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Customer Reviews (5)

Why can't they just stay in their pews?
VOTF has the "radical" idea that the Church will benefit if the laity has a place at the institutional table.
How dare they?
We former "pray, pay, and obey" Catholics now realize our silence gave consent to the abuses, sexual and otherwise.

The Documents of Vatican II is now nightly reading.... wow, talk about "radical".

Blessed John XXIII, Pray for us

At best a misleading title, more likely a knowing lie
This book is by the founders of an organization known as Voice Of The Faithful. Ostensibly, this was an organization founded to stand with the victims of sex abuse. As a member of the laity I can support this goal wholeheartedly, and without reservation.

However, I work with, and attend graduate school with, members of VOTF and I can tell you that this organization has nothing to do with its stated goal. In practice, VOTF members are out to excommunicate people like me (and ALL orthodox Catholics if they can)from the Body of Christ. Do you believe birth control is immoral? If you do then you stand on the rock of biblical teaching and 2000 years of revealed truth. If you do, then VOTF wants you silenced. Do you believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. If you do you stand on the rock of biblical teaching and 2000 years of revealed truth. If you do, the VOTF wants you silenced. Do you believe that we must confess our mortal sins in the sacrament of penance before receiving our lord in the Holy Eucharist? Do you believe that the Catholic church is one holy and apostolic? If so, the members of the VOTF will slander you, throw rocks at you, and call you vicious names. They will NOT treat you with dignity or listen respectfully. They will pursue their anti-Catholic agenda with reckless disregard for the consequences.

These people are not out to "keep the faith," thus the title of this book is little more than a lie. They are out to persecute orthodox Catholics, and deny us our voice, and our church, by any means necessary. This book is simply a cover-up for their agenda.

Long Overdue Critique
For too long a time have the faithful been silent, bowing to the ever-present dictum "pray, pay and obey". A revolution has begun and it is being conducted by all segments of the Church - laity, clerical and hierarchy. Dr Jim Muller, president of the Voice of the Faithful (of which my wife and I are members), is leading this revolution.
I have just finished reading, for the second time, "Keep the Faith, Change the Church" and warmly recommend it to all who would follow Jesus - who said "Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Beware of VOTF
VOTF is an organization based on deception. They do not represent "the faithful" but only those Catholics with a left wing agenda and that have been around for years (Call to Action, etc)reconsituted under a new and more appealing title for those who are not aware. The membership numbers that they claim is only a list of email addresses that they collect from thier web-site and not true members. They are using the abuse crisis as rocket fuel to forward an agenda that is mostly against Catholic teaching and tradition. I suggest that you go to the VOTF website and see what Muller's "vision" of the church really is verses what he claims it is in public and your eyes willbe opened wide. I am sure the content of this vision is not included in the book because he doesn't want the public to know this right away.

A primer for grassroots movements -- very thought provoking
Dr. Muller has written a very readable and thought provoking book -- relevant and interesting even to non-Catholics like myself.
VOTF is fascinating as a cultural phenomenon...how a grassroots organization can grow to 16,000 members and hold a national convention after a few months.I saw parallels with MoveOn.org, which was similarly founded after a catalytic event (in that case the Clinton impeachment trial) but has grown far beyond that to become a fundamental force for change in the lackluster Democratic party, evidenced by the Dean surge.

If you are thinking about creating a grassroots organization, this is a terrific book to read.The most compelling parts of the book deal with the group's internal struggles: avoiding being pigeonholed by the Church as a radical group by not taking positions on marginal issues such as the resignation of Cardinal Law or women in the priesthood.

An impressive effort -- Highly recommended. ... Read more

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The impact of the industrial revolution on the social structures of industrialized nations posed a difficult challenge to the Catholic Church and its Popes. In the struggle for human and economic status, should the Church side with the new working class or with capitalist barons who, along with the old aristocracy, identified themselves as upholders of Christian civilization? In this history of papal social teaching, Joe Holland tells how the popes at first backed the status quo. Then, with the accession of Pope Leo XIII in 1878, a seismic shift took place. Leo's encyclical Rerum novarum was the first authoritative Church voice to declare that laboring people have rights--the right to fair wages, to decent living conditions, the right to organize labor unions and even to strike. Henceforth the notion of civilization, at least for the Church, would be grounded in the lives and aspirations of working people.

