrines do not contradict the facts of science but harmonize with them and a universe whose uncanny order and precision point not to chance assemblage by random forces but to the purpose built design of an intelligent creator.

I cannot believe my eyes when I saw this book written by a Jesuit brother who makes bread !! So I ordered some copies to see how and where this would bring the book to. I am sure some folks in St Mary, 5 loaves would be keen to get a copy. Perhaps even parishioners from St Ignatius may want it too.

In the tradition of The Tassajara Bread Book Brother Curry combines 80 mouth watering recipes for bread gathered from Jesuit brothers around the world with his spiritual insights on meditation through bread baking.

For Christians Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God who died for the sins of the world and who rose from the dead in triumph over sin and death. For non Christians he is almost anything else myth a political revolutionary a prophet whose teaching was misunderstood or distorted by his followers.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and no myth revolutionary or misunderstood prophet insists Benedict XVI. He thinks that the best of historical scholarship while it can’t “prove” Jesus is the Son of God certainly doesn’t disprove it. Indeed Benedict maintains that the evidence fairly considered brings us face to face with the challenge of Jesus a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception.

Benedict XVI presents this challenge in his new book Jesus of Nazareth Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection the sequel volume to Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration.

Why was Jesus rejected by the religious leaders of his day Who was responsible for his death Did he establish a Church to carry on his work How did Jesus view his suffering and death How should we And most importantly did Jesus really rise from the dead and what does his resurrection mean The story of Jesus raises these and other crucial questions.

Benedict brings to his study the vast learning of a brilliant scholar the passionate searching of a great mind and the deep compassion of a pastor’s heart. In the end he dares readers to grapple with the meaning of Jesus’ life teaching death and resurrection. Jesus of Nazareth Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection challenges both believers and unbelievers to decide who Jesus of Nazareth is and what he means for them.

Children love this book .. we have sold many copies of this @ St Mary and St Teresa Church.

Who are the saints, why are they important, and what can today’s children learn from them? In Loyola Kids Book of Saints, the first book in the Loyola Kids series, author Amy Welborn answers these questions with exciting and inspiring stories, real-life applications, and important information about these heroes of the church. This delightful collection of saints’ lives, written in a storybook style for children eight to twelve, explains how saints becomes saints, why we honor them, and how they help us even today.

Divided thematically, the book features more than sixty saints from all over the world and from all across time, including our newest saints, such as St. Katharine Drexel; popular saints, such as St. Anthony of Padua; and Blesseds, such as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Each story tells about a saint and encourages readers to consider how they might apply what they learn from the story to their everyday lives.

Meditation on death, though it seems depressing to many, is essential for our Salvation! Death is the one journey every man must go through alone. It is the one thing that sobers us all and can set us on a more resolute path to Holiness. But this path only begins after facing the reality of death, for to avoid it only increases our fear. In this popular abridgment of his monumental Preparation for Death, St Alphonsus teaches us the proper attitude toward death, which is one of readiness, of always having our debts cleared. Each chapter is a short consideration with three points, easily understood by laity in all states of life. Each point is followed by meditations and prayers for perseverance in our efforts to lead good lives. To aid busy priests in their sermons, St Alphonsus purposely included texts from Scripture and passages from the Holy Fathers, personally selected by the Saint himself to touch the heart of every reader and listener. St Alphonsus shows us how death is, on the natural level, a great sorrow but, on the supernatural level, a great gift. Understanding it as a gift and implementing this knowledge in our lives is the lesson of each powerful meditation. This book is a wonderful way to enhance your Lenten devotions and gain a more profound gratitude for Christ’s victory over Death and Hell through His crucifixion and Resurrection!

Developing a friendship with God may be the starting point for the spiritual journey, but how can that important internal relationship move us to make an impact on and even transform the world around us? In Changed Heart, Changed World, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, delves into such topics as how friendship with God impacts our role in society, how to see forgiveness as a way of life, and how compassion can make its mark on the world. Throughout the book, Fr. Barry provides many practical ways to integrate the inner life, where we experience a relationship with God, with the outer life, where we live in relationship with our world. Above all else, Changed Heart, Changed World reminds us that God has a dream for his creation here and now a dream that can only be realized by our becoming other Christs in this world.

Like no other form of prayer, writing makes visible the invisible. Authors Eddie Ensley and Robert Herrmann have based their book, a guided journal with the specific goal of emotional and spiritual healing, on this idea. Once we are able to discern our inner world in a concrete way, we can take our pain and troubles to the God who heals and mends. Writing makes our problems tangible—and thus easier to hand over to God.

Designed to be a journey of personal transformation, this interactive journal employs the time-tested practice of spiritual journaling to bring the reader to personal healing. By offering prayers, journaling exercises, personal stories, guided imagery, and space for writing, Ensley and Herrmann endeavor to introduce the reader to proven journaling techniques.