Modern Catholic Social Teaching traces this historic shift as itplayed out in the writings of Leo and the popes who followed him: PiusX, Benedict XV, Pius XI, and Pius XII. These popes supported Leo'sencyclical and even elaborated it as European history experienced theemergence of modernism, industrial warfare, economic dictatorship, andstate totalitarianism. By identifying with the working masses, theCatholic Church sought to counterbalance secular socialism which, wellinto the 20th century, offered itself as an alternative basis forWestern civilization. The ways in which the Church succeeded, andfailed, is the stuff of this book. ... Read more

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TThe Polish National Catholic Church is an independent splinter church that severed its ties to the Roman Catholic Church in 1904 after adopting its own laws and regulations. This volume contains the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Supreme Council of the Polish National Catholic Church for the years 1904 to 1969, both in Polish and in English translation, offering readers considerable insight into the development of the PNCC in America and Poland in the first two-thirds of the century.

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Examine the reactions of leading clergy to the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal!

Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church is an eye-opening collection of Catholic and non-Catholic perspectives, statements, and responses regarding Catholic clergy sexual abuse from a public symposium entitled "Trusting the Clergy?" This book includes the viewpoints of some of today’s most influential members of the Catholic Church, such as Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, Bishop Howard Hubbard, and Father Donald B. Cozzens. It will bring you up to date on the ways in which the American Catholic bishops have dealt, or are attempting to deal, with the sexual abuse scandal.

In Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church, Archbishop Harry J. Flynn offers a bishop’s perspective on the sexual abuse crisis and describes how the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) has responded to issues of clergy sexual abuse since the 1980s. Fr. Donald B. Cozzens summarizes what has been learned from the clergy abuse crisis, and then moves to the systemic issues that need to be addressed—not just personal relationships but issues of structure and meaning. This book also includes viewpoints about the Catholic Church from renowned scholars and non-Catholic church leaders, including Michael J. Bland and Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune.

This book offers presentations on:

the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People created by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB)
the need for the Catholic hierarchy to convert from "an institutional protection agenda" to "a justice-making agenda"
understanding the abusers’ modes of operation and motivations
identifying future potential sexual abusers attempting to enter the priesthood
including the sexual abuse of adults as well as children as future agenda issues
the data the Church compiles on the numbers of perpetrators, victims, and costs associated with the scandal
determining whom to believe when there are conflicting stories
the impact of the clergy sexual abuse crisis on Latino and African-American communities

Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church provides a historical marker for the state of the church’s discussion one year after the Boston Archdiocese was faced with intense media scrutiny resulting in the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law. This book is a unique collection of credible, diverse voices engaged in public discussion of a difficult social problem facing the church. Use it to formulate your own opinion on how the Catholic community is responding to the sexual abuse scandal. ... Read more

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Each day offers a reading to give readers something to reflect on. Some will make them laugh; others will be poignant and sharp. Some will be based on the special Feast Days and Saints' Days, taking readers through the Christian calendar. ... Read more

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The Roman Catholic faith has inspired some of the world's greatest creative works and has been a powerful force in history from the Roman Empire to the present. Catholic writers reflect their heritage in their works, and generations of readers have continued to appreciate the Catholic literary tradition. Many works by Catholic writers hold a high place in the literary canon and have exerted a tremendous cultural and political influence. Still others continue to be widely read by contemporary readers and quietly shape modern society. Some works, too, reflect the conflicts of the Catholic Church in the 21st century and capture the struggles of individual Catholics in a secular society. This encyclopedia covers the vast riches of the Catholic literary tradition from its origins to the present day.

Included are substantial entries on more than 70 major works from around the world. A special effort has been made to cover women writers and writers of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, whose works reflect the many dimensions of the Catholic experience. The encyclopedia provides entries on such writers and works as St. Augustine's Confessions, Catherine of Siena's Dialogue, Dante's The Divine Comedy, Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and Muriel Spark's Memento Mori. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and includes a biography of the writer, a plot summary of a major work, an extended critical discussion, an overview of the work's critical reception, and a selected bibliography. The entries give detailed attention to particular works and explore their relation to Catholic thought. The encyclopedia concludes with a selected, general bibliography.

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A strange title veils what is probably Hilaire Belloc's most important book. For here this great Catholic historian analyzes for us-in sort of a culminating statement-what is the position of the Catholic Church in the world today, particularly as seen vis-a-vis her enemies. It is the Church's enemies, he maintains, and the nature of their attacks upon her, that reveal what exactly is her place and influence upon the world at any given point of history-and what are her opportunities for success. The enemies of the Church, he says, always consist of three sorts: The Survivals, or those enemies whose major attacks are on the wane, though still surviving; the Main Opposition, whose attacks are presently at their peak; and the New Arrivals, or those enemies of the Church that are just coming into the battle, whose attacks against the Church are just beginning or are only in the bud. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not what you may expect...
Belloc's 1929 survey of "old" and "new" enemies of Catholic Church is not what you think. Attempts to pigeon hole Belloc with preconceptions usually don't survive your next reading of Belloc. Belloc's thinking style is never hidebound. Agree with him or not, it's entertaining thinking. Yet his writing style can be frustrating.

There are surprises in Belloc's survey. Some of his 'predictions' seem to have come about. Belloc foresaw a revival of islamic militancy as a future threat to the west. But there are flaws in his crystal ball too. He sees the more biblical fundamentalist versions of protestantism, and indeed Darwinism too, as more or less on their last legs. Belloc doesn't easily align with one side or the other to today's "culture wars", as such he provides an interesting circuit breaker to the battle hardenedviews of both sides.He sees novelty driven "the modern mind" (and the mass media that feeds it) as an "enemy", but so is "nationalism". Belloc sees atheistic rationalism, not as an enemy, but as a potential ally of the Church. (It's interesting to note Belloc was close friends with some of the leading agnostics and skeptics of his day and even dedicated some of his books to them.)

His writing often seems stuffy and long winded, but then, out of the blue, there is paragraph that is a sheer joy to read. His take on the press, as true now as in 1929, is a case in point and worth keeping your eye out for.

Prophetic Belloc
This beautifully written masterpiece stands as a sequel, more or less, to Belloc's masterful "Great Heresies".Here, Belloc describes the old and new enemies of the Catholic Church.As Mr. Schorr of Geneva observed, much of the corpus of this work seems very contemporary.Sadly, what may not be contemporary is the solution proposed by the great Catholic historian and social thinker.

Belloc wrote at a time when the Church and the Faith, though as always persecuted, were at least united.Were Belloc around now to comment on the post-Vatican II state of the Church, he would probably be more emphatic in his prescription for necessary Catholic action.

And yet, the truth Belloc states herein is eternal.Witness the following:

"Either we shall see the gradual permeation of mankind by the only body of truth to which the mind leaps in unison, rendering all as secure as it can be among a fallen race; or our civilization will sink to be a completely alien body, knowing even less of the Faith than do the distraught town millions of today."

As previously mentioned, the same truth obtains even today.The question is yet to be answered.And in the answer resides the fate of the human race.

Could have been written yesterday
Belloc describes and evaluates philosophies/movements/moods antagonistic to the Church.He divides them into three types--

"Survivals" are either discredited, like fundamentalism, or ever present but currently (1929) in disrepute, like materialism.

"Main Opposition" are the strongest of the hour--for Belloc nationalism, anti-clericalism, and most significantly, the "modern mind", a vague, passive resistance to faith and dogma built on ill-conceived, ill-considered ideas about the infallibility of science, the inevitability of progress, and the primacy of man.Of immense interest is Belloc's critique of compulsory state sponsored education--a fairly new thing in Britain at the time.He sees quite clearly that such an assembly line process leads to the weakening of parental authority, a deadening of intellectual acuity, and the development of a world view that prioritizes certain types of knowledge above a clear, rational sense of morality.All these effects, as Belloc prophetically observes, lead to social decay.

"New Arrivals" are developing enemies.With remarkable foresight, Belloc zeroes in on what he calls "Neo-Paganism", which is an attitude of despair, a flat rejection of absolute truth in faith and morals.Belloc accurately predicts the growth of this attitude in the West and the terrible damage it will unleash on our society and culture.

Belloc is enlightening as usual.He not only explains the nature of these movements, but sketches their historical roots, so that we get some sense of how these things developed, and why.It is easy to see that many of these oppostions exist today, although in somewhat different forms, described in different terms, and somehow jumbled up together in a vague secular attitude. The clear and thorough examination in this book helps us make sense of this jumble, and perhaps to formulate a response. ... Read more

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The doctoral dissertation of the Rt. Rev. Michael NeSmith, this text traces the history of the Old Catholic movement from its beginnings in Utrecht, Holland through its many struggles and growths to become what it is today. The specific focus is the history and beliefs of the Old Catholic Church of North America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comments by Author
Regarding my previous concern of a possible copy right violation, I have now verified the proceeds are going St. Michaels Seminary as was intended and allowed.
For those interested below is the copyright data as on file.

Blessings,

Bishop Michael

Registration Number: TXu001593534
Title: The History and Beliefs of Old Catholicism.
Copyright Claimant: Michael Nesmith. Address: 181 Baywood Lane, Monticello, AR, 71655.
Date of Creation: 2003
... Read more

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The Canons of a church are the laws that govern the behavior of its clergy. These Canons apply to the North American Old Catholic Church, the national Latin Rite church in the United States. The Canons were adopted and went into effect on Advent Sunday (the start of the liturgical year) in 2009. ... Read more

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The Canons of a church are the laws that govern the behavior of its clergy. These Canons apply to the North American Old Catholic Church, the national Latin Rite church in the United States. The Canons were adopted and went into effect on Advent Sunday (the start of the liturgical year) in 2009. ... Read more

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In this revised edition of a longtime bestseller, lawyer, activist and Jesuit priest Fred Kammer ushers Catholics into the twenty-first century as he confronts the challenge of human poverty and injustice in the context of our consumer-driven, economically fragile world. He defines faithjustice as "...a passionate virtue which disposes citizens to become involved in the greater and lesser societies around themselves in order to create communities where human dignity is protected and enhanced, and gifts of creation are shared for the greatest good of all...."

Writing with passion and conviction, he explores the biblical grounding for this virtue and provides an overview of its historical development in the Catholic community. And he brings out its contemporary meaning, rooting each chapter in concrete times and places. He concludes with a framework for living faithjustice in our time.

This revised edition contains new materials on social teaching documents of the nineties, updated economic and social data and analysis, and, at the request of users of the original volume, questions for reflection and renewal at the ends chapters.

Highlights:

--Now, more user-friendly
--Author is highly respected in this field ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Only presents one-third of the root cause of our nation's problems. . .
I attended a retreat with Fr. Fred during my year as a Jesuit Volunteer in 1999.One of the things he went into great detail in presenting the roots of Catholic social teaching was that during Old Testament times, what caused the ancient Israel to fall prey to foreign invaders time and time again had its roots when they, as a society, started neglecting the needs of the widows, orphans, strangers, and other disenfranchised members of their society.This is detailed mainly in the prophetic books of the OT.

Shortly after that, I read the Old Testament from cover to cover in a year's period of time, along with several commentaries.I found out that yes, what Fr. Kammer said was true, BUT he only emphasized one third of the story. . .

The other two points that Fr. Kammer failed to emphasized that are presented OVER and OVER again throughout the Old Testament are ancient Israel's falling into 1). Idolatry and 2). Sexual immorality.

It is ALL THREE of these ingredients that caused Israel to fall time and time again.I gave the book a three-star rating because I believe he did, in fact, do a good job in detailing this one-third.But if you're going to look at the core of social problems in our society, you CANNOT ignore the other two.At least equal emphasis should be given to them.

EITHER 5 STARS OR 1?
I had a hard time deciding whether to give this book a 5 or a 1. I decided on a 5 because the book is so useful if you want a treatise on how one takes selective excerpts from Church documents out of context and turns it into a campaign for the political left. If you are going to read only one book read the enemy's!
I have read every Church social document from Rerum Novarum to Centessimun Annus and rather than just give my opinion let me give my own list of quotes:
RELATION OF FAMILY DETERORATION TO POVERTY: (not found in this book)
"The first and fundamental structure for "human ecology" is the family....... . Here we mean the family founded on marriage" (emphasis in the original text) (Centessimus Annus # 39, The Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum, Supreme Roman Pontiff, John Paul II, 1991)
THE WONDERFUL WELFARE STATE:
"In recent years the range of such intervention has vastly expanded, to the point of creating a new type of state, the so-called "Welfare State." This has happened in some countries in order ....... remedying forms of poverty and deprivation unworthy of the human person. .... Malfunctions and defects in the Social Assistance State are the result of an inadequate understanding of the tasks proper to the State. Here again the principle of subsidiarity must be respected: a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions ... By intervening directly and depriving society of its responsibility, the Social Assistance State leads to a loss of human energies and an inordinate increase of public agencies ......... It should be added that certain kinds of demands often call for a response which is not simply material but which is capable of perceiving the deeper human need" (Supreme Roman Pontiff, John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, #48, Hundedth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum, 1991)
REDISTRIBUTE WHAT WE HAVE - LIMITED RESOURCES:
"Truth to tell, we do not seem to be faced with any immediate or imminent world problem arising from the disproportion between the increase of population and the supply of food. Arguments to this effect are based on such unreliable and controversial data that they can only be of very uncertain validity. 189. Besides, the resources which God in His goodness and wisdom has implanted in Nature are well-nigh inexhaustible" (Mater et Magistra, Christianity and Social Progress, His Holiness Pope John XXIII, 15 May 1961)
LIMITED WEALTH SO LET'S HELP POOR BY DRAGGING DOWN OTHERS:
"It should be noted that in today's world, among other rights, the right of economic initiative is often suppressed. Yet it is a right which is important not only for the individual but also for the common good. Experience shows us that the denial of this right, or its limitation in the name of an alleged "equality" of everyone in society, diminishes, or in practice absolutely destroys the spirit of initiative, that is to say the creative subjectivity of the citizen. As a consequence, there arises, not so much a true equality as a "leveling down" ..... (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Pope John Paul II)
SOCIALISM MUST BE THE ANSWER:
"The supreme commandment of love leads to the full recognition of the dignity of each individual, created in God's image. From this dignity flow natural rights and duties. In the light of the image of God, freedom, which is the essential prerogative of the human person, is manifested in all its depth. Persons are the active and responsible subjects of social life. (109) Intimately linked to the foundation, which is man's dignity, are the principle of solidarity and the principle of subsidiarity. By virtue of the first, man with his brothers is obliged to contribute to the common good of society at all its levels. (110) Hence the Church's doctrine is opposed to all the forms of social or political individualism.By virtue of the second, neither the state nor any society must ever substitute itself for the initiative and responsibility of individuals and of intermediate communities at the level on which they can function, nor must they take away the room necessary for their freedom. (111) Hence the Church's social doctrine is opposed to all forms of collectivism." (emphasis added) (Libertatis Conscientia, Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation, His Eminence Josef Ratzinger, Cardinal Prefect, SCDF, Approved in Audience by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, 22 March 1986)
The whole problem is best summarized here:
"The feeling of anguish at the urgency of the problems (of relieving poverty) cannot make us lose sight of what is essential and forget the reply of Jesus to the Tempter: 'It is not on bread alone that man lives, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' (Mt 4:4; cf. Dt 8:3).
Faced with the urgency of sharing bread, some are tempted to put evangelization into
"Faced with the urgency of sharing bread, some are tempted to put evangelization into parentheses, as it were, and postpone it until tomorrow: first the bread, then the Word of the Lord. It is a fatal error to separate these two and even worse to oppose the one to the other. In fact, the Christian perspective shows they have a great deal to do with one another." (His Eminence, Josef Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect, Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, Libertatis Nuncius, Instruction on Certain Aspects of Liberation Theology, Approved in Audience by the Roman Pontiff, John Paul II, 6 August,1984)
What it really comes down to is that Fr. Kammer has done an excellent job of perusing Church documents to find selected quotes that support a left wing socioeconomic agenda.GREAT JOB!
Dear faithful Catholics: READ THIS BOOK!

One of the strengths of the Catholic Church...
...is its teachings and praxis of social justice.Father Kammer, formerly the head of Catholic Charities USA nicely summarizes in depth (without the highbrow theological talk) Catholic social teaching.

If you work with people day in and day out, especially those considered by the cold eyes of society as 'downtrodden' (those with spiritual insight realize that there is no 'we' and 'they'), this book will help provide you with some resolve and help put into perspective the application of faith and why it is we are here. ... Read more

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What it means to live, believe, and see things as a Catholic, from the bestselling theologian and biographer of Pope John Paul II.

In this remarkable tour of the Catholic world, George Weigel helps us understand how Catholicism fosters what Flannery O'Connor called "the habit of being." Taking the reader by the hand, Weigel embarks on a journey to Catholic landmarks as diverse as Chartres Cathedral and St. Mary's Church in Greenville, South Carolina; the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and G.K. Chesterton's favorite pub; the grave of a modern martyr in Warsaw, and the Sistine Chapel. Weaving together insights from history, literature, theology, and music, Weigel uses these touchstones to illuminate the beliefs that have shaped Catholicism for two thousand years.

With clarity and conviction, Weigel examines the foundations of Catholic faith and explores the topics of grace, prayer, vocation, sin and forgiveness, suffering, and-most importantly-love. Putting a dramatic face on this invitation to Catholicism, Weigel introduces some of the figures who have shaped his faith and thought-Michelangelo and Fra Angelico; Evelyn Waugh and Cardinal John Henry Newman; Father Jerzy Popieuszko and Pope John Paul II; Edith Stein and Mother Teresa-as he also shares anecdotes from his own Catholic life. To a world that sometimes seems closed and claustrophobic, he suggests, Christian humanism offers a world with windows and doors-and a skylight.

In these letters, George Weigel conveys the power of a faith that is at once personal and universal, timely and eternal. His book will inspire not only the young generation of Catholics whose World Youth Day celebrations have launched an era of renewal for the Church, but also the faithful, the doubtful, and the searchers of every age. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Letters to a Young Catholic
I am a grandfather, who enjoyed this book immensely.I have given it to two of my grandchildren upon their reaching their 16th birthday, and plan to do that for the remaining grandchildren.It is a terrific book!

good gift
This is a great book on Catholic culture; very interesting and easy to read.We bought several copies for gifts.

Our St. Bernard book club selection
Our book club met last week to review this book.We all agreed it is one of the best of our yearly readings.George Weigel is writing for all ages, although his title reflects otherwise.Our club had recently reviewed 'Brideshead Revisited', a Evelyn Waugh book.Mr. Weigel gave us another view of this work.We all want to go to Krakowafter the chapter on Poland.Altogether, the book was a hit with a good message.

Favorite book of the year
I want all the young people in our parish to read this. The faith is a great adventure, and the geography was beautiful.What a wonderful tour of the Catholic world!

The Catholic Imagination
This book is a good introduction for those who are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. It covers a wide variety of topics, some contemporary, some older, and jumps all over the world from chapter to chapter. Weigel drops so many names, and you'll quickly gain a wider knowledge of differing Catholic thinkers. All well and good! We were given this book in senior year of high school. After reading it for a second time, I feel that there may have been some discrepencies I had not noticed before. But first, my thesis is: The many differing defenses for Catholicism in this book are only half-arguments. If we are looking for meaning, for wonder, mystery and depth - there is more than one choice! One need only explore the great variety of religious practice, traditional practice of both east and west, to begin to see a bigger picture. Weigel's critique of "liberal" religion is one of these half-true arguments. We can't necessarily go window-shopping. Of course! There requires some sort of maturity when exploring the world's religions. Yet, if we are not open we will not learn, and we will not be capable of any depth at all. So I say: True liberal religion is free to practice deeply a particular faith, but begins to see that practice in all things, and all faiths. For instance, the great sword fighter Musashi of Japan, said that once must be faithful and determined in his "way." When the true meaning of his "way" was understood, he would see his "way" in all "ways." This, he said, was true mastery.


... Read more

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In Roman Catholic Political Philosophy author James V. Schall tries to demonstrate that Roman Catholicism and political philosophy---revelation and reason--are not contradictory. It is his contention that political philosophy, the primary focus of the book, asks certain questions about human purpose and destiny that it cannot, by itself, answer. Revelation is the natural complement to these important questions about God, human being, and the world. Schall manages to avoid polemicism or triumphalism as he shows that revelation and political thought contribute to a fuller understanding of each other. ... Read more

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OLD CATHOLIC CATECHISM. Many books that introduce a religious sect either get you so pumped up that you are in danger of exploding. Others are so "dry" that you seriously consider imploding before you get to the third chapter. This isn't like that. Expect the story of a man from California who took a journey toward God. He tells you about his journey, warns you about some of the pitfalls he found, and invites you to join him on a spiritual quest. In a nutshell, Old Catholics are something like Roman Catholics, but without the Inquisition. They have all the sacraments. Yes: there are women priests and bishops. Yes: there are openly gay priests and bishops. Some members are pro-life, while others are pro choice. Don't let anybody pull the pallium over your eyes because that is the way ancient Christianity used to be everywhere. You are in store for a wonder-filled spiritual journey. ... Read more

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LECTIONARY. Chapel-size. Contains the lessons and gospels for Sundays, Solemnities and Feasts for the entire year, including both the moveable and fixed cycles. These readings are for the Traditional Mass in English.This Evangelion can be used for study or liturgically at the podium. ... Read more

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"Writing in a conversational style filled with stories and examples, Jim Keenan breaks open the treasure trove of resources in the Catholic tradition for developing moral wisdom. He reclaims four key texts that bishops and lay people alike appealed to in nurturing their moral wisdom--the person of Jesus in the New Testament, the ten commandments in the catechism, the practice of the corporal works of mercy, and the development of the four cardinal virtues--and lifts up the lessons on love, conscience, sin, and suffering within these texts that form the content of the Catholic moral tradition." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Moral Wisdom
An excellent and easy to read book, and would highly recommend it to anyone studying beginning moral theology.Fr. Keenan uses his personal life experiences to add insight and enrichment to each topic presented within the book.It was hard to set down, once I started reading it.

Great Book
"Though virtues assist us to harness weaknesses and overcome pitfalls, their overriding function is to develop strengths" (p.30).Fr. Keenan is a wonderful storyteller in that he weaves the virtues through drama and practice.In Psalm 51 we pray, "Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom."This book, Moral Wisdom, is the answer to this prayer request! ... Read more

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"There is a need to develop a concept of literature that is capable of accommodating both the Bible and what we have normally understood by literature without forcing either into a costume in which they look constrained or ridiculous: Malvolio in cross-garters or Huck Finn in a suit." —From Lecture I

Nicholas Boyle's latest work begins with an observation—from theologian and medievalist Father Marie-Dominique Chenu, O.P.—that the Bible should be seen as a divinely ordained mediation between human culture and divine truth. But how far can we say that the Bible is ‘literature’? Chenu is surely right that God is revealed in Scripture not through a system of ideas, but through a vivid historical narrative of people and places. But the Bible is also a sacred book. Expanding on this central dilemma, Boyle demonstrates that biblical scholarship and literary criticism must work together in the largely neglected task of integrating theology and modern secular culture.

Boyle explores two lines of thought. In the first series of essays, he discusses a range of writers, primarily philosophers and theologians, who have treated the Bible as literature as a means of reconciling the sacred and the secular. In the second series, Boyle moves to the theme of literature as Bible, seeking a Catholic way of reading secular literature.

These sophisticated and learned essays—drawn from the Erasmus Lectures Boyle delivered at the University of Notre Dame in 2003—cover a remarkable range of philosophers, theologians, and writers, including Herder, Schleiermacher, Hegel, Lévinas, Goethe, Austen, Melville, and Tolkien. This volume will reward its reader with penetrating, and often brilliant, insights. ... Read more

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Come and See, Catholic Bible StudyMoses and Torah covers the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Study the ways in which God reveals Himself to Moses, delivers His chosen people from slavery in Egypt, and gives the law. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Moses and the Torah
We used this book for a full year. All the class members enjoyed studying with this book.

MOSES AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
THIS IS THE WORK BOOK WE ARE DOING NOW 2009 IN BIBLE CLASS.THE PART OF THESE BOOKS I ENJOY IS THE FACT THAT DISCUSSIONS, GREAT DISCUSSIONS GET STARTED FROM THESE WORKBOOKS. THEY ALSO QUESTION US WHERE IT MAKES US HAVE TO GO THE EXTRA STEP TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.BEFORE EACH LESSON THERE IS A SUMMARYTHAT TELL A LITTLE OF THE CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE YOU WILL BE WORKING ON. IT IS REALLY A GOOD PLACE TO START WITH A FRIEND OR FEW IN GETTING TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE IS SAYING TO YOU. REMEMBER WHEN YOU CHOOSE A BIBLE & CATECHISM (YOU WILL NEED) MAKE SURE ITS A CATHOLIC BIBLE. IT HAS ALL BOOKS INCLUDED. OTHERS ARE MISSING SEVEN IMPORTANT BOOKS OUT OF THEIR BIBLES.... ... Read